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Created in 2013, Skate Guard is a blog that focuses on overlooked and underappreciated areas of the history of figure skating, whether that means a topic completely unknown to most readers or a new look at a well-known skater, time period, or event. There's plenty to explore, so pour yourself a cup of coffee and get lost in the fascinating and fabulous history of everyone's favourite winter sport!

Robert John Knapp

 Robert John Knapp

August 30, 1952-December 8, 2002

Photo courtesy Diana Flynn

Born in Waterloo, Ontario, Bob Knapp got his start in skating at the Galt Figure Skating Club. He had his first success in competition in 1969, winning the bronze medal in the novice men's event at the Western Ontario Championships. He skated in his first Canadians in Edmonton in 1970, placing fourth in junior dance with Anne Schelter. With Shelley MacLeod, he placed in the top five in senior dance at the Canadians three years in a row before finally winning a bronze medal in 1975. Bob went on to a highly successful professional career, touring with "The New Ice Generation", appearing in Dorothy Hamill's "The Nutcracker: A Fantasy On Ice", the CTV series "Stars On Ice" and partnering Cathy Cushner in Holiday On Ice. With Diana Flynn, Bob finished second at the 1981 Canadian Professional Championships in Toronto and represented Canada at the World Professional Championships in Jaca, Spain. He passed away on December 8, 2002 at the age of fifty.

Top: Cathy Cushner and Bob Knapp. Bottom: Bob Knapp and Diana Flynn. Photo courtesy Diana Flynn.

Bob's obituary from "The Globe And Mail": "KNAPP, Robert John 1952 - 2002. On December 8 after a courageous fight Skater Bob passed away. He will be greatly missed by Wally, Peggy, Beth, David, numerous friends and members of the skating community. Among some of Skater Bob's achievements, he was a Senior Dance Medalist, long time competitive skater representing the Western Ontario Section; Principal Dance Performer with Holiday On Ice; cast member of T.V's Stars On Ice and numerous other performances."

Cast photo from The New Ice Generation tour. Back (left to right): Tony Michaud, Bob Knapp, Michael Bradley and Jim Morgan. Front (left to right): Paul Bonenfant, Diane Martin and Roger Uuemae. Photo courtesy Diana Flynn.

Memories of Bob from Diana Flynn: "Bob and I were good friends since we were sixteen. I did my first show with him - The New Ice Generation - and he did Stars On Ice on CTV, a couple of Toller's specials and Holiday On Ice. We competed together in Spain at the World Professional Championships and had a hoot. When we were on The New Ice Generation, we travelled by van and he was the driver. He was a consummate clown and dressed up as a Babushka one time. He ended up being my brother-in-law when I was married... He lived a very long time from the time he admitted that he was diagnosed. Unfortunately, his diagnosis was right around the time when Kevin Parker was back up in Canada and going through a hellish time. Along with Doug [Haw] and myself and two of Kevin's buddies from Brampton, we were sort of the rotation at the hospital because we made a vow to Kevin that he would not die alone. Bob resented that I was spending so much time with Kevin. Unfortunately, after I got him at Casey House and arranged an apartment with him, I had to tell him that if he couldn't share me in this time of need for Kevin, then sorry, we were done. Up until those last six months - and even then - the love didn't leave. He had the biggest heart in the world but a more self-centered asshole you could never meet in your life. He was the first to give you the shirt off his back, then would turn around and not talk to you for months. My ex-husband and Bob were estranged for years and when we married. I said to my husband, now my ex, 'Listen, he's HIV. You don't have time to waste'. They ended up patching things up and he ended up moving in to my basement and in typical Bob form, threw parties, raided my freezer and cooked big prime rib roasts and ran my phone bills up to eight hundred dollars a month and didn't have any money... but I had a blast when he was living there... He was frustrating in that he was your typical male dancer that really didn't have to do a goddamn thing to get success. As a performer, a skater, he was very versatile, the consummate showman. He always made whoever he was skating with or highlighting the star. It pissed him off, because he thought he should be the star, but it never altered how he presented anyone else... I loved him to death."

*Source for inclusion: Toronto AIDS Memorial (Church Street)

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