Remember When: Skate America 2019 practice

A year ago today I was in Las Vegas for the first time to attend my first International Figure Skating competition (as a spectator). I, of course, brought along my camera. We had great seats (front row behind and to the right of the judges table!) and I managed to get a ridiculous amount of photos of all of the skaters. 

A year ago today my best friend Erin sat alongside me and watched a sport she only occasionally puts on the TV (and only really when we can chat together while watching) because we rarely see each other due to her finding a great guy to marry and that solidified her staying in Montana while I stay here in Alaska. It was a girls trip where we were also hanging out with my skating fan friends whom I've known for at least 15 years (in person, longer online and I'm not saying how long bc we're already too old). 

A year ago today there were barely even rumblings of an upcoming pandemic. A year ago today we were barely talking about the upcoming election. A year ago today we weren't preoccupied with masks and civil war and red and blue and purple and green. Sure those problems existed and some of us even did care an awful lot... but life was relatively - what we thought as - normal. 

Today, I'm not packing for Vegas and Skate America - which was supposed to take place in the same arena as last year because it was such a great venue those of us who attended made sure to let the USFS know how much we wanted to return. Today, I'm counting down to watching Skate America 2020 stream online. Today skaters are probably doing their final covid test in prep for the event, and hoping the event takes place. There won't be an audience. We don't know what to expect in this age of Covid.

Yes, I'm being whiny. I really wanted to be there. I really wanted to see my friends and watch amazing skaters. So instead I'm just going to relive that weekend in October last year. Today - some of my favorite photos from the official practice... a year ago today. Yeah, another photo dump. If you want to see all of my Skate America 2019 photos you can visit my gallery.

I am a Terry Gannon fangirl, I make no apologies.

Johnny Weir definitely gets attention.