 Archway Anecdotes #6 - A Very Long TuesdayU.S. Figure Skating Correspondent Tuesday might have been the longest day of the championships, especially with "not-so-high-speed" Internet
Notes from Tuesday, Jan 10 Monday night
After the novice events ended, junior pairs practiced in Family Arena. I was packing up and didn’t get to watch much, but one notable moment was Julia Vlassov and Drew Meekins performing a throw triple Salchow into triple toe. Upon landing the Salchow, Julia picked in for her triple toe and Drew did his in unison. Wow.
On the bus back to the hotel, Andy Seitz got on after me, and I noticed his spiffy royal blue suitcase. As I am still dealing with my mangled camera bag, I am looking for options for replacement. He pointed out that his partner, Kendra Moyle, had a pink one. Kendra was sitting in front of me and did show me hers, which is lovely. Sturdy, but still trendy and stylish. I was told that it also comes in orange and purple, so I’m looking forward to following up on this when I get home.
I didn’t recognize Kendra at first because the last time I saw her was at the U.S. Junior Championships in Lake Placid in December of 2002 when she won bronze in both juvenile pairs and ladies. She’s now a polished international junior competitor, having added three stamps to her passport this season on the Junior Grand Prix circuit. Her mother was on the bus too, and we compared notes on international travel, especially Japan (where Moyle & Seitz won the Junior Grand Prix event in Okaya) and specifically, well, toilets. When I attended the 2002 World Championships in Nagano, I was surprised that there were two styles in the public restrooms: one “traditional/western” and one that is basically a hole in the floor with footprints on where to place your feet.
For all the glamour and sequins in figure skating, there is nothing like discussing bathroom plumbing fixtures to bring it back to reality.
Monday night, 20 minutes later
Off the bus and cutting through the lobby toward the elevators, I run into FrankEnKen! For those who have not read my blogs from Atlantic City (and why not?! J) Frank Carroll and Ken Congemi (aka FrankEnKen) and I crossed paths a freakish amount of times. They were checking into the hotel, so it was nice to be able to say hi (to Ken, Frank was busy).
Tuesday, 7:47 a.m.
I enter the elevator with the intention of going down to the lobby to catch practice at Savvis. A couple already in there is heading up to the 18th floor to eat. I decide to take a ride. Yeah, didn’t know what that meant.
The elevator flies down to the third floor and then zooms up to one of the middle floors. Paula Wagener, a U.S. judge who is in charge of the sweepers at this event, steps on. The elevator then moves randomly from floor to floor, up and down, without the doors opening. We finally make it to the 18th floor and the couple gets off. Paula considers abandoning the possessed elevator but decides to try it. Bad move. We are hung up, doors not opening. After a bit we finally move down and the door opens. Paula tells me that I can write in my blog that she freaked out after being trapped in an elevator, her biggest fear come true. So Paula, this blog’s for you.
8:10 a.m.
I’m pretty much waddling due to all the layers of clothing I have on today. It may not be the most fashionable, but I was actually pleasantly toasty at practice. Today is the first day for senior men and ladies, and I didn’t want to miss it. Not all the skaters practiced today. Tommy Steenberg skipped his group and Shaun Rogers, Michael Villarreal and Michael Weiss were not there. Dennis Phan had his music stop during his run-through. After conferring with one of the officials, it was remedied and he started from the beginning to make sure the CD worked.
All of the men stayed for a while and signed autographs for the pack of fans who lined the stairs overlooking the skaters’ entrance. While I was taking photos, I met a beautiful woman who was looking for Frank Carroll, as she used to be his partner in Ice Follies and wanted to say hello. FrankEnKen were in a far corner of the arena with TLC’s “Ice Diaries” cameras on them. I pointed her in that direction and we said goodbye.
10:11 a.m.
Senior ladies group A takes the ice. Alissa Czisny is not here yet. I don’t blame her for missing the first practice. Worked well for her at Skate America and Skate Canada.
10:45 a.m.
Group B has just wrapped up. Sasha Cohen did not do a full run-through of her practice and left early. She even skipped signing autographs, something I’ve never seen her do. I’ve heard she’s been sick with the flu (true). The pile of used tissues on the boards by coach John Nicks was pretty high.
11:36 a.m.
Bebe Liang is the first skater in group C to do her run-through. She takes her position and the music starts. She stops and heads over to the judges’ stand. The music—is her short program from last year. For some reason they do not have her current music. Bebe leaves the ice and returns later with a copy. She is allowed to do her program after the other skaters have finished.
11:45 a.m.
Stephanie Rosenthal’s short program is a breakdance program to Herbie Hancock. After seeing so many code-of-point clones, how refreshing to see something that completely stands out. The audience loved it. I can’t wait to see it Thursday.
12:20 p.m.
Walking down to the media room, I pass Kurt Browning talking to Blades on Ice editor Gerri Walbert. Stephanie’s program comes up in a conversation about how so many programs look the same but hers was unique. Kurt, who is obviously passionate about skating, says he has a job as a commentator to voice his opinions but also has to keep in mind that the people watching are not the decision-makers in the sport. He has to educate the viewers and not make his airtime his own personal soapbox.
I hit the media catering tape for a refreshing Minute Maid orange juice as my beverage of choice. The mouth of the bottle is a little odd, though, and pretty much turns it into a vitamin-C loaded dribble glass. Fortunately I’m wearing black. I have not seen Susie Wynne today, so do not know if we are in clothing sync. But I’m guessing she isn’t wearing orange juice.
3:53 p.m.
Jamie Silverstein and Ryan O’Meara make their way to the mixed zone after the compulsory dance. After answering questions about the dance, Jamie takes some questions about her health and battle with an eating disorder.
“I think a lot of people knew what was going on, and I felt like when I was coming back I needed to be honest. I didn’t want to be building something on ‘well, I just needed to take a break.’ Ryan and I sat down when we got together and he kind of knew what had happened and where it was at. I know it would have been great for me when I was struggling to know that people can go through this and live a happy, full life. It took me so long to realize that. So hopefully if someone sees me and is struggling with something and gets some help or whatever they need to do, I would be really touched. I think we need to look out for each other, us girls.”
The serious moment is broken as a reporter says cheerfully “Bigger and better things now!” Jamie laughed at the irony and replied, “No pun intended!”
4:14 p.m.
Loren Galler-Rabinowitz and David Mitchell make their way to the mixed zone. After discussion about their performance, Loren is asked to comment on the death of her grandmother a few days ago.
“She was truly amazing and so strong in so many ways,” Loren said. “I think I feel a little bit of her definitely helping us through our skate. I know she’s here somewhere watching and cheering us on.”
Back at my laptop, I find the obituary. My grandfather was also a survivor of the Holocaust, taken from Poland during WWII, but he made it out of the concentration camp alive. He never spoke English and wouldn’t come out of his room, so I never had the chance to know him like Loren knew her grandmother.
4:55 p.m.
Morgan Matthews and Max Zavozin come to the mixed zone. Max is asked about his feelings about being a U.S. citizen last month.
“When I heard about the citizenship I couldn’t believe it because it was so last minute. I thought that it’s not going to happen. It was a shock. I still don’t quite realize to the fullest what happened. It was such a big shock that it happened. … We are really, really grateful too – for all of the people who helped us out with it. We don’t realize how many people were involved. Our part was very, very small. I am mainly happy that I got the citizenship because now I am a citizen of the United States. That was a big dream of mine. I lived in the U.S. for about eight years and I competed for the country internationally. Now, to actually become a citizen – it was one of the most important things to happen in my life.”
5:35 p.m.
Compulsory dance is over. Time for me to write my article.
8:39 p.m.
Still frustrated with pathetically slow “high” speed internet, Laura Fawcett makes an unhappy exclamation followed by “I just need some cheese!” and heads off to the catering table. There is now a plate of various dairy products near me.
8:54 p.m.
During the warm-up, Chuen-Gun Lee catches an elbow from another skater during warm-up and is flattened. His partner, Kate Slattery, comes backstage after they compete to tell the reporters what happened. C.G. was in the medical room receiving more treatment.
“I saw the team coming and I moved off to the side, assuming Chuen-Gun had seen them because we were separated a little bit at that point. I heard *smack* and I thought he hit the other team, but that they were standing there. I looked down and I saw him on the ice. He was bleeding out the nose. … I had it on my hands. I took a page out of Lady Macbeth’s book.”
10:17 p.m.
Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre take their position to begin their original dance. The beginning of their music doesn’t play, so they go over to the referee. After some discussion, there was a long pause. Finally, someone comes running onto the judges’ stand with a box of manila envelopes. They reach in and pull out a new CD. Yay! Kim and Brent go back to their position. Oops. Kim’s earring is on the ice. Quick pick up, shove it back in. And begin their very hot OD.
11:30 p.m.
I ask about C.G.’s injury. His nose was broken, but he is cleared to compete if he feels up to it.
12:44 a.m.
Wrapping up for today. This may be the longest blog yet. Thank you for reading. to top |