South Africans dominate ISU skatefest; Phl bets take silver

MANILA, Philippines - South African siblings Matthew and Abigail Samuels made the SM Ice Skating Rink their virtual playground as they led their nation’s sweep of the first four events in the ISU World Development Trophy 2013 yesterday at Mall of Asia.

Matthew, a four-time national champion back home, captured his first international mint as he dominated the Basic Novice B Boys Free Skating competition while younger sister Abigail topped the Basic Novice A Girls Free Skating side.

The South Africans made it four-for-four as Amber Britz (Basic Novice B Girls Free Skating) and Evan Wrensch (Basic Novice A Boys Free Skating) ruled their respective divisions. Local skaters settled for runner-up honors at best with Sofia Isabel Guidote and Louwee Shibata placing second to South African girls Samuels and Britz, respectively.

Fifteen-year-old Matthew performed a near-flawless City Slicers/Cowboy routine to earn 42.87 points from the international judges and run away with the title at the expense of Singapore’s Chadwick Wang (31.80) and Malaysia’s Nicholas Zhi Ming Tan (31.28).

“I had a very good performance, I skated the best I could,” said Matthew, who was clad in a cowboy outfit.

Little sis Abigail, 12, took care of business as she scored 31.88 to beat the Philippines’ Guidote (30.01) and New Zealand’s Abbey Heale (29.42).

“I’m proud of my sister, who got her first international win. She was actually the one who influenced me get into skating,” said Matthew.

Guidote made a good run for the gold and got at least a dozen stuffed toys from appreciative local fans who trooped to the venue to witness the first-ever ISU World Development Trophy held outside Europe.The other Phl skater in her division, Mariel Mendoza placed sixth with 24.60.

“It was an okay performance but it could have been better,” said 11-year-old Guidote, whose bid was hurt by a fall early in her routine.

Britz posted 34.37 in her performance as she fended off the challenge of hometown bet Shibata who carded a second-best 32.30. Tracy Danbrook of New Zealand copped the bronze while local entries Bianca Arianne Vinarao (27.65), Keith Stephanie Angeles (23.88), and Mikayla Shalom Fabian (20.90) placed seventh, ninth, and 12th, in that order.

For his part, Wrensch got 28.65 from the judges to win over New Zealand’s Harrison Bain (27.04) and Singapore’s Luc Hong Zhe Ong (22.01).

The titles in Junior Ladies and Junior Men Free Skating divisions were being contested at presstime as the 53-man, 13-nation event came to a colorful end last night.

Malaysia’s Julian Zhie-Jie Yee and Thailand’s Promsan Rattanadilok Na Phuket completed the foreign domination in Junior Men and Ladies Free Skating, respectively. 

Yee tallied a whopping 89.92 to lead compatriots Kai Xiang Kew (66.54) and Bryan Christopher Tan (63.68) in the medal podium while Na Phuket normed a 70.94 to win over Singapore’s Ceciline Hartmann (66.13) and Grenada’s Oliya Naomi Clarkson (50.29) as Filipina Alyssa Kates Comia settled for fifth in the 14-skater field with 45.45.