Getting Up And Saying No (Part 1)

If I were a skater going to the Olympic Games, I would close my eyes, try to tune out the world and that little voice inside my head saying "you can't" and envision having that perfect moment... that Olympic moment. The perfect sixes of Torvill and Dean's "Bolero", the magic of Liz Manley's silver medal winning skate of a lifetime at the Calgary Olympics, the magical moment of Jamie Sale and David Pelletier at the Salt Lake City Games... the moment when everything goes right just when it's supposed to and when it counts the most. The pressure that you would place on yourself would be unreal if that moment was playing on your mind daily for years but the pressure the rest of the world and media would place on you could be downright crippling.

At the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, four time U.S. Champion Jeremy Abbott headed to his second Olympics after having career best performances at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Boston. He certainly had that Olympic dream of a magical moment like every skater, but the unthinkable happened. He had the most horrific of falls in his short program in the men's event and looked destined for a stretcher, not a magical moment. After what seemed like an eternity, he got back up with a grimace of pain on his face and did the unbelievable: he kept going and he NAILED the rest of his program while in pain and bleeding under his costume. It didn't even seem possible. The next day, he took the ice for his free skate when many thought he wouldn't or couldn't and skated a gold medal winning performance if I ever saw one - the only magical skate of the men's free skate in my opinion - and had his redemption. As one fan beautifully wrote to Jeremy, "watching your long program was like watching someone stand up for something that is right even when they know they will lose. It was like watching someone jump in front of a bullet when they know they will die but they know it will protect someone else. It was gallant and dignified and superb."

This "Getting Up And Saying No" article is a two parter that I hope will inspire some meaningful dialogue not only about Jeremy getting up and saying no in Sochi, but also about bullying on social media and its impact. Let's begin this conversation by looking at the courage and redemption that Jeremy showed in Sochi and talking with Jeremy's mother Allison Scott and sister Gwen Abbott Asmussen about how the performances of their son and brother impacted their lives - and about how Jeremy's bravery in the face of injury, doubt and inane criticism inspired something very beautiful.

TALKING TO GWEN

I first spoke to Jeremy's lovely sister Gwen Abbott Asmussen, a former elite athlete in her own right who represented the United States internationally and took her skiing skill to the X-Games:

Q: Let's talk about the short program, where Jeremy had that horrific fall and got up and kept going. I was in tears watching because it was such a raw moment of the fierce determination to get up and go on. As a sister, how hard was it to see him take that fall and not be able to do anything about it and what was going through your head AS he skated that short program and after?

A: It was gut wrenching. My husband and I were watching. Fifteen seconds felt like an eternity. I was crying and just kept saying "no, no, no, no". You know, not even being there, Yuka being helpless, my parents being helpless in the stands... It's an indescribable feeling of helplessness. When he got up, I said to myself, "awesome, yes, prove it to yourself." I just kept bawling because I didn't know what else to do. My brother is in this unreal amount of pain and he's still going. I was like oh my God, is this happening? When he stood up, I thought he was going to go over to the judges and pull out and then he lands a triple/triple. I was like what was that? Oh my God.

Q: Between the short program and the free skate, what kind of discussions did you have with Jeremy?

A: We talked on Facebook and I asked "Are you okay?". He told me, "I am. I'm very badly bruised, but I'm good."

Q: Jeremy went out and skated what was IN MY OPINION the best performance of the men's free skate. What's fundamentally wrong with figure skating right now that in any way, shape or form that performance finished 8th against the rest of the performances skated that night? It doesn't even make any sense from a COMMON SENSE perspective of what we watched.

A: No, but I talked to my Mom and Stepdad a couple hours ago. Four years ago, a similar program won an Olympic gold medal. You know, I think the system does and doesn't need to change. All you have to do - should have to do - is skate brilliantly. I don't think the quad is the winning component. The person's performance alone should speak to what's going on. 

Q: After the competition ended, Jeremy made me smile from ear to ear by silencing his critics with the following statement. Quote unquote "reporters" have passive aggressively and aggressively bullied your brother in their sensationalistic writing for years and I applaud the fact he told them where to go and how to get there... and did so honestly and with conviction. I want to hear what you have to say to Jeremy's critics and doubters.

A: You know, bullying is bullying and it doesn't matter if you do it face to face, in print or behind a keyboard because you're afraid to do it to the person's face. I've watched my brother go through so much: the awful things told to him AND written about him . He takes it in stride and it's amazing to watch. He put down the performance of a lifetime and everything that's said on his fan page is INCREDIBLE but the reporters can still sit there and say these horrible things to make headlines. I was an X Games competitor and I was favored to win when I went and I went there and blew it all. The headlines in all of the ski magazines said "Abbott blows it, Abbott fails". You have to sit there and say that's it... that's what they're going to write. I'd won everything leading up to the X-Games too and the headlines in all the skiing magazines were saying nothing but these horrible things. I decided to quit and walk away, not because of what they said but just because I was done, I'd had enough. My brother didn't and I think that speaks massive volumes to his person.

TALKING WITH ALLISON

A frank discussion with my friend and Jeremy's mother Allison Scott. Grab yourself a cocktail, we're just getting started!

 Q: Your trip from the U.S. to Sochi saw you spending some time in Germany, a country known for its fabulous sausages. While there, you got to take in the scenery, some good food and wine and watched Jeremy's short program from the Team Event in a hotel room. How hard was having to watch on television and what were your thoughts after the Team Event which saw Jeremy become an Olympic Bronze Medallist?

A: I think the team concept is fantastic, and long overdue in a sport of "me, me, me." Jeremy has been fortunate to participate in all the trial events, and though this was a bit different, it is an important addition to figure skating. We actually couldn’t watch on TV because we were in Wiesbaden, Germany. They were not airing anything pre-Olympics; NBC was geo-blocked and the links I was receiving via friends on Facebook and Twitter were questionable, asking for downloads we didn't want to do on our brand new Surface notebook. We could only see heads and blades, and hear commentary. I knew it wasn’t good, but I also knew that, with the team format, earning any points for the team is what’s crucial. Jeremy added points – not as many as he had hoped – but points all the same.

Q: Let's talk about the short program, where Jeremy had that horrific fall and got up and kept going. I was in tears watching because it was such a raw moment of the fierce determination to get up and go on. As a mother, how hard was it to see him take that fall and not be able to do anything about it and what was going through your head AS he skated that short program and after?

A: I can tell you now that it was much worse in person than it was on TV. The sound of that fall reverberated through the Iceberg. Thank God the boards were set for short track speed skating with pads and not actual hockey boards. I was awestruck by the fact that he not only got up, but he had the presence of mind to know how many elements he had missed, what he had to get in and then finish the incredible choreography Robin Cousins set to the program, much of which Jeremy had to improvise until he caught up with the program. The crowd was deafening. People were standing, clapping, waving flags from all kinds of countries and cheering. When it was over, you could see the pain, but also the determination. The most difficult part was after the fact. We knew he was badly hurt; we didn't know how badly, however. There was no open wifi in the building. Texting via data wasn’t working. I was just trying to hold it together but I was getting frustrated by not being able to reach anyone. My husband finally went out, found someone who spoke English (they were few and far between amongst the volunteers), got them to relay a message to medical and finally got a response that Jeremy was being checked by the US Team doctors and PT personnel. He was cut and bleeding from his hip; he was swollen and they were determining the depth of the injury. Some were concerned that it was a deep hip bruise.

I have a story to tell you that I haven’t told anyone: Sitting next to me at the short program was a nice young woman from Kazakhstan. I did not know her. She saw I was distressed and she asked me if she could give me a hug. We both broke down and cried. She gave me a moment I will never forget. Her name was Aizhan, a fashion designer and skating fan. Her English was broken and she was so emotional that it was taking her time to come up with the words to express how she was feeling at that moment. She told me how impressed she was with the fact that Jeremy got up and completed the skate, how strong he must be do to that and how much it showed to her about what it meant to be an Olympian. About a half hour later, Jeremy came up to the stands to see us and tell us personally he was hurt but okay. He was iced on both hips under his sweatpants and he said he was taped from his shoulder to his knee but he was smiling. Aizhan could barely find words to say to him when I introduced them, but Jeremy took a photo with her and then in a great gesture of appreciation for what she had done for me, gave her a hug. In those moments, I had my defining Olympic experience – I thought.

Q: Between the short program and free skate, what kind of discussions did you have with Jeremy and Yuka?

A: We texted Jeremy later, as well as Yuka and Jason, to find out how he was doing. The only question we asked Jeremy was if he was going to withdraw from the free skate. His answer was one word: No. Yuka sent us a longer text later saying that Jeremy was in a lot of pain and he was being evaluated. They would make a determination in the morning but that they were planning on having him skate if he was cleared to do so by the team doctor. What he would do was at question. They would have to see how the early morning practice went. With very little sleep, we got up at 5:30AM to take a bus 40 minutes to Adler from Sochi to watch the 7:30AM practice at Iceberg. It was rough. We could see the pain in  his face as he did single axel, then single jumps for the first pass. He went over to Yuka and Jason who said something to him and he went out and did double axel, followed by a triple toe. The edge jumps were not happening. Every time he tried his face showed the amount of pain he was experiencing. He kept rubbing his hip and leg. When his music came on, he surprised everyone by doing a triple axel and a triple/triple combo. Spins were rough but he did them. We didn't know what to expect. Allen and I returned to the hotel about 9:30 and went to breakfast. I was in tears. A USFS official came over to the table and we talked for a long time about what Jeremy proved to himself and to everyone for getting up and finishing, and about the fact we didn’t know what he was going to be able to complete in the freeskate. The official said to us that, even if he just skated the program with no jumps at all, it would be a victory. About two hours before the free skate, we received another text from Yuka that Jeremy was in a lot of pain. I sent back a text telling her what the official said. Her answer to me was that they would take it one step at a time. I walked into that arena for the freeskate expecting to see a beautifully choreographed and emotional program with no jumps at all. When he started landing jumps in the warm-up, I turned to Allen and said, "We’re going to see something epic, no matter what Jeremy does."

Q: Jeremy went out and skated what was IN MY OPINION the best performance of the men's free skate. What was that moment ABOUT?

A: The NBC announcers had it right. For Jeremy, at that point in time, it wasn't about the points. He had to make changes to his program to minimize the pain. It was about having his personal Olympic moment and skating a clean program. I do have to say, though, that I personally freaked out when he set up for what looked like a quad attempt at the start of the freeskate. I heard myself saying out loud, “Don’t you even THINK about it!” Later on, I thanked Jeremy for not doing the quad and he said to me, "Oh, I thought about it.."

Q: After the competition ended, Jeremy made me smile from ear to ear by silencing his critics with the following statement. Quote unquote "reporters" have passive aggressively and aggressively bullied your son in their sensationalistic writing for years and I applaud the fact he told them where to go and how to get there... and did so honestly and with conviction. I want to hear what you have to say to Jeremy's critics and doubters.

A: I’m not going to address individual comments any more because it keeps a conversation going and bolsters support for people who I think are as "pathetic" and "classless" as the one who called my son that after he stood up for himself and spoke his mind. My only reaction was, "Are those the best adjectives you can come up with when you’re openly confronted with your own lack of sensibility and your impunity is finally questioned by someone you've taken great pleasure in relentlessly attacking for years?

Q: What's next for you?

A: Either Allen or I will go to Japan for Worlds and to see our nearly 25 year adventure in competitive skating to its conclusion with Jeremy. I think Jeremy’s sister and brother are going to join us, too. After that, I’m not sure. My "Life on the Edge of Skating" blog in its present form will come to an end, but I will start another one where I can address some of these things in a much more "gloves off" manner. I hope to do more things like this with you and other bloggers, too. My fondest hope is that we can move from the Lutz corners where we have been viewing competitive skating for all this time to center ice as Jeremy moves into a professional career of doing shows and eventually choreographing for other skaters. My love for skating started when I was 2 and first got on the ice in New York. I don’t expect it will end. I have so many favorite young skaters coming up that I want to “fan girl” over in future years and so many youngsters we want to continue to help as best we can. It’s a lifelong commitment. Now, where did I put my straight jacket...

WHAT REAL PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT JEREMY ABBOTT

Shared below are messages from Jeremy's Facebook fan page and by readers of this blog, indications of what real human beings outside of the 'media' are saying about Jeremy Abbott's courage, grit and determination in Sochi:

"What does Jeremy Abbott's skating mean to me? Everything. He skates with heart, soul and passion. He skates for me and everyone else who was ever bullied. I was a wimp. I took the easy and safer road out of my sport (swimming) - for my sanity and safety. I put up with the verbal taunts and name calling, but after being beat up for the second time (and told by the coaches it was my fault for not standing up for myself) I gave it up. Success in my sport didn't make things better, it made me a larger target. Jeremy has had a target on his back for a long time. The talent, the success, the bravery to be MORE than ordinary. I recognize and admire him for going the distance and always fighting. Journalists who bully sports figures model unacceptable behavior. They make it seem OK to bully. IT is NEVER OK! Never."

"What amazing spirit to have fallen, picked yourself up, and performed with such grace and power!!! I had to fight a battle with a horrible surgery after having a tumour on my pancreas & it's people like you that inspire those that are struggling to get up and fight every day. Bless you!!"

"You are such a great role model for others! I love your never give up attitude and your passion."

"You serve as a role model to never quit and to just pick yourself up and to keep trying. That is the American Spirit. Again, thank you!!!!"

"You made me appreciate the Olympics and take a step back in the frantic lives we live to appreciate your moment. An American moment."

"Thank you 1 million times! I want my daughter to understand life. She is 6 and to me, you are a gold medal winner and so much more. I've watched and shared your short program fall as a huge source of inspiration. You have changed my perspective and given me a renewed reminder on how we (should) live life. So inspired. I respect you so much as a person. Thank you seems insufficient. I will never forget you!"

"I was in awe last night when I was watching your short program skating piece. I know you were in terrible pain when you fell. You did not quit!!! You got up and powered through the pain and skated a wonderful program. I was praying for you and cheered you on. I myself am in terrible pain every day. I was hurt in an industrial accident years ago and I have terrible back injuries and am in a wheelchair. I have to endure rheumatoid arthritis everyday (right now I am having a flare-up). I have an unknown illness (something I contracted from another country... long story... basically in the wrong place at the wrong time). I have beat cancer twice. I am on oxygen because of that strange illness and now have pulmonary fibrosis. I am not a quitter either. I went to college after the accident and powered through till cancer... and then the unknown illness did me in for going to school, but I do what I can... I get out and I enjoy life in little ways... I go to church... I help friends... I enjoy spending time with my grown daughters when they can spare time for me... I do what I can and power through the pain and all the other things I deal with. Jeremy Thank you for giving us a wonderful gift of being able to watch you at the Olympics. I love skating the most and thank you for skating for the USA."

"I'm a recovering addict and was a dancer my whole life; you have inspired me with your determination! So thank you"

"Watching you at the Olympics was, frankly, inspiring! I, my wife and son watched when you fell. To see you get up AND FINISH (beautifully, I might add) was SUCH an amazing teaching moment for all of us. Thank you for not giving up. You're a favourite of ours. Watching you skate is pure joy."

"I just watched your magnificent performance!! after the fall I immediately put myself in your shoes for a moment and then I watched you completing and thought to myself. he is truly a champion. you simply more than an Olympian, what you exhibited is the true extent of human excellence."

"I can't exactly call myself a fan of figure skating, although I have always enjoyed watching it and respect it tremendously. I have to say that your fall the other day caught my attention because it looked so severe. I was completely impressed by your determination to finish, that alone was impressive enough. But, to see you come back with a stellar performance in your long program was one of the most amazing Olympic moments I can recall. It was nothing short of breathtaking, it was beautiful. I’m not ashamed to say that it left me with a tear in my eye, very powerful stuff. You’re inspirational."

"What a fine example of dedication and class you are to young athletes all across the world. As the mother of 3 athletes I hope you know that your display of grit and determination are wonderful examples of why sports are important to our kids and what we all hope our kids are able to carry inside them in situations good and bad throughout their entire lives. Thank you for representing the United States with such class!"

"I just had to pass along how truly inspirational I found your reaction in the short program. Particularly when parallelled with Evgeni Plushenko's decision to withdraw due to injury, it would have been completely understandable had you chosen to leave the ice. However, powering through the program, giving that beautiful music and choreography the attention and treatment they deserved was an awe-inspiring thing to witness. The ability to come back from extreme disappointment and push through to the end is a success all in and of itself, and will serve far better throughout one's life than a piece of metal hardware. It can't be draped around one's neck for others to admire, but it's a personal, private medal. Thank you so much for giving us such a beautiful thing to experience and draw motivation from. Personally speaking, it came at a point in my own life where I needed a reminder that victory shows itself in many ways. Congratulations, and good luck."

"Jeremy, you demonstrated true courage and dignity during your Olympic performance. Your ability to persevere in the face of adversity displays character that few athletes reflect. Your example will inspire many young skaters. In the face of criticism, please use the same grace and dignity to challenge those who don't know what you've accomplished. Well done, sir."

"Jeremy, my children and I rewatched your performance. I wanted them to see what true grit and determination looked like. The mood/meter of Lilies in the Valley parallelled your performance. There was mystery, melancholy, and yet an unwillingness to surrender in the midst of pain and frustration. This inspired me and hopefully will impact my children. I will remember you in these Olympics for the message."

"Congratulations from a family of fans in Oregon! My husband and I were awestruck by your comeback in the short program. So much so that we sat our two little boys down to watch and be inspired by your performance. My kindergartener has been learning about perseverance, and he absolutely beamed when you touched on that in your interview. What an awesome example to America's children."

As you can see in these beautiful, beautiful words of people inspired and moved by Jeremy's performances in Sochi, the normal human response is not to sit there in an armchair and say "at some point, he's just the skater that keeps falling" or that Jeremy defending himself against tabloid style critics like Christine Brennan was "pathetic" or "classless". The only pathetic thing going on are when members of the media or those who think themselves members of the media use their positions to belittle others. Step back for a second. If YOU constantly had to read news reports, tweets and Facebook posts about how awful you were, would you even want to get up out of bed in the morning? Abbott (and other skaters) do. It got so bad after U.S. Nationals that Ashley Wagner had to take time away from social media after being named to the Olympic team and receiving a barrage of hate speech from "fans" of the sport who were upset that U.S. Bronze Medallist Mirai Nagasu wasn't sent instead.

A WORD ON POSITIVITY

In September 2013, I wrote a word on positivity on my blog and I feel under the circumstances sharing an excerpt again is particularly fitting:

"Go on Twitter. Type in the hashtag #SLC2013. At the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic this weekend, U.S. Silver Medallist Gracie Gold tweeted:

"Although it wasn't my best, I was proud of my fight. It will only go up from here. Thanks to all of my supports and haters 😉😘 #SLC2013"

I adore social media. I think it's great. I'm on it all the time. That said, the problem with social media right now is that when you look through the tweets from this event for instance, you're reading MISERABLE things that are being said about very young people. Who cares if they're young? They're MISERABLE things. It actually kind of boils my blood. I don't pretend to be a saint. I'm far from it... believe me. I'll tell you all a little story about a lesson I learned about social media and figure skating. A couple months back I tweeted something about how I was less than enthused about Max Aaron's choice of a "modern version of Carmen" for his free skate. I used the 'word' quadterpretation. Guess who "favorited" that tweet? Max Aaron. I honestly felt terrible. As much as I wasn't thrilled about his choice or how I felt he would pull off a modern "Carmen", I had to step back for a minute and slap myself on the forehead and say "yeah... when you post things publicly on social media, anyone can read them." We all forget sometimes, myself included. What's funny about the whole thing is that Max's musicality and improvement that he showed in Salt Lake City (especially in his short program) kind of made me eat my words. I tweeted so:

"Transitions & musicality in @MaxTAaron's SP at #SLC2013 really proved to me that he has improved a ton PCS this season. Good for him!"

Max "favorited" that tweet as well. Skaters read what fans, bloggers and the media say about them. In this day of social media, they read it every day. Rather than give a talented young skater a complex, make them depressed, bulimic, self-conscious or suicidal, I think we need to try putting being NICE into practice."

We're here to celebrate what we love and constructively criticize what we don't. Let's keep the smarmy, condescending snark to a minimum. No T, no shade! There will always be Negative Nancy's in the world... and the skating community is no different. I'm a firm believer that your words only reflect on you, and it's up to skating fans what they choose to buy into and support. I don't think any skater or choreographer deserves hate. I don't think any human being does. It's just not good for the soul. I'd like to challenge you all to something when it comes to social media. Tweet something nice to a skater, share your favourite skating performance on Facebook. Small things like this bring smiles to peoples faces, and smiles are a hell of a lot better than rolling eyes, frowns or tears. Be nice."

Stay tuned for part 2 of "Getting Up And Saying No", where we'll talk more in depth about bullying and social media as it relates to the figure skating community. You won't want to miss it!

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 Kristi Yamaguchi

The true mark of a skater's success is when their name can transcend fame within the figure skating community and become a household name. Whether you're a figure skating fan or not, chances are you've not only seen Kristi Yamaguchi skate but seen her skate many times and loved every minute of it. Her career is one for the record books: three U.S. titles (both in singles and pairs), two World Junior titles (both in singles and pairs), two consecutive World titles in 1991 and 1992, the gold medal at the 1992 Winter Olympic Games, every professional title known to mankind basically, the mirror ball trophy as the winner of Dancing With The Stars, year upon year upon year starring in Stars On Ice... The fact of the matter is that rhyming off Kristi Yamaguchi's titles and accomplishments really doesn't do her justice. The reason that Kristi won those World titles, the Olympic gold medal and became known as one of the greatest ladies skaters of all time is because she is an amazing skater. Consistent, persistent, able to interpret any kind of music and entertain an audience and sell just about any kind of program and keep audiences in the palm of her hand, Kristi proved over the years not only her amazing talent as a technical skater but her gift as a performer and entertainer. I spoke with her just as she was about to leave for Sochi. Kristi took the time to speak to me about her competitive career, family, Dancing With The Stars, Midori Ito, if she'd ever skate again and much, more more in this interview I hope you'll love as much as I did!

Q: To say that your competitive career as as a skater was just amazing is really the understatement of the century. Three U.S. titles, the Goodwill Games, Skate America, the World Junior title in both pairs and singles, 2 World titles, the gold medal at the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in Albertville, and then your professional career with win after win at events like the World Professional Championships, Challenge Of Champions, Ice Wars, the U.S. Professional Championships and so many other events. If you had to pick just one, what was the most special moment of them all?

A: Each one has a special meaning to me for one reason or another. Honestly, the Olympic title was the the experience and pinnacle of my life though.

Q: You were SO amazing on Dancing With The Stars with Mark Ballas. In winning your pairs titles with Rudy Galindo and in skating pairs on Stars On Ice, you obviously showed what a gifted pairs skater you are. How do you think you would have done as an ice dancer?

A: You know, during the Dancing With The Stars experience I was kicking myself for not paying more attention to ice dance. There is such a learning curve when it comes to dance styles, rhythms and rules. Dancing With The Stars was fun! I gained a whole other level of appreciation for ice dance. I remember thinking at the time... maybe I would try it, not to compete but just to have that experience. I have my gold tests in figures, free skating and pairs. The only gold test I don't have is in ice dance. I had always thought that maybe that was something I'd work on.

Q: As you head to Sochi, I want to talk to you about the current state of ladies skating. Who are the ladies to watch in Sochi? Who are people underestimating?

A: I think the main contenders are Yuna Kim from South Korea and Mao Asada from Japan. Gracie Gold, I think, is also a medal contender. I think Julia Lipnitskaia and Ashley Wagner of course too. Those are the five fighting. I think as for someone people are underestimating, it could be our young skater Polina Edmunds, who has a chance to be top five. She is absolutely unproven in senior internationals but definitely has a chance to be up there in top five. Also, Carolina Kostner. She's had a rough season so far but could also be up there if she skates well.

Q: Being in the public eye and being a mother, is it difficult to carve out private time with your family?

A: No, not at all. We live in a small town and you know, the schedule and the kids activities are pretty much the priority. We live a relatively normal life other than when I have to travel. There's no paparazzi or anything!

Q: You and Midori Ito were such rivals during your competitive days. What was your relationship like off the ice and do you ever speak today?

A: I haven't spoken to Midori in years. I really haven't seen her in fifteen plus years. I think it was definitely a matter of a mutual respect for each other when we were competing even though we were rivals. There was a huge language barrier. She didn't speak English and I didn't speak Japanese. Communication was mostly "Hi, how are you? How are things?". It was very much pleasantries. She was always very respectful and I always admired her, though. We pushed each other to be better.

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

A: People think athletes are so healthy all the time. I do indulge in junk food once in a while.

Q: Will we ever see you back on the ice performing in shows or touring with Stars On Ice again?

A: It's probably unlikely. I did officially retire but who knows? My life is with my daughters and I don't think you'd see it in the near future. I guess you can never say never.

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 Anna Rechnio

Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding... in the early months of 1994 you couldn't turn on your television or walk past a newsstand without hearing or reading their names. At the 1994 Olympic Games in Lillehammer one other young skater captured our attention and hearts and it was none other than Poland's Anna Rechnio, who skated two outstanding programs and ended up in the top ten. In addition to her 6 trips to the European Championships and 5 World Championships appearances, Anna won Poland's National Championships three times and competed at a second Olympic Games, remarkably earning her spot at the Nagano Games without the aid of a coach. Retiring from competition after the 2000 World Championships, Rechnio went on to skate professionally and is now the head coach of the Odense Skating Club in Denmark. Now a mother, Anna took time away from her busy schedule to talk about her "amateur" career, her daughter, coaching, competing against Katarina Witt and much more in this must read interview.

Q: You won your country's National Championships three times and represented Poland at 2 Winter Olympics (Lillehammer and Nagano), 6 European Championships and 5 World Championships. I remember first watching you skate at the 1994 Games and being absolutely and completely impressed with your "Don Quixote" short program, which was clean as a whistle with a HUGE double axel and triple loop combination. What were your favourite Olympic experiences like and what was sharing the stage with Tonya and Nancy, Katarina, Surya, Tanja, Lu, Yuka and Oksana in 1994 like? 

A: At my first Olympics in Lillehammer in 1994, I was just 16. At this time, I was one of the youngest skaters in the Senior category. I remember that it was almost dream come true to see all great skaters like Brian Boitano, Viktor Petrenko, Kurt Browning and of course to compete against Katarina Witt. At that moment, figure skating started to become really popular and there was a lot of journalists and TV around Tonya and Nancy. For me it was great experience and I didn’t feel any pressure. I just tried to skate my best and enjoy my programs. On the Polish Olympic team, I was treated as a small mascot as all other sportsmen were more than 20 years old. For all competitors, the Olympics are the most incredible experience which you can't imagine and the biggest present for hard work.

Q: After not competing in either the 1996 or 1997 Worlds, you seemingly made a comeback out of nowhere at the 1998 World Championships and skated brilliantly there, finishing just behind Laetitia Hubert at that competition. Your consistency really seemed to be there even more so later in your career. Was it a change in technique, a new attitude, coaching related or luck?

A: After the Olympics in 1994, I got really famous in Poland and I think that I wasn't mentally prepare for being a celebrity. Suddenly everybody expected a lot from me and the pressure came. As well, I changed coaches after the Olympics, moved to the United States alone without my family to practice with Grzegorz Filipowski and coach Barbara Kossowska. A change in the way of practice, school and living by myself was pretty difficult for me. Suddenly I had to grown up really fast and be able to take care of myself. Some people were saying that those two seasons were a waste of time but looking back I am very thankful to Barbara and her family. I learned a lot both technically and mentally. I had a great chance to practice on the same rink as Surya Bonaly, Ilia Kulik and Oksana Grishuk and Evgeny Platov. I could see how they worked and how they were preparing themselves for the most important competitions. My skating however wasn't going good. On the practices I was doing everything and in the competitions I couldn't take the pressure and was really nervous. Just before Nationals in the 1998 Olympic season, I decided to move back to Poland and even thought about quitting skating and going to university. I decided to take part in Nationals as I practiced so hard before them without any coach. I just skated for myself and nothing else really mattered. I skated great two programs and won Nationals and a ticket to the Olympics in Nagano. Just after Nationals, I got a new coach, Mrs. Mirosława Brajczewska. I am thankful for all her time she spent with me. She took care of me to the end of my amateur career. I was preparing myself to go to Europeans but got injured. I twisted my ankle and couldn't practice for almost three weeks. My coach were very focused to get ready and be prepared well for Olympics. We almost did it. My skating during those Olympics wasn't good. You could see lack of condition and practice. After being 19th in the Nagano Olympics, I really worked hard before Worlds in Massachusetts to prove to everybody that I could do it. I have to say that I was ready and was skating at 150 percent. I didn't miss any jump in practice. Worlds in 1998 was a dream come true for me. I loved skating in front of an American audience. It was almost like coming back home. Being 2nd after the short program was overwhelming but of course I was really dreaming about a medal which was so, so close. I think that I showed people as well that I am good jumper and a pretty emotional skater. I felt more confidence about myself and about my performance.

Q: Who are your three favourite skaters of all time?

A: I have to say that I love how Kurt Browning skates and performs. He would be one of the most inspiring people. Second, Katarina Witt for her feminine way of skating and bringing beauty to skating competitions. Third, Michelle Kwan - a true champion and great person. She skated for many years and could be true inspiration for young skaters.

Q: You retired from ISU competition following the 2000 World Championships and went on to skate in shows, coach and become a mother. Was professional and show skating something you wish you would have pursued more and could you ever see yourself getting back involved with performing again?

A: I love skating and I am a really lucky person that I can do what I love. After finishing my amateur career, I graduated with honors from the Academy of Physical Academy and skated for few years in different shows and galas around the world. Of course, skating was my whole life and a lot of times I missed skating by myself. A lot of times there are thoughts about coming back and still skating by myself. Of course I can't leave my students but sometimes I still do some short shows. I have to be honest in that I miss it a lot but life is going on and I am happy that I can still do what I loved.

Q: What is the most interesting thing you've done off the ice since retiring from ISU competition?

A: When I finished amateur skating I started to participate in sport aerobic competitions in pairs and teams. My partner and I won Student Nationals and in Team we won the silver medal. This was a pretty interesting experience. I learned a lot about my body and proper off ice practice which now helps me to prepare my skaters.

Q: You are a mother now! Tell us about your daughter and what you love most about her!

A: My  daughter was born in 2010. Her name is Maria and in July she will be 4 years old. My husband and I are laughing in that she is a cumulation of our two characters - an extemely stubborn small lady with energy which is unending. So far, she was trying to skate a few times but is already is going to gymnastics once a week.

Q: You are currently the head coach of Odense Skating Club in Denmark. Having trained for most of your career in the U.S., what major differences are there with the Danish program and how different is it to be on the other side of the boards?

A: Skating is not a very popular sport in Denmark so there is plenty of work which has to be done. I like challenges so I am not giving up too early. After one year, our students made big progress and I hope that we (my husband and I) will be able to grow some good skaters. At this moment, our junior girl Pernille Sorensen is National champion and will be going to Junior Worlds in Sofia. In the U.S., figure skating has a big history and kids have a lot of examples to look up to and big competitions in between themselves to make skating on the highest level. Here in Denmark, they are just learning everything from the base. The mental aspect is very different. People are not so self-confident and it shows in the competitions. We are starting to put into place our own way of practice which is starting to work pretty well. We teach kids how to work and how to perform and have the confidence to skate the best in the competitions. For me, it is  always most important to teach people that skating is your life and passion. You have to really love it to be able to keep up with hard training. Being on the other side of the boards is more stressful because you really can't do anything more to help your skaters but I love the training process and working with kids.

Q: What do you enjoy most about it?

A: The smiles of my students and seeing their passion and hard work.

Q: You speak Polish, Russian and English. Which language are you most comfortable with and where did you learn to speak three languages?

A: I think that Polish is my best but at this moment I speak Russian very well. My husband is Russian so we speak Russian at home a lot and at work we speak English so all three languages are all the time in my life. Right now I am starting to learn Danish which is pretty difficult language.

Q: What is the most important lesson you've learned in your life thus far?

A: You have to live your life fully as it is so short. Carpe Diem! It is better to try then to be sad and be thankful for everything what we have in our lives.

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.

I Choo-Choo-Choose You!: 6.0 Romantic Moments On Ice

I can't think of Valentine's Day without picturing Ralph Wiggum on The Simpsons giving Lisa a Valentine's Day card that said "I Choo-Choo-Choose You!"... "and there's a picture of a train on it!". After she "looked in the tunk" and found tickets to go see Krusty The Clown's show with Ralph, she erupted into the most epic display of disgust ever, which wasn't really far off how I reacted watching the judging of the Ladies Short Program portion of the Team Event in Sochi if you want to get technical. I won't lie. I get right bitter over Valentine's Day but that doesn't mean everyone has to right? I "choo-choo-chose" six fabulously romantic moments on the ice to make you smile a bit and give you all a lift. If this doesn't work, might I recommend the Orange Creams in the Quality Street tin. Go ahead, I won't tell! Without further ado, 6.0 wonderfully romantic moments and programs on ice:

KRISTI YAMAGUCHI - THE POWER OF LOVE

Celine Dion's "The Power Of Love" is a classic and if anyone did it justice, it was Kristi Yamaguchi, although Rosalynn Sumners delivered an outstanding program to Jennifer Rush's version as well. Kristi had the jumps, the sensitivity to the music and choreography going on in every program she performed during her professional career, but I think "The Power Of Love" was such a wonderful reflection of her skating's wonderfully romantic side.

EKATERINA GORDEEVA AND SERGEI GRINKOV - THE MAN I LOVE

The relationship between Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov's own love for each other and skating and the classic George Gershwin tune "The Man I Love" was truly a marriage in itself. Their love for each other always shone in Gordeeva and Grinkov's skating and this program really exemplifies them at their best... and most romantic.

ROSALYNN SUMNERS - VALENTINE

I'm a big Rosalynn Sumners fan. A true professional, every time she took to the ice, she had the right programs, the right choreography and the right look - the whole package. This program, set to Martina McBride's beautiful ballad "Valentine" (sang live by Martina in this performance) was an underappreciated gem for its beautifully romantic quality and the heart shaped figure at the end was a lovely detail.

KURT BROWNING - SERENADE TO SONIA

Dedicated to his then fiance Sonia Rodriguez, this program led Kurt Browning to a win at the 1996 Canadian Professional Championships and 1996 World Professional Championships. Set to a medley of music of Nat King Cole - Introduction, Are You Disenchanted?, Wouldn't You Know, Madrid and L-O-V-E, this program was not only rich in fabulous Sandra Bezic choreography but charm and genuine emotion. A classic and certainly romantic.

MICHELLE KWAN - ONE MORE TIME

Michelle Kwan was really a lesson in the whole package throughout her career. She had it all, showing off her incredible consistency technically while evolving at such at a young age from this talented little jumping bean to one of the most exquisite skaters the world has seen practically overnight. It was a magical metamorphosis and many of exhibition programs (also used in pro-am competitions as interpretive free skates) during her competitive career were gems of their own. No collection of beautifully romantic programs would be complete without her program to Laura Pausini's "One More Time". Beautiful song, beautiful program.

ANDY AND TIFFANY

Feel like having a messy cry? Watch this flash mob wedding proposal on ice. But for God sakes, wipe off your mascara and eyeliner first. We don't need that mess girl.

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 Caryn Kadavy

After winning the bronze medal at the 1987 World Championships, Caryn Kadavy was clearly destined for amazing things. After contracting the same 'Olympic flu' that nearly put Liz Manley out of commission at the 1988 Winter Olympics, Kadavy was forced to withdraw after skating her short program but the great things she was destined for were really more than most skaters could ever dream of. She went on to have one of the most successful careers in professional figure skating history, touring with the World Cup Professional Champions and Elvis Tour Of Champions tours, winning just about every professional competition known to man and starring in shows around North America and the world for almost two decades. Now living in Minneapolis, Minnesota and a successful coach and choreographer who just completed her certification with the American Ice Theatre, Caryn (who was just too much fun!) took the time to speak with me about her careers in both the eligible and professional worlds, IJS judging, the Sochi Olympics, working with Toller Cranston and much more in this fabulous interview:

Q: Looking back at your "amateur" competitive career, including your bronze medal at the 1987 Worlds, trip to the Olympics, four medals at the U.S. Nationals and win at Skate Canada in 1985, what are your favourite and least favourite memories?

A: My favourite experience? Oh my goodness, there are really several. I would have to say winning the bronze medal at Worlds in 1987 in Cincinnati would be my favourite. I think the hardest was getting sick and not being able to compete my long program at the Olympics. That was probably the hardest one. It's amazing how you can experience such an incredible high and wake up the morning of short program with that 100 temperature and know that it's going to be 103 after you finish that short program. In a way, that was hard but in a way every little experience opens your eyes to make you realize what you're grateful for and what you're able to do. Not that I didn't do that to some extent, but I think I appreciated it more after I got better from being sick. Sometimes you need a fall to create that high again. It taught me it a lot.

Q: What was working with Toller Cranston like and how do you think it bettered your skating?

A: He is incredibly passionate about what he does. He's an artist. He really expressed to me the passion of skating. There was a story behind every move and piece of choreography. He was like a little kid inside and made me feel like skating was about the joy and what it brings to you personally. He really expressed to me his life and his experiences. They came out when he was teaching me a move and the choreography at hand. Toller really cared about the choreography and the skating but he also cared about you as a person. I think that whole experience was really well rounded. He wanted to help you but he also wanted to get to know you. He did so much for me - personally, on the ice and through his art. I wanted to skate well for him.

Q: Being completely frank, you are probably one of the most successful competitive professional skaters out there. In the 1990's, you won the U.S. Pro-Am Championships, U.S. Open, Ladies Professional Championships, Canadian Professional Championships, Ice Wars, Miko Masters and other events with ease. Firstly, what do you think was the biggest key to your longevity and consistent success in professional competition?

A: I think it's amazing when you get on that consistent flow of having a high standard of wanting to do well and working hard to be able to do that. It was really a vicious cycle! I think it was very exciting to be able to compete professionally and I don't think I really reached my peak as an amateur. There was a lot more in me and a lot of that came from wanting to express and create at a higher level. I think with professional skating that combination of having to be able to show your skills and artistry were a great match for someone wanting to continue with their career and still be competitive. There were so many great events that came out of that whole Tonya/Nancy thing in 1994 and I was at the right place at the right time. What really prepared me for all of those events was the World Cup tour. I did over one hundred shows in that tour. I had so much training and experience performing that I found that when I just wanted to compete, I was so well trained I was able to do well and take advantage of all opportunities that were presented to me. That's how it worked. You skated well, you got asked back. So it was really a cycle of being able to prepare and feeling really excited about 'what am I going to be able to do next?'. After, you know, just doing one program as an amateur, it became really exciting to be doing three, four or five - sometimes all in the same event. I was able to keep up all of my jumps and display what I could do and it was wonderful to be able to continue my career in that way. I was very lucky that way.

Q: I've seen so many of your programs and one of my favourites would definitely have to be your program to Céline Dion's "It's All Coming Back To Me Now". Where did you come up with the idea of skating to this song and who choreographed this beautiful program?

A: Brian Boitano invited me to do his Skating Romance show and I think it was Brian who picked out that song for me do at his event. I went to Connecticut to work with Lea Ann Miller and it all came together so fast with both of us working together on it. I loved Céline Dion, the program and the feel of the music. It was just a good combination of passion and was just skateable - it told a story. I think I do well if I feel the music and then it becomes more of a passion and a moment for me.

Q: Working as a coach and choreographer within the current IJS system, how do you think it has both bettered and hurt the sport? What would you change and keep the same if it were solely up to you?

A: You know, at first I didn't really like it as much because at the time I was working with a student that was very numbers oriented. He only knew the IJS system but he was very focused on the numbers side of it. I wanted him to not focus so much and worry about what numbers he was getting and to just feel that the whole performance was what he was focused on - how he did overall and not being so devastated over a GOE or plus or minus. It gets very critical and micromanaged sometimes with every single item and level. I feel sad about that in some ways but I think knowing that the skating level is there is what's important. I was at the top of the game when I was gearing up for Olympics too and all those skaters who are now are just wonderful skaters too. The only problem is, not every skater can do eight revolutions in that spin. Not every skater can do a Biellmann spin or get that feature. There are a lot of things that are required that are hard for the average skater to be able to do so that they can be competitive on a higher level. It becomes such a high level that they're striving for but the system is trying to create less subjectivity for the sport sport which makes things more understandable for coaches, choreographers and skaters. There are now ways of trying to understand the way that you're judged other than 'WHY DON'T THEY LIKE ME?'. Now we can say 'hey, that was a little more fair than in the 6.0 system'. I actually feel like I've grown to like and get used to this system. As for today's skaters, that's all they know so they have to like it.

Q: Who are your three favourite skaters of all time and why?

A: Definitely Janet Lynn and Robin Cousins. I would have to say that I have three more skaters I also really admired through my career. They were Charlie Tickner, Robert Wagenhoffer and Lisa-Marie Allen. Make that four. And Peggy Fleming! Those are 'my group'. I was really taken by the people that could just stand there and command the audience's attention with just one push... or just by standing there. Robin and Lisa-Marie both did that: 'Here I am and look at me'. The length, the body and the power within that exuded in their performances and skating quality was just great. Those are my idols.

Q: With the Sochi Olympics already underway, the U.S. looks really ready to contend with one of its strongest teams yet. Of the current crop of U.S. skaters, who do you think are America's best medal contenders?

A: I would have to say Meryl and Charlie for sure. I feel that Gracie Gold could do well as well. I know Ashley Wagner and Polina Edmunds are very strong but we also have the Russian girls, Yuna Kim, Mao Asada, Carolina Kostner. It's anyone's night. The ladies field in Boston was so strong and the ladies field at the Olympics is so strong too. It's so hard to say. With the men, Jeremy Abbott is just beautiful. I love his skating. It's going to be so tough though. Look at Patrick Chan - he's amazing. I honestly don't know who's going to be on the medal stand. I haven't really been up on the pairs so I can't speak on that level. Of course you want the U.S. skaters to do well though. You want those U.S. skaters on that podium! I haven't been watching everything that's going on. I haven't seen Europeans yet and there are so many strong skaters coming out of Europe too. It's going to be a very exciting year.

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

A: At the Battle Of The Sexes competition, the prize was a motorcycle and when the women won, nobody else wanted the motorcycle. I was like 'Are you guys crazy? I'm taking it!'. And I did. I won it for a year then I decided to buy it after that year. It's a 1997 Heritage Springer Softail Harley Davidson and I love to ride. I also play tennis all year round and have been playing golf for twenty five years.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to every skater in the world, what would it be?

A: Well, I think for me honestly... you have to just keep working hard. Passion and love for the sport definitely pulls you through but the fact that when you get through not only the best but the hard times, when you continue to try to strive through that it really pays off. It's going to be hard and tough at times. You think you can't do it anymore then you push through it. Those are the times to keep continually keep believing in yourself. Hard work will pay off in the end. Never give up and remember the reasons why you started to skate. In the end it will pay off.

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 Megan Wing And Aaron Lowe

If you were as blown away by Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford's flawless short program in the Sochi team event as I was, chances are you're in the mood to cheer on Team Canada. Speaking of cheering, if you're Canadian and didn't spend years cheering on Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe, you're losing your skating fan privileges and being sent somewhere cold and unforgiving, like Whitehorse, Yellowknife or Sarah Palin's house (you know... the one she can see Sochi, Russia from!) For two decades, Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe's competitive skating career was the talk of ice dancing in Canada and their dedication and infectious love of the sport was contagious. They won an INSANE 10 consecutive medals in Senior Ice Dance at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships from 1997-2006 and represented Canada proudly at 5 World Championships, the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy and countless international competitions. Their programs were a privilege to watch, their energy and personality just shining through in every lift, twizzle, counter and rocker they carved out on the frozen stage. Today, they remain together on and off the ice as parents and two of Canada's busiest and most sought after ice dance coaches based out of British Columbia. In this interview, Megan and Aaron took the time to reflect on their amazing career, their loves and passion for the sport. You're going to love it!:

Q: You teamed up in 1986 and had one of the longest ice dancing careers probably in Canadian history, skating as a team for 20 years in the "amateur" ranks. What was the secret to it - the motivation to keep pushing forward?

A from Aaron: When I was 12, my Mom was exasperated with me quitting activities and she said "you're a quitter, you always quit everything".  That really got under my skin and ever since, I don't like giving up.

A from Megan: There were so many perks along the way… travelling, making new friends, meeting my idols and of course performing.  That made pushing through the hard times easier.

Q: You won ten consecutive Senior Ice Dance medals at the Canadian Championships from 1996 to 2006, won 2 medals at the Four Continents Championships, represented Canada at countless international competitions, 5 World Championships and the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy. Looking back, what were your proudest moments or most special memories and what were the biggest challenges?

A: Our proudest moment was making the Olympic team after being alternates twice. Walking in the Opening Ceremonies at the Games was so inspiring and justifying. The hardest moments were dealing with injuries and being alternates for 2 Olympics and 6 World Championships.

Q: As a skater and a fan, I grew up cheering you on and my two favourite programs of yours were your "Ameno" and "Underground" programs. Where did you come with the concepts and choreography for these two particular free dances?

A: For "Underground", we had that music for a few years and were waiting for the right time to use it.  We moved to train with Igor Shpilband in Detroit and he loved the music when we showed it to him.  For "Ameno", we wanted to try something different for us, something darker.  We always wanted to avoid becoming stagnant.  We looked for ways to expand our repertoire of styles.

Q: What was the transition of going from the competitive to coaching ranks like and did you ever you think you would be as successful as coaches as you were as students?

A: The transition from competing to coaching was quite a smooth one. Through most of our competitive years we also coached part time and conducted seminars. So when we retired from competition, we coached part time, performed in shows and did choreography while we finished our Masters degrees. In the spring of 2007, we moved back to our home town, Vancouver, and started coaching full time assisting Joanne McLeod and trying to build up a dance school. It's taken a whole lot of work but we were able to develop our dance school and produce many national and international ice dance medallists. Our goal is to make the Vancouver Ice Dance Academy (VIDA) one of the top places to train in the world and for our dancers to become the best they can be.

Q: Who are your three favourite skaters (or teams) and why?

A: Grishuk and Platov for their speed and attack, Maya Usova and Alexander Zhulin for their technical ability and lines and Tessa and Scott for their connection on the ice and smoothness.

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

A: People don't know that we almost stopped skating together at thirteen and fourteen yers of age when Aaron had to decide between tennis and figure skating.

Q: Do you ever miss the performance aspect of skating or are you happy on the other side of the boards?

A: Neither of us miss performing because we get that outlet by choreographing.  With multiple teams, we get to 'perform' so many programs each year.

Q: What do you love more than anything about ice dancing?

A: The best thing about ice dancing is the ability to tell a story and when the magic is there you can get lost in the story and bring the audience right along with you.  It's a great feeling.

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.

Olympic Glory: 6.0 Shining Olympic Skating Moments

When you just let your mind come to a stop and reflect on some of the most magical moments at the Winter Olympics, almost all of the most iconic ones are from the figure skating competitions. I have nothing but the utmost of respect for the hard work, dedication, skill and passion of any athlete competing at ANY level but those athletes that compete on the Olympic stage in any sport just blow my mind. I find myself (and I think we all do) watching sports I never normally would and cheering on personal and national victories and just reveling in the achievements of these amazing athletes and people. The grit and the courage they show in their chosen sports is really nothing less than mind blowing.

Before we all get lost in a sea of amazing moments at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi when the competition kicks off with the team event tomorrow, I want to take a few minutes and talk about some of the most inspiring Olympic figure skating moments we've ever seen. As an aside, I also want to give you an idea about what to expect from this blog during the Games. It's going to be pretty quiet when it comes to actual event coverage, as I'll be sharing one big review/commentary once the figure skating competitions in Sochi come to an end. I'm still busier than ever writing and working on amazing interviews and writing other pieces... but I also want to take the time to WATCH and ENJOY as much skating as I can. My 'day job' doesn't allow for me to watch most things live so I'll likely be playing A LOT of catch up. As I've stated before, my focus is moreso on artistic and professional skating, history and interviews and I won't be getting into the play-by-play or recap game. There are already SO many great skating sites and blogs out there that give exceptional event coverage and I couldn't dream of "competing". Not my thing. I WILL be watching closely though, and watching many events live (as much as I can with my work schedule). If you're not already following along on Facebook, be sure to "like" the blog for daily news updates, results and videos at http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard and follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SkateGuardBlog. I'll tweet up a storm when I'm able - don't you worry, my darling! Now on to some required skating watching... a look at 6.0 of my all time favourite Olympic skating moments (and believe me, these are just a FEW):

JAYNE TORVILL AND CHRISTOPHER DEAN - 1984 OLYMPICS FREE DANCE (SARAJEVO)

When you think of magical Olympic moments in skating, arguably the defining one of all time is Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean's majestic and masterful "Bolero" free dance at the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo. Considered by many as the best free dance of all time, "Bolero" earned Torvill and Dean twelve perfect 6.0s and six 5.9's which included artistic impression scores of 6.0 from every judge at those Games and the program remains historically a benchmark for perfection in Ice Dance. They reprised the program as an exhibition program at the 1994 Games in Lillehammer to a standing ovation and will return to Sarajevo on February 13, 2014 to recreate Bolero for it's 30th anniversary, which just blows my mind. A BBC documentary about Bolero's 30th Anniversary called "The Perfect Day" will be broadcast on BBC2 at 9 PM on Tuesday, February 7 and you will NOT want to miss it.

KATARINA WITT - 1994 OLYMPICS SHORT PROGRAM (LILLEHAMMER)

People were shocked when 2 time Olympic Gold Medallist and 4 time World Champion Katarina Witt decided to join fellow Olympic Gold Medallists such as Viktor Petrenko, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov and Brian Boitano when the International Skating Union allowed reinstatement of professionals in time for the 1993/1994 season and Lillehammer Olympics. After all, the diva and darling of ladies figure skating had not only won once but twice. Although she didn't have the technical difficulty to compete with the ladies field six years after retiring from eligible competition, she proved she had heart, delivering a flawless and dramatic short program to "Robin Hood" and an emotionally charged free skate to "Where Have All The Flowers Gone?" dedicated the people of the war torn city of Sarajevo, where she won her first Olympic gold medal in 1984. The way people related to and cheered on Katarina and her easier jumps in Lillehammer is proof and parcel that the skaters who move us and who we FEEL something for are the skaters we cheer on.

MARINA ANISSINA AND GWENDAL PEIZERAT - 1998 OLYMPICS FREE DANCE (NAGANO)

I don't know what it is about this free dance, but it always moved me in such a profound way. Between the costumes, music and choreography, this bronze medal winning performance from the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano was really a tour de force by France's Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat and the kind of program that stands the test of time as a moving, complete piece. A wonderful tribute to this stunning program can be found on Susan's Fields Of Gold blog at http://susanfieldofgold.blogspot.ca/2011/04/marina-anissina-and-gwendal-peizerats.html.

ALEXEI YAGUDIN - 2002 OLYMPICS SHORT PROGRAM (SALT LAKE CITY)

A quad/triple, triple axel and triple lutz highlight the technical perfection of this program but its Tatiana Tarasova choreography, music and even the picking up and throwing of the snow created such a rich layer of drama and Olympic spirit to this winning short program at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City by Russia's Alexei Yagudin that you couldn't help but watch and be mesmerized.

JAMIE SALE AND DAVID PELLETIER - 2002 OLYMPICS FREE SKATE (SALT LAKE CITY)

The program that changed it all. Jamie Sale and David Pelletier's free skate at the Salt Lake City Olympics may have earned them a 2nd place finish as the scores were posted but it quickly earned them gold after the scandal involving ISU judges made front page news and the ISU was forced to really examine and address long known issues of corruption in the judging of eligible figure skating competition. The program itself was a magical moment - the kind of program that's really "once in a lifetime" and it will go down in history as one of the most defining moments in Olympic figure skating history.

LIZ MANLEY - 1988 OLYMPICS FREE SKATE (CALGARY)

One of the reasons I fell in love with skating was Liz Manley. A living legend, it was this program at this time at the Calgary Olympics that won the free skate for Liz and earned her the silver medal. She spoiled "The Battle Of The Carmens" between Katarina Witt and Debi Thomas and had the skate of her LIFE when it counted most... and she was sick as a dog at the time, having contracted the same 'Olympic flu' that forced Caryn Kadavy to withdraw from those Games after skating her short program. I find myself going back to this program on YouTube often when I'm in need of a smile and every time, without fail, I end up with a huge one on my face. This program and this moment are what the Olympics are about. I can't wait to see who creates another moment like this in Sochi.

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.