I’ll admit it, I was one of the first out to the theatres to see The Cutting Edge when it was released in 1992. It was a charming film about an ex-hockey player and figure skater who become a pairs team to win a big competition. And, I’m sure I’ll be one of thousands watching and enjoying the CBC series. Sure, it would be fun to see Kristi Yamaguchi and her hockey-star husband Brett Hedican successfully do a split twist. They’d be my choice for a winning team!

But, I’m a bit worried that the show will make figure skating even cheesier than most Canadians already think it is. What do you think? Will Battle of the Blades bolster the Canadian figure skating audience, or will it make even more eyes roll?

What We’ve Got Here is a Failure to Communicate
The pairs event was a tough way to start the competition for the Canadian team. But, I think Dube and Davison’s mediocre showing was a much-needed reality check for the young pair. The bronze-medal gift at last year’s Worlds was premature and the pair needs to step-up their athleticism and performance if they’re going to be competitive at 2010. The pair’s performances weren’t disastrous, but they lacked heart. And when ‘heart’ is your best weapon, you’ve got to bring it out at the most important competition of the year. Did it look to anyone else like off-ice issues were getting in the way of a cohesive pair on the ice?

Despite Duhamel and Buntin’s meltdown, I admired their fight. I appreciate their willingness to give every performance their all, even when it goes off the rails.

More Media Training for Patrick Chan?
Patrick Chan is a wonderful skater and he was adequately rewarded for his strong work at Worlds. I was, however, irritated by the side story of Joubert vs. Chan. While a little off-ice rivalry is fun, Patrick may have taken things a bit too far. Perhaps Skate Canada should invest in some media training for Chan. It’s hard to avoid answering off-topic or bullying questions from the press, but I think Chan may have gotten sucked into a media-made controversy that I felt distracted from the competition.

Tried and True Wins the Day
As I expected, the international judges rewarded the tried and true dramatic flailing about in the dance competition. Of course I’m a biased homer, but I believe Virtue and Moir’s avant garde free dance made strides towards making ice dance a relevant modern art form. After all, isn’t art meant to communicate something meaningful about the human condition? Pink Floyd’s “Money” was a thoughtful choice and an inspired performance, particularly during a worldwide economic crisis.

The Secret Sauce for Canadian Women’s Skating
Joannie Rochette is a test case for how to spot, train and nurture a skater to greatness. Her goal to peak at 2010 seems doable given a stellar performance at Worlds and a terrifically solid season. Her team of coaches, choreographers and sports pychologists have helped to mold an athlete at the top of her game. It didn’t always look so promising in the early days of Rochette’s international showings. Has Skate Canada finally found the secret sauce for women’s skating?

I’d love to hear what your favourite moments from Worlds were. Please send them in!

According to the article there has been some backlash from gay and lesbian advocates who say Skate Canada is trying to make the sport more straight.

Personally, I think Skate Canada is on to something. Not to trade too much on stereotypes, but the men’s team is a pretty effeminate bunch. Let’s be honest, Joannie Rochette could take them in a street fight. Some re-branding may be in order.

The Skate Bug doesn’t appeal to me–I like my own commentary just fine–but it’s a big hit with newbie spectators. A friend told me she initially had to drag her father to the competition, but once he was plugged in to the Skate Bug he was drawn in to the drama of the competition. In a time of rebuilding for the sport I’m in full support of any tactic that turns spectators into true fans.

The Skate Bug cost $20 and can be used for future events, which is a pretty good investment for those trying to grok the sport’s complex scoring system.

Skate Bug history: An early version of the Skate Bug was deployed at the 2006 European Championships by 1994 Olympic bronze medalist Philippe Candeloro to provide commentary to a group of friends. An official version of the Skate Bug appeared at the 2007 Four Continents and again in Vancouver last month. No word yet on whether it will be offered at Olympic figure skating events next year.

The event raises funds and awareness for Scleroderma, a chronic autoimmune disease that hardens skin and organs over time. Richmond resident, Denise Kostach, started the event in honour of her mother who lost her battle with Scleroderma last year. Donations raised at the skate go towards research for the disease.

Spencer Skate for Scleroderma
Forum Ice Rink, Richmond Ice Centre, 14140 Triangle Rd, Richmond BC
Sunday, April 5th, 2009 12:30 pm
Admission by donation ($10 and up will receive a tax receipt)

In my opinion, knowing there’s prize money at stake adds an extra element of excitement to the event. Here’s what was on the line for Four Continents skaters:

Men and Ladies

1^st place US$ 15,000
2^nd place US$ 9,000
3^rd place US$ 6,000
4^th place US$ 4,500
5^th place US$ 3,250
6^th place US$ 2,500
7^th place US$ 2,250
8^th place US$ 2,000
9^th place US$ 1,750
10^th place US$ 1,500
11th place US$ 1,250
12th place US$ 1,000

Pairs and Dance (per couple)

1^st place US$ 22,500
2^nd place US$ 13,500
3^rd place US$ 9,000
4^th place US$ 6,750
5^th place US$ 5,000
6^th place US$ 3,750
7^th place US$ 3,500
8^th place US$ 3,000
9^th place US$ 2,500
10^th place US$ 2,250
11th place US$ 1,750
12th place US$ 1,500

For more on cash prizes, this is an interesting article about bonuses the ISU awards to skaters who perform well each year.

Yes, this post was inspired by Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir’s free dance!

So, you can imagine my state when my mom and I ran into Jamie Sale on the concourse outside the arena yesterday. My mom chatted away asking Jamie about being a new mom and balancing her training and touring schedule. I barely managed a hello and a handshake. All I could think was, “you have an Olympic gold medal!”

Midway through the women’s short, two Mexican skaters performed one after the other, Ana Cecilia Cantu and Michele Cantu. I found these sisters from San Pedro captivating. I was taken with them not because they had great jumps, but because their choreography and style was so unique. Ana Cecilia skated to the soundtrack from Beetle Juice (unusual music and costume to say the least) and interpreted it with complete dedication to her character. It was more like watching a mime than a figure skater. Plus, she performed a variation on a sit spin I’ve never seen before, spinning not on the ball of the foot but much further back on the heel. It may sound a little odd, but it was rather mesmerizing. Kudos to these skaters for pushing boundaries and making their own mark on the sport.

• Patrick Chan was indeed up for the task and, as Kurt Browning remarked, “attacked” both programs confidently. This is a great showing for a pre-Olympic year.
• Kevin Reynolds simply isn’t ready. His lack of speed and artistry is too problematic, even with quads. These are the same problems that Mira Leung has not been able to overcome. It makes me wonder about the training philosophy over at Eight Rinks.
• Joannie Rochette certainly wasn’t flawless, but now hopefully has the short program jitters out of her system.
• I was so pleased to see Cynthia Phaneuf get a spot on the World team. What can I say, I love the comeback kids.
• Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison make me nervous. Their performances often seem tentative and shaky, even a remarkable free skate like the one they pulled off at Canadians. Check back on some earlier posts to see how I felt about “Carmen” for their free skate.
• Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir surprised me the most. I thought their free dance was especially risky, but a good choice. International judges don’t seem to reward modern music and choreography as often as they do classical programs. It will be very interesting to see how this innovative and complex program is rewarded at Worlds.

My favourite moments from last week’s competition were Patrick Chan and Vaughn Chipeur’s short programs, Joannie Rochette’s free program and seeing Cythia Phaneuf happy with her performance at last. What were your highlights?

1. Patrick Chan will have a very different Canadians this year. Defending a title comes with a lot of pressure. I’m confident that he’s up for the task, but he will have to work hard to keep his nerves under control.
2. Despite his quads and all the hype, I don’t think Kevin Reynolds has the maturity or artistry to compete for top spot this year.
3. Joannie Rochette will deliver strong performances at Canadians. With the exception of the Grand Prix Final she’s been almost flawless all season.
4. Nationals 2009 is critical for Cynthia Phaneuf. When she gets the jumps done, her programs are world class. When she doesn’t… she’s just not competitive.
5. Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison will put down strong enough programs to win. In my opinion this couple needs to elevate their performance and technical level another notch before they’re Olympic ready.
6. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir will be perfection. That is if they’re healthy.

Enjoy the competition!