A Divine Sport blog

[skatesindreams]

Great interview Claire! Appreciate all that you do!

Seconding this!

 

[clairecloutier]

Here is a fluffy (possibly silly) off-season post on why you should love Meagan Duhamel. (And Eric Radford.)

https://adivinesport.com/2016/09/04/5-reasons-to-love-meagan-duhamel/

 

[levineismine]

Here is a fluffy (possibly silly) off-season post on why you should love Meagan Duhamel. (And Eric Radford.)

https://adivinesport.com/2016/09/04/5-reasons-to-love-meagan-duhamel/

Nicely done! Their style may not be everyone's favourite, but their perseverance and drive are admirable. I appreciate that they are trying to push the limits and indeed Meagan's love for the sport really comes across.

Also if I were as committed and oraginzed at work as Meagan is to her schedule, my PhD would have been finished in half the time

 

[Theoreticalgirl]

I loved this D/R piece and it's all the reasons I love them. Thanks for writing it!

 

[aftershocks]

Thanks so much Claire. I am enjoying the features you pointed out in Artistika. I am having some difficulty getting the website page to scroll up properly on my laptop, so I can read the entire articles.

In any case, thanks for sharing this online publication with us. Great to hear more about your background in skating and what motivates you about the sport.

 

[clairecloutier]

Thanks so much Claire. I am enjoying the features you pointed out in Artistika. I am having some difficulty getting the website page to scroll up properly on my laptop, so I can read the entire articles.

In any case, thanks for sharing this online publication with us. Great to hear more about your background in skating and what motivates you about the sport.

Thanks @aftershocks!

The scrolling navigation buttons in Artistika are a little different from page to page. Sometimes there is a little down arrow at the very bottom of the page; sometimes there's a "More" button on the right side of the page (if you click on it, you can scroll down); sometimes there's a navigation bar in the middle of the page (as in the Mervissa interview). I don't know if that helps at all.

 

[dinakt]

Here is a fluffy (possibly silly) off-season post on why you should love Meagan Duhamel. (And Eric Radford.)

https://adivinesport.com/2016/09/04/5-reasons-to-love-meagan-duhamel/

Really excellent!

 

[aftershocks]

^^ Thanks Claire. I did try minimizing the web page window, and I found that on some features the sidebar scroll-down tool appeared. But this wasn't available for the article on Deniss. When I click "More," the page does scroll down but not all the way. I jigged about with it and eventually found a way to get it moving to see the whole article, but the process was not user-friendly. Still, these first two issues of Artistika seem like a wonderful contribution to arts and sports, and online arts-related blogging.

Thanks again!

 

[aftershocks]

Here is a fluffy (possibly silly) off-season post on why you should love Meagan Duhamel. (And Eric Radford.)

https://adivinesport.com/2016/09/04/5-reasons-to-love-meagan-duhamel/

Here Here!!! Cheers, and thanks!!!

Rudy Galindo was also widely known to be gay and he spoke out to those around him while still skating pairs with Kristi Yamaguchi. And then Rudy gave interviews about his sexual orientation during the time he was touring professionally after winning a remarkable U.S. Nationals as a singles skater. Rudy's era was a slightly different, less accepting time in our culture, but not as difficult as it was for Ronnie Robertson, John Curry and many others during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s.

So I think that Rudy Galindo and Johnny Weir deserve a lot of credit for trying mightily to be themselves in an era where 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' was the norm. In fact, the silent struggles of many guys paved the way, including Brian B, and Brian O. As well, the more out there rebellion of Rudy and Johnny pioneered a new era of openness. Even though Johnny didn't directly speak out early in his career, he essentially spoke out in the way he expressed himself on and off the ice, and in the way he tried to maintain his unique identity against a load of criticism.

Certainly, Eric Radford deserves so much credit for the decision he made to come out post-Sochi at a time when he and Meagan were battling for the top of the podium. The cultural climate in North America is definitely more open these days, but speaking out is still a courageous act for high profile athletes. I believe Adam Rippon discovered a new-found sense of freedom and confidence partly as a result of his speaking out recently.

Thanks as always @clairecloutier. I love this 'fluff' piece, because it has great depth and meaning. As usual, you articulate so wonderfully well what many of us fans are feeling and thinking.

ETA:
Just wanted to post this Skate Canada High performance camp interview with Meagan and Eric that I recently saw on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh-jOLgBw4k

I love how Eric said he goes back to watch their winning Worlds performance once or twice a week! It's definitely an inspirational performance.

 

[znhurston]

Here is a fluffy (possibly silly) off-season post on why you should love Meagan Duhamel. (And Eric Radford.)

https://adivinesport.com/2016/09/04/5-reasons-to-love-meagan-duhamel/

Just read this post and could not agree enough. I was one of those D/R haters too until I saw them perform live at worlds in Boston. What they lack in grace they more than make up for with athleticism, guts and heart. I still don't like their style but my admiration and respect for them became sky-high after seeing them skate in person at worlds.

 

[cgh_11]

Here is a fluffy (possibly silly) off-season post on why you should love Meagan Duhamel. (And Eric Radford.)

https://adivinesport.com/2016/09/04/5-reasons-to-love-meagan-duhamel/

I love this. Thanks, Claire!

 

[WanderlustTO]

Claire - I spent some time catching up on your blog. Great work as always...!

btw - I know a while back I picked on you a bit saying you should mix up your incredible knowledge with a bit more personality - and i have to say I am now satisfied...your writing is definitely more opinionated and I really like that!!

(and don't ever apologize for 'fluffy' posts - they only seem 'fluffy' to you...i think your more fun stuff is great!).

 

[clairecloutier]

Here's my report on this year's Evening with Champions show. Included are some great photos by my friend Marni Gallagher.

https://adivinesport.com/2016/09/12/an-evening-with-champions-2016/

 

[kittysk8ts]

Just read this post and could not agree enough. I was one of those D/R haters too until I saw them perform live at worlds in Boston. What they lack in grace they more than make up for with athleticism, guts and heart. I still don't like their style but my admiration and respect for them became sky-high after seeing them skate in person at worlds.

Thanks for the acknowledgement Personally, I truly appreciate when someone can set their personal preference aside and be fair. It is really hard to do!!

I remember Meagan as a singles skater many years ago and she was spunky and relentless, and so when she teamed up with Craig Bunton, I was intrigued and then loved her even more. I was at Canadians 2012 when she and Eric won their 1st home title. As a team, they were yet a bit unrefined but they skated totally clean in the long and blew the roof off the place. Such an output of good energy! I remember the following summer, they posted a vid of their new SP and The Skating Lesson shared the vid and mocked Meagan. I was absolutely furious (I don't approve of bashing any skater, comments and criticism are fine, but not bashing) and I posted a response to TSL that Meagan and Eric have an amazing back story that is worthy of great respect and at the VERY least not deserving of public mockery. In the meantime, TSL has figured this out on their own and have developed a great relationship with them. I love everything they stand for in sport and everything they put out on the ice.

 

[clairecloutier]

Hi everyone, I'm quite excited to present my second interview with a current competitive pair! And this interview is with our own Haven Denney/Brandon Frazier of the U.S. It's long, but I really think there's a lot of interesting stuff in here.

Interview with Denney/Frazier: "There was never a doubt in my mind that I would be able to skate again"
https://adivinesport.com/2016/09/21/interview-with-denneyfrazier/

 

[Josh78]

Hi everyone, I'm quite excited to present my second interview with a current competitive pair! And this interview is with our own Haven Denney/Brandon Frazier of the U.S. It's long, but I really think there's a lot of interesting stuff in here.

Interview with Denney/Frazier: "There was never a doubt in my mind that I would be able to skate again"
https://adivinesport.com/2016/09/21/interview-with-denneyfrazier/

No wonder I've always rooted for them since they hit the scene -- such nice grounded young people! I really had no idea all that Haven went through with her injury and the full story about how they broke up and then found their way back to each other...but that only seems to have strengthened their commitment to one another -- and the pictures of them in their younger days are just too adorable!

 

[clairecloutier]

Last spring on her Naked Ice web site, @kwanatic launched one of the most interesting projects I've ever seen in the fan community. The concept of the project? Figure skating fans would rejudge a competition using IJS, issuing a full set of TES/PCS marks for each skater, just like real judges. Not only that, @kwanatic upped the stakes by choosing the 2014 Sochi Olympics ladies’ event—one of the most controversial of the IJS era—as the competition to be judged. The results of the project are available tonight on her site: “We’ll Be the Judge of That–2014 Sochi Olympics Results."

I myself was one of the 7 judges for the project. Here's my post about the experience of using IJS as an actual judge would: "Walking in the Judges' Shoes: The Sochi Judging Project."

ETA: I see our friend @alchemy void was also a judge!

 

[Spun Silver]

So impressive, Claire. Your perspective will be even more valuable now that you have used the IJS yourself. And it sounds like nobody is going to be able to push you around when it comes to takeoff edges and individual PC scoring. I love your points about jump exits being undervalued, and for that matter jump quality itself and the judges' complete inability to rank skaters overall. Also, your emphasis on how much sheer work is entailed in judging ... I picture you watching each skate 3 times and endlessly flipping through the scoring requirements with their bullet lists ... suggests that the system really needs simplification. I can imagine that real judges have memorized all the bullets and requirements, but I have trouble picturing them evaluating a skate accurately on 12-17 dimensions in two or three minutes. So we end up with reputation scoring. It will be interesting to see what the new ISU administration will do about this dilemma.

 

[DDNatalia]

Claire, such thoughtful and caring commentary. Your love for the sport shines through.

 

[clairecloutier]

Thanks so much for your nice comments @Spun Silver and @DDNatalia! This project was definitely a labor of love --which was made easier by the fact that I genuinely enjoyed most of the ladies programs in Sochi. (If I hadn't enjoyed them, it would've been much more of a chore!!) I really believe in the concept and usefulness of the exercise. This system is how our sport is judged (currently); so it's good to learn more about it. And actually using it adds a different dimension to your understanding.

 

[clairecloutier]

My first pairs review of the season! Here's my take on the pairs at Skate America: http://bit.ly/2eNLZTD.

 

[maureenfarone]

Thanks for another great review Claire!

 

[clairecloutier]

More coverage from my Skate America trip!

Here are my highlights & impressions from ladies, ice dance & mens: http://bit.ly/2eRsw4z.

There's no scoring analysis in this one .... Just me & my opinions.

 

[levineismine]

Claire, thanks a lot, I always enjoy reading your super detailed reports! A nice mix of technical comments and personal insight. Also I appreciate that you go past the top 3 and look at the other teams too.

I agree with your take on ice dance 95% (the 5% being that I loved H/D's FD too - but I am crossing uberdom there so..). The breakdown of G/F was very insightful. For me, they aren't a team that I liked much from the start (I thought they were kind of generic) but I think they really stepped it up last season and are working hard on their weaknesses. Babs is doing a great job with them.

Eta: I also loved the Shibs' SD, but that's personal taste

 

[clairecloutier]

Thanks @levineismine and @maureenfarone!

I'm hoping the Shibs' FD will grow on me. I think it will. I'm already looking forward to seeing their SD again, although I'm unsure about the music.

 

[clairecloutier]

Here's my review of the pairs event at Skate Canada: http://bit.ly/2eY9mZR.

 

[feraina]

Here's my review of the pairs event at Skate Canada: http://bit.ly/2eY9mZR.

So much fun to read, as usual.

 

[clairecloutier]

Thank you @feraina!

 

[Spun Silver]

Beautifully detailed as always. Keept this up and pairs may become more popular in the USA. Have you thought of doing a book, and/or collaborating with someone on a film? I wish you would.

 

[clairecloutier]

Thank you @Spun Silver! No special projects in the works---although who knows. Something like that would be fun--although a big challenge.