2011 Regional and Sectional Championships schedule

Ever wonder how all the skaters you see at the US Championships (or commonly known as "Nationals") got there? Most qualified through regional and sectional events. US Figure Skating has divided the country into nine regions. Click here to see which state belongs in which region.

From October 1 - 19, regional championships ("regionals") will be held through the country:

WHEN	EVENT	HOST FSC/LOCATION
October 1-5, 2010	Upper Great Lakes Regional	Greater Green Bay FSC/Cornerstone Community Center in DePere, WI
October 1-5, 2010	North Atlantic Regional	Skating Club of Lake Placid/Lake Placid, NY
October 1-5, 2010	Northwest Pacific Regional	Boise FSC/Idaho Ice World, Boise, ID
October 8-12, 2010	Southwest Pacific Regional	Los Angeles FSC/Pickwick Ice Arena, Burbank, CA
October 8-12, 2010	New England Regional	Charter Oak FSC/Simsbury, CT
October 8-12, 2010	Eastern Great Lakes Regional	Nashville FSC/Franklin, TN
October 15-19, 2010	Southwestern Regional	Broadmoor Skating Club/Colorado Springs, CO
October 15-19, 2010	Central Pacific Regional	Capital City FSC/Skatetown Ice Arena, Roseville, CA
October 15-19, 2010	South Atlantic Regional	Triangle FSC/The Polar Ice House @ The Factory, Wake Forest, NC

Skaters who place in the top four at their regionals qualify for the sectional championships. There are three sectional championships:

WHEN	EVENT	HOST FSC/LOCATION
November 9-13, 2010	Eastern Sectional	IceWorks Skating Club/IceWorks Skating Complex, Aston, PA
November 9-13, 2010	Midwestern Sectional	Ann Arbor FSC/Ann Arbor, MI
November 9-13, 2010	Pacific Coast Sectional	All Year FSC/Culver City, CA

And you guessed it, skaters who place in the top four at sectionals qualify for the 2011 US Championships, which will be held in Greensboro, North Carolina, from January 22 - 30, 2011. Some skaters don't need to qualify through regionals and sectionals -- they will receive automatic byes if they placed in the top five as a senior at the 2010 US Championships, if they won a medal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics or World Championships, went to the Grand Prix Final or Junior Grand Prix Final, or if sectionals conflict with an international competition they've already been assigned to.

Keep in mind also that the US Championships will crown the winners in the novice, junior, and senior divisions in men and ladies singles, pairs and ice dancing. The other two levels below novice -- juvenile and intermediate -- hold their own Nationals called the "U.S. Junior Championships" and it will be held in Salt Lake City, from December 14 - 18, 2010. Below is a great chart from U.S. Figure Skating explaining all of this:

For all the synchronized skaters out there, they have their own US Championships and sectionals. For synchro skaters, there are no regionals -- teams qualify for the US Synchronized Skating Championships at one of three sectional competitions:

WHEN	EVENT	HOST FSC/LOCATION
February 3-5, 2011	Eastern Sectional	Skating Club of Lake Placid, Lake Placid, NY
February 3-5, 2011	Midwestern/Pacific Coast Sectional	Rochester FSC/Rochester, MN

The 2011 US Synchronized Skating Championships will be hosted by the Glacier Falls FSC and will be held at the Citizens Bank Arean, in Ontario, California from March 2 - 5, 2011.

Joelle Forte hitting her stride mentally and physically at 24 (video)

Joelle Forte is on fire! No, not literally of course. But this girl is awfully determined to make the most of this season, beginning with the North Atlantic regional championships next week in Lake Placid. Joelle is 24, so kind of on the older side for senior girls. But she's actually hitting her stride at 24 mentally and physically which I find very interesting. Her coaches are US and World champion Elaine Zayak and Russian skater Dmitri Gromov and they've helped Joelle to reach her peak while other skaters her age may be contemplating a post-skating career.

I first took note in 2009 when Joelle placed 12th at the US Championships in January. She had been out of the competitive circuit for a while so it was great to see someone that talented return to the ice. Then during the 2009-2010 season she disappeared, kind of. I saw her name on the roster for a few events where she was representing Azerbaijan so that was a little confusing. Thank goodness I caught up with her in NYC earlier this year to clear up some of the mystery. Joelle and others, including Oksana Baiul, Lucinda Ruh, Tai Babilonia, Melissa Bulanhagui, Angela Maxwell and Parker Pennington, were on hand to support One Step Closer, an AIDS benefit held at Lasker Rink in Central Park.

From our conversation, here are the highlights:

• On which country she is representing for the 2010-2011 season - Joelle: "I'm not representing Azerbaijan anymore. I tried but I did not want to wait another year to have nothing happen again so I will be skating for the USA. My plans for this season are to improve my program component scores. I have been working on my presentation a lot this year."

• On her graduating from Fordham University in NYC with a degree in psychology - Joelle: "I really felt it was important to get my diploma! While skating and competing I was going to Fordham full time so it was pretty hectic but well worth it. I majored in Psychology and yes, I want to continue my studies -- I already started looking at graduate schools."

• On her short and long programs this season - Joelle: "My short program is Cirque Du Soleil and my long is Piano Concerto 2 by Rachmaninoff."

• On why she continues to skate - Joelle: "I really love figure skating. I wake up every day and I couldn't imagine my life doing something else. I truly love what I do."

Below is Joelle's skate to Cirque du Soleil during the One Step Closer AIDS benefit. Love her crisp clean jumps!

Sectionals set field for U.S. Nationals in Cleveland

• Former ice dancer Analeigh Tipton didn't win America's Next Top Model, but her future is brighter than ever! [BuddyTV]

• Pairs legend Randy Gardner helps open Redondo Beach's Seaside Ice. [DailyBreeze.com]

• Speaking of, what is Randy's pairs partner Tai Babilonia up to? [OregonLive.com]

• Alternative uses for ice skates you've never thought of. [Current Skate of Mind]

• Choreographer Sara Kawahara contemplates warthogs, genies and Mickey Mouse. [Sioux City Journal]

• Catching up with...two-time world champion and Olympic medalist Irina Slutskaya. [Associated Press]

• What is nordic skating? [Anchorage Daily News]

• In Disney's Worlds of Fantasy, cars cost $250,000 each. [NY Daily News]

• American Museum of Natural History showcases new Polar Rink that never needs to be resurfaced. [amnh.org]

• Get your $.25 Vancouver 2010 commemorative coin (see right) for $15 before they run out! [CoinNews.net]

• "Overweight" first time ($30), second time ($40), third time ($50). [Ice Charades]

• Rabbi pays $2,500 for Olympic champion Oksana Baiul. [NYPost]

• Sectionals set field for U.S. Championships in Cleveland in January. [icenetwork]

Regionals begin this week

If you've been seeing a lot of activity at your club lately, it's because regionals start today. In the figure skating world, the U.S. is divided into nine regions (see above). Skaters placing in the top four at their respective regionals go onto sectionals. Those who place in the top four in their sectionals then go onto nationals -- the 2009 U.S. Figure Skating Championships -- which will be held in Cleveland, Ohio from January 18-25, 2009. If you have a subscription to icenetwork.com, you can watch the many of these competitions on your computer. 

2009 Regional Championships Information:

• New England Regional -- Event will be held in Kingston, MA, from October 2-5, 2008, hosted by the Yarmouth Ice Club
• Central Pacific Regional -- Event will be held in San Jose, CA, from October 2-5, 2008, hosted by the Peninsula Skating Club
• Southwest Pacific Regional -- Event will be held in Anaheim, CA, from October 3-7, 2008, hosted by the Glacier Falls Figure Skating Club
• Southwestern Regional -- Event will be held in Colorado Springs, CO, from October 10-14, 2008, hosted by the Broadmoor Skating Club
• North Atlantic Regional -- Event will be held in Jamestown, NY, from October 10-14, 2008, hosted by the Jamestown Skating Club
• Eastern Great Lakes Regional -- Event will be held in Midland, MI, from October 10-14, 2008, hosted by the Midland Figure Skating Club
  
• Upper Great Lakes Regional -- Event will be held in Richfield, MN, from October 14-18, 2008, hosted by the St. Paul Figure Skating Club
• South Atlantic Regional -- Event will be held in Aston, PA, from October 14-18, 2008, hosted by the Ice Works Skating Club
• Northwest Pacific Regional -- Event will be held in Jackson, WY, from October 14-18, 2008, hosted by the Jackson Hole Figure Skating Club

2009 Sectional Championships Information:

• Eastern Sectional -- Event will be held in Boston, MA, from November 11-15, hosted by the Skating Club of Boston
• Midwestern Sectional -- Event will be held in Sugar Land, TX, from November 11-15, hosted by the Texas Gulf Coast Figure Skating Club and the Houston Figure Skating Club
• Pacific Coast Sectional -- Event will be held in Scottsdale, AZ, from November 11-15, 2008, hosted by the Coyotes Skating Club of Arizona

2009 Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships Information:

• Eastern Sectional -- Event will be held in Morristown, NJ, from January 28-31, 2009, hosted by the Skating Club of Morris
• Midwestern/Pacific Coast Sectional -- Event will be held in Broomfield, CO, from January 28-31, 2009, hosted by the Rocky Mountain Figure Skating Club

2009 U.S. qualifying competitions

If you're like me and need to know where and when regionals and sectionals will be held this year (not because you're going but because, like me, you have the awful need-to-know gene that you can't get rid of), look no further. For those unfamiliar, skaters compete in one of nine regionals (see above for how U.S. Figure Skating determines regions and here is a link to more detailed information). Those placing in the top four in their respective regional events then move onto sectionals. Those who place in the top four in their sectionals then go onto the 2009 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which will be held in Cleveland, Ohio from January 18-25, 2009.

2009 Regional Championships Information:

• New England Regional -- Event will be held in Kingston, MA, from October 2-5, 2008, hosted by the Yarmouth Ice Club
• Central Pacific Regional -- Event will be held in San Jose, CA, from October 2-5, 2008, hosted by the Peninsula Skating Club
• Southwestern Regional -- Event will be held in Colorado Springs, CO, from October 10-14, 2008, hosted by the Broadmoor Skating Club
• North Atlantic Regional -- Event will be held in Jamestown, NY, from October 10-14, 2008, hosted by the Jamestown Skating Club
• Eastern Great Lakes Regional -- Event will be held in Midland, MI, from October 10-14, 2008, hosted by the Midland Figure Skating Club
• Southwest Pacific Regional -- Event will be held in Anaheim, CA, from October 3-7, 2008, hosted by the Glacier Falls Figure Skating Club
• Upper Great Lakes Regional -- Event will be held in Richfield, MN, from October 14-18, 2008, hosted by the St. Paul Figure Skating Club
• South Atlantic Regional -- Event will be held in Aston, PA, from October 14-18, 2008, hosted by the Ice Works Skating Club
• Northwest Pacific Regional -- Event will be held in Jackson, WY, from October 14-18, 2008, hosted by the Jackson Hole Figure Skating Club

2009 Sectional Championships Information:

• Eastern Sectional -- Event will be held in Boston, MA, from November 11-15, hosted by the Skating Club of Boston
• Midwestern Sectional -- Event will be held in Sugar Land, TX, from November 11-15, hosted by the Texas Gulf Coast Figure Skating Club and the Houston Figure Skating Club
• Pacific Coast Sectional -- Event will be held in Scottsdale, AZ, from November 11-15, 2008, hosted by the Coyotes Skating Club of Arizona

2009 Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships Information:

• Eastern Sectional -- Event will be held in Morristown, NJ, from January 28-31, 2009, hosted by the Skating Club of Morris (Link to competition website)
• Midwestern/Pacific Coast Sectional -- Event will be held in Broomfield, CO, from January 28-31, 2009, hosted by the Rocky Mountain Figure Skating Club (Link to competition website)

2009 U.S. Junior Figure Skating Championships Information:

• U.S. Junior Figure Skating Championships -- Event will be held in Lake Placid, NY, from December 8-13, hosted by the Skating Club of Lake Placid. This event will crown the winners of singles (ladies & men), pairs and ice dancing in the first two levels of the standard track: juvenile and intermediate. Novice, junior and senior levels will all compete in Cleveland, Ohio. Skaters qualify for the Junior Figure Skating Championships by finishing in the top four at their respective regionals. Also, pairs and ice dancing only compete at sectionals.

As a reminder, for singles, a standard test track is as follows:

• Senior freestyle
• Senior moves in the field
• Junior freestyle
• Junior moves in the field
• Novice freestyle
• Novice moves in the field
• Intermediate freestyle
• Intermediate moves in the field
• Juvenile freestyle
• Juvenile moves in the field
• Pre-Juvenile freestyle
• Pre-Juvenile moves in the field
• Preliminary freestyle
• Preliminary moves in the field
• Pre-Preliminary freestyle
• Pre-Preliminary moves in the field

I know what you're thinking -- this is a lot to take in at one time! I felt that way too. It's best to spread it out over a nice pot of coffee or for us adult adults, a pitcher of margarita.