30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day Ten

Day 10: Last competition/show you attended...

I will speak on both, because I can. The last competition I attended was in 2008, the US National Figure Skating Championships held, that year, in St. Paul Minnesota. I met up with my regular gang of crazy girls and we, once again, had a wonderful time. The skating was good, some parts of the competition were nail biters (Johnny vs Evan anyone?), I shocked everyone by booing the scores at the end of the Men's final... we all took interest in several of the soon to be stars in Juniors (The Shibs, for one... and I got the girls hooked on Keegan!)

The last show/gala I was able to attend was the Fairbanks Art Festival Skating exhibition. Melissa and Denis were guest skaters and teachers and the kids of the area did an amazing job with their skating. It was such a joy to be able to see some great skating by the local talent as well as a wonderful performance by Gregory & Petukhov. They made me realize that I missed the feeling of watching figure skating LIVE, and I vowed to make it down to another skating event in the states soon. US Nationals 2012, here I come! (I hope)

I've heard that Fairbanks is not going to have the skating event this summer. Which has me completely bummed out as I was hoping to take the trip back up there this summer, but no such luck. Guess I will just have to reflect back on last summer, then. It's a huge disservice by the head honchos to kill the participation of the skaters. They were terrific.

30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day Nine

Day 9: Feelings on Code of Points

First of all, I apologise for not sticking with this, but the break was needed ha ha.

I am going to probably annoy a lot of people by stating my feelings on the CoP. I have no problem with it. Yes, it's still being tweaked after nearly eight years since it's inception, and yes it's hard to keep up with the numbers and the rule changes and blah blah blah...

But Competitive skating should be sport first and I feel the CoP pushes that more so than 6.0. Yes, corruption still exists, let's not try to kid ourselves one way or the other. As long as there is anonymous judging and personal preference there will be those issues.

Do I think it has killed the artistic side? No, I think those skaters that are on top now would probably be on top with 6.0 with the same sort of program (ie boring). Do I think Patrick Chan would still get bonus points from the judges when he flubs up - yes. These are the same judges we had 8 years ago give or take a few names. It's not all that different, just more numbers and more work to finagle.

This season has been a weird one. The ISU is dancing a very odd tune trying to please the sport aspect while pleasing then many vocal unhappy fans. They are trying to get that balance of artistry and sport. It's seemingly backfiring this season with the quad points as Chan has proven.

Is it a perfect system? No. But, then, no system would be. I think the CoP is the right direction.

30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day Eight

Day 8: Favorite Ladies Program

This is so much easier than the men... I'm not a huge fan of ladies skating. I do have my favorites, but as far as picking a favorite program it's simple. It's Angela Nikodinov's (admittedly overused) short program "Just For You". It was the first program for her transformation into the elegant skater she is remembered as. It's still my favorite even after 10 years of "more brilliant" skaters. Brilliant. Sure. Whatever.

The medal doesn't make the skater...

30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day Seven

Day 7: Favorite Men's Program

You really want to hurt me, don't you? How am I supposed to choose just one program? It's pretty close to impossible. The Men's dicipline is my favorite in figure skating, no surprise there, and I have a lot of favorite programs. So I'm going to narrow it down to two, favorite show program and favorite competitive program... at least I hope by the time I'm done I can have one. It'd be easier to just ask for favorite body of work of a figure skater! LOL

I'm still having a hard time deciding, I've had this blog open pretty much since I got home two hours ago and I'm still watching Youtube trying to decide just which program I want to use. It's come down to Kurt Browning, but that just narrows it down to A skater... not a program. I have so many favorites for so many reasons. And just when I think I have decided my heart comes up with another love.

But I think I'm going to go with Serenade to Sonia on this one. Not because it's technically difficult, or mindblowingly artistic (that'd be Nyah and Summertime) but because of the heart in it. It is, after all, a program dedicated to and about his relationship with his (then) new bride. And it's the program that made me fall in love with the Canadian skater whom most of the skating world already loved.



So there, whew, I picked my favorite show program... now to decide on my favorite competitive program... oh dear. This didn't seem to be so difficult. Originally I was going to go with Kurt's 1994 SP to St. Louis Blues (even if it was a disaster in Lillehammer), then I remembered I liked Evan Lysacek's Carmen, and then I wanted to pick Ryan Bradley's 2010 LP, and then I remembered I love several of Alexei Yagudin's programs. So many fantastic programs. And I do enjoy watching Johnny Weir's Otonal program... oy...

Alright I went with Ryan Bradley's 2010 Free Program. I dedicated a whole blog post about it last year, so why not. It's a fantastic program. It's everything I enjoy about the sport - in a COMPETITIVE program! It's just freaking awesome. I cannot wait to see what he does at nationals this year (so glad you've come back, Ryan!)

30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day Six

Day 6: Predict - gold medalists at 2011 Worlds

I am a horrible predictor. Chances are if I name someone as the winner they bomb. I am unlucky. This is not just in figure skating but in mushing and football as well. If I cheer too loudly or have too much faith in even the heavy favorite, they lose. It's so bad that I've had to promise several athletes that I won't cheer for them at all! LOL

But since I have promised to do this stupid 30 day thing I will go ahead and jinx six skaters and ruin their year.

Ladies - Miki Ando, pretty sure she's being set up as the winner. Would love to see Alissa Cizny just have a monster year and take it all, though.

Men - Daisuke Takahashi. Granted he didn't have a good nationals, and he will be defending his world title at home and yadda yadda yadda, but I think he can do it (Kurt Browning's season the year he defended his first World's title was crappy too).

Pairs - Savchenko and Szolkowy. I know most have given this to Pang & Tong, but I'm giving it to the Germans. Because they're awesome.

Dance - Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir will win this thing, if they compete. If not Meryl Davis & Charlie White.

30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day Five

Day 5: Your favourite Dance program

Oh goodness this is tough. Growing up I didn't "get" the ice dance side of the sport, it didn't have jumps or throws so it just didn't interest me. Then in 1999 I attended a show in Anchorage that Scott Hamilton (shocking, I know) brought up partnering with Tesoro. Renee Roca & Gorsha Sur were the token dance team in the show and they totally blew me away. Who knew ice dance could be so amazing? They skated to their program titled "Ghost". It sent shivers through me at 14.

Fast forward a few years to 2005 when I went to my first US National Championships. I met up with Melissa Gregory & Denis Petukhov and Melissa's mom and grandparents (who are all amazing). It was the first time I'd met them face to face, though we'd communicated by email prior to my making the trek to an actual event. I learned so much by sitting with Dale that week as she explained the basics of the dances. She was just your regular skater mom, but it was through her that I fell in love with the sport her daughter was a part of.

In 2007, Melissa and Denis had the free dance of a lifetime. It was one of the most beautiful programs I have ever seen, and I'm still so bummed that I did not get to see them skate it live. It was their Adam and Eve program - which would later become "Fallen Angels" a program they skated with US Men's Champion Johnny Weir.

I know I've already featured them before, and I'm incredibly biased, but Adam & Eve/Fallen Angels was just spectacular. I was tempted to go with Belbin & Agosto's Gypsy Free Dance from 2005, or Torvill & Dean's Take Five, but I've gotta go with MelDen once again. That program was everything a free dance should be.




And, of course, I gotta give some love to Gorsha Sur and that chick he skated with... so amazing.

30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day Four

Day 4: Up and Comer you're most excited to see...

No question, that goes to Alaska's own Keegan Messing. I've watched him climb the ranks for the last six years or so, and couldn't be more proud of all he's accomplished. While others see some of the results and think him mediocre, I'd like to point out that Alaska's figure skating scene is... well... nearly non existant. They get very little support from teh state, very little notice from the USFSA, and their expenses are multiplied due to the lack of training rinks, general airfare to get to competitions, and the inflated local economy.

Keegan is a techinical wizard who is slowly working on his artistry. He's got a lot of energy and flair... and I love his sense of humor. He made a lot of buzz in 2008 and I heard a few remarks about how much he reminded others of a young Scott Hamilton (the height probably has a lot to do with it).

He's skating as a Junior internationally, and a senior at nationals. He's part of the next generation, and I have no doubt he'll be in the mix in no time. Definitely my top pick for most exciting up and comer.

30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day Three

Day 3: Favorite Spectatorship Moment

I have so many. I've been fortunate enough to watch Keegan Messing over the years skate in local events, I saw some wonderful Fairbanks talent this summer both of which makes my heart swell with pride seeing Alaskans excel in the sport I have loved watching for most of my life (and certainly all of my adult life, which I know is only five or so years but still. It sounds cool when I say it).

However I think the one that stands out as my favorite is watching two very special people take to the Olympic ice for the first time in 2006. Melissa and Denis were so deserving of their spot on the US team, and I was so happy for them! I was able to see them make the team at the 2006 Nationals and the butterflies still come just thinking about it. I ended up having to sit away from their family during the free dance because it was so well attended that we had to sneak seats elsewhere, but we were still front and center to see them skate to silver.

Then February came and I sat in front of the TV watching every moment of the US Olympic Figure Skating Team's moment... and when Melissa and Denis took to the ice for their Compulsary Dance there was a lot of joy. Nerves were gone, because for them it wasn't about a podium placement, it was about the moment. I don't think I've ever seen them skate freer (though their Free Dance the next season is their best ever IMO).

So that's my favorite moment as a spectator... it's all summed up in that one skate.

30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day Two

Day Two: Favorite Pairs Program

I think anyone who "grew up with the sport" in the 90s feels a special connection to the iconic pair of Gordeeva & Grinkov, and I was no exception. They were considered perfection personified. Can't really argue with that, though I never saw them skate live. There was a magic quality about them that so few pairs seem to have.

My favorite program, then, is naturally one of theirs. It's their Vocalise Program (also known as the Rodin Number). It's exquisite.

30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day One

Day One: How Did You Get Into Skating

Pretty much anyone online who knows me knows this answer. The simple answer is Disney on Ice 1989. Scott Hamilton was the guest star, and they were here in Anchorage, Alaska. We don't get a lot of figure skating programs up here, so when my great aunt found out about the show she snagged tickets.

Auntie Marge was my very best friend when I was little. She took care of me while my parents worked. She could swear twice as good as any sailor, chain smoked, and was drinking her beers by 9. This was the 80s, before childcare became so full of rules and regs ha ha! She crochetted all day, loved her soaps, and was extremely opinionated (gee, that's shocking).

I loved her (still do) and looked up to her. She loved to watch figure skating, so long as it was AMERICAN skaters winning. She really liked Scott Hamilton, and so she used me as an excuse when he came to town. "The baby" (as I was often referred) needed to see Mickey skate. I didn't really know what skating was - I vaguely remember watching the 88 Olympics - but I was into Disney and they all told me it'd be fun, so what the heck, let's go.

I could not have been more bored if I were watching paint dry. I remember next to nothing about the show other than being bored... and the Mickey Mouse flashlight that we got at the door. It was blue and if you shook it the light would spin around. It had Mickey's face on the top of it. No joke, that thing was awesomeness squared. I remember jumping from lap to lap and wondering when the show would be over.

And I remember a man, with a radio and a chair on center ice. It was Scott Hamilton, and he was getting ready to skate to his Georgia On My Mind program. He talked to the radio, in my mind that meant this guy was different. What kind of adult talks to the radio? And then he began skating. For whatever reason I was mesmerised by this thirty something, balding, skater. His back flip sealed the deal. After that, there was no looking back. I watched all the professional skating shows, and managed to catch the olympics as well.

I didn't get involved with skating until 2000 when I found the world of internet message boards. A board known as Skate Forum became my safe haven away from high school stresses and I made some of my closest friends through there (and other boards). A couple of friends began working on official websites and let me "tag along" and by 2005 I was meeting "real skaters" at the US National Championships. I don't work on official websites these days (who has the time???) but I do stay involved with those skaters and I do continue to obsess over the sport (and I am a moderator at a very popular message board). I go to events when I can afford to (Disney is cheaper than skating these days) and shoot thousands of pictures.

And before I log off here's that program that started it all:

Since I lost interest in the 30 Days Of Me...

...I will try to finish that marathon posting... but I want to start another one that seems to be a bit more fun for me. So, it's 30 days of Skating!!!!!! This should keep my interest much more easily!

The list is as follows:

Day 1: How you got into figure skating


Day 2: Your favourite pairs program

Day 3: Favourite figure skating spectatorship moment

Day 4: Up and coming figure skater you are most excited for

Day 5: Your favourite Dance program

Day 6: Predict - gold medalists at 2011 Worlds

Day 7: Your favourite Mens Program

Day 8: Your favourite Ladies Program

Day 9: Code of Points - give your opinion

Day 10: Last competition/show you attended

day 11: Your top 5 favourite male figure skaters

Day 12: Top 5 ladies figure skaters

Day 13: Top 5 pairs teams

Day 14: Top 5 dance teams

Day 15: Predict - gold medalists in 2014

Day 16: Your dream 2014 Olympic medalists

Day 17: Least favourite skater

Day 18: Favourite figure skating music

Day 19: If you could marry any figure skater, who would it be?

Day 20: Your favourite Olympic moment

Day 21: Team Johnny or Team Evan?

Day 22: Favourite & least favourite commentator

Day 23: Skater everybody loves but you don’t

Day 24: Skater you love but nobody else does

Day 25: The quad. Give your opinion.

Day 26: Saddest figure skating moment

Day 27: Your favourite figure skating moment of all time

Day 28: Favourite & least favourite costume

Day 29: Your favourite figure skater of all time

Day 30: Why you love figure skating



In other news, packing is nearly completed. I just have to bag up my stuffed animals, bag up board games, and break down my bathroom... yay! And in even BIGGER NEWS.........
 
I GOT A JOB!!!!!!!! I'm working at the Soldotna, AK branch of AlaskaUSA! So excited!