News
November 7, 2007
Small step is giant leap for Scott Smith
When asked his goals for this year, a quiet Scott Smith doesn't hesitate. "Land quads," he says, as if directing himself to do just that.
Smith can check at least one goal off his list, as he became the only competitor to land a quad Salchow at HomeSense Skate Canada, held in Quebec City. While many competitors attempt quad Toes, including Brian Joubert of France who won the gold medal at this event, the quad Salchow is a harder jump that is rewarded in the IJS with higher base point values.
"I've had some difficulty lately with injuries, so my practices were scaled back going into this competition," Smith explains. "I came to Skate Canada determined to go for all my elements."
Smith's first attempt at the quad Salchow is positioned as the opening element in his Night Train short program. Despite a fall, he recovered to land a triple Axel with positive GOEs and a triple toe-triple toe combination. Two of his spins were awarded level 4s for their complexity. In eighth place, Smith was pleased to get through the program without backing off the difficult elements.
In the long program, set to Asturias, Smith opened again with the quad Salchow. Although there was a slight step out in the landing, the judges credited him with the full jump. He followed the quad with six successful triple jumps, including two triple Axels, triple Lutz, triple loop, triple toe and triple Salchow. His spins were all level threes and fours.
Given that it is so early in the season, Smith knows he's gotten the hardest part over with. "It takes more than jumps, though, so I'm doing some things differently this year," he explains. "I am using Nikolai Morosov for choreography to give me a new look, and with my coaches we're working the judging system to squeeze every point possible out of every element."
"I've been focused on landing the quad," Smith says, his face lighting with one of his famous smiles. "Now as I head to Paris for Trophee Eric Bompard I want to put it all together."
We're betting on you, Scott.
