Press Release
REYNOLDS UPSTAGES U.S. FAVOURITES
The Globe and Mail
Mon 27 Oct 2008
Page: S5
Section: Sports
Byline: Beverley Smith
Dateline: Everett, Wash
Everett, Wash -- Of all the Canadian skaters who graced the ice at Skate America last week, Kevin Reynolds is the most improved, team leader Louis Stong says.
Reynolds finished fourth in the men's event with a new total best score of 204.89, 18 points more than his previous best, set at the Cup of Russia last year.
"He just stepped it up a few notches," Stong said, speaking of Reynolds's new style. "He has really opened his skating style up. Towards the end of the practice sessions, he's stroking and he's flying around the rink, and his shoulders are open. He used to be a closed person."
With his two quadruple jumps and two triple Axels, Reynolds chalked up the second best technical score, 73.51, in the long program on Saturday, just behind surprise winner Takahiko Kozuka of Japan, who had 75.88.
Kozuka, 19, upstaged the event's U.S. favourites, Evan Lysacek, who won the short program, and world bronze medalist Johnny Weir. Weir was second, while Lysacek was third.
Shawn Sawyer of Edmunston, N.B., finished fifth, while a third Canadian, Ian Martinez of Montreal, finished 10th, but achieved his goal of landing his first triple Axel in a major competition. It was his first senior Grand Prix.
Lysacek got a standing ovation for his performance but then the large crowd booed his scores.
"I was really disappointed that the fans were so upset," he said. "We're trying to get people back into the building. It would be sad to me if this kept people from coming to the rink. I can't speak to the rules, but to me, the scores were completely fair."
Kozuka's programs were choreographed by 1994 women's world champion Yuka Sato, whose father, Nobuo, is Kozuka's coach.
In the pairs free skate, Canadian bronze medalists Meagan Duhamel of Lively, Ont., and Craig Buntin of Kelowna, B.C., got off to a fast start in the season by finishing third in the long program and fourth overall while competing against Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, the world champions from Germany, who won comfortably with 180.77 points. That was enough to finish ahead of surprising U.S. youngsters Keana McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, who were also second in the long program.
Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov, of Russia, who had won the short program, held on for the bronze medal, although they had a disastrous free skate.
REYNOLDS UPSTAGES U.S. FAVOURITES
The Globe and Mail
Mon 27 Oct 2008
Page: S5
Section: Sports
Byline: Beverley Smith
Dateline: Everett, Wash
Everett, Wash -- Of all the Canadian skaters who graced the ice at Skate America last week, Kevin Reynolds is the most improved, team leader Louis Stong says.
Reynolds finished fourth in the men's event with a new total best score of 204.89, 18 points more than his previous best, set at the Cup of Russia last year.
"He just stepped it up a few notches," Stong said, speaking of Reynolds's new style. "He has really opened his skating style up. Towards the end of the practice sessions, he's stroking and he's flying around the rink, and his shoulders are open. He used to be a closed person."
With his two quadruple jumps and two triple Axels, Reynolds chalked up the second best technical score, 73.51, in the long program on Saturday, just behind surprise winner Takahiko Kozuka of Japan, who had 75.88.
Kozuka, 19, upstaged the event's U.S. favourites, Evan Lysacek, who won the short program, and world bronze medalist Johnny Weir. Weir was second, while Lysacek was third.
Shawn Sawyer of Edmunston, N.B., finished fifth, while a third Canadian, Ian Martinez of Montreal, finished 10th, but achieved his goal of landing his first triple Axel in a major competition. It was his first senior Grand Prix.
Lysacek got a standing ovation for his performance but then the large crowd booed his scores.
"I was really disappointed that the fans were so upset," he said. "We're trying to get people back into the building. It would be sad to me if this kept people from coming to the rink. I can't speak to the rules, but to me, the scores were completely fair."
Kozuka's programs were choreographed by 1994 women's world champion Yuka Sato, whose father, Nobuo, is Kozuka's coach.
In the pairs free skate, Canadian bronze medalists Meagan Duhamel of Lively, Ont., and Craig Buntin of Kelowna, B.C., got off to a fast start in the season by finishing third in the long program and fourth overall while competing against Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, the world champions from Germany, who won comfortably with 180.77 points. That was enough to finish ahead of surprising U.S. youngsters Keana McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, who were also second in the long program.
Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov, of Russia, who had won the short program, held on for the bronze medal, although they had a disastrous free skate.