Let's hear it for bromance, skating bonds and friendship

[daphenaxa]

For Jenny Kirk's article, my impressions are:

- I think she is kind of right that at the moment of the competition, nobody is really friend or friendly. I think it was Yuzuru (or Javier) who said that they didn't talk at all before the competition backstage or in the lockers because they just got their mind ready to compete and focused on themselves and their preparation. It is also clear that the tension must be really palpable. But you can still see friendships shine through like Jason's high five with Han Yan, Yuzuru saying "go Javi" or Elena and Liza snuggling in the 2nd kiss and cry...

- I also think that this atmosphere she describes depends a lot on the personalities of the skaters. I can't even imagine Mao Asada or Satoko Miyahara staring someone down and criticising their hair and costume lol. Maybe that is because in her time there were lots of really big personalities or diva-like skaters and now people are more chill? I also think that even if the IJS has its problems, it is still overall fairer than the system Jenny competed under. So the ranking is more about performance and less about reputation, you don't have to try to intimidate your rivals as much?

-Finally I think that with social media it is a lot easier for skaters to keep in touch and have friendly banter, know each others lives etc. Before, skaters only saw each other at competitions and sometimes shows but as she says, they wouldn't hang out outside that and wouldn't call each other on the weekend. Now they don't need to do that. They can keep permanent contact with the other skaters and when comes competition it is a lot more difficult to "hate" someone that you know everything of.

So all in all, I think it isn't true and that skaters are good friends at least now. But I also recall when they interviewed Shae Lynn Bourne on TSL she said she stayed at Maya Usova's place and recalled very fondly of her, so I guess even back in the days, some skaters were good friends too.

 

[plushyfan]

Plushenko with Johnny Weir!, Stefan Lambiel, Tomas Verner

 

[Eloise]

Caro is good friend with Lambiel, Denis Ten and Verner

 

[LRK]

Plushenko with Johnny Weir!, Stefan Lambiel, Tomas Verner

You didn't mention Brian! (looks accusing)

 

[Interspectator]

Plushenko with Johnny Weir!, Stefan Lambiel, Tomas Verner

Yuzu and Plushenko and Johnny Weir are pretty chummy.
There are levels of friendship though.

I think casual friendship is possible for most skaters.

 

[uhh]

I get the impression that it's easier for skaters to be friends with others that they aren't in direct competition with - like Florent, Morgan, Vanessa & Mae are all really close, but they aren't fighting each other for the same spot on the team for Euros or Worlds, so it makes things easier! Same with Madison Chock & Ashley Wagner being good friends & being roomies at Worlds, and Gracie & Maia doing the same - you can't imagine Gracie & Ashley being bffs in the same way!

The only time I can remember skaters from the same discipline in the same country being really really good friends was Tessa & Kaitlyn, although even then they weren't directly in competition because V/M were in their own tier with D/W and W/P were so far behind. On the other side, you have someone like Max Trankov saying that the two ice dance teams for Russia in the team event in Sochi didn't really interact at all, even after they won the gold medal - not because they hated each other (although there were rumours about a fight between the boys before...) but because they still had their main event to come, and they would be aiming for the same goal of taking the bronze medal.

One of my favourite stories of skater friendships is from Elena Radionova: when she first started competing at senior nationals, she would ask Elena Ilinykh to do her competition make-up for her because she didn't know how to do it & thought Elena I always looked so pretty.

 

[YesWay]

Yuna and Mao back in the day used to be really good friends, their moms would give each other food and they used to hang out at competitions with Takahiko Kozuka until the warring of fans made it awkward for them

That is a sad, sad thing. Those so-called "fans" should be ashamed.

 

[silverfoxes]

Many of the Russian skaters are genuine friends...they go to sporting events together, birthday parties, occasionally vacation together. Ivan Righini is close friends with Kovtun and Nikita Katsalopov (and Ivan just posted birthday pics w/a bunch other skaters there), Maxim Trankov and Fedor Klimov are close, Alexei Rogonov & Nodari, etc. The younger guys like Sasha Petrov, Alexander Samarin, Adian Pitkeev, Dima Aliev all get along really well too.

Sergei and Javier are real friends, and I think Javi and Javier Raya are true "amigos" as well. I actually don't think it's that hard for most skaters to keep friendship and competition separate. The bitter rivalries are more the exception than the rule.

Elene G. posted some nice pics yesterday of her hanging out with Ksenia Stolbova in New York - the caption of one says "Very productive #SundayFunday with the #coolest @ksu_stolbova at the #CentralPark ! We bonded over long walk all around the entire Central Park ! Beginning of the friendship #NYC"

edit - I read (ok, skimmed) Jenny's article and given how catty she & Dave are on their podcasts, it's par for the course for what I would expect from her & her worldview. But I'm curious, how would she know this:

Whether it’s Johnny and Evan, Sasha and Michelle, or Michelle and Irina, their relationships are all the same. They are friendly, but they are not friends. They don’t go out to dinner together the night before the long program and they don’t call each other up on weekends to discuss various training methods.

Does she know them all personally? Yeah, maybe they don't do those exact things (dinner before the long program, calling on the weekends to discuss training methods), but those are not the only benchmarks of a true friendship. You don't have to hang out with someone 24/7 to be friends. Do you? If that's the case, I'm in trouble. And I very much doubt that Johnny & Evan's relationship belongs in the same category of that of Michelle & Irina, or anyone else, for that matter (save for Plushy & Yags).

 

[anyanka]

For Jenny Kirk's article, my impressions are:

- I think she is kind of right that at the moment of the competition, nobody is really friend or friendly. I think it was Yuzuru (or Javier) who said that they didn't talk at all before the competition backstage or in the lockers because they just got their mind ready to compete and focused on themselves and their preparation. It is also clear that the tension must be really palpable. But you can still see friendships shine through like Jason's high five with Han Yan, Yuzuru saying "go Javi" or Elena and Liza snuggling in the 2nd kiss and cry...

- I also think that this atmosphere she describes depends a lot on the personalities of the skaters. I can't even imagine Mao Asada or Satoko Miyahara staring someone down and criticising their hair and costume lol. Maybe that is because in her time there were lots of really big personalities or diva-like skaters and now people are more chill? I also think that even if the IJS has its problems, it is still overall fairer than the system Jenny competed under. So the ranking is more about performance and less about reputation, you don't have to try to intimidate your rivals as much?

-Finally I think that with social media it is a lot easier for skaters to keep in touch and have friendly banter, know each others lives etc. Before, skaters only saw each other at competitions and sometimes shows but as she says, they wouldn't hang out outside that and wouldn't call each other on the weekend. Now they don't need to do that. They can keep permanent contact with the other skaters and when comes competition it is a lot more difficult to "hate" someone that you know everything of.

So all in all, I think it isn't true and that skaters are good friends at least now. But I also recall when they interviewed Shae Lynn Bourne on TSL she said she stayed at Maya Usova's place and recalled very fondly of her, so I guess even back in the days, some skaters were good friends too.

I think that in the heat of competition, skaters are like lawyers who are about to argue cases. In court they fight for their clients, but in their off-hours, they can get together and be friends. Some of them likely went to school together. The nature of the court system and the ice rink makes them natural adversaries in that forum, but off-ice and out of the courtroom there's no reason they can't get along.

Shakespeare said it best in The Taming of the Shrew: "And do as adversaries do in law, Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends."

 

[Celine]

As someone who works in the 'world of social media' I definitely agree that the many different platforms - including SnapChat (which is still only selectively used by skaters to interact with the broader world or fans - The ShibSibs being exceptional with their facility) have helped to facilitate both the reality of friendships amongst top competitors, who may be from very different parts of the world; as well as to help fans perceive how friendships align. Post season tours also seem to be a terrific way for skaters from different "eras"/generations to bond.

 

[daphenaxa]

Here is a cool video showing how good pals team Japan is https://youtu.be/muOhXzVjSv0. It is Yuzuru centric but you can see most of team Japan. My favourite picture is the one taken by Lambiel when all the guys are fixing/styling their hair

 

[Sai Bon]

Here is a cool video showing how good pals team Japan is https://youtu.be/muOhXzVjSv0. It is Yuzuru centric but you can see most of team Japan. My favourite picture is the one taken by Lambiel when all the guys are fixing/styling their hair

Just...too...cute!

 

[ruffledgrouse]

I met Dylan Moscovitch and Kirsten Moore-Towers just a little over the year ago and asked I asked Dylan about skating friendships and he said everyone on the North American teams are all good friends. He said Team USA and Team Canada all know each other well and are supportive of each other. Another girl who was there asked "even Meryl?" and he laughed and said that Meryl is really nice! At 2014 WCs in the gala he jokingly picked up Mao Asada so I jokingly asked him for her number and he just laughed and told me that Mao is one of the sweetest girls he's ever met (and denied me her number :hopelessness, he also had nice things to say about Yuna as well.

It's sad that Meryl has such a reputation for being cold when, by all accounts, she's a sweetheart.

 

[cruzceleste]

It's sad that Meryl has such a reputation for being cold when, by all accounts, she's a sweetheart.

Same as Nastia Liukin

Even so, DWTS did wonders for Meryl, too bad it wasn´t good PR for Nastia

 

[Krunchii]

It's sad that Meryl has such a reputation for being cold when, by all accounts, she's a sweetheart.

I think it's mostly in Canada because during Tessa and Scott's TV Show they said that Charlie was friendly but Meryl is more competitive and doesn't talk as much or something, I can't remember what exactly was said since it's been a while but I think it gave a lot of Tessa/Scott fans the wrong impression

 

[UnsaneLily87]

Same as Nastia Liukin

Even so, DWTS did wonders for Meryl, too bad it wasn´t good PR for Nastia

Resting bitchface. It's an affliction. I'm not angry it's just my face!

 

[anyanka]

It's sad that Meryl has such a reputation for being cold when, by all accounts, she's a sweetheart.

I heard these rumours too, but I also see from skaters' social media accounts that she's well-liked and respected. Maybe she seems intimidating if one does not know her well?

 

[UnsaneLily87]

I can't get Polina's video to load. It says it's blocked in my country. Anyone else having this issue? I'm in the US.

 

[daphenaxa]

https://youtu.be/dTYZhjZtiuA ahah

 

[anonymoose_au]

https://youtu.be/dTYZhjZtiuA ahah

LOL, that's so amazing...I love all the bits where they're wearing the same clothes...nothing says "This is my bro" then matching outfits.