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Czisny wins Gold in Grand Rapids Open

Sunday, June 29, 2008

By Kelly Hill
The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Despite a fall and stumble in her long program Saturday afternoon, Olympic figure skating hopeful Alissa Czisny won the Senior Ladies championship in the Grand Rapids Open.

Czisny, who won bronze at the 2007 U.S. figure skating championship and who represented the U.S. in the World Championships in Tokyo, debuted a new long program in Saturday's competition at Patterson Ice Center.

A fall early in the program and a later fall did not prevent the Bloomfield Hills native from winning the competition with a score of 94.78 points.

Catholic Central senior Lynzee Broussard of the Greater Grand Rapids Figure Skating Club, which hosted the Grand Rapids Open, finished second, with a mark of 67.08 points.

Despite falling twice in her long program, Caledonia High School senior Chelsea Morrow finished third, with a score of 59.59.

Czisny, 21, who represents the Detroit Skating Club, is training in hopes of making the U.S. team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

"This is a brand new program so I'm still working out everything on it," Czisny said. "This is the first time I brought it out, so I'm just testing it out right now."

"I'm training for the Olympics in a couple of years," she said. "I always have something to train for, but the Olympics is my ultimate goal. All of my focus is on that. Everything is building up toward that."

The Greater Grand Rapids Figure Skating Club has hosted the Grand Rapids Open for 10 consecutive years.

Czisny in training

December 22, 2006

Alissa Czisny is busy at work -- training for the State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships to be held in January in Spokane, Wash.

So far this year, Alissa has competed in Cup of Russia, where she finished 9th, and Skate Canada, where she finished an impressive 4th.