Apr 18, 2009
TOKYO — Canada finished second in the inaugural World Team Trophy figure skating championship Saturday.
Japan's Mao Asada won the women's free skate with 126.03 points to cap the event, followed by world silver medallist Joannie Rochette of Ile-Dupas, Que., with 120.08 points.
Jessica Dube of Drummondville, Que., and Bryce Davison of Cambridge, Ont., added a third-place finish in pairs.
"It has been a fantastic week," said Canadian team captain Scott Moir. "The American team obviously really delivered this week, so hats off to them. The Canadians are just extremely pleased to be in the mix and had some personal bests as well."
The United States won the three-day event with 60 points, followed by Canada with 54 and Japan with 50.
Earlier in the week, Moir, from Ilderton, Ont., finished second in ice dance with partner Tessa Virtue of London, Ont. World silver medallist Patrick Chan of Toronto rebounded from a shaky short program to finish fourth in men's singles.
Caroline Zhang and Rachael Flatt helped lead the United States to victory. Zhang, the 2007 world junior champion, finished third in the women's free skate while Flatt placed fourth to secure the win for the Americans.
It was a better showing for Asada coming off a disappointing fourth in the world championships last month.
Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao of China won the overall pairs competition.
-With files from The Associated Press.
Source article: US wins World Team Trophy figure skating, Canada places second
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Lysacek and the Lakers: Just a bunch of champions
8:10 PM, April 26, 2009
Evan Lysacek and the Lakers practice in the same facility, the Toyota Center in El Segundo. They've won major titles as the result of their performances at Staples Center, where the Lakers won three NBA championships and Lysacek last month claimed the world figure skating championship.
So it makes sense for Lysacek, an Illinois native who has enthusiastically adopted Los Angeles as his home, to share the floor with the Lakers -- if only briefly -- before they resume their first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz.
Lysacek will be introduced at the game Monday and will present the game ball for the opening tipoff, a well-deserved honor. It will also be a rare occasion when he's surrounded by athletes who are taller than he is: He's about 6 foot 1, extremely tall for a figure skater.
-- Helene Elliott
Source article: Lysacek and the Lakers: Just a bunch of champions
Evan Lysacek and the Lakers practice in the same facility, the Toyota Center in El Segundo. They've won major titles as the result of their performances at Staples Center, where the Lakers won three NBA championships and Lysacek last month claimed the world figure skating championship.
So it makes sense for Lysacek, an Illinois native who has enthusiastically adopted Los Angeles as his home, to share the floor with the Lakers -- if only briefly -- before they resume their first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz.
Lysacek will be introduced at the game Monday and will present the game ball for the opening tipoff, a well-deserved honor. It will also be a rare occasion when he's surrounded by athletes who are taller than he is: He's about 6 foot 1, extremely tall for a figure skater.
-- Helene Elliott
Source article: Lysacek and the Lakers: Just a bunch of champions
Monday, April 27, 2009
Olympian exchanges skates for Syrah
by Julia Hollister
These days you won’t find Olympic gold medal skater Peggy Fleming on ice. Instead, she might be checking winegrape vines at her family’s Santa Cruz Mountain winery.
“In 1999 we planted an acre of Chardonnay and loved the look and began to learn more about winegrape growing,” she said. “My husband (retired dermatologist Greg Jenkins) took classes in viticulture at University of California-Davis to learn more science and chemistry.”
Fleming, who grew up near Morgan Hill (Santa Cruz County), won several national and world figure skating titles before winning the gold at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France. But, Fleming does not sit on her laurels. When she is not at the winery she makes personal appearances throughout the nation to promote Fleming Jenkins Winery and Vineyards. As a breast cancer survivor, she remains a fierce advocate for breast cancer awareness and research. “Victories”, a dry rose, was created to raise funds for this research.
“Although we had a vineyard we were not making our own wine,” Fleming said. “We were selling the grapes to a local winery. Just like in cooking, we wondered how our grapes tasted and that desire hooked us in.”
From the small beginning on one acre, the winery began to take root and reality in 2003 and the wines were first released for sale in 2005. The cool climate and rocky soil makes it ideal for winegrape growing. Four years later the winery, which has a tasting room in Los Gatos, produces 2,200 cases a year.
“We want to produce the best,” she said. “It’s not just slapping our name on a bottle. It’s about our repetition -- mine as an athlete and Greg’s as a physician. I believe competitive skating and winegrape growing are tied together. In both areas, you have to have patience because you don’t become a champion overnight.”
The wines include “Choreography” (a Bordeaux-style blend), Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Chardonnay and Syrah. Prices range from $20 to $50.
Fleming Jenkins gets Syrah grapes from sportscaster John Madden’s Livermore Valley vineyard. After the trip from the hot valley to the winery the grapes soak in cold water for three days. Dr. Jenkins says this process chills down the grapes and leaches out the color into the juice before fermentation.
As to their style of wine, he said their mission is letting the fruit shine through.
You can visit her site at Fleming Jenkins Winery www.flemingjenkins.com
Source article: Olympian exchanges skates for Syrah
These days you won’t find Olympic gold medal skater Peggy Fleming on ice. Instead, she might be checking winegrape vines at her family’s Santa Cruz Mountain winery.
“In 1999 we planted an acre of Chardonnay and loved the look and began to learn more about winegrape growing,” she said. “My husband (retired dermatologist Greg Jenkins) took classes in viticulture at University of California-Davis to learn more science and chemistry.”
Fleming, who grew up near Morgan Hill (Santa Cruz County), won several national and world figure skating titles before winning the gold at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France. But, Fleming does not sit on her laurels. When she is not at the winery she makes personal appearances throughout the nation to promote Fleming Jenkins Winery and Vineyards. As a breast cancer survivor, she remains a fierce advocate for breast cancer awareness and research. “Victories”, a dry rose, was created to raise funds for this research.
“Although we had a vineyard we were not making our own wine,” Fleming said. “We were selling the grapes to a local winery. Just like in cooking, we wondered how our grapes tasted and that desire hooked us in.”
From the small beginning on one acre, the winery began to take root and reality in 2003 and the wines were first released for sale in 2005. The cool climate and rocky soil makes it ideal for winegrape growing. Four years later the winery, which has a tasting room in Los Gatos, produces 2,200 cases a year.
“We want to produce the best,” she said. “It’s not just slapping our name on a bottle. It’s about our repetition -- mine as an athlete and Greg’s as a physician. I believe competitive skating and winegrape growing are tied together. In both areas, you have to have patience because you don’t become a champion overnight.”
The wines include “Choreography” (a Bordeaux-style blend), Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Chardonnay and Syrah. Prices range from $20 to $50.
Fleming Jenkins gets Syrah grapes from sportscaster John Madden’s Livermore Valley vineyard. After the trip from the hot valley to the winery the grapes soak in cold water for three days. Dr. Jenkins says this process chills down the grapes and leaches out the color into the juice before fermentation.
As to their style of wine, he said their mission is letting the fruit shine through.
You can visit her site at Fleming Jenkins Winery www.flemingjenkins.com
Source article: Olympian exchanges skates for Syrah
Friday, April 24, 2009
Great moments in figure skating history: Chen Lu, Mendelssohn Piano Concerto
by Tina Molly Lang, April 5, 4:04 PM
Chen Lu is a Chinese figure skater who was most competitive during the 1990s. She holds two Olympic bronze medals and was the 1995 world champion. Chen Lu was the first figure skater from China to win an Olympic medal.
Chen Lu: Mendelssohn Piano Concerto
At the 1995 World Championships. She skated to the third movement of Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto.
Felxi Mendelssohn composed his G Minor piano concerto in 1830-31. The form of the concerto is late Classical, but many of the sonorities are early Romantic. The third movement begins with a trumpet fanfare followed by a joyful piano entrance. The third movement is in Rondo Allegro form.
This was one of my favorite programs from Chen Lu. The music fits with her clean, classical style of skating. The music and choreography showcase her clean lines, extended spirals, and straight-edged jumps.
Source article: Great moments in figure skating history: Chen Lu, Mendelssohn Piano Concerto
Chen Lu is a Chinese figure skater who was most competitive during the 1990s. She holds two Olympic bronze medals and was the 1995 world champion. Chen Lu was the first figure skater from China to win an Olympic medal.
Chen Lu: Mendelssohn Piano Concerto
At the 1995 World Championships. She skated to the third movement of Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto.
Felxi Mendelssohn composed his G Minor piano concerto in 1830-31. The form of the concerto is late Classical, but many of the sonorities are early Romantic. The third movement begins with a trumpet fanfare followed by a joyful piano entrance. The third movement is in Rondo Allegro form.
This was one of my favorite programs from Chen Lu. The music fits with her clean, classical style of skating. The music and choreography showcase her clean lines, extended spirals, and straight-edged jumps.
Source article: Great moments in figure skating history: Chen Lu, Mendelssohn Piano Concerto
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Figure Skating Champions Enjoy the Artistic Aspect of Shen Yun
CALGARY, Alberta—Mr. and Mrs. Bradshaw are former British figure skating champions and European medalists. They moved to Canada in the 70s and established a figure skating school in Calgary that has produced many great athletes over the years.
A sport involving challenging moves performed on ice with accompanying music, figure skating can be considered to have as much artistic aspect as its athletic facet. That is why the Bradshaws said they appreciated the talent and artistry greatly in the Shen Yun Performing Arts production after watching it on Sunday, April 13, at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.
“We’re all figure skaters, so we appreciate this art form,” said Mrs. Bradshaw enthusiastically.
“We are in the arts too. So we really appreciate the costuming, the dancing, the artistic side of everything. We really enjoyed it,” she said.
Sharing his wife’s enthusiasm, Mr. Bradshaw said the show was “absolutely amazing” and that he was impressed by this world-class performance.
“It was all very impressive, very, very artistic, very elegant. The costumes were gorgeous, very colorful,” he said.
Mr. Bradshaw praised the cultural aspect of the show and how the performances presented China’s culture on stage.
“It was deep, effects were amazing with the costumes, and we really enjoyed the whole show,” he said.
“We were really enthralled with the show.”
Both former champions were also impressed by the skills of the performers.
“We appreciate the precision. Good technique,” Mrs. Bradshaw said.
Mrs. Bradshaw commended the show for being spiritual, while her husband explained further that, “spiritually, it brought you into your soul, and it brought out some culture, refinement, and respect for art, and we found it very uplifting.”
“We don’t see many shows like this that gives you that sense of sincerity, and we really enjoyed it,” he said.
Referring to one of the performances, Mrs. Bradshaw said she was “taken back” by how the piece shows the Chinese communist regime is suppressing the culture of China.
This dance performance, Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution, tells the story of a father in China who is persecuted by the Chinese communist regime for practicing Falun Dafa.
The couple’s son, who is also a coach and the figure skating school operator, said he likewise enjoyed the show and named the colorful performance Welcoming Spring as his favorite piece.
Source article: Figure Skating Champions Enjoy the Artistic Aspect of Shen Yun
A sport involving challenging moves performed on ice with accompanying music, figure skating can be considered to have as much artistic aspect as its athletic facet. That is why the Bradshaws said they appreciated the talent and artistry greatly in the Shen Yun Performing Arts production after watching it on Sunday, April 13, at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.
“We’re all figure skaters, so we appreciate this art form,” said Mrs. Bradshaw enthusiastically.
“We are in the arts too. So we really appreciate the costuming, the dancing, the artistic side of everything. We really enjoyed it,” she said.
Sharing his wife’s enthusiasm, Mr. Bradshaw said the show was “absolutely amazing” and that he was impressed by this world-class performance.
“It was all very impressive, very, very artistic, very elegant. The costumes were gorgeous, very colorful,” he said.
Mr. Bradshaw praised the cultural aspect of the show and how the performances presented China’s culture on stage.
“It was deep, effects were amazing with the costumes, and we really enjoyed the whole show,” he said.
“We were really enthralled with the show.”
Both former champions were also impressed by the skills of the performers.
“We appreciate the precision. Good technique,” Mrs. Bradshaw said.
Mrs. Bradshaw commended the show for being spiritual, while her husband explained further that, “spiritually, it brought you into your soul, and it brought out some culture, refinement, and respect for art, and we found it very uplifting.”
“We don’t see many shows like this that gives you that sense of sincerity, and we really enjoyed it,” he said.
Referring to one of the performances, Mrs. Bradshaw said she was “taken back” by how the piece shows the Chinese communist regime is suppressing the culture of China.
This dance performance, Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution, tells the story of a father in China who is persecuted by the Chinese communist regime for practicing Falun Dafa.
The couple’s son, who is also a coach and the figure skating school operator, said he likewise enjoyed the show and named the colorful performance Welcoming Spring as his favorite piece.
Source article: Figure Skating Champions Enjoy the Artistic Aspect of Shen Yun
Monday, April 20, 2009
World champ Lysacek returns to Maine
Evan Lysacek, the 2009 world figure skating champion, became the first U.S. skater since Todd Eldredge to take the world crown. Read on.
By GLENN JORDAN, Staff Writer April 10, 2009
Evan Lysacek will be the only one wearing skates, but that doesn't mean he'll be skating alone.
No matter how large the crowd or how vast the venue, Lysacek – who two weeks ago became the first American man in 13 years to win the world title in figure skating – always tries to draw the audience into his performance, to feel something of what he's feeling, to make a connection beyond a simple appreciation of one man's skating skills.
He wants eye contact.
"Competitive skating now has become so technical, and less and less about truly performing," Lysacek said by phone from New York earlier this week. "So it's nice for us to do something performance driven, to develop not only our skating, but that side of our personality as well."
Lysacek brings his personality, and his skates, back to Portland this weekend for a Smucker's Stars On Ice production at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Cumberland County Civic Center. Tickets run from $25 to $115. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Another option for local skating fans: The North Atlantic Figure Skating Club will host its 11th annual show at 7 tonight and Saturday at the Family Ice Center in Falmouth, headlined by Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir, bronze medalists at the junior world championships. Tickets run from $7 to $20.
Scheduled to join Lysacek at the Civic Center on Saturday are Olympic silver medalists Sasha Cohen, Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, 2006 world champion Kimmie Meissner, three-time U.S. champion Michael Weiss and 1996 world champion Todd Eldredge, among others.
Lysacek, a 23-year-old native of Illinois who now lives in Los Angeles, performed with Stars on Ice at the Civic Center last April on the heels of his 2008 U.S. title. The world title he earned two weeks ago in Los Angeles makes him the favorite at next February's 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
"I had done so much press and promotion for it that I felt a sense of heightened expectation," said Lysacek, referring to the world championships being held in his adopted hometown. "To do well, to succeed, was such a special moment, particularly in front of my hometown crowd. That's an experience and a moment I can carry with me forever."
Skating to "Rhapsody in Blue," Lysacek came from behind to win gold despite nursing a stress fracture in his left foot that prevented him from attempting any jumps of four revolutions. He has five triples in the abridged version of his free skate planned for the Portland performance.
The injury will require immobilization in a cast for four weeks, but Lysacek said he could put it off until June. He joked about his contractual obligations – he had already done 12 Stars on Ice shows this season – as the cause for not resting immediately.
The Stars tour ends this weekend with shows tonight in Manchester, N.H., and Saturday in Portland. Afterward, Lysacek will fly home to California, then set out for Tokyo for the inaugural World Team Trophy competition April 16-19 between the U.S., Japan, Canada, Russia, France and China.
He's also scheduled to skate in shows in Denver, Chicago and South Korea, where figure skaters are among the nation's biggest celebrities.
"Sometimes my schedule gets a little out of control, but I'm a yes person," Lysacek said. "And I feel so lucky to be able to have these opportunities."
At the 2006 Olympics in Italy, Lysacek was thrilled to make the team and hoped for a top-20 showing. He wound up fourth, and accompanied the medalists to doping tests, the press conference and awards ceremony.
"Watching them get that medal was so inspirational," he said. "This time around when I get there, I'll be all business."
Source article: World champ Lysacek returns to Maine
By GLENN JORDAN, Staff Writer April 10, 2009
Evan Lysacek will be the only one wearing skates, but that doesn't mean he'll be skating alone.
No matter how large the crowd or how vast the venue, Lysacek – who two weeks ago became the first American man in 13 years to win the world title in figure skating – always tries to draw the audience into his performance, to feel something of what he's feeling, to make a connection beyond a simple appreciation of one man's skating skills.
He wants eye contact.
"Competitive skating now has become so technical, and less and less about truly performing," Lysacek said by phone from New York earlier this week. "So it's nice for us to do something performance driven, to develop not only our skating, but that side of our personality as well."
Lysacek brings his personality, and his skates, back to Portland this weekend for a Smucker's Stars On Ice production at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Cumberland County Civic Center. Tickets run from $25 to $115. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Another option for local skating fans: The North Atlantic Figure Skating Club will host its 11th annual show at 7 tonight and Saturday at the Family Ice Center in Falmouth, headlined by Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir, bronze medalists at the junior world championships. Tickets run from $7 to $20.
Scheduled to join Lysacek at the Civic Center on Saturday are Olympic silver medalists Sasha Cohen, Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, 2006 world champion Kimmie Meissner, three-time U.S. champion Michael Weiss and 1996 world champion Todd Eldredge, among others.
Lysacek, a 23-year-old native of Illinois who now lives in Los Angeles, performed with Stars on Ice at the Civic Center last April on the heels of his 2008 U.S. title. The world title he earned two weeks ago in Los Angeles makes him the favorite at next February's 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
"I had done so much press and promotion for it that I felt a sense of heightened expectation," said Lysacek, referring to the world championships being held in his adopted hometown. "To do well, to succeed, was such a special moment, particularly in front of my hometown crowd. That's an experience and a moment I can carry with me forever."
Skating to "Rhapsody in Blue," Lysacek came from behind to win gold despite nursing a stress fracture in his left foot that prevented him from attempting any jumps of four revolutions. He has five triples in the abridged version of his free skate planned for the Portland performance.
The injury will require immobilization in a cast for four weeks, but Lysacek said he could put it off until June. He joked about his contractual obligations – he had already done 12 Stars on Ice shows this season – as the cause for not resting immediately.
The Stars tour ends this weekend with shows tonight in Manchester, N.H., and Saturday in Portland. Afterward, Lysacek will fly home to California, then set out for Tokyo for the inaugural World Team Trophy competition April 16-19 between the U.S., Japan, Canada, Russia, France and China.
He's also scheduled to skate in shows in Denver, Chicago and South Korea, where figure skaters are among the nation's biggest celebrities.
"Sometimes my schedule gets a little out of control, but I'm a yes person," Lysacek said. "And I feel so lucky to be able to have these opportunities."
At the 2006 Olympics in Italy, Lysacek was thrilled to make the team and hoped for a top-20 showing. He wound up fourth, and accompanied the medalists to doping tests, the press conference and awards ceremony.
"Watching them get that medal was so inspirational," he said. "This time around when I get there, I'll be all business."
Source article: World champ Lysacek returns to Maine
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Broadmoor skater Mroz learning as he goes
By BRIAN GOMEZ The (Colorado Springs) Gazette
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Putting a priority on learning, Brandon Mroz has discovered an awful lot. So much, he has become like a sponge, eager to soak up every drop of figure skating knowledge.
He learned that stamina is important, especially in the free skate. That a four-rotation quad toeloop carries big points but hardly matters if the rest of the program contains errors. That senior-level skaters are way more competitive than junior skaters.
"You always learn, whether it's rough or your personal best," Mroz said. "You take that and run with it and apply it for next year, and that's what I plan on doing."
The Broadmoor Skating Club member doesn't feel guilty looking forward after a successful season in which he edged eventual world champion Evan Lysacek for second at the U.S. Championships and had four top-10 international finishes.
His ninth-place showing last month at the world championships in Los Angeles, coupled with Lysacek's gold medal, enabled the Americans to qualify the maximum three men's skaters for the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Which guys fill those positions—Lysacek is a lock, given his world title and fourth-place finish at the 2006 Olympics, meaning Mroz must outdo Broadmoor member Jeremy Abbott or 2006 Olympian Johnny Weir—will be determined at the next nationals in January in Spokane, Wash.
"It definitely will be hard," said Mroz, a senior at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs. "Everybody wants a spot. I'm sure people don't want a little runt like me coming ahead, so they'll be pushing their programs as much as I am."
Over the summer, Mroz plans to work with coach Tom Zakrajsek and choreographer Lori Nichol to increase the technical components of his routines. He desires the fancy moves Weir once displayed, the top-notch stuff Lysacek typically brings.
Mroz executed a quad and seven triple jumps in his long program at the worlds. Next season, he may open with a quad toe and a quad salchow—something attempted recently only by five-time world medalist Brian Joubert of France.
"Maybe we could have two quads," Mroz said. "I do have a capable mind of doing that. And I have the physical strength to pull off a program like that."
Source article: Broadmoor skater Mroz learning as he goes
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Putting a priority on learning, Brandon Mroz has discovered an awful lot. So much, he has become like a sponge, eager to soak up every drop of figure skating knowledge.
He learned that stamina is important, especially in the free skate. That a four-rotation quad toeloop carries big points but hardly matters if the rest of the program contains errors. That senior-level skaters are way more competitive than junior skaters.
"You always learn, whether it's rough or your personal best," Mroz said. "You take that and run with it and apply it for next year, and that's what I plan on doing."
The Broadmoor Skating Club member doesn't feel guilty looking forward after a successful season in which he edged eventual world champion Evan Lysacek for second at the U.S. Championships and had four top-10 international finishes.
His ninth-place showing last month at the world championships in Los Angeles, coupled with Lysacek's gold medal, enabled the Americans to qualify the maximum three men's skaters for the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Which guys fill those positions—Lysacek is a lock, given his world title and fourth-place finish at the 2006 Olympics, meaning Mroz must outdo Broadmoor member Jeremy Abbott or 2006 Olympian Johnny Weir—will be determined at the next nationals in January in Spokane, Wash.
"It definitely will be hard," said Mroz, a senior at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs. "Everybody wants a spot. I'm sure people don't want a little runt like me coming ahead, so they'll be pushing their programs as much as I am."
Over the summer, Mroz plans to work with coach Tom Zakrajsek and choreographer Lori Nichol to increase the technical components of his routines. He desires the fancy moves Weir once displayed, the top-notch stuff Lysacek typically brings.
Mroz executed a quad and seven triple jumps in his long program at the worlds. Next season, he may open with a quad toe and a quad salchow—something attempted recently only by five-time world medalist Brian Joubert of France.
"Maybe we could have two quads," Mroz said. "I do have a capable mind of doing that. And I have the physical strength to pull off a program like that."
Source article: Broadmoor skater Mroz learning as he goes
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Don't Expect U.S. Figure Skaters to Perform Well at 2010 Olympics
Well, I'm rooting for Canadian figure skaters to do well in here as it is their turf. Read on.
April 09, 2009 by Arlene Miles
Don't expect the United States to have its customary shine in figure skating at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010. Unless something drastically changes between now and next February, the best the American team can hope for is to not mop up the ice with inconsistent performances.
Unlike previous most recent Winter Olympics, the US will only field three skaters or teams in two events—men's singles and ice dance, thanks to the respective gold and silver medal finishes of Evan Lysacek and Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto at the recent 2009 World Championships in Los Angeles. Olympic berths are predicated on the previous season's placement at the World Championships. Thanks to Lysacek's gold medal finish and the overall standings of US ice dancers at worlds, both disciplines will field three entrants.
Particularly disappointing is the women's singles event, long considered the Cadillac draw of the Winter Olympics. Since the retirement of Michelle Kwan, the US has not been able to field a consistent cadre of female athletes. Instead, what has passed for top-level athletes have been a revolving door of generally unremarkable skaters such as Kimmie Meissner, Alissa Czisny and Emily Hughes, who have the ability to do the jumps and spins, but are lacking consistency and artistic flair.
Also disappointing in 2009 is the performance of United States Pairs Champions Keana McLaughin and Rockne Brubaker. Considered to be the best American hope for a pairs medal since Jenni Meno and Todd Sand won a silver in 1998, the pair finished a disappointing 11th, following a season plagued by injury and illness.
What is plaguing United States figure skating is two-fold. One is the emergence of top programs and consistent skaters in China, Korea, and Japan. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, is the absence of go-to coaching here in the United States. During figure skating's heyday in the 1990s, there were a number of prominent coaches on the scene, whether it was Christy Kjarsgaard-Ness, Carol Heiss-Jenkins, Kathy Casey, or Mary and Evy Scotvold, as well as Frank Carroll.
Source article: Don't Expect U.S. Figure Skaters to Perform Well at 2010 Olympics
April 09, 2009 by Arlene Miles
Don't expect the United States to have its customary shine in figure skating at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010. Unless something drastically changes between now and next February, the best the American team can hope for is to not mop up the ice with inconsistent performances.
Unlike previous most recent Winter Olympics, the US will only field three skaters or teams in two events—men's singles and ice dance, thanks to the respective gold and silver medal finishes of Evan Lysacek and Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto at the recent 2009 World Championships in Los Angeles. Olympic berths are predicated on the previous season's placement at the World Championships. Thanks to Lysacek's gold medal finish and the overall standings of US ice dancers at worlds, both disciplines will field three entrants.
Particularly disappointing is the women's singles event, long considered the Cadillac draw of the Winter Olympics. Since the retirement of Michelle Kwan, the US has not been able to field a consistent cadre of female athletes. Instead, what has passed for top-level athletes have been a revolving door of generally unremarkable skaters such as Kimmie Meissner, Alissa Czisny and Emily Hughes, who have the ability to do the jumps and spins, but are lacking consistency and artistic flair.
Also disappointing in 2009 is the performance of United States Pairs Champions Keana McLaughin and Rockne Brubaker. Considered to be the best American hope for a pairs medal since Jenni Meno and Todd Sand won a silver in 1998, the pair finished a disappointing 11th, following a season plagued by injury and illness.
What is plaguing United States figure skating is two-fold. One is the emergence of top programs and consistent skaters in China, Korea, and Japan. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, is the absence of go-to coaching here in the United States. During figure skating's heyday in the 1990s, there were a number of prominent coaches on the scene, whether it was Christy Kjarsgaard-Ness, Carol Heiss-Jenkins, Kathy Casey, or Mary and Evy Scotvold, as well as Frank Carroll.
Source article: Don't Expect U.S. Figure Skaters to Perform Well at 2010 Olympics
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Kim Yu-na sets new world record
I watched Kim Yu-na's replays at YouTube.com www.youtube.com, and she was magnificient. She had taken my heart away.
Korean figure skater, Kim Yu-na set a new record in world figure skating *history. She scored a total of 207.71 points at the World Figure Skating Championship and won the first gold medal for Korea at this competition. Kim is the first female skater to receive a score over 200 points.
Kim also set a new world record for the female short program by scoring 76.12. The previous record was set by Kim Yu-na herself at the 2009 Four **Continents event.
Everyone who was watching Kim's program was *mesmerized by her performance. After Kim's finished her program everyone stood and clapped *in response to her *brilliant performance.
**Commentators and reporters of foreign media also praised the Korean skater. The AP quoted that "Kim skates with *ease and lightness, seeming almost to fly across the ice, but has an *incredible power and strength."
Now that Kim has won the gold at the World Championship her next goal is to win a gold at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Source article: Kim Yu-na sets new world record
Korean figure skater, Kim Yu-na set a new record in world figure skating *history. She scored a total of 207.71 points at the World Figure Skating Championship and won the first gold medal for Korea at this competition. Kim is the first female skater to receive a score over 200 points.
Kim also set a new world record for the female short program by scoring 76.12. The previous record was set by Kim Yu-na herself at the 2009 Four **Continents event.
Everyone who was watching Kim's program was *mesmerized by her performance. After Kim's finished her program everyone stood and clapped *in response to her *brilliant performance.
**Commentators and reporters of foreign media also praised the Korean skater. The AP quoted that "Kim skates with *ease and lightness, seeming almost to fly across the ice, but has an *incredible power and strength."
Now that Kim has won the gold at the World Championship her next goal is to win a gold at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Source article: Kim Yu-na sets new world record
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
A Canadian gold rush? Hosts determined to improve in '10
As the only country to host both the Winter and Summer Olympics without winning a gold medal, Canada is determined to "Own The Podium" next year in Vancouver.
While they may not be able to push past the Germans and Americans on the overall count, our northern neighbors figure to improve on the two dozen medals they won in Turin. Matching the US in the gold count will be more of a challenge. The Yanks, who won nine to Canada's seven last time, could win at least 14 based on actual and projected results from this winter's world championships.
The difference is breadth across sports: The US could win golds in nine, ranging from bobsled to speedskating to Nordic combined to snowboarding to figure skating. The X factor for the Canadians is home advantage, which was huge for the Americans in Salt Lake City in 2002. While it didn't do much for the hosts in Calgary in 1988, the addition since then of sports such as freestyle skiing, snowboarding, short-track speedskating, and curling should help.
Holding pattern
The brouhaha over the US Olympic Committee's take of TV and sponsor revenues has quieted, now that the IOC has agreed to put off negotiations until 2013, with nothing changing until 2020. The Olympic summer sports federations are outraged at the size of the USOC's share in the current open-ended agreement - 12.75 percent of TV rights fees and 20 percent of sponsorship cash - even though the vast majority of the IOC's income is derived from NBC and American corporations. Left unsaid has been the sweet deal that European and Asian broadcasters get from the IOC. NBC paid $894 million to show the Beijing Games, double what the EBU paid for all of Europe and well over 100 times what the Chinese paid . . . The US women's ice hockey team will go after its third world title in four years this week in Finland. Its chief rival, as always, will be Canada, which won eight straight titles before the Americans prevailed in 2005. Sixteen of the 20 players were on last year's gold-medal squad. This one includes 11 collegians and is coached by Wisconsin's Mark Johnson, whose varsity won the NCAA title. Eight New Englanders are on the squad: goalie Molly Schaus (Natick and Boston College), defensemen Kacey Bellamy (Westfield and UNH), Caitlin Cahow (Branford, Conn.), and Helen Resor (Greenwich, Conn.), and forwards Julie Chu (Fairfield, Conn.), Meghan Duggan (Danvers), Hilary Knight (Hanover, N.H.), and Erika Lawler (Fitchburg). Playing for Canada are Harvard star Sarah Vaillancourt and grad Jennifer Botterill. The Americans open with Japan on Saturday.
Source article: Hosts determined to improve in '10
While they may not be able to push past the Germans and Americans on the overall count, our northern neighbors figure to improve on the two dozen medals they won in Turin. Matching the US in the gold count will be more of a challenge. The Yanks, who won nine to Canada's seven last time, could win at least 14 based on actual and projected results from this winter's world championships.
The difference is breadth across sports: The US could win golds in nine, ranging from bobsled to speedskating to Nordic combined to snowboarding to figure skating. The X factor for the Canadians is home advantage, which was huge for the Americans in Salt Lake City in 2002. While it didn't do much for the hosts in Calgary in 1988, the addition since then of sports such as freestyle skiing, snowboarding, short-track speedskating, and curling should help.
Holding pattern
The brouhaha over the US Olympic Committee's take of TV and sponsor revenues has quieted, now that the IOC has agreed to put off negotiations until 2013, with nothing changing until 2020. The Olympic summer sports federations are outraged at the size of the USOC's share in the current open-ended agreement - 12.75 percent of TV rights fees and 20 percent of sponsorship cash - even though the vast majority of the IOC's income is derived from NBC and American corporations. Left unsaid has been the sweet deal that European and Asian broadcasters get from the IOC. NBC paid $894 million to show the Beijing Games, double what the EBU paid for all of Europe and well over 100 times what the Chinese paid . . . The US women's ice hockey team will go after its third world title in four years this week in Finland. Its chief rival, as always, will be Canada, which won eight straight titles before the Americans prevailed in 2005. Sixteen of the 20 players were on last year's gold-medal squad. This one includes 11 collegians and is coached by Wisconsin's Mark Johnson, whose varsity won the NCAA title. Eight New Englanders are on the squad: goalie Molly Schaus (Natick and Boston College), defensemen Kacey Bellamy (Westfield and UNH), Caitlin Cahow (Branford, Conn.), and Helen Resor (Greenwich, Conn.), and forwards Julie Chu (Fairfield, Conn.), Meghan Duggan (Danvers), Hilary Knight (Hanover, N.H.), and Erika Lawler (Fitchburg). Playing for Canada are Harvard star Sarah Vaillancourt and grad Jennifer Botterill. The Americans open with Japan on Saturday.
Source article: Hosts determined to improve in '10
It's all about the figures.
Is it time to put the figures back in figure skating?
Lots of response to last Sunday's column about the demise of figure skating as a major spectator sport, particulary in these United States. And some of it was quite interesting. A couple common themes emerged:
-- Nobody really disputed the central point, that figure skating is not held in the same regard as it once was (whether that regard was deserved or not is another question, for another time.)
-- Many readers from around the country said they don't get the Oxygen Network, to which most of NBC's coverage of the Figure Skating Worlds was relegated last week. And even some people who went out and looked for progamming information couldn't find it. For the record: I had the same experience. No word from NBC's usually alert PR department about where to find the figs. Are they embarrassed to be the current contract holder? Why spend the money to televise something no one can find?
-- Contrary to what I wrote ("nobody is asking for a return to the old scoring system"), it turns out many people are, in fact, asking for a return to the old scoring system. A movement has begun on (where else?) Facebook to lobby the International Skating Union to go back to where things were. Reader Monica says it's called "Bring Back the 6.0 Judging System." And, she notes:
"It currently has more than 1,200 members, including reigning Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko, world champions Debi Thomas, Tai Babilonia, Elaine Zayak, and dozens of other prominent skaters, famous coaches, officials, and fans." (Add to that: Brian Boitano.)
It's a nice effort, but let's be real: Getting the ISU to admit it screwed up that badly by reverting to the old system flies in the face of political realities. I'd argue: Stick with the art of the possible, which is why I suggested altering the Code of Points.
-- Lots of people believe the lack of interest in the winning-is-everything U.S. is more related to the lack of any tangible female American skating pixies than anything else. Clearly, that's part of it, as I indicated. But I don't believe it's the whole story. A lot of fans in other countries don't get, and don't like, the new scoring system, as well.
-- The most interesting responses came independently from people who really know skating -- former skaters, coaches, and parents, who struck a common theme: It's all about the figures.
Source article: It's all about the figures
Lots of response to last Sunday's column about the demise of figure skating as a major spectator sport, particulary in these United States. And some of it was quite interesting. A couple common themes emerged:
-- Nobody really disputed the central point, that figure skating is not held in the same regard as it once was (whether that regard was deserved or not is another question, for another time.)
-- Many readers from around the country said they don't get the Oxygen Network, to which most of NBC's coverage of the Figure Skating Worlds was relegated last week. And even some people who went out and looked for progamming information couldn't find it. For the record: I had the same experience. No word from NBC's usually alert PR department about where to find the figs. Are they embarrassed to be the current contract holder? Why spend the money to televise something no one can find?
-- Contrary to what I wrote ("nobody is asking for a return to the old scoring system"), it turns out many people are, in fact, asking for a return to the old scoring system. A movement has begun on (where else?) Facebook to lobby the International Skating Union to go back to where things were. Reader Monica says it's called "Bring Back the 6.0 Judging System." And, she notes:
"It currently has more than 1,200 members, including reigning Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko, world champions Debi Thomas, Tai Babilonia, Elaine Zayak, and dozens of other prominent skaters, famous coaches, officials, and fans." (Add to that: Brian Boitano.)
It's a nice effort, but let's be real: Getting the ISU to admit it screwed up that badly by reverting to the old system flies in the face of political realities. I'd argue: Stick with the art of the possible, which is why I suggested altering the Code of Points.
-- Lots of people believe the lack of interest in the winning-is-everything U.S. is more related to the lack of any tangible female American skating pixies than anything else. Clearly, that's part of it, as I indicated. But I don't believe it's the whole story. A lot of fans in other countries don't get, and don't like, the new scoring system, as well.
-- The most interesting responses came independently from people who really know skating -- former skaters, coaches, and parents, who struck a common theme: It's all about the figures.
Source article: It's all about the figures
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