Johnny Weir (1) is getting married tomorrow! (2) can't understand why Patrick Chan keeps falling and winning and (3) resumes serious training with his coach, Galina Zmievskaya. [icenetwork]
Mao Asada wins fifth Japanese National title, just weeks after her mother's death. [Aunt Joyce's Ice Cream Stand]
Nikolai Morozov's take on male figure skaters in Russia...very interesting. [FSUniverse]
Stars On Ice begins tour in Lake Placid and Kurt Browning is choreographing the entire show! [LakePlacidNews]
The top 10 ice dance performances every are...[cbc.ca]
Evgeni Plushenko wins ninth Russian National Championships. Sochi Olympics 2014 here he comes! [icenetwork]
Evgeni Pluschenko allowed to skate at upcoming European championships. [RT]
Patrick Chan wins Canadian Press athlete of the year. [TheStar]
Lucinda "Queen of Spin" Ruh is pregnant with twins! (photo at right, Lucinda with husband Anthony on wedding day, October 16, 2010 at St. Patrick's Cathedral, NYC) [CTNow]
Wow -- check out International Figure Skating magazine's newly designed website. [IFS]
Blazing Blades recounts how it all started. This is my daily go-to blog for figure skating news. [Blazing Blades]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (December 13, 2011) -- Seeking adult competitive figure skaters in the NYC and LA area for a docu-series for network television
Are you an avid adult skater who loves to compete? Did you start skating as an adult or did you return to skating after some time away? We are interested in casting adult skaters who love to compete, especially in the Interpretive/Showcase events. There is no age limit and we are interested in all levels -- the only criteria is that your love of skating and competition come through!
**We are meeting and filming skaters in the NYC area from December 15 - 19th. We are meeting and filming skaters in the Los Angeles area from December 20 - beginning of January.
If you believe you would be great for the docu-series, please send an email to: TroyRuptash@roadrunner.com. The subject line must read: Adult competitive figure skater. Thank you everyone!
Our favorite Queen of Spin Lucinda Ruh has come out with her autobiography Frozen Teardrop. Here's my Q&A with Lucinda, days before her book launch party:
Why write a book now? You're only 32! Lucinda: Well yes I am only 32, yet I feel I have had so many unique, diverse and extremely beautiful and extremely harsh experiences, not only by traveling but by living in so many places all around the world. I wanted to write my book because so much of my story has gone untold and I felt I already had a little of a platform on which I could build on to express my views and experiences on so many different aspects of my life in terms of physical and mental emotions and relationships from parent to child and coach to student. For me, I wanted to emphasize that the most important relationship in life is the one you have with yourself and I have learned that becoming a champion in life means achieving your dreams without ever having to sacrifice yourself, self worth or self respect.
What do you hope to convey to your fans about you that they don't already know? Lucinda: I know my fans know about my spins but my story of where I came from, where I have lived and what I have lived through to have those spins have never been told and I hope to convey a fascinating journey of trials and tribulations where you must read the book to know it all!
The summary of the book states that you've gone through a lot, emotionally and physically. Can you give us a glimpse of some of the heartaches you went through? Lucinda: I have been through intense emotional and physical abuse from a very young age -- injuries ranging from broken and fractured bones, torn ligaments and ongoing concussions that have not only hindered my skating career but my life as well. This of course having a domino effect has hindered an array of problems that were left undiagnosed and a long time of suffering only proved to make me a stronger person who now appreciates every day of life as a second chance to live. More so, living always in a foreign country making me always the fish out of water led me to feel that only my parents where my constant in life making our family dynamics quite interesting.
How's married life? Did you think you'd ever find happiness with Mr. Right in Greenwich, CT? Lucinda: I love married life! To have that someone with whom you can share so much of life's intimate and precious moments makes him that much more special, and the hard times that much less of a struggle. It is funny because when I was still competing, my mother and I used to come to Greenwich to work on new programs with Lea-Ann Miller. Even then I used to tell my mother I love Greenwich and one day I would love to live here! Lo and behold, now I am! Life is quite amazing so be careful what you wish for! (photo above: Lucinda with husband Anthony on wedding day, October 16, 2010 at St. Patrick's Cathedral, NYC, photo at right: Lucinda, Anthony and Dick Button at book launch party for Frozen Teardrop)
And below is my video interview with Lucinda when she was blonde(!) and was working on her autobiography and preparing for her wedding:
Figure skating television schedule, starting with Skate America on NBC on October 22. [Figure Skating Fan Page]
Florent Amodio feels no pressure to defend European title. [icenetwork]
Mirai Nagasu wins Nebelhorn Trophy competition in Oberstdorf, Germany. Caydee Denney and John Coughlin win bronze in pairs. See complete results here. [deu-event]
Check out photos from A Tribute to the Protopopovs from Lake Placid. [Lake Placid Skater]
Johnny Weir headlines Ice Theatre of New York's annual benefit gala on October 24 in NYC. [IceTheatre] (photo from l to r, benefit co-chair Aja Zanova, Johnny Weir, Ice Theatre of New York founder Moira North, photo credit Erika Harrsch)
The top 10 ice dance performances every are...[cbc.ca]
