What a scene it was late on this Prairie evening.
A hardy group of skating folk — coaches, fans, parents and such — sat in the terminal at John Diefenbaker Airport weary after an often frenzied week in Saskatoon. And what were we gathered around a flat screen television watching as we waited for late-night flights to take us home to destination points from coast to coast?
CBC's coverage of tonight's men's free skate, of course. Wasn't enough that we'd already seen it live. We just had to hear what Kurt Browning and Tracy Wilson had to say about it all and had to know how the people at home saw it unfold.
Yeah, it's tough to shake the Canadian figure skating championships out of your blood (for the record, your faithful blogger noted it was also available for viewing on the first of three Westjet flights that will eventually get him back to Ottawa).
More precisely, at least from this corner, there is always a touch of sadness when this little family reunion of sorts ends every year. Sure, I'm exhausted and can't wait to relax in my own bed again sometime soon.
But admittedly, there will be a few days of withdrawal ahead.
We may well see grander performances in Los Angeles at the world championships two months from now. There is a Winter Olympics moving closer into view, this one right in our own backyard in Vancouver.
And yet, I can help thinking I won't soon forget the magic that Patrick Chan and Joannie Rochette weaved before our eyes. But they're real people to me, too (lucky person that I am to say that), and it's always a treat to be reminded of that.
They did a rather neat thing today at the Credit Union Centre on the last day of the championships. Before the men's free skate final, the junior medals were presented before the Saskatoon audience. Hanging the hardware around the juniors' necks were the winners of the senior events — the very skaters the young ones certainly admire and may well even idolize. Talk about bringing it all full circle.
But that's the kind of thing you see at this event every year. Everyone who comes to nationals is a member of the Canadian skating family. It's the grandest of reunions when we gather each and every year. It is also a spirit you won't find at any other figure skating competition and it brings me back every year for more.
We head eastward next year to the John Labatt Centre in London, Ont., where not only will national champions be crowned but Olympic dreams will also come true. It should be an exciting time, indeed, and the blog surely intends to be there to chronicle it all one more time.
Thanks again to those who chose to follow this "alternative" path along with me, and especially those who took the time to share your thoughts.
Let's do it all over again in London in 2010, shall we?
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Bring On The World
Patrick Chan can't wait to take on the best in the world.
Question is, is the world ready to handle the new and improved Chan?
The 18-year-old from Toronto left a lot of tongues wagging in Saskatoon after the remarkable show he put on during the 2009 BMO Canadian figure skating championships. That Chan would retain his national crown was never in doubt — he was up 17 points on Calgary's Vaughn Chipeur after the short program and widened the margin to 48.52 by the end.
Consider, instead, the 254.82-point overall total Chan hung on the board. Only two skaters in history (Japan's Daisuke Takahashi, 264.41, and former Olympic and world champ Evgeny Plushenko of Russia, 258.33), have ever recorded a higher total since the current judging system was introduced five seasons ago.
While Chan was willing to concede his marks were "inflated" by 5-10 points by home country judges, even a reduced total puts him in the same ballpark as the 245.17 recorded by fellow Canadian Jeffrey Buttle in winning the world title a year ago in Gothenburg, Sweden.
No wonder, then, that Chan is now dreaming bigger than ever.
"This is a good example of what I should be doing every time I’m at a competition," he said. "If I perform two good programs like that (at the upcoming 2009 worlds in Los Angeles), I’m pretty sure I’ll get the same result Jeff did at least year’s worlds."
He quickly backtracked — if only a bit — on what seemed to be a rather loud suggestion he'll bring home a gold medal in March.
"I’m not going to predict a gold, I’m going to predict a medal," he said. "It doesn’t matter which colour."
One thing in particular that has Chan riding so high: He seems to have conquered the triple Axel, the jump that his been his bugaboo this season and led to his downfall at the Grand Prix final in December. Chan went 3-for-3 with the jump over the course of two programs at the Credit Union Centre this week, every one of them landed with ease and supreme confidence. And each one accompanied by a huge ovation.
"It was like they were in my subconscious," said a grateful Chan. "They knew what I was going through. Every time I landed the Axel, the cheer was louder, especially after that second Axel (tonight). I knew everybody was hoping for me to land it."
While the free skate seemed like nothing more than a Chan coronation going in, he did his best to stay away from that kind of thinking.
"A lot of people said to me ‘good luck, but you don’t need it’ the whole time before my long program," he said. "I was like ‘don’t say that.’ I still had the mindset that I’ve got Americans and Japanese and Russians competing after me. So basically I had that mindset and it helped, it really helped."
Now he's ready to go to war with them all. But are they ready for him?
Let's just say he's given his rivals a world of thinking to do.
Question is, is the world ready to handle the new and improved Chan?
The 18-year-old from Toronto left a lot of tongues wagging in Saskatoon after the remarkable show he put on during the 2009 BMO Canadian figure skating championships. That Chan would retain his national crown was never in doubt — he was up 17 points on Calgary's Vaughn Chipeur after the short program and widened the margin to 48.52 by the end.
Consider, instead, the 254.82-point overall total Chan hung on the board. Only two skaters in history (Japan's Daisuke Takahashi, 264.41, and former Olympic and world champ Evgeny Plushenko of Russia, 258.33), have ever recorded a higher total since the current judging system was introduced five seasons ago.
While Chan was willing to concede his marks were "inflated" by 5-10 points by home country judges, even a reduced total puts him in the same ballpark as the 245.17 recorded by fellow Canadian Jeffrey Buttle in winning the world title a year ago in Gothenburg, Sweden.
No wonder, then, that Chan is now dreaming bigger than ever.
"This is a good example of what I should be doing every time I’m at a competition," he said. "If I perform two good programs like that (at the upcoming 2009 worlds in Los Angeles), I’m pretty sure I’ll get the same result Jeff did at least year’s worlds."
He quickly backtracked — if only a bit — on what seemed to be a rather loud suggestion he'll bring home a gold medal in March.
"I’m not going to predict a gold, I’m going to predict a medal," he said. "It doesn’t matter which colour."
One thing in particular that has Chan riding so high: He seems to have conquered the triple Axel, the jump that his been his bugaboo this season and led to his downfall at the Grand Prix final in December. Chan went 3-for-3 with the jump over the course of two programs at the Credit Union Centre this week, every one of them landed with ease and supreme confidence. And each one accompanied by a huge ovation.
"It was like they were in my subconscious," said a grateful Chan. "They knew what I was going through. Every time I landed the Axel, the cheer was louder, especially after that second Axel (tonight). I knew everybody was hoping for me to land it."
While the free skate seemed like nothing more than a Chan coronation going in, he did his best to stay away from that kind of thinking.
"A lot of people said to me ‘good luck, but you don’t need it’ the whole time before my long program," he said. "I was like ‘don’t say that.’ I still had the mindset that I’ve got Americans and Japanese and Russians competing after me. So basically I had that mindset and it helped, it really helped."
Now he's ready to go to war with them all. But are they ready for him?
Let's just say he's given his rivals a world of thinking to do.
New Kids On The Block
Everyone knew the odds were stacked in favour of it.
Now, after a dramatic men's free skate final at the 2009 BMO Canadian figure skating championships, we can make it official. Say hello to the two newest members of Canada's world team: Calgary's Vaughn Chipeur and Jeremy Ten of Vancouver.
While most of the folks who came out to Saskatoon's Credit Union Centre tonight no doubt had eyes for Patrick Chan — who made it look easy in successfully defending his national title — there was another more intriguing subplot playing out. Namely, who would fill out the final two spots available for Canadian men at the 2009 worlds in Los Angeles.
There wasn't a lot to choose among about six contenders during Friday night's short program. And it was a blanket finish among four of them (Joey Russell of Labrador City, NL, and Elladj Balde of Pierrefonds, Que., couldn't keep up with the pack) at the end.
First it was former world teamer Shawn Sawyer of Edmundston, N.B., moving to the top of the leaderboard by posting a 201.24-point overall total. But the 19-year-old Ten, a former Canadian junior champ, pushed Sawyer down a notch with a sublime effort that included seven clean triple jumps. His overall score: 204.03.
The look of joy and disbelief on the face of the young man whose motto is 'Ten For 2010' (as in the Vancouver Olympics) was utterly priceless.
Then it was the turn of Kevin Reynolds, the gangly jumping bean from Coquitlam, B.C., who ripped up the only two quadruple jumps of the event. But Reynolds tired near the end of his program and managed a 201.97-point total, assuring Ten of a ticket to L.A.
"It has not sunk in yet," a shocked Ten said afterward. "It feels like when I won my national junior title. It’s going to take a while for it to sink in."
Chipeur had the last word in this six-act drama. He wasn't flawless but he was plenty good, especially with an opening triple Axel and followup combination. When the final numbers were posted — 206.30 overall and a second-place finish — Chipeur pumped his fists in celebration. California, here he comes.
"I thought it was a really good fight," said Chipeur, 24. "I made two little mistakes ... It was a good fight for the rest of the program and I’m really satisfied.
"I just wanted to enjoy the ride and enjoy the occasion. And enjoy the fact that the hard work has paid off."
Ten felt for Reynolds, his training mate in Burnaby, B.C. They'd hoped to jet off to the worlds together, but it wasn't to be.
"I was sitting in the kiss ‘n cry cheering him on," said Ten, who shared an emotional hug with Reynolds after it was over. "He’s my teammate. I just wanted him to skate well and he skated brilliantly. Really, it was up to the judges at that point. It was really out of my hands. I would have been happy either way."
Now, after a dramatic men's free skate final at the 2009 BMO Canadian figure skating championships, we can make it official. Say hello to the two newest members of Canada's world team: Calgary's Vaughn Chipeur and Jeremy Ten of Vancouver.
While most of the folks who came out to Saskatoon's Credit Union Centre tonight no doubt had eyes for Patrick Chan — who made it look easy in successfully defending his national title — there was another more intriguing subplot playing out. Namely, who would fill out the final two spots available for Canadian men at the 2009 worlds in Los Angeles.
There wasn't a lot to choose among about six contenders during Friday night's short program. And it was a blanket finish among four of them (Joey Russell of Labrador City, NL, and Elladj Balde of Pierrefonds, Que., couldn't keep up with the pack) at the end.
First it was former world teamer Shawn Sawyer of Edmundston, N.B., moving to the top of the leaderboard by posting a 201.24-point overall total. But the 19-year-old Ten, a former Canadian junior champ, pushed Sawyer down a notch with a sublime effort that included seven clean triple jumps. His overall score: 204.03.
The look of joy and disbelief on the face of the young man whose motto is 'Ten For 2010' (as in the Vancouver Olympics) was utterly priceless.
Then it was the turn of Kevin Reynolds, the gangly jumping bean from Coquitlam, B.C., who ripped up the only two quadruple jumps of the event. But Reynolds tired near the end of his program and managed a 201.97-point total, assuring Ten of a ticket to L.A.
"It has not sunk in yet," a shocked Ten said afterward. "It feels like when I won my national junior title. It’s going to take a while for it to sink in."
Chipeur had the last word in this six-act drama. He wasn't flawless but he was plenty good, especially with an opening triple Axel and followup combination. When the final numbers were posted — 206.30 overall and a second-place finish — Chipeur pumped his fists in celebration. California, here he comes.
"I thought it was a really good fight," said Chipeur, 24. "I made two little mistakes ... It was a good fight for the rest of the program and I’m really satisfied.
"I just wanted to enjoy the ride and enjoy the occasion. And enjoy the fact that the hard work has paid off."
Ten felt for Reynolds, his training mate in Burnaby, B.C. They'd hoped to jet off to the worlds together, but it wasn't to be.
"I was sitting in the kiss ‘n cry cheering him on," said Ten, who shared an emotional hug with Reynolds after it was over. "He’s my teammate. I just wanted him to skate well and he skated brilliantly. Really, it was up to the judges at that point. It was really out of my hands. I would have been happy either way."
It's In The Stars
If you build them, they will come.
Remember the glory days of Canadian figure skating, when Skate Canada would routinely fill an NHL building in places like Edmonton or Vancouver for its national championships? Putting 17,000 in the house was the norm rather than the exception in the 1990s. Even as recently as 2001, General Motors Place in Vancouver was packed to the rafters for the world championships.
How times have changed. Seven years later, the sport is still trying to recover from the damage done by the judging scandal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Long gone are the Kurt Brownings and Elvis Stojkos that filled those buildings. Now times are tough economically.
So when the 2009 BMO figure skating championships come to the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon and 4,092 is the top attendance figure for a session, you know you've still got some rebuilding to do.
"We always want to sell out a venue," Skate Canada CEO William Thompson said in assessing this week in Saskatoon. "We're realistic right now. A good-sized venue (for this event) is something in the 6,000-7,000 seat range. We're not ready to go back to an NHL-sized rink yet. We'd love to go back there someday but we'll see how it goes.
"If we continue to produce great skaters and the results are fair, I think the public will get interested."
It's all about the stars in this sport. And Thompson is enthused about the prospects in that area. Canadian skaters won three medals at the 2008 world championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, and two of them — Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (silver, ice dance), along with Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison (pairs) — will be back for more in Los Angeles in March.
With a pair of Grand Prix event victories in the fall, Joannie Rochette showed she's ready to challenge for the women's podium. And the astonishing free skate she delivered here Saturday did nothing but enhance that possibility.
Patrick Chan also won twice during the Grand Prix season and made the series final. He's pushing ever closer to the world's best.
"I think what you saw here is we have athletes in every discipline that are capable of contending for a medal and that, for me, is the key point at this juncture as we head into next year," said Thompson with an eye toward the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Now the key is for the likes of Chan and Rochette and Virtue and Moir to become household names. The countdown to Vancouver should help in that area. So would another raft of medals in Los Angeles.
"Regaining interest in the sport is going to revolve around having great skaters," said Thompson. "We're on track for that and hopefully people will get interested in seeing the Patrick Chans and Tessa and Scotts and Joannie Rochettes. They really are great athletes.
"Given where we are today, I'm feeling really good about where we're headed next year for Olympics. We're looking forward to that."
*****
Gary Lunn, the federal Minister of State for Sport, is in the house today to take in the men's free skate final, which is just under way at the Credit Union Centre.
A CBC radio reporter asked Lunn for his take on the event, which Patrick Chan leads by 17 points after his brilliant short program on Friday night.
"I'm not going to start picking favourites," said Lunn. "There's so many skaters here and they're all giving their best. They've all worked hard. So we're here to cheer them all on.
"Obviously, there's some that stand out. Patrick Chan is doing so well and there's so much energy behind him. But we're here to cheer them all."
And that, my friends, is what we call the politically correct answer.
Remember the glory days of Canadian figure skating, when Skate Canada would routinely fill an NHL building in places like Edmonton or Vancouver for its national championships? Putting 17,000 in the house was the norm rather than the exception in the 1990s. Even as recently as 2001, General Motors Place in Vancouver was packed to the rafters for the world championships.
How times have changed. Seven years later, the sport is still trying to recover from the damage done by the judging scandal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Long gone are the Kurt Brownings and Elvis Stojkos that filled those buildings. Now times are tough economically.
So when the 2009 BMO figure skating championships come to the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon and 4,092 is the top attendance figure for a session, you know you've still got some rebuilding to do.
"We always want to sell out a venue," Skate Canada CEO William Thompson said in assessing this week in Saskatoon. "We're realistic right now. A good-sized venue (for this event) is something in the 6,000-7,000 seat range. We're not ready to go back to an NHL-sized rink yet. We'd love to go back there someday but we'll see how it goes.
"If we continue to produce great skaters and the results are fair, I think the public will get interested."
It's all about the stars in this sport. And Thompson is enthused about the prospects in that area. Canadian skaters won three medals at the 2008 world championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, and two of them — Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (silver, ice dance), along with Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison (pairs) — will be back for more in Los Angeles in March.
With a pair of Grand Prix event victories in the fall, Joannie Rochette showed she's ready to challenge for the women's podium. And the astonishing free skate she delivered here Saturday did nothing but enhance that possibility.
Patrick Chan also won twice during the Grand Prix season and made the series final. He's pushing ever closer to the world's best.
"I think what you saw here is we have athletes in every discipline that are capable of contending for a medal and that, for me, is the key point at this juncture as we head into next year," said Thompson with an eye toward the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Now the key is for the likes of Chan and Rochette and Virtue and Moir to become household names. The countdown to Vancouver should help in that area. So would another raft of medals in Los Angeles.
"Regaining interest in the sport is going to revolve around having great skaters," said Thompson. "We're on track for that and hopefully people will get interested in seeing the Patrick Chans and Tessa and Scotts and Joannie Rochettes. They really are great athletes.
"Given where we are today, I'm feeling really good about where we're headed next year for Olympics. We're looking forward to that."
*****
Gary Lunn, the federal Minister of State for Sport, is in the house today to take in the men's free skate final, which is just under way at the Credit Union Centre.
A CBC radio reporter asked Lunn for his take on the event, which Patrick Chan leads by 17 points after his brilliant short program on Friday night.
"I'm not going to start picking favourites," said Lunn. "There's so many skaters here and they're all giving their best. They've all worked hard. So we're here to cheer them all on.
"Obviously, there's some that stand out. Patrick Chan is doing so well and there's so much energy behind him. But we're here to cheer them all."
And that, my friends, is what we call the politically correct answer.
Feeling The Prairie Thaw
The snow was a little soft under the feet as we went for a brisk Sunday walk around downtown Saskatoon earlier this afternoon.
Must be the annual January thaw. Or "bonspiel thaw," as they call it in these parts as homage to the great Prairie tradition of curling. The roarin' game lives in the hearts of just about everybody in Saskatchewan. The other night, we noticed Folk's Curling Corner, which brings to mind the name of Rick Folk, the last Canadian men's curling (Brier) champion from this province back in 1980 (although it's a relative of Rick's that runs this store in Saskatoon), which I imagine is a bit of a sore spot in The Land of Living Skies.
But we've got ice of a different sort in mind in this space. It was a lovely, mild day for skating outdoors and the Meewasin Outdoor Rink next door to the Delta Bessborough was full of folks earlier today. Reader's Digest has called it "the best outdoor skating spot in Canada" and it's a distinction proudly displayed on banners around the rink.
Another set of banners reminded one and all about the 2009 BMO Canadian figure skating championships, which have just about run their course. Later on this afternoon at the Credit Union Centre, we've got the senior men's free skate final, the gala exhibition and then we shut it down for another year.
So enjoy what's left while it still lasts, won't you?
Must be the annual January thaw. Or "bonspiel thaw," as they call it in these parts as homage to the great Prairie tradition of curling. The roarin' game lives in the hearts of just about everybody in Saskatchewan. The other night, we noticed Folk's Curling Corner, which brings to mind the name of Rick Folk, the last Canadian men's curling (Brier) champion from this province back in 1980 (although it's a relative of Rick's that runs this store in Saskatoon), which I imagine is a bit of a sore spot in The Land of Living Skies.
But we've got ice of a different sort in mind in this space. It was a lovely, mild day for skating outdoors and the Meewasin Outdoor Rink next door to the Delta Bessborough was full of folks earlier today. Reader's Digest has called it "the best outdoor skating spot in Canada" and it's a distinction proudly displayed on banners around the rink.
Another set of banners reminded one and all about the 2009 BMO Canadian figure skating championships, which have just about run their course. Later on this afternoon at the Credit Union Centre, we've got the senior men's free skate final, the gala exhibition and then we shut it down for another year.
So enjoy what's left while it still lasts, won't you?
The Castle By The River
A few words about our home away from home before departing ...
They've used four hotels, by my count, to house everyone here over the past several days at the 2009 BMO Canadian figure skating championships. As we've mentioned earlier, our home base has been the Delta Bessborough, known here in Saskatoon as "The Castle By The River" because of its proximity to the South Saskatchewan River.
If you've seen any photos of Saskatoon, you've probably seen The "Bess" — it's the signature landmark in the heart of this lovely Prairie city.
Taking a walk through the hallways of The Bess is like a trip through time. You notice neat old things like mail chutes by the elevators and gorgeous carpeting and chandeliers. Then again, it's what you would expect from one of the grand railway-style hotels built in the early 20th century (think Chateau Frontenac, Chateau Laurier, Hotel Vancouver).
The Canadian National Railway constructed The Bess between 1928 and 1932. The Great Depression kept its doors closed until Harold N. Stovin became the first registered guest on Dec. 10, 1935. (which, by the way, explains the name of Stovin's Lounge just off the main lobby).
Renovations in 1999 and 2003 restored many of the historic features of the hotel, preserving its old grandeur in a much more modern time. Combine that with a healthy dose of Prairie hospitality and it's felt like, well, home for a few days. Who could ask for more?
They've used four hotels, by my count, to house everyone here over the past several days at the 2009 BMO Canadian figure skating championships. As we've mentioned earlier, our home base has been the Delta Bessborough, known here in Saskatoon as "The Castle By The River" because of its proximity to the South Saskatchewan River.
If you've seen any photos of Saskatoon, you've probably seen The "Bess" — it's the signature landmark in the heart of this lovely Prairie city.
Taking a walk through the hallways of The Bess is like a trip through time. You notice neat old things like mail chutes by the elevators and gorgeous carpeting and chandeliers. Then again, it's what you would expect from one of the grand railway-style hotels built in the early 20th century (think Chateau Frontenac, Chateau Laurier, Hotel Vancouver).
The Canadian National Railway constructed The Bess between 1928 and 1932. The Great Depression kept its doors closed until Harold N. Stovin became the first registered guest on Dec. 10, 1935. (which, by the way, explains the name of Stovin's Lounge just off the main lobby).
Renovations in 1999 and 2003 restored many of the historic features of the hotel, preserving its old grandeur in a much more modern time. Combine that with a healthy dose of Prairie hospitality and it's felt like, well, home for a few days. Who could ask for more?
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Back Where They Belong
It has been anything but a casual waltz, to be sure.
Forgive Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir if they're in need of a deep breath or two. And not just because of the energy they expended in an out-of-this-world free dance Saturday night at the 2009 BMO Canadian figure skating championships.
They'll take plenty of time now to savour senior national title No. 2.
"We’re extremely pleased with the way we skated and I’m excited to be a national champion again," Moir said after he and his partner earned 94.68 points for their Pink Floyd-themed free dance and 197.77 overall.
Not exactly best-ever numbers — it was still 22.19 points better than silver medallists Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier — but considering Virtue was off the ice for two months in the fall after double knee surgery, they'll certainly take it.
"I think, given the circumstances, I have to be happy with that skate," said Virtue, 19, of London, Ont. "It’s not necessarily what we’d hoped for at this point in the season but I’m just so pleased with our progress. I’m really grateful to be back here and competing at nationals again. It’s definitely our favourite event and we’re honoured to be on top."
The race to get to this point has been frenzied, to say the least. Virtue had the surgery in early October to relieve pain in her shins caused by chronic exertional compartment syndrome. While she rehabbed at home in London, Moir tried to stay on top of the program by himself at their training base in Detroit, using sandbags at times to simulate his partner.
"Three months ago, I couldn’t walk and that says a lot," said Virtue. "We weren’t able to train exactly the way we wanted to but I think this week will help us in the end and we’re going to be so much stronger because of it."
Moir was filled with admiration for his partner.
"I was pretty proud of her and what she’s accomplished in the last three months," said Moir, 21, of Ilderton, Ont. "It definitely wasn’t an easy road for her. Hopefully, we can stay on the road to recovery and get these programs up to 100 per cent and the way we want them to be."
The free dance was pretty impressive to the folks on hand Saturday night at Saskatoon's Credit Union Centre. They were awestruck by the intricate lifts in particular, including one in which Virtue balanced herself on Moir's back with her hands high in the air.
"Most of the pressure is going into his back but I feel like I’m surfing up there," she said. "It’s a balancing act, that’s for sure."
Moir had one stumble along he way — he jokingly called it his "Floydian slip" — but they're on their way again, with the March world championships in Los Angeles clearly in sight. They were No. 2 on the planet at last year's global event in Gothenburg, Sweden, with only one step left to climb.
Safe to say, they managed a pretty big first one this week.
Forgive Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir if they're in need of a deep breath or two. And not just because of the energy they expended in an out-of-this-world free dance Saturday night at the 2009 BMO Canadian figure skating championships.
They'll take plenty of time now to savour senior national title No. 2.
"We’re extremely pleased with the way we skated and I’m excited to be a national champion again," Moir said after he and his partner earned 94.68 points for their Pink Floyd-themed free dance and 197.77 overall.
Not exactly best-ever numbers — it was still 22.19 points better than silver medallists Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier — but considering Virtue was off the ice for two months in the fall after double knee surgery, they'll certainly take it.
"I think, given the circumstances, I have to be happy with that skate," said Virtue, 19, of London, Ont. "It’s not necessarily what we’d hoped for at this point in the season but I’m just so pleased with our progress. I’m really grateful to be back here and competing at nationals again. It’s definitely our favourite event and we’re honoured to be on top."
The race to get to this point has been frenzied, to say the least. Virtue had the surgery in early October to relieve pain in her shins caused by chronic exertional compartment syndrome. While she rehabbed at home in London, Moir tried to stay on top of the program by himself at their training base in Detroit, using sandbags at times to simulate his partner.
"Three months ago, I couldn’t walk and that says a lot," said Virtue. "We weren’t able to train exactly the way we wanted to but I think this week will help us in the end and we’re going to be so much stronger because of it."
Moir was filled with admiration for his partner.
"I was pretty proud of her and what she’s accomplished in the last three months," said Moir, 21, of Ilderton, Ont. "It definitely wasn’t an easy road for her. Hopefully, we can stay on the road to recovery and get these programs up to 100 per cent and the way we want them to be."
The free dance was pretty impressive to the folks on hand Saturday night at Saskatoon's Credit Union Centre. They were awestruck by the intricate lifts in particular, including one in which Virtue balanced herself on Moir's back with her hands high in the air.
"Most of the pressure is going into his back but I feel like I’m surfing up there," she said. "It’s a balancing act, that’s for sure."
Moir had one stumble along he way — he jokingly called it his "Floydian slip" — but they're on their way again, with the March world championships in Los Angeles clearly in sight. They were No. 2 on the planet at last year's global event in Gothenburg, Sweden, with only one step left to climb.
Safe to say, they managed a pretty big first one this week.
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