Declared that last year would be his final year of competitions as a singles skater, but he reconsidered after the 2007 U.S. Championships ... He is now competing to maintain a high level of performance, with the hope of securing a pairs partner for the 2008-09 season ...
I totally agree, I really like him and his skating style.Wow! That's great news! I'm glad he's staying involved with the sport. He has a great musical sense. I've always enjoyed watching him skate. arty:
I hesitated to post my opinion, because everyone seems so enthusiastic. But I guess every thread needs a dissenter. I think it's a terrible decision. Derrick Delmore is 28 years old. He's been skating in seniors for more than a decade, but has never been on the podium. His best finish was top five -- years ago. He had a nice swan song in Spokane. It is time to move on. Share your love of skating with your students. Or try to land more professional gigs, like the stage show he just did. Sign on for one of the cruise ships for six months. Or join Holiday on Ice and see the world. Or maybe use that Stanford education somehow. He's never been a good competitor.
I had to laugh when I read this because I too hesitated to say what I was thinking - and actually did more than hesitate as I didn't say it -- but I was very surprised to read he wants to continue IN A NEW discipline precisely because of his age.?
It isn't a new discipline, it's old. Delmore was a pairs skater before he was a singles skater, IIRC.
Delmore has been all along. I've seen him coaching at club competitions for many years now.Share your love of skating with your students.
I'd like to bring up John Baldwin to the naysayers.
John Baldwin was 23 not 28 when he started pairs skating. He also had the incredible opportunity to skate with Rena Inoue, who was already an Olympian. Still, it took them three years to make the World team. So if Delmore first starts pairs skating next year, he will start the discipline at age 29. If it all goes well, maybe he'll be on the podium by the time he's 32. Too late the 2010 Olympics. He will be 35 for 2014. Yes, I know there have been skaters at the Olympics in that age range, but it's still very unlikely.
Another thing, Baldwin didn't have the benefit of a Stanford education. All he knew was skating. Delmore has other options in life.