Sergei Grinkov article (25th anniversary of his death)

[Wyliefan]

Lynn Rutherford interviewed Scott Hamilton, Paul Wylie, Marina Zoueva, Elena Bechke, and Byron Allen of SOI for this lovely tribute.

Skating colleagues remember Sergei Grinkov, 25 years after his death

On Nov. 20, 1995, two-time Olympic pairs champion Sergei Grinkov, aged 28, died of a heart attack in Lake Placid, New York.

olympics.nbcsports.com

“These days, some people can do tricks but they can’t skate,” Bechke said. “That is something that can be taught to an extent, but if you can’t naturally skate, it takes a lot of work to develop. If you watch (Gordeeva and Grinkov) skate on YouTube, they weren’t even skating. They were flying; they were like feathers. That’s what made them special.”

Marina Zoueva, the pair’s longtime coach and choreographer, echoes Hamilton and Bechke’s words.

“They were very light, like (three-time world champion) Patrick Chan,” she said. “That is the difference. (Chan) skates like a feather, flowing on the ice. It’s the same talent Katia and Sergei had. They had natural rhythm; that’s why their pair elements were perfect. They had natural harmony… I saw this, and I emphasized this in the choreography I did for them: the lightness, the connection, how they looked at each other, the bodylines.”

ETA: Apologies, I didn't see that this had been posted elsewhere. Please feel free to delete!

 

[FSWer]

It's already been 25 years since Katia lost him?

 

[Wyliefan]

Yes.

 

[Judy]

It is hard to believe. I remember it clearly. I had seen them in SOI back in the spring so a few months before he passed. ?

 

[Sylvia]

Some people also have been sharing their memories in this thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/november-20th-25-years-later.107804/

 

[Sylvia]

30 years today 6 photos shared today by this Russian account (reposted via Katia Gordeeva's Insta stories): https://www.instagram.com/p/DRSMIubCCV7/

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

30 years without Sergei... But he is remembered, loved and come to him even now.
Thanks for these photos @nadejda4383

 

[Sylvia]

When I searched for a Nov. 20 thread I thought this one was in the Trash Can (maybe it should be moved there and merged with https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/november-20th-25-years-later.107804/ ?) - in any case, Lynn Rutherford's article from 5 years ago can be read at this new link:

Skating colleagues remember Sergei Grinkov, 25 years after his death

On Nov. 20, 1995, two-time Olympic pairs champion Sergei Grinkov, aged 28, died of a heart attack in Lake Placid, New York.

www.nbcsports.com

Lynn Rutherford interviewed Scott Hamilton, Paul Wylie, Marina Zoueva, Elena Bechke, and Byron Allen of SOI for this lovely tribute.

 

[azcalder]

It is hard to believe. I remember it clearly. I had seen them in SOI back in the spring so a few months before he passed. ?

I saw them in Phoenix that year. I even got to shake their hands as they circled the rink at the end of the Finale. Such a loss.

 

[Lara]

I don’t think there’s anyone public who I associate a date with as much as Sergei. (Even Princess Di I remember where I was more). RIP.

 

[skateboy]

Katia's first solo tribute to Sergei is one of the most moving things I have ever seen.

 

[HeatherC]

Having just been in Lake Placid for SA this past weekend, the anniversary of his death feels a little different and was sadder for me this year. I was actually there in the Olympic Center, I saw the all of the rinks and spent time in the arena, I walked around that lovely town, I felt all the history from past skating events and the Olympics, and I saw Mirror Lake that he and Katia lived by, so his loss and the reality of this tragic event hit me a lot harder today. Still can't believe that he's been gone for 30 years. So sad.

 

[briancoogaert]

30 years... Time goes by so fast !
A day I will probably never forget