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It is now just a few weeks until the 2018 Olympic Winter Games begin and the excitement level is rising in the global skating community. As we go to print, the U.S. and Canadian Championships are about to take place. Both nations will name the Olympic teams at the conclusion of those events. Japan and Russia held their national championships in December, and while Japan named its Olympic team at the conclusion of its championships, Russia will not name its team until after Europeans. The first half of this Olympic season had its share of ups and downs. Skaters rose to the challenges and set new standards in all disciplines, but that was tempered by a number of injuries sustained during practice sessions and at competitions. The quad debate has…
There is an unmistakable determination in Adam Rippon’s voice as he talks about the opportunity to fulfill a skating dream that has lived inside him almost since the day he first laced up a pair of skates. When the topic of skating on Olympic ice at the 2018 Winter Games was broached during a lively interview in early December, Rippon said, “I am very driven and I am focused. I’m focused on being in the absolute best shape I can be in. I’ve been focused on being consistent for the last three years. I’ve medalled at the last four Grand Prix events, last year and this year and I’ve been to two Grand Prix Finals. And I am a U.S. champion (in 2016). I have the pedigree to go to…
Earning a place at the 2017 Junior Grand Prix Final was a serious challenge for skaters in all disciplines this season. The seven-event Junior Grand Prix Series, which played out around the globe from late August through early October, was one of the most competitive in recent history. Six skaters in each of the ladies and men’s disciplines and six pairs and ice dance teams earned a place in Nagoya, Japan, out of the hundreds that competed during the Series. First-time medalists graced every step of the four podiums in Nagoya with no repeat medalists. Triple-triple combinations were a must-have for the ladies and every man who made it to the Final has a triple Axel — and for some, one or more quads — in his technical arsenal. As…
It has been a long road to the upper echelons of the sport for Vanessa James and Morgan Ciprès. Persistence, determination and the desire to be the best have been their strongest allies in the campaign to rise to the top of the international pairs field. So many disappointments and oh-so-many close podium finishes had them wondering if all the time and effort they were putting in was worth it. But all the hard work and sacrifices started to pay off in the 2016-2017 season, and the first half of the Olympic season has not only solidified their never-give-up resolve to conquer the world, it has also brought the rewards and results they once only dreamed about. In 2016, frustrated and tired of falling short of landing on the international…
International success has been a long time coming for Australian skaters. In its 100-plus year history, the nation has yet to have anyone land on an Olympic, World or Four Continents podium. But that may soon be a thing of the past, given the current crop of skaters coming out of the “land down under.” Kailani Craine, who hails from Newcastle — a place not known as a skating hub — is one of the new generation of Australians who are hungry for success. The 19-year-old made a splash on the international scene this year, capping off 2017 by winning the all-important Nebelhorn Trophy in September and, in the process, qualifying a berth for Australia in the ladies’ event at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games That followed on the heels…
First-time champions were crowned in all four disciplines, including Alina Zagitova who continued a four-year Russian domination of the ladies event. Fourteen skaters and/or teams from the 2016 campaign once again earned places at the Final, but some that medaled in France a year ago did not land on the podium in Nagoya, Japan. With Evgenia Medvedeva out of action recovering from a foot injury, the door was wide open for any one of the six qualified ladies to claim the top step of the podium at the 2017 Grand Prix Final. This year, an evenly balanced field, comprising two Russian, two Japanese, one Canadian and one Italian lady battled it out for top honors. Russia’s Alina Zagitova, who had won all three events she contested in her first year…
