Nagasu Steals the Thunder in Junior Ladies Competition
by Laura Fawcett

In front of more than 6,000 fans at the Spokane Arena, Nagasu landed five triples and combined that with spectacular spins to capture the free skate with 155.46 points. Zhang fell on a triple flip midway through her program and finished second. Last year’s fourth-place finisher, Ashley Wagner, moved up one spot to claim the bronze medal.

Although Nagasu’s win was a surprise, considering Zhang dominated the Junior Grand Prix circuit, she didn’t exactly come out of nowhere. Anyone who watched Nagasu’s lyrical performances on IceNetwork.com at both the Southwest Pacific Regional and Pacific Coast Sectional knew she had what it took to challenge Zhang. What’s not clear, however, is whether Nagasu knew she had it.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” she said after the event. “I wasn’t expecting to win.”

Coached by Charlene Wong, Nagasu won both the regional and sectional titles this year after a disappointing 2005-06 season. She finished fifth as a novice at the 2006 Southwest Pacific Regional, failing to qualify for the ensuing sectional competition.

“Last season was a disaster because I didn’t make it out of regionals,” she said. “I was one of the people who expected to go, and that maybe made me overconfident … this year I worked to live up to my potential.”

Nagasu’s jumps included a triple Lutz-double toe combination and a triple loop-double loop combination. She attempted a second triple Lutz late in the program, but it was downgraded to a double. On her level three layback spin, she earned six +2 grades of execution and a rare +3. She also earned level fours on her spiral sequence and final combination spin.

Nagasu had less than a half point lead heading into the free skate after Zhang fell on a double Axel in the short program.

Zhang’s fall in the free skate sealed the deal for Nagasu. But Zhang, also 13 and one of Nagasu’s best friends, put her placement in perspective.

“It’s great to be able to medal,” she said. “Last year I was eighth, so this is a big step.”

Zhang (All Year FSC/Irvine, Calif.) opened with a smooth triple Lutz-double toe-double loop combination and then did a back spiral into a double Axel. After falling on the triple flip, she went on to land a triple loop, triple Lutz, a triple flip-double toe, and triple toe-double toe combination.

“It was OK, besides the flip,” Zhang said about her performance. “I could have landed it, because I landed them all in warm-up today … it was just a stupid thing. I wasn’t paying attention much on it.”

She also admitted to maybe feeling a little bit of the stress with so much attention on her this year.

“I think I just felt the pressure because every year at nationals I screw up, because I always have the worst luck at nationals.”

Skating last, 15-year-old Ashley Wagner (Washington FSC/Alexandria, Va.) also made only one mistake in her program … falling on a triple Lutz near the end of her program. She earned 145.86 total points. She was pleased she moved up in the standings this year, albeit only one place over last year’s fourth-place finish.

“It might not seem like that big, one placement up, but I feel like I’ve grown so much in my skating this past year with all my international experience.”

And despite the fact that at 15, she is the eldest of the three medalists, she certainly doesn’t feel old.

“At 13 I was definitely not at this (Zhang and Nagasu’s) level in my skating,” she said. “I don’t think you should look at skating as age but experience … I just have great respect for how they are handling this whole experience..”

Blake Rosenthal (SC of Wilmington, Radnor, Pa.) finished fourth with 130.99 points.

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