Outside Opportunities and Comebacks

Just because a figure skater has the potential to dedicate most of his or her time to the ice, that does not mean that they cannot be otherwise involved in different activities.

While some make figure skating their lifetime profession, others decide to branch off and experience the world in a different light.  Some do, however, choose to stay along the same path.  Then, there are others that may part ways with the "skater" way of life, just to find themselves coming right back to it.

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean in their "Bolero" free dance performance.
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Janye Torvill and Christopher Dean were the 1984 Olympic ice dancing gold medalists and four-time world champions and are now in the seventh season of their British television series Dancing on Ice.

The dance team is working together to choreograph each participant's routine and within that, each season the requirements are getting harder and harder.  The elements being performed are being completed by celebrities that have never skated before who are partnered with other professional skaters.  

Having the show, not only impacts the participants lives, but it has also triggered memories for Torvill and Dean.  They are now in the process of making a come back after their seven-year break.  

Also, still making history, but out of the constant spotlight that she was used to, is Michelle Kwan.  

Michelle Kwan is nominee for the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.
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Amongst the 2012 nominees for the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame, is the the nine-time U.S. champion, five-time World champion, and two-time Olympic medalist, Michelle Kwan.  

This is said to be one of the strongest group of nominees to ever be considered for this position.  All of the potential candidates meet all of the necessary criteria established by the nomination committee.  

The announcement is to come on December 15, 2011 and the ceremonies will take place at the 2012 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships in San Jose, California at the end of January.

Having such a successful career on the ice is any skater's dream, but being able to do that off the ice as well, opens up numerous opportunities.  

Tim Koleto, the Midwestern Sectional junior champion has other hopes and dreams outside of excelling on the ice.
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Aside from being the new Midwestern Sectinal junior champion, Tim Koleto, hopes of someday being a published writer. 

Starting at the age of 14 or 15, he was already writing fantasy novels.  Unfortunately, the first half of his first creation was lost, due to his computer crashing.

Unlike most people that would get completely frustrated about the problem, he took it in stride and is now working on the fourth revision of the piece called, Reverse.  

With his writing, he is developing a creative side and is taking it to the ice.  In his recent performance, Mishima free skate, he wore a costume he designed.

Having dispensable creativity not only allows for unique positions and interpretations on the ice, but also in everyday life. If one thing fails, then there is always a back-up plan waiting to be put in action.  Most high level competitors do not have to do so, but it is worth having just in case.  Also, no matter where these athletes turn, they will always be remembered for leaving their mark on the figure skating world.  

Flying High

From level 4 spiral sequences to level 3 foot work sequences, level 2 combination spins, and level 1 solo jumps its all about the levels an element is assigned.

A double axel used to be enough, but now it must be performed at a rate that will bring in points and earn a level.

It is frustrating to the more experienced athletes used to the old system, but constant updates and adjustments are being made to accommodate the skater.

The requirements vary from level to level depending on the area either singles, dance, or pairs skating.  There are also different variations in mens' and womens' requirements as well.

Men have longer program durations as well as more jumping and spin passes with an additional footwork sequence than what the women do.  Dance teams used to not only have their free dance and original dance, but also compulsory dances.  Now, that has changed and the compulsories are no longer a requirement in competitions.

Under the old system there were also more risks taken and harder elements being attempted.  It used to be about how daring one was and now it is more about playing it close to the books and just adding variations.

That however did not stop Brandon Mroz who represents the Broadmoor Skating Club.  He performed the first ever quadruple Lutz in his short program at the Colorado Springs Invitational.

It also is not holding Team USA back in the competitions.  They earned three medals in the 2011 Skate Canada and the 2011 Cup of Nice.

Ashley Wagner claimed the bronze medal in the ladies event after she was second in the short program.

Keegan Messing made his first senior debut placing first and capturing the gold.  He went into the long program sitting in first and scored a fourth place finish in the long.  Messing managed to hold on to the gold and capture the title in the end though.

Mary Beth Marley and Rockne Brubaker won the bronze medal.

So new adjustments are just slight changes for these top-of-the-line athletes who just keep prevailing to the top.

Ashley Wagner demonstrates her flexibility at the 2011 Skate Canada
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Off to Cali!!

On October 21-23, skaters from around the world will be getting ready to step out onto the ice to compete in the Hilton HHonors Skate America in Ontario, California.  

This event, even though it may be used just as another competition for some, for others, it takes on the historical aspect.  

Dating back to when it was known as the Norton Skate in 1979, this competition served as one last opportunity to take the ice to work out the kinks in a skater's routine.  It was held in Lake Placid before the Olympic Games were held there the same year.  

This competition was deemed by the Olympic Regional Development Authority, a part of the Flaming Leaves Festival, which was only four months before the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.

When the competition returned the following year in 1981, it was then renamed, Skate America.

From the beginning the event was invitation only to those skaters who were from around the world and were the best of the best.  

So for three days about 60 skaters will compete at the Olympic level in an event that numbers one of six of its kind.  This particular event is part of the International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix Series that takes place each year. 

The events they will compete in are the same as today as what they were back then.  Those divisions are, the Men's, Ladies, and Pairs short and long programs as well as the short Dance and the free Dance.  

After all the competing has commenced on the final day there is a Skating Spectacular, which exhibits the skating talents of the top four finishers in each of the four categories.  

Once the scores are tallied from the other competitions in the series being, Skate Canada, NHK Trophy, Cup of China, Trophee Eric Bompard and Rostelecom Cup (also formerly known as the Cup of Russia), as well as Skate America, then the top six men, women, pairs teams, and dance teams are invited to represent their country at the ISU Grand Prix Final.  

Let the Qualifying Begin

It's that time again.  This is the peek time for figure skaters in the qualifying season with the important competitions underway.  It is the make-it or break-it part of the season.  Each competition, each practice, each program determines if you continue on your way to advancing to the next competition or if your season is done.  


The U.S. is broken up into 9 regions, which each hold their own regional competition.  From there it depends on how large your group is at that particular level as to how many rounds you have to skate before even advancing to the next competition.  


When groups number over 100 skaters there are normally 3 rounds.  The initial round, you must place in the top 4 to move on to the middle round and place in the top 9 to continue.  From there, a skater must place in the top 4 in the final round to move on to the next competition being it either Junior Nationals for Juvenile and Intermediate competitors or Sectionals for Novice, Junior, or Senior skaters. 


The levels are the same for both men and women and go up in the order of:
Pre-Beginner, Beginner, Pre-Preliminary, Preliminary, Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile, Intermediate, Novice, Junior, Senior.  


So, the competitions all year that a skater did in preparation leading up to this event were just practice.  This is when the performance really counts.  It does not matter how well you did other times, it's about the presentation and technicality of the performance when you take the ice at that moment.  


Amateur skaters must each go through this process unless the group is significantly smaller allowing each competitor to automatically move on without competing at their specified Regionals. 


"I don't have to do Regionals this year because their are only 4 of us, so we automatically move on," said Alexander Aiken who is competing at the Senior level. 


This means that he automatically advances on to Sectionals and from there he would have to place in the top 4 in the final round to move on to Nationals.  If it was an Olympic year after Nationals comes the Olympic trials and each competitor that is sent there must have a solid history.  There is a limit as to how many skaters the U.S. can send just as well as every other country with the addition of one back-up incase of an injury or illness.  


Based upon the skater's success rate, one has the opportunity to compete overseas and internationally.  


"Whether you are competing overseas or within the continental U.S., the skating is still the same and there are still the same requirements," said Aiken who is currently working on his triple axel (3.5 revolutions in the air) and quads (4 revolutions in the air with the exception of the quad axel being 4.5 revolutions). 


With the competitions  underway, its the beginning of a new season of champions.  

Welcome to U.S. Figure Skating

Alexander Aiken is a member of the US Figure Skating Team (www.usfsa.org)