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querrelle and I took our friends A and V to the skating tonight. We had all attended part of Canadian nationals in 2008 (pairs and men's free), so this time we opted for ladies' free (tonight) and men's free (tomorrow). There are 24 skaters in the free, but less than half of them are compelling. So we rocked up with about 9 to go--which was perfect.
We got to the Coliseum and after driving around found perfect parking--right outside the arena. So we toddled up to the door, only to be padded down. WTF, at figure skating? Then they tore our tickets and let us in...to the boxing. D'oh! We giggled, perved a few hawt boys, then shifted over to the correct venue. Too funny!
The ladies don't skate as quickly, spin as rapidly, or jump as high as the men, but it's a different sport really. 3 of the top 5 women in the world were here tonight and they--along with a handful of others--put on a good show. Reigning world champion Mao Asada (Japan) made a strong comeback from a so-so short program, winning the free skate and moving up from 6th to third. Joanne Rochette (Canada) came second, as she did in the short: her skating has matured and her consistency served her well. So did her tenacity: each jump she fumbled she came around and gave it another go.
Kim Yu-Na (Korea) is the best skater statistically, but cannot seem to put it together at one competition very often. She led after the short, but finished third in the free skate. However her lead was still enough to stay in first place.
But the skater who moved me the most was Canada's Cynthia Phaneuf. In 2004 she shocked everyone and won Canadian nationals; the following season she won Skate Canada and was second at Skate America, earning a berth at the Grand Prix final (6th of 6th). After that she lost her national title to Rochette (who's held it since) and tumbled quickly off the national team. This year she started off slowly, but made it back to 2nd at nationals and she's soaring now. During the warm up the jostling and game-playing seemed to get the best of her, but when it counted she was focussed and elegant. She improved her best free skate score of the season by 20 points (and 25%). 5th overall.
Tomorrow morning it's the lads. Should be awesome!
We got to the Coliseum and after driving around found perfect parking--right outside the arena. So we toddled up to the door, only to be padded down. WTF, at figure skating? Then they tore our tickets and let us in...to the boxing. D'oh! We giggled, perved a few hawt boys, then shifted over to the correct venue. Too funny!
The ladies don't skate as quickly, spin as rapidly, or jump as high as the men, but it's a different sport really. 3 of the top 5 women in the world were here tonight and they--along with a handful of others--put on a good show. Reigning world champion Mao Asada (Japan) made a strong comeback from a so-so short program, winning the free skate and moving up from 6th to third. Joanne Rochette (Canada) came second, as she did in the short: her skating has matured and her consistency served her well. So did her tenacity: each jump she fumbled she came around and gave it another go.
Kim Yu-Na (Korea) is the best skater statistically, but cannot seem to put it together at one competition very often. She led after the short, but finished third in the free skate. However her lead was still enough to stay in first place.
But the skater who moved me the most was Canada's Cynthia Phaneuf. In 2004 she shocked everyone and won Canadian nationals; the following season she won Skate Canada and was second at Skate America, earning a berth at the Grand Prix final (6th of 6th). After that she lost her national title to Rochette (who's held it since) and tumbled quickly off the national team. This year she started off slowly, but made it back to 2nd at nationals and she's soaring now. During the warm up the jostling and game-playing seemed to get the best of her, but when it counted she was focussed and elegant. She improved her best free skate score of the season by 20 points (and 25%). 5th overall.
Tomorrow morning it's the lads. Should be awesome!
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