This is a review of the 1996 Campbell's Soup Tour of Champions, which took place at the United Center in Chicago on June 1, 1996. I posted this review to the rec.sport.skating.ice.figure usenet group, but when I decided to add it to my skating site, I couldn't find the file that I had saved on disk... thanks to the DejaNews newsgroup archives, I recently tracked it down! So here it is, as originally written for (and "addressed to") the group. Enjoy. :)
Hi! It's been weeks since I last visited here, ever since school ended for the summer, and ironically, now that I actually have time to "surf" I find myself without the free Internet access that I took for granted at the university. :( Oh well, c'est la vie.
Anyway, for anyone who's interested, I just thought I'd share my comments on the Campbell's TOC that came to Chicago's United Center on June 1. I caught the matinee (2pm) show with my mom and sister, and our seats were ultra-nosebleed: 16th row, 300-level (top balcony!), but our view was nice and unobstructed. Binoculars came in very handy. :) I've kind of forgotten the skating order already (maybe someone can help??? please?), but I'll mention what were the highlights for me.
First of all, we all thought that tv just can't compare to live viewing as far as excitement and atmosphere goes... Just the realization that we were *in the same building* as all these famous skaters was such a thrill! It was fun actually applauding and "woohoo!"-ing their performances. Plus, you could really tell how well a skater covered the ice, etc, even from top balcony seats. The opening quasi-group number (which started off with a lightshow display of the Olympic rings) was fun and showed off individual skater's strengths well, and actually also ended up giving an indication of whether they were going to be "on" or not that day.
Tonia Kwiatkowski started things out with a techno number ("Are You Ready For This?")... very good and different style for her... I think she would've gotten a bigger crowd response if she came a little later in the show.
"Chicago's own" Nicole Bobek did her Cirque du Soleil "bird" program and was really on... two nice triples (I think toeloops) and a good double axel, plus some amazing spirals. Very cool!
Punsalan & Swallow did "La Vie en Rose" and were very very cute.
Dan Hollander was a big hit... he skated in a janitor's uniform with a mop and bucket to some lively music... I think he may have bobbled a jump towards the end of his program but more than made up for that with a cool backflip, right over his mop/bucket setup! Big ovation.
Rudy Galindo did "Ave Maria" and was flawless and graceful.
Jenni Meno & Todd Sand looked so good together, and she is really beautiful with her hair down... They skated to "You Make Me So Very Happy" (I think that's the title) and were quite good, although they only did a throw single axel instead of a double.
Todd Eldredge did a very nice program to "This is the Moment"... he popped what looked like was supposed to be a triple axel, but otherwise skated fast and cleanly with good style.
Right after intermission, Guddat & Beacom did their neon skates-on-hands routine. Weird but fun!
Elvis Stojko skated to some Michael Jackson songs and was a big hit with the crowd. Great jumps, of course, and fast footwork.
Grischuk & Platov did Madonna's "You'll See" and were very good. I wish their competition routines could be this enjoyable!
Michelle Kwan did a very very nice "Pocahontas"... she did a triple salchow, double axel, triple lutz (a little shaky landing), and triple toe... Perfect choreography... I really like this program!
Brasseur & Eisler were awesome, they wore similar "Blues Brothers"-type costumes and did some huge tricks. Very dynamic and fun! Huge applause for them.
The last skater was Brian Boitano and he was awesome... even from our seats, his jumps and death drop looked huge, and his skating looked so strong. Needless to say, great ovation.
The closing number was similar to the opening and provided a nice end to a great show. The skaters skated off to "We are the Champions" and a warm applause.
Some disappointments/other comments: Alexei Urmanov and Nancy Kerrigan both fell on triple toes (I'm surprised Nancy even tried a triple considering she's what, four months pregnant now?), Scott Davis was only okay (though my sister just about went crazy when he was announced!), Lu Chen didn't do any triples (otherwise skated nicely), Usova & Zhulin's program theme escaped me, Klimova & Ponamarenko were good but nothing to get excited about, Viktor Petrenko tried a triple axel and barely missed, Oksana Baiul did her Arabian program and was very disappointing jump-wise (only a double salchow and a step out of a single axel)... Also bummed that Surya Bonaly wasn't there. Did I forget anyone?
Miscellaney: This was my first trip to United Center, really nice, clean, good popcorn :), good views everywhere (I'm assuming, since we were almost as high up as you could get and we could see pretty clearly)... The crowd was generally very good although I guess I don't have much to reference from since this is only the second skating show I've seen in person... an exception was the couple sitting in front of me who were very obviously pro-Oksana and anti-Nancy... they actually laughed when Nancy fell. Ugh!
Anyhow, sorry this was so long but I've appreciated reading the reviews of others who've seen the show and I thought I'd share my own thoughts with anyone else who might be interested. I'll probably be away from the group again for a while, so if anybody would care to reply or add comments, or if someone else who went to the Chicago show could refresh my memory about the skating order (I should've taken notes!), I'd love to hear from ya via e-mail.
Saturday, April 17, 1999
Friday, October 30, 1998
USFSA 1999 World Junior Team Selections
Here are some photos that I took at the USFSA World Junior Team selection competition, which took place September 3-5, 1998. Results of this event were used to help choose the skaters who will represent the United States at the 1999 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, to be held in late-1998. Complete results can be found on the USFSA site. The USFSA has selected the top three finishers in each discipline to go to junior world's.
Personal notes: This was the first live skating competition that I ever attended, and it was very exciting! I watched the last day of competition, the free skating programs of all four disciplines. Fortunately I was able to get good seats (third row, right on center ice). It was very interesting to see the difference in speed, power, and overall skating quality from one competitor to the next. It was fun to see the skaters and coaches "up close and personal" as well. I was quite star-struck! :) The skating itself was very entertaining, and the top finishers all skated strong programs. I think the USA will be well-represented at junior world's.
(You can click on each photo below to view a larger version)
Second-place pairs finishers Tiffany & Johnnie Steigler starting their free skate
Pairs winners Laura Handy and J. Paul Binnebose taking their bows after their free skate
Andrea Aggeler (left) and Sarah Hughes (right) warming up for the ladies' free skate
Morgan Rowe warming up
Ladies' winner Sarah Hughes finishing her free skate
Second-place ladies' finisher Camie Doyle finishing her free skate
Personal notes: This was the first live skating competition that I ever attended, and it was very exciting! I watched the last day of competition, the free skating programs of all four disciplines. Fortunately I was able to get good seats (third row, right on center ice). It was very interesting to see the difference in speed, power, and overall skating quality from one competitor to the next. It was fun to see the skaters and coaches "up close and personal" as well. I was quite star-struck! :) The skating itself was very entertaining, and the top finishers all skated strong programs. I think the USA will be well-represented at junior world's.
(You can click on each photo below to view a larger version)
Second-place pairs finishers Tiffany & Johnnie Steigler starting their free skate
Pairs winners Laura Handy and J. Paul Binnebose taking their bows after their free skate
Andrea Aggeler (left) and Sarah Hughes (right) warming up for the ladies' free skate
Morgan Rowe warming up
Ladies' winner Sarah Hughes finishing her free skate
Second-place ladies' finisher Camie Doyle finishing her free skate
Champions On Ice 1998
Here's my review of the 1998 Champions on Ice show which took place on July 18, 1998 at Chicago's United Center.
Skaters
First half:
Tonia Kwiatkowski | Michael Weiss | Punsalan & Swallow | Nicole Bobek | Usova & Zhulin | Alexei Urmanov | Woetzel & Steuer | Rudy Galindo | Klimova & Ponamarenko | Surya Bonaly | Philippe Candeloro
Second half:
Tim Goebel | Laurent Tobel | Lu Chen | Berezhnaia & Sikharulidze | Todd Eldredge | Krylova & Ovsiannikov | Victor Petrenko | Kazakova & Dmitriev | Gritschuk & Platov | Michelle Kwan | Ilya Kulik | Tara Lipinski
Note: photos are courtesy of my friend Krista, who somehow took some great pictures despite sitting with me just a few rows down from the very top of the United Center. :) You can click on each photo to view a larger version.
The opening number was nice and set the tone for the rest of the show. The only obvious problem was Surya Bonaly’s fall at the end of a double axel-triple toe (!) combo.
Tonia Kwiatkowski started things off with her "Are You Ready for This" routine, which she did the last time I saw COI/TOC in 1996 (except this time she wore a hot pink costume instead of black). Hit a nice triple toe and a so-so triple lutz. Her spins weren’t as crisp as they looked on tv, but her footwork was good!
Michael Weiss skated next to music by The Doors. It wasn’t an especially memorable performance, but it did feature a nice backflip.
Punsalan & Swallow skated a cute routine to some Sinatra (?) song. They are a very attractive couple and have nice flow across the ice.
Nicole Bobek
Nicole Bobek was next and was definitely "on"... Skating to "I Will Survive"/"Natural Woman"/"Respect" the local girl lit up the arena. Hit two big triple toes and two huge double axels. Did a very long cannonball sit spin and her trademark spiral. A very fun routine.
Usova & Zhulin skated next, to a slow song by Sting. Smooth, but I didn't get too into their routine.
Alexei Urmanov did a routine that used his gloves as props. :) Hit a nice triple axel! But stumbled a bit on a triple toe.
Woetzel & Steuer skated to "Mandy" by Barry Manilow and did a nice job. She put a hand down on a big throw double axel.
Rudy Galindo
Rudy Galindo really got the crowd going with his Village People program! Nice jumps and creative spins held together with some very flamboyant choreography. :) He got one of the biggest crowd receptions of the evening.
Klimova & Ponamarenko
Klimova & Ponamarenko skated a soft, flowy, romantic routine. It's true, her hair is now dull brown. :)
Surya Bonaly was next. This was the first time I've seen her skate live, and I'd have to say she is a very charismatic performer. Her routine was to an interesting Sarah Brightman song. Did jumps galore, including an awesome walley-walley-split-triple toe, as well as a backflip-triple sal. Threw some forward flips during her bows :)
Philippe Candeloro
Philippe Candeloro's disco program closed the first half on a high note. Like Rudy, he really got the crowd into his routine. He jumped into the stands at one point and took off his jacket in front of some very happy ladies.
After intermission, Tim Goebel (who is from the Chicago suburb of Rolling Meadows) came out and did a program to "Grease"... he skates very "young" but has a lot of potential.
Laurent Tobel
Laurent Tobel was hilarious in his ballerina getup, complete with tutu. Hit a big triple flip.
Lu Chen skated to "Peel Me a Grape" and hit a nice triple toe, then fell on a double axel. It was a nice routine but it didn't have a whole lot of spark.
Berezhnaia & Sikharulidze did their "Barcelona" program. They have awesome speed over the ice, and did a huge throw triple (loop?)...
Todd Eldredge skated his Andrea Bocelli program and hit everything, including a big triple axel. Also skated with all kinds of speed and flow. Big ovation.
Krylova & Ovsiannikov did their very enthusiastic "Malaguena"... good speed and tons of expression.
Victor Petrenko did his pianist number which I didn't really care for. Nice jumps though.
Kazakova & Dmitriev were next and did very well. I forget their music, but they skated with a lot of flair.
Gritschuk & Platov skated to "Frozen" by Madonna. Weird red costumes! I think I liked their "You'll See" program better. They skate very fast but didn't do a whole lot of footwork.
Michelle Kwan
Michelle Kwan was next (woohoo!) and skated to "Reflections" from Mulan. The version she used was sung by Lea Salonga but was different than the one in the movie/soundtrack. She hit a triple toe and triple sal, then stumbled a bit on a tilted triple lutz. I have to say, as beautiful as her change of edge spiral sequence is on tv, it's absolutely breathtaking in person! The speed and the ice coverage are awesome. She has some interesting footwork and spins as well. The program as a whole wasn't as captivating as I imagine "Dante's Prayer" would have been live, but still nice. Big ovation.
Ilya Kulik skated his "Rhapsody in Blue" program, complete with yellow cow shirt. :) His skating is very smooth, with effortless jumps. Landed a nice triple axel and several other triples.
Tara Lipinski
Tara Lipinski closed the show with her "Gliding"/"Believe in Yourself" program. She certainly skates with a lot of speed and covers the ice very well. She doubled her first lutz then tried a triple and landed it fine. Also hit a triple loop, triple sal, and I think a triple toe as well. There are some nice moments in this program, like the back spiral/attitude move, but she still has a little ways to go before she reaches the performance level of Nicole or Michelle, for me at least.
Highlights of the closing number included simultaneous double axels by Urmanov and Galindo; Bonaly's back flip-triple sal; and Kwan's edge-change spiral.
Overall I was impressed by the show and had a great time. If I go next season I'm going to definitely try to get better seats!! Thank goodness for binoculars (and for Krista's zoom lens and photography skills)!
Skaters
First half:
Tonia Kwiatkowski | Michael Weiss | Punsalan & Swallow | Nicole Bobek | Usova & Zhulin | Alexei Urmanov | Woetzel & Steuer | Rudy Galindo | Klimova & Ponamarenko | Surya Bonaly | Philippe Candeloro
Second half:
Tim Goebel | Laurent Tobel | Lu Chen | Berezhnaia & Sikharulidze | Todd Eldredge | Krylova & Ovsiannikov | Victor Petrenko | Kazakova & Dmitriev | Gritschuk & Platov | Michelle Kwan | Ilya Kulik | Tara Lipinski
Note: photos are courtesy of my friend Krista, who somehow took some great pictures despite sitting with me just a few rows down from the very top of the United Center. :) You can click on each photo to view a larger version.
The opening number was nice and set the tone for the rest of the show. The only obvious problem was Surya Bonaly’s fall at the end of a double axel-triple toe (!) combo.
Tonia Kwiatkowski started things off with her "Are You Ready for This" routine, which she did the last time I saw COI/TOC in 1996 (except this time she wore a hot pink costume instead of black). Hit a nice triple toe and a so-so triple lutz. Her spins weren’t as crisp as they looked on tv, but her footwork was good!
Michael Weiss skated next to music by The Doors. It wasn’t an especially memorable performance, but it did feature a nice backflip.
Punsalan & Swallow skated a cute routine to some Sinatra (?) song. They are a very attractive couple and have nice flow across the ice.
Nicole Bobek
Nicole Bobek was next and was definitely "on"... Skating to "I Will Survive"/"Natural Woman"/"Respect" the local girl lit up the arena. Hit two big triple toes and two huge double axels. Did a very long cannonball sit spin and her trademark spiral. A very fun routine.
Usova & Zhulin skated next, to a slow song by Sting. Smooth, but I didn't get too into their routine.
Alexei Urmanov did a routine that used his gloves as props. :) Hit a nice triple axel! But stumbled a bit on a triple toe.
Woetzel & Steuer skated to "Mandy" by Barry Manilow and did a nice job. She put a hand down on a big throw double axel.
Rudy Galindo
Rudy Galindo really got the crowd going with his Village People program! Nice jumps and creative spins held together with some very flamboyant choreography. :) He got one of the biggest crowd receptions of the evening.
Klimova & Ponamarenko
Klimova & Ponamarenko skated a soft, flowy, romantic routine. It's true, her hair is now dull brown. :)
Surya Bonaly was next. This was the first time I've seen her skate live, and I'd have to say she is a very charismatic performer. Her routine was to an interesting Sarah Brightman song. Did jumps galore, including an awesome walley-walley-split-triple toe, as well as a backflip-triple sal. Threw some forward flips during her bows :)
Philippe Candeloro
Philippe Candeloro's disco program closed the first half on a high note. Like Rudy, he really got the crowd into his routine. He jumped into the stands at one point and took off his jacket in front of some very happy ladies.
After intermission, Tim Goebel (who is from the Chicago suburb of Rolling Meadows) came out and did a program to "Grease"... he skates very "young" but has a lot of potential.
Laurent Tobel
Laurent Tobel was hilarious in his ballerina getup, complete with tutu. Hit a big triple flip.
Lu Chen skated to "Peel Me a Grape" and hit a nice triple toe, then fell on a double axel. It was a nice routine but it didn't have a whole lot of spark.
Berezhnaia & Sikharulidze did their "Barcelona" program. They have awesome speed over the ice, and did a huge throw triple (loop?)...
Todd Eldredge skated his Andrea Bocelli program and hit everything, including a big triple axel. Also skated with all kinds of speed and flow. Big ovation.
Krylova & Ovsiannikov did their very enthusiastic "Malaguena"... good speed and tons of expression.
Victor Petrenko did his pianist number which I didn't really care for. Nice jumps though.
Kazakova & Dmitriev were next and did very well. I forget their music, but they skated with a lot of flair.
Gritschuk & Platov skated to "Frozen" by Madonna. Weird red costumes! I think I liked their "You'll See" program better. They skate very fast but didn't do a whole lot of footwork.
Michelle Kwan
Michelle Kwan was next (woohoo!) and skated to "Reflections" from Mulan. The version she used was sung by Lea Salonga but was different than the one in the movie/soundtrack. She hit a triple toe and triple sal, then stumbled a bit on a tilted triple lutz. I have to say, as beautiful as her change of edge spiral sequence is on tv, it's absolutely breathtaking in person! The speed and the ice coverage are awesome. She has some interesting footwork and spins as well. The program as a whole wasn't as captivating as I imagine "Dante's Prayer" would have been live, but still nice. Big ovation.
Ilya Kulik skated his "Rhapsody in Blue" program, complete with yellow cow shirt. :) His skating is very smooth, with effortless jumps. Landed a nice triple axel and several other triples.
Tara Lipinski
Tara Lipinski closed the show with her "Gliding"/"Believe in Yourself" program. She certainly skates with a lot of speed and covers the ice very well. She doubled her first lutz then tried a triple and landed it fine. Also hit a triple loop, triple sal, and I think a triple toe as well. There are some nice moments in this program, like the back spiral/attitude move, but she still has a little ways to go before she reaches the performance level of Nicole or Michelle, for me at least.
Highlights of the closing number included simultaneous double axels by Urmanov and Galindo; Bonaly's back flip-triple sal; and Kwan's edge-change spiral.
Overall I was impressed by the show and had a great time. If I go next season I'm going to definitely try to get better seats!! Thank goodness for binoculars (and for Krista's zoom lens and photography skills)!
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