September 1, 2000

Hello Everyone,

I have not posted a new journal for quite some time, for I have been very busy training and competing. I have recently competed in the Wissahickon Summer Competition, and the Colorado Championships Summer Competition. These two competitions have been great experiences for me, and building more confidence each and every time I compete.

At the Wissahickon Competition, I skate a pretty good short. I landed the triple flip, put hand down on triple lutz/double toe combination, and I turned my double axel into a single. I don't usually pop that jump so that was a big surprise for me. In the short I ended up 1st.

I then went onto the long program and didn't do as well. It was the first time with the program so I really didn't know what to expect with it. I did a double axel, slipped off the take off for triple lutz, fell on my triple flip, turned out of my triple lutz, turned out of triple loop, landed double axel/double toe, and landed triple Sal. 

It was definitely not my best skate, but I had to start somewhere with the new program. I got 2nd in the long program. This competition did not have combined scores, so that means I got 1st in short, and 2nd in long.

When I got home from Wissahickon I started making the changes to my long that needed to be made. I trained well and then was off to Colorado.

In Colorado I skated better than Wissahickon, but still not my best. In the short I did the most amazing triple flip I have ever done. I then turned my triple lutz/triple toe combination into a double/double. I was too close to the wall and I rushed my take off so it caused me to not get the lift into the jump I would need to rotate.

I then proceeded through the program and did a great double Axel. My spins in this competition definitely showed all the hard work I had put into them. I got fair marks for my short, and ended up 1st after short.

I then went onto the long program. I started my long with a giant double axel, then I landed triple lutz, triple toe combo. That was the first clean triple/triple combo I have landed in competition. I then popped my triple flip, fell on triple lutz, landed triple loop, fell on triple Sal and landed hydroblade triple toe.

I felt that this long program was better than Wissahickon, but still not my best. I ended up 1st overall and won the junior men's division.

Now that I am home and going to start training again, my new choreographer (Nathan Birch) and I are going to get the long program settled so I can perform it as nicely as I do my short. I will keep you all posted on how I am doing and let you know all the latest news.

Thanks for visiting!

Nick