About Us

December 2002

• Two triple Axels by up-and-coming ladies;
• Michelle Kwan stepping in at the last minute;
• An Olympic champion in tears facing what might be the end of an illustrious career;
• A new marking system that changes the way scores are displayed;
• An amazing ice dancing result - the status quo which normally seems irrevocably written in concrete was shattered;
• A record-breaking attendance

"We were worried about the dropouts," said Toby Steward, co-chair of the local organizing committee. "Normally all the U.S. champions come to Skate America. But we exceeded all of our expectations. It's been kind of like a big wedding where you can't wait to go back and look at the photographs because you've been too busy to take it all in."

Of the U.S. champions, only ice dancers Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev were originally entered, and they withdrew due to an injury to Lang. Pairs champions Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman chose not to compete in the eligible ranks this year. Though Michelle Kwan and Todd Eldredge have both kept their eligibility, neither planned to enter any Grand Prix events.

Other top names pulled out right before the event. World ice dancing silver medalists Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz of Canada withdrew because of her Achilles tendonitis. Then, Olympic champion Sarah Hughes tore a muscle the week before the event, and Kwan graciously agreed to fill in.

Read about all of the action at the premier international event held in the U.S. in the December issue - and see some of the event's best photos from Paul and Michelle Harvath!