Interview With Meagan Duhamel

To clear something up right off the bat, I get excited about each and every interview I do. I wouldn't reach out to a skater, choreographer, judge, historian or fan if I didn't feel they had something to contribute: a story to tell or just something special in general. Since I started this blog, I've been lucky enough to interview some of my idols - skaters like Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, Anita Hartshorn, Rory Flack Burghart and many, many more. I honestly can't even get over it. My surprise grew when 2013 Canadian National Champion Meagan Duhamel agreed to do an interview! Meagan, with her partner Eric Radford, is the current reigning World bronze medallist and a serious threat not only for a medal in Sochi in the pairs competition, but a gold medal at that. Meagan and Eric are honestly a cut above any team in the world right now technically, with difficult lifts, consistent side by side AND throw triple lutzes, good choreography, speed and passion. Meagan comes from a background in singles skating, having won the Canadian junior national title in 2003 and competed 7 times at the Canadian National Championships as a singles skater on the novice, junior and senior levels. Her first pairing earned her a win at the Golden Spin Of Zagreb competition with partner Ryan Arnold and a trip to the Junior World Championships. In 2007, with partner Craig Buntin she won her first of 6 medals at the Canadian National Championships in senior pairs and her first of 5 trips to the World Figure Skating Championships and Four Continents Championships. When she teamed up with Eric Radford in 2010, the success was fast and furious. They have finished in the top ten in the World Championships the past 3 years and in winning bronze this year at the World Championships in London, Ontario, were only 1 point behind the reigning Olympic medallists Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany, actually beating them in the free skate. Make no mistake, Meagan and Eric are one of the teams to beat in Sochi! It was my absolute pleasure to ask Meagan about her accomplishments to date, first tour with Stars On Ice, new programs and much more. Grab yourself a cup of tea or coffee - this is a great read!

Q: Having competed in 5 World Championships with 2 different partners as well as making 5 trips to the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships and winning the Canadian national title three times (twice as a pairs skater and the junior ladies title in 2003), what is your proudest accomplishment when it comes to your competitive career?

A: First of all, you just reminded me how lucky I am to have achieved so much with my skating! I have a few moments that I am very proud of. Number one would be when Eric and I won our first national title in 2012. We both took the longest route possible towards that moment and when we finished our long program in Moncton that year we were overwhelmed with emotion. I will never forget that night; it really changed our lives. Coming a distant second to that moment was in 2008 when I made my first world team with Craig Buntin. I will always remember running in the stands to see my parents and crying with them. We had done it together and I knew how special it was for them.

Q: What direction are you and Eric going in program wise next year? What can we expect? 

A: Eric and I have two great programs choreographed for the upcoming year. Our short is set to music that Eric composed. He had an orchestra do it this spring and it turned out great. We are using this program as a tribute to all those who have helped us along our journey to the Olympics. Our long is to music from "Alice In Wonderland" by Danny Elfman. It is a very different program for us. It's a very theatrical program and we are trying to show the world a different side to our skating, as well as play to our strengths as a team.

Q: What is your ultimate goal in Sochi and what do you think it's going to take to get on that podium?

A: Our ultimate goal is to stand on the podium in Sochi and push the Russians for the gold. We understand everything that this involves. Eric and I recognize our weaknesses as a team and we are working on minimizing those and maximizing our strengths. Like usual, we have been very clever about our base values, making sure they are higher then anyone else. We have added the reverse lasso into our program, giving us a higher base value then last season. We have also been working on all the little details, like flow, polish, speed and unison, to give our component scores another push. 

Q: This was your first year touring with Stars On Ice. I was front row center in Halifax and you guys were fantastic! What was the touring experience like and where did you come up with the idea for Artists Against Bullying's "True Colors"?

A: We had a blast touring with Stars On Ice! We loved every minute of it. Performing every night definitely helped our skating and performance abilities. As far as the "True Colors" program, we had a hard time finding the right music for the tour. Eric and I have our comfort zone and our choreographer Julie Marcotte is always trying to get us out of it! I found the music because I heard it on the radio. It was a cool remix and I felt really connected with the song. Eric and I share a similar taste in music so I was sure he'd like it as well. And then Julie presented us with the idea of using a prop and we came up with the scarf idea! We were so nervous that night in Halifax, wondering if we'd drop the scarf or get it stuck on one of us. Luckily that didn't happen and we were overwhelmed to get a standing ovation at our first show in Halifax. 

Q: What are your long term plans and how long do you hope to be competing as an eligible skater?

A: Eric and I have a plan until Worlds 2014. After that, we will reassess our career and decide what to do. We have only been together for 3 years now. We are still young compared to some of our competitors so we feel we can keep competing for a few years, as long as our bodies allow it! Why not? We are living our dream and love what we do. 

Q: You and Eric skated earlier this year in the FABULOUS Liz Manley's show, a fundraiser for DIFD and Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa and teen mental health. Why is this issue so important to you and right now in general?

A: We felt so honored when Liz Manley invited us to take part in her ice show for mental health. We feel like mental health is a bit of a taboo subject and it needs more recognition. People need to know and speak up about it. No one, teenagers or adults, should have to suffer alone. We hope Liz will do the show again and we can raise more awareness.

Q: Who are your favourite skaters of all time? Who is one skater or person involved in the sport you've never met but would love to?

A: My favourite skaters of all time - that's a long list! Tara Lipinski, Michelle Kwan and Irina Slutskaya were my idols as I grew up. I watched Tara's 1998 Olympic long program every single day for years. I know all the commentating and choreography by heart! I also did the same thing for Sarah Hughes 2002 Olympic long program! Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao are also big idols to me. They overcame so many hurdles and skated with so much passion but what I admire most about them is the fact that every single year, they came out better then the previous year. They listened to their critics, stayed positive and worked hard on their weaknesses. True heroes in my eyes. 

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

A: Good question! Well, I am a Vegan. I think lots of people know that though. I am also a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and hope to work in that field with young skaters in the future. I love animals and adopted a dog from the SPCA in 2009. He was 12 years old when I got him. I also have a cat, Zara. I play on a mixed baseball team in the spring and summer with my boyfriend and Eric and I played on a dodgeball team this winter. Also, I am a huge figure skating fan - literally a fan. I love to follow the sport and certain skaters. I realize that probably makes me sound a little weird.

Q: What is your favourite quote?

A: I love so many quotes! My favourite is "when the going gets tough the tough get going" and "great moments are born from great opportunity". 

Q: What keeps you loving the sport every day?

A: I truly do love skating. There's nothing I would rather do. I love the challenge of pushing myself to the limit and seeing how far I can go. I love the feeling of accomplishment after achieving a new goal. I love performing for a crowd. I love the feeling of flying! And I love everything that skating has given me. Life long friendships, goals and dreams, the opportunity to travel the world, and life lessons about dedication and hard work.

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 Victoria And Connor Hasegawa

Melanie Hoyt photo

Happy Canada Day! What better a day to celebrate two of Canada's rising skating stars! With energy, musicality and youth on their side, the brother/sister duo of Victoria and Connor Hasegawa are two skaters who are going places. Having competing at Skate Canada Junior Nationals at the pre-novice and novice levels and winning the bronze medal in Novice Ice Dance at the 2010 competition, the team (originally from Montreal, Quebec) made the move to the junior ranks in 2011 and won the bronze medal on the junior level at the Canadian Nationals in 2011. The following year, they dropped to 5th and last year they moved up to 4th place. After training with former Canadian National Champions and World Silver Medallists Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, this dynamic duo switched coaches and are now taking from ice dance legend Marina Zoueva. Connor and Victoria took time out of their off season training to share a bit about their plans, goals and love of the sport:

Q: When did you first start skating and what drew you to ice dancing?

A: Most of our early skating was actually just goofing around on public ice with our Mom, and we were usually focused on getting a hot chocolate afterwards! For a few years, we only skated with friends in the winter; we were occupied mostly with school and music (we both played – and still play – piano and violin); we were also involved in swimming, soccer, tennis, golf, and horseback riding, so we kept pretty busy. In 2002, we finally signed up for formal skating lessons at our local club’s tiny CanSkate program. We took semi-private lessons once a week (the club really was tiny!), then private lessons, and by 2004 we were taking tests and competing in the StarSkate stream. In StarSkate we discovered the possibility of maybe even taking our dance tests with each other as partners. Our club’s dance coach entered us as a team in a few StarSkate dance competitions... and after a few first out of one finishes (haha!) we discovered that no one really competes in dance at the StarSkate level. We asked our coach where we could find more competition and he told about the world of competitive ice dance. In the summer of 2006, we enrolled in a summer “ice dance camp” where we were introduced to the elements of ice dance: dance spins, twizzles, lifts, the basic components of footwork sequences... The works! We had our first ever free dance choreographed (by René Lohse, no less!) and registered for Sectionals. After placing 18th out of 20 in the Pre-novice category at Quebec Sectionals, we decided to “get serious”, make our first coaching change, and so began our ice-dancing career!

Q: You were coached and choreographed by Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, who are Canadian Champions, World medallists and overall pretty fabulous skaters themselves. What is your relationship with them like and who are you currently working with?

A: We were coached by Marie-France and Patrice from July of 2010 until August of 2012; we couldn’t believe that they had agreed to coach us... Just a couple of years earlier, we’d been admiring their picture on the National Team poster in our club’s office! In September of last year, we decided to move to Canton, Michigan to train with Marina Zoueva and her team. We’ve been training here in Canton since last September and absolutely love it. Funny to think that Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir were on that same National Team poster; we can’t believe we get to train with them!

Q: You are both originally from Quebec and trained there as well. As Quebec is a province with a LOT of depth to its skating program, how do you think you broke out of the pack and progressed so quickly?

A: It’s true that Quebec has a strong skating program, and we’re proud to represent la Belle Province! We don’t necessarily feel that we broke out of the pack, per se... We actually think that it’s been a slow and steady journey for us. We like to think that our various coaches have each contributed to our progress over the years, each of them adding something new and exciting to our skating experience. In this way, we feel very fortunate to have worked with such a variety of talented individuals, all passionate about the sport. Having had access to such a wealth of experience and knowledge is, we believe, part of what has set us apart. We also have wonderful parents, who have always helped us get the most out of every experience, and have helped us make the big decisions... All in all, we feel very lucky!

Q: After winning a bronze medal at 2010 Junior Nationals in novice, you moved up to junior and finished 3rd in 2011, 5th in 2012 and 4th in 2013. Is moving up to senior the plan for next season and have you started working on new programs? What programs can we expect from you next year?

A: We actually made the late-season decision last year to hold off on our senior debut (after having made the late-season decision to change coaches), in order to re-focus; we had some deficits that we as well as our coaches felt needed to be addressed and we wanted time to solidify certain aspects of our skating before making the move to Senior. Now that we are making our debut as a Senior team, we are very much looking forward to the season ahead, and with such a great pattern dance as the Finnstep, we expect it to be a challenging but incredibly fun year! Yes, music choices have been made and choreography is underway. Our intent is to take our two programs, give our audience a taste of our evolving partnership and style, and display our continuing progression.

Q: What Canadian skaters do you most look up to?

Tessa and Scott! Training with them daily is such an incredible treat: not only are they fantastic skaters, but they’re also just really terrific people; funny, warm and incredibly encouraging & supportive! The last time we crossed the border, the Canadian border officer shared a really funny story about Scott, the point of which was to tell us how impressed he was by how friendly and down to earth Scott was (he doesn’t know him personally, but has been the one to let Scott through the border several times). His parting words, as he sent us on our way, were: “You’re lucky to have such a grounded role model; when you guys make it big, just remember that he’s the kind of person you want to aspire to be like” (he also added that we should remember that there are cool customs officers!) We still have to do the occasional double take and pinch ourselves. Training with Olympic champions ...this is such an amazing opportunity and experience! There are so many wonderful Canadian skaters who we’ve grown up watching. We admire and have such respect for Joannie Rochette; not only is Joannie an amazing and lovely skater, but as a person, she is very friendly and approachable. Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford are also favourites of ours (we had the good fortune to skate with them at the beginning of their partnership – which in itself makes us cheer excitedly for them whenever we see them compete); Meagan is such a firecracker and exudes such confidence and determination – a great role model for young skaters! We could go on and on... There are many Canadian who have been inspiration to us along the way: Kurt Browning, Elvis Stojko, Jamie Sale & David Pelletier, to name a few.

Q: When you first competed internationally on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, was it an overwhelming experience or something that pushed you to improve? How do you think international competition can improve and grow a skater's overall experience in a way competing within your own country can't?

A: Oh my goodness! Our first experience on the Junior Grand Prix circuit was... well, an experience like none we had had before! Both elements of our team were new to the scene: us, as skaters flying to Japan for our very first international assignment, and Patrice, as a new coach, this was his first international coaching experience. I think it’s fair to say that none of us was really prepared for all the possibilities of a young team’s first competition, along with two brand new programs (after making a coaching change in July, we had choreographed two new programs – and only finished choreography for the Short Dance in August!) Despite our somewhat bumpy start, we are, to this day, tremendously grateful that we were given that first opportunity; it totally changed our perspective – about everything. We believe that international exposure is essential to a skater’s development. Being exposed to competitors from different countries gave us insight to the possibilities, and solidified our desire to pursue our passion. Generally speaking, we think that it helps athletes to decide where (and if) they want to fit in the world of figure skating. In our case, it also changed our approach to training. It provided us with a better understanding of what skills we needed to develop and what direction our training needed to take in order to compete with the ‘big kids’ (seeing is believing!) It adds a dimension of motivation that one doesn’t necessarily find amongst one’s fellow domestic teams; even though there are a number of extremely strong teams in North America right now, which makes for great competition, one gets used to seeing the same teams at the same competitions from year to year, so the international competitions mix it up, keeping you on your toes... And, well, anyone who has had the opportunity to participate in a JGP knows that the whole experience makes you feel extremely lucky – travelling around the world to do what you love, meeting people from different countries who also do what you love, it’s really quite amazing.

Q: What are your favourite TV shows?

A from Victoria: We don’t actually watch very much TV here in Canton (aside from the occasional episode of something online), but whenever we’re at home in Montreal, I watch shows like Modern Family, Mythbusters, Iron Chef America, Criminal Minds, The Late Show, Frasier... A little bit all over the map!

A from Connor: I prefer books and movies, but when I do watch TV (when we’re in Montreal), I usually stick to the Food Network and Craig Ferguson (connecting with my Scottish half)!

Q: Where would you most like to travel if given the opportunity?

A from Victoria: If I had to pick 3 places where I would want to travel to for skating, I would say Germany, Japan, and France – pretty much anywhere in those countries. Connor and I both went to German school - from preschool to partway through grade school - and I’d love to be immersed in the language again (seeing as I’ve forgotten nearly everything!)

A from Victoria and Connor: As for Japan, even though we were raised as Canadian kids and barely speak Japanese (not more than the average tourist, in any case!), we would love to see more of the country of our heritage. Japan is one of our favourite countries – we both love the culture, the history, the landscapes, the traditions, the people, the food, the figure skating fans... everything about it makes us want to visit!

A from Connor: And France; well, vive la France! When we were in Lyon and Courchevel last year, we felt so at ease and comfortable, it was almost as if we were at home. I would love to explore and discover more of Europe– Italy, Spain, Germany, Scotland, Poland...

Q: Who do you think will be on the podium in ice dance at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics?

A: Of course, like so many ice dance fans, we’re excited to see the top two 2010 Olympic medalists - Virtue and Moir and Davis and White - back, skating their hearts out for another crack at the gold medal! This season brings to a climax what we think has been one of the most epic skating rivalries since the Battle of the Brians! Both teams are simply stunning to watch and a huge inspiration to us - and all the ice dancers of this generation, I’m sure! At the same time, I’m sure that we’re all going to have our eyes on the battle for the bronze medal; there are a number of great teams – it’s a deep field – who will be vying for their spot on the Olympic podium. It will be an especially intense year in the world of ice dance!

Q: My sister skated as well (although we both skated singles) and we have a wonderful relationship. What do you enjoy most and least about skating with a sibling?

A from Victoria: That is so nice to hear! What I enjoy most about skating with Connor is the relaxed environment that we have found we can create in training as well as when we compete. We seem to have reached a point where we are able to have a kind of bubble around just the two of us, and it’s really nice to be able to work within that dynamic. Also, there’s something about being able to ask your partner if you have something in your teeth that is just so comforting! We try to do separate off-ice activities though, so that we don’t spend too much time together.

Q: What are your long term goals in the sport?

A: Ultimately, our long term competitive goal is to be on the World podium, as well as the Olympic podium. To get there, we have refocused on development with the objective of progressing steadily during the upcoming years. As for non-competitive goals, we want to actively contribute to innovation in the sport and its continuing evolution. With all the exciting teams that are in the sport right now – and those coming up through the ranks – we know we’re in good company and competing is always going to be an enjoyable experience!

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 Morgan Flood

With a pewter medal in the Novice Ladies event at last year's U.S. National Championships, Morgan Flood proved she was a skater to watch. In doing so, Morgan was selected for the International Selection Pool for this season. The young Texan, fresh off a strong 4th place finish in the junior ladies event at this year's Broadmoor Open in Colorado Springs, is one of America's up and coming skaters and took the time to answer some questions about her accomplishments, goals for the future, new programs and more:

Q: When did you start skating and what first drew you to the sport?

A: I started skating at age 5 when I was invited to a friend’s birthday party. I completely fell in love with the sport.

Q: What is your proudest accomplishment to date?

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A: Each season I have set several goals. I have qualified for the U.S. Nationals each year since Juvenile and medalled twice. Last season I really believed I was well prepared going into the U.S. Championship but my short program performance was poor. However, I was able to fight back in the free skate and make the podium placing 4th overall winning the Pewter medal. So although my Short Program was a disappointment I was proud to make the come back to receive the Novice Pewter medal.

Q: What are your goals for the upcoming season and going forward and what improvements do you most want to focus on in your skating?

A: I am skating Junior this season. Most of the feedback from last season centered on my skating skills and second marks so this will be a primary focus. I want to be a very balanced skater with elements and skating skills. In addition, I am working on several new jump combinations this season including a triple flip/triple toe combo.

Q: Are you working on new programs for the upcoming season and who are you working with for choreography?

A: Yes, we are putting together new programs for this season. After reviewing the last season we knew we needed to improve my skating skills and overall second marks. This season I am working with Scott Brown on my choreography. He is really great to work with and I really like what he has put together so far. We have selected a more elegant music style this year and I am really enjoying it. The music we selected for the short program "The Music of the Night" from Phantom of the Opera. For my free skate we are using music from "The Mission" Original Movie Soundtrack.

Q: Of jumping and spinning, which do you prefer and why?

A: I have always preferred jumping over spinning just because I love learning new jumps and the feeling when you finally land a jump you have been working on.

Q: Who are your favorite skaters of all time and how do you think America's skaters will fare in Sochi?

A: My favorite skaters of all time are Michelle Kwan, Kristi Yamaguchi, Yuna Kim, Mao Asada, and Evan Lysacek. Yes, I think that the U.S. will do very well in Sochi.

Q: What is the most played song on your playlist?

A: My most played song on my playlist is Can’t Hold Us by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

Q: What is your ultimate goal as a skater and how do you hope to achieve it?

A: I am more focused on seasonal goals rather than an ultimate long-term goal. Right now I am focused on being a strong Junior Competitor. I would also like to compete internationally. I was honoured to be selected by U.S. Figure Skating for the International Selection Pool. Although I realize that I will probably not receive an international assignment this season, I am hoping my performance this season as a Junior will allow for the consideration of an assignment.

Q: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

A: Wow, ten years is a long time away for me and it is hard for me to even imagine. However, I can say that I love the sport and I see myself being a part of it one way or another for years to come.

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 Wesley Campbell

The 2013 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships in Omaha, Nebraska was one of the most exciting U.S. National Championships in recent memory. The skaters were either very on or very off and a lot of them were ON and skating at their best. One of the most magical and memorable moments in the men's competition was the free skate of Wesley Campbell, who in his 11th trip to the U.S. Nationals gave the skate of his life and finished 14th. Yeah, you read that right. The skate of his life and finished 14th. I don't even pretend to understand that, but that's a whole other story! At any rate, Wesley was fantastic in Omaha and has been fantastic throughout his career. He has competed and medalled on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, won a bronze medal on the junior level at the 2004 U.S. National Championships and competed in the World Junior Figure Skating Championships, and has recently made the fabulous decision of turning professional and taking his skating to the next level. It was my pleasure to speak with the dashing Wesley, who is currently on tour in Asia about his amateur career, decision to turn professional, long term goals and what he would change about the sport as we know it:

Q: Looking at your career as an eligible skater, what do you consider your brightest or most shining moment?

A: As an eligible skater, my brightest moment was this year's free skate in Omaha to "Ave Maria". I was so trained, and emotionally prepared to connect with the audience and share my true self with all who watched. This season was about doing what I LOVE and to be able to skate a clean program, paced and confident, on my own terms, is something that every artist dreams of. I feel very blessed to have had that experience. When I finished and the crowd was on their feet in the arena, the overwhelming sense of finally meeting a personal goal overtook me, and I knew I had given the performance of my career.

Q: How about the most difficult or challenging?

A: In terms of the most difficult or challenging moment, competitively had to be the 2010 u.s. championships in Spokane. I had stress fractures in 2 metatarsals on my landing foot. I had been over training, and not eating properly, and my body couldn't handle the rigorous diet and jump repetition I was putting it through that season. It was really my chance to make an Olympic team, and I was doing 20 triple axels in a row, and forcing triple/triple combinations even when I knew I was too tired on a daily basis... trying to gain the consistency I thought I needed. The mid-December 2009 stress fractures kept me from being able to be on the ice leading up to Nationals in January, but I was determined to compete anyway. It was a disastrous competition for me, but I persevered through both programs and finished 19th. In the long run, the lessons learned about overly obsessing, and over training have proven to be valuable to me as an athlete and coach, but at the time, essentially saying goodbye to my Olympic dreams was disheartening, and debilitating.

Q: What impacted your decision to turn professional and why do you think it was the best decision for you?

A: My decision to turn pro was was based on the need to be in constant "growth" mode. As an eligible skater, I mastered a level of consistency with management of my current skills, and I felt it was time to learn some new things. I wanted to learn about production, and learn pairs, as well as potentially developing my artistry through different kinds of movements, and acrobatic skills. I am still discovering all the new things I want to do. I have a huge passion to create, and the professional world accepts and lends itself to those who are creatively inclined. I am a firm believer that when we we stop growing, we start dying... And I am not prepared to start dying anytime soon!

Q: Your skating has great line, style and substance. What skaters do you most admire artistically and why should young skaters spend time on the ice as much as in the air?

A: First of all, thank you for the compliment! I honestly think that the basic control and glide of the edge based upon body position and lean into or out of your circles are not only gratifying on an artistic level, but also are the keys to timing and injury prevention in jumping. Knowing the timing of your edges and the control of your turns will give a permanent foundation of technique that will allow a skater to become consistent and limitless in terms of what he or she can do on the ice. The most basic figure eight or edge exercise done well is both visually stunning, and technique building.

Q: Who do you consider your biggest role models and influences?

A: Influences and role models.... Wow. What a question! So many people come in and out of our lives! People who we connect with who change us permanently. When thinking about my skating career, people who come to mind are Julie Graham, the coach who guided me to the performance of my life this year. Sheryl Franks - a choreographer and kindred spirit in this world who inspired the gift of "Ave Maria". Robert Mauti - one of my closest friends and colleagues - an innovative partner who has ideas and creative juices flowing galore! Laura Sanders and Bill Fauver who nurtured my skating career for 16 years in my hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. They enforced basic skating as a staple and key point, and gave me the best start a skater could ask for. Janice Wallace - my first coach who saw the spark and believed in me. My mom, who worked 16 hour days to make ends meet and keep me on the ice... She's remarkable. All of these people are human... and they all have faults. But they're all incredible, worth recognizing, and I look up to and admire each and every one of them.

Q: If you could have 3 wishes, what would be they be?

A: 3 wishes... well, a good friend on my cast here in Asia mentioned to me that she says, "good management of your skills" instead of "good luck". I think this is pure wisdom! There's no pipe dream. All things we wish for can be achieved. And for this reason, I'm going to rephrase this question 3 GOALS: A loving, healthy relationship, and family, to always remain a man of character and uphold values above all. In showbiz, this is a biggie and to create my own show/company of skaters and dancers one day, perhaps on Broadway, and advance the possiblites of skating... to leave my mark on this sport.

Wesley's performance of "Ave Maria" at the 2013 NE Regionals

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

A: Mmmm... I drink a 6 shot soy latte every morning of my life. My doctor says its fine and that my heart's in perfect health so don't worry!

Q: What's the funniest thing that's ever happened to you?

A: The funniest thing that has ever happened to me? Well, I have a lot of funny things happen. My life is kinda funny. Actually, this is embarrassing but it's fresh on my mind... In my very first show here as a professional skater for Willy Bietak, I literally fell on my very first step of the opening, while wearing an afghan and a turban on my head and full show make up and my poor partner and I got tangled up. Blades and fabric everywhere! I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Luckily, our boss was there and laughed it off with us. We did a good solo after that.

Q: If you had a magic wand and could change 3 things about the skating world in a moment, what would they be?

A: 1. Politics - it's a subjective sport. People are entitled to liking different things, but jumping on the bandwagon and doing what's best for a coaches skaters or judge's future career at the expense of these athletes present careers is unacceptable and downright wrong. Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it happens. 2. The new judging system. There's not a lot of room for emotion or artistic scoring the way there was under the old system. I long for the days when a skater had the performance of their life and got a 6.0 for artistic impression! People could relate to that. It wasn't confusing, it was exciting. 3. Bring back figures. They taught technique way better than moves in the field. We need these figures... They were the groundwork for all the other stuff we do!

Q: Where do you envision yourself in five years?

A: In five years, I plan to be settled in one place after spending time travelling the world, doing different contracts, expanding my knowledge of the sport, as well as continuing to grow as an athlete. I would like to be starting up my own production project in a major city, or be heavily involved in production and choreography of show skating, competitive skating, film, and theatre.

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 Douglas Razzano

 

In his 10 trips to the U.S. National Figure Skating Championships on the novice, junior and senior levels, Douglas Razzano has consistently shown he has the goods to compete with the very best. Following success on the Junior Grand Prix circuit and a trip to the Junior Grand Prix Final, Razzano earned a 5th place result in the senior men's category in 2012 and has competed in senior Grand Prix events the last two years. It was my pleasure to speak with Douglas about his skating, new programs and goals for the upcoming Olympic season:

 



Q: What achievement so far in your skating 'experience' are you most proud of to date?

 

A: I would have to say my proudest moment thus far in my skating career was my short program at the 2011 US Championships in Greensboro. It was clean, easy, and the most "out of body" performance I've ever done.

 

 

Q: With the 2013/2014 season on the horizon, what are your biggest goals and how

do you plan to achieve them?

 

A: Naturally, my ultimate goal is to be on the Olympic Team. After my disappointing season last year, I took a step back, realized where I went wrong and made strict plans to change things. I skated very defensively last season like I was protecting my finish from Nationals (5th) the previous year in San Jose. Since January, I’ve reworked my triple axel technique and am working on the quad toe like a fiend to make it consistent. That’s the key to everything in this sport, consistency.

 

Q: You're a very strong jumper with great attack on your jumps. What do you think will be skating's next benchmark technically? A quad/quad combination? A quad axel? A quint jump? Do you think any of these are even possible and is it worth the risk?

 

A: I think skating’s next technical benchmark will be just adding more quads to a program. I don’t think I will ever see a quint jump in my lifetime.

 

 

Q: What are your thoughts on your competitors and who do you think are the men to beat this season?

 

A: To be perfectly honest, this is one of the problems I had this past season. I spent too much time worrying about my competitors and trying to please everyone. This season, I’ve really tried to not pay attention to anyone, anything, and just skate for me. I believe that if I skate for me, my results will be good.

 

Q: What are your new programs for this season and who will you be working with to do choreography?

 

A: I am going to go back to an old short program from a few years ago that I love so much, "Clair de Lune". For my free skate, I am using "Turandot" and "Nessun Dorma". It is music that I’ve wanted to use for a long time and there isn’t a better season to use it. Since the short was already done, my long choreography will be primarily done by myself and my coach. I have found a passion for choreographing and know that if I skate with my heart and soul, it really doesn’t matter who choreographed the program.

 

 

Q: Do you think that PCS need to be evaluated in a more transparent way or are they being fairly judged?

 

 A: I absolutely don’t think that the PCS are fairly judged. As evidenced by this year’s World Championships, there were certain results that were extremely unjust. In my opinion, this system is no better than the last. That may be bold, but the actions of the judges do nothing but prove that.

 

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

 

A: Most people don’t know that I have a brother. It’s true! His name is Stephen, he’s 23, and is in business school at Arizona State University. I also have my real estate license so if anyone needs real estate help in Arizona, call me!

 

Q: If you had to skate pairs or ice dance, who would you choose as your partner?

 

A: I would do dance. As I’ve gotten older, I have grown to appreciate it so much more than I did when I was younger. Partner wise, I have spoken to Tanith Belbin and we’ve decided that we’d be fantastic.

 

 

Q: What one skater - past or present - do you respect most?

 

A: Michelle Kwan, hands down.

 

Q: What keeps skating FUN for you and keeps the competitive fire going?

 

A: I think I still enjoy skating because I love challenging myself physically and mentally to be better and better. I want to achieve my goals. I love performing and live for that amazing moment after an amazing performance.

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 Krisztina Czakó

At age thirteen, Hungary's Krisztina Czako was the youngest athlete to compete in any sport at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. Two years later, she competed in Lillehammer, Norway, finishing in eleventh place. Her age allowed to compete at the World Junior Championships even after her second Olympic appearance, where she won silver and bronze medals in 1994 and 1995 respectively. Krisztina won the Hungarian national title seven times between 1992 and 1998, represented her country in six World and six European Championships and was well known in international skating circles throughout the nineties for her strong technical skills and consistency, which earned her wins at such international events as Skate Canada International, Ondrej Nepela Memorial and the Karl Schafer Memorial competitions. After retiring in 1999 for a variety of reasons, she is now a mother of 2! It was my honor to have chance to speak to Krisztina about her skating career, her involvement in the sport now and her thoughts on the current state of figure skating.

Q: You started skating before you were even a year old on skates handmade by your father, who was an Olympic skater as well. What memories do you have of your earliest years on the ice?

A: Well, I don't remember of course about myself when I was one year old but I have good memories of my earliest years. The World Championships were held in Budapest in 1988 so it was a dream come true to meet with the biggest skaters - Brian Boitano, Brian Orser, Debi Thomas and with my favourite skater, Midori Ito. I was so happy to skate in the exhibition that year.

Q: You represented Hungary at 2 Olympic Games, 6 World Championships and 7 European Championships, as well as winning your country's national championships and Skate canada during your career. What memories from your competition days do you look back the most fondly at?

A: During so many years of competing I have lots of good memories. I liked to meet and compete with 'big' skaters, to skate with them on practices but I also was very happy I could take part on big competitions like Grand Prix, European Championships, World Championships and Olympic Games. It was a pleasure for me.

Q: You were very well known as being a consistent and very strong jumper, landing triple/triple combinations as well as the harder triple jumps with ease. Did jumping come naturally to you?

A: Yes, as a kid I had always been on the move and I was growing up on the ice. When I saw someone doing a movement I felt how to do it myself and wasn't afraid to try it. My favourite jumps were the axel and toe-loop.

Q: What are you currently involved with work wise? Are you still involved with figure skating in your country?

A: I became a coach, and a dance teacher. I have helped my parents on the ice, created choreography for young skaters and also taught ballet. Now I am working as an IT engineer.

Q: What are thoughts on the current skate of figure skating and the new judging system? Do you feel it has bettered the sport or do you prefer the 6.0 system?

A: The focus is not only on the jumps anymore and that has bettered the sport. When I watched skating, I was bored during the transitions. Now there are really beautiful spins and step sequences and great choreographies. However, I feel this makes the skaters a bit alike.

Q: Do you still skate yourself at all for pleasure?

A: Unfortunately, I don't have the possibility for that. I have two kids and they need all my time.

Q: If you could meet three famous people, who would they be and why?

A: Should I have a dream like that? I don't crave for meeting famous people. If I had a wish I would meet my Mom again to show her her grandchildren. She would love them!

Q: What do you love most about figure skating?

A: Figure skating represents both a sport and artistry for me. What is good in this sport is that it is beautiful and you can move as much as you want. It is not aggressive and it has a lot of variety. In the other sports, it is repetitive every year (time, kilograms, distance, speed). In figure skating you learn new choreographies every year, and you can also create new elements.

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 Elaine Hooper

One of the things I've always been fascinated with - in case you can't tell - is the history of figure skating. I believe that without learning about where you come from, you really have no clue where you're going. Many figure skating fans have really come to the sport after the 6.0 system and are largely or only familiar with the IJS/CoP system that's in place now. They know who Patrick Chan is, they know who Mao Asada and Yu Na Kim are, but they aren't as familiar with - or are maybe just detached from - the past and "the way things were". And there's nothing wrong with that. There is, however, incredible value in learning and incorporating the stories of skaters and competitions past into the way we view, coach, judge and enjoy the direction is going in now. I was thrilled when British skating historian Elaine Hooper took the time to speak with me  from her busy month, which has her not only researching but working on the British Solo Ice Dance Championships taking place in Sheffield and organizing the annual National Team Skating Challenge (NTC) the following week. I hope you'll enjoy her unique, educated and fascinating perspective on skating as much as I did:

Q: When and how did you first become involved with the sport and when did you fall in love with it?

A: When I was a small child, as a birthday treat, my parents took me to see “Puss in Boots” on Ice at the Gaumont Theatre in Southampton England. I still have the program. The skaters fascinated me and I decided there and then that I had to skate. I pestered my mother about it so much that a few days later she took me to the now demolished Southampton Ice Rink. I was very much a recreational skater and did not compete. I have always enjoyed skating but I really fell in love with it when watching John Curry perform, in the 1970’s . Before I had just been a fan. After I could not get enough of skating and began to follow the progress of particular skaters.

Q: Who are the three most compelling and interesting figure skaters of all time in your opinion?

A: I had always been in awe of the artistry of the late John Curry. He introduced a new dimension to men’s figure skating that previously had mostly been based on athleticism. He was wonderful to watch. For almost the opposite reason I would have include Midori Ito. Her triple-triple combinations and consecutive triple jumps were compelling and unseen in ladies competition before . She was very athletic and was often criticised for being a jumping machine but she really could skate. Her recent 2nd place in the Oberstdorf Adults Masters Class after such a long break from competing should inspire both current skaters and those retired from the sport that they can compete after an “amateur” career. It also endorses the case for a resurrection of professional competitions. My personal favourite, though, is Irina Slutskaya. Always with a smile on her face. She still holds the record for the most gold medals in the European Ladies Championship. Her interpretation of her music was spot on whilst still maintaining her technical skill. Her personality would shine through in her performance. I think that were Championships where she was under marked but at the time there were a number of other very talented ladies. And each one had to “up their game” to have a chance of winning.

Q: What can researching and studying the careers and stories of the sport and its skaters teach a new generation of skaters, coaches, judges and skating fans?

A: There are quite short memories amongst the skating fraternity. A few names will always be remembered and their stories pass into skating legend, but for most, when their involvement with skating is over their achievements quickly fade from public memory. Milestones that signal the change and the drive to move forward in our sport have been the result of someone or a group of people who have not been afraid to make unpopular but realistic decisions, sometimes earning censure from their own federations. I think it particularly important that the sport continues to evolve and move forward but that does not mean we cannot utilize the same skills and commitment to fulfil this as past generations did. They were striving for the same result and where they succeeded the next generation could do worse than be inspired by their dedication and commitment. The late Pamela Davis MBE persuaded me to become more involved with skating than being just a fan and a skating mum. I respected and admired her. Her judging career spanned 4 decades and she went from competing in the Worlds in 1949 to judging the Worlds by 1951. So much could be learned by anyone involved in the sport by taking a look at what she achieved and the many stories surrounding her. Also - look at the career of Joyce Hisey. I had the pleasure of working with her at the 1995 World Championships and 2001 Junior Grand Prix Final. I had not met anyone who knew so much about figure skating. I am sure she has many stories to tell that may inspire a new generation.

Q: Figure skating has enjoyed renewed success in Britain with events like Dancing On Ice and the tours that have resulted from the show. Do you think the fact that the upcoming season will be the final is really going to hurt skating's exposure in Britain?

A: There was a time when the major television channels broadcast ice skating in the UK. Sadly that has not been the case for many years. Major Championships are available on a sports channel for which we need to subscribe and also on the BBC on what we call the red button”. Only die hard fans would watch these or even know they exist for skating so the general public had not been exposed to skating for some time when “Dancing on Ice” hit our screens. There is evidence to suggest that the footfall in our rinks has increased by 40% since the first series and I have spoken to people in the rinks who tell that they only started skating because they saw it thought “I could do that” after watching the series. I do not think that interest will wain right away. I believe the rinks can ride the wave of the popularity of “Dancing on Ice” for a few years but after that, unless we produce another Robin Cousins or Torvill and Dean I think it will have an effect.

Q: I think it's incredible that Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean are not only still performing but are so relevant to a new generation of skating fans who weren't familiar with "Bolero", their amateur careers or even their 1994 comeback. What do you think is the secret to their longevity and continued success?

A: I think their secret is that they are truly amazing people. Very focused. By the time they “retired “ from skating together in 1998 they had been skating partners for over 20 years and in that time had developed a cohesion with each other and a charisma that exudes itself both on and off the ice. You cannot unlearn that and so it was no surprise that they have performed so well together from series 1 of “Dancing on Ice. “ The general public as well as the skating fans still want to watch them. There is nothing easy, simple and safe about the routines they now perform. They are so committed that they still that they still go for harder degrees of difficulty.

Q: Who are your favourite skaters competing today and who do you think (of today's skaters) will be remembered for years to come?

Now there’s a question. I have quite a few favourites. I really like Carolina Kostner. She is so friendly, polite and likable as well as a great skater. I am also a fan of Brian Joubert. At his best he was a joy to watch. Although he has suffered many injuries and inconsistent skating in recent years he is a real crowd pleaser. He has said that he will retire after Sochi. I will miss his contribution. I love to watch Davis and White and Virtue and Moir. Ice Dance has changed so much over the years and these couples exhibit what is good about it. It is difficult to quantify what makes a skaters name remembered but Evgeni Plushenko is a likely candidate for both the right and the wrong reasons. I watched his 2012 European Championship performance from a position very close to the barrier and observed that his footwork and other skating skills were still in evidence after the beak he took from competitive skating. Does the fact that the Winter Olympics are in Sochi have something to do with his desire to continue competing? Patrick Chan will surely be remembered. His ability is top notch, a great skater but I am sure the controversy surrounding his 2013 World Championship Gold will be discussed for years to come, not least as evidence in looking at ways to improve the IJS system.

Q: What is the secret to doing effective research and what advice would you give to someone interested in studying and writing or "vlogging" about skating's history?

A: As you know research takes a long time and it is important not rely on versions and interpretations of events that are not contemporary. Note any references used and try to access them yourself. You may interpret what you find differently. The internet is a very useful tool but unless you know where the material originated remember that it is not always entirely accurate so use as many different types of source material as possible. Collate as much information as possible. Organise it into a timeline and only use what is relevant to the task in hand. Then try to verify it. NEVER dispose of the material you have rejected. It may come in useful at a later date. Make the style of writing as interesting as possible. Just producing the facts is not entertaining so focus on one or two aspects. If the piece is too long you will lose the attention of the reader. If there is more to say keep it for another article or blog. Speak to older and retired skaters, judges, coaches and national federation officials whenever you get the chance. It is amazing what they remember and who they knew and skated with. Carry a note book or recording device and note everything they tell you. These can be some of your best primary sources even if it is years before you can use it. Do not underestimate the value of the World Figure Skating Museum in Colorado Springs. They have vast collections of skating historical material. I have a personal collection of magazines, programmes, photographs and books dating back to about 1900. I use these, as well as using external research . There are big gaps though and I am always on the lookout for additions to plug the gaps. Also, the British Library in London holds everything published in the UK and quite a lot from abroad. This includes books, newspapers, magazines, recordings etc. It has proved to be an invaluable research destination for me.

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.