Mission Accomplished – Double Salchow!
Last Friday, I mentioned that I have been working on my double salchow for a few weeks. I kept having a mental block and was having trouble getting the “snap” after the jump takeoff. Coach B gave me some prep exercises for the jump during our lesson last week and put me in the harness. I had some OK attempts, but she concluded that I was jumping too early and trying too hard to “muscle” the jump.
Two days after my lesson, I was back on the ice for a practice session. I was playing around with the double salchow on a pretty crowded session and was not having any luck. Then all of a sudden, I landed on one foot, swung my free leg to check out of the jump and then stopped to think about what just happened.
“EVA!!!”
I looked around and saw my choreographer (who was teaching a lesson at the time) yelling for me near the boards.
“Did I just land my double salchow?”
“YES!!!” (Choreographer comes over to give me a high five)
She tells me to do it again and of course I can’t. You know, the whole pressure of everyone watching.
I tried to grab another successful attempt on video, but to no avail. My choreographer tried as well and the jump ran away and hid.
I managed to land two more during my practice, and my choreographer saw one of those two subsequent attempts. This time she was halfway across the ice when she screamed my name.
So there you have it. I officially landed a clean double salchow on Sunday, November 15, 2015. I’m writing that one down and have at least one witness to prove that I’m not crazy.
I hope to capture one on video to share with you soon. Assuming I can continue landing these, of course.
I can’t tell you how happy I am to have finally landed a clean double salchow!
