Lifeskate: All about figure skating

2012 US Figure Skating Championships: Final results of senior division

2012-01-30T20:48:00-05:00

Here are the results from the senior men's, ladies, pairs and ice dancing competition at the 2012 Prudential US Figure Skating Championships in San Jose, California. In pairs, the new team of Caydee Denney and John Coughlin won gold, followed by the other new team of Mary Beth Marley and Rockne Brubaker. Crowd favorite and Olympians Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig won the bronze. In dance, it was a repeat of the top two finishes from last year with Meryl Davis and Charlie White winning gold and Maia and Alex Shibutani winning silver. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue won bronze. For the ladies, Ashley Wagner (FINALLY!) won her US title, followed by Alissa Czisny and Agnes Zawadzki. Olympians Rachael Flatt and Mirai Nagasu finished sixth and seventh, respectively. For the men, my favorite Jeremy Abbott won gold, Adam Rippon the silver, and Ross Miner won the bronze. Next up...the World Championships in Nice, France from March 26 - April 1.

Top 10 results for senior pairs:

Rank	Name	SP	FS	Points
1	Caydee Denney, Broadmoor SC/John Coughlin, KS City FSC	3	1	189.70
2	Mary Beth Marley, DuPage FSC/Rockne Brubaker, All Year FSC	1	2	186.07
3	Amanda Evora, Southwest FL FSC/Mark Ladwig, Red River Valley FSC	2	3	178.98
4	Gretchen Donlan, SC Of Boston/Andrew Speroff, SC Of Boston	5	4	171.61
5	Marissa Castelli, SC Of Boston/Simon Shnapir, SC Of Boston	4	7	168.81
6	Ashley Cain, Stars FSC of TX/Joshua Reagan, Stars FSC of TX	7	5	166.65
7	Andrea Poapst, Broadmoor SC/Christopher Knierim, Broadmoor SC	6	6	166.38
8	Felicia Zhang, SC of NY/Nathan Bartholomay, University of DE FSC	9	8	156.57
9	Tiffany Vise, Broadmoor SC/Don Baldwin, Los Angeles FSC	10	9	140.97
10	Alexa Scimeca, DuPage FSC/Ivan Dimitrov, Individual Member	8	11	132.62

Top 10 results for senior dance:

Rank	Name	SD	FD	Points
1	Meryl Davis, Arctic FSC / Charlie White, Detroit SC	1	1	191.54
2	Maia Shibutani, SC of New York / Alex Shibutani, Arctic FSC	2	2	178.84
3	Madison Hubbell, Detroit SC / Zachary Donohue, Detroit SC	3	3	151.60
4	Lynn Kriengkrairut, All Year FSC / Logan Giulietti-Schmitt, Ann Arbor FSC	4	4	148.55
5	Madison Chock, All Year FSC / Evan Bates, Ann Arbor FSC	5	5	145.08
6	Anastasia Cannuscio, University of DE FSC / Colin McManus, SC Of Boston	6	7	137.37
7	Anastasia Olson, Detroit SC / Jordan Cowan, All Year FSC	7	6	137.08
8	Emily Samuelson, Ann Arbor FSC / Todd Gilles, All Year FSC	8	8	135.99
9	Isabella Cannuscio, University of DE FSC / Ian Lorello, University of DE FSC	10	9	130.35
10	Charlotte Lichtman, Arctic FSC / Dean Copely, All Year FSC	9	10	129.22

Top 10 results for senior ladies:

Rank	Name	SP	FS	Points
1	Ashley Wagner, SC of Wilmington	3	1	187.02
2	Alissa Czisny, Detroit SC	2	2	180.00
3	Agnes Zawadzki, Broadmoor SC	1	7	174.10
4	Caroline Zhang, All Year FSC	4	3	173.19
5	Christina Gao, Northern Kentucky SC	6	5	166.36
6	Rachael Flatt, Broadmoor SC	9	4	164.98
7	Mirai Nagasu, Pasadena FSC	5	8	163.99
8	Angela Wang, Salt Lake Figure Skating	16	6	158.66
9	Vanessa Lam, All Year FSC	7	9	157.62
10	Kiri Baga, FSC of Bloomington	14	10	149.38

Top 10 results for senior men:

Rank	Name	SP	FS	Points
1	Jeremy Abbott, Detroit SC	1	1	273.58
2	Adam Rippon, SC of NY	2	2	240.87
3	Ross Miner, SC of Boston	4	3	230.32
4	Armin Mahbanoozadeh, WA FSC	3	6	224.63
5	Douglas Razzano, Coyotes SC of AZ	8	4	223.38
6	Stephen Carriere, SC Of Boston	9	7	213.41
7	Keegan Messing, AK Assoc of Figure Skaters	5	12	212.47
8	Max Aaron, Broadmoor SC	6	13	211.15
9	Jason Brown, Skokie Valley SC	7	14	209.16
10	Scott Dyer, All Year FSC	13	9	207.97

Complete results for the novice and junior divisions can be found here.

Johnny Weir to marry Victor Voronov on New Year's Eve

2011-12-30T20:30:00-05:00

Johnny Weir (1) is getting married tomorrow! (2) can't understand why Patrick Chan keeps falling and winning and (3) resumes serious training with his coach, Galina Zmievskaya. [icenetwork]

Mao Asada wins fifth Japanese National title, just weeks after her mother's death. [Aunt Joyce's Ice Cream Stand]

Nikolai Morozov's take on male figure skaters in Russia...very interesting. [FSUniverse]

Stars On Ice begins tour in Lake Placid and Kurt Browning is choreographing the entire show! [LakePlacidNews]

Rachael Flatt survives college finals. [ESPNW]

The top 10 ice dance performances every are...[cbc.ca]

Evgeni Plushenko wins ninth Russian National Championships. Sochi Olympics 2014 here he comes! [icenetwork]

Evgeni Pluschenko allowed to skate at upcoming European championships. [RT]

Patrick Chan wins Canadian Press athlete of the year. [TheStar]

Lucinda "Queen of Spin" Ruh is pregnant with twins! (photo at right, Lucinda with husband Anthony on wedding day, October 16, 2010 at St. Patrick's Cathedral, NYC) [CTNow]

Wow -- check out International Figure Skating magazine's newly designed website. [IFS]

Blazing Blades recounts how it all started. This is my daily go-to blog for figure skating news. [Blazing Blades]

Adult skaters needed for reality show

2011-12-13T10:49:10-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (December 13, 2011) -- Seeking adult competitive figure skaters in the NYC and LA area for a docu-series for network television

Are you an avid adult skater who loves to compete? Did you start skating as an adult or did you return to skating after some time away? We are interested in casting adult skaters who love to compete, especially in the Interpretive/Showcase events. There is no age limit and we are interested in all levels -- the only criteria is that your love of skating and competition come through!

**We are meeting and filming skaters in the NYC area from December 15 - 19th. We are meeting and filming skaters in the Los Angeles area from December 20 - beginning of January.

If you believe you would be great for the docu-series, please send an email to: TroyRuptash@roadrunner.com. The subject line must read: Adult competitive figure skater. Thank you everyone!

Lucinda Ruh's Frozen Teardrop: Queen of Spin releases autobiography

2011-11-13T11:34:15-05:00

Our favorite Queen of Spin Lucinda Ruh has come out with her autobiography Frozen Teardrop. Here's my Q&A with Lucinda, days before her book launch party:

Why write a book now? You're only 32!
Lucinda: Well yes I am only 32, yet I feel I have had so many unique, diverse and extremely beautiful and extremely harsh experiences, not only by traveling but by living in so many places all around the world. I wanted to write my book because so much of my story has gone untold and I felt I already had a little of a platform on which I could build on to express my views and experiences on so many different aspects of my life in terms of physical and mental emotions and relationships from parent to child and coach to student. For me, I wanted to emphasize that the most important relationship in life is the one you have with yourself and I have learned that becoming a champion in life means achieving your dreams without ever having to sacrifice yourself, self worth or self respect.

What do you hope to convey to your fans about you that they don't already know?
Lucinda: I know my fans know about my spins but my story of where I came from, where I have lived and what I have lived through to have those spins have never been told and I hope to convey a fascinating journey of trials and tribulations where you must read the book to know it all!

The summary of the book states that you've gone through a lot, emotionally and physically. Can you give us a glimpse of some of the heartaches you went through?
Lucinda: I have been through intense emotional and physical abuse from a very young age -- injuries ranging from broken and fractured bones, torn ligaments and ongoing concussions that have not only hindered my skating career but my life as well. This of course having a domino effect has hindered an
array of problems that were left undiagnosed and a long time of suffering only proved to make me a stronger person who now appreciates every day of life as a second chance to live. More so, living always in a foreign country making me always the fish out of water led me to feel that only my parents where my constant in life making our family dynamics quite interesting.

How's married life? Did you think you'd ever find happiness with Mr. Right in Greenwich, CT?
Lucinda: I love married life! To have that someone with whom you can share so much of life's intimate and precious moments makes him that much more special, and the hard times that much less of a struggle. It is funny because when I was still competing, my mother and I used to come to Greenwich to work on new programs with Lea-Ann Miller. Even then I used to tell my mother I love Greenwich and one day I would love to live here! Lo and behold, now I am! Life is quite amazing so be careful what you wish for! (photo above: Lucinda with husband Anthony on wedding day, October 16, 2010 at St. Patrick's Cathedral, NYC, photo at right: Lucinda, Anthony and Dick Button at book launch party for Frozen Teardrop)

And below is my video interview with Lucinda when she was blonde(!) and was working on her autobiography and preparing for her wedding:

Johnny Weir and Ice Theatre of New York: Together at last

2011-10-22T06:14:00-04:00

Evan Lysacek pulls out of Skate America citing money issues

2011-10-18T06:51:00-04:00

Evan Lysacek is out of Skate America due to money issues with US federation. [Chicago Tribune]

Yu-Na Kim skips entire season while she ponders the future. [Chosun]

Douglas Razzano takes Evan Lysacek's place at Skate America. [US Figure Skating]

Skate America begins on October 21 in Ontario, California. Watch it live on icenetwork. [icenetwork]

Watch a recap of An Evening with Champions, featuring Yu-Na Kim. [YouTube]

Skater discovers she has brain tumor after falling on ice. [DailyMail]

Elvis Stojko finds peace and harmony in Mexico. [Toronto Sun]

Yuna Kim appointed Goodwill Ambassador for Winter Youth Games. [Chosun Ilbo]

Daisuke Takahashi and his French twizzles. [International Figure Skating]

Tickets still left to see Johnny Weir's last scheduled NY performance at Ice Theatre of New York gala. [ITNY]

Mirai Nagasu wins gold at Nebelhorn Trophy

2011-09-29T08:23:02-04:00

2012 US Figure Skating Championships tickets now available! [SkateSanJose2012]

Figure skating television schedule, starting with Skate America on NBC on October 22. [Figure Skating Fan Page]

Florent Amodio feels no pressure to defend European title. [icenetwork]

Mirai Nagasu wins Nebelhorn Trophy competition in Oberstdorf, Germany. Caydee Denney and John Coughlin win bronze in pairs. See complete results here. [deu-event]

Michelle Kwan: Win or lose, sports have power to change lives. [ESPNW]

Watch Tanith Belbin and hockey star Boyd Devereaux skate on Battle of the Blades. [YouTube]

Catching up with Nancy Kerrigan at Great Sports Legends Dinner in NYC. [Universal Sports]

Check out photos from A Tribute to the Protopopovs from Lake Placid. [Lake Placid Skater]

Johnny Weir headlines Ice Theatre of New York's annual benefit gala on October 24 in NYC. [IceTheatre] (photo from l to r, benefit co-chair Aja Zanova, Johnny Weir, Ice Theatre of New York founder Moira North, photo credit Erika Harrsch)

Evan Lysacek sets sights on 2014 Sochi Olympics

2011-09-24T07:25:07-04:00

Evan Lysacek (photo below right) calls 2014 Olympics his ultimate goal. [Chicago Tribune]

Acclaimed U.S. Figure Skating Film RISE to Make Television Premiere Oct. 22, 2011, on VERSUS. [US Figure Skating]

Internet skating video via YouTube continue to make huge impact. [Blazing Blades]

Aleksandra Brittain skating to the top at 2011 National Solo Dance Championships. [CourierPostOnline]

U.S. Olympic figure skaters Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov win USOC grant for Fever On Ice. [icenetwork]

Sheryl Crow to headline 12th Annual "An Evening with Scott Hamilton and Friends" ice show and gala on November 5. [WKYC]

Check out complete results from the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series. [ISU]

Johnny Weir attends New York City Fashion Week. [Universal Sports]

Aunt Joyce reminds us of the good ole days. [Aunt Joyce's Ice Cream Stand]

Alissa Czisny plans triple Lutz-triple toe for Skate America. [Figure Skaters Online]

Kids and coaches needed for ice skating reality show

2011-09-13T07:50:04-04:00

[UPDATE 11/10/11: CASTING HAS CONCLUDED! THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR SUBMISSIONS!]

Casting KIDS ON ICE for Lifetime!
Seeking young ice skaters for new series

Los Angeles, CA. – September 12, 2011, – Collins Avenue is seeking kids (ages 6-13) and their moms, along with their coach(es), who are serious about competing and winning ice skating competitions. Moms or Dads must be actively involved in helping their kids train and prepare for each competition. It must be a top priority for these families but it doesn’t have to be their only interest. Collins Avenue is seeking families and coaches with strong personalities, talent, passion and the desire to win! This is a very short casting process so please submit NOW!

If you or anyone you know are interested in this TV project, please email lschwartz@collinsave.com or kdrakes@collinsave.com the following info:

• Name of ice skating club and ice skating instructor (be sure this is in the subject line of your email)
• Name and age of skater
• Parents name
• Phone number, email and state of residence
• Picture of skater, mom, dad and coach
• Brief description of family, level of talent, interest, hobbies, parent’s occupations
• List awards and accomplishments
• Describe your relationship with your coach (in a few sentences please)
• YOU MUST INCLUDE A PICTURE OF THE SKATER, COACH and PARENTS

Again, this is short casting process -- please help spread the word for Kids On Ice!

Johnny Weir headlines Ice Theatre of New York benefit gala

2011-09-09T07:31:06-04:00

Ice Theatre of New York Honors US Champion Johnny Weir at its 2011 Benefit Gala and Performance

New York City, NY --- Ice Theatre of New York (ITNY), the nation’s premier ice dancing ensemble, will host the company’s annual Benefit Gala and Performance on Monday, October 24 at 7 p.m., at Chelsea Pier’s Sky Rink in NYC. Festivities include a performance featuring US Champion and two-time Olympian Johnny Weir and Ice Theatre of New York at Sky Rink, Chelsea Piers. Skating legend, Aja Zanova, visionary ice show promoter, Tom Collins, and founder of Fireworks Sports Marketing, Tara Modlin, will Co-Chair a star-studded benefit honoring Johnny Weir at The Lighthouse in Chelsea Piers immediately following the show. Says honoree Johnny Weir: "I'm so excited to be honored by Ice Theatre of New York because I have admired their commitment to the art and sport of figure skating for as long as I can remember. I’m also thrilled to have another opportunity to perform at my home base, New York City.” (photo at right, Johnny Weir and agent Tara Modlin of Fireworks Sports Marketing)

“We honor Johnny Weir for being an enthusiastic supporter of artistic skating as well as someone who “dares to be different,” says Moira North, ITNY’s Artistic Director. Weir joins an esteemed list of ITNY honorees including Dick Button, Dorothy Hamill, Scott Hamilton, Nancy Kerrigan, Vera Wang, Paul Wylie, and Aja Zanova. In addition to honoring Johnny Weir, ITNY will present the Ice Angel Award to Margarita Sears and the Will Sears Fund for their generous support of the creation of new works for the Company. Ice Rink Events, the leading manufacturer of modular ice technologies, will be recognized with the Arts & Business Partnership Award for supporting Ice Theatre of New York with quality ice surfaces for the proscenium stage.

For more information on the October 24 gala, including ticket purchase, contact ITNY at (212) 929-5811 or click here.

Below is last year's ITNY gala which honored Dorothy Hamill. Johnny Weir was a guest skater and performed two numbers: