November 3, 2005

Skate Canada!!!!! I almost don’t need a journal entry for this event; I think the media seemed to cover this one quite a bit! This event was the only one this season that I was able to have some type of planning for. My mom, Julie, and I were to leave Detroit airport on Tuesday afternoon and arrive in Newfoundland at 11pm. The hurricane (Wilma) moved up the Atlantic coastline a little faster than we expected, so our flights on Tuesday were cancelled, because we were to fly through Newark’s airport. We drove back to Ohio and tried again on Wednesday. Upon arriving at the airport at 1:15, we found out that our flight had been changed, and that my mom and I were supposed to leave at 1:50pm instead of 3:30pm! Fortunately, we made it to our plane on time. Julie would still be on the second flight, and we would meet up again in Newark. Our plane had mechanical difficulty and then there was the air space crunch, so we weren’t allowed to get into the air until 4pm. There were a few delays in the air too, so we missed our connection in Newark, the only flight to Newfoundland that day. We finally met up with Julie, found our luggage, and checked into a hotel. Julie found practice ice for me on Thursday with the help of Rocky Marval and his mother, and then we made sure that we were back to the airport in time to get the only flight to Newfoundland, 6:30pm. We arrived in St. John’s around midnight, and I was up at 5:30am for my only practice before the competition began. I went straight back to bed after that practice, to rest up for competition (so much for a little sightseeing!).

I was tired for the event, skated fourth, and really focused on my program. I was so excited after the results went up, because I had just improved my personal best score. I drew 7 th to skate for the freeskate. The next day the fatigue was still there, but I am used to having to train while being tired because of my everyday schedule, so Julie and my mom kept reassuring me that I would be fine. Again, I improved my personal best, and won the event! It was such an honor to stand on the podium and have our national anthem played. Now, I just had to stay energized for two exhibition numbers on Sunday.

I went to the Gala on Saturday night to be with the rest of the US team and other skaters, but went to bed a little sooner than I would have liked to.

The exhibition was fun, and during the finale, the top guys did a kick line together because none of them wanted to jump anymore. Then they put Shawn Sawyer up into a lift. The choreographer gave them the opportunity to do their “own thing,” and I guess they did!

The banquet was that evening, and the next day we were off to the airport again. Since we had arrived in Newfoundland so late in the week, we didn’t get to do any sightseeing, other than from the airport van or our hotel room window. The city had more hills than I had expected. We got to see a few large ships docked in the harbor, and the colorful homes in the area that we saw had the San Francisco Bay windows and were connected to each other side by side. I didn’t get to see puffins or icebergs, but the people there were very friendly, and I really like their accents.

I guess I will receive a bye to Nationals since I have probably made the Grand Prix Final, and I have also just been asked to do the Marshall’s competition in December. This week I am just trying to catch up on my school work, rest a little, and of course change a few things in my programs again. It’s nice to be home again with my family and friends!

Alissa