OMAHA, Neb.- Camden Pulkinen, the 12 year old who represents the Coyotes Skating Club of Arizona, took fifth place in the juvenile boys division of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships with a score of 41.67 Saturday morning.
Maxim Naumov of the Charter Oak FSC in Simsbury, Conn., won the event with a 46.59, just squeaking past Kendrick Weston from Salt Lake (46.28), Sasha Lunin of Fort Wayne, Ind.(46.11), and Dinh Tran of San Francisco (45.77). There were a total of 12 athletes competing.
“I felt pretty good on my double Lutz,” Camden said. “My double Axel felt good- a little bit in place, the spin felt really good - high and fast, the double flip felt really big- had a nice landing, and the footwork felt nice, and the double Axel, I felt I could have had more flow out of it, and the double Lutz and loop felt fine.”
A seventh grader at Arizona College Preparatory School in Chandler, Camden Pulkinen won both the regionals and the Pacific Coast Sectionals in Provo, Utah, on the way to qualifying.
“It’s been a good experience,” he said. “It’s really prepped me and it shows me how the older men feel when they come to Nationals, the nervousness and everything else. I will try my hardest to get all my triples, all my jumps and come back next year.”
This was the first year the juvenile division was held at the same time and city as the seniors, and the next step is the intermediate level.
“I thought he had a really good skate today,” said his coach of six years, Karen Gesell. “He did all of his elements, and it was good for his first Nationals, I thought he did a great job out here, I am very proud of him.”
Action from Omaha continues Saturday with gold medals to be awarded in senior ladies, pairs and ice dance.
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