Russian bear hugs
Skater loves Canuck fans
| Source: |
Ottawa Sun |
| Date: |
April 18, 2001 |
| Author: |
Rob Brodie |
WEEKS later, the gratitude in his voice remains as heartfelt as
ever.
Alexei Yagudin still can't stop thanking Canadian skating fans for
helping him get through perhaps the most trying week of his
still-young career.
"It was a really tough time for me," said Yagudin as he reflected
back on the painful foot injury that threatened to wreck his week at
last month's world figure skating championships in
Vancouver. "Without (the fans') support, I wouldn't have been able
to get through it.
"I knew before going to worlds in Vancouver that it was going to
be the greatest world championships of my life. It was even better
than I thought."
Yagudin, who joins the cast of Stars On Ice for tonight's show at
the Corel Centre, is saying this even though his three-year run as
world champion ended in Vancouver. Even after he finished second to
Russian rival Evgeny Plushenko.
But he will never forget the way Canadian fans adopted him almost
as one of their own. When it became apparent their home-country
hero, Elvis Stojko, wasn't going to deliver a medal of any colour,
they cheered loudest for the fiery 21-year-old from St. Petersburg
with the heart of a lion.
"In my heart, I felt like one with the Canadian people."
No wonder, then, Yagudin is so enthused about being a part of a
tour that will take him through 11 Canadian cities from coast to
coast.
Yagudin now lives and trains in Connecticut but something about
Canada tugs at his heart like no other country.
"I did a show in Boston (after the world championships) and the
American audiences are always really good. But the Canadian audience,
for me, is the best," said Yagudin. "People here are huge fans of
figure skating."
Tonight and every night on this tour, though, everyone knows
they'll be taking a back seat to American favourite Scott
Hamilton. The Stars On Ice founder is retiring from the cast after
this tour, which senior member Kurt Browning is dubbing "The Scott
Hamilton Lovefest Tour."
Hamilton finished his amateur career in Ottawa, winning his fourth
straight world title at the Civic Centre. Canadians have embraced
him ever since.
"Canadian skating fans adopted Scott a long time ago," said
Browning.
And there is indeed something truly special about that, about
feeling at home when you're so far away from home.
Just ask Alexei Yagudin.
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