Pacific Rim
Susan D. Russell, International Figure Skating
October 2005

Golden Surprise
Miriam Manzano, 30, once again proved that age does not matter when she won her fifth straight national title (and sixth overall) in Perth last August. I could not believe it when my marks were announced and I realized I had won," she said. It was amazing.Manzano won her first Aussie title in 1993.

Manzano won both portions of the competition though the short proved a challenge. "The short was tough for me but I was determined to keep it together," she said. About skating a near flawless long program, Manzano said, "I felt free and calm during the long and it all came together. I trusted myself and just let it flow, let it happen." Joanne Carter of Sydney was second.

Nationals has always been a special event for me," Manzano said. "Winning the title is always such a privilege and an honor. I'm thrilled that my parents were there. You should have seen them in the stands cheering after I finished. MY mother was crying. It was a special moment I'll have forever. They have always been there for me and it just meant the world to me to stand on top of the podium with them in attendance."

After spending last season training in Brisbane, Manzano relocated to Canberra to train with former coach, Reg Park, Manzano has been invited to Skate America, and said she feels honored to have been assigned to this event. I am absolutely so excited about going to Skate Arnerica," she said. "This is the third year in a row I have been invited to this competition."

In a strange twist, Manzano will not be going to the 2006 Olympic Games. Donald McKnight, president of Ice Skating Australia, told IFS, "The nominations to the Olympic Games were initially based on the best performance of the competitors at 2005 Four Continents. Whoever placed highest at this competition earned the berth to 2005 Worlds. Joanne Carter went to Worlds in Moscow and earned the Olympic berth." In 2002 Manzano was denied the Olympic experience when Stephanic Zliang, runnerup at the previous nationals, went as Australia's representative. Zhang failed to qualif~ Manzano has been assigned to 2006 Four Continents and 2006 Worlds in Calgary.

Major Upset
No one expected 20 year old Sean Carlow to defeat 2004 national champion Bradley Santer, least of all himself. "I did not think Ihad a hope of winning. Iwas sick for a month before nationals. I could not get out of bed for a week. After that, Icould only train once a day for about half an hour before Iwould have to go home to bed. The final two weeks prior to nationals I did a lot of cramming. I was really determined to skate the best I could.

"It was not in the plan for me to win. I thought I would go to Four Continents and look forward to the new journey to 2010."

Last year Carlow won the short program. "But I got too excited and lost it in the long," he said. "This year, Mom (his coach, Liz Cain) kept me calm. "When the marks came up I could not believe I had won. I was so excited and happy and Mom was crying. It was amazing!"

By winning the national title, Carlow earned the right to attend the Olympic qualifying event in Vienna in October. "My purpose is to skate the best I can and make it into one of the top six countries to go to Olympics. I think I will qualify if I can keep myself calm and let everyone else make mistakes," he said. Ice Skating Australia announced before nationals that the national champions will go to Worlds and the Olympic qualifying event. This will be my second trip to Worlds but first as the national champion, so I am extremely honored."

Carlow comes from a skating family. His mother was a pairs skater with her brother Peter. They represented Australia at the 1980 Olympic Games in Lake Placid. Carlow said his background brought a little bit of pressure but a lot of insight as well. "Mom has told me that the Olympics are so different from any other competition," he said. "You have to keep your focus and just concentrate on your job. I live for skating. No matter what happens this year, I will be looking toward 2010."