Yagudin, other stars visit Arena Sunday for final state show

The first skater ever to win the sport's four major titles in one season comes to Bridgeport this weekend as part of "a dream-come-true" career. Simsbury resident Alexei Yagudin, who celebrates his 23rd birthday on March 18, visits the Arena at Harbor Yard Sunday for a 4 p.m. performance with Smucker's Stars on Ice - and he's bringing along 14 champions that are among the sport's elite.

Sunday's performance is the final Connecticut stop on a 61-city tour throughout the United States that began Dec. 27 in Huntington, W.V., and will end April 12 in Portland, Me.

During the 2001-2002 season Yagudin, who was reared in St. Petersburg, Russia, captured the world's attention - and the hearts of many - by winning the Grand Prix Final, the European Championships, the Olympic Gold Medal (receiving the highest marks ever by a single skater in Olympic history) and the World Championships, where he received a record six perfect scores for his short program.

"Life can be hard on tour, but all my life I have dreamed about a career like this," the skater said last week in a telephone interview as he waited to board a flight from Orlando to Philadelphia with other tour members.

"There's a lot of travel on bus and airplane. But I am happy to have the opportunity to do what I love," said Yagudin, who is fluent in English.

Yagudin said that some ice shows are plagued by back-biting and negativity among the skaters. But that's not the case with Stars on Ice.

"I am proud to be with such a high-quality organization. I am a member of a team. We are all like members of a family and supportive of each other."

Among the "family" members who will join Yagudin on Sunday is skating icon Scott Hamilton in a rare guest performance.

Stars on Ice was founded in 1986 by Hamilton, the 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist, and his manager, Robert D. Kain of the IMG sports agency. The 44-year-old Hamilton, a testicular cancer survivor, retired in 2001 as a full-time touring member of the company, but continues to serve as co-producer. Bridgeport is one of about 15 tour venues where Hamilton said he will skate.

Making their debut with Stars on Ice this season are the 2002 Olympic Pair champions, Jamie Sale and David Pelletier of Canada and Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze of Russia. Both couples were at the center of an Olympic controversy concerning judging irregularities; in an unprecedented move, Olympic officials eventually awarded both couples gold medals.

Also new to the roster are three-time U.S. National Pair champions and World Bronze Medalists Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman.

Returning this season are two-time Olympic champion Katarina Witt, World champion and six-time U.S. National champion Todd Eldredge, four-time World champion Kurt Browning, three-time U.S. National Pair champions Jenni Meno and Todd Sand, and two-time U.S. National Dance champions Renee Roca and Gorsha Sur. (Olympic Gold Medalist Tara Lipinski, a Stars on Ice crowd favorite, has been sidelined because of injures.)

A portion of every ticket sold will be donated to the literacy programs run by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a network of more than 3,000 neighborhood-based facilities that annually serve about 3.3 million children.

The theme of this year's production is power - athletic power, star power and the power of a dream. Musical selections will include those by Elvis Presley, Bon Jovi, Tony Bennett and Will Smith.

Yagudin said he gets plenty of skate time in the show, performing three solos and three group numbers.

"I love figure skating. A production like this gives me a chance to show what I am capable of doing."

The skater, who said he practices about 45 minutes each day, doesn't worry about getting stale on the ice.

"No, the crowds energize me. When I am on the ice, the louder the audience becomes, the better feeling I have."

2002 was also a banner year for Yagudin in the pages of several magazines. Among the accolades: Sports Illustrated for Women named him to its list of "75 Sexiest Men in Sports" and People magazine named him one of its "50 Most Eligible Bachelors."

Yagudin said he's still single but looks forward to marriage and having children.

"Ten years from now I would love to still be skating, to be healthy and to be raising a family that's what I hope the future brings."

Yagudin said that he was raised by his mother in a poor, single-parent home. Despite the economic hardships, his mother encouraged him to skate and explore his love for the sport. (His mother, Zoya, who still lives in Russia, is now with Yagudin on tour).

Yagudin began competing internationally at age 14 and at 18 joined forces with legendary coach and choreographer, Tatiana Tarasova, who remains his coach.

When not performing, the skater said he enjoys playing soccer, tennis and golf and spending time with his American cocker spaniel, Lawrence.

For the world-famous skater, the happiest part of his day comes just before he falls asleep.

"It is then I am happiest, because it is the moment in the day when I am finally relaxing and I can have a sense of satisfaction knowing that I have done something to make people happy."