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Sudoku
 | Thursday, October 24, 2002 |
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Sports Skate America promises hot ticket Steve Bergum
Michelle Kwan delighted a small gathering of figure skating fans at the Arena Wednesday afternoon as practice officially opened for Smart Ones Skate America 2002. But the smiles on the faces of the 200 or so in attendance paled in comparison to the one sported by event organizer Toby Steward in the hallway beneath the stands. "I'm more than excited that the competition is finally here," Steward said while hoisting a cup of coffee in a mock toast to the international event that kicks off today. "You can only do so much organizing, and then it's time to get on with it. "Let's get on with the action." Skate America, the first of six events that make up the Grand Prix of Figure Skating series, opens its four-day run at the Arena at 4:30 this afternoon with compulsories in the ice dancing competition. By the time Sunday's exhibition skate commences at 2 p.m., 59 of the world's top figure skaters -- including Kwan and 2002 Olympic gold medalis As of late Wednesday afternoon, ticket sales for this year's event have climbed to within 1,000 of the record 26,588 that were sold for Skate America in 1986, when it was held in Portland, Maine. "I don't know how big a crowd we'll have tomorrow night," Steward said, "but we're expecting a big turnout on Friday and Saturday, with a lot of walk-up ticket buyers." Kwan, a bronze medalist at the 2002 Olympics and a six-time Skate America champion, undoubtedly helped the gate after agreeing just Friday to compete in place of injured Olympic gold medalist Sara Hughes. Kwan will be one of 12 competing in tonight's ladies short program, which starts at 9 p.m., and Saturday's ladies free skate, scheduled for 5:30. She gave fans a look at her new short program routine during Wednesday's practice session and later said she is looking forward to defending the Skate America title she has captured the last three years -- even though she had originally planned not to compete. Kwan will skate as the crowd favorite, but she could be tested by several in a women's field that includes American Ann Patrice McDonough, the reigning World Juniors champion; Hungarian Julia Sebestyen; Russian Viktoria Volchkova, who finished eighth and ninth, respectively, in the 2002 Olympics; and Japan's Yukari Nakano, who landed a pair of triple axels during Wednesday' practice session. "I saw a couple of triple axels and a triple combination out there (in practice)," Kwan said, warily. "But I have to judge where I'm at and not worry about the other competitors. "I think I'm kind of ready. So, here goes nothing." Among the men's competitors expected to push Yagudin, a four-time world champion, are fellow Russian Alexander Abt, a fifth-place finisher in the 2002 Olympics, and Canadian Emanuel Sandhu, who has been skating in the considerable shadow of Canadian great Elvis Stoyko the past few years. Michael Weiss, sixth in this year's World Championships and seventh in the Salt Lake City Olympics, is considered the best of the three Americans entered. The pairs competition will feature fourth-place Olympic finishers Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin, from Russia, and Americans Tiffany Scott and Philip Dulebohn, who placed 13th at Salt Lake City. Nine couples, including the American teams of Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto and Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov, will compete in ice dancing.
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