The ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2012 continued in Nice, France, Tuesday with the Preliminary Rounds for Ladies and Men.
Jenna McCorkell (GBR) takes Ladies Preliminary Round
Jenna McCorkell of Great Britain won the Ladies Preliminary Round. Estonia's Elena Glebova and Spain's Sonia Lafuente finished second and third. 33 Ladies competed in the Preliminary Round and the top twelve advanced to the Short Program on Thursday.
Skating to Where Have All the Flowers Gone, McCorkell landed a triple Lutz, Flip, toe and loop. She only touched down with her hand on the second triple toe. The British Champion scored 95.63 points, a seasons best. I'm really pleased to show almost all I can do and am happy to qualify. Now I just want to skate to my ability well enough to make myself and my team proud, McCorkell said. I skated to this music when I was 11 years old in a little white dress. My choreographer was Lorna Brown and I went back to her to choreograph this program. I've come full circle choosing to skate it today. I know that Katarina Witt skated to this music (in 1994) and I loved it back then, she added when asked about her music choice.
Glebova's routine to Spartacus featured four clean triples as well, but she stepped out of the triple Lutz. The Estonian picked up a seasons best of 92.52 points. I am very satisfied. The first mark is very high, the second is not as good, but I understand, that it's just a qualifying round, it should be higher in the final. As for my performance, it was good, I enjoyed my skating. All the trainings went smoothly for me, Glebova commented.
Lafuente completed four triple jumps to score 91.84 points. It was really great, better than I was expecting because my warm-up wasn't the best, but it went really well. I was very happy because it is my best (free skate) score of the season. Last year (at Worlds) I fell on the loop in the short program and didn't qualify for the free skating. This year I will try to be in the final and in the first 18 so next year I don't have to do qualifying, the Spanish Champion noted.
Nan Song (CHN) grabs Men's Preliminary Round
Nan Song of China grabbed the Men's Preliminary Round followed by Russian Sergei Voronov and Poland's Maciej Cieplucha. 27 Men competed in the Preliminary Round and the top 12 qualified for the Short Program on Friday.
Performing to Hungarian Rhapsody, Song hit four triple jumps including a triple Axel but crashed on two quadruple toeloops. He earned 130.75 points. Considering my condition right now I think it was pretty good. I was sick with a fever at the Four Continents and it took me a long time to recover, the 2010 World Junior silver medalist said. Each time you compete is an experience. Maybe I was a little nervous today. Now I have to get ready for the short program, this is really important and I will have to give my very best, he continued.
Voronov's routine to Pagliacci was highlighted by two triple Axels, four more triples and two level-four spins, but he doubled a flip. The National bronze medalist earned 128.47 points. I think skating in the preliminaries was a good start for me, I could try the ice here. And I enjoyed my skating today. I think first of all because of the others who came to support me, and obviously the audience. Even the Prince of Monaco was here, the 24-year-old said. Actually this is a costume for my short program. The design is made by my girlfriend. I wanted to try it before wearing it in the short program, he explained when asked about wearing a different costume.
Cieplucha completed a triple Lutz-triple toe and five more triple jumps as well as two double Axels in his routine to Brazil to collect 126.50 points. Altogether it was great. At the beginning I got too close to the boards, but the program was very good. I lost my passport and only arrived here yesterday (coming from Canada), I still have jetlag, but well, maybe I should always come just one day before competing from how everything went today, the Polish Champion offered.
The ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2012 officially open Wednesday with the Pairs Short Program and the Short Dance.