Lipinski Faces Hard Scrutiny ‘Flutz Lutz’ Has Skating World Wondering About Defending U.S. Women’s Champion

Tara Lipinski glides backward across the ice, balancing on the thin, outside edge of her left skate. Just as she’s about to slam her right toe pick into the ice and take off, her weight shifts.

Oops.

Though only for a split-second, that shift to her inside edge makes her lutz a flutz - a flip jump. And that’s a no-no. Lipinski knows it, and, unfortunately, so do the judges.

Unlike last season, when the then-14-year-old could do no wrong, no one’s cutting the youngest world and U.S. champion any slack. She’s been criticized for everything from her botched lutz to her costumes.

“Tara, being the world champion, is being scrutinized a little more and we don’t have a problem with that,” said Richard Callaghan, her coach. “Quite honestly, I think she’s skating way better than last year.”

Lipinski gets a chance to prove that this week at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which begin today for the top skaters. Besides defending her title, she’s looking for a spot on the Olympic team. The United States will send three women and two men, as well as two pairs and two dance teams.

Despite a shoulder injury in October, Todd Eldredge is favored to win his fifth U.S. title, as are ice dancers Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow. A fifth crown for Punsalan and Swallow would tie the U.S. dance record, set by Judy Schwomeyer and James Sladky (1968-72) and tied by Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert (1981-85).

The pairs should be tougher, with Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (1994-96) trying to get their title back from defending champs Kyoko Ina and Jason Dungjen.

As for the women, it will be yet another battle between Lipinski and Michelle Kwan, the 1996 U.S. and world champion. Kwan has been out since early November with a stress fracture in the second toe of her left foot, but she easily beat Lipinski at Skate America in October.

If her lower marks or the sniping has shaken Lipinski’s confidence, she’s not letting on.

“I don’t feel any doubts,” she said. “I’m concentrating on my skating. Maybe I’m a little puzzled about (the low marks). But this year I’ve gained a lot of confidence in my skating.”

The triple lutz is Lipinski’s biggest problem. For those who don’t know the difference between a Hamill camel and one with fur, switching edges on a lutz may not seem like a big deal. But it completely changes the jump. Lipinski’s technical marks, usually in the 5.8s or 5.9s because she jumps better than anyone, have been as low as 5.3 this year, possibly because of the flutz.

“I have a problem with this idea of Tara having a problem with the lutz. Last year, she was world champion with the lutz,” Callaghan said. “Tara has a slight change of edge on the takeoff and we’ve known that. … We’re dealing with it. We’ve shortened the takeoff and I myself am very comfortable with it.”

No wonder. In Lipinski’s first competition with the shortened takeoff, she got mostly 5.9s for both technical and presentation in the free skate.

Then there’s Lipinski’s costumes and her music. Her music - from the movies “Anastasia” (short program) and “The Rainbow” (free skate) - is light and bubbly. Her free skate costume looks like a pink tutu.

The knock is that between the costumes and the music, she looks too girlish. But, choreographer Sandra Bezic asks, when you’re 4-foot-10, 82 pounds and 15 years old how are you supposed to look?

“I don’t really think we should be making an issue of her age.” Bezic said. “It’s something she can’t do anything about. She’s 15 and she’s wonderful.”