It’s probably time I move on to the should-they-stay-or-go question as it applies to some of the world’s best pair and dance teams… after all, the breakup of a whole bunch of lesser-known ice dance teams in the U.S. (including virtual unknowns in the junior and novice ranks) was announced en masse this past friday.
But it’s the decisions announced by three U.S. Ladies in that same press release that I’d like to address this time around. No more will they or won’t they questions for these three; it appears they’ve each found the answer. For now, at least. In alphabetical order:
NAME: Alissa Czisny, b. 6/25/87
COMPETING AT SENIOR LEVEL INTERNATIONALLY SINCE: 2004
BEST NATIONAL FINISH: Gold medal, 2009
BEST INTERNATIONAL FINISH: Gold medal, Skate Canada, 2005
STAYING OR GOING: Staying… but switching coaches.
2009-10 had to be one of the most difficult seasons of Czisny’s career, and that’s a crying shame, considering the high she should have been on with a U.S. title in her back pocket. But something I’ll call negative fact-underscoring started before the medal ceremony even took place. She’d only won on the strength of her stunning SP? Check, along with the “fact” that apparently none of the other ladies wanted the title. She still couldn’t put two solid skates back to back? Check, and unfortunately that continued to hold true with her GP assignments in the fall. We were doomed as far as getting three spots for the Olympics? Unfortunately, that proved true too. Only Czisny knows how much that sort of chatter might have affected her 11th place performance. There were even those that said she’d probably cost the U.S. team her own spot; an implication that she’d do well to finish 3rd in 2010… there was no way she’d pull off another win.
That last part proved true too… except she didn’t make the podium at all. She finished down in 10th, leaving us to wonder if this was the last we’d see of her on the competitive stage. Then came word a while back that she’d left her longtime coach Julianne Berlin, leaving us to wonder if another coach was coming, or if they’d parted ways because Czisny was retiring. Now, via the new announcement, we learn it’s the former—and that Yuka Sato (Jeremy Abbott’s current coach) is the one taking her under her wing. At age 23 in the fall, will Czisny be able to demonstrate the mental toughness and resilience (not to mention technical difficulty) necessary for a comeback? And if she does, how will she rank against the rest of the best?
I’ve no clue, but I’m glad she’s trying… it would be pretty heartbreaking to have called it a day after Spokane.
NAME: Beatrisa Liang, b. 3/31/88
COMPETING AT SENIOR LEVEL INTERNATIONALLY SINCE: 2003
BEST NATIONAL FINISH: Pewter medal (4th place), 2007
BEST INTERNATIONAL FINISH: Bronze medal, Four Continents 2006… and Gold medal, Nebelhorn Trophy 2006
STAYING OR GOING: Going.
On the other hand, Bebe Liang didn’t do her best in Spokane either (finishing 7th), but I think her decision to retire is the right one. And this is someone who arguably never had their moment in the sun. What’s the difference? Well it can’t be age; Liang is even younger than Czisny. And as progress goes, it’s a tough one to measure—while she did rebound from a 14th place finish at 2009 Nationals, her sole international appearance this season (Cup of China) was a dismal 10th. But whether Liang was finishing 3rd or 13th, we have to keep in mind she made her debut at Senior Nationals when she was only 12 years old! That was a decade ago! (as you can see in this adorable Clip of the Day)
As a former low-level competitor (read: VERY low, VERY long ago) who came in second more times than my hands have fingers, I can empathize just a little with the frustration that must come from being christened “the next big phenom” when you enter the elite ranks at such a tender age… only to miss the national (let alone world) podium every single time you try. Even if you’re of the Reason For Everything school of thought, that’s got to be a bitter pill to swallow.
But of course, it’s been swallowed by countless young, talented athletes through the years. Skating isn’t a Saturday morning soccer game put on by the YMCA; you don’t come away happy with a snack and a Capri-Sun and the simple satisfaction that you tried your hardest, and that’s what matters. There’s so much time involved, so very much money, and so many injuries that don’t shake off at 25 like they did at 15. And with so few fine skaters ever getting the public recognition they deserve, the rest are left to pick apart the bones for their tidbits of treasure, taking away as much value as they can carry before starting that Next Chapter.
Liang and Czisny were two of four U.S. “Olympic hopefuls” featured in the 2005-6 documentary series Ice Diaries. They’ve also, difficulties and all, been by far the most successful of the four in terms of their skating. If that’s not a testament to the multitude of ways a “hopeful” career can go, I don’t know what is.
NAME: Kimmie Meissner, b. 10/4/89
COMPETING AT SENIOR LEVEL SINCE: 2005
BEST NATIONAL FINISH: Gold medal, 2007
BEST INTERNATIONAL FINISH: World Championships (Gold medal), 2006
STAYING OR GOING: Staying… but switching coaches.
Meissner’s the wildest of wild cards right now. The once steady-eddie teenager with the full arsenal of triples (yes, including axel) AND triple-triple combos had a merciless fall from grace less than two years after winning her world title… then came a rash of injuries that sent her careening off the radar completely, in an Olympic season to boot. Would anyone have blamed Meissner if she took her sole U.S. and World titles, called it a life, and vanished from the competitive scene forever?
Apparently Meissner herself would have… she’s decided she still has something to contribute to this sport, and hauled herself back from Florida (where she trained with Richard Callaghan for the past couple of years) to train in Fairfax, VA with Chris Conte. Back on March 30 she announced on Twitter that she was going to be abandoning the service “for a while… probably a month or so”, and indeed not a peep (or Tweet) has been heard from her since then. Could it be a symbolic focusing move for someone who, at age 20, is young enough to potentially have her best competitive years still ahead of her?
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Five Things To Know in Skating News This Week
I’m bumming a bit today because the SOI tour is cruising through my town (probably wrapping up their performance as I post this), and my husband’s employer isn’t as giving with the comp tickets as they used to be… so here I sit instead.
But lest I seem ungrateful for the opportunity to blog, here are some links to things you may find interesting…
+ Have I already mentioned the documentary being planned by U.S. Figure Skating on the 1961 plane crash en route to Worlds? You can check this link to find out more about the film, including its planned title and release date.
+ Remember the news that U.S. Champion Rachael Flatt has decided to attend Stanford Univerity? She has now also announced that she plans to defer enrollment for one year, meaning she’ll presumably continue training in Colorado Springs for the 2010-11 season. Guess she’d like to see if she can defend her national title head-on at least once without the pressures of academia…
+ Speaking of contenders for that U.S. ladies title: IceNetwork is currently running a nice piece on bronze medalist Ashley Wagner, who among other things has been working like a dog to re-master her triple lutz—or should I say triple flutz—to reduce both the possibility of downgrades next season as well as the possibility of taking a tumble. The latter is what arguably cost her a spot on the Olympic team when she fell on the lutz in the SP at Nationals. No word on her new music choices yet, though I believe the words “slinky” and “jazzy” came up when discussing the new SP.
+ With no apparent end in sight to his 15 minutes of fame, Johnny Weir will reportedly give new meaning to his Pop Star on Ice moniker when he records (yes, records) a tune called “Dirty Love”… according to this article , anyway. Are you searching ITunes at the mere thought? Yes, I figured as much.
Ironically, the last skater I heard about doing something like this was none other than Canada’s Master of Machismo, Elvis Stojko. (Click on his name to see the results of that effort, which I might as well make the Clip of the Day…) Let’s see if Weir can grab some bragging rights on record sales, at least, when all is said and done.
+ And finally, in case you haven’t been following Dancing with the Stars… Evan Lysacek continues to tear it up over there on ABC, so his hellacious part L.A./part on the SOI tour bus life continues for at least another week. Oh, and have you heard that he and Weir are “at war”? Just as in days of old, when the two sat on opposite sides of Andrea Joyce on an NBC telecast and never looked at each other… somebody please, PLEASE find these guys a patch of snow so they can have a new pissing contest and be done with it already… good Lord. Way to take a good post-Olympic publicity season a bit too far, guys.
But lest I seem ungrateful for the opportunity to blog, here are some links to things you may find interesting…
+ Have I already mentioned the documentary being planned by U.S. Figure Skating on the 1961 plane crash en route to Worlds? You can check this link to find out more about the film, including its planned title and release date.
+ Remember the news that U.S. Champion Rachael Flatt has decided to attend Stanford Univerity? She has now also announced that she plans to defer enrollment for one year, meaning she’ll presumably continue training in Colorado Springs for the 2010-11 season. Guess she’d like to see if she can defend her national title head-on at least once without the pressures of academia…
+ Speaking of contenders for that U.S. ladies title: IceNetwork is currently running a nice piece on bronze medalist Ashley Wagner, who among other things has been working like a dog to re-master her triple lutz—or should I say triple flutz—to reduce both the possibility of downgrades next season as well as the possibility of taking a tumble. The latter is what arguably cost her a spot on the Olympic team when she fell on the lutz in the SP at Nationals. No word on her new music choices yet, though I believe the words “slinky” and “jazzy” came up when discussing the new SP.
+ With no apparent end in sight to his 15 minutes of fame, Johnny Weir will reportedly give new meaning to his Pop Star on Ice moniker when he records (yes, records) a tune called “Dirty Love”… according to this article , anyway. Are you searching ITunes at the mere thought? Yes, I figured as much.
Ironically, the last skater I heard about doing something like this was none other than Canada’s Master of Machismo, Elvis Stojko. (Click on his name to see the results of that effort, which I might as well make the Clip of the Day…) Let’s see if Weir can grab some bragging rights on record sales, at least, when all is said and done.
+ And finally, in case you haven’t been following Dancing with the Stars… Evan Lysacek continues to tear it up over there on ABC, so his hellacious part L.A./part on the SOI tour bus life continues for at least another week. Oh, and have you heard that he and Weir are “at war”? Just as in days of old, when the two sat on opposite sides of Andrea Joyce on an NBC telecast and never looked at each other… somebody please, PLEASE find these guys a patch of snow so they can have a new pissing contest and be done with it already… good Lord. Way to take a good post-Olympic publicity season a bit too far, guys.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
The Class OF 2010 Awards
Since we’re getting to that time of the year for academic classes (and a little past that time for the skating class), thought I’d better start posting what I’ve got of these before they go completely stale!
THE CLASS Of 2010 Awards…
Men’s SP most likely to pull me to the TV (or computer) every time:
A Day in the Life, Jeremy Abbott
Ladies’ SP most likely to be remembered as the “It” program of the season:
Bond Medley, Kim Yu-Na
Original Dance most likely to attract press in a very very good way:
Indian Folk Dance, Davis/White
Pairs SP most likely to be found charming, even though the song they used actually has zilch to do with clowns:
Send in the Clowns, Savchekno/Szolkowy
Best—and by “best” I mean most cohesive, exciting and inventive FS Program, Men: La Strada, Daisuke Takahashi, and Chaplin, Nobunari Oda
Best (see above criteria) FS Program, Ladies:
Gershwin Concerto in F, Kim Yu-Na…Samson & Delilah, Joannie Rochette…West Side Story, Akiko Suzuki
Free Dance most likely to be found spellbinding, and not just in Vancouver:
Mahler’s 5th Symphony, Virtue/Moir
Pairs Free Skates that were most likely to make people want to fly:
Albinoni’s Adagio in G Minor, Shen/Zhao, Impossible Dream, Pang/Tong
Best Success Story in 1st Half of Season—Nobunari Oda
The only thing he missed in those first events of the season was the 2nd triple axel, which he tended to pop. Perhaps we should have taken that as a sign of things to come by Worlds time…
Best Success Story in 2nd Half of Season—Evan Lysacek
Wow, talk about somebody peaking at the right time. Lysacek has never been my favorite among the men, but there’s no denying he got the Vancouver job done in extraordinary fashion. And he earned bonus points for handling the Plushenko fallout with terrific class. (What a success story right there—he defeated Plushenko!!) And his double-duty efforts this spring as the headliner for Stars on Ice while also bringing in the votes for Dancing w/the Stars continue to transport Lysacek to skating superhero status…
Best comeback (singles)—Evgeni Plushenko & Johnny Weir
… that is, if you don’t already have your “superhero” sights set on one of these two gentlemen. Plushenko, for all his post-Vancouver angst, trash talk, and ability to induce multiple eye rolls (at least from yours truly), still must be credited for returning to form in a way very few athletes can—particularly when they haven’t been back “at it” for that long. And Johnny Weir, while never really going anywhere to justify a need to “come back”, has still managed to do so in his own inimitable way. Who else could parlay a 6th place finish at the Olympics into such a publicity bonanza? For his reality series, for his book, his documentary, his public appearances, his “tweets”, his whatever.
Best comeback (pairs or dance)—Shen/Zhao
They were so much older than the rest of the pack… worked so much harder… deserved every bit of additional success that they found this year. And I hope they ponder a career in coaching as they “take a break” to settle in to raise their family.
Most unique music (singles)—Adrian Schultheiss (FS)
Featuring a hybrid of Insane in the Brain, Teardrop (aka the theme from House MD), and that always-charming ditty Smack my B**ch Up, Schultheiss’ straitjacket routine got more impressive as the season rolled on, including a best-yet 9th place finish at Worlds.
Most unique music (pairs or dance)—Dube/Davison (FS)
Unlike their SP music—the if-I-hear-it-next-season-I’m-ripping-my-own-ears-out Requiem For a Dream—I can honestly say I’d never heard Marvin Hamlisch’s lovely The Way We Were used for a skating program until this season. Seems odd, given how easily it lends to a skating program’s needs, but it’s true. Just wish D&D had been able to live up to the program more often than they ultimately did.
Best breakout season (men)—Adam Rippon & Michal Brezina
I would’ve said Rippon on the National front and Brezina on the International, but then by the time of Worlds, both guys finished within the top six. Blond guys haven’t been this well-represented in figure skating since, oh, what’s his name, with the mullet… and the ego…
Best breakout season (ladies)—Akiko Suzuki & Mirai Nagasu
One rebounded from years of discontent and recovery from a devastating eating disorder. The other rebounded from a year of growth spurts, coaching changes, and a fear that she’d never return to her pre-puberty greatness. Both managed to take absolute warhorses of skating music (Carmen and West Side Story) and inject them with something fresh and new.
Best breakout season (Pairs)—Evora/Ladwig & Berton/Hotarek
If anyone timed their peak better than Lyacek, it was Evora/Ladwig… I can’t fathom who’d have picked them to not only make the team, but have the best U.S. pairs finish at Vancouver (and still do well enough at Worlds to show it wasn’t a fluke). Berton/Hotarek, on the other hand, are the kind of young team that made such a strong impression at Worlds we can’t wait to see their GP efforts (assuming they get an assignment or two?) next fall. Incidentally, one of their coaches is former U.S. pairs champ John Zimmerman…
Best breakout season (Dance)—Zaretsky/Zaretsky & Crone/Poirier
The Z’s are relatively young but have been at this (at this level, I mean) for a while; on the other hand, C/P are still pretty new to the senior ranks. The Z’s are in a class by themselves for Israel; on the other hand, C/P will likely be challenging Virtue/Moir for Canada’s top honors for the next 4 years (Lord willing). In any case, these two teams finished 6/7 at Worlds, at a time when several teams above them are likely to bow out of competition. I look forward to their future efforts, and hope Samuelson/Bates are able to keep up with them too.
Berton & Hotarek’s Gala performance in Torino is the Clip of the Day … a gorgeous take on Romeo and Juliet that could easily be adapted into a competitive program next season (hint hint)
THE CLASS Of 2010 Awards…
Men’s SP most likely to pull me to the TV (or computer) every time:
A Day in the Life, Jeremy Abbott
Ladies’ SP most likely to be remembered as the “It” program of the season:
Bond Medley, Kim Yu-Na
Original Dance most likely to attract press in a very very good way:
Indian Folk Dance, Davis/White
Pairs SP most likely to be found charming, even though the song they used actually has zilch to do with clowns:
Send in the Clowns, Savchekno/Szolkowy
Best—and by “best” I mean most cohesive, exciting and inventive FS Program, Men: La Strada, Daisuke Takahashi, and Chaplin, Nobunari Oda
Best (see above criteria) FS Program, Ladies:
Gershwin Concerto in F, Kim Yu-Na…Samson & Delilah, Joannie Rochette…West Side Story, Akiko Suzuki
Free Dance most likely to be found spellbinding, and not just in Vancouver:
Mahler’s 5th Symphony, Virtue/Moir
Pairs Free Skates that were most likely to make people want to fly:
Albinoni’s Adagio in G Minor, Shen/Zhao, Impossible Dream, Pang/Tong
Best Success Story in 1st Half of Season—Nobunari Oda
The only thing he missed in those first events of the season was the 2nd triple axel, which he tended to pop. Perhaps we should have taken that as a sign of things to come by Worlds time…
Best Success Story in 2nd Half of Season—Evan Lysacek
Wow, talk about somebody peaking at the right time. Lysacek has never been my favorite among the men, but there’s no denying he got the Vancouver job done in extraordinary fashion. And he earned bonus points for handling the Plushenko fallout with terrific class. (What a success story right there—he defeated Plushenko!!) And his double-duty efforts this spring as the headliner for Stars on Ice while also bringing in the votes for Dancing w/the Stars continue to transport Lysacek to skating superhero status…
Best comeback (singles)—Evgeni Plushenko & Johnny Weir
… that is, if you don’t already have your “superhero” sights set on one of these two gentlemen. Plushenko, for all his post-Vancouver angst, trash talk, and ability to induce multiple eye rolls (at least from yours truly), still must be credited for returning to form in a way very few athletes can—particularly when they haven’t been back “at it” for that long. And Johnny Weir, while never really going anywhere to justify a need to “come back”, has still managed to do so in his own inimitable way. Who else could parlay a 6th place finish at the Olympics into such a publicity bonanza? For his reality series, for his book, his documentary, his public appearances, his “tweets”, his whatever.
Best comeback (pairs or dance)—Shen/Zhao
They were so much older than the rest of the pack… worked so much harder… deserved every bit of additional success that they found this year. And I hope they ponder a career in coaching as they “take a break” to settle in to raise their family.
Most unique music (singles)—Adrian Schultheiss (FS)
Featuring a hybrid of Insane in the Brain, Teardrop (aka the theme from House MD), and that always-charming ditty Smack my B**ch Up, Schultheiss’ straitjacket routine got more impressive as the season rolled on, including a best-yet 9th place finish at Worlds.
Most unique music (pairs or dance)—Dube/Davison (FS)
Unlike their SP music—the if-I-hear-it-next-season-I’m-ripping-my-own-ears-out Requiem For a Dream—I can honestly say I’d never heard Marvin Hamlisch’s lovely The Way We Were used for a skating program until this season. Seems odd, given how easily it lends to a skating program’s needs, but it’s true. Just wish D&D had been able to live up to the program more often than they ultimately did.
Best breakout season (men)—Adam Rippon & Michal Brezina
I would’ve said Rippon on the National front and Brezina on the International, but then by the time of Worlds, both guys finished within the top six. Blond guys haven’t been this well-represented in figure skating since, oh, what’s his name, with the mullet… and the ego…
Best breakout season (ladies)—Akiko Suzuki & Mirai Nagasu
One rebounded from years of discontent and recovery from a devastating eating disorder. The other rebounded from a year of growth spurts, coaching changes, and a fear that she’d never return to her pre-puberty greatness. Both managed to take absolute warhorses of skating music (Carmen and West Side Story) and inject them with something fresh and new.
Best breakout season (Pairs)—Evora/Ladwig & Berton/Hotarek
If anyone timed their peak better than Lyacek, it was Evora/Ladwig… I can’t fathom who’d have picked them to not only make the team, but have the best U.S. pairs finish at Vancouver (and still do well enough at Worlds to show it wasn’t a fluke). Berton/Hotarek, on the other hand, are the kind of young team that made such a strong impression at Worlds we can’t wait to see their GP efforts (assuming they get an assignment or two?) next fall. Incidentally, one of their coaches is former U.S. pairs champ John Zimmerman…
Best breakout season (Dance)—Zaretsky/Zaretsky & Crone/Poirier
The Z’s are relatively young but have been at this (at this level, I mean) for a while; on the other hand, C/P are still pretty new to the senior ranks. The Z’s are in a class by themselves for Israel; on the other hand, C/P will likely be challenging Virtue/Moir for Canada’s top honors for the next 4 years (Lord willing). In any case, these two teams finished 6/7 at Worlds, at a time when several teams above them are likely to bow out of competition. I look forward to their future efforts, and hope Samuelson/Bates are able to keep up with them too.
Berton & Hotarek’s Gala performance in Torino is the Clip of the Day … a gorgeous take on Romeo and Juliet that could easily be adapted into a competitive program next season (hint hint)
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Move #1 in the Coaches' Square Dance Goes to... Samuelson/Bates
According to my notes, the annual Coaches’ Square Dance (aka "Shuffle") started in early April last year… so you might say we’re off to a late start. But in an Olympic year, how could it be any other way?
Before we get to that first move in the Dance, here are a few other slightly related happenings from the past week:
+ Nominees for annual coaching awards were announced… there are several different ones (including for choreographers) and the details can be found here, but if you’re just curious about Coach of the Year nods, here they are:
Frank Carroll (coach of Evan Lysacek and Mirai Nagasu)
Yuka Sato (coach of Jeremy Abbott)
Jim Peterson (coach of US pairs teams & Olympians Denney/Barrett and Evora/Ladwig)
Igor Shpilband & Marina Zoueva (coach of Virtue/Moir and Davis/White)
Brian Orser (coach of Kim Yu-Na and Adam Rippon)
Saga Krantz (coach of US synchronized skating team The Haydenettes)
Tom Zakrajsek (coach of Rachael Flatt and Ryan Bradley)
I’m no expert in something like this, but in my mind there’s no one else for this year’s award but Brian Orser… not only is he widely credited for culling greatness out of Kim Yu-Na, but hopefully he’s getting equal kudos for helping her keep her focus all the way through Vancouver (for these purposes we’ll just pretend Worlds ’10 didn’t happen, ok?). No easy task there… oh, and somewhere along the way he also happened to steer a breakout season for young Adam Rippon. And if you saw either of his more prominent youngsters recently (S.Korea’s Kwak Min-Jung and USA’s Christina Gao), you know he’s only just getting started.
Well, I think I’ve made my case… the rest of you coaches can go home now. No, wait! Kidding!
First here are some of those other interesting articles…
+ The 2009 winner of Coach of the Year, incidentally, was Tom Zakrajsek… and one of his more prominent current successes, US Ladies Champ Rachael Flatt, answered “Fan Mail” for a pretty lengthy article in the Denver Post last week. No huge revelations to report; she hasn’t chosen a college (though she’s narrowed it to two and may still defer enrollment for at least a year anyway), and she still plans to develop her artistic side more in the coming year… but it’s a fun read, especially if you’re curious how she gets it all done. Trivia bit: you aren’t likely to find her in a long-sleeved skating frock anytime soon; she says with all the TV lights on much of the time it’s actually HOT out there in the arena much of the time!
*** UPDATE*** Actually, Flatt has made a college decision since this article ran... as noted in the comments section, she's going with Stanford.
+ Did you hear the rumor that the aforementioned Mr. Orser was interested in coaching Mao Asada? Thankfully that one was extinguished quickly; as you see here, Orser says Asada’s agent did indeed offer him the job at the end of the season, but he’s not interested. And so the search continues for Asada…
+ I suppose Asada dumping Tarasova counts as the first real move in the Coaches’ Square Dance, but it was such a bygone conclusion for so many of us, I barely think of it as a “move”. This next one, though, is different (and it’s the move I alluded to up at the top of the post): The #3 US ice dance team of Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates is moving up the road… leaving behind longtime coaches Yuri Chesnichenko and Yaroslava Nechaeva, and taking up instead with Igor Shpilband & Marina Zoueva (yet another entry for that Coach of the Year award). Here is one of several articles running about the switch… meanwhile, I just read over at Required Elements that Virtue & Moir have officially decided to continue competing. It’ll be interesting to see if all the teams in the Shpilband/Zoueva stable continue to grow and thrive… I’d hate to think of anyone feeling squeezed out at this point; they’re all so likeable. Hope it all works out.
For the Clip of the Day I found this “vintage” clip of Samuelson/Bates from their Midwestern Sectionals Novice Free Dance… back in 2003, when I believe they were all of 13 and 14!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Should They Stay Or Go: Men on the Frozen Bubble 2010
It occurred to me I’d better post my specs on the men before retirement announcements start to go out over the next few weeks (don’t they have to declare intentions soon so that the GP schedule can be assembled properly?)
Should these five guys stay or go? (in alphabetical order...)
1) Samuel Contesti, b.3/4/83, ITALY
On Senior circuit since: 2004 (I think)
Most significant titles (Wiki): He originally competed for France, then switched to Italy after the 2006-2007 season. He is the 2008-2010 Italian national champion and the 2009 European silver medalist. At the 2009 World Championships, Contesti placed 5th, his best finish to date in that event.
Most recent performances: The second half of the 2008-9 season proved to be a breakout time for Contesti, who must’ve thought his decision to leave France was the best he’d ever made for himself. The past season, though, was something of a backslide: no better than 4th at a GP event, 5th at Europeans, and 18th at the Olympics (though he rebounded a bit with a 7th place finish at Worlds).
Stay or go? GO. I get the feeling he isn’t really done, but I’m thinking about two things: 1) His technique problems, and 2) His age. His inventive skating makes him fun to root for, but he doesn’t seem to have many solid jumps in his repertoire…and at age 27, I suspect he’s already hit his athletic peak. I guess we’ll see.
2) Brian Joubert, b.9/12/84, FRANCE
On Senior circuit since: 2001
Most significant titles (Wiki): He is the 2007 World Champion, a three-time (2004, 2007 & 2009) European champion, a six-time (2003–2008) French National champion, and the 2006 Grand Prix champion.
Most recent performances: As we all know, he had an especially cruel time in Vancouver (finished 16th), which is even more stunning when you consider his world championship consistency-- making the podium 6 out of 7 times since 2004, including a bronze medal finish this year.
Stay or go? STAY… for one more year; maybe two. But not four. Some of the finest skaters of all time have faltered at Olympic time, and Joubert is now a charter member of that club. But he seems determined to stick around a little longer anyway, and has a second World title in his sights. I’m not a big fan of his, but somehow these past two appearances of his have me hoping he can find at least one victorious season—if Florent Amodio doesn’t overtake him, that is. (I DO think Joubert will have to at least pretend to take some of the CoP transitions love to heart in order to get it done. And who knows how willing he might be to play that game?)
3) Kevin van der Perren, b. 8/6/82, BELGIUM
On Senior circuit since: 2002
Most significant titles (Wiki): He is the 2007 & 2009 European bronze medalist and a six time (2000-2004, 2007) Belgian national champion.
Most recent performances: Up until Worlds last month, van der Perren was having as mediocre a season as he’s ever had, including a 17th place finish in Vancouver (and an unfortunate decision to revive his “skeleton” SP costume). But he rallied like never before in Torino in March, landing the first ever quad/triple toe/triple toe combination and finishing in the top 10.
Stay or go: GO. Sure, the free skate was a cohesion-less jumping show, but it was the best he had, and he skated it with heart… the way everyone should hope to do. Now he needs to put the period on this sentence and move on. Everyone should be so lucky to go out on a note like that.
4) Tomas Verner, b. 6/3/86, CZECH REPUBLIC
On Senior circuit since: 2002
Most significant titles (Wiki): He is a six-time (2002-2004, 2006-2008) Czech national champion and 2008 European Champion.
Most recent performances: The season started out quite well for Verner with a 2nd place at Trophee Eric Bompard, but somewhere between that high point and a long bout with the flu, he fell apart… losing Nationals to Michal Brezina, coming in 10th at Euros, and crumbling to 19th at the Olympics.
Stay or go: STAY. This is a toughie… I can’t think of another guy in recent memory who fluctuates so insanely and so repeatedly with his placements, yet is so insanely talented as well (he’s still landing a quad through many of these abysmal skates). He’ll only be 24 next season… and obviously he has a fierce challenger in fellow Czech skater Brezina. It won’t be easy for him to climb back, but I truly hope he does. I hate to see him go out this way. But please, Tomas, heed these two words if you haven’t already: SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST.
5) Johnny Weir, b. 7/2/84, USA
On Senior circuit since: 2001
Most significant titles (Wiki): He is a three-time U.S. National Champion (2004–2006), the 2008 Worlds bronze medalist, a two-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, and the 2001 World Junior Champion.
Most recent performances: Depends on whether you mean Weir’s skating season or post-skating TV appearances… On the ice, he held fairly steady with the past few years, with his sixth-place finish in Vancouver ultimately more satisfying than his “disappointing” 5th place in Torino. Off the ice, whether in his reality series or his countless appearances on the talk-show circuit, he’s become something of a cult hero.
Stay or go? GO. Or should I say GONE? He claims he won’t leave everyone hanging with his decision, but if he’s already got a release date planned for his long-discussed book, how can he possibly intend to keep competing? And that’s fine… despite his press statement about wanting to work on his technique in the off-season (I’m paraphrasing), I think he peaked a few years back as an athlete. As a celebrity? Time will tell.
I couldn’t find Verner’s FS from 2008 Euros, but here is his SP as the Clip of the Day. He upset Joubert for the win that year. Who’d have guessed they’d both be scraping the bottom of the Vancouver barrel a mere two years later?
Should these five guys stay or go? (in alphabetical order...)
1) Samuel Contesti, b.3/4/83, ITALY
On Senior circuit since: 2004 (I think)
Most significant titles (Wiki): He originally competed for France, then switched to Italy after the 2006-2007 season. He is the 2008-2010 Italian national champion and the 2009 European silver medalist. At the 2009 World Championships, Contesti placed 5th, his best finish to date in that event.
Most recent performances: The second half of the 2008-9 season proved to be a breakout time for Contesti, who must’ve thought his decision to leave France was the best he’d ever made for himself. The past season, though, was something of a backslide: no better than 4th at a GP event, 5th at Europeans, and 18th at the Olympics (though he rebounded a bit with a 7th place finish at Worlds).
Stay or go? GO. I get the feeling he isn’t really done, but I’m thinking about two things: 1) His technique problems, and 2) His age. His inventive skating makes him fun to root for, but he doesn’t seem to have many solid jumps in his repertoire…and at age 27, I suspect he’s already hit his athletic peak. I guess we’ll see.
2) Brian Joubert, b.9/12/84, FRANCE
On Senior circuit since: 2001
Most significant titles (Wiki): He is the 2007 World Champion, a three-time (2004, 2007 & 2009) European champion, a six-time (2003–2008) French National champion, and the 2006 Grand Prix champion.
Most recent performances: As we all know, he had an especially cruel time in Vancouver (finished 16th), which is even more stunning when you consider his world championship consistency-- making the podium 6 out of 7 times since 2004, including a bronze medal finish this year.
Stay or go? STAY… for one more year; maybe two. But not four. Some of the finest skaters of all time have faltered at Olympic time, and Joubert is now a charter member of that club. But he seems determined to stick around a little longer anyway, and has a second World title in his sights. I’m not a big fan of his, but somehow these past two appearances of his have me hoping he can find at least one victorious season—if Florent Amodio doesn’t overtake him, that is. (I DO think Joubert will have to at least pretend to take some of the CoP transitions love to heart in order to get it done. And who knows how willing he might be to play that game?)
3) Kevin van der Perren, b. 8/6/82, BELGIUM
On Senior circuit since: 2002
Most significant titles (Wiki): He is the 2007 & 2009 European bronze medalist and a six time (2000-2004, 2007) Belgian national champion.
Most recent performances: Up until Worlds last month, van der Perren was having as mediocre a season as he’s ever had, including a 17th place finish in Vancouver (and an unfortunate decision to revive his “skeleton” SP costume). But he rallied like never before in Torino in March, landing the first ever quad/triple toe/triple toe combination and finishing in the top 10.
Stay or go: GO. Sure, the free skate was a cohesion-less jumping show, but it was the best he had, and he skated it with heart… the way everyone should hope to do. Now he needs to put the period on this sentence and move on. Everyone should be so lucky to go out on a note like that.
4) Tomas Verner, b. 6/3/86, CZECH REPUBLIC
On Senior circuit since: 2002
Most significant titles (Wiki): He is a six-time (2002-2004, 2006-2008) Czech national champion and 2008 European Champion.
Most recent performances: The season started out quite well for Verner with a 2nd place at Trophee Eric Bompard, but somewhere between that high point and a long bout with the flu, he fell apart… losing Nationals to Michal Brezina, coming in 10th at Euros, and crumbling to 19th at the Olympics.
Stay or go: STAY. This is a toughie… I can’t think of another guy in recent memory who fluctuates so insanely and so repeatedly with his placements, yet is so insanely talented as well (he’s still landing a quad through many of these abysmal skates). He’ll only be 24 next season… and obviously he has a fierce challenger in fellow Czech skater Brezina. It won’t be easy for him to climb back, but I truly hope he does. I hate to see him go out this way. But please, Tomas, heed these two words if you haven’t already: SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST.
5) Johnny Weir, b. 7/2/84, USA
On Senior circuit since: 2001
Most significant titles (Wiki): He is a three-time U.S. National Champion (2004–2006), the 2008 Worlds bronze medalist, a two-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, and the 2001 World Junior Champion.
Most recent performances: Depends on whether you mean Weir’s skating season or post-skating TV appearances… On the ice, he held fairly steady with the past few years, with his sixth-place finish in Vancouver ultimately more satisfying than his “disappointing” 5th place in Torino. Off the ice, whether in his reality series or his countless appearances on the talk-show circuit, he’s become something of a cult hero.
Stay or go? GO. Or should I say GONE? He claims he won’t leave everyone hanging with his decision, but if he’s already got a release date planned for his long-discussed book, how can he possibly intend to keep competing? And that’s fine… despite his press statement about wanting to work on his technique in the off-season (I’m paraphrasing), I think he peaked a few years back as an athlete. As a celebrity? Time will tell.
I couldn’t find Verner’s FS from 2008 Euros, but here is his SP as the Clip of the Day. He upset Joubert for the win that year. Who’d have guessed they’d both be scraping the bottom of the Vancouver barrel a mere two years later?
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Mr. Weir Does NOT Go To Washington With The Other Olympians... But What About That Book of Essays?
So you probably heard Johnny Weir is writing a book.
Actually, if you’ve read any of his interviews in the past couple of years, you probably heard that a long time ago. But gee, one little Tweet from him a couple weeks back—
Book meetings! Get ready and brace yourselves.
And BOOM… the publishing world was all a’Twitter (pun only partially intended).
So maybe the real news is that Weir already has a publisher, and consequently a deal… and even a release date, according to this AP release that appears in USA Today. His “collection of wildly entertaining anecdotes” is supposed to hit shelves next January. Which means his book is already moving much, much faster than mine! But then again, he’s Johnny… and I’m certainly not.
I’m just a silly writer who wants to spoof him a little bit, so here we go…
TOP 5 SUGGESTED TITLES FOR WEIR’S ANECDOTES
5) All Things A-Cyrillic: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Inner Russian Diva
4) A Word to the Wise… A Little Black Aura is Nothing, and I Mean Nothing, Like A Little Black Dress
3) Fur and Cow Leather and Spandex, Oh My! Why I No Longer Give a Crap
2) “Weir Eye For the Skater Guy”, and Other Lame Attempts From The Media to Label Me… Get Over It, Darlings, I’m Your Teflon Nightmare.
And #1…
The Pain of Kicking One’s Own Ass with One’s Own Skate Blade… or, Why I’ve Loved Dallas Since the 2003 Disaster.
Olympians Day At the White House
For whatever reason, Weir was not one of the Olympians gathered in Washington D.C. today to meet President and Michelle Obama. Neither was Lysacek, who of course barely has time these days to eat a sandwich. But the Tweets were a-flying from those that DID go… here’s a quick summary of some of the skaters’ experiences:
jeremyabbottpcf In DC reuniting with the Olympians. Hoping to meet the Prez!
RachaelFlatt I am ecstatic right now! I cannot wait to meet Mr. and Mrs. Obama today at the White House! :)
Ben_Agosto On the way to the White House with Olympic and Paralympic teams! I'm so excited!
Ben_Agosto 2nd security check point!
RachaelFlatt just met the president, mrs. obama, and the bidens!!!!!!!! soooo cool
Meryl_Davis At the white house with the rest of team USA. The first lady is a hugger, so sweet!
jeremyabbottpcf Ok 4 not wanting 2 go due 2 exhaustion I thoroughly enjoyed myself! So humbling and inspiring to shake the hand of the leader of our nation!
TanithJLB Dunno which was better:Meeting the President & have him tell me I have a beautiful name/Seeing @CharlieAwhite 's face when they shook hands
Evan_Bates Hugged Michelle Obama today. Shook Barack's hand. He wanted one too but I was like, "Easyyyy prez, why don't you buy me dinner first?"
TanithJLB After a series of speeches from Senators and Congressmen,the room full of athletes finally quiets down when a vid msg from Colbert pops up!
RachaelFlatt @TanithJLB Was it because Colbert sponsored speedskating? Can we get Team Coco to sponsor figure skating????
RachaelFlatt Ok....off to bed. NOT. still hanging with Team USA ! But wish I was spending the night in the Lincoln bedroom! LOL!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Should They Stay or Go: Ladies on the Frozen Bubble 2010
Over at USA Today.com right now they are conducting their annual “Save Our Shows” survey—a chance for readers to cast a vote for or against a TV series that is deemed on the bubble by middling Nielsen ratings. It’s not any sort of vote that most likely makes a real difference, but it’s always interesting to see how the poll numbers stack up against the network decisions.
It’s probably only due to the timing of it all that I draw any sort of parallel between a TV show and a figure skater’s career. How can they really be compared? With an athlete like this we’re always talking about one that is already a proven success on some level—I hesitate to say the same about CBS’ Miami Medical (one of the “bubble” shows). Some series in the poll have already been around several years and have arguable run their course, and that’s indeed the real question behind these skaters—are their best years behind them, and if so, why continue? But when a TV show ends, a team of actors, writers and producers breaks up and dissipates… but those worth their salt tend to turn up on another “team” sooner or later, be it in television, films, theater, or even industrials.
On the other hand, when an elite skater decides their amateur career is at an end… especially a singles skater who never quite reached the heights they might have hoped for… I can only imagine it’s a much deeper, more personal kind of “breaking up”. And the options available for turning up elsewhere in the skating world are decidedly fewer.
Having said all that, here come five names you’ve likely heard by now… should they stay or should they go?
NOTE: I was hoping to add a poll over in the left margin—a “which one of these five do you want to STAY the most” sort of thing—but I’ve never done a poll and can’t figure out how to do it. I thought it was a “gadget” I could add, but that doesn’t seem to be working. If any of you can help with that, let me know via a comment or email and we’ll get it going… thanks.
1) Carolina Kostner, b. 2/8/87, ITALY
On Senior circuit since: 2003
Most significant titles (Wikipedia): She is the 2008 World silver medalist, the 2005 World bronze medalist, the 2007, 2008 and 2010 European champion and the 2007-08 & 2008-09 Grand Prix Final Bronze Medalist.
Most recent performances: Finished a demoralizing 16th at 2010 Winter Olympics, but rebounded to finish 6th at Worlds one month later (though it was an admittedly weak field).
Stay or Go? STAY.
Though I don’t care for her skating much, I’d hate to think her Worlds finish was enough of a high note for her to end a career on—especially when word on the street is that she could train a LOT harder than she has in the past. And as the youngest lady on this list, I’d like to see her hunker down like she never has before, and give it at least one more year.
2) Sarah Meier, b.5/4/84, SWITZERLAND
On Senior circuit since: 2001
Most significant titles (Wiki): She is the 2007 & 2008 European Silver medalist, the 2006-2007 Grand Prix Final bronze medalist and an eight-time (2000–2001, 2003, 2005–2008, 2010) Swiss national champion.
Most recent performances: After coming in a disappointing 15th in Vancouver (she finished 8th in Torino), she skated so poorly in the SP at Worlds she failed to qualify for the finals, plummeting from a 9th place finish in ’09 to 26th in ’10.
Stay or Go?
This is the hardest one of the five for me. I DO enjoy her skating, and looked forward to the time when she’d at least crack the top 5 at Worlds if not earn a medal. But she will be 26 next season… and has been plagued with injuries for the past several years. If you saw the fall she took on her lutz at Worlds, and the pain she appeared to skate in thereafter, maybe you understand why I gently advise her to GO… the pain ain’t worth it. (Plus, I couldn’t help but notice Switzerland’s got a pretty good up-and-comer in 20 year-old Bettina Haim, and Meier could be de-throned next year anyway.)
I know—I just said Kostner should leave on a better note than the one she left this season, and arguably Meier should too. But I think there’s a big difference between not doing your best because you aren’t working hard enough, and because your body is fighting you tooth and nail. Especially when you’re in your mid-twenties, not your mid-teens.
3) Julia Sebestyen, b. 5/14/81, HUNGARY
On Senior circuit since: 1998
Most significant titles (Wiki): She is the 2004 European Champion and 2002-2010 Hungarian national champion. At the 2004 European Figure Skating Championships, she became the first Hungarian woman to win the European title. She is also 4-time olympic team member of Hungary.
Most recent performances: Though she earned bronze at the most recent Skate America, she only came in 17th and 15th at 2010 Olympics and Worlds (respectively).
Stay or Go?
Her best Worlds finish (6th) was in 2004; her best Olympics (8th) were 2002. I say GO, and for heaven’s sake, get a book written about your experiences being in FOUR different Olympics—what a journey! (And by the way, Julia… if you speak any English… I’d be happy to help you write that book :-) )
4) Fumie Suguri, b. 12/31/80, JAPAN
On Senior circuit since: 1997 (GASP... and you thought 1998 was long)
Most significant titles (Wiki): She is a five-time Japanese National Champion, a three-time World Championship medalist, a three-time Four Continents Champion and the 2003-2004 Grand Prix Final Champion.
Most recent performances: Doing no better than 7th in an admittedly deep field at Japanese Nationals, Suguri failed to make either the Olympic or World team in 2010.
Stay or Go? GO! Go NOW!
I once heard Suguri imply in an interview what so many athletes must feel for a substantial part of their career—that she doesn’t really know what she’d do with herself if she didn’t train and compete every year. But I’m afraid she’s approaching “professional student” status now (the same status I think I once applied to U.S. skater John Baldwin Jr.). I thought after this year she’d finally bow out, but according to this article, she plans on continuing at least until 2011 Worlds (in Japan) if she can secure sponsorship. But sad as it would be, I kind of hope the sponsors don’t come through. Suguri’s already secured her place in Japanese skating history… and she needs to move on.
5) Akiko Suzuki, b. 3/28/85, JAPAN
On Senior circuit since: 2002
Most significant titles (Wiki): She is the 2010 Japanese national silver medalist, the 2010 Four Continents silver medalist, the 2009 Grand Prix Final bronze medalist and the 2007 Winter University Games Champion.
Most recent performances: After really coming alive in the first half of the season, Suzuki made the Olympic and World team for the first time ever—finishing 8th and 11th, respectively.
Stay or Go? STAY. As those who’ve heard her story know by now, Suzuki’s career truly stalled when her battles with anorexia plagued her training for several years. It wasn’t until she earned a surprise silver at 2008 NHK Trophy that her name really surfaced on the radar internationally. As hard as she’s worked to kick her disorder demons to the curb, I’d really love to see her stay in for at least one more season.
For the Clip of the Day I’m going with Meier; just not sure if I’ve featured her lately. This is her 6th place-finishing FS from 2008 Worlds, and if anyone out there is familiar with the artist on this piece (Tokuhide Nimi), please let me know as Pandora claims ignorance. It’s a unique and lovely piece to skate to, and while no blockbuster, definitely one of Meier’s best.
It’s probably only due to the timing of it all that I draw any sort of parallel between a TV show and a figure skater’s career. How can they really be compared? With an athlete like this we’re always talking about one that is already a proven success on some level—I hesitate to say the same about CBS’ Miami Medical (one of the “bubble” shows). Some series in the poll have already been around several years and have arguable run their course, and that’s indeed the real question behind these skaters—are their best years behind them, and if so, why continue? But when a TV show ends, a team of actors, writers and producers breaks up and dissipates… but those worth their salt tend to turn up on another “team” sooner or later, be it in television, films, theater, or even industrials.
On the other hand, when an elite skater decides their amateur career is at an end… especially a singles skater who never quite reached the heights they might have hoped for… I can only imagine it’s a much deeper, more personal kind of “breaking up”. And the options available for turning up elsewhere in the skating world are decidedly fewer.
Having said all that, here come five names you’ve likely heard by now… should they stay or should they go?
NOTE: I was hoping to add a poll over in the left margin—a “which one of these five do you want to STAY the most” sort of thing—but I’ve never done a poll and can’t figure out how to do it. I thought it was a “gadget” I could add, but that doesn’t seem to be working. If any of you can help with that, let me know via a comment or email and we’ll get it going… thanks.
1) Carolina Kostner, b. 2/8/87, ITALY
On Senior circuit since: 2003
Most significant titles (Wikipedia): She is the 2008 World silver medalist, the 2005 World bronze medalist, the 2007, 2008 and 2010 European champion and the 2007-08 & 2008-09 Grand Prix Final Bronze Medalist.
Most recent performances: Finished a demoralizing 16th at 2010 Winter Olympics, but rebounded to finish 6th at Worlds one month later (though it was an admittedly weak field).
Stay or Go? STAY.
Though I don’t care for her skating much, I’d hate to think her Worlds finish was enough of a high note for her to end a career on—especially when word on the street is that she could train a LOT harder than she has in the past. And as the youngest lady on this list, I’d like to see her hunker down like she never has before, and give it at least one more year.
2) Sarah Meier, b.5/4/84, SWITZERLAND
On Senior circuit since: 2001
Most significant titles (Wiki): She is the 2007 & 2008 European Silver medalist, the 2006-2007 Grand Prix Final bronze medalist and an eight-time (2000–2001, 2003, 2005–2008, 2010) Swiss national champion.
Most recent performances: After coming in a disappointing 15th in Vancouver (she finished 8th in Torino), she skated so poorly in the SP at Worlds she failed to qualify for the finals, plummeting from a 9th place finish in ’09 to 26th in ’10.
Stay or Go?
This is the hardest one of the five for me. I DO enjoy her skating, and looked forward to the time when she’d at least crack the top 5 at Worlds if not earn a medal. But she will be 26 next season… and has been plagued with injuries for the past several years. If you saw the fall she took on her lutz at Worlds, and the pain she appeared to skate in thereafter, maybe you understand why I gently advise her to GO… the pain ain’t worth it. (Plus, I couldn’t help but notice Switzerland’s got a pretty good up-and-comer in 20 year-old Bettina Haim, and Meier could be de-throned next year anyway.)
I know—I just said Kostner should leave on a better note than the one she left this season, and arguably Meier should too. But I think there’s a big difference between not doing your best because you aren’t working hard enough, and because your body is fighting you tooth and nail. Especially when you’re in your mid-twenties, not your mid-teens.
3) Julia Sebestyen, b. 5/14/81, HUNGARY
On Senior circuit since: 1998
Most significant titles (Wiki): She is the 2004 European Champion and 2002-2010 Hungarian national champion. At the 2004 European Figure Skating Championships, she became the first Hungarian woman to win the European title. She is also 4-time olympic team member of Hungary.
Most recent performances: Though she earned bronze at the most recent Skate America, she only came in 17th and 15th at 2010 Olympics and Worlds (respectively).
Stay or Go?
Her best Worlds finish (6th) was in 2004; her best Olympics (8th) were 2002. I say GO, and for heaven’s sake, get a book written about your experiences being in FOUR different Olympics—what a journey! (And by the way, Julia… if you speak any English… I’d be happy to help you write that book :-) )
4) Fumie Suguri, b. 12/31/80, JAPAN
On Senior circuit since: 1997 (GASP... and you thought 1998 was long)
Most significant titles (Wiki): She is a five-time Japanese National Champion, a three-time World Championship medalist, a three-time Four Continents Champion and the 2003-2004 Grand Prix Final Champion.
Most recent performances: Doing no better than 7th in an admittedly deep field at Japanese Nationals, Suguri failed to make either the Olympic or World team in 2010.
Stay or Go? GO! Go NOW!
I once heard Suguri imply in an interview what so many athletes must feel for a substantial part of their career—that she doesn’t really know what she’d do with herself if she didn’t train and compete every year. But I’m afraid she’s approaching “professional student” status now (the same status I think I once applied to U.S. skater John Baldwin Jr.). I thought after this year she’d finally bow out, but according to this article, she plans on continuing at least until 2011 Worlds (in Japan) if she can secure sponsorship. But sad as it would be, I kind of hope the sponsors don’t come through. Suguri’s already secured her place in Japanese skating history… and she needs to move on.
5) Akiko Suzuki, b. 3/28/85, JAPAN
On Senior circuit since: 2002
Most significant titles (Wiki): She is the 2010 Japanese national silver medalist, the 2010 Four Continents silver medalist, the 2009 Grand Prix Final bronze medalist and the 2007 Winter University Games Champion.
Most recent performances: After really coming alive in the first half of the season, Suzuki made the Olympic and World team for the first time ever—finishing 8th and 11th, respectively.
Stay or Go? STAY. As those who’ve heard her story know by now, Suzuki’s career truly stalled when her battles with anorexia plagued her training for several years. It wasn’t until she earned a surprise silver at 2008 NHK Trophy that her name really surfaced on the radar internationally. As hard as she’s worked to kick her disorder demons to the curb, I’d really love to see her stay in for at least one more season.
For the Clip of the Day I’m going with Meier; just not sure if I’ve featured her lately. This is her 6th place-finishing FS from 2008 Worlds, and if anyone out there is familiar with the artist on this piece (Tokuhide Nimi), please let me know as Pandora claims ignorance. It’s a unique and lovely piece to skate to, and while no blockbuster, definitely one of Meier’s best.
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