Timbre Beck-Murphy's Blog
Posted by Timbre Beck-Murphy
With summer quickly approaching, skating enthusiasts are at an advantage when it comes to wearing body-revealing clothing during warmer temperatures: Our sport makes our legs and butts tighter look hotter than the weather.
If you aren’t sure which ice skating discipline you’d like to try, these articles might be helpful: Begin Short Track Speed Skating, ISU Pairs Figure Skating Explained, ISU Ladies Figure Skating, ISU Men’s Senior Figure Skating, ISU vs. ISI Figure Skating Associations, Guides for Parents of Skaters.
Nutrition and training articles, like Cross-Training with Inline Skating, More USFSA Training Resources, USADA’s Gold Medal Game, and Figure Skating Training Program, offer tips for dropping winter weight by training like an athlete. Check back for upcoming articles explaining how to execute certain skating moves and on stretching and working out like a speed skater.
Need inspiration? Elite figure skater and speed skater bios might do the trick. Favorites in this department include: Apolo Anton Ohno, Sasha Cohen, Joannie Rochette, Evgeni Plushenko, Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, Johnny Weir, Yelena Bereshnaya, and Special Olympics Skating. We even have Videos of Skaters Crashing (thanks to YouTube), and additional Olympic Skating Video Clips Online.
While the muscle strengthening and cardio endurance are great goals to have for recreational skating, the best thing about skating is having fun. Endorphins are produced after bouts of moderately fast skating just like they are after running. It’s this natural high, combined with the fun-factor, that makes skating a great choice for healthy activity throughout the year – for all ages.
Posted by Timbre Beck-Murphy
The new cast of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars was revealed today. The skating world is once represented there, this time by the leading lady of figure skating.
US National (pairs and singles) and Olympic (singles) Champion Kristi Yamaguchi begins her televised season of competitive ballroom dance on March 17th at 8pm.
This year’s Dancing with Stars cast is made up of strong celebrities, pioneers of achievement or significance. The roster includes deaf actress Marlee Matlin, Prescilla Presley, Tony Award-winner Marissa Jaret Winokur, actor Steve Guttenberg, singer Mario, tennis champion Monica Seles, comedian Adam Carolla, illusionist Penn Jullette, actor Cristian de la Fuente, football star Jason Taylor, and actress Shannon Elizabeth.
Visit Dancing with the Stars website for show times, video clips, personal interviews, and updates.
Posted by Timbre Beck-Murphy
American short track speed skater Lana Gehring claimed a new Junior National Record when she crossed the finish line in record pace during the Ladies 500m in Salt Lake City, Uah.
Here, at World Cup #6, Lana simultaneously beat the World Junior Record in the event. Unfortunately, because the competition is open to both senior and junior skaters, she won't be credited with that record holder title.
Lana qualified in the repechage round and went on to skate in the quarterfinals, alongside her teammates and an international contingency of Olympians.
Check the articles listings for run-downs on each of the events. Additionally, pictures will continue to be posted throughout the week. And, yes, that includes lots of Apolo Anton Ohno photos.
Posted by Timbre Beck-Murphy
Athletes are racing several distances this weekend, including 500, 1000, 1500 meter individual events, 3000 and 5000 meter relays.
Winners are determined by their order of finish, not their times. Still, several skaters are really pushing themselves and coming close to world record paces in some of the races.
When these athletes are flying in a pack at nearly 45 miles per hour, accidents can happen. Here, a fall could mean the end of the skating season. Instead, these international competitors pursue an invitation to this year’s World Championships in Korea.
Check back here for race results, profiles and pictures of short track speed skating athletes. You can also visit the ISU’s website for official standings.
Posted by Timbre Beck-Murphy
Buyers Beware: Tickets to the events (the actual Olympic competitions) are not included in Dash packages for the Olympic Winter Games. The must be purchased separately. Olympic event tickets don’t go on sale to the public until October 2008.
For the Vancouver Olympics, Dash is booking early because over 1 million people are expected on site and motels are limited. The games will be from February 11th to March 1st, and packages through Dash include all 18 nights (as well as limo transportation and round trip airfare from anywhere in Canada or the US.) Ticket prices are from $7,000 up to $20,000 per person, depending on the chosen package.
Dash tours is offering seats and five nights of first-class hotel accommodations for the 2009 US National Figure Skating Championships. These package tickets average around $1500 per person, depending upon the chosen full or half package. $100 deposit reserves the package, with balances due on various dates in 2008.
For the 2009 Canadian Nationals, to be held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, tickets are offered for accommodations from January 14th-January 19th. Package rates are $800-$1200 per person. Check with Dash to make sure all figure skating events are included in the package price.
The 2009 World Figure Skating Championships tickets will cost about $2700 through Dash Tours. This includes all the practice sessions and the Exhibition of Champions, plus all event tickets.
For more information, call 1-800-265-000, or visit www.dashtours.com, but be sure to read the fine print so you don’t have any surprises when you arrive at the event. It’s no fun to have a great hotel if you have to sit outside the stadium during competition.
Posted by Timbre Beck-Murphy
NBC Sports and IceNetwork.com cover the competition from intro events on Sunday, January 20th through the exhibition celebration on Sunday, January 27th.
Favorite figure skaters from around the nation hold their own against up-and-coming athletes as the US National Figure Skating Championships began. To help jump-start the main events, Kristi Yamaguchi will sign autographs and take pictures with fans this evening in the main rotunda from 5:00-7:00pm.
Novice
Novice figure skaters gain experiences while vying for national titles in each discipline. Nationals serves as their opportunity to perform to a crowd of thousands, to work out their nerves while achieving technical growth, and to observe seasoned athletes first-hand.
If you watched the Novice Pairs events closely, you may have spotted a familiar face on the officials’ panel. Former champ Jason Dungjen was slated to be the Technical Specialist for this discipline.
Juniors
This year’s Nationals is very important for Junior competitors hoping to test and compete in the Senior level next year. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games seems far away to most spectators, but these young Olympic hopefuls have only one more season to qualify and prove their consistency to the National Association.
Seniors
Senior competitors began their programs later in the week, after Novice and Junior Champions were crowned. So far, Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto lead the ice dancing field. Long-timers Rena Inoue & John Baldwin are surprisingly in second after the pairs short. We’ll see if Keauna McLaughlin & Rockne Brubaker can hold on to the lead.
Leading ladies, including Alissa Czisny, Beatrisa Liang, and Kimmy Meissner, skate their short programs today, while the men, who include Jeremy Abbott, Ryan Bradley, and Johnny Weir, begin competing tomorrow. Winners of Nationals will most likely be invited to compete at the World Figure Skating Championships this spring.
Posted by Timbre Beck-Murphy
He was a two-time US champion figure skater, a two-time World medalist, and a two-time Olympian.
Most remember him as a showman, full of surprises – with the athletic ability and flamboyant artistry of Rudy, Philippe, Surya and Michael all in one. Lovingly nicknamed: “Bowman the Showman,” Christopher was the ultimate embodiment of natural talent.
Here's proof: The YouTube skating video of his "What a Wonderful World" routine, followed by an absolutely insane encore.
He persevered through disappointments, pulled himself up and past poor choices, and reminded the skating world that labels and competition predictions do not supersede the will of the skaters.
During one of his most memorable routines, he surprised the judges by holding off all his technical moves until the last thirty seconds of his program. I remember Dick Button calling the program with something like: “Well, he landed that jump cleanly, but I think it’s too little too – wow! Oh… wow…” Chris exploded with triples to close his routine.
Favored by the teenaged girls of the late eighties and early nineties, Chris sported charming good looks and a confidence that couldn’t be faked. Through his triumphs and struggles, he remained ever in the hearts of figure skating enthusiasts all over the world.
Watch his incredible long program from the 1992 Olympics here, and remember one of the world's greatest unbridled figure skating talents.
Posted by Timbre Beck-Murphy
Their exhibition event will showcase the sport of short track speedskating during the finale. The 34,000 square foot seasonal ice rink opened December 2, 2007 in the middle of Mexico City.
Their mayor, Marcelo Ebrard, envisioned the rink as a way to bring ice to the many citizens who have never seen it – or skating. Zamboni “snow” piles was the first snow ever seen by residents.
The rink opened with a bang, literally. Fire works, figure skaters and speed skaters kicked off the rink’s season in December. This weekend, closing events are a way to say: “Thank you” to the numerous private donors who funded the project.
For more information on the event, visit www.usspeedskating.org.
Posted by Timbre Beck-Murphy
Free lessons are being offered at most major figure skating rinks and speed skating ovals, encouraging families to take advantage of the many positive benefits of ice skating sports, including hockey.
It’s no secret that skating lessons are expensive, so this is a great opportunity for everyone to try out a new skating discipline without shelling out a lot of extra cash upfront.
This is the month for the US and Canadian National Championships, and local clubs have highlighted performances and competitions too.
The United States Figure Skating Association website lists the numerous official events celebrating National Skating Month. Surprisingly few “official” events are listed for the Western US, but there are many unofficial activities offered at rinks all over the US. Call your local rink or skating club for more information.