Juvenile Competition Opens 2019 GEICO U.S. Figure Skating Championships

Juvenile Girls
The juvenile girls opened the 2019 GEICO U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Detroit Skating Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on Friday, Jan. 18.

Kanon Smith from All Year Figure Skating Club took home the first title of the competition, scoring a career-high 68.02 points in her free skate. With the second highest qualifying score coming into the competition, Smith topped the field by nearly seven points with her performance to music from The Polar Express. The Pacific Coast Sectional champion had a clean skate with all positive Grades of Execution, including a triple toe loop, two double Axels and two Level 4 spins.
 

"[I had been working on my] triple toe a lot," the 10-year-old said. "I practiced a lot of triple toes and double toes to help me build up to it. I am very excited about my program today."

Tia Hilbelink of Portland Ice Skating Club grabbed the silver medal with a score of 61.75 points in her free skate to "Assassin's Tango" and "Pink Martini." The 12-year-old skater had a clean program featuring a triple Salchow and six double jumps.

Representing the Skating Club of New York, Lilly Mills claimed the bronze medal in juvenile girls, earning 61.16 points in her free skate. Her program included a triple Salchow and a Level 4 change foot combination spin.

Eastern Sectional champion Ava Ziegler earned the pewter medal with a score of 60.14. The second medalist from SC of New York, the 12-year-old had the second highest program components score of the competition with 28.00 points.

Juvenile Boys

The juvenile competition continued with the boys field at Detroit Skating Club. Highland Skating Club's Lucas Broussard captured the title with a career-high 66.01 points in his free skate, topping the field by over seven points. The Eastern Sectional champion was the top qualifier coming into the competition and improved his sectional score by over six points. The 12-year-old landed a triple Salchow and seven double jumps in his clean skate to Eduard Lalo's "Cello Concerto."

"My favorite part is being here and getting to see everyone on the ice," Broussard said. "It has been really fun. I felt really good today. I'm really happy."

Eastern Sectional champion Matthew Grossman from the Mitchell Johansson Method won the silver medal. The 13-year-old scored 58.08 in his free skate. His performance to a Michael Jackson medley opened with a triple Salchow and included a double Axel-single loop-double loop combination.

Representing the Skating Club of Boston, Jonathan Hildebrandt scored 46.16 to secure the bronze medal. The 13-year-old skater opened with a double Lutz-double toe loop combination and completed two Level 3 spins in his The Greatest Showman­-themed performance.

Nikita Prudsky from the Skating Club of Houston rounded out the juvenile boys' podium, taking home the pewter medal. The 11-year-old scored 43.53 points for his free skate.

 Juvenile Pairs
Day one of the juvenile competition concluded with the pairs competition. Hailing from Fort Wayne Ice Skating Club, Hailey Sundstrom and Andy Deng topped the podium with 49.83 points in their free skate. The two 13-year-olds are the Midwestern Sectional champions and increased their sectional score by over five points. In their Fiddler on the Roof performance, the duo executed a Level 4 group 2 lift and Level 4 change foot combination spin.

"I felt like today was really good, really strong," said Deng. "It's been a great experience and we have had a lot of fun with our friends."

"Our pairs spin went really," added Sundstrom. "Last year, we didn't do well, so this year it was nice to do well. I feel more confident."

 

Close behind in second place, San Diego Figure Skating Club's Ashley Stark and Kevin Ponceau claimed the silver medal. The duo scored 49.59 points for their free skate, just .27 points behind the gold medalists. The Pacific Coast sectional champions skated to "Rewrite the Stars" from The Greatest Showman and completed a clean side-by-side double flip-double loop combination.

Representing St. Moritz Ice Skating Club, Madeleine Phan and Laz Lune finished in third place with 42.86 points. In their free skate to "Tightrope" from The Greatest Showman, the couple was awarded a Level 4 change foot combination spin and Level 4 pair spin.

Claiming the last spot on the podium, Dalila DeLaura of the Skating Club of New York and Ryan Xie from the Skating Club of Morris New Jersey earned the pewter medal with a score of 42.07. The 11-year-old and 14-year-old were the youngest couple on the podium and skated to "Copacabana" by Barry Manilow.