here was head-shaking aplenty among skating insiders after the US association put a rookie dance couple on the world team who can't go to next year's Olympics. Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto, who were second to Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev here, are just up from juniors. They're ineligible for the Winter Games because Belbin, 16, is a Canadian and won't be a US citizen in time.
Meanwhile, Beata Handra and Lexington native Charles Sinek, an experienced couple who had competed in the senior Grand Prix this season and were sitting second before the free dance, ended up fourth behind Jessica Joseph and Lexington native Brandon Forsyth. Why? Evidently because Sinek is 32, nearly as old as Belbin and Agosto combined.
Because US dance hasn't won an Olympic medal since 1976 or a world medal since 1985, and since the senior pool is a wasteland (only eight couples were entered here), the association is obsessed with the future, which means youth. This is the third time in four years a couple has gone directly from juniors to the senior world team. What happened to the others? Joseph and Charles Butler split the next year when Butler opted for college. And Jamie Silverstein and Justin Pekarek, last year's hot duo, broke up without competing again while Silverstein dealt with personal issues.
''I think it's a mistake on the part of the USFSA to push teams that aren't ready,'' said Sinek. ''There's too much pressure.''
Impressive debut
Alicia Cavanaugh, the 20-year-old skating teacher from East Longmeadow and the New England FSC in Marlborough, made her senior debut a memorable one with a graceful short program that placed her 13th.
''I actually wasn't nervous at all,'' said Cavanaugh, whose only flaw was a doubled triple salchow. ''I thought I would be more nervous. I thought I could have skated a little bit better, but for my first time at senior Nationals, I was happy with it.'' Cavanaugh, who made it to the big show in her sixth try, pondered giving up competition last year after just missing qualifying. ''I thought about going into shows,'' she said. ''I'm glad now that I didn't.'' ... Skating's newest pixie is 12-year-old Beatrisa Liang, who's so tiny the media guide doesn't list her height and weight. After placing sixth in last year's junior Nationals, Liang is sitting in the same place in the senior event going into tonight's final. Her coach is Tiffany Chin, the 1984 Olympian and two-time world medalist.
Four find Fame
Rosalynn Sumners, Gary Visconti , Don Laws , and Arthur Vaughn were inducted into the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame last night during an on-ice ceremony at the FleetCenter. Sumners won the 1984 Olympic silver medal, the 1983 world title, and the US crowns from 1982-84. Visconti won US titles in 1965 and '67, plus two world bronze medals, and has coached for 26 years. Laws coached numerous champions, most notably 1984 Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton. Vaughn won the 1943 US title and served as a national judge from 1943-60 ... Despite the rash of injuries to top female skaters, coach John Nicks doesn't see any likely reversal in the triple jump-triple jump mania that appears to be the culprit. ''It's called progress and it's impossible to stop,'' said Nicks, whose two skaters ( Sasha Cohen and Naomi Nari Nam) both withdrew from this event. ''Young athletes will always be challenging. And I am sure that sooner or later one or two or three of the ladies will be getting a triple axel. I'm sure in the foreseeable future, ladies will be tackling quadruple jumps.''
