Boot and Blade

I often wonder what non-fans think when they happen upon a figure skating competition on TV. Are they amazed by the athletic feats? Do they marvel at pairs skaters’ willingness to be hurled into triple split twists? Do they appreciate artistic achievements?

Over at Go Fug Yourself, Jessica reviews US Nationals with an entertaining costume critique. Costumes, of course! Let’s be honest, it can be hard to get past the costumes to appreciate the athletes’ accomplishments. Her best commentary is for dance silver medalists, Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto:

“When I saw what Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto wore for their free skate in the US National championships recently, I assumed the routine was about either Elvis, or the Bee-Gees. Actually, it’s about God. WHOOPSIE. But can you blame me? Look at that majestic white jumpsuit!”

Indeed! Any outrageous costumes–past or present–that you think deserve special mention?

February 8th, 2010 | Tags: bad skating costumes, Ben Agosto, figure skating costume, Tanith Belbin, US Nationals | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Last week there was some discussion on another blog about favourite Olympic moments. Here is mine:

My favourite Olympic moment was watching Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov complete a flawless free program in Calgary in 1988. I was a very young pairs skater at the time and was overwhelmed by their performance and its perfection. I don’t think I blinked for the entire four-and-a-half minute program. In that moment, I fell in love with figure skating for life.

The incredible performance is worth another look:

February 2nd, 2010 | Tags: Calgary Olympics, Ekaterina Gordeeva, Sergei Grinkov | Category: Nostalgia, olympics | Comments (1)

As regular readers will know, the Canadian Championships are my favourite competition of the year. I’m thoroughly enjoying this year’s competition in London, Ontario and think the Olympic roster is stacking up well.

While watching Joannie Rochette put together the error-free program she’s been grasping for all season, my husband asked a very good question: “Why are Rochette and Cynthia Phaneuf so far ahead of the rest of the field?” True, the ladies behind them are laying down the triples, but their programs are missing the artistry and attention to detail that Rochette and Phaneuf need to compete with the rest of the world.

Why is the skills gap between 2nd and 3rd place so dramatic? It seems to me  that it must come down to resources. Skate Canada must put considerably more resources toward these top two skaters than they put toward skaters who place 3rd and below. Better coaching, top choreography and frequent work with sports psychologists give these skaters an edge. While this seems to make sense, especially in an Olympic year, it’s problematic long term because it simply reinforces the status quo instead of giving young skaters a real shot at the top.

Skate Canada provides funding to the skaters who place in the top five at Canadians. As a result, the same skaters win time after time. Rochette has now won six Canadian Championships. Under this system, skaters with real talent but too few resources to break the top five don’t get the support they need.

Figure skating clings to the status quo; it’s been the sport’s downfall and fans still aren’t convinced the sport is changing for the better. Figure skating could take some lessons from the NHL, which takes a different approach. The league constantly tries to fight legacy teams, bringing in the salary cap a number of years ago to try to even the playing field. The result is a more exciting league and happier fans. While changes to the figure skating scoring system has made inroads towards fairer competition, the funding system at Skate Canada seems to reinforce the old-school notion that “legacy” skaters must stay at the top of their field year after year, perhaps to the detriment of younger skaters.

January 16th, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Comments (2)

At the end of last season I wrote about CBC’s Battle of the Blades, which has now been running for a month. In truth, I didn’t want to like the reality TV show. I thought it would be way too cornball. Now, well into the series, I admit that I’m enjoying the show. Now, the series is very cheesy, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t. But, there’s something charming about seeing old-timer hockey players outwardly enjoying the performance aspect of skating, perhaps for the first time.

The women are true professionals. Not only do they have the patience to coach and encourage the players, but they’re courageous enough to be lifted by guys new to toepicks. The switch to figure skates from hockey skates makes such a dramatic difference to how these guys skate. It’s surprising how tentative and precarious they are on the ice.

I think what I like best about Battle of the Blades is watching Canadian figure skating and hockey greats share their love of skating. Having grown up as a figure skater who felt some animosity towards hockey players–and vice versa I’m sure–it’s nice to see the two sports come together, even if it’s just for a cheesy CBC show.

November 7th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Comments (3)

It wasn’t until I was flipping through the channels one evening and saw Emanuel Sandhu standing on an empty stage that I realized he was a competitor on So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Now, deep into the competition he’s in the “final flight” and has a chance to win the title. It’s familiar ground for Sandhu, only without the pressure to land a quad.

Boot and Blade readers know that I’ve never been a Sandhu fan. Still, I thought his So You Think You Can Dance Canada audition piece was wonderful. Take a look:

I love this piece. It shows off both Sandhu’s skill and passion for performance.

When Sandhu skated, I felt he was plagued by technical demands. While he could be a remarkable technician, it seemed he’d really rather be dancing than jumping. Take away the triple-triple combos and he’s a more relaxed performer and a joy to watch.

There’s another thing I took away from watching Sandhu’s audition piece. Apologies to all the dancers out there, but dancing is clearly much easier than figure skating. What you’ve really got is footwork without the toe picks. It’s no wonder Sandhu shines on stage, there are no required elements or death-defying quads to bring him down.

That’s my take. But, I really should ask you. Do you think Emanuel Sandhu can dance?

October 8th, 2009 | Tags: CTV, Emanuel Sandhu, retired skaters, So You Think You Can Dance Canada | Category: Skating News | Comments (4)

First off, hello! The figure skating season is about to begin which means it’s time to start blogging here on Boot and Blade. Thanks for joining me again this season.

Want to brush up on the sport before the first Grand Prix event? Check out How Figure Skating Works by Keltie Thomas, a delightful book sent to me by Owlkids Books Inc. to review. Aimed at young fans, How Figure Skating Works takes a look at the science behind figure skating. Despite being packaged for kids, the book is full of fascinating scientific and historical facts that any adult can enjoy. Alongside short descriptions of how ice is made, how today’s skate blade evolved and why school figures lost out to free skating are historical photographs and whimsical illustrations that help to give this 61-page book lots of life.

I especially enjoyed the scientific lessons on how jumping and spinning work, and colourful anecdotes about famous skaters. Did you know Katarina Witt always tied her skated three times for luck?

The book mostly presents a mix of science, history and trivia. But, it also offers a solid foundation for understanding the judging system (complete with an annotated score sheet), as well as a lesson on how to tell the jumps apart.

How Figure Skating Works would be a great gift for any young (or young at heart) skating fan.

October 3rd, 2009 | Tags: book review, children's books, figure skating books, How Figure Skating Works, Keltie Thomas | Category: Jumps, Skating History, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Battle of the Blades is Dancing with the Stars meets The Cutting Edge for figure skating fans. Next year, the CBC will launch an elimination-style TV competition featuring some of the “biggest names in hockey and figure skating,” according to CBC executive director of network programming, Kirstine Layfield. During each show, hockey players and figure skaters will pair up for a routine that will be judged. The losers will be voted off the show.

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?

May 18th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Apologies for the very late posting on my thoughts on Worlds! For what it’s worth, here’s my two cents:

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!

April 11th, 2009 | Tags: 2009 world figure skating, Bryce Davison, Craig Buntin, Jessica Dube, joannie rochette, megan duhamel, Patrick Chan, Scott Moir, Tessa Virtue | Category: Events, Skaters | Leave a comment

Apparently the figure skating TV viewing audience in Canada is way down because figure skating is just too darn gay. In this article, Skate Canada says it’s encouraging skaters and officials to use words like “strength” and “power” when they talk about the sport. Skate Canada is also asking athletes to tone down their costumes.

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.

April 8th, 2009 | Tags: Skate Canada | Category: Uncategorized | Comments (2)