| Two
PRFSF Skaters Compete at Junior Grand Prix - Mexico
Rookie
Alex Laboy competed at his first ISU Junior Grand Prix
event
over the weekend of September 14-17, 2006. Despite
many technical setbacks, Alex ended the weekend landing
a Triple Lutz in the Short Program and a Triple Toe Loop
in the Free Skate.
Alex Laboy
was coming fresh off a good warm-up at the Silicon
Valley Open in San Jose, California where he scored 117
points in both Short Program and Free Skate. In
Mexico City, Alex scored 84.77 points in his first JGP
event. At this time, Alex is in 52nd place of 66
ISU Junior Men. Alex is the current PRFSF Novice
Men's Champion. He was the second youngest Junior
Men's Competitor at Mexico City. Kevin Reynolds
from Canada won the event. Brandon Mroz and
Daisuke Murakami of the USA came in second and third,
respectively.
Alex's technical
setbacks consisted of equipment failures that would be
comical except for the importance of this occasion.
Just after the Silicon Valley Open, and within just a
couple of weeks of Mexico JGP, Alex's boots literally came apart at
the heels. Only after a call from Federation President,
Lynette Spano, to the boot manufacturer, Graf, was Alex
able to get new boots in time for Mexico. The
day after Alex received his new boots, he broke
his blades. Replacement blades simply were not
available. Luckily, the husband of Alex's coach used the
same size blades. So Alex skated in Mexico City on
new boots and blades that were not even his own.
Veteran
Victoria Muniz completed her third ISU Junior Grand
Prix event. Victoria landed a Double Axel in her
Short Program and a Triple Loop and Triple Flip in her
Free Skate. Victoria was also fresh off of a warm-up competition at the Silicon Valley Open where she scored 88
points throughout. In Mexico City, Victoria scored
74.97 points in both her Short Program and Free
Skate.
Caroline Zhang (USA), Sonia Lafuente
(Spain), and Yea-Ji Shin (Korea) took 1st, 2nd and 3rd,
respectively.
At this time,
Victoria
is in 41st place
of 77 ISU Junior Ladies.
Per Marisol
Brilliant, "the altitude at Mexico City had an impact on
our skaters. After just a couple of triple jumps,
they found themselves gasping for breath." Mexico
City is a mile high. "Our skaters have had
some training in Colorado, so we had not expected the
severity of this circumstance" said Marisol.
"Nonetheless, all competitors worked with the same
altitude. We commend the efforts of all the
competitors. Anyone who can compete well under
these circumstances can compete well anywhere in the
world."
Both Alex and
Victoria train in Vaca Valley, California, USA under
PRFSF Coach Marisol Brilliant. During the summer,
both Alex and Victoria were able to attend a 4 week
training camp at the University of Delaware under the
coaching direction of Barbara Roles Williams and Jeff DiGregorio.
Per Marisol Brilliant, Victoria has all of her triple
jumps through the Triple Flip. Alex has all the
triples including one Triple-Triple combination
A couple of
days after getting back from Mexico City, Alex called
Marisol to let her know that "(he) did not do well
enough, and Puerto Rico deserves a much better showing."
Both Alex and Victoria are scheduled and eager to attend the JGP
event at the Hague, Netherlands in October, 2006.
Click
here to see the Mexico JGP results
See what is
said about PRFSF skaters on USFSA website (click
here)
Two
PRFSF Skaters Compete at The Hague Junior Grand Prix
Alex Laboy
competed at his second ISU Junior Grand Prix event
over the weekend of October 5-7, 2006. Alex
improved on his 14th place Short Program score in Mexico
City by 5 points (34.89); and another 5 points better in
his 21st place showing in the Free Skate (60.76).
In the Free Skate, Alex had three strong combinations:
Double Axel-Double Toe; Triple Toe-Double Toe; and
Triple Loop-Double Toe. This combined for a total
score of 95.65 points to end up in 21st place overall.
Stephen
Carriere (USA), Artum Borodulin (RUS), and Eliot
Halverson (USA) tall medaled, respectively.
Victoria Muniz completed her fourth ISU Junior Grand
Prix event. Victoria's Short Program was
highlighted by a clean Triple Salchow-Double Toe jump
combination and a level 4 Combination Spin. Victoria's
41.58 points were 5th in the Short Program; and improved
on her Mexico City score by 14 points. Victoria's
64.23 points were an improvement of almost 17 points
over her tally in Mexico City in the Free Skate.
Victoria's Free Skate was capped off by a Triple
Toe-Double Toe jump combination, lovely level 3 Spiral
Sequence, and a level 3 Flying Sit Spin.
Victoria ended up in 10th place overall with 105.81
points, a new personal best, and a great
showing for a Provisional ISU Figure
Skating Member in a Junior Grand Prix event.
Ashley Wagner (USA),
Megan Oster (USA), and Rumi Suizo (JAP) took 1st, 2nd and 3rd,
respectively.
Coach Marisol
Brilliant commented that "the Puerto Rican skaters did an
awesome job."
We commend them on
their efforts and their determination for improvement.
Click
here to see The Hague JGP results
Alex Laboy and Victoria Muniz with
Puerto Rican flag
Marisol Brilliant and Victoria on walkway
Vicoria Muniz wins Michelle
Monnier Trophy at Skate San
Francisco
Victoria Muniz continued to represent Puerto Rico
well at Skate San Francisco on the weekend of October
26/29, 2006. Victoria scored
personal highs in the Short Program (43.54 points), Free
Skate (73.3 points), and Combined (116.84 points).
Victoria won the
Michelle Monnier
Trophy award for her
performance. This award is normally given to the
Senior Lady skater for the top performance.
Victoria not only won the Junior Lady SP and FS events,
she actually scored more points than the Senior Ladies
in both similar events. One official commented
that
she "has never seen such
improvement in a skater in such a short period of time".
Dr Ruben Montes, the PRFSF's only ranking judge who was
also present at the event, commented that "(Victoria)
not only had a personal best...but she had a true
performance."
Click here to see Skate San Francisco results
Sam Singer (US Single/Pair and
Dance Judge),
Victoria and Dr Ruben Montes (Puerto Rico's Judge)
Victoria Muniz, Braden Overett (won Men's Trophy
and is going to US Nationals), and Jessica Gaynor
(Chief Referee at US Nationals in Spokane, WA)
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