Carter leads Manzano after short program of Four Continents
Article courtesy of The Olympic Winter Institute of Australia
Thursday, January 22, 2004

Joanne Carter is sitting in ninth place after the short program of the Ladies figure skating at the Four Continents competition in Hamilton, Ontario. Australian national champion Miriam Manzano is in 12th place and Sarah-Yvonne Pritula in 14th.

Carter and Manzano made it into the second top group for the free program, an advantage because they will skate after the ice resurface. Both women have an excellent opportunity to make the top ten in the final. Amber Corwin of the United States leads the field after the short program from fellow countrywoman Angela Nikodiniv.

Nikodinov, who trains at Anthony Liu’s Ice Castles complex in Lake Arrowhead, has made an impressive comeback after injury. She was only an alternate to this event for the United States, and was unlucky not to have been leading at this stage

In the ice dance, Australia’s national champions, Natalie Buck and Trent Nelson Bond, are in 12th place after the compulsory dance and the free dance, one ahead of team-mates Danika Bourne and Alexandra Pavlov. The Canadian pair of Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauson are leading the competition.