U.S. Nationals 2003

I watched most of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships this weekend and it was rather disappointing. Something about the small ice rink in Dallas resulted in poor performances by the pairs and men. None of the pairs skated cleanly and Timothy Goebel (the quad king) did not land any of his four planned quads. It wasn't until the ladies skated that the level of competition rose. Watching all of those figure skaters made me feel exceptionally old. I have been an avid Michelle Kwan fan for 11 years... scary. I have rejoiced over every one of her national and world titles and agonized over both Olympic results.

I sometimes feel as though watching figure skating is as stressful for the fan as it is for the skaters themselves. It is easier to handle when the skater is a relative unknown since expectations aren't there yet. This weekend, Ann Patrice McDonough and Ryan Jahnke exemplified that type of new and exciting skater on the rise. There is something about potential that is so appealing. I truly find the possibility for greatness in others very attractive. I don't know, perhaps it gives me hope that I still have a chance for brilliance.

It is all good until your favorite skater is ready to perform. Things before then didn't seem so significant, but as your skater takes the ice, the tension sets in. You are rooting for her with all your heart, hoping that she wins her seventh straight title, hoping for some redemption and hoping that her program will somehow silence the critics who say that her time is over at the age of 22.

I watched as Kwan skated one of her most graceful and flawless routines... ever. When she landed, she seemed so perfectly balanced and smooth. You could feel the energy and intensity increase with each completed move and jump. There was a palpable rush when she went into her signature spiral, soaring across the ice on one leg, arms reaching out, a smile on her face, and the crowd reacting as though they were finally aware that something spectacular was happening. When she went into her final stylized spin, knowing that she had done everything she possibly could, she basked in the ovation that began before she even finished the program. I was overjoyed. She had blown everybody away and the main competition was still to skate. But even in my revelry, her victory pained me a bit, thinking that is was this performance that she needed at the Olympics to finally complete her quest.