Ice All Stars 2009

Well by all accounts the show was a success. Great job Kim Yu-Na! South Korea's skating hungry audience was delighted to the hilt, Michelle Kwan made a graceful return, and the internet is simply a buzz with skating glee! My friend Reese was able to attend (she actually had a ticket for me...but work got in the way!) and said it was a good time. Everyone on Twitter who was there was simply buzzing about the show too!

First, if your interested in seeing the show. Just head over to YouTube and search for Ice All Stars 2009. You can see many (if not all of the performances from the show there. I've put one of my favorite clips below (I still today am completely impressed by Ilia Kulik).

Second, the cast. What an exciting, if unusual collection of skaters. While I wasn't surprised to see the likes of Rippon, Lambiel, or even Kwan in the show; the presence of Denkova and Staviski shocked me a bit. That's right, Maxim Staviski. Is this his first gig since his, shall we say, trouble? Guess he didn't have to serve those 2 1/2 years after all...

Finally, when can we begin to see this kind of excitement for figure skating back in North America. I'm actually quite jealous of South Korea right now!

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @skating102 for skating news, tidbits, and other fun information!

Pic of the Week

When he arrived in Nagano for his first (and only) Olympic Games in 1998, he seemed completely unaffected by the magnitude of it. Scott Hamilton repeatedly said, "it's just like any other competition for him. He's ho humming through it."

Ilia was the leader after the short program, which was no small feat considering Stojko, Eldredge, Candeloro, Yagudin, and Cousins had all turned in great short programs (I think that was one of the best men's short programs ever!).

The talk was the Quad...would Ilia attempt it...everyone knew Stojko was going to go for it...maybe even two! Ilia drew first to skate in the free skate (not a great place in the old judging system), took a deep breath, and began his program. Less than 20 seconds in he reels of a gorgeous quad toe and goes on to hit every jump in his program. At the completion of his program he smiles for the first time since arriving in Japan and you can see a youthful joy come over his face...a moment to remember!

The costume may have been unusual (do you remember the vinyl giraffe?) but the Olympic Gold Medal was splendid!