figure skating

Book Review: “Taking the Ice” by Pj Kwong

Canada has such a long history of fantastic figure skating talent that to cover it all would take several volumes. “Taking the Ice: Success Stories From the World of Canadian Figure Skating” is a wonderful overview of stories of skating from a wide selection of Canadian skating stars. As a coach, PA announcer, commentator and…

Read More

Book Review: Lucinda Ruh’s “Frozen Teardrop”

I was contacted out of the blue by Lucinda Ruh to be interviewed for the skatecast. Imagine my glee at finding that email in my inbox! Of course I was thrilled. She graciously sent me an advance copy of her new book “Frozen Teardrop: The Triumph and Tragedy of Figure Skating’s Queen of Spin” which…

Read More

Episode #51: PJ Kwong

NOVEMBER 2011 An interview with PJ Kwong. Ms. Kwong is a Canadian figure skating coach, television commentator, public address announcer, blogger at www.pjkwong.com, and author of “Taking the Ice: Success Stories From the World of Canadian Figure Skating.” We talk about how she got into commentating for television, why Canadian choreographers are so talented, and she reveals…

Read More

Episode #50: David Kirby

OCTOBER 2011 An interview with David Kirby, who knows everything there is to know about figure skating. His father show skated with Sonia Henie. His parents were Canadian champions. He’s been a Novice champion. He skated in Ice Capades. He owns ice rinks. He coaches. He was PSA President. He’s one of the first members…

Read More

Episode #49: Timothy Goebel

JUNE 2011 An interview with Timothy Goebel, 2001 US National Champion, and 2002 Olympic Bronze Medalist. Also known as the “Quad King,” he was the first person to land three quadruple jumps in one program (and one of the few to accomplish that to this day). We discuss his quads, the change from 6.0 to…

Read More

Episode #48: Randy Gardner

MAY 2011 An interview with Randy Gardner, 1979 World Champion in Pairs with Tai Babilonia, two time Olympian (1976 and 1980), choreographer, star of Ice Follies and head of Randy G Productions. We talk about his experiences with Mabel Fairbanks, his injury during the Lake Placid Olympics that caused them to withdraw, and who he’d…

Read More

Episode #47: David Jenkins

MARCH 2011 An interview with David Jenkins, 1956 Olympic Bronze medalist, 1960 Olympic Gold Medalist, 3-time World Champion and 4-time US National Champion. We discuss how he and his brother Hayes worked together, his loathing of figures, how a boxing promoter came to own the rights to his performance from CBS, and how he was…

Read More

Episode #46: Yuka Sato

FEBRUARY 2011 An interview with Yuka Sato, two-time Japanese Champion, World Junior Champion, two-time Olympian, and 1994 World Champion. Also known as a choreographer and coach to Alyssa Czisny and Jeremy Abbott. We talk about her having Olympians as parents and coaches, her training philosophy, and how she got lost on a bus in Canada…

Read More

Episode #45: 2011 US Nationals

JANUARY 2011 Live from the 2011 US Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina. In addition to capturing some sounds and flavors of the event, there are interviews with: Charlene Wong, Todd Eldredge, Silvia Fontana and John Zimmerman, Alison Carey, Rusty (the In-Arena Host) Dan Diamond, Kori Ade, John Lee, Michael Parsons, Doug Razzano, Jerod Swallow and…

Read More

Episode #44: Jojo Starbuck

DECEMBER 2010 An interview with Jojo Starbuck. With partner Ken Shelley, she won three US titles, two World Bronze medals and was in both the 1968 and 1972 Olympics. We discuss her career on and off the ice, her love for performing, and her incredible story of why the Japanese Federation made her miss a…

Read More