About Emily Carlson the figure skater - Articles - Zimbio

Hughes wants all in on the Olympics this time

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:01:54 -0800

The Turin Games were well under way by the time Emily Hughes became an Olympian. The opening ceremony was over, the flame was in full blaze, a couple of gold medals had even been handed out.

At the time, Hughes didn't mind. She had dreamed of skating in the Olympics her whole life and there she finally was. It hardly mattered whether she was the No. 1 pick for the team or a last-minute substitute, whether she was the first to arrive at the Olympic village or sauntered in as they were shutting down the place.

This time, she wants it all.

"I want to go to the opening ceremony," she said.

Not that getting there will be easy. The Americans have only two spots in Vancouver — only the second time since 1924 they've failed to earn the maximum number — and there are a half-dozen women at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships who could claim them.

Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen is back after a long layoff, looking in practices as if she'd never stepped away. Alissa Czisny and Mirai Nagasu are the last two U.S. champions. Rachael Flatt and Caroline Zhang have each held the junior world title. Ashley Wagner has been the most consistent of the Americans this season, the only one to reach last month's Grand Prix final.

But Hughes, younger sister of 2002 Olympic champion Sarah Hughes, has pulled off bigger surprises before.

"The field is deep here, as it is every year," she said. "I'm going to work really hard and try to get one of those Olympic spots."

The women's competition begins Thursday night with the short program. The final is Saturday.

Hughes finished third at the 2006 nationals only to be passed over in favor of Michelle Kwan, who'd petitioned for a medical bye onto the team. While Kwan went off to Italy, Hughes went back home, training for the world championships and studying for her SATs.

But Kwan aggravated a groin injury at her very first practice in Turin. Less than 24 hours after watching the opening ceremony at home with her family, Hughes got a call asking her to step in. She arrived almost a week after the games began and just four days before her event started, yet still finished seventh.

With the inevitable turnover that follows an Olympics, the 17-year-old seemed well-positioned to be among the world's best in the leadup to Vancouver. Indeed, she finished second to world champion Kimmie Meissner at the 2007 nationals right here in Spokane. If not for a fall on a triple flip near the end of the program, the title would have been hers.

Always as much a student as a skater, Hughes enrolled at Harvard later that fall. She would continue to compete, she insisted, training in Boston and working with longtime coach Bonni Retzkin whenever she went home.

The juggling act didn't go quite as she hoped.

"If I had to do it again, I wouldn't have done anything differently," said Hughes, who is studying government and sociology at Harvard. "Education is really important to me. I tried to do both, and that didn't work."

When she withdrew from last year's nationals with an ankle injury, the second straight she'd missed, most assumed her competitive career was done. As Hughes watched the championships from school, however, she realized she wanted one more shot.

"It was disappointing not to be there," she said.

She moved back home when the school year was done and resumed training with Retzkin, her coach since she was 4 years old. She took the year off from Harvard, where she still has two more years to go.

Comebacks, though, are never easy, and Hughes' has been no different. It wasn't until September that she was doing triple lutzes again. Because she had missed the last two nationals, she had to go through qualifying. Only after Cohen withdrew from Skate America with tendinitis did Hughes get a spot in a Grand Prix. She finished seventh.

Yet here she is, back for another run at the Olympics.

"It's been a long road back, but I'm happy," Hughes said. "I'm excited for this competition."

Though hers is not among the first names mentioned as possible contenders, Hughes is confident she has just as good a shot as anyone. She is skating as well as she ever has, and a confidence that comes from lessons learned on — and off — the ice.

She's also got her lucky gold sneakers and a very large cheering section. Her parents, sister Sarah, and all but one of her other four siblings will be on hand to support her.

"You come to win," Hughes said. "And that's what I want to try and do."

Skaters Denney and Barrett shock field to win US Pairs

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 03:11:02 -0800

Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett continued their meteoric rise Saturday, capturing the pairs competition at the US Figure Skating Championships Saturday to qualify for the upcoming Olympics.

Denney and Barrett were easy winners in the free skate programme over the second-place pairing of Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig.

"Our free skate today was one of the best programmes we have ever done," Denney said. "It was just so much fun and I will remember that forever."

The winners also placed first in the short programme Friday for a combined score of 190.30. Well back in second was Evora and Ladwig who finished with 173.78 points.

That put Denney and Barrett a the US team for next month's Winter Games while the other Olympic spot went to Evora and Ladwig.

Two-time reigning national champions Keanua McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker were the favourites going in but they stumbled to a disappointing fifth overall and missed out on the Olympics.

They got off to a horrific start with a seventh in the short programme and then followed it with a fifth in the free skate after three key errors.

"Sometimes things don't work out the way you would like them to," Brubaker said.

Rena Inoue and John Baldwin were runner up in the free skate and placed third overall. Inoue and Baldwin competed for the US at the 2006 Turin Olympics.

Caitlin Yankowskas and John Coughlin finished second in the short program, but ended up a distant sixth in the free skate Saturday to finish sixth overall.

Virtue and Moir skate into lead at Canadian nationals

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:10:30 -0800

Two-time defending champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir were in their familiar spot atop the standings after the compulsory dance at the Canadian figure skating championships.

The ice dance duo, who earned world championships silver in 2008 and bronze at last year's worlds, won both of their Grand Prix events this season and are firmly on track to represent Canada at the Vancouver Olympics next month.

They earned 43.98 points on Thursday for their performance to Tango Romantica, with Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirer lying second on 37.27.

Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje were third with a score of 36.87 after the first phase of ice dance competition, which will continue with original and free dance.

Canada will be sending two entries in each of the four disciplines to the Vancouver Olympics, with the tickets to be finalized here.

World silver medallist Patrick Chan and five-time reigning national champion Joannie Rochette will headline strong men's and women's fields at the John Labatt Centre.

In pairs, Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison will seek to retain their national title and secure their Olympic spot.

Chan, who turned 20 last month, and coach Don Laws rocked the Canadian figure skating community by deciding last week to cut ties just five weeks prior to the start of the Olympics.

For Chan, the competition will show if that move is paying off, and also whether he has recovered physically from a recent calf injury and mentally from a disappointing sixth-place finish at Skate Canada in November.

Competition continues on Friday with the short programmes for men, women and pairs, along with the ice dance original dance.

Dube and Davison repeat as Canadian champs

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:10:11 -0800

Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison captured their second pairs title in a row to qualify for the Vancouver Winter Olympics by winning Saturday's free skate at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships.

Dube and Davison won the long programme, which counts for two-thirds of the overall total score, with 135.40 points to 117.95 for Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay, who had captured the short programme Friday.

In the final standings Dube and Davison won with 198.27 points with Langlois and Hay taking the other Olympic spot with 183.42 points, 11.24 ahead of Meagan Duhamel and Craig Buntin.

Women's and ice dance free skate finals were set for later Saturday with the men's free skate set for Sunday.

figure skater Mirai Nagasu going to the 2010 Olympics

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:10:00 -0800

Are you ready for the Winter Olympics in a Vancouver in a few weeks? Look for Mirai Nagasu on the ice for Team USA. Over the weekend , she competed in the 2010 United States Figure Skating Championships, where she placed first in the short program with a score 70.06 points and picked up a silver medal. Congrats and see you at the Olympics.

Will she be this generation's Kristi Yamaguchi?

Mirai Nagasu short program performance

Chan, Chipeur locked up spots for Vancouver Olympics at Canadian figure skating championships

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:27:13 -0800

Chan wins third straight Canadian championship LONDON, Ontario — Patrick Chan won his third straight Canadian figure skating title Sunday with a performance that left room for improvement at next months’ Vancouver Olympics. The reigning world silver medallist scored 177.88 points for his free program to “Phantasia” from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom ...

Funny collapse photos

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 02:12:00 -0800

Lubov Iliushechkina of Russia falls during the pairs free program with her partner Nodari Maisuradze (not pictured) at the European Figure Skating Championships in Helsinki .

Slovenia's Alex Glebov crashes in the men's Super-G event at the Alpine Skiing World Cup in Val Gardena, northern Italy .

Erben Wennemars of the Netherlands falls during the men's 500m event at the World Sprint Speed Skating Championships in Moscow,

Marc Iselin of Switzerland falls during the men's snowboard parallel giant slalom quarter-final heat at the FIS Snowboard World Championships in Hoengseong, east of Seoul,

Germany's Aliona Savchenko watches as her partner Robin Szolkowy falls on the ice during Pairs Short Program at the European Figure Skating Championships in Helsinki,.

Shawn Sawyer of Quebec falls to the ice during his routine in the men's free program at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Villagers are pinned down by a bull during a bull-taming festival on the outskirts of Madurai town, about 500 km (311 miles) from the southern Indian city of Chennai January 15, 2009. The annual bull-taming festival is celebrated as part of south India's harvest festival of Pongal.

Florida Panthers' Gregory Campbell (R) trips and falls in front of Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala after tipping in his team's fourth goal of the game during the third period of their NHL game in Toronto.

roatia's Ivano Balic (L) gets up after falling next to a Cuban player during their Men's World Handball Championship preliminary Group B match in Split .

Switzerland's Daniel Albrecht crashes on the Streif slope during the last practice for the Alpine Skiing World Cup downhill race in Kitzbuehel .

Brakewoman Heather Moyse of Canada slides down the natural ice track as pilot Kaillie Humphries (R) sits in the bobsleigh after they crashed during the second run at the two-woman Bobsleigh World Cup tournament in the Swiss mountain resort of St. Moritz .

Joannie Rochette of Quebec, ranked Canada's top women skater, falls during the senior women short program at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,

Koen Verweij from The Netherlands falls in the 500-meter race during the European allround speed skating championships for men in the Thialf icestadium in Heerenveen .

Switzerland's Daniel Albrecht crashes on the Streif slope during the last practice for the Alpine Skiing World Cup downhill race in Kitzbuehel.

Russia's Albert Demtchenko crashes track during his first run at the Luge World Cup race in Innsbruck-Igls .

Cornel Zueger of Switzerland crashes in the men's World Cup Super-G ski race in Beaver Creek, Colorado

Maria Mukhortova of Russia falls next to her partner Maxim Trankov during the pairs free program at the European Figure Skating Championships in Helsinki .

Grand Prix Predictions

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:15:00 -0700

I know this is early, but I just made some initial predictions based on the current assignments...more or less I want to come back to this page later and see how good I did (I realize this is a long post!). I found some of these very tough to predict!

Pairs

Skate America
1. Savchenko & Szolkowy
2. McLaughlin & Brubaker
3. Mukhortova & Trankov

Skate Canada
1. Dube & Davison
2. Kawaguchi & Smirnov
3. McLaughlin & Brubaker

Cup of China
1. Zhang & Zhang
2. Pang & Tong
3. Volosozhar & Morozov

Trophée Eric Bompard Cachemire
1. Savchenko & Szolkowy
2. Mukhortova & Trankov
3. Duhamel & Buntin

Cup of Russia
1. Zhang & Zhang
2. Kawaguchi & Smirnov
3. Volosozhar & Morozov

NHK Trophy
1. Pang & Tong
2. Dube & Davison
3. Inoue and Baldwin

Men

Skate America
1. Lysacek
2. Weir
3. Van der Perren

Skate Canada
1. Lysacek
2. Buttle
3. Lambiel

Cup of China
1. Takahashi
2. Buttle
3. Verner

Trophée Eric Bompard Cachemire
1. Joubert
2. Lambiel
3. Chan

Cup of Russia
1. Joubert
2. Verner
3. Voronov

NHK Trophy
1. Takahashi
2. Weir
3. Oda

Dance

Skate America
1. Delobel & Schoenfelder
2. Belbin & Agosto (I struggled with this decision!)
3. Kerr & Kerr

Skate Canada
1. Virtue & Moir
2. Davis and White
3. Pechalat & Bourzat

Cup of China
1. Belbin & Agosto
2. Domnina & Shabalin
3. Khoklova & Novitski

Trophée Eric Bompard Cachemire
1. Delobel & Schoenfelder
2. Faiella & Scali
3. Kerr & Kerr

Cup of Russia
1. Domnina & Shabalin
2. Khoklova & Novitski
3. Davis & White

NHK Trophy
1. Virtue & Moir
2. Faiella & Scali
3. Pechalat & Bourzat

Ladies

Skate America
1. Kim
2. Ando
3. Flatt

Skate Canada
1. Rochette
2. Zhang
3. Kostner

Cup of China
1. Kim
2. Ando
3. Meier

Trophée Eric Bompard Cachemire
1. Asada
2. Zhang
3. Rochette

Cup of Russia
1. Flatt
2. Kostner
3. Meissner

NHK Trophy
1. Asada
2. Nakano
3. Nagasu

3 Brand New Derby Skates from Riedell

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:54:00 -0700

Roller derby is finally figuring into the product lineups of quad skate and wheel manufacturers in a big way. Companies like Riedell are coming to see that roller derby is not just a fad and they've been updating their skate offerings accordingly. This fall, Riedell is bringing us a brand new batch of derby specific skates.

Watch for these skates turning up on a track near you. I have a feeling Riedell has just shifted the standard for derby skates the same way they did when they introduced the 265 boot.

Riedell is bringing out two new entry-level track skates that, with plates, wheels and bearings, should both run under $200, along with a new skate for advanced skaters that sits in the $500 price range for a complete setup. These skates join the 265 and the recently released "Divine"; the special-order-only vegan version of the 265 skate, in Riedell's stable of boots designed from the ground up just for roller derby.

Let's take a look at the entry-level skates first.

The Rogue:

The Rogue is also known as the 795, and the boot shape and sleek lace cover definitely call to mind the styling of the 395 boot. In fact, it seems to be an almost identical design, but minus the snug-fit lacing strap, and having substituted the leather sole for a more cost effective synthetic one.

Riedell states the Rogue has a narrow women's fit and softer boot for a comfortable beginner's skate. I anticipate this one being popular with smaller skaters, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it replace the likes of the R3.

The Rogue is scheduled to start shipping at the end of October.

The Derby Vixen:

The Derby Vixen, aka the 165, looks almost like a cross between the shape of the Targa, and the Riedell 125 (She Devil) boot without the full lace-to-toe design. It features a leather cinch strap, a padded collar, and a sick-looking Riedell script logo that covers the entire arch-side surface of the skate.

This skate comes built on Riedell's new Triton extra wide plate, which they state will provide a broader base of support for lateral movements. Forum speculation has it that the Triton is meant to replace the PowerDyne and has offset toe stops, but nothing official from Riedell on the subject yet.

The Derby Vixen is scheduled to start shipping at the end of October.

Now let's look at Riedell's newest boot for intermediate to advanced derby skaters, The Minx, also known as the 965. This skate has stirred up a lot of interest, controversy and comparison to Bont boots in the skate forums, but until it actually arrives in the flesh, er, leather, we won't know what all the fuss is really about.

The Minx:

The Minx's claim to fame is it's female-specific boot design. It's a B width through the heel and a D width through the ball of the foot, to accommodate women's naturally narrower heel ratio. The boot itself calls to mind the shape of the 395, but with a differently styled lace cover and a lowered Achilles area.

The Minx also features a foam-backed micro-fiber lining with a padded collar, and a padded tongue (including the top edge of the tongue). Judging from the photos, it also appears to have a leather sole and an offset lacing setup. It ships fully built up on Riedell's new Triton plate with Zodiac wheels and Kwik bearings.

The Minx was scheduled to ship in mid-to late September, and the first batch of pre-orders should be arriving to skaters any day now.

Pic of the Week

Wed, 9 Jul 2008 09:21:00 -0700

It has been such a sad week in figure skating. I wanted this pic of the week to be happy and uplifting. I decided to feature the happiest moment in figure skating.

But what is the happiest moment in figure skating? This question alone could be quite a topic of discussion on this blog! It's a matter of opinion I suppose so I decided to settle it the only way I know how...Google! I went to Google, typed in "happiest moment in figure skating" and Google returned with a quite appropriate answer via the Encyclopedia Britannica website!

Apparently, as per Google, the happiest moment in figure skating belongs to Irina Slutskaya at the 2005 World Figure Skating Championships in Moscow! To understand why this might in fact be the happiest moment in figure skating, we have to go all the way back to the 2002-2003 figure skating season.

She was coming off of a win at the 2002 World Championships and skating very well. However, as the season progressed, her mother was becoming very ill. To care for her mother, Irina decided to not compete in the 2003 World Championships. As her mother recovered, ironically, Irina became ill and was diagnosed with debilitating vasculitis.

Determined to not give in, she took advice from her doctors, and sat out of figure skating competition for an entire year. She made a competitive re-debut at the 2004 World Championships where she finished 9th. It was at this point that many said, "Well...she's done."

But determined beyond belief, Irina trained hard, worked through her illness, and showed up at the 2004 Cup of China on a mission. She won that event and went on to win Cup of Russia, the Grand Prix Final, Russian Nationals, and the European Championships which brings us back to the 2005 World Figure Skating Championships.

She had to this point an undefeated season, coming off a season where she had finished 9th at worlds! She was in her hometown, and there was no way Cohen, Kostner, or Kwan was gonna get in her way! She not only won the competition, she blew through the competition! Landing 7 triples including a triple lutz/triple loop combo (a feat she hadn't accomplished in competition since the 2000 Grand Prix Final).

It couldn't have been scripted any better for the headlines! "Skater makes amazing comeback caps undefeated season and crowned World Champion at home!" After the event, Irina remarked: "I'm very happy because I think nobody else in this championship had to come back so many times and to go through as many hard moments like I did. I was really ready, and did it! It's what I've been waiting for all season. For the first time I won every competition I entered." It was really a very happy moment! I'll let all of you decide if it was the happiest!

p.s. I bet if you ask Irina what her happiest moment is, she'll tell you November 15, 2007! Need a clue...it's a boy!

My First Figure Skating Boots

Sun, 4 May 2008 08:45:00 -0700

You are a beginner but a very fast learner. You are not sure if you should buy figure skates at this time. However you feel you are progressing fairly quickly. You have made it to freestyle levels. Now the big question is should you stop renting and buy your own pair of figure skates.

If you enjoy figure skating, then you should own your skates no matter what level you are. This is because you progress much faster with your own boots and you'll probably enjoy skating even more. Rinks usually don't sharpen their skates as often as they should. It might cost more to begin with to have your own skates, but you won't have to keep paying for rentals, you'll have your own skates that won't smell like other people's feet and if you get the right model, they should last you through all of group lessons. The questions below may be of concerned to you:

1. What's the best kind of ice skate to get?
2. What size do I get?
3. Do I need a figure skating bag to carry my skates in? Or Is it okay to fling my skates over my shoulders when I go to the rink?
4. Do I need to get soakers ?
5. How long will it take me to break into them?
6. When do I know to sharpen them?
7. How do I care for my ice skate?

GETTING YOUR SKATES

Usually for beginning skaters, I recommend an introductory pair of boots for beginners. The boots should be comfortable, and have all of the requirements of a beginning skate. Any brand would do. It is a matter of preference. They should provide enough support and come with some decent blades for what you're trying to do. Go to your nearest skate shop and tell them at what level you are skating and what you want to do. They can fit you and set you up with a skate for your level.

SIZING

For sizing purposes, you should go to your nearest skate shop and get professionally fitted. Skates do not run true to shoe sizes. Some run large, some small, some are wide, some are narrow. It all depends on the brand. A trained professional should be able to help you get the appropriate size. You'd hate to get your new skates and have them not fit! If your feet are still growing, you can usually go up a half-size, or maybe a full size. More than that might make the experience a difficult one. Also, some shops sell used skates as well, which can be a great idea for skaters with growing feet! However, it is usually best to break into your own skates.

THE BREAK-IN PROCESS

Break-in time depends on how much you skate. At first you will have trouble skating and won't be able to do everything that you thought you could. You will probably get some blisters. Persevere. Those are the “breaks” of having your own figure skates. Usually to facilitate this process, it is a good idea for skaters to wear their skates at home while watching TV with their skate-guards on. This allows the boot to form to your feet. Walk in them a little at home, bend at the ankle. When they're new, don't lace them up all the way to the top. Leave the top hook unlaced until you have them broken in a little until you feel comfortable in your boots. On the ice, do a lot of back crossovers, swizzles, (waltz jumps if you can) and bend at your ankles. If you're finding you have specific areas that are hurting, you can have those areas "punched " at the skate shop they have a metal tool that pushes areas of the boot out to relieve pressure areas. Sometimes, round makeup sponges work well to protect sore ankles and other areas that hurt in skates.

SHARPENING YOUR BLADES

Get your blades sharpened before you use your skates for the first time. New blades do not come with good edges. How often you sharpened your skates depends on how much you skate. The general rule is whenever you find yourself drifting off the ice. You will notice it on the ice when you need to sharpen your blades. When they start to get blunt, you will feel yourself drift side ways on your blades across the ice. When this starts to happen, it means your blades are getting blunt because the edges are getting rounder. However each skater has their own preference. To check if your blades are dull, drag a fingernail lightly over one of the edges. If it scrapes off some of your nail, they're probably okay if there is no scraping, they need to be sharpened. Your coach should also be able to let you know, or the shop where you sharpen your skates should be able to tell you as well. For every time you sharpen your blades, you are taking off a piece of your blades. Sometimes your skates may not need sharpening the person at your shop knows just what to do to hold you ‘till your next sharpening

CARING FOR YOUR BLADES

I would recommend getting a pair of soakers to protect your blades. They're great for when you're not using your skates. They help keep your blades from getting rusty. Be sure that you do not store your skates with the hard skates-guards on. This can cause your blades to rust . . . quickly! Only use the skate-guards for walking off ice to protect your blades from getting ruined. When you're done skating, wipe your blades and boots down with a towel and put on your soakers. Once you get home, it is always a good idea to take your skates out of your skate bag, take your soakers off and let your skates dry out. This prevents rusting on your blades, and allows the moisture to evaporate. I'd suggest getting some sort of bag, backpack or a skate bag something to carry your skates in. Skaters seem to end up with a lot of junk to carry around: CD's, towels, gloves, leg-warmers, guards, extra tights, facial tissue, first aid kit and much more.

CARING FOR YOUR SKATES

A. always wipe your blades thoroughly so they don’t rust.
B. if your doing a lot of drags and stuff, you should think about wearing over the boot stockings or skate covers so you don’t ruin the leather of your boot as it scrapes off.
C. wear guards when your not on the ice so your blades don’t get blunt.

There is a big difference between owning your own boots and renting. They will probably feel like night and day when compared to rental skates. You will have the ankle support and a better blade that you will need for beginning spins and jumps.

E. Hughes: The Unsung Hero

Sat, 10 May 2008 17:16:00 -0700

Emily Is True Class Act

I have just taken a look at the team envelope for the 2008/2009 season. While I was elated with the Kimmie’s team A assignment; even though she did not do well by “our” standard this season, however she did well enough to achieve Team A status. What really threw me on a tail spin was Emily’s assignment. Instead of her, Bebe Liang made the Team (A). While I understand the mechanics of the assignments, I feel some reparation could have bee made in this case.

Let me clarify that I am a fan of Bebe as well, and I think she is a great skater. Though I’ve yet to meet her, fellow skaters who have, have sung her praise. However, that is beside the point. It is obvious the reason that Emily did not make team A is due to the fact that she had not compete at Nationals nor worlds’, yada yada... however, she had a hip injury. Whatever happened to all of those loopholes skaters can use to circumvent those types of unforseen circumstances? Is this the dawn of an early retirement for Hughes?

As I perused the Team envelope, honestly, the only strong person standing there as far as I am concerned is Meissner. And NO! I am not looking at it through my “fan colored spectacles.” Nagasu must automatically make the team since she is the “champ”. Yes she is cute and all that, but there is no art to her skating. Meissner, on the other hand, despite her lack luster performance this season, had held her own, and had earned the spot. However when it comes to Liang and Hughes, it is quite a different story. Hughes should have been assigned if not to team A, at least to Team B assignment. And don’t get me started about Katrina Hacker, whom I thought had given a much more mature and more artistic performance than Zhang. I know Zhang reminds us a bit of Kwan. And, Kwan she is not. And, Zhang can grow on anyone, she is so cute and so sweet. Despite What they say about the new system being fair, the fact still remains, if your name is not well known, you can still be swept under the rug, and unless you make jumping and flopping around the ice your main focus you can kiss any title GOOD BYE! And this fact has led me to ponder “what will happen to those young girls’ hips by the time the reach the ripe age of 40.”

Anyway, back to the matter at hand. I remember, the 2006, 2007, season I had felt that regardless of that “chance” performance that Alissa Czisny had pulled that year, (She is a beautiful skater, extremely artistic on the ice.) I had felt strongly that Liang should have been the one to have gone to the World Championship. This season 2007/2008 after watching a pleasant almost flawless Katrina Hacker at four continents, her performance had forced me to rewind my Tivo and watch her performance at Nationals, ( hers and part of Kimmie’s performance only, my heart was hurting too much for Kimmie, I could not have witnessed such debacle. It hurt too much) I had made the decision to skip Nationals this season. It just was not fun. Call me a sore loser if you must. I was hard-pressed to conclude that maybe our team should have been Meissner, Wagner, and Hacker. I am most definitely sure she would not have disappointed US.

Benched

Now the Team envelope with Hughes being benched in Team C, is not helping our team as much. Has this scoring system done away with skating? She is very artistic and has one of the best choreographed programs. She had a hip injury, I am sure might have been due from executing an element on the ice, probably a jump. The new judging system really sucks! This judging system has divorced the casual viewer from what's happening on the ice. Now it is alienating athletes who display flow, finesse, and an effortless movement in time to the music. Hughes may not be flopping like a bird all over the ice; however, she skates with style and clarity. It's astounding that figure skating still maintains its self-image as an art form in the face of so much flopping. This is the beginning of the end.

Unsung Hero

Since the Olympics have ended I haven't seen nor heard much of Emily. Apparently, she will always be in the shadows when other skaters are talked about. Emily, not only has to deal with talk about her sister; but Michelle, Sasha and Kimmie as well to name a few skaters.

Amy Hughes was being commemorated as a top mom recently: She was referred to as “Amy Hughes, the mother of Olympic skating gold medalist Sarah Hughes.” There was no mention of Emily. Emily, titles or not is a quite accomplished young lady. So, shame on the press for not acknowledging her. Even if Emily were to win a medal which does not seem likely, since she is more artistic than a jumper, she is unlikely to get the type of coverage the other skaters get and everyone will be assuming it was mere chance. And now she has been assigned to Team C, what are her chances.

Emily definitely deserves a better assignment than the one she’s got. She might not have the “softness” that so many people love these days, but it's refreshing to see someone who is still powerful, with beautiful stretch and spins. Emily has risen to challenges and has showed her true spirits. That young lady is a true class act.

Ex-skate champ Bobek posts bail, faces meth charge

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 12:22:00 -0700

Former U.S. figure skating champion Nicole Bobek is out of a New Jersey jail but not out of trouble.

The 31-year-old, who faces charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Hudson County, posted bail on Monday night. She was arrested in Florida last week.

Her mother doubts the 1995 U.S. figure skating champion would do something illegal, but says if she did, it was because of the company she keeps.

Jana Bobek says her daughter likes to "party" and that she has a good heart that has been taken advantage of in the past.

If convicted, Nicole Bobek would face up to 10 years in prison.

Butching Up Figure Skating

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 04:26:00 -0800

Having a daughter who was a competitive figure skater for about seven years and having spent a great deal of time at ice rinks waiting for her events to come up, I've seen many a male figure skater not to mention those seen on televised events. Thus I found it ironic and perhaps even a little sad that Skate Canada plans on unveiling a campaign to combat the "gay stereotype" of male figure skaters in the hope of attracting more male skaters. The truth is that high level figure skating is very physically challenging and takes amazing strength and coordination - far more indeed than many other sports. Grace and style should be applauded, not called "gay." Not to mention the fact that most male figure skaters are Einsteins compared to many of the borderline morons one finds in say football. Here are some highlights from Out Sports:*Figure skating has long been the butt of gay jokes. An organization in Canada is now saying it’s likely one of the reasons that young male skaters in Canada have turned more and more to hockey instead of figure skating; Few boys want to be the targets of gay jokes. From the CBC now comes a report that Skate Canada will unveil a campaign to combat the stereotype. “Tough” is aimed to show how strong and masculine male figure skaters are.*The report talks to Canadian ice dancer Andrew Poje (that’s him above. . . ), who told the CBC that gay rumors have “always been something I’ve been teased about.” . . . You don’t know how hard it is physically. If I can compare what a long program feels like, it’s like running a 1500 meter hurdle with a smile on your face. So you go out and try that and come talk to me.*But the best question to ask may be, Will it work? Will showing guys tossing women into the air and catching them while skating backward transform how teenagers view a gay sport?

Michelle Kwan

Fri, 4 Dec 2009 15:02:02 -0800

figure skater Michelle Kwan was born on July 7th 1980 in Torrance, CA.

When Michelle Kwan was 8 years old she and her older sister Karen started to train skating. As kids they skated for 3 to 4 hours every day in the early morning. The Kwans could only afford to pay for a couch for the first two years, but Michelle Kwan and her sister where lucky in the fact that someone at the L.A figure skating club sponsored them train at the Ice Castle International Training Center.

at the age of 11 Michelle Kwan went pro when she entered the United States Figure Skating Championships in the Jr level. The year after that Michelle Kwan applied for senior level and by 94 Michelle Kwan was the winner of the 1994 Junior Championships.

That year Michelle Kwan made it on to the USA Olympic team as an alternate, though Michelle Kwan finished 2nd place in the U.S Championship she didn’t get a higher spot on the 1994 Olympic team because that spot was giving to the previews years U.S championship winner Nancy Kerrigan. Oddly Tonya Harding was also on the US Olympic team that year.

Later that year Michelle Kwan was the sole American skater in the World Championship due to Kerrigan dropping out and Harding having to deal with her trial dealing with her boyfriend breaking Kerrigan’s leg the year before.

In 1998 Michelle Kwan made on to the 1998 US Olympic skating team where she won the silver medal.

four years later Kwan made it onto the US Olympic team again. This time she was the lead spot on the team but this year Michelle Kwan only one the bronze medal.

even thought Michelle Kwan hasn’t won gold in the Olympics it should be noted that Michelle Kwan if looking at all pro skating championships has the most medals in US skating history with 9 US Championship medals, 5 world championships and 2 Olympic medals.

In 2006 Michelle Kwan was named public diplomacy ambassador by Condoleezza Rice and the role was extended under Obama administration.

Michelle Kwan has also played herself in episodes of the Simpsons and Family Guy

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A Balancing Act

Sun, 11 May 2008 05:25:00 -0700

We All Fall Down

You are just beginning figure skating and are having trouble balancing on the ice during stroking both forward and backward. You are doing well with your crossovers; however as a result of your lack of balance, you feel as you may fall. And you are scared to dear life of falling. Balance is definitely the key word In skating. Stay focused.

Falling is a part of skating. If you don't fall, you're not trying. You have to get out of the fear of falling. It is not the end of the world. It is no big deal. If you don't fall, you're NOT trying hard enough! Just go for it and you'll get it eventually.

Don’t be afraid to fall; or be embarrassed for that matter. A figure skater falls, and you're going to fall. I haven’t met a single skater whose butt has not come in direct contact with the ice a few times myself included. I am an adult skater. All skaters fall. All skaters must fall in order to progress. Pilates and/or Yoga classes can be helpful in obtaining better balance. If you're afraid to fall, you're honestly not going to improve in a timely manner. Your fear will hinder your progress. Falling is one of the ways in which to improve muscle memory, and as you advanced t in skating, the more you fall. Crash pads can be one of the ways to go in order to absorb the impact of falling. It may add to your confidence on the ice.
Don't worry about falling! We all fall many times. When you are a figure skater, falling is something that is unavoidable. I have fallen many times. I wear knee pads and elbow pads. It helps a lot. If you're not falling, you're probably holding back, which won't allow you to improve on the jumps because you're stopping yourself holding yourself back. "Teach" yourself to fall. Tell yourself that it's okay to fall. It most likely won't hurt and it's the only way to push yourself forward.

Another important thing you must keep in mind is that most skaters have a 'strong' and a 'weak' side to their skating. It takes practice and hard work to balance them out and make each side equally strong. Sometimes, it's hard to practice your weak side during the public session. The traffic is too much, or you may have to abide to direction regulation or limited space on the ice. Try to find an uncrowded session to practice on in which you can concentrate on your skating skills! Making sure your skates are tied properly; and having sharped blades will help a lot.

When you practice elements on the circles, start and end with your weaker side so as to get twice as much practice on that side. It really does help! Skate on your strong side, and make mental notes about what you're doing. Then, step-by-step, repeat the action on your weaker side. Hold onto the wall if you have to, but really work hard to master the weaker side skills, especially the glides and pushes. Be sure to keep your knees bent and your arms at waist height and out from your body for balance. Use good posture, arch your back, and hold the free leg behind you after you push. Make sure that your arms are out, and that you have blades that are sharpened correctly. If your blades are blunt, you will travel across the ice. Remember to keep your arms are out nicely in order to be able to help stay balanced. Your skates need to be laced up correctly.

Don’t be embarrassed or afraid to fall . Everyone does. Kwan, Meissner, Cohen, Hughes (both), Weirs, Lysacek, . . . just to name a few, have had direct contact with the ice. I am not talking about their blades. You just have to stay positive and keep skating (or falling) as the elites skaters do.

Grand Prix Assignments

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:31:00 -0700

So the ISU has published Grand Prix Assignments for the upcoming season. US Figure Skating has a story about it here while you can see the full listings for all events and disciplines here.

Oh, big news, Johnny Weir will be doing for the first time Skate America! Usually Johnny skips this event to do later ones but not this time. Oddly, Johnny is skipping Cup of Russia, an event where he tends to have huge crowd support. Also, going right up against Evan Lysacek at Skate America will be interesting (guess who has tickets!). Johnny's second event will be NHK Trophy, the last event in the series, where he'll have to contend with Takahashi and Oda (who will be making is competetive re-debut). Lysacek is doing back to back events, getting them out of the way early. He's also doing Skate Canada where he'll have to butt heads with the World Champ J. Buttle and his trusty side kick Canadian National Champ Chan as well as everyones favorite spinner Lambiel.

I've come to really respect US Figure Skating for sticking by Kimmie Meissner. They've given her two Grand Prix events including Skate America which has a packed ladies field! Meissner, the reigning Skate America Champ, will have to contend with Ando, Nakano, Kim, Flatt, and Nagasu....whew! But kudos to US Figure Skating for not giving up on Meissner and seeing her through this rough patch.

Now I'm beyond excited for this season to begin!

NO! YOU ARE NOT TOO OLD

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:56:00 -0700

Get Hooked On Figure Skating

It is never too old to figure skate, however if your thinking about making it to the Olympic games there may be some concern depending with the age in question. Skating can be a relaxing and an enjoyable pastime for young and old alike. However, the sport of figure skating involves a lot of stamina, flexibility and strength. If the aim is to compete at international or world standards then really the sooner you can get onto the ice the better. Then, stop commiserating about your age. Are you back from the rink yet? Figure skating is an enjoyable way to get fit and have a lot of fun as well. It is freedom. It is exciting. Anyone at any age can enjoy figure skating.

Even if you have not started young, don't despair! With determination, the right attitude and the will to succeed, anything is possible. If you would like to give figure skating a try, enrolling in group lessons would be a smart move. It’s great to get instant feed back. The best thing is to have fun and be safe.

Basic figure skating moves can be equally easy and difficult to master. There are off days as well as good ones. With lots of practice, it is possible to become quite accomplished. If you wish to learn figure skating at a competitive level then it is important that you get a coach that you can trust, one that you can work with.

I am telling you this once and for all: There is no such thing as too old for figure skating. Ninety percent of figure skating is passion and determination which translate in how much time you spend on the ice.

If you are continuously thinking about it, or finding ways to improve yourself, reading about it, watching the competition umpteenth time on your Tvo over and over thinking, watching so much, somehow, those elements will transmit into your body. If you find yourself wanting to be at the rink at every waking moment to practice, then you are NOT TOO OLD.

You need the right combinations: perseverance, determination, and passion, you will need those especially when you are having an off day. Those days do appear at times. That is when you will go home angry, and frustrated, because you were doing fine and all of a sudden there is a glitch.
However, the next day, you lace your skates up and back for more. SO NO ONE IS EVER TOO OLD FOR ANYTHING, especially if you have determination, desire, and passion.

The sense of achievement will give a tremendous boost to your ego. The main thing is to enjoy your moments on the ice. After all that is why you are there isn't it? I always believe that if you are doing something that you are truly enjoying then you are going to want to improve your skills to get the most out of it.

Canada Picks it Place

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:19:00 -0700

Skate Canada has announced that London, Ontario will host the 2010 Canadian National Figure Skating Championships. This event will serve as the Olympic Trials for the Canadian team for the Olympics which also take place in Canada in Vancouver just six weeks later.

"Everything we need to host a first-class skating event can be found in London," said William Thompson, Skate Canada CEO. "They have always welcomed athletes, volunteers and fans with open arms and 2010 will be no exception."

Confused geographically...London sits halfway between Detroit and Toronto.

This is the second time that London will play host to the BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships. The city first held the event in 2005. London was also the site of the highly successful 2007 ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships.

Off-Ice Training For The New Skater

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 15:11:00 -0700

A lot of skating may build and tone your muscles, however it will be a slow and difficult process if you don't do off ice training. Ballet, Pilates, Yoga and strength training are crucial when it comes to off ice training, this is what truly makes a difference in figure skating. Just like figure skating, you’d be amazed to find out how much muscle is involved when it comes to Ballet, Pilates and Yoga.

This is a standard workout if you are new to figure skating and would like to improve. You will definitely see a big difference if it is practiced:

1. Jump rope for thirty second intervals, with a fifteen-second rest in between them three times.

2. A special kind of jump rope where instead of just jumping rope, you kick your knee up every time, In other words, it would be a jump with your left knee up, then jump with your right knee up, jump with your left knee up, (get the picture?) and so on. Try to do this as many times as you can. The more you do the better. It takes a lot of practice!

3. Put your body in a bridge position, with your arms straight, and hold it for thirty seconds. Rest and then do it again, at least three times.

4. Lay flat on your stomach with your arms out in front of you as if you are Superman. Lift up your hands and feet as high as you can and get them as far away from your body as possible. Hold this for ten seconds, then go down for ten seconds. Do at least ten reps. While you are doing them, your stomach should be touching the ground.

5. Squats. Stand straight with your feet under your hips, try standing in front of a mirror in order to make sure you keep proper posture. Put your arms to the side, and when you go down put them in front of you. Don't go down too low, go just pass a right (90 degrees) angle and make sure you don't stick your butt out, just sit with your body straight up. Sit and stand back up ten times. Do as many reps as you can or least three times. As you built strength, you can add additional reps. As they become easier, start adding weights.

6. Stretches. Make sure you stretch before and after any workout.

This routine will help your skating immensely.

US Figure Skating Team Envelopes

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:16:00 -0700

U.S. Figure Skating released the team envelopes for the 2008-2009 season. The team envelopes allow for priority based competition selection. The higher the team envelope, the better competition selection you get.

Kind of a shocker here for the ladies...Rachael Flatt, Caroline Zhang, and Ashley Wagner all got put on the B Team...that's right...the B Team!

Who's on the A Team you ask? That would be Mirai Nagasu (of course, she's national champ), Beatrisa Liang (huh?), and Kimmie Meissner (wow!).

Not exactly sure how these girls will get placed for the Grand Prix but Mirai, Beatrisa, and Kimmie will have first crack at two and or three events before the others despite the fact they have performed stronger this season.

No shockers amongst the men, pairs, or ice dancers...exactly what you'd expect.

I think Kimmie especially, but Beatrisa too, have received an early Christmas present here from U.S. Figure Skating!

SEE YOU ON THE PODIUM

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 05:19:00 -0700

Show The "World What "You're Made Of" Kimmie

2006 World champion Kimberly Claire Meissner has nothing to lose at the world figure-skating championships, which will begin next week in Gothenburg, Sweden. She is not the hunted. She is the hunter.

Hopefully Kimmie has learned something valuable during this season. That is, not to let the pressure get the best of her. I have read articles in which she has declared that she feels no pressure, I hope you really feel no pressure Kimmie, because the press has bestowed it on you.

As you leave for The World Championchips I would like to leave you with the following:

"BE SELFISH"!

Shut down all previous performances.
Don’t let the audience reaction to a performance prior to yours get in the way of your own.

Be confident in knowing you can put down a solid performance.
Don’t get nervous, it will take away from your ability to perform the way you can,
which is your best.

You are in striking position for gold at the worlds this year. You can pull an upset. You have done it before. You have to good programs; you just need to keep your “kool Kid.” You’ve come from behind and worked your way up before. Now you have no where to go but up young lady, and with our support, your fans are there to hoist you up the flag pole.

Regardless of which group you skate in, wether you draw to skate in the first or in the final group, don’t allow yourself to think too much, about the other skaters. Remember, it is all about Kimmie (“yeah you’re hot”) Don’t let it get the best of you.

Your objective is to stay consistent and relaxed. Don’t allow yourself to get uptight; just focus. You can say a little prayer. However, DO NOT concentrate on how the others who have skated before or after you.

At Nationals, during your free skate, I saw a nervous Kimmie, remember to keep“kool Kid” and go out there and give the skate of your life. “You gotta believe”. You need to keep that attitude when you go in to the world championship."

SEE YOU ON THE PODIUM!
I’LL BE WATCHING!

Nationals huge draw in St. Paul - Emily Carlson

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:37:48 -0800

Johnny Weir is one of the athletes scheduled to compete at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

The figure skating nationals appear to be a huge draw for St. Paul, which could reap nearly $30 million during the weeklong event.

By JEAN HOPFENSPERGER AND KEVIN GILES, Star Tribune staff writers

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships begin Sunday and run through Jan. 27, with senior competition beginning on Wednesday. Single tickets and event packages are available. For more information, go to www.saintpaul2008.com

Lindsey Goff doesn't just admire figure skating, she lives it, and she won't be missing a minute of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships that start Sunday in St. Paul.
"This is a huge honor to have this big of a competition in St. Paul because they are the best figure skaters in the country," said Goff, 21, who teaches figure skating in Roseville and once performed in the nationals herself. "It's just so cool to perform for other people, feed off the crowd's energy, show them what you've worked for."

In a weeklong event that could set attendance records at the Xcel Energy Center, the championships will feature 250 top national skaters, attract an estimated 125,000 spectators, sell 7,000 nights in hotels, and bring as much as $30 million to St. Paul businesses. More than 600 volunteers, working from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., will do everything from taking tickets to helping 300 sports reporters. NBC will broadcast live coverage of the finals next weekend.

One reason for a big turnout might be the presence of several national figure skating celebrities. Brian Boitano and Scott Hamilton plan to attend, as do former champions Todd Eldredge, Kristi Yamaguchi, Randy Gardner and Tai Babilonia.

Nine of the contestants come from Minnesota. They include Eliot Halverson of St. Paul, Molly Oberstar of Duluth and Rohene Ward of Minneapolis. The skaters will compete at novice, junior or senior levels for 12 national titles awarded in ladies' singles, men's singles, pairs and ice dance.

Goff, who performs with the University of Minnesota figure skating team and has competed in synchronized events in the nationals, said Ward is one of her favorites. She plans to watch every competition and will volunteer as an "ice monitor" during practice sessions.

"It's cool because you get to sit close to the ice and see the skaters up close and personal," she said Friday.

Nancy Meyer, who belongs to a club in Burnsville, is another Minnesota figure skating addict.

"When you're watching skating on TV, you only see part of the picture,'' she said. "You don't get to see them warming up, having their coaches give them that last-minute talk ... (Plus) You get to see Dick Button doing commentaries, you get to see the 'kiss and cry' area with nobody in it."

Winners of the St. Paul event will advance to the world figure skating championships in Sweden in March. "These are the people most likely to compete in the 2010 Olympics," said Elizabeth Harty, of the Twin City Figure Skating Association and a co-chair of next week's event.

Sponsors predict considerable economic benefits to downtown St. Paul. Cities that recently have hosted the championships have found it generated $25 million to $30 million in revenues, said Kathy O'Connor, spokeswoman for the Xcel Energy Center. At least 7,000 nights in hotels in St. Paul and Bloomington were booked by Thursday, she said.

The championships proved a bonanza last year in Spokane, Wash., which sold a record 154,893 tickets and drew spectators from Canada, said Pam Scott of the city's Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau. Ticket sales beat the previous record set in 2002 in Los Angeles, where 125,345 tickets were sold, she said.

While Xcel officials weren't disclosing actual ticket sales, other indications of the event's popularity were beginning to appear downtown.

The St. Paul Hotel, which is two blocks from the Xcel Center, is sold out for the last four days of the skating championships, said David Miller, the hotel's general manager. Miller said that "a good majority" of the hotel's 255 rooms were rented by people who will attend the championships.

The figure skating championships, coupled with the Republican National Convention this summer, will put St. Paul in the national spotlight, said Sue Gonsior, communications director for Capital City Partnership, a promoter of downtown St. Paul.

"It fills up hotel rooms and fills our street with visitors during off hours," she said. "I hear a lot of talk about it. People are excited that it's in St. Paul."

Meanwhile, hundreds of ordinary Minnesotans will contribute in ways that put them close to the competitors. A lucky group of young Twin Cities skaters will do the "sweeps'' during the events, picking up the stuffed bears and flowers tossed in appreciation onto the ice. Another group of young adults will join in the awards presentation ceremonies.

Goff and other local skaters have been appearing at rinks throughout the Twin Cities to promote the championships, show off a few moves and give impromptu lessons. Up to 2,000 people have come to some of these sessions, which she said is more proof of the popularity of "the beautiful sport" of figure skating and should ensure good attendance at the championships.

"I definitely think if they come watch any of the events it would be impossible to not be inspired," she said.

The competition starts Sunday, with the younger competitors. The most seasoned skaters begin competing Wednesday, with their national finals over the weekend.

"It's elegant and graceful," said Goff, who compares figure skaters with ballerinas and dancers. "But very athletic."

Jean Hopfensperger • 651-298-1553 Kevin Giles • 651-298-1554

FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS
The U.S. Figure Skating Championships begin Sunday and run through Jan. 27, with senior competition beginning on Wednesday. Single tickets and event packages are still available.

Online: www.saintpaul2008.com

Pairs skaters challenged by system - Emily Carlson

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:37:48 -0800

By Lei Lei (China Daily)

China has been a pairs figure skating powerhouse since 2002, when Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo snapped the dominant streak of Western skaters to bring China its first-ever pairs world championship title.

But if Chinese figure skaters want to continue their recent success, they still have a lot of work to do on the ice.

Zhang Dan/Zhang Hao
Now that Shen/Zhao have temporarily withdrawn from international competition, the pressure for success falls squarely on the shoulders of two other pairs - Olympic silver medalists Zhang Dan/Zhang Hao and 2006 world champions Pang Qing/Tong Jian.

As if competing without their stars wasn't enough of a challenge, some say the new scoring system puts Chinese skaters at a further disadvantage.

"Some of the items of the new judging system take the advantages of western pairs, and some of the judges are very hard on the Chinese skaters," said Yao Bin, head coach of China's national figure skating team.

"But we can do nothing but adjust ourselves to it and improve ourselves to a much higher level."

The situation is not unfamiliar to Yao, known as the "godfather of Chinese figure skating". Yao has coached Chinese pairs since the days when Shen/Zhao struggled to make it into even the top three, and was by their side when they stepped atop the highest podium at the worlds.

"When Shen/Zhao chased the world championship title, they had to do more difficult movements and perform extremely better than others from Europe and America," Yao recalled. "Now the situation is the same for the other two duos. We have to be severe on ourselves firstly and try to do much better if we want to be approved by judges."

But under the new scoring system, which was applied in 2004 by the International Skating Union (ISU) to replace the old 6.0 system, raising the difficulty of a pair's moves is not necessarily an efficient way to improve scores. Judges instead award points based on technical elements and overall program performances.

Each season new new items are added to the scoring system to make it more detailed.

At the World Grand Prix Finals last month in Turin, Zhang/Zhang and Pang/Tong finished second and third, respectively, behind Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany, although doubts were cast on the fairness of the judging in some of their technical elements.

Yang Dong, director of the figure skating department of China's Winter Sports Administrative Center, said this is a sign that the new system still needs some work.

"The new judging system is still improving and different technical judges may have a different evaluation of the same element," he said.

"We still have to communicate more with those ISU judges and listen to their advice."

Under the new system, each element in a skater's routine, such as a jump or a spin, is worth a certain amount of points. If a skater performs an element perfectly, he or she receives all the points for that element. The way each specific element is judged therefore becomes very important.

Pang Qing/Tong Jian
"The new system is more fair and depends more on the details of the movements," Yang said. "I believe most of the ISU judges are impartial. They just have to be familiar with the updated system gradually."

To deal with some of the uncertainties facing judges, Yang suggested Chinese skaters try to wow the judges by showing them something new.

"Some young skaters have started dominating the competitions of women's and men's singles, so the judges may also need some new faces in the pairs," Yang said. "The two Chinese veteran pairs have to impress the judging panel with something new in their appearances and routines."

New faces

After the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, a group of veteran skaters - including gold-medal pair Tatiana Totmianina/Maxim Marinin, men's singles winner Evgeni Plushenko, and women's singles winner Shizuka Arakawa - retired from competition, opening the door for some new talent.

ISU judges, meanwhile, seem to be impressed with the new breed of skaters: 17-year-old Kim Yu-na is the newly crowned women's Grand Prix Finals winner and 22-year-old Stephane Lambiel is the men's champion. There were also new faces among the pairs finalists.

Yang said Chinese skaters, old and new, have adapted well to the new scoring rules, but stressed that they still have a lot to learn.

"In my opinion, the figure skating nowadays requires difficulty, stability, beauty and new impression," he said. "The Chinese pairs do well in the first three categories, but still have to find something new to impress the judges. This season is not linking to the Olympic year and we will take time to adjust to the new system, as well as learn more about our rivals."

Zhan Hao, who narrowly missed the Grand Prix Final's title with his partner Zhang Dan, is confident in their future.

"We still hold the highest difficulty level and if we are in our best form, I believe we can win," he said.

Back on home ice - Emily Carlson

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:37:47 -0800

Skate boots made at the Riedell Skate Company in Red Wing.

Some of the skates gliding across the ice this week are having a homecoming of sorts, as products of a highly specialized Minnesota company.

By Kim Ode, Star Tribune

RED WING, Minn. - We'd love to tell you how a skate boot is made. But we'd lose you somewhere around Step 112, and there still would be 38 steps left in a top-quality skate's path from cowhide to center ice.

That intricacy is why a custom-fit boot from the Riedell Skates factory can run upwards of $700. That's why the TV cameras know to zoom in when a distraught skater storms off the ice pointing to her feet, or why commentators speak solemnly about boot-lacing rituals.

In any sport, good gear can mean success or failure. But quality takes on a particular intensity when the task is to accelerate up to 30 miles per hour across a sheet of ice before launching yourself into the air, then corkscrewing until gravity pulls you back onto the rink by way of a sliver of steel, the jolt of your return absorbed and supported by your skate boot.

Or not.

Skate boots have evolved since Paul and Sophie Riedell founded Riedell Shoes Inc. in 1945. They were pairs skaters -- Paul was inducted into both the ice- and roller-skating Halls of Fame. But Paul also worked for Red Wing Shoes, rising from machinist to an assistant plant manager, all the while experimenting with building a more comfortable ice skate that would give skaters' toes more room, and thus more maneuverability.

Today, his grandsons Bob, Dan, Scott and Paul Riegelman run the company, and the ice-skating pond their grandfather tended has become a parking lot for the more than 100 employees. Over the years, the family-run outfit has made skates for some of the best on blades, including four-time World Champion Kurt Browning and three-time U.S. Champion Johnny Weir. Dan Riegelman, the company's vice president, said he expects more than 30 skaters to perform in Riedell skates during this week's U.S. championships.

But there also are the skates they've built for the occasional performing chimpanzee, bear or movie star: Riedell skates adorned funny feet in the 2007 Will Ferrell figure-skating comedy, "Blades of Glory." And the most innovative role ever played by a Riedell skate was as Tom Hanks' inventive dental tool in "Castaway."

Designing for triple jumps

A top-quality skate boot begins with a cow.

Dan Johnson, Riedell's director of manufacturing, smoothed an animal-shaped piece of leather, explaining how a hide varies in thickness and elasticity. For instance, shoe tongues are cut from the belly, across the stretch. At $4 a square foot for top-grade leather, pattern cutting is an art, trying to get the most pieces from the right places. "You make it or break it in the cutting room," Johnson said.

From there, the pieces of leather begin a weeklong journey through many pairs of hands and into the maws of incredibly specialized machines, many of which have photos of family vacations or kids in hockey uniforms taped to their sides. Little bursts of hot vapor rise from spots around the assembly room. At various stages, a boot needs to be heated or softened before it's eased into its next shape -- a step that's grown more challenging as boots have grown stiffer.

The push-the-envelope athleticism of today's skaters is driving a demand for more rigid boots, Johnson said. "It's one of the biggest changes in the past 45 years," he said. "If you're doing quads, you need more support. You try to give the boots some flex forward, but they need to be stiff side-to-side -- otherwise, skaters will blow out their ankles."

Layers of reinforcement are built up like plywood. Glue, align, press, stitch. Bevel an edge to ease a seam. Steam the leather so it folds around the heel. Johnson is always on the lookout for new materials, such as the fibrous fabric backing the eyelets that's so strong it's used in road construction.

Each layer adds weight to a boot, and while there's a tipping point, skaters in fact want their skates to weigh a certain amount. And we mean certain in the most literal sense: Skaters want their skates to be 4.5 to 5.5 percent of their body weight, because centrifugal forces help them spin in the air.

One at a time

Custom boots are all of this, and more. More measurements, more layers, more time, more money. Lee Olson is Riedell's custom shoemaker, making new patterns from measurements provided to the company by skaters. Local athletes may visit the factory, but most measurements are mailed in from around the world.

Using reinforcing layers, Olson can build up an arch, curve around a toe, or make allowances for an especially protruding ankle bone. "A little can make a big difference," he said. He cuts each piece by hand, working at a butcher block in a quiet sanctum of the factory. He's been with Riedell for 35 years, working his way up to the custom level. "You can't go to school for it," he said. He documents each step so a skate boot can be made again to the same specifications, a necessity given that a competitive skater can go through a pair a year.

Riedell's top custom boot is $680 -- and that's just the price of the boot. A top-level blade can cost again as much and is attached to the boot later by a blade specialist working with the skater.

And while Olson builds boots that have won world championships, he doesn't skate himself.

Rolling into the future

Ice-skating actually is in the midst of a downturn, Riegelman said, ticking off reasons ranging from overexposure on TV to judging scandals. But no worries. Derby roller-skating is growing in popularity nationwide. Even the legendary roller-skating scene at Venice Beach, Calif., is reviving, which is good news for Riedell, whose skate boots can be fit with either ice blades or roller wheels.

The company even brought back an old "Riedell" logo for its roller skates, because it had the retro look that derby skaters favor.

There used to be about 2,000 shoe factories in the United States, Riegelman said. That number is down to fewer than 50. In Red Wing, pop. 16,000, there are two.