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The latest on Julia

Sebestyen's silver earns spot in GP Final

November 25, 2006

Julia Sebestyen’s second place finish at the Cup of Russia qualified her for the ISU Grand Prix Series final. Sebestyen, five-time Hungarian national champion, finished with 28 points and can do no worse than tie for the lead heading into the final at St. Petersburg, Russia in mid-December.

Sebestyen won Cup of China for 15 points and her second place finish in Moscow locked a position in the top spot with an additional 13 points.

“Somebody told me after last season that I would be first and second in my Grand Prix events, and I didn’t believe it”, Sebestyen said.

“I’m not really happy about my performance, I didn’t do everything I wanted to do,” Sebestyen said. “I did a good short program, but the free skating was better (at the Cup of China). Now I just hope to skate well in both short and free program the next time.”

Sebestyen finished fifth in the freeskate, performing to Otonal by Raul di Blasio. She built enough of an advantage in the short program to lead and win the silver medal. The short program was skated to a Serenade by Franz Schubert.

“I’m quite happy with my performance. It’s getting better and better with each competition and the marks are getting higher”, Sebestyen said after the short program. “I had a small mistake, I put down my hand on the triple Lutz, but I still did a triple.”

Sebestyen wins Gold at Cup of China

November 11, 2006

Five-time Hungarian National Champion Julia Sebestyen won her first Grand Prix event Saturday in almost three years at the Cup of China in Nanjing Jiangsu. Julie earned 15 points with the win and is tied for second. A solid performance at Cup of Russia in two weeks (Nov. 23-26) could earn her another chance to win the GP Final.

Ironically, the only GP Final Sebestyen, 25, has competed in, was in 2003 when she won the event.

Sebestyen was in third place after the short program and won the freeskate to edge Yukari Nakano of Japan and Emily Hughes of the U.S. Sebestyen totaled 153.80 points, beating Nakano by 2.53 points and Hughes by 2.68 points. Sebestyen, who trailed Nakano after the short program, scored 100.98 points in the freeskate, 4.61 better than Nakano.
Sebestyen had medalled several times in the past in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, but never had won a gold before. “I still can’t believe it. After last year, this is a big moment for me and I’ve worked very hard”, Sebestyen said. “It was not my best performance yet, but I felt comfortable on the ice and I feel I’m on a good way now.”

Sebestyen landed two big triple Lutzes (one in combination with a double toe), a triple Salchow-double toe-double loop combination as well as a double Axel and strong spins.
“After the Olympics, I changed coaches and we worked together, and my jumps are better and I like my programs,” said Sebestyen. “And now maybe I am skating more relaxed and with not so much pressure.”

Gurgen Vardanjan coaches Sebestyen and her programs are choreographed by Nina Petrenko.

Sebestyen had a solid short program to put in position to win.

She produced a triple Lutz-double toeloop combination, a double Axel and strong spins. “It’s getting better step by step. I’m happy with my elements except for the first one, the (double) flip. My jumps are OK now, I don’t have problems with them in practice. I tried to forget about it (the mistake) immediately. It shows that I am in a good shape now, because I was able to pull myself together and to focus on the rest of the competition.”

Sebestyen 16th after Olympics short

February 21, 2006

Hungary national champion Julie Sebestyen recorded 50.58 points in the
short program at the XX Winter Olympics at Torino, Italy Tuesday.

Julie recored 23.83 points for her component results and 26.75 for her
elements.

She will compete Thursday night in the free skate.

Julia in middle of pack at Europeans

January 19, 2006

Julia Sebestyen, the Hungarian national champion, finished in the middle of the pack at the European Championships at Lyon, France.

Julia finished 13th.

She was coming off winning her fifth straight Hungary National Championship.

Julia will be competing in the Olympics at Turin, Italy next month. It is her second Olympics. She finished eighth at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

Julia ends Grand Prix season

November 26 , 2005

Hungarian national champion Julia Sebestyen ended her 2005 Grand Prix season at Cup of Russia.

She finished sixth, moving up one spot from her seventh place finish after the short program. Julia skated to a selection of Hungarian Dances by Johannea Brahms in the free skate.

Julia's first Grand Prix event of the season was at Skate America where she finished eighth.

Julia began working with Nikolai Morozov over the summer. Her free skate and short program, Esperanza by Maxime rodriguez, is choreoraphed by Morozov.

Julia working with Nikolai

July 24 , 2005

Julia is in the United States working on her programs with Nikolai Morozov. 

"I love to work with Nikolai," she said.  "I had much success last time we worked together, I won the European Championships title with his program.  I hope I will have more success this season."