Skatabase Newsbits #1
Skatabase
SKATABASE NEWSBITS #1
A digest of recent news and views on the world of skating, as reported in
U.S. and international publications
----------------------------------------------------------------------
* CTV Sports renewed its broadcast rights deal with the ISU for Worlds and
all six Grand Prix events, as well as World Juniors, Europeans and the new
Four Continents championship. The deal could run possibly as long as to
2007. The events will also be shown on Sportsnet and the Outdoor Life
Network. ("Skating Figures to Help CTV," Chris Zelkovich/Toronto Sun,
9/25/98)
* After her 17th-place finish at Nagano, NICOLE BOBEK can be found
practicing for a comeback at the Detroit Skating Club, where she has
rejoined former coach RICHARD CALLAGHAN. Though she'd rather be back at
her new rink in Richmond, Va., where she hopes to settle, she says "I know
what we can achieve together...This year, people say, 'After that
Olympics, what can she do now?' Well, this is the chance for me to say --
'This!' -- and pull it all back together." Her and Callaghan's goals are
to win '99 Nationals and Worlds. After their separation, they are getting
reacquainted with each others' styles. ("Bobek's goal: Regain lost
glory," Jo-Ann Barnas/Detroit Free Press, 9/25/98)
* MICHELLE KWAN returns from a month-long August vacation, the longest
she's ever taken, to compete in this weekend's Grand Slam in Charleston,
S.C. with other top skaters. She may take "a week or so of down time"
this season. Kwan still is shooting for the 2002 Olympics
and says she would have stayed eligible even if she had won in Nagano:
"What I love about this sport is competing and doing your very best and
going out there and going to the Olympics and the world championships. If
that disappears, what else do I have to look forward to?" ("Kwan ready to
end long-overdue vacation," Bruce Smith/Associated Press, 9/24/98)
* TODD ELDREDGE was profiled in connection to his upcoming "A Skater's
Tribute to Broadway" appearance in Philadelphia on Oct. 6. His quad
attempt at the '98 Nationals in Philly and his disappointing perforamance
at Nagano are recounted. Eldredge discusses his future Olympic plans and
his image ("People used to ask why I didn't do things differently. 'Why
aren't you a little more outgoing, like Philippe [Candeloro]?' But that's
just not me. That's not my style, you have to keep things in a certain
range, and know the range that works for you.") ("Forget Quads and
Medals: Mood Less Tense as Eldredge Returns," Bob Ford/Philadelphia
Inquirer, 9/24/98)
* Novice skater BRAD GRIFFIES was profiled in the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution. Griffies and his mother comment on how much skating
has helped Brad through shyness and a learning disability after he started
at age 10. Under coaches DON LAWS and AREN NIELSEN, he is working on his
dream of someday making the World and Olympic teams and won first at the
North American Challenge in San Jose last month. ("Skating helps teen
glide through life," Jennifer Atkins/Atlanta Journal and Constitution,
9/24/98)
* KRISTI YAMAGUCHI has been named lead spokesperson for Mervyn's
California. Her new contract with them includes the expansion of her
"Kristi's Dreamwear" line of girls' clothing into a line of athletic wear
this fall, as well as appearances by her in print and on-air commercials
and "involvement by Yamaguchi in a number of corporate initiatives which
will be announced at a later date." (Business Wire: "Kristi Yamaguchi
Named Lead Spokesperson for Mervyn's California," 9/24/98)
* TARA LIPINSKI and MICHELLE KWAN were cited as examples of a successful
and productive sports rivalry in a recent article in the Los Angeles
Times: "In the last moments of the Nagano Winter Olympics, Tara
Lipinski had an edge that even she may have been unaware of. When the
diminutive athlete took center ice as the last performer in women's figure
skating, the 15-year-old needed a near-perfect program to knock
Michelle Kwan out of first place. She did just that...What may well have
supplied the critical wisp of wind beneath her wings as she triple jumped
her way to a gold medal was her intense and extremely well-publicized
rivalry with Kwan..." ("Just Duo It," Los Angeles Times, 9/21/98)
* The Scottish skating championships held in Edinburgh produced a
13-year-old winner named LEONIE SMITH, whose grandparents were Scotland's
pairs champions 38 years ago. Smith's win makes her eligible for next
year's British championships. ("Leonie follows in skating tracks of
golden gran Iris," Aberdeen Evening Express, 9/20/98)
* A favorable review of "Anastasia on Ice" in St. Louis noted: "...While
this tangled story of political violence and mental illness seemed an odd
choice for a musical, it has made a smooth transition from the big screen
to the ice rink at Kiel Center...French skater FLORENTINE HOUDINIERE
(aided by the likable voiceover of Meg Ryan) is charming as the amnesiac
orphan girl who may or may not be Anastasia, and Canadian skater SEBASTIEN
BRITTEN is suitably dashing as the young con man Dmitri (Dmitri's voice is
provided by John Cusack). Although the skating is more easygoing than
athletic, the principal skaters and the 30 supporting
players are effective within the scripted parameters of the choreography.
An elegant waltz between the Russian pair skaters MARAT and MARINA
AKBAROV is particularly impressive." ("Anastasia's Story Fares Well on
Ice," Joe Williams/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 9/19/98)
* Another review of "Anastasia" from the Chicago Tribune says: "...The
ensemble skating is of better-than-usual quality, with leads FLORENTINE
HOUDINIERE and SEBASTIEN BRITTEN a beguiling team. The lovely costumes
from Gregg Barnes and the gentle and romantic choreography courtesy of
Sarah Kawahara combine for a Feld ice show with more artistic integrity,
craft and grace than many of its predecessors." ("Anastasia Impressive Bit
of Family Fare," Chris Jones/Chicago Tribune, 9/25/98)
* The Mannheim Steamroller "Christmas Angel" special has finished filming
in Omaha. The production was more expensive than most specials partly
because producer Chip Davis chose to use three-dimensional sets (although
he saved money by using storm-downed trees instead of fake trees), and
because $1.7 million was spent to buy airtime from NBC. The show will air
Dec. 19 on NBC and stars DOROTHY HAMILL, ELVIS STOJKO, RUDY GALINDO and
TONIA KWIATKOWSKI, and was choreographed by RANDY GARDNER. ("It's a Wrap
on Chip Davis Christmas Show," Jim Minge/Omaha World-Herald, 9/17/98)
* The Darien Dynamites precision team from suburban Chicago was featured
in a story on the sport of precision skating. KATE DUNN, a two-year team
member, commented on the team's four major wins including their August ISI
World Recreational Championship victory in St. Louis. ("Teamwork Is Key to
Success For Precision Figure Skaters," Jeff Falk/Chicago Daily Herald,
9/13/98)
* SCOTT HAMILTON was honored by the Littleton (Co.) Public Schools
Foundation with its first "Spirit of Littleton" Award: "Conducting one's
life with grace, dignity and respect for others; meeting
life's challenges with optimism and courage; exhibiting a strong sense of
family and community; maintaining humility in the midst of great
achievement; and assuming a leadership role in making the world a better
place...Scott Hamilton, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist in figure
skating, shares these ideals...Artist Miles Hardiman, co-owner of
Cornerstone Gallery of Fine Art, presented Hamilton with a full-color oil
painting featuring Hamilton and the Olympic rings in the background.
Hamilton was an easy choice, not only because of his strong belief in
helping others but because the board felt he was a role model for any
child." ("Littleton Foundation Honors Hamilton," Shery McDonald/Rocky
Mountain News, 9/17/98)
* BRIAN BOITANO was interviewed about his "Skate Against Hate" show in San
Francisco which benefited inner-city youth. Boitano: "Talent is not the
most important thing; I want to expose kids to figure skating, to show
them that it is a great pastime." He also commented on his musical
choices for the show (Marvin Gaye and Seal): "I love Marvin Gaye, and the
Seal song is so ethereal, I get totally lost in it and just feel the music
swirling around me...The louder the better. It takes over, which is how I
like it." ("Boitano Takes a Leap Into Charity," Sylvia Rubin/San
Francisco Chronicle, 9/16/98)
* The Cleveland Plain Dealer ran a profile on 14-year-old PARKER
PENNINGTON and his recent success at the World Junior Tryouts in Chicago,
and his upcoming trip to Bulgaria for the Sofia Cup, his first
international competition, where he plans a triple lutz-triple loop.
Pennington has a new short program ("Ragtime"). He competed at the WJ
Tryouts with an injured right ankle: "They might not have thought I would
be there, but I knew I would. I knew I wasn't going to withdraw."
("Pennington Earns a Junior Grand Prix Tour," Amy Rosewater/Cleveland
Plain Dealer, 9/13/98)
* Many top skaters have left the sports complex at Marlboro, Mass. in a
post-Olympic shuffle. Among them is ILIA KULIK, who used to shop at the
Solomon Pond Mall in Marlboro but has moved to Los Angeles and left his
coach, Tatiana Tarasova: "The athletes cite professional and personal
reasons for leaving; none of them had anything bad to say about the
four-rink facility off Interstate 495..." SURYA BONALY, however, is
staying at Marlboro and has bought a new house close to the rink.
("Olympic Skaters Flock From Marlboro Skate Center," Bob Kievra/Worcester
Telegram & Gazette, 9/13/98)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
NEWSBITS can be found at
http://columbia.digiweb.com/~ellenbe/skating/newsbits
Ellen Edgerton (aka ebed...@mailbox.syr.edu)
Visit SKATABASE - the Competitive Figure Skating Database
for searchable results, historical skating data and more!
http://columbia.digiweb.com/~ellenbe/skating/index.html
PegLewis
In article <19980925103450...@ng67.aol.com>, skat...@aol.com
(Skatabase) writes:
>* After her 17th-place finish at Nagano, NICOLE BOBEK can be found
>practicing for a comeback at the Detroit Skating Club, where she has
>rejoined former coach RICHARD CALLAGHAN. Though she'd rather be back at
>her new rink in Richmond, Va., where she hopes to settle, she says "I know
>what we can achieve together...This year, people say, 'After that
>Olympics, what can she do now?' Well, this is the chance for me to say --
>'This!' -- and pull it all back together." Her and Callaghan's goals are
>to win '99 Nationals and Worlds. After their separation, they are getting
>reacquainted with each others' styles. ("Bobek's goal: Regain lost
>glory," Jo-Ann Barnas/Detroit Free Press, 9/25/98)
I like the quote from Nicole saying that it wouldn't be fair to ask Callaghan
to move to Richmond and leave all his other students. (As if he would drop
everything to do that.) ;-) I'm sure it wasn't meant to sound egotistical, but
it came off that way in print, just a bit. (Not the first time an innocent
comment could be taken "wrong.")
Peg, bemused
"This incredibly rapid unintelligible patter isn't generally heard and if is it
doesn't matter."Ruddigore
VisitTheAll-KwanNetwork @ http://members.aol.com/AllKwanNet/index.html
VisitLjudmillia's text archive @ http://home.swbell.net/icedance/millia.htm