The Royal Skating Mishap That Could Have Changed History

Eleven years after the first skating club in England was formed in London, a misadventure on the ice almost changed the course of history and the succession of the British Monarchy.

German born Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Francis Albert Augustus Charles Emmanuel; later The Prince Consort) was the husband of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and was a keen skater. In early 1841, Queen Victoria commissioned Wilson Skates to make a pair of skates for her and Prince Albert a pair of ice skates. Wilson Skates had previously been commissioned by the royal family to make skates for King William III.

One day shy of their first wedding anniversary on February 9, 1841, Prince Albert was skating on the frozen lake at Buckingham Palace. In Queen Victoria's diary, she recorded that "the ice cracked, and Albert was in the water up to his head, even for a moment below. In my agony of fright and despair I screamed and stretched out my arm... My Dearest Albert managed to catch my arm and reached the ground in safety."

Prince Albert recounted the same story to Duchess Caroline of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg on February 12, 1841: "The cold has been intense... Nevertheless, I managed, in skating, three days ago, to break through the ice in Buckingham Palace Gardens. I was making my way to Victoria, who was standing on the bank with one of her ladies, and when within some few yards of the bank I fell plump into the water, and had to swim for two or three minutes in order to get out. Victoria was the only person who had the presence of mind to lend me assistance, her lady being more occupied in screaming for help. The shock from the cold was extremely painful, and I cannot thank Heaven enough, that I escaped with nothing more than a severe cold." At that particular point in time, no male heir had been born and had Albert drowned, the entire succession would have been different... and there would have been no Queen Elizabeth II!

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.

Interview With Penny Coomes And Nicholas Buckland

Only outnumbered by Russian and former Soviet teams, the Union Jack has been raised on the top of the podium at the World Figure Skating Championships in the ice dancing discipline a total of 17 times. Following in the footsteps of brilliant and captivating British ice dance teams like Jean Westwood and Lawrence Demmy, Diane Towler and Bernard Ford, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean and Sinead and John Kerr cannot be an easy feat by any stretch of the imagination. That said, with interesting and diverse programs and unquestionable technical skill, 3 time and reigning British champions Penny Coomes and Nicholas Buckland seem poised to do just that. With a 5th place finish at the European Championships last year, Penny and Nick have established themselves as a team to beat in international competition: a team on the move. They have progressively risen in the standings at both the European and World Championships every year and have posted strong results in Grand Prix events as well. Qualifying their country a spot at the 2014 Winter Olympics, this team hopes to make a second trip to the Olympics a reality this year and they have the skills and programs to do it. It was my pleasure to interview this talented team about their career to date, goals for the upcoming season and much, much more:

Q: You competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, finishing in the top 20 and have made 3 trips to the World Championships and 4 to the European Championships. What have you learned most from competing on an elite level for so long and how do you apply the lessons you've learned to the ice every day?

A from Penny: Nick and I were lucky enough to compete at quite a few major events while we were ranked number 2 in Britain under John and Sinead Kerr. We were able to attend these competitions just to gain experience without too much pressure. After skating with each other for 8 years now and experiencing all of our ups and downs throughout the seasons together we have become and stronger team. We know how to work smarter to get the most out of each and every training session. I think that in particular qualifying and competing at the 2010 Olympic Games not only made us more hungry but it has given us a bit of an advantage going into this season. We know what to expect now, and we will perhaps be a little less starstruck than the last time. Competing in Vancouver made our dreams a reality, and we feel very honored to be able to do that again.

Q: Coming from a British family - my grandparents were from England and my father and uncle were born there - I have a lot of love for British skaters. As the defending British ice dance champions, you follow in the footsteps of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. What is it like being compared to these skating legends and what do you appreciate most about them?

A from Penny: Nick and I have looked up to Torvill and Dean our whole lives. They were revolutionary in ice dance during their time, and they still are relevant now. Nick and I still watch their programs for ideas. We were actually lucky enough to skate with them last year at the Olympic Torch Gala in Nottingham. To be compared to the greatest ice dance couple of all time is nothing but an honor.

Q: How did you both meet and what is one thing about you most people may not know?

A from Nick: We both met when Penny’s step father came to coach at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham. Penny was then part of the skating school the same as me and she ended up at the same school too! We started skating together when  I decided I no longer wanted to free skate and we got on really well from day one. We enjoyed skating together and that’s why we are still going strong today. One thing you may not know about me is that I have a talented younger brother who is a junior skater at the moment. He and his partner are ones to look out for in the future.

Q: An error late in your program at Worlds cost you a little bit. What exactly happened in the free dance?

A from Nick: During Worlds, I experienced a heart arrhythmia, which I am in the process of getting sorted out. It's something that happens very rarely (maybe once or twice a year) but when it does happen it causes a racing heart and dizziness. Experiencing this meant that we ended up missing our spin in our free dance, which lost us points, and therefore dropping us three places. It’s nothing life threatening but something the doctors think that I can learn to control if I find myself in a similar position in the future.

Q:  How do you think Dancing On Ice has helped figure skating and ice dancing in Great Britain? Do you think this next season being the final one will hurt the sport?

A from Nick: I think Dancing In ice has done so much for the sport during the time it has been on ITV. I think the fact that it has finished is a real shame but I think in the years to come we will see a boost in high level skaters as a result of the increased levels of participation from Dancing on Ice.

Q: What has been your favourite program you've ever skated to?

A from Penny: Nick and I have been lucky enough to love and enjoy all of our programs but my favourite is easily our new free dance for this season. I found the music when we were looking for music for last season but we wanted to save it for the Olympics. Nick and I are skating to music from Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson Immortal Tour. It's very challenging but I can't help but smile when The music comes on. We both thoroughly enjoy skating to it. You know it's the right piece when it gets you inside.

Q: When it comes to technique, what do you believe is the most improved area of your skating since last season's competitions?

A from Nick: I think we have worked on and improved our “overall package” since last season. I feel we have improved in lots of different areas making us a stronger team overall. We’ve strengthened our weaknesses and taken advantage of our strengths! We’ve put everything into this seasons programs that we strongly believe are our best so far.

Q: When you're not on the ice, how do you both enjoy spending your free time?

A from Penny: I really enjoy cooking and baking. I also Skype with my family and friends back home.

A from Nick: To relax, I like to play golf and also play video games with my brother!

Q: What ice dancing teams (of all time) do you most look up to?

A from Penny: There have been so many great teams! I believe you can learn something from everyone. But, I most look up to Torvill and Dean, Platov and Grishuk, Davis and White and Virtue and Moir.

Q: What are your ultimate goals looking towards Europeans, Sochi and Worlds?

A from Penny: This season is important for everyone. Nick and I hope to have great preparations leading to each competition this season. We don't like to think about placements; we think that if your prepare right and skate as you do in practice the results will take care of themselves. As always we are looking to improve our skating skills and share performances the audience will enjoy.

Q: You have skated to everything from Jennifer Lopez to Basement Jaxx to The Lion King and Riverdance in the last few seasons. Why is it important to keep your programs fresh, edgy and innovative and what can you reveal about your new programs for the 2013/2014 season?

A from Penny: Thank you! Nick and I always take time when we are selecting our music for the season. To us, it's one of the most important times! We try to choose something that the audience knows and likes but to put our own spin on it. I spoke before about our Michael Jackson free dance. We choose to use the Cirque music as its composed little differently. We love it. Our short this year is to Fred Astaire's "I won't dance" but again, we managed to find a version from "Step Up 3" which is a little different and more current. We also chose to mix this with a Swing by an alternative hip hop group Jurassic Five. We hope to offer something traditional with a twist.

Q: You are coached by 2 time Olympic Gold Medallist and skating legend Evgeny Platov. What is Evgeny like off the ice, what is his coaching style like and why is he the best coach for you?

A from Nick: Evgeny is a very understanding coach. He knows when to push you and he knows when you need a rest. He is very good at structuring the preparation to a competition and above all he is a master at teaching skating technique. We have learnt so much from him from all of his experiences and they are invaluable when applying them to our own skating careers. It puts his heart and soul into teaching us and we feel because of this we get so much from him that we doubt we could get from anybody else.

Q: If you were going on a month long trip and could only pack three things, what would they be?

A from Nick: If I was going on a month long trip, I would have to pack my trainers because I cant deal with painful feet! I would also pack my iPhone because I have literally everything on there I need and its my life line to my family back home in the UK. The last thing I would pack would be my passport because if I was going on a month long trip it would have to be somewhere tropical!

A from Penny: Tea bags! I love tea. My iPad, so I can keep in touch with my family. And Nick.

Q: What do you love most about skating more than anything else?

A from Penny: I am lucky enough to travel the World and do what I love every day, but my favourite part is the feeling I get when I'm exhausted at the end of the day when I know I've worked hard. The feeling you get after all the runthroughs, when the lift you've been working on for weeks finally works, and after I finish skating at a competition. It's the best feeling in the world.

A from Nick: I love skating because it provides me with a freedom you cant get from anything else. When I’m on the ice I forget about everything and focus only on what I’m doing. Its real escapism and because of that I think I will always be part ice skating in some shape or form.

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.

Johnny Weir's Not The Only Sister With An Opinion On Sochi

If you've been living under a rock, you have no idea what's going on in Russia right now. Legislation put into place by the Russian government is creating horrific human rights violations left, right and center - and the next Winter Olympic Games are being held in Sochi, Russia.

When the Olympic Games were held in Nazi Germany just prior to World War II, athletes were forced to perform the Nazi salute and Adolf Hitler used the Games for his own political agenda. The horrors of World War II were unspeakable, cruel and disgusting. What Vladimir Putin and his cronies are doing right now is unspeakable, cruel and disgusting too.

Athletes have been working for years and years for their own shining moments on the Olympic stage. For many, these Games represent the culmination of a lifetime's blood, sweat and tears. I don't think the answer is boycotting the Games necessarily, but I don't think blindly trusting the Russian government to "behave" is acceptable either. This is not a matter of politics. It is a matter of basic human rights. The Olympic Games and their message of peace and the power of the collective human spirit should not be tarnished by this insanity. What Putin is doing - and intends to do - is bigger than "leaving the gays alone at the Olympics". Personally, I think moving the Games is the most reasonable option at this point, and if that's not happening, maybe boycotting could be a last resort. 

The more I think about it, what makes me roll my eyes the most is Johnny Weir's very public opposition to the proposed boycott of the Winter Olympics. In a recent article in the Falls Church News Press, Weir stated “the Olympics are not a political statement, they are a place to let the world shine in peace and let them marvel at their youthful talents.” If a country is behaving in a way that is disgusting from a human rights standpoint, we say no to that behavior. With so few people in the skating community truly having the balls to climb out from behind the Christmas presents at their back of their closets, Weir has willingly or unwillingly taken on the role as the face of that "here and queer" gay athlete that people know and love. It concerns me that with so few out role models in the sport, people in the skating community will assume the mentality "we'll he's gay and says not to boycott it, so why should we be upset?" We should be upset, we should insist the IOC move the Games, and we should consider boycotting the Games as a last resort if we have to. I applaud World Champion Randy Gardner who is standing up and voicing his opinion on the Twitter: "I'm appalled at the Russia's anti-gay movement. So they lifted it for the Winter Games. Big deal." Big deal is right. Hitler already had his turn using the Olympics as his stage for hate. Allowing Putin to do the same is defeatist, passive and ridiculous. 

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.

The History Of The Miko Masters

In my previous "Return To Open Pro Competitions" articles, I took an in depth look at the U.S. Open and Jaca World Professional Figure Skating Championships. In an effort to preserve some of the history and stories of professional figure skating competition, I'm once again taking a walk down memory lane and this time examining the history of the Miko Masters professional figure skating competition. Held 12 times consecutively from 1991 to 2002, this prestigious competition was held annually at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy at the 12th arrondissement in Paris, France. From 1991 to 1999, the competition at this event was strictly for professional skaters and in the final two years the event was held it took on a pro-am format. Furthermore, the competition from 1991 to 1996 was divided by discipline, whereas beginning in 1997 until the event was last held in 2002, a team format was adopted. In addition to competitive performances, exhibitions were always a big part of the Miko Masters, and often allowed top eligible French and international skaters to shine. What made Miko Masters quite unique was that it was one of few professional competitions that really took advantage of elaborate stage lighting at the time. When the skaters performed their artistic programs, it was under theatrical lighting and great care was put into creating an atmosphere with the skater's music, lighting, costuming and performance itself. 

When the competition was first held in 1991, the list of competitors at the "Les Dieux de Glace" ("Ice Gods"), the forerunner to (and technically the first) Miko Masters competition sponsored by Miko, read like a who's who of professional figure skating. Philippe Angel, the event's organizer, got the idea for the competition when Katarina Witt informed him she was ending her amateur career in 1988. Angel wished "to give all the great champions the desire to go beyond their amateur career and have an alternative to exhibition skating and the mega ice shows" in a professional setting. Exhibition performances included Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay skating their "Missing II" program, and in the initial men's event, 1988 Olympic Gold Medallist Brian Boitano bested his long time rival Brian Orser to win the competition with a performance of his iconic "Music Of The Night" program, which bested Orser's "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" artistic program. After the women skated both technical and artistic programs, 1988 Olympic Gold Medallist Katarina Witt (like Brian) proved her Olympic gold medal was worth its mettle. Skating to "A Question Of U" by Prince, she outranked Charlene Wong, Debi Thomas, Liz Manley, Caryn Kadavy and Rosalynn Sumners to take the first women's title.

In 1992, the event became officially known as the Miko Masters and many competitors from the Albertville Winter Games were invited to participate. Exhibition performances included 1992 Albertville pairs and dance winners Natalia Mishkutenok and Artur Dmitriev and Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko and the event also marked the first time Victor Petrenko, Paul Wylie and Petr Barna (the medallists in Albertville) competed against each other as professionals. With a program to Chubby Checker's "Let's Twist Again" and solid jumps, Petrenko bested both Wylie and Barna to take the men's title and it was 1981 World Champion Denise Biellmann who secured the women's title, ahead of Jill Trenary, Caryn Kadavy and others, skating to "Le Jazz Hot" from "Victor/Victoria" and "What Child As This?" as her technical and artistic program, respectively.

Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov showing off their Miko Masters trophies

Broadcast by thirty seven television channels, the third edition of the competition again proved historic. A pairs competition was added to the men's and women's events, and the number of competitors in each discipline was reduced to four. The first pairs title at Miko Masters was won by 1992 Olympic Silver Medallists Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov. They skated to music from the 1862 Italian opera "La Forza Del Destino" by Giuseppe Verdi. They finished ahead of Christine Hough and Doug Ladret, 1984 Olympic Gold Medallists Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev and Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding. Paul Wylie rebounded from a disappointing sixth place finish the year prior  to win the men's event with his legendary "JFK" program, ahead of Petr Barna, Scott Williams and Brian Orser. The women's competition was won by Caryn Kadavy, whose "I Dreamed A Dream" program from "Les Miserables" swayed the judges more than Denise Biellmann's "Drums/As Yet Untitled" avant garde artistic program. Claudia Leistner (in a rare professional competitive appearance) and Charlene Wong finished third and fourth.

Sandra Garde

Following the hugely popular 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, audiences for professional events were at all-time high. The 1994 Miko Masters was a roaring success, with the pairs competition being dropped for this year only and five men and five women competing in both technical and artistic programs. The men's competition marked four-time World Champion Kurt Browning's first professional competition, and he finished second to Paul Wylie, who defended his title with yet another movie soundtrack from his growing repertoire - "The Untouchables". Alexandr Fadeev, Petr Barna and the late Robert Wagenhoffer finished third, fourth and fifth in the men's event. In the women's competition, Denise Biellmann won her second Miko Masters title with two technically sound and avant garde programs. Her "Rite Of Spring" just edged out two-time Olympic Gold Medallist Katarina Witt skating to a French version of "On My Own" from "Les Miserables", who was also competing in her first professional event since her 1994 comeback to "amateur" skating. Caryn Kadavy finished third, Rory Flack Burghart was fourth and theatrical French skater Sandra Garde, who won the Trophee Lalique audience judged pro competition in France, was fifth. Exhibition performances in 1994 included Swiss spinning sensation Nathalie Krieg, Philippe Candeloro and Sophie Moniotte and Pascal Lavanchy.

Philippe Candeloro

After making his first appearance of many at the Miko Masters in 1994, Philippe Candeloro returned in 1995 with Miko as his main partner, bringing some of the best skaters from the French national team along with him for exhibitions, including Surya Bonaly, Eric Millot and Sophie Moniotte and Pascal Lavanchy. Candeloro and Bonaly prepared a pairs program, which they performed for the first time at this event together. Exhibitions were also skated by 2 time Olympic Gold Medallists Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov and 1991 World Champions Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay. The competition, which was televised both overseas and in North America on ESPN and TSN, saw the pairs return to the spotlight and Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding take home the title. In the men's event, Paul Wylie won his third consecutive Miko Masters title, showing his passionate "Schindler's List" program under theatrical lighting. Jozef Sabovcik skated a curious program in overalls to "Ol' Man River" from "Showboat" to finish second, ahead of Scott Williams, Petr Barna and Alexandr Fadeev. In the women's event, Denise Biellmann's acrobatic and driving "Test Overdub/Frantic" wowed the judges and audience alike, and she was able to overtake Yuka Sato, Liz Manley, Caryn Kadavy, and Sandra Garde to win the women's title. Sandra Garde's very theatrical "Night On Bald Mountain" artistic program in this event, developed from a free skating program she used at the World Junior Championships in the late 80's, was a must see. Although her hardest jump was a double loop, her choreography, costuming and musicality were simply unforgettable.

Surya Bonaly

In 1996, pairs skating was in the spotlight. The best performance in the pairs event, that of 1995 World Champions Radka Kovarikova and Rene Novotny, was awarded the Sergei Grinkov prize in tribute to Grinkov, who passed away in November 1995. They placed ahead of Hartshorn and Sweiding and Urbanski and Marval. Another innovation to the competition was a prize for best jump, which was awarded at the end of the men's, women's and pairs technical programs. For the fourth time, Denise Biellmann took the women's title, this time besting Caryn Kadavy, Yuka Sato, Charlene von Saher and Rory Flack Burghart. Among the men, Paul Wylie also won his fourth title, finishing ahead of Scott Williams, Alexandr Fadeev and Jozef Sabovcik. Surya Bonaly was among the special guests performing exhibitions. In a forerunner to the later Improv-Ice event, the audience chose music for the exhibitions at the event, which skaters then improvised. In association with Guépard Production (Juliette Leclercq), Miko announced financial support for young French skaters under the age of 16 at this event. This was the last year individual competitions were held.

In March of 1997, with the change to a team format, skaters were grouped into Team Europe and Team North America. Each team featured a woman, man,  pairs team and an ice dance team, and each performed a technical and artistic program. In an extremely close competition, Team Europe (consisting of Jozef Sabovcik, Charlene von Saher, Tricia Klocke and Ian Jenkins and Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko) placed ahead of Team America (Scott Williams, Josee Chouinard, Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval and Renee Roca and Gorsha Sur) to win the first team competition. A report by Tatjana Flade on the 1997 event can be read at http://www.eiskunstlauf-ecke.de/archiv/1996-97/emiko97.shtml.

The 1998 competition was held in late May, and featured many skaters making their debut in professional competition, including Surya Bonaly and Philippe Candeloro. Skating a twelve minute program combining his "Napoleon", "d'Artagnan" and "Lucky Luke" programs, Candeloro helped Team Europe to a victory over Team World. In addition to singles, pairs and ice dance teams, each team also featuring an ice acrobat team. Other competitors included 1997 World Champions Mandy Woetzel and Ingo Steuer, World Professional Champions Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding, 1995 World Silver Medallists Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko and ice acrobats Vladimir Besedin and Oleksiy Polischuk. Exhibition skaters included Alexei Urmanov and Maria Butyrskaya. A full review of the 1998 event can be found on Tino Eberl's Figure Skating Corner at http://www.eiskunstlauf-ecke.de/archiv/1997-98/miko98.shtml.

Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding

The next Miko Masters, held from April 13-14, 1999, changed things up a bit. Teams from Europe and The World consisted of two men and women, one pair and one dance team each, all skating an artistic program under theatrical lighting in addition to exhibition programs as well. The theme of all performances this year was "the cinema". Team Europe (Surya Bonaly, Denise Biellmann, Philippe Candeloro, Eric Millot, Woetzel and Steuer and Romanova and Yaroshenko) placed ahead of Team World (Olga Markova, Suzanna Szwed, Viascheslav Zagorodniuk, Scott Davis, Hartshorn and Sweiding and Roca and Sur). Interestingly enough, Romanova and Yaroshenko and Viascheslav Zagorodniuk, representing two different teams, both hailed from Ukraine. With 572.4 points to Team World's 561.0, Team Europe took home bragging rights for the third straight year. Dolorès Chaplin, who sponsored the 1999 Miko Masters, rewarded winners of the competition. Exhibitions were skated by "amateur" skaters at this event as well, including Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat, Sarah Abitbol and Stéphane Bernadis, Vincent Restencourt, Laurent Tobel, Vanessa Gusmeroli, Céline Masson and special guest Evgeni Plushenko. Scores from this event can be found at http://www.eiskunstlauf-ecke.de/archiv/1998-99/miko99.shtml.

Olga Markova

Keeping with the changing times, things changed again in 2000, when the event kept its team format but switched to a FFSG approved "Open de France" pro-am competition between Russia and France. All skaters participating skated an ISU approved short program in addition to an interpretive free program. Team France (Eric Millot, Stannick Jeannette, Vanessa Gusmeroli, Abitbol and Bernadis and Anissina and Peizerat) edged Team Russia (Alexei Yagudin, Maria Butyrskaya, Olga Markova, Totmianina and Marinin and Lobatcheva and Averbukh) for the win. Full results and scores from the 2000 event can be found at http://www.eiskunstlauf-ecke.de/archiv/1999-00/mastersmiko00.shtml.

The Miko Masters competition returned in 2001 with the pro-am team two program format retained and skaters from France this time competing against a World team. France's team, lead by Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat and Vanessa Gusmeroli, upset the World Team, which included Lu Chen, Alexei Urmanov and Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas. Two-time French National Champion Laetitia Hubert performed exhibitions at this event as well, to the music of Charles Aznavour and Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head".

In 2002, the competition was last held following the Salt Lake City Games. A team format was again adopted, with competitors including Brian Joubert, Laetitia Hubert, Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat, Alexander Abt, Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin. Team Russia won the overall competition in 2002.

What made competitions like the Miko Masters so special was the commitment to presenting professional skating in a way that was relatable to the audience. With easy to understand competition formats and a focus on creating an atmosphere for magical performances by providing top notch theatrical lighting, the programs that the skaters performed at this event over the years really shined as brightly as they could have. In looking through the history of competitions such as these, we can only be reminded of the impact artistic and professional skating have made on the sport and the very real future they have.

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.

Interview With Jeremy Ten

After winning the Canadian Junior title in 2007, a mere two years later British Columbia's Jeremy Ten was on the senior podium and off to his first Four Continents and World Championships competitions, where he placed 7th and 17th respectively. Injuries and issues with inconsistency have plagued him throughout his career, but after missing most of the 2010/2011 season due to injury, Ten rebounded to win the bronze medal at the 2012 Canadian Figure Skating Championships. He finished 8th in a very deep field last year that included Patrick Chan, Emanuel Sandhu, Kevin Reynolds, Elladj Balde, Andrei Rogozine and many other strong skaters. He hopes to once again be on the podium this season, a trip to Sochi his ultimate goal. With beautiful sensitivity and interpretation of his music, strong spins and high flying jumps, Jeremy Ten is a skater not to count out. We talked about the challenges in his career, homophobia in the sport, new programs, his role models and much, much more:

Q: Having won medals on the novice, junior and senior levels at Canadian Nationals, you've proven that you can achieve consistency in your skating. What has been the biggest challenge for you along the way in your skating career?

A: Actually, the biggest challenge for me so far in my skating career has been consistency. My career has had many ups and downs, a rollercoaster if you will; therefore my confidence has definitely taken some hard hits over the past few seasons. Another big challenge has been staying healthy, especially after my surgery and stress fracture and not letting setbacks like those overrun my career and also diminish my confidence.

Q: You have worked with some of the best and brightest in the sport including Joanne McLeod, Victor Kraatz, David Wilson and Jeffrey Buttle. What can you tell us about the coaches and choreographers that have influenced your skating career most?

A: No one knows my skating better than my coach of 10 years Joanne McLeod and am so fortunate to have her in my corner along with her amazing team which includes Neil Wilson. I’ve been so blessed to have worked with so many amazing and talented individuals each contributing something different and positive to my skating and approach. Victor taught me how to talk to the ice with my blades, David and Jeff taught me how to listen to music and to let my body be a vehicle for interpretation, and Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe have taught me how to refine my skating by paying attention to every single detail. Most recently I had the opportunity to work with Rafael Artunyan in Lake Arrowhead and he has given me a new found confidence and perspective to my skating.

Competing at the 2009 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships

Q: If you hadn't have been a figure skater, what other talent do you think you would have pursued this far in your life?

A: I have always loved to dance and have always said that if I wasn’t a figure skater I would have loved to have been a dancer - contemporary or lyrical. Having competed at the World Championships, Four Continents Championships, Grand Prix events and many other international competitions, what can you say is your favorite or most memorable experience from international competition? The one moment that stands out to me thus far has to be competing at my first Four Continents Championships in 2009 at home in Vancouver. I skated one of the best programs I’ve ever skated and brought the entire crowd to their feet. It was so loud I could barely hear my music at the end and my entire family was there to share the moment with me.

Q: You have fought hard to rebound from injury the last couple seasons. How are you doing now and how has training and jumping been going for you?

A: It’s been a slow and arduous process to say the least but I feel like I’m finally starting to feel like my old self again. I still have to monitor my ankles and make sure I’m not overstressing them which means seeing my physiotherapist if there is even the slightest bit of discomfort. Even if things are going well I seek treatment once or twice a just to make sure everything is moving and working the way they should be. A year ago I switched personal trainers and am now working with Jeff Cathrea at the Performance Institute new who is wonderful at communicating with my physiotherapist so the three of us together have been working very hard to strengthen and increase the mobility of my ankles. They’ve helped immensely in keeping me injury free and getting my body into the shape that it was in prior to all my health setbacks. It was really hard mentally at first, especially going into lutz and flip jumps and although it may have taken over a year since my surgery, they’re back to normal and as strong as they used to be if not stronger. I also started landing quad toes which I never thought I would be learning/doing at the age of 24 but when there’s a will, there’s a way.

Jeremy's "Blower's Daughter" exhibition program at the 2012 Canadian National Championships

Q: What are your ultimate goals and new programs for this season?

A: I would love to get back onto the international scene and get back on the podium at nationals with the ultimate goal of representing Canada at the 2014 Olympic Games. My new short program is “Dance With Me Wallis” from the W.E Soundtrack by Abel Korziniowski. My free skate is “Variations” by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Q: Who is your role model, and why?

A: As cliché as it sounds, my role model would have to be my parents. They’ve sacrificed so much and they have worked so hard their entire lives in order to let me do what I love and to do and have a chance at making my dreams come true.  Without them I wouldn’t be where I am today and I am so thankful. 

Q: What's one thing most people don't know about you?

A: I love tattoos. Like it’s almost an obsession.

Q: Who are three figure skaters or teams (past or present) you could sit and watch perform all day?

A: Just three?! Michelle Kwan, Patrick Chan and Yuna Kim.

Q: In response to Skate Canada's 2009 campaign to make figure skating more "masculine", Elvis Stojko told the Toronto Sun "if you're very lyrical and you're really feminine and soft, well, that's not men's skating." What are your thoughts on this and the ideas of homophobia and stereotypes in skating?

A: I think everyone is entitled to their opinion and has their own views on what skating should be and shouldn't be. I know what kind of skater I am and what I want to portray to the audience and I also know not everyone is going to like what I do and I'm okay with that.  Skating is a very difficult sport that requires the utmost strength, determination, and focus with a dash of elegance, sophistication and fearlessness. Unfortunately not everyone can see that past the glitter and rhinestones.With that said,  I don't think homophobia within the sport is really an issue however I do think that stereotyping from those on the outside looking in is still very prominent within our society and overshadows all the great qualities our sport has to offer. I for one think it’s great that we have skaters like Johnny Weir being themselves and being great advocates for young teens who need that kind of a role model to help them be comfortable and proud in their own skin. While on the other side of the spectrum we have skaters like Patrick Chan and Brian Joubert who offer a completely different side and look to skating that others can relate to and that's what makes our sport so wonderful: it's diverse and it's accepting.

Q: Is skating professionally something you would like to do in the future or do you have a different career path in mind after you finish your "amateur" career?

A: It would really depend on what opportunities opened up for me once my 'amateur' career is over. I would love to do some ice shows if the opportunity is there and after that dabble in some choreography. I don’t think I’d like to coach full-time but in some way I do want to stay involved in the sport as much as I can. Currently, I’m finished my minor in Kinesiology and working on a B.A. in Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University.

Q: What do you love most about being on the ice?

A: I love everything there really is about skating. I love to spin, I love to jump and I love to fly around the ice.

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.

Interview With Alex Johnson

Photo courtesy Jacque Tiegs

In Calgary, Alberta, the world watched and cheered when Liz Manley gave the performance of her career and won the free skate at the 1988 Winter Olympics. In San Jose, California 8 years later, Rudy Galindo pulled a showstopper of his own, winning the 1996 U.S. National title with a career best performance. This year at the 2013 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships in Omaha, Nebraska, a young skater gave a thrilling career best performance of his own. With a breakout performance to his "Eleanor Rigby" free skate, 23 year old Alexander Johnson thrilled the audience and judges alike with a stellar performance and proved that he is among the best, a true contender within the current deep pool of U.S. men in the hunt for world and Olympic berths this season. A former medallist on the novice and junior levels at U.S. Nationals and a silver medallist at the 2013 Challenge Cup in Holland (beating World Champion Brian Joubert in the free skate), Alex has proved that he's a skater to watch closely this season. In this interview, he talked about his performance at 2013 Nationals, work with Tom Dickson, Catarina Lindgren and Sebastien Britten, new programs, goals and much more:

Q: You have competed at the U.S Championships on the novice and junior levels - winning medals in both - before you started competing on the senior level. What did you learn most or take from from these experiences? 

A: The U.S. Championships is always such a fun event and I think being able to go as a novice and junior was such a treat. We were able to go and compete with the best in the U.S. at our level, hang out with kids who shared the same goals and dreams we did, and then stay and watch the Senior events. I can't tell you how many great friends I have made over the years and kept in contact with since. Those experiences definitely motivated me to train as hard as possible so I could be back there year after year. I also think having competed in novice and junior in previous years, eased the transition to senior a little bit as I had a better idea of what to expect when I finally reached the senior level.

Q: Your breakout performance at this year's US National Championships in the free skate was considered by many to be "the skate of the night". Reflecting on that performance, what made it that special to you?

A: As everyone knows, my first three years competing in senior were quite unimpressive both skating and result wise. My long program in 2012 was a step in the right direction, but I never was truly able to put out what I've been capable of. To have the free skate that I did this year at nationals was such a special moment. It was the first time in my life that everything really came together on the big stage and words cannot even begin to describe how surreal it felt. My coaches and I really put in a lot of hard work last season and I think it showed. My Eleanor Rigby free skate will forever have a place in my heart.

Q: Having competed in singles AND pairs, which do you think is your true 'calling'? What do you love both about each discipline?

A: While I loved every minute I skated pairs, I think my true calling is in singles. I truly enjoy the connection pairs skating allows for, and I would love to further explore that aspect of pairs skating someday, whether it be in shows, choreographing, or just for fun. As far as singles goes, I love the personal challenge that it sets forth both physically and mentally.

Photo courtesy Scott Cushman

Q: You've worked with greats like Catarina Lindgren, Tom Dickson and Sebastien Britten. What have each of these people brought to your skating?

A: Sebastien Britten was the first true choreographer I ever worked with. Up until then, my former coach Joan Orvis and I had put together all of my programs. I think my coach and I did a great job developing the artistic side of my skating, but working with Sebastien really exposed me to a broader spectrum of skating styles and movement. It was a great experience! Tom Dickson and his wife Catarina Lindgren were the next choreographers I decided to work with. I originally only worked with Tom for the first year, but then began working with Catarina as I transitioned to them as my head coaches . Not only are they wonderful people, but they are unbelievably gifted at what they do.They both bring unique and fresh approaches to their work, while staying true to the pure essence of skating. I can't even tell you how much I have learned from them about every aspect of skating. The details in which they can describe the simplest of things as well as their knowledge of proper skating technique is something I believe that has really helped take my skating to the next level. They both have extensive skating and dance backgrounds and constantly integrate other forms of art into their work. They have also encouraged me to take dance classes and I've been lucky enough to take classes with various teachers from all over the world. I'm so grateful to work with them!

Q: If you look at skaters like yourself, Jeremy Abbott, Adam Rippon and many others in the men's field and then other skaters who deliver programs that are watered down on the PCS/performance side, there seems to be a bit of a divide between the jumpers and the skaters. Do you think that the PCS is judged in such a way that it truly reflects the quality of a skater's expression and artistry on the ice?

A: I think when the IJS was first implemented, it was hard to really understand a judges PCS marks. As i've learned more and more about how PCS scores are given and what judges are looking for, I do believe that they've become somewhat justifiable and reflective of a skaters expression and artistry on the ice. As well, the judges have become more educated on what to look for collectively as a panel and that helps bring clarity to an otherwise controversial mark. I sometimes do feel though that judges are afraid to truly separate great skating from poor skating. A skater might have awesome skating skills, but a program with no choreography and garner marks of 7.25 for skating skills and 6.5 for choreography. if there is no choreography in the program, then the marks should reflect that. That being said, as the system continues to develop and everyone becomes further educated, I think we will see more appropriate PCS scores.

Q: What can you tell us about your goals for the 2013/2014 season and your programs for this season?

A: For this upcoming season, I would like to continue to develop my skating and really grow even more as a person. I think last season was a great step in the direction that I would like to take my skating. I am working very hard on adding the quad toe to my arsenal as well. My short program this year is to the famous Led Zeppelin song "Stairway to Heaven". It's performed by Rodrigo y Gabriela and it has a flamenco feel to it. I absolutely love it. My free skate is to a variety of film soundtracks, but has a very dark feeling to it. It opens briefly with the beginning of a remix of the "Nightmare On Elm Street" theme song and then goes immediately into two different waltzes. The ending piece is titled "Bernini's Angels".

Photo courtesy Scott Cushman

Q: When you're not on the ice, how do you most love spending your free time?

A: Being from the land of 10,000 lakes, I love spending time on the lake. We don't have many of them here in Colorado so I don't get to water ski, tube, or jet ski very often. Ever since moving to Colorado though, I've fallen in love with Dance and try to get to as many classes as possible. As crazy as our schedules can get, I always enjoy a laid back night hanging out with friends.

Q: Who do you think are the three greatest men's skaters of all time and why?

A: John Curry for his ability to seamlessly combine technical skating with untouchable finesse and artistry. Patrick Chan for his unbelievable skating skills and technical strength. Evgeni Plushenko for his ability to stay at the top of the sport for such a long period of time.

Q: What is one thing most people don't know about you?

A: I have an older sister Shannon, age 25, who used to figure skate as well. She primarily competed in synchronized skating.

Photo courtesy Scott Cushman

Q: What movies are your all time favorites?

A: I have a tendency to fall asleep during movies, so I don't really have a favorite. I did really enjoy the "Kill Bill" series though.

Q: If you could go back in time and relive any moment in your life again, what would that moment be?

A: I'll be honest, I'd have to say my free skate from the U.S. Championships this year. I'd probably leave out the crying part though, haha.

Q: Why do you love figure skating?

A: I love figure skating as it gives you a sense of freedom when you are out on the ice - a feeling that is difficult to replicate anywhere else.

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.

Interview With Misha Ge

Russia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Uzbekistan and the United States... these are all countries that have played host to one young skater's unreal talent. Twenty two year old Misha Ge from Uzbekistan cannot only lay down one killer triple Axel and speak three different languages - his dynamic, exciting and larger than life choreography has turned heads around the world. He can dance... he can move... he can perform for an audience in a way that few skaters in this world have dared to do and he definitely has something special and very unique that makes you stop and take notice. It has paid off too! In his third trip to the Four Continents and World Figure Skating Championships, Ge finished eleventh and sixteenth respectively (his best finish at Worlds yet), earning his country a men's entry at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia that he seems destined to fill. Misha was kind enough to take the time from his busy schedule to  talk skating, dance and share his wonderful opinions on what's going on in the sport right now:

Q: With your result at the 2013 World Figure Skating Championships, you earned your country a spot at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. What are your ultimate goals when it comes to competitive skating and this season? 

A: I'm very happy and proud to earn a spot for Uzbekistan and for our country's figure skating team. I was first of winter sports athlete from Uzbekistan who get 2014 Sochi Olympic qualification. For me, always have goal: "Do best what I can" and "improve a little every time". For me, to be part of Olympics is a great opportunity and I'm very happy to be part of it. So this season, goal is to do my best and improve since last season.

Q: Have you developed new competitive programs for this season? How has training been going and what can you tell us about your new programs?

A: We do have work on different concepts and genres and it will different compare last year. Programs done as always by young choreographer Misha Ge with his choreographer help Larisa Ge (my Mom). Last year one of my programs was funny and this year it will be complete opposite with of one of the programs "serious and sadness" . We do have some creative ideas for season, but its in progress and under the secret for now.

Q: What about jumping? How are things going in that regard?

A: I came to China for few months for ice shows, TV activities, entertainment practice and to visit grandparents. I'm here training in good condition with some of Chinese national team athletes and coaches. The working of difficulties is on triple Axel and quads right now. I will do my best to work on it and improve but we will do "one step at the time" little by little to go up.

Q: You were born in Russia and have lived in China (and also represented China in competition), Hong Kong and Taiwan, represent Uzbekistan and train in the U.S. How have different cultures most influenced your life and skating?

A: Its very different. Every country have they own unique style, cultures, habits, people, life and so many, many other things. It's not easy to live and train in so many different and very opposite countries with different everything. But its a great experience to learn best things from each country and combine them all together and make MGStyle.

Q: With the Olympics being held in Russia and the blatant homophobia and lack of gay rights being demonstrated by the Russian government, there are many concerns about athletes facing discrimination at the Sochi games. What are your thoughts when it comes to this?

A: I cannot judge who's right who's wrong about rules but I will say that no matter of your sexual orientation and especially on the sport events for athletes and especially world biggest Olympic Games everyone should be equal, and if judge someone by their sexual orientation on the worlds sports spirit event I think it's not right.

Q: Your creativity, musicality and dancing skills are in a class of their own! Where did you first learn to dance and what is your favourite style of dance, on and off the ice?

A: MGStyle! You know I dance since I am little. Still remember when I was little my Mom and Dad play good rhythm music and I start moving to it. I guess there is where I start to dance. What kind of music I like to dance? Everything! As long as music make my body move, I'm ready to dance!

Q: What skaters do you most enjoy watching and draw inspiration from artistically?

A: If put them all together, I guess will be huge list. But few of my favorites is: Alexei Yagudin, Evgeni Plushenko, Jeffrey Buttle, Johnny Weir, Kurt Browning, Emanuel Sandhu and Daisuke Takahashi.

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 people and 3 things would you most like to be stranded with?

A: Well, 3 person: I hope God can be with me. And my Mom and Dad. Three things: Bible, music (for dance) and ice rink!

Q: What is the nicest compliment and/or gift you've ever received from one of your fans?

A: Compliments... they are too many and I want thanks to my fans for that. Gifts them are many too. I'm not on that level like top star skating stars yet but some of my fans are very sweet with their gifts. Few times I get jewelry of silver, gold, items of some luxury brands and many other things. Thanks my fans for all kind of their sweet gifts!

Q: How can ISU eligible skating evolve and change to become more contemporary, entertaining and relevant to a younger generation?

A: You know, it's a very hard question. During these years, I been travel a lot and been on many competition and heard many things and ideas about changes and improvements for system from skaters, coaches, judges and fans. It's hard to say which particular part should be changed but I think here few things i want to say. Figure skating is a sport but is also one of the sport which is also is an art. It is an incredibly beautiful and artistic sport of all kinds. The creative and artistic figure skating was use to be (if you take a look on videos from 1970-2000s)... Stadiums was full packed, audience was so much to enjoy it, programs was not that difficult but was so enjoy to watch no matter if you know about skating or you don't. Anyone can got so much enjoyment and inspiration of it -  style, moves, programs are so creative and so many other things you can said about that time. Now time, we do have new system and it's good. It's good that it push as to work on all around skills in our programs. But same time there many things are holding us to make this sport incredibly beautiful, unique and futuristic. For last years we start having less and less audience on the competitions. We start having less spots and countries on big events. We start having less sponsors and TV broadcasting of figure skating. We start having less prize money but skating training itself get more and more expensive. We start have less ice shows around the world. But skating itself because new all-round system get more expensive because now you can't only have one coach you need 2, 3 - maybe 5 - people to work with you. Аnd now, we start to have less and less people in the world doing skating because few reason I just write above. Most of us skaters during programs are thinking all about how to get most of points on our performances, impress judges and make things that judges like to get more points but don't care about audience anymore. Because new system make everyone calculating every element and points, everyone start doing same things.  If we start make it more creative or more new and unique we start losing points, because it might be easier - newer  and enjoyable moves but not on the list of the rules. At the end, audience are saying "when we come to watch skating, everyone is the same. You cannot see difference like use to be, before in old times everyone was so different and unique in their own way". Then, let's find ways to keep it all around system but with new ideas to make it more popular and make more audience, and then audience will bring more popularity to this sport. There is many many things we can keep saying and discussing, but what I want to said that. I wish we all together can bring some more ideas for improvement to bring back popularity of figure skating and make it even then before it was. Try find creative ideas, rules and opportunities for more countries and new generations of skaters to get involved to this beautiful sport. Find ways to make skating popular so we can have more audience, more TV, entertainment companies and sponsors that will want to work with us and will help us to increase popularity of figure skating. That's what I think and trust me - not only me. After many years of skating and travel and compete around the world I heard so many, many people thinking same way I just said. Sorry to everyone, but I hope you had understand my idea. Not hate please. I said all of this #4ImproveFutureSk8. Love you all. Thank you!

Q: If you could change something about the world, what would it be?

A: I hope people in this world will be more nicer, and do more good things to everyone.

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.