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Watching the skate wars from afar
Across the Pacific Ocean, Canadian skaters are struggling to find medals at Big Hat arena in Nagano, site of the 1998 Olympics
| Source: |
Globe and Mail |
| Date: |
November 6, 2009 |
| Author: |
Beverley Smith |
I’m about as far away from the figure skating wars as possible,
sitting at Santa Anita Park in Los Angeles, with a foggy view of the
San Gabriel Mountains hovering above my laptop.
This is horse heaven here today, at the Breeders’ Cup world
thoroughbred championships, with nary an ice chip or a skating blade
in sight. Across the Pacific Ocean, Canadian skaters are struggling to
find medals at Big Hat arena in Nagano, site of the 1998
Olympics. These are two different worlds.
Canadian horses are here this weekend, searching for “medals” too
against the best in the world. It is their Olympic Games. Already at 8
a.m., cars were lined up to get into Santa Anita. The chef at The
Carvery on the first floor was brandishing his knife. And for some
reason, Breeders’ Cup folks still think it’s a good idea to charge
$10 for grandstand admission, at a time when the American economy isn’
t at its zenith. It’ll be interesting to see how many people show up
for this spectacle today and tomorrow.
Santa Anita itself? Beautiful racetrack. VAST grandstand, with wooden
chairs that remind you of a 1940s setting. Stunning views. A special
place.
While I’m gone, Battle of the Blades continues apace this weekend,
with Katarina Witt as guest judge. Both I and two-time world champion,
Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland, have been at just about every Sunday
night event. He’s quite amused by it all. So am I.
Last Sunday night, the entertainment didn’t start with the CBC
show. Co-host Kurt Browning decided to get a little exercise before
the show started, not an easy task in the spotlights and the lighting
display of rotating logos. Once the lights went up, Browning set to
work, astonishing people who were filing to their seats. He landed
several triple toe loop – triple toe loop jump combinations. And then
a couple of double Axel – half loop – triple Salchow sequences. Not
bad for a 43-year-old who has had knee surgery.
True to form, Browning took some pratfalls, and made them look as if
he did them on purpose. He has a particular skill at making people
laugh and entertaining them.
Browning wrapped up his show with one last bit of showmanship. Donald
Jackson was sitting in the front row of chairs on the ice. This is the
Donald Jackson who was the first man to land a triple Lutz in
competition in 1962 and who won Canada’s first world figure skating
title among men with a gutsy come-from-behind performance – the
ultimate competitor. Jackson started a train of ground-breaking
Canadian males in the sport: Donald McPherson, Toller Cranston, Vern
Taylor (first man to land a triple Axel), Brian Orser, Browning, Elvis
Stojko, Jeff Buttle, and why not? Let’s throw Gary Beacom in
there.
Browning swirled up to Jackson, knelt down and kissed his shoe.
Enough said.
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