News
Rochette,
Leung Headed to Tokyo
By Laurie Nealin
Reporting for Skate Canada
HALIFAX -- Joannie Rochette made it three in a row on Friday but it was
a bitter sweet win for the Quebec skater at the BMO Canadian Championships.
"It was a tough week. That was definitely the hardest one to win
(of the three titles). I'm glad it's over now," Rochette said.
Rochette, who was fifth at the 2006 Olympic Games, collected 113.76 points
for her freeskate and 170.65 overall, although her Flamenco routine was
far from her best.
She doubled three planned triples and singled a double Axel. With four
triple jumps, it was not a performance that would keep her in the mix
with the top five women in the world.
Mira
Leung will once again join Rochette at the ISU World Championships in
March in Tokyo after finishing second with a stellar performance.
The B.C. skater scored second-best points (107.09) yesterday for her Terra
Cotta Warriors program which featured six triple jumps. As her routine
ended, the 4240 fans rose to their feet and cheered. Leung finished with
159.59 points.
Despite her youth, the 17-year-old is one tough cookie, competitor-wise.
Leung, a credible 12th in her Olympic debut last year and 2006 Canadian
silver medallist, rarely misses a jump under pressure.
"I'm extremely pleased I managed to do a clean program this time
and I hope to better this feat at Tokyo," Leung said.
Lesley Hawker, of Barrie, Ont., ranked third with 156.16 overall. Shaky
landings and two-footed exits on her jumps cost her her shot at the silver
medal.
2004 Canadian champion Cynthia Phaneuf claimed fourth overall (148.36
points) in her comeback from an injury-induced, 18-month layoff. That
puts her back on the national team which was her goal coming in.
Phaneuf notched three triple jumps but fell on her lutz, although it was
fully-rotated and not the popped single she experienced in the short.
While Phaneuf said she wished the lutz had worked out better, she was
pleased, nonetheless, with her comeback.
Asked to explain what might have unnerved Rochette, her coach Manon Perron
said. "It's not about the jumps. This year we had the plan to increase
the power, the speed, the musicality, the program components.
"Tonight, was a lack of concentration, but in all the practices she
did her job. We just have to put it together for Tokyo and that's where
you have to peak," Perron added.
Rochette had said it was very important for her to win here. She has given
herself a personal challenge to one day break Jennifer Robinson's record
of six national championship wins.
"Jennifer skated great for so long, consistently. It's a big goal
I've set for myself because the competitors are so strong, but I'll take
it one year at a time and see how it goes," said Rochette.
Leung set a personal best and said there were "101 reasons"
for her to be happy with Friday's performance. Looking ahead to Tokyo,
she plans to skate even better, increasing her speed and adding a triple
lutz-triple loop combo to her long program and maybe to the short, too.
"I'll put new elements in my program when I have a gut feeling that
they're ready," said Leung, explaining why she did not attempt a
triple-triple this week.
Copyright 2007 Laurie Nealin - This article may not be reproduced
in whole or in part without permission of the author.
