This decade saw a tranisition from 6.0 scoring to the International Judging System. It was also defined by an on going debate in men's skating, "To Quad or Not To Quad." Evgeny Plushenko was able to dominate under both judging systems and always answered with a quad. Sometimes he would put an exclamation mark on his quad-toe statements with a quad-Salchow.
He entered the decade the young challenger to Alexei Yagudin and heir to the Russian skating dynasty. The rivalry between Yagudin and Plushenko became fierce. Plushenko was the only one to beat Yagudin in a few years by winning his first World Championship in 2001. They were co-favorites going into the Salt Lake City Games in 2002. Plushenko had a rare fall in the short, and Yagudin went on to some of the highest scores in the 6.0 system history securing his gold medal.
After those Olympics, Plushenko went full steam ahead to win two more World titles, 5 European titles and the 2006 Olympics. He even became the first skater to land two different quads in a program, and quadruple toe-loop and quad Salchow during a Grand Prix event.
His off-ice life has kept in the spotlight as well. He's a Russian superstar, he's been elected to city councils, has had two weddings covered extensively by Russian media and even took time to help Dima Bilan win the Eurovision Song Contest. This is like being on American Idol here, he's a Russian Ellen Degeneres, he's everywhere. I'm sure Oprah was thinking about having him a cover of some magazine...
He's coming back this season to resurrect Russian skating. He's still hitting the quads and even attempting triple axels-quad toes. His knees will probably need to be replaced next year, but he's pushing through anyways. He returned to competitive skating after four years away with a win at Cup of Russia and then got a crazy 100.09 points for a short program that featured a turn out on triple lutz. Craziness! All the points, all the quads, all the chest-thumping leads to a lot of noise about being a medal contender and wild card in Vancouver. How you can you not consider Plushenko a Skater of the Decade?
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Skater of the Decade: Haydenettes
Consider the Haydenettes of Lexington, Massachusettes. When a synchro team wins Nationals and is selected to represent the country at Worlds, they become USA Team 1. The Haydenettes have done that eight times this decade. Eight top five finishes at the Synchro World Championships to match. The Haydenettes are US Synchronized Skating.
They're the team that gets on the Today Show to squeeze their programs onto the Rink at Rockefeller Center for the nation to see synchro. They're the team showcased on ESPN when it takes a stab at sports that don't involve a ball.
They attract the top coaches - Saga Krantz could have stayed with championship teams in Finland. Instead she choose to grow the sport in the US by continuing the tradition of excellence on the team.
While they didn't end the decade as US Champions in 2009, they've started this season strong with solid programs and massive scores at the Porter Classic. Expect the Haydenettes to continue to dominate in the US and start to attack the podium on the international stage in the new decade. Synchro will eventually be in the Olympics and you'll see the Haydenettes take the mantel of USA Team 1 on Olympic ice!
They attract the top coaches - Saga Krantz could have stayed with championship teams in Finland. Instead she choose to grow the sport in the US by continuing the tradition of excellence on the team.
While they didn't end the decade as US Champions in 2009, they've started this season strong with solid programs and massive scores at the Porter Classic. Expect the Haydenettes to continue to dominate in the US and start to attack the podium on the international stage in the new decade. Synchro will eventually be in the Olympics and you'll see the Haydenettes take the mantel of USA Team 1 on Olympic ice!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Skater of the Decade: Irina Slutskaya
Irina could possibly skate away with a title of "Comeback Kid" of the skating world. She'd been near hanging up her skates at the turn of the century, took time of to take care of her mom, then had to take care of herself after a bout of vasculitis. Through it all she skated those change-foot Biellmans, smiling between her rosy cheeks.
She began the decade with a friendly rivalry with Michelle Kwan. She nearly beat Kwan at the 2001 Worlds which led to media hyping a showdown between Kwan and Slutskaya at the Salt Lake City Olympics. They both made mistakes and neither won. Slutskaya skated away with the silver at those Games and won the World Championships the following month, beating Michelle both times.
Setbacks followed her the next few seasons. She choose not to compete at the 2003 Worlds due her mother taking ill. The next season, she had recurring issues that involved fatigue and swelling in the legs. She pushed through and continued to compete but did not skate well. She ended up hospitalized but came back to win her second World Championship in her hometown of Moscow in 2005.
She again went to the following Olympics as a heavy favorite with another American challenger, Sasha Cohen. She came armed with a new record behind her name, the only female skater to win seven European Championships. Again, both she and Sasha made mistakes while another captured gold. It was a bronze medal for her this time.
In the fall of 2007, she gave birth to a son, Artem. Still there were whispers that she would be back for the 2010 Games in Vancouver. Just as Irina is as sure as the triples she lands with ease, Irina was sure she was not going to making a comeback to the competitive, Olympic-eligible ranks. She still skates and wows crowds, but she doesn't need to prove herself anymore.
Irina Slutskaya earned 7 European titles, 2 World titles, and 2 Olympic medals. That's more than most skaters will ever acheive, but the whispers and desire for her to comeback once more show how much influence she had over skating in this decade.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Skater of the Decade: Johnny Weir
As we say good night to the decade without a name, I thought it would be fun to review some of the skaters that have been prominent players on the competitive landscape over the past 10 years. Let's start with Johnny Weir.
Why start with Johnny? Well, has any other skater had both a movie made about them and inspired a character in a hit movie? Johnny Weir has done both with the documentary, "Pop Star On Ice" and the figure skating spoof starring John Heder and Will Ferrell, "Blades of Glory."
Johnny also personally inspired me while I was working my first job and still coaching group lessons on the weekends. I had figured that since I was out of college my skating days were numbered. Then I watched this teenager on the Nationals broadcast at the beginning of the century who mesmerized me with his spins. Whilst sitting the in Kiss'N'Cry after his skate, Terry Gannon and Dick Button chatted about how he started skating when he was 12 and now just fa few years later he was skating a Nationals. Not Junior Nationals, not skating in the novice or junior level, but at the senior level on friggin' TV!
My 22 year-old self decided to get off the couch. I went to the last hour of the public ice that evening and taught myself the variation on the sit spin he did. That involved placing the free foot over the bent skating knee while in the sit position and then stretching the arms down to the skating foot. My bottom ended up getting a bit icy before I figured it out and got the balance over my skating foot correctly.
After debuting on the senior level, he won the first of three National titles in 2004. In each victory he showed his individuality, culminating in skating to The Swan AS a swan with a glove named Camille after the composer, Camille Saint-Saens in Torino. His comments kept the press interested, especially comparing his performance to a shot of coke and vodka... and not the bubbly type of coke.
He changed coaches a year after the Olympics. His seasons have been up and down since Torino, but he managed a bronze medal at worlds in 2008 giving the US 3 slots to compete at Worlds the following year. He's had a successful run during the Grand Prix this fall making him a strong player in the upcoming US Nationals and Vancouver Games.
Johnny Weir, definitely one of the skaters who defined this decade of competitive elite skating.
Why start with Johnny? Well, has any other skater had both a movie made about them and inspired a character in a hit movie? Johnny Weir has done both with the documentary, "Pop Star On Ice" and the figure skating spoof starring John Heder and Will Ferrell, "Blades of Glory."
Johnny also personally inspired me while I was working my first job and still coaching group lessons on the weekends. I had figured that since I was out of college my skating days were numbered. Then I watched this teenager on the Nationals broadcast at the beginning of the century who mesmerized me with his spins. Whilst sitting the in Kiss'N'Cry after his skate, Terry Gannon and Dick Button chatted about how he started skating when he was 12 and now just fa few years later he was skating a Nationals. Not Junior Nationals, not skating in the novice or junior level, but at the senior level on friggin' TV!
My 22 year-old self decided to get off the couch. I went to the last hour of the public ice that evening and taught myself the variation on the sit spin he did. That involved placing the free foot over the bent skating knee while in the sit position and then stretching the arms down to the skating foot. My bottom ended up getting a bit icy before I figured it out and got the balance over my skating foot correctly.
After debuting on the senior level, he won the first of three National titles in 2004. In each victory he showed his individuality, culminating in skating to The Swan AS a swan with a glove named Camille after the composer, Camille Saint-Saens in Torino. His comments kept the press interested, especially comparing his performance to a shot of coke and vodka... and not the bubbly type of coke.
He changed coaches a year after the Olympics. His seasons have been up and down since Torino, but he managed a bronze medal at worlds in 2008 giving the US 3 slots to compete at Worlds the following year. He's had a successful run during the Grand Prix this fall making him a strong player in the upcoming US Nationals and Vancouver Games.
Johnny Weir, definitely one of the skaters who defined this decade of competitive elite skating.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
DC Edge Skate at Kaleidoscope On Ice
A while back, I blogged about adult synchro and Kaleidoscope On Ice. DC Edge did make it into the FOX broadcast! It helps to skate to an American Idol live performance and open for Ashley Wagner! Enjoy a tiny bit of adult synchronized skating and have a Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Ice Skating at the Rockefeller Rink
Over the weekend, I got the opportunity to skate on the famous Rink at the Rockefeller Center! We got there for the first sessionin the morning, but it was still packed with the holiday crowd. It was still fun weaving in and out of the mass of people on the ice.
I did OK in the rental skates too! I managed doing the outside junior moves rockers, spread eagles, half-flip waltz jump combos when there was a gap in the crowd. After I did some power 3s one of the skate guards approached. I thought, "Oh great, I'm going to be told to not do freestyle as more people get on the ice." Instead the guard said, "Wow, hardly anyone attempts real figure skating out here unless they bring their own skates. That was awesome." I suppose that's the best praise you can get when you're skating in your 30s and you're not Nancy Kerrigan. Rockefeller skate guards think you're cool.
I'm now incredibly impressed with skaters who show up on NBC's Today and skate their programs. The rink is small and I'm sure even the best zamboni can't smooth the surface enough. Here are Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto skating today on TODAY:
It's a tiny little rink with choppy ice from the elements and throngs of skaters. Choppy is manageable when you get to spin and see holiday lights blurring around you.
I'm now incredibly impressed with skaters who show up on NBC's Today and skate their programs. The rink is small and I'm sure even the best zamboni can't smooth the surface enough. Here are Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto skating today on TODAY:
Friday, December 4, 2009
Dancing At Dawn - Senior Grand Prix Final - Ice Dancing
I hit snooze on my alarm to instead of watching the ladies short. Apparently, Miki Ando won the short by a few points. I heard she was the only one landing triple lutz-triple toes in practice.
Now I'm watching the dance final:
Crone & Poirier - beautiful skate to Queen instrumentals. I've never got her look for this season. Is is supposed to be a Goth ballerina missing part of her top? Anyway back to the beautiful skate, love their edges and expression.
Cappallini & Lanotte - good skate, excellent flowing rockers throughout. They skate to "Requiem For A Dream" which I personally feel is better as a selected piece during a program instead of an entire program. It just creates an angst-filled skate. European judges like angsty which equaled good scores for them.
Kerr & Kerr - Who would have thought "Krwling" by Linkin Park would make a great free dance? Their awesome and creative coach, Evengy Platov did! I love the originality and concept for the brother and sister team. The lifts were strong. I always watch her twizzles, she gets a little wobbly and converts to running 3s especially when her free leg is out. She had that here. However, they just earned a new season's best! Krwling is just angsty enough yet powerful and creative for both European and North American tastes.
Pechalat & Bourzat - They also skate to "Requiem For A Dream" but I thought they looked a little slow this time compared to the powerful music. The lift at the end is interesting, but it doesn't involve skating, he stands still on the ice. However, I like their theme of time throughout. Interestingly enough, they're French and they speak English with their Russian coach as I just heard in the Kiss'n'Cry.
Virtue & Moir - deep edges, soft skater's knees, creative spins, and then there's the lift where she's on one foot balancing on his back and then twirls off.... and then the lift where her tuille gets all in his face... ;) Oh, this program just floats from element to element. It's so enjoyable to watch. New season's best - above 100 points for the free!
Davis & White - Did they get a standing O? I didn't notice the audience as much in Virtue & Moir's skate, I guess the shot of Davis & White showed more audience at the end... so where they the only ones with a standing O? Oh well, loved the skate. Much more powerful than Virtue & Moir's but then the music is more powerful. I'm biased, I like Davis & White better, but Virtue & Moir definitely outskated them in with their free dance. However, Davis & White are the Grand Prix Champions coming off their lead in the original dance! Woo hoo! I hope they take the feedback from the break down of the scores to become invincible for the rest of the season. I wonder what this will mean for Nationals... they beat the reigning World bronze medalists here and they have consistently scored higher than Belbin & Agosto this season.
OK, must finish getting ready for work and get some Starbucks in me!
Now I'm watching the dance final:
Crone & Poirier - beautiful skate to Queen instrumentals. I've never got her look for this season. Is is supposed to be a Goth ballerina missing part of her top? Anyway back to the beautiful skate, love their edges and expression.
Cappallini & Lanotte - good skate, excellent flowing rockers throughout. They skate to "Requiem For A Dream" which I personally feel is better as a selected piece during a program instead of an entire program. It just creates an angst-filled skate. European judges like angsty which equaled good scores for them.
Kerr & Kerr - Who would have thought "Krwling" by Linkin Park would make a great free dance? Their awesome and creative coach, Evengy Platov did! I love the originality and concept for the brother and sister team. The lifts were strong. I always watch her twizzles, she gets a little wobbly and converts to running 3s especially when her free leg is out. She had that here. However, they just earned a new season's best! Krwling is just angsty enough yet powerful and creative for both European and North American tastes.
Pechalat & Bourzat - They also skate to "Requiem For A Dream" but I thought they looked a little slow this time compared to the powerful music. The lift at the end is interesting, but it doesn't involve skating, he stands still on the ice. However, I like their theme of time throughout. Interestingly enough, they're French and they speak English with their Russian coach as I just heard in the Kiss'n'Cry.
Virtue & Moir - deep edges, soft skater's knees, creative spins, and then there's the lift where she's on one foot balancing on his back and then twirls off.... and then the lift where her tuille gets all in his face... ;) Oh, this program just floats from element to element. It's so enjoyable to watch. New season's best - above 100 points for the free!
Davis & White - Did they get a standing O? I didn't notice the audience as much in Virtue & Moir's skate, I guess the shot of Davis & White showed more audience at the end... so where they the only ones with a standing O? Oh well, loved the skate. Much more powerful than Virtue & Moir's but then the music is more powerful. I'm biased, I like Davis & White better, but Virtue & Moir definitely outskated them in with their free dance. However, Davis & White are the Grand Prix Champions coming off their lead in the original dance! Woo hoo! I hope they take the feedback from the break down of the scores to become invincible for the rest of the season. I wonder what this will mean for Nationals... they beat the reigning World bronze medalists here and they have consistently scored higher than Belbin & Agosto this season.
OK, must finish getting ready for work and get some Starbucks in me!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Grand Prix Original Dance Quickies
Finished breakfast and getting ready for work. Catching the end of the Original Dance in Tokyo:
64.01 for Viture & Moir, new season's best! Still love the flamenco music and program, but I think Tessa dress hides a few flaws in twizzles. The dress length also adds a layer of intrigue to their already exciting program; I'm always wondering if it will get caught in a blade and down they go. The back-flip entrance into their lift continues to amaze me. Good job!
Davis & White... 65.80!!!!!!!!! Another new season's best and first place! Rock out! Their Bollywood inspired skate has been my favorite all season. The music is great and the moves are so authentic. It's also just a great DANCE. So much of ice dancing has become pairs without triple jumps. Davis & White dance with intricate footwork and difficult holds through out. Clearly, the are the class of the field. Awesome.
64.01 for Viture & Moir, new season's best! Still love the flamenco music and program, but I think Tessa dress hides a few flaws in twizzles. The dress length also adds a layer of intrigue to their already exciting program; I'm always wondering if it will get caught in a blade and down they go. The back-flip entrance into their lift continues to amaze me. Good job!
Davis & White... 65.80!!!!!!!!! Another new season's best and first place! Rock out! Their Bollywood inspired skate has been my favorite all season. The music is great and the moves are so authentic. It's also just a great DANCE. So much of ice dancing has become pairs without triple jumps. Davis & White dance with intricate footwork and difficult holds through out. Clearly, the are the class of the field. Awesome.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
A New Storyline Begins, But Is It Wise?
Monday I read several "tweets" from some of the competitive skaters I follow that involved either packing for Tokyo or traveling to Tokyo for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Tweets from Meryl Davis, Charlie White, Joannie Rochette, Johnny Weir, Jeremy Abbott and Ashley Wagner. I liked Meryl's tweet, "It seems fitting that we're leaving for the land of the rising sun around dawn..."
The Grand Prix Series consists of 6 competitions across 3 continents that take place October through November for senior level skaters. Competitors earn points for their placements in the series. Winners of the event earn 12 points and go home with a snazzy gold medal, second place finishers earn 9 points and so on. The top six in the point standings after the 6 competitions end go on to the Grand Prix Final.
Skaters are selected to compete at the various competitions by their national governing body of the sport. (e.g., the USFSA in the States, Skate Canada in Canada, etc.). Competitors are allowed to compete in 2 of the six events where they earn points. Typically, winning a Grand Prix event gets you into the Final. The other competitors who make it are consistent in placing in the top three in their events.
The Final is the cream of the crop in the fall skating season. Performances and placements here are generally a good precursor to the World Championship standings. In an Olympic season, it's an excellent chance to make a statement that you're medal worthy. Plus, by reviewing the judges' marks and how skaters stack up against the narrow field, gives each skater exceptional feedback on what needs to be tweaked before the big championships later in the winter. Especially for those Olympics.
It would seem that all skaters would be honored to make it to the Grand Prix Final and want to skate their best. Recent seasons have shown a lot of skaters skipping the stay home and practice.Well, those skaters aren't completely "skipping" there is usually an injury involved. However, several blogs and message boards have been lit up this past week if the injuries are for real. Regardless, the big story leading into the Final is who's not here.
Brian Joubert experienced an awkward landing on a triple lutz last week. He ended up cutting his right foot with this blade. It so bad, he needed surgery to repair a ligament! According to his coach, the surgery went well and a good prognosis is expected. Difficult set back not only effecting the Final, but going into the French nationals and possibly Europeans.
The ice dancing event would have been a great match up of North American ice dancers, Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto and Meryl Davis & Charlie White represent the US. While Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir sing "O Canada." Ice dance has been a sport dominated by former Soviet countries. Over the past decade that domination is swinging to North America in part by former Soviet coaches who have relocated to the North America. Amazingly, all three of the teams making the Final have been coached by Igor Sphilband at one point in their careers. Each team won all of their Grand Prix events. None of the teams actually had a head to head match up through out the season.
Belbin & Agosto had to withdraw due to Tanith having an impacted wisdom tooth that got infected. I had once of those...ouch! My whole right side of my head from my temple to just below the jaw would throb in the days leading up to the extraction. I feel for her, but I wonder a little about the doctor's orders to stay off the ice for a week. Hopefully, she'll get the time to rejuvenate and then take advantage of not having to travel and compete in Tokyo. Belbin & Agosto's scores were lower in both their Grand Prix wins to the scores of both Virture & Moir and Davis & White.
Finally, there are several players not attending the Final simply because they didn't either didn't compete in more than one event or simply skipped the Grand Prix. Evgeny Plushenko only competed in Rostelecom Cup and neither Sasha Cohen or Stephane Lambiel competed. They may be a factor in Olympic placements.
The streaming times for the Final start Thursday, I think I'll be able to watch a bit over coffee.
The Grand Prix Series consists of 6 competitions across 3 continents that take place October through November for senior level skaters. Competitors earn points for their placements in the series. Winners of the event earn 12 points and go home with a snazzy gold medal, second place finishers earn 9 points and so on. The top six in the point standings after the 6 competitions end go on to the Grand Prix Final.
Skaters are selected to compete at the various competitions by their national governing body of the sport. (e.g., the USFSA in the States, Skate Canada in Canada, etc.). Competitors are allowed to compete in 2 of the six events where they earn points. Typically, winning a Grand Prix event gets you into the Final. The other competitors who make it are consistent in placing in the top three in their events.
The Final is the cream of the crop in the fall skating season. Performances and placements here are generally a good precursor to the World Championship standings. In an Olympic season, it's an excellent chance to make a statement that you're medal worthy. Plus, by reviewing the judges' marks and how skaters stack up against the narrow field, gives each skater exceptional feedback on what needs to be tweaked before the big championships later in the winter. Especially for those Olympics.
It would seem that all skaters would be honored to make it to the Grand Prix Final and want to skate their best. Recent seasons have shown a lot of skaters skipping the stay home and practice.Well, those skaters aren't completely "skipping" there is usually an injury involved. However, several blogs and message boards have been lit up this past week if the injuries are for real. Regardless, the big story leading into the Final is who's not here.
Brian Joubert experienced an awkward landing on a triple lutz last week. He ended up cutting his right foot with this blade. It so bad, he needed surgery to repair a ligament! According to his coach, the surgery went well and a good prognosis is expected. Difficult set back not only effecting the Final, but going into the French nationals and possibly Europeans.
The ice dancing event would have been a great match up of North American ice dancers, Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto and Meryl Davis & Charlie White represent the US. While Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir sing "O Canada." Ice dance has been a sport dominated by former Soviet countries. Over the past decade that domination is swinging to North America in part by former Soviet coaches who have relocated to the North America. Amazingly, all three of the teams making the Final have been coached by Igor Sphilband at one point in their careers. Each team won all of their Grand Prix events. None of the teams actually had a head to head match up through out the season.
Belbin & Agosto had to withdraw due to Tanith having an impacted wisdom tooth that got infected. I had once of those...ouch! My whole right side of my head from my temple to just below the jaw would throb in the days leading up to the extraction. I feel for her, but I wonder a little about the doctor's orders to stay off the ice for a week. Hopefully, she'll get the time to rejuvenate and then take advantage of not having to travel and compete in Tokyo. Belbin & Agosto's scores were lower in both their Grand Prix wins to the scores of both Virture & Moir and Davis & White.
Finally, there are several players not attending the Final simply because they didn't either didn't compete in more than one event or simply skipped the Grand Prix. Evgeny Plushenko only competed in Rostelecom Cup and neither Sasha Cohen or Stephane Lambiel competed. They may be a factor in Olympic placements.
The streaming times for the Final start Thursday, I think I'll be able to watch a bit over coffee.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)