SKATE AMERICA
Here's the first part of my stan report about Skate America.
Being at Skate America in person was thrilling. I got a "gold" ticket package, which included all competitions, the gala and the practices. I got it months ago, but the seats were 15 rows behind the judges. As you could see on TV, the arena was about a quarter full for the competition. It was even more empty for the practice sessions, so, those of us that wanted to sit up close, could just park ourselves in the front rows.
On the first day, Thursday, which was only practice, I was sitting in the front row across from the judges' section when the BB Chinese pair skater, Wenjing Sui, fell hard on a throw jump, right nearby. She didn't get up by herself, and when her partner pulled her up and started to skate her to their coach, her knees buckled. It was very upsetting, particularly since she's so tiny and young. But, a few minutes after they examined her, she went back to practicing. Those pairs girls are tough and brave.
The closest place to the skaters was by their entrance. I wanted to get photos of skaters holding the _skating sign I'd made, and I'd made a book of drawings I wanted to give to Meryl. So, I got to the arena as soon as it opened on Friday, and planted myself in the first row by that entrance for the rest of the practices and for most of the competition and gala. People sitting there could watch the skaters talk to their coaches. Of course, we did not bother the skaters before they went on the ice or while they were on the ice, but once they stepped off the ice at the end of practice, we called to them. Sitting next to me was a woman from Japan, who stans DaisukeT, and flew to Portland because she could never have gotten that close to him in Japan. I asked her how to address him in Japanese. She said that he's probably so freaked out by the fan attention he gets from the Japanese, that it would be better to say his name in an American accent. However, whatever way we called to him, he would only wave to us, and wouldn't come over. She did manage to hand him a bouquet, leaning down to the kiss & cry after his FS. Sitting next to the Japanese woman was a woman from China (who's working in Philadelphia). She's an Oda fan, but we were all mature about our different preferences. So, these women could speak in Mandarin or Japanese to those skaters who didn't know much English. It seemed that the newer American skaters were surprised and pleased by the fan attention and the foreign skaters were surprised that they had American fans (of course, much of the audience seemed to be from outside Oregon, and there were banners from Canada, Japan and Korea).
Here are some photos (sorry about the technical quality):
We were able to ask them if she was feeling okay, and they said she was. These BBs are irresistible. The audience loved them. She projects charm and he's a rascal.
HBBIC
Luhv him:
Shawn Sawyer is so fabulous (and I told him so). He reminds me a bit of JButt in his posture and puckishness. Like Alissa Czisny, he's extraordinarily talented, with exceptional line, but plagued by jump problems at competitions. I was sad he had so many errors in his SP that he was totally out of contention. Yet he rallied for his FS. I had a front-row view of his determination to hit his jumps. He did, and I think he threw in a few extras, too. His characterization was fantastic, including kicking out at the judges. It was a party.
I sat right behind the judges for the mens SP. It's very effective when the skaters flirt. Shawn does that well, and so do Armin and DaisukeT. I'm so happy for Armin and his happiness. I'd already gotten him to pose with a sign at Liberty, so I didn't bother him after his Friday practice, and nobody else called for him either. I said to the Chinese woman "Doesn't anyone want Armin?". But, after the Saturday practice, fans were clamoring for his signature. After the 4 minute mark in his FS, when he'd skated all his risky elements well, I could feel electricity in the audience and we clapped him through his final spins.
During practice, I was very impressed with Oda's technique. Not that I'm at all expert in skating technique, but the security and smoothness of his jumps were obvious.
It was a fierce and fascinating competition between him and DaisukeT, since they have such different styles (and are countrymen). Dai was hothothot in the SP. It was quite exciting seeing it from right behind the judges. Then, Dai skated in a totally different and deeply lovely style in the gala program that Stephane had choreographed. (But, he's so quiet in practice, I didn't get any good photos of him.)
He shouldn't be called Adam, because that means "of the earth" (adama in Hebrew), and he's an angel.
It's not just his hair, but his smile and voice and disposition. For example, after the Saturday practice, a lot of skaters seemed to be eager to get away and do whatever they do to prepare for competition. Adam left the ice from the farther gate (one gate was right in front of me, the other was around the corner and closer to the exit), and was halfway out the door when the little girls who had gathered at the bottom of the stairs at the side of the front row called to him. He said something like "Oh - I forgot - sorry", and came over and patiently signed all the programs that we handed down to him.
I'm sorry he fell a bit in the FS, but I got to see him do Rippon lutzes and Rippon - Tano -Tano combinations right in front of me during practices and it was heaven.
Moar later -