Which skaters have you met?

[iluvtodd]

So many - especially through SOI and Mike Weiss' shows- most of the casts.

Others at Liberty Summer competition - Armin M. Sean Rabbitt, Ashely Wagner, Patrick Chan, Brian Orser (when he was coaching Adam Rippon), Keegan Messing, Nathan Chen, Amanda & Mark, Samantha Caesario, Melissa Bulanhagui, Joelle Forte, Ross Miner, Steven Carriere, Rocky Marval, Isabelle Brasseur, Lucinda Ruh, Viktor Petrenko ...

If there is one skater I wish we could meet "up close & personal" (whom we haven't already met), it would be Midori Ito!

[os168]

Met and talked to (didn't plan to, it just happens):

Jeremy Abbott, who's simply lovely in person and have the most sparkly bluish/greyish eyes with long eye lashes I have ever seen, generous with fans and very sweet. Tall, trim and lanky. Nice.... jeans!

Dennis Ten, very nice young man, patient and considerate. Shorter than I expect, infact he looks just like a big kid, but a very cool kid none the less with a few of his mates looking like they have the making of a boy band.

John Zimmerman, handsome and swoon worthy in person even with wife in the background lol! (older than I remember, he reminded me a little bit of Bon Jovi) Again, very lovely and kind.

Why are all skaters so well behaved and lovely? I wonder if there's anyone not well behaved ever?


Skaters up close in person off-ice at WC 2011:

Patrick Chan at the parking lot in trainers and gym outfit, with a bunch of guys talking. Didn't want to bother him, but thought he looks taller in person especially compare with the Japanese guys. I saw him skating live about 6 times all together (including shows), and always thought he is so impressive in person. There's a natural ease and smoothness he carry himself on ice that I didn't think was noticeable enough on on television/youtube.

Alissa Czisny spotted at hotel lounge. Absolutely gorgeous in person. Stunning white teeth (those you only see in tooth paste commercials) and lovely natural smile, she was talking on the phone with someone in the hotel lounge wonder it might be her bf because she couldn't stop smiling.

Kozuka Takahiko
Walked right past me three times at the arena carrying a souvenir pillow talking to someone on the phone and looking lost, I thought it was kind of funny since nobody really take notice, maybe he was alot shorter in person than one would expect. (shorter than me anyway)

Daisuke Takahashi
A real cool dude presence about him. All in black in head band and wild hair and a big rucksack. There were so many ladies with flowers for him at the hotel in two line forming a footpath, but so polite and sweet waiting for him to acknowledge them. Shorter in person than I'd expect but that just makes him even more cooler with his super cool gear that makes him look like a cast from the film FAME!

Arthur Gachinski
Totally Plushy.... can't help but wonder under all that blond hair, there's a secret goth inside, in the way he carry his stature, proud attitude, walk/haste past by everybody with hair flying past him mano-a-mano.

Ksenia MAKAROVA
Stand with coach in the lounge, not sure what, greet everyone? Seems very sweet in person, lots of smiles, but soooo skinny and has small head, don't know why that was my impression.

Tessa Virtue
She was coming on the escalator while I was going down at the Metro. Very bright red lipstick, fair skin, dark hair makes her stood out. I think she might be a sophisticated young lady off-ice, just got a feeling in what she was wearing and how she carry herself.

Yuko Kavaguti / Alexander Smirnov
On their way to the Pairs competition walked right past me as I leave the arena, I nodded to Yuko and she nodded back and smiled. I guess not too many Asian faces other than those related to the skating event makes you notice the Asian people. Thought she was sweet, and Alexander is pretty good looking in person while Yuko is absolutely tiny.

Miki and Morozov
Relaxed and watching the skating at the bar and not saying much to each other and not touching their salad either. Enough said. :P

Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy
Walked past outside the parking lot as he leaves the arena. Friend went to ask for an autograph and got them.

Mao Asada
Coming off the bus to the hotel, looking really skinny but lovely big round head and big lovely ears. Her ears is something my mother commented the most, they are 'Fu' ears or 'lucky' ears according to the Chinese facial reading, shows this person is blessed and should have a fortunate life. Dragging her own suite case to the Hotel and looking pensive. (It was after her SP)

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Yuna Kim, Michelle Kwan, David Wilson at ATS LA Q&A

Yuna is a walking talking naturally charming diplomat-in-waiting splendor. One without the usual facade, embellishment, tutoring, trained answers one would usually associate from the typical diplomat. I am usually a good BS detector, but I remember coming away well impressed with her simple, truthful and incise answers/reactions to some very complicated and sensitive questions. I think that it might be the secret to her success both on and off ice. Yuna cut through the BS and get to the heart of the truth and makes things simple and easy yet somewhat thoughtful and sophisticately done.

Michelle... Oh Michelle! [Insert Beatle song] Lovely lovely, delightful, gorgeous, spectacular and very very happy to be performing and receiving love from the crowd. I would have love to see her live during her peak conditions at US nationals, but alas can't turn back the clock!

David Wilson, master of ceremony, he remind me of a very playful but super bright chipmunk. Not sure why, maybe there's something quite infectious about him that oozes creative energy, good will and always good for a laugh. I bet he would make the perfect drinking buddy or party guest.

[Olympia]

os168, what splendid descriptions of the skaters! I felt as if I were standing right next to you as you encountered them all. Thank you so much for literally sharing your experiences with us.

It's funny you mentioned Mao's ears. I noticed them early on and thought they were very endearing, because they stick out just a bit and have that unusual shape. They make her face so individual and unconventional--those and her wonderful, sincere smile. When I see her face, I feel like smiling, except this week when I look at photos of her and want to cry.

I love your portrait of Daisuke and his fans! That's just the way I imagine him. And Dennis Ten and his mates looking like a boy band...I'm giggling. It was especially lovely to see YuNa and Michelle through your eyes.

You have to keep meeting skaters so you can tell us about them! (When can you fly to see Shizuka? and Kurt?)

[R.D.]

Always interesting to read about others' experiences.

I think now the list of skaters I REALLY wanted to encounter has pretty much been checked off. Yes!

Of course, couple skaters I wouldn't mind running into again...

[Vash01]

The only skaters I have met in person are Anton Sikharulidze and Elena Berezhnaya. Also Tamara Moskvina.

[Trewyn]

Skaters that I interacted with/got an autograph from/fed chocolates... nearly all of these happened at Worlds in Turin. It was pretty amazing there.
Nicest, most fan-friendly skater was probably Adam Rippon. But nearly all of these 'encounters' were really positive experiences!

Yu Na Kim
Daisuke Takahashi
Carolina Kostner
Shizuka Arakawa (TEB 2009)
Tomas Verner (TEB 2009)
Patrick Chan
Laura Lepisto
Mirai Nagasu
Virtue & Moir
Jeremy Abbott
Takahiko Kozuka
Adrian Schultheiss
Adam Rippon
Akiko Suzuki
Brian Joubert
John Zimmerman
John & Sinead Kerr
Brian Orser
Michal Brezina
Maxim Trankov
Evan Bates
Meryl Davis
Priscilla Hill
Samuel Contesti
Kevin van der Perren and Jenna McCorkell (several times)

Skaters I would really love to meet one day:
Ashley Wagner
Alissa Czisny
Stéphane Lambiel
Johnny Weir
Tara Lipinski