This Is the Insane Amount of Money It Takes to Become an Olympic Figure Skater

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Or just crazy-ass parents in general.

Crazy skating parents are everything.

One judge used to joke that a special place was set aside in the Kiss & Cry for Suzanne Bonaly's broom stick.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Agree that it is rare, except for the top skaters (like those on the World team) to get free equipment. I remember in 2003 (at Worlds in Wash, DC) Jackson offered each competitor a free pair of skates, looking to build their business among elite skaters. Some skaters took them up on the offer, some didn't. But that was a one-time deal; if they wanted to continue in Jacksons, they'd have to buy the next pair, which was the point of the giveaway. Other boot and blade companies have done similar things on a smaller level with the goal of profiting eventually.

But most boots cost less than $1000. These days, most skaters are in stock boots with perhaps some modifications (split width, etc) but even customs are usually under $1000. I priced custom Harlicks and Avantas...Harlicks would have been about $750-$800 and Avantas are a set price of $1020. The top-line Edeas may be close to $1000, I haven't checked. I'm not aware of any blades costing $1000...the most I've heard is about $700.

And most skaters, even those competing at Nats, use local dressmakers (that they've probably been using for years) for their costumes. Pricing usually depends on how much embellishment, i.e. stoning, you get. Obviously, the higher the level, the more bling, but we've also seen plenty of skaters (like the Knierims) who look great without being blinged out.

Choosing the right equipment is everything.

I only have to remind myself of the boot and blade failures suffered by Tonya Harding, Barb Underhill, Mirai Nagasu and Nathan Chen.

 

[pinky166]

The costs in Canada may not be the same as in the US as well. I don't get the costume costs either. Those are ridiculous.

Canada is less expensive than the US in general, skating is more popular, and the population is much smaller. It wouldn’t surprise me if the expenses in Canada were lower and the funding better.

Figure skating is really a niche sport in the US and even hockey compared to Canada is much smaller. Skating seems to be what Canadian kids do growing up, which really isn’t the case in the states.

 

[skatingguy]

Canada is less expensive than the US in general, skating is more popular, and the population is much smaller. It wouldn’t surprise me if the expenses in Canada were lower and the funding better.

Figure skating is really a niche sport in the US and even hockey compared to Canada is much smaller. Skating seems to be what Canadian kids do growing up, which really isn’t the case in the states.

That's good point. Ice time, in particular, can be much easier to obtain and cheaper.

 

[overedge]

That's good point. Ice time, in particular, can be much easier to obtain and cheaper.

Not always. Adult hockey is getting more and more popular, and adult hockey players seem to be able to play at any time of the day or night and pay whatever the rink wants to charge.

 

[Willin]

Agree that it is rare, except for the top skaters (like those on the World team) to get free equipment. I remember in 2003 (at Worlds in Wash, DC) Jackson offered each competitor a free pair of skates, looking to build their business among elite skaters. Some skaters took them up on the offer, some didn't. But that was a one-time deal; if they wanted to continue in Jacksons, they'd have to buy the next pair, which was the point of the giveaway. Other boot and blade companies have done similar things on a smaller level with the goal of profiting eventually.

Jacksons was giving free skates to some college skaters as well aroung 2010-2011 (Maybe they still do?). The thing was, this relied on fast, dirty, cheap skatemaking with no fittings (all mail-in). I didn't know anyone that used the program, but I didn't ask around much. What I did hear from a few skate guys was that those skates were of much worse quality than normal Jackson skates. One wonders if the 2003 promotion was the same.

Not always. Adult hockey is getting more and more popular, and adult hockey players seem to be able to play at any time of the day or night and pay whatever the rink wants to charge.

Not to mention hockey can bring in a lot more $$$ than figure skating, so some rinks will eliminate some freestyles if hockey will take that ice.

 

[Flora]

Interestingly, Elise Freezer is now being coached by Ravi Walia. Sounds like mom and daughter have relocated to Edmonton...

 

[ribbon]

What surprises me is how some of the former top athletes seem to live quite luxurious lives. If you follow Sasha, Michelle, or Evan on social media, it's clear the financial sacrifices didn't seem to affect them long term. For Michelle, her career was long and she had top dollar for ads and tours, but she must have also had scholarships for her degrees because those would have drained some of her account.

Tara and Johnny's lifestyle is extremely comfy...living in expensive areas, a designer wardrobe, exotic vacations in Top resorts, etc. Tara was probably making a good salary as a pro, but her career was short lived. Did Jack Lipinski hire Warren Buffet to be her financial planner?

Or, perhaps it is an example of how wealthier skaters who can afford the training, equipment, etc without terrible family financial sacrifice have a distinct advantage and will make it farther in the sport.

 

[MsZem]

I don't think Johnny is from a wealthy family. But he does have steady media work, and I imagine some of his clothes and possibly his vacations may be comped.

MK likely made a fair amount from shows and endorsements. Tara retired young, so fewer expenses and more opportunities to earn money doing shows, back when there was still money to be made.

But it's possible that the best way to recoup training costs is to retire early and skate on cruise ships and maybe coaching. Or move on to non-skating pursuits.

 

[berthesghost]

I wouldn’t make assumptions about people’s finances based on their social media posts.

I don’t get why anyone would be surprised that oly medalists in a high profile sport seem to be rich.

To me, the biggest indicator that these people who earned their nest eggs the hard way are not worried about general living expenses is that they seem to have the freedom to pursue their dreams. Tara spent how many years in Hollywood trying to become an established actress? She wasn’t parking cars or pumping gas that whole time. Still, I don’t recall her living it up in mc hammer’s former mansion either. They all seem pretty smart about money imho

 

[Omilona]

I just paid $850 for the Edea Ice Fly boots. My kid skates Intermediate and I have been spending $40K yearly with travel and competition hotels for over 10 years now.

 

[Rafter]

What about sailing?

Yes. My husband has a relative on the British America’s Cup team. Very expensive sport but not sure how it compares to skating and equestrian.

 

[Rafter]

Yes, the cost can be insane, but there are definitely some misleading things in this article. Stock boots are $800 to $1000 per pair, I suspect custom are more. That said, in the US, kids who make it to Nationals are generally sponsored for boots by someone like Reidel. In Canada, the Jr. national champions used to get sponsored by Jackson or Reidel, not sure if Edea does the same. Free Skaters often go through more than two pairs of boots in a year, especially if they are in Edea. Blades are not $1000 or at least you can get Olympic quality blades for under CAD500 and one pair will last a year through a couple of boot changes. Costumes, yes you can pay up to $10,000 but you can get fabulous costumes for under $2000. Local dressmakers will often make them for under $1000.

Finally, if Ellie Freezer’s mom is paying for 5 days per week of personal training for an 11 year old, she is being ripped off. 11 year olds, no matter how good, simply do not need this. Small group training twice a week, a couple of ballet classes, a Physio session, and then get her out on her bike or walking the dog on the weekend. Knee surgery at 10 or 11 screams a warning that there is over training going on. That child is going to burn out.

Obviously her mother is very ambitious for her kid. Let’s hope the child loves it as much as the mother does.

 

[Rafter]

Duhamel thinks the costs in the article are exaggerated. Maybe Mrs. Freezer can chat with her about economizing?

Clearly Duhamel is trying to downplay it so as not to scare off parents from the sport.

 

[Aceon6]

Clearly Duhamel is trying to downplay it so as not to scare off parents from the sport.

I saw quite a bit of “don’t scare the parents” at my former club. There were coaches willing to do two or three kids on a session, just to keep the costs down at Pre-Juv and Juv level. There were always a few parents who took the “whatever it takes” approach and who went into debt well before their kids had an opportunity to demonstrate that they had what it took to be successful. Fortunately, we have lots of synchro nearby, so kids who love to skate can do so at slightly lower cost. Travel seems to be the biggest issue, especially for parents with other kids who don’t skate.

 

[Seerek]

I take up darts.

Touche! But let it be known, for all the ribbing it gets, Darts prize money is massive in comparison to (up to $600K US to the winner for the big events) to Worlds/Grand Prix.

 

[Debbie S]

Maybe I should take up darts.

One wonders if the 2003 promotion was the same.

I believe the skaters were measured for the skates at Worlds and then the skates were ordered and shipped....a (highly respected) DC area skate fitter, who was one of the official skate techs, was involved in the endeavor. I went to him for new skates (SP-Teris) a couple months afterward and he was telling me about this, then at the end of my appt, brought out a skate that had been ordered (with a mate, obviously) for Sasha Cohen that i guess he was the middle man for. It had a sticker with her name on the sole and was a regular skate, 1 level up from what I was looking at (I forget the name/number but I think they are titled differently now). I believe Sasha tried them, decided they didn't work, and went back to Klingbeils (this I heard while getting fitted for Klingbeils at their shop 2 years later).

He did tell me that Alexei Mishin had taken a bunch of skates from Jackson's event stock with him to give to his skaters in Russia, so obviously there wasn't any fitting for those, I guess Mishin knew their sizes and if they didn't fit, that was obviously on him, not Jackson.

 

[vesperholly]

My boots (custom Jacksons for my EE width feet) and blades (MK Phantom) were $1300. But, I will skate in them for 3-5 years. My last skates were almost 10 because I was only coaching the last few years. Elite skaters go through what, 2-3 pairs a season?

The costume costs are also outrageous. Mrs Freezer is getting ripped off if she paid $2500 for this Star Wars costume.

Elise also was injured last year and did not compete. At 11 she has already had knee surgery and a torn hamstring?? She's also starring in SunTrust commercials and has a role in the upcoming movie Ice. I wonder if they're filming in Canada and that's why she's with Ravi now.

Finally, had anyone heard of https://destinationpyeongchang.com/ ?! It's a centralized place to donate to get at least one family member for every US skater to attend the Olympics. I see a sticker on the USFS website but it doesn't explain anything. Seems pretty poorly publicized.

 

[mag]

@mag, where do you live that most kids who make it to nationals are sponsored by a boot company?? In my years of skating, senior medallist sure; maybe high achievers on the JGP circuit if they're lucky, but by far the majority of people were paying for their own equipment.

Sorry, I meant medaled at US Nationals. Dd has a couple of friends who were national bronze medalists at, I think, intermediate and maybe novice? Anyway, I was shocked that they both had boot deals with Reidel when neither had competed internationally and in one case has never made it back to Nationals. She was told that is quite common. That doesn’t happen in Canada. The Junior champion gets free boots and probably the national team members.

 

[mag]

Canada is less expensive than the US in general, skating is more popular, and the population is much smaller. It wouldn’t surprise me if the expenses in Canada were lower and the funding better.

Figure skating is really a niche sport in the US and even hockey compared to Canada is much smaller. Skating seems to be what Canadian kids do growing up, which really isn’t the case in the states.

I would say the expense for ice time is definitely lower, coaching varies much like it does in the US, funding, ah, no. Pretty much nothing unless you are national top 5 in senior or at the top of junior nationally. There are exceptions, but the funding structure in the US appears to be more generous. Notice I said “more generous,” not “generous.”

 

[Willin]

Sailing can be expensive. Even the smallest boats (sunfish/lazers) are $5500+ for a base model, not to mention storage, replacement parts (rigging, sails, etc.). If you want to get an Olympic boat, which come with heavy customization, top line parts, etc. those could easily run you $20000+, and to stay competitive you have to constantly be swapping out parts and boats. For the races around the world or across oceans, those boats will be $200,000+ (Idk an exact estimate, as it depends on the boat length). For stuff like the America's Cup boats are $1,000,000+, but those are often entirely funded by companies eager to show off their engineering departments.
A lot of sailing clubs decrease this cost by simply buying boats through membership/rental fees and have their members share the boats they have. The competitive sailors I knew (except those in yacht racing) all used shared boats. One owned her own, but it was used and paid for by her parents. She sold it once she graduated high school.

@vesperholly Elise has switched coaches a number of times. I believe she's been with Rafael, Tom Z (twice!), Ryan Jahnke, and now apparently Ravi Walia. I believe she was also in Texas at one point? And she's only 11 right now!

I really hope she loves skating as much as her mom (when her mom posted her, she said Elise could quit at any time), because moving that many times as a kid has to be awful. I moved twice and that was bad enough, but five times at age 11 is a bit excessive. I've always wondered if her Dad is military (although even then the moving would be excessive for a military family), if one parent has a strange job requiring lots of moving around, or if it's one of those crazy parent situations where no coach - no matter how accomplished - is good enough for their little snowflake.

 

[DFO]

I'm sorry, but those who think the cost for a 11 year old kid (like Freezer) is an exxageration doesn't have young skater kids. It was not long ago, my daughter was 11 years old, skating competitive single and, IF she wanted to remain in the 50 best or her level in province of Québec, she needed to train 5 evening a week and the cost was already over 30 000$ canadian. And we were not pushing her or having olympics dreams.

BTW, since then she decided to quit figure skating and she's now doing Ballet. Annual cost for training 5 days a week, in one of the best school in Montreal and having occasional personnal coaching at 100$/hour is much less than a third of figure skating.

I agree some of the costs in the article were a little off, but not by that much. The overall idea is there. figure skating is expensive. And there is not much support before junior or senior level. Usually, the kids parents are receiving a letter, telling them their kid was selected in the province or Canadian team, and there is a 1000$ bill with it to get the mandatory coat and some other goodies. Not including the costs for the special sessions coming later, which, if you don't attend, will not help future results. I'm not blaming Skate Canada or the provincial federation, but the system is flawed if we wants the best skaters to represent our countries.

The cost remind me of karting. It used to be small town garage owners building race karts for their kids. Now, you need to have millionaires parents (à la Stroll) just to win a provincial championship. If not, you will be mid-pack at best.

 

[Willin]

While USFSA doesn't give funding to lower level skaters, clubs will.
My club gives skaters who make Nationals $5000/year to cover travel and some training. I think sectionals skaters get some money, but a bit less than that. I think that might kick in at Juvenile or Intermediate. A lot of the skaters I knew would switch clubs to whoever was offering the most funding that year (ie. my home club was tight on funding due to having too many top skaters, so some of the skaters switched to another club that didn't have any and therefore was offering twice the money). Certain wealthier clubs (Broadmoor, All Year, Boston, New York, Peninsula, etc.) have a lot of top skaters because they can give the most funding.
Older skaters may also work at the rinks (ie. coach group lessons) to get discounted or free ice time and some other perks. I got free public sessions and skate sharpening/maintenance. I don't think many top skaters are doing this right now, but I know some do/did.

 

[WildRose]

Clearly Duhamel is trying to downplay it so as not to scare off parents from the sport.

Duhamel is right. Mama is a fool if she is paying $10,000 for a dress. I pay the bills for a 10 year old skater. Her last dress, which was designed and made for her program, cost me less than $300. Sure skating is expensive, but so is hockey, and this article is misleading.

 

[MsZem]

What's funny is that the costume mentioned in the article cost $2500 (way more than Duhamel's) and is described as inspired by Rey in the Star Wars movies. Who's hardly bedazzled to within an inch of her life.

Seriously, the Freezers are overpaying.

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

We don't. I would hope being a US Figure Skating gold medalist (or double) would help when it comes to college applications, but other than that I am glad that with skating my skater knows how to persevere. She is also cool headed under pressure.

 

[misskarne]

I just paid $850 for the Edea Ice Fly boots.

Jesus Christ, where'd you buy those? Even here in overpriced Australia you can get the Ice Fly for $550-$600.

The cost remind me of karting. It used to be small town garage owners building race karts for their kids. Now, you need to have millionaires parents (à la Stroll) just to win a provincial championship. If not, you will be mid-pack at best.

Ha, I was going to come into this thread and mention motorsport when it came to expensive sports for your kids. You can see it in F1 now too: a handful of drivers are there on talent. Probably around half the grid are those whose daddies have deep pockets.

 

[Debbie S]

Finally, had anyone heard of https://destinationpyeongchang.com/ ?! It's a centralized place to donate to get at least one family member for every US skater to attend the Olympics. I see a sticker on the USFS website but it doesn't explain anything. Seems pretty poorly publicized.

They sent a bunch of e-mails (I assumed to all USFS members?), including one on Giving Tuesday (or maybe the day before) and also did a print mailing. The explanation was that it cost X amount for each family member to go to the Olys and the campaign goal was to give each skater Y amount toward their family's expenses.

While USFSA doesn't give funding to lower level skaters, clubs will.
My club gives skaters who make Nationals $5000/year to cover travel and some training.

Your club gives 5K to each skater? (Or did you accidentally put another 0 on the end?) What is your club's fundraising secret?

My club gives $500 to our members who qualify for Nats and $250 for Sectionals (and $250 for adult skaters qualifying for Championship events at AN, b/c adults only have 1 stage of qualifying, comparable to the kids at Sectionals). We also throw a send-off party at one of our club ice sessions where we have cake and the skaters perform their programs. For Regionals, we have a send-off but no stipends.

 

[mag]

Ice flys here in Canada are $899.00

https://figureskatingdeals.com/p-category/figure-skates/edea/

The prices show on this site are about the same as the other shops in town.

 

[Willin]

Your club gives 5K to each skater? (Or did you accidentally put another 0 on the end?) What is your club's fundraising secret?

My club gives $500 to our members who qualify for Nats and $250 for Sectionals (and $250 for adult skaters qualifying for Championship events at AN, b/c adults only have 1 stage of qualifying, comparable to the kids at Sectionals). We also throw a send-off party at one of our club ice sessions where we have cake and the skaters perform their programs. For Regionals, we have a send-off but no stipends.

This was back in the day about 10 years ago, so I don't know what it's like now. It definitely varies by year and by membership numbers. For synchro we'd get $5000 if we went to nationals, but anywhere from $1000-2500 for Sectionals. Some years there'd be nothing. But, basically - lots of very wealthy adult skaters, lots of very wealthy families, and very limited skaters qualifying for the funding.

I would imagine those at Juv/Int probably only get a max of $1000, but certainly for Junior/Senior National skaters and those Novice skaters that get internationals they'll get a lot more than that.