2015 U.S. Nationals: Junior Free Dance Recap

by Gina Capellazzi | Photo by Daphne Backman

With two bronze medals and a silver medal at the last three U.S. championships, along with a silver and bronze medal at their Junior Grand Prix events this season, Lorraine McNamara & Quinn Carpenter just needed a gold to add to their collection. On Friday, they did just that by winning the U.S. junior title.

McNamara & Carpenter’s beautiful performance to the “Phantom of the Opera” soundtrack earned them level 4s on their lifts, combination spin and twizzles and level 3 on the circular step sequence. The team won the free dance with a score of 91.23, which combined with their short dance points resulted in a total score of 155.39.

Finishing in second and winning the silver medal were the reigning junior bronze medalists, siblings Rachel & Michael Parsons.  Their passionate performance to selections from Notre Dame de Paris earned them level 4s on their lifts, combination spin and twizzles and level 3 on their circular step sequence. The team earned a free dance score of 84.37, which combined with their short dance points resulted in a total score of 144.98.

The new team of Elliana Pogrebinksy & Alex Benoit finished third in the free dance, to win the bronze medal in Greensboro. Their balletic performance to “Selections from Swan Lake” earned them level 4s on their lifts and combination spins, however, they only received level 3 marks on their twizzles after Benoit lost his balance in the second set of the element.  The team earned a free dance score of 82.63, which combined with their short dance points resulted in a total score of 141.55.

The two-time pewter medalists, Holly Moore & Daniel Klaber (pictured), repeated their placement for a third time, moving up from 5th place to 4th place to capture the pewter medal in Greensboro. Skating to music from The Addams Family,  Moore & Klaber earned level 4 marks on all of their lifts, combination spins and twizzles. The team earned a free dance score of 79.54, which combined with their short dance score resulted in a total of 133.07.

The new team of Christina Carriera & Anthony Ponomarenko, who were in fourth after the short program, finished the event in fifth place. After only skating together since April, the young team earned level 4s for their lifts and spin, but earned level 3 marks on their twizzles and serpentine step sequence. Ponomarenko was the 2014 Novice Dance bronze medalist with Sara Feng, who competed in Greensboro in the junior ladies event.

Finishing in sixth were Emily Day & Kevin Leahy, who finished in 10th place at the junior level at the 2014 U.S. Championships in Boston.