In the end, the Ice Dance Original Dance competition at the 1999 State Farm U.S. Championships could be reduced to one question: by how big a margin would Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev win?
Though the results of the competition were measured in tenths of a point, audiences at the Delta Center Wednesday afternoon roared their votes for America's emerging dance dynasty. Lang and Tchernyshev dominated the Compulsory Dance portion of the ice dance competition Tuesday, and continued to pull ahead of second-place Eve Chalom and Mathew Gates after an enchanting Waltz in the Original Dance.Skating to Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flower," Lang and Tchernyshev were a vision of elegance and ease. They covered the ice with unmatched speed, dancing in near-perfect unison. Lang bears an uncanny resemblance to professional ice dancer Maia Usova -- it is obvious both have extensive ballet training, and a natural gift for ascendant grace.
Tchernyshev, 28, came to this country six years ago from Russia to pursue his love of the sport.
"I came to the U.S. after figure skating in Russia became unsure," Tchernyshev said Wednesday. "There was no funding, no places to train. I was just looking for a place to continue my career."
He found coach Igor Shpilband, the Detroit Skating Club, and -- three years ago -- Naomi Lang.
"He was skating with another partner, and I was skating with another partner. But when we broke up, he wrote a letter to my house saying he would like to try out with me. I went to Lake Placid to try out with him, and it seemed things were working well."
Tchernyshev said he was attracted to Lang's presentation and strong technical skills. Though she was only a junior-level skater at the time, Tchernyshev said he saw promise. Two years later, they won the bronze medal at the 1998 Nationals in Philadelphia.
This year, it seems few can challenge them. All but two judges gave them first-place ordinals for the Original Dance. Two-time Senior National medalists Eve Chalom and Mathew Gates received the other two, and finished the Original Dance in second place. They performed a passionate waltz to the music of Shostakovich, skating with speed and confidence. However, a heavy landing on their last dance lift may have caused their marks to dip.
Deborah Koegel and Oleg Fediukov maintained their third-place position heading into Friday's Free Dance. Performing to "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman" by Bryan Adams, Koegel and Fediukov whisked audiences into their romantic dance. Their first dance lift was perfectly choreographed to the song's lyrics, and the sound of the crowd catching their breath was audible.
The Free Dance competition will be held Friday afternoon at the Delta Center.
Championship Men
Confidence drips from Michael Weiss like the beads of perspiration that drip from his brow in practice.
Widely considered the male front-runner, Weiss says he is adjusting to his new position at the top of America's skating pecking order. Seated behind a bank of microphones before his first practice session Wednesday, Weiss seemed more than comfortable with his role as the man to beat.
"It's a different role for me, it is. But it's comfortable. I've been sitting behind Todd Eldredge for the last couple of years, watching him and learning from here so I can step in and fill his place."
To prepare, Weiss said he approached this season with more focus. Rather than overlooking certain events, Weiss said he takes every one seriously. That includes the national championships -- here, some have suggested the competition is light, and its importance diminished because it is a post-Olympic year. Weiss disagreed.
"The National championships is never easy, as much as some people make it out to be. But the United States is a strong skating country. It would be nice to have that competitive fire with Todd again and it's always fun to have great competition. But this is a great event, and I just try to focus on what I need to get done and hopefully carry that to the Grand Prix finals and to Worlds."
While he obviously believes he can compete on a world level,
Weiss acknowledges he has room to improve.
"Each year I try to pick a couple of things to really improve on. This year, I've worked a lot on speed into my jumps, and more efficiency in my skating . . . This year my main focus is just the consistency, and skating solid programs at every event."
Weiss will skate his short program -- sans the quad Lutz many were hoping to see -- to the music of rock group Van Halen. His long program will be more lyrical, performed to the soundtrack of the Disney film "Mulan."
Expect Weiss to face stiff competition from 18-year-old Timothy Goebel, the first American male to land a quadruple jump in competition (the quad Salchow). Like Weiss, Goebel has parried many questions about the importance of the big jumps, stressing his desire to be known as a well-rounded skater.
"I want to be known for something more than the quad someday," Goebel said Monday. "I want to be more than just a jumper. I'd like to be known as an overall skater, and for having a National, World, and Olympic title."
That happens one day -- and one competition -- at a time, Goebel said. But, he smiles when asked about the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
"I hope I can be here. I just have to skate consistently well, and keep working hard."
Goebel has spent the last year working to improve his artistic side, with the help of his coach Carol Heiss Jenkins and sometime choreographer Alexander Zhulin. He will perform his short program to the music of "Zorba the Greek," and has already received audience approval in practice sessions this week.
Though Goebel acknowledges it will be a challenge to dethrone heir-apparent Weiss, he does not discount the possibility that any one of the competitors could come away with the national title.
"Skating is never predictable. In this sport, it's whoever goes out and produces on that day."
The Men's short program competition will be held Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at the Delta Center.
Juniors
The Junior events at the 1999 State Farm U.S. Championships Wednesday afternoon were marked by heated battles on one end, and pure dominance on the other.
Four girls in the Junior Ladies division battled for the top spot in the short program. Sasha Cohen, 14, emerged as the leader, even after bobbling her double loop jump. Jennifer Kirk, who landed a triple loop, came in second. The judges seemed torn between the two - a balanced, mature program on one hand (bobbles and all) and big jumps on the other. Cohen received five first-place ordinal rankings, while Kirk was given four.
"I was nervous, but I just tried to skate my best," Cohen said later.
Sara Wheat, who won the Eastern Sectional last October, will go into Friday's Free Skate in third place. She faced her own battle with Elizabeth Kwon, who finished fourth. Both skated mature, clean programs.
The Junior Dance Compulsory Dance competition was another story. Jamie Silverstein and Justin Pekarek won every mark, from every judge, in both the Viennese Waltz and the Quickstep. Coached by Igor Shpilband at the Detroit Skating Club, Silverstein and Pekarek showed maturity and polish with their deep edges, clean lines, and speed. Even so, they felt they could have done better.
"It took a while to get our feet under us today," Silverstein said. Pekarek agreed, saying, "I thought we did okay. We had a couple of trips . . . there's always more we could have done."
Silverstein and Pekarek, one of the most experienced couples competing in the Junior Dance division, said they owe their success to their coach. Shpilband is quickly making a name for himself as America's premier dance coach -- he trained five-time national champs Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow, and this year's favorite in the Senior Dance division, Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev. Silverstein and Pekarek have trained with him since they began dancing together four years ago.
Emilie Nussear and Brandon Forsyth finished second. Nussear, who competed for years as a pairs skater, has made a remarkably quick transition to ice dancing, having passed all her dance tests within a matter of months. She and Forsyth are in their first year together.
Third place went to Alison Newman and Michel Klus of Marlboro, Mass.
The ice dancing competition will continue Friday morning at the Delta Center with the Original Dance, the Waltz.