Roller Figure Skaters Heading to Nationals

Eleven roller figure skaters from the Florham Park Figure Skating Club have qualified to compete at the 2012 USA Roller Sports Figure Skating National Championships to be held in Lincoln, Neb. later this month.

The skaters, including sisters from West Caldwell and a brother and sister from Maplewood, practice at the Florham Park Roller Rink in Florham Park—some as much as five times a week for two to three hours at a time.

Michaela Muldoon, 14, of West Caldwell, said she never misses a practice and is at the rink at least four times a week. 

This is the second season Muldoon competes and the first time she is going to nationals, where she will skate at the freshman/sophomore level. Her program is choreographed to an Irish song.

While roller figure skating isn't something you'll see at the Olympics in London later this summer, coaches and roller figure skaters will tell you it's just like ice skating without the ice—if not a little tougher.

Roller figure skaters perform all the axels, lutzes, loops and spins well-known in ice skating, only their skates are heavier than ice skates, explained longtime coach and former competitor Scott Bartell on Thursday during a club practice. 

Bartell said competitions go up to the world level in roller figure skating, but bids to make it an Olympic sport are perennially unsuccessful.

Muldoon said if roller figure skating were an Olympic sport it would make it more popular, as well as have a positive effect on skaters.

"I think it would make all the [roller] figure skaters work even harder," she said.

The skaters who have qualified and will be competing at the 2012 USA Roller Sports Figure Skating National Championships from July 23 through August 5 are: 

• Gillian Muldoon, age 9 from West Caldwell, qualified by placing 1st place in Elementary C Girls Figures, 1st place Elementary C Girls Loops, 4th place in Elementary C Girls Freeskating. Gillian also placed 1st in the combined figure and loop event. This is Gillian’s second season as a competitive skater and first trip to the U.S. National Championships. 
• Michaela Muldoon, age 14 from West Caldwell, qualified by placing 3rd place in Freshman/Sophomore C Ladies Figures, 2nd place in Freshman/Sophomore C Ladies Loops, and 2nd place in Freshman/Sophomore C Ladies Freeskating. Michaela also placed 2nd in the combined figure and loop event. This is Michaela’s second season as a competitive skater and first trip to the U.S. National Championships. 
• Margaret Salko, age 12 from Madison, qualified by placing 2nd place in Juvenile/Elementary C Girls Freeskating. This is Maggie’s second trip to the U.S. National Championships. 
• Lauren Cattan, age 17 from Denville, qualified by placing 1st place in Open A Creative Solo Free Dance and 2nd place in Open B Creative Solo Free Dance. Lauren has been skating for nine years and this is her eighth trip to the U.S. National Championships. Lauren was a gold medalist at the 2009 National Championships. 
• Elinor Dowd, age 12 from Blairstown, qualified by placing 1st place in Elementary A Girls Freeskating and 1st place in Juvenile/Elementary B Girls Freeskating. Elinor has been skating for five years and this is her fourth trip to the U.S. National Championships. Elinor was a silver medalist at the 2010 National Championships. 
• Emily Dowd, age 15 from Blairstown, qualified by placing 1st place in Open B Creative Solo Free Dance and 1st place in Freshman/Sophomore B Ladies Freeskating. Emily has been skating for five years and this is her fourth trip to the U.S. National Championships. Emily was a silver medalist at the 2010 National Championships. 
• Cornelia Hetherington, age 7 from Maplewood, qualified by placing 1st place in Primary Girls Figures and 4th in Primary Girls Freeskating. This is Cornelia’s second season as a competitive skater and first trip to the U.S. National Championships as a competitor. 
• Galileo Hetherington, age 12 from Maplewood, qualified by placing 1st place in Elementary C Boys Figures. This is Galileo’s second season as a competitive skater and first trip to the U.S. National Championships as a competitor. 
• Nicole Honegger, age 17 from Stirling, qualified by placing 1st place in Freshman/Sophomore C Ladies Figures, 1st place in Freshman/Sophomore C Ladies Loops, 1st place in Freshman/Sophomore C Ladies Freeskating. Nicole also placed 1st in the combined figure & loop event. This is Nicole’s second season as a competitive skater and second trip to the U.S. National Championships. 
• Coriann Mastropolo, age 17 from Rockaway, qualified by placing 1st place in Freshman/Sophomore B Ladies Figures, 1st place Sophomore A Ladies Freeskating. Cori has been skating for nine years and this is her eighth trip to the U.S. National Championships. Cori has won two Bronze medals and been a finalist three times at the U.S. National Championships. 
• Kylie Mastropolo age 7 from Rockaway, qualified by placing 2nd place in Primary Girls Freeskating. This is Kylie’s first trip to the U.S. National Championships. 

In addition to Bartell, the skaters are coached by Phill Doblosky and Kristen Taylor. 

The 2012 U.S. Roller Sports Figure Skating Championships will be available for viewing live online. More details on the live broadcast will be available on www.usarollersports.org.