 Skate
Today has teamed up with Barry Mittan to provide you an insight into
the personalities of the people in this wonderful sport and to give
you a more personal connection when you watch them on television or
see them at an event. Mr. Mittan is the author or editor of several
books and hundreds of figure skating articles. All of Barry's stories
are reviewed by the skaters, and their coaches or others if requested,
before publication to ensure the greatest accuracy.
All current
articles and many previous articles may be read in their entirety by
following the links below. Mr. Mittan retains all copyrights for these
articles and they may not be reproduced without permission. Please visit
www.jbmittan.com for more details.
Archived Articles
2008
January - March 2008
2007
2006
2005
2004 |
July 24, 2008
Article by J. Barry Mittan
 The 2008 Canadian junior dance title went to the team of Kharis Ralph and Asher Hill. The dancers' goal for the season was only to make the podium at Canadians after winning in novice dance last season and in pre-novice dance in 2006, but they took the top spot for the third consecutive season.
"We didn't expect to win or to go to Junior Worlds at all," Ralph said. They finished eighth at Junior Worlds, even though they had failed to medal at either of their Junior Grand Prixs or to make the JGP Final. The couple placed fourth at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Lake Placid, New York and seventh at the JGP in Sheffield, England.
"We'll be going senior next year," Ralph noted. "We never thought we would get this far together, but we like a challenge too." Hill also expects to continue skating in singles. "I want to skate forever and ever," he said. "Both give me a thrill.
Hill began skating when he was five. "I didn't want to do it, but my twin sister Acacia did," he remembered. "My mother put us both into skating because she wanted to do it. Eventually I got into it.""
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July 17, 2008
Article by J. Barry Mittan
 Estonia's best chance at a medal when the European Championships come to Tallinn in 2010 may be Elena Glebova, a native of the city who turns 19 in June. The talented brunette has won the senior ladies title in Estonia three times and already competed five times at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Her highest placement there was sixth in 2007, but she had hoped to do better in 2008.
"My goal was to be in the top five, but I injured the kneecap in my right knee in December 2007 doing the triple lutz-triple toe loop too much," she said. "I was off the ice for six weeks and had just five weeks to train for Junior Worlds. I had surgery in the beginning of April after Worlds. It went successfully. I started training again in June and I am getting stronger day after day."
The injury prevented her participation in the 2008 European Championships. Earlier in the season, Glebova 2007 skated at two Grand Prix events, Skate Canada, where she placed eighth, and Trophee Eric Bompard Cachemire, where she finished sixth. Glebova has placed as high as 12th at the European Championships in 2007, 15th at Worlds in 2008, and 28th at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. She hopes to be able to compete in two more Olympics. |
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July 10, 2008
Article by J. Barry Mittan
 Arizona natives Chelsi Guillen and Danny Curzon, who turned 15 and 21 respectively in May, went to their first ISU championships when they competed at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria last winter. They finished tenth overall, scoring a personal best in the short.
"Getting to come here has been such a treat," Curzon said, "kind of like the cherry on top of the year Each competition we've gotten a little bit better, We've finished this program off on a good note." "At the beginning of the season, it wasn't really a goal for us," Guillen said. "We just hoped to skate good at Nationals and see what would happen. It's so amazing to come here to skate."
The duo placed eighth in junior pairs at U. S. Nationals in 2007, and then took the bronze medal in 2008. Curzon had finished eighth in juniors with a previous partner, Katie Boxwell, in 2006. He also competed with Jenna Yount and Molly Aaron. |
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