Do you get nervous for your skaters?

[semosk8tfan]

The bigger fan I am of the skater the more nervous I get. During Meryl and Charlie's FD in Sochi I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest. When I watch at home I have been known to watch with my eyes closed or get up and pace the floor. But when I am lucky enough to see my favorites in person I am calmer and watch every second (of course my husband's voice reminding me I didn't spend all that money on travel, hotel and tickets to close my eyes helps!)

 

[bouncy]

I was a nervous wreck at GPF 2019. It was around 3am my time and I woke up 2:55am sharp. Turned on my laptop, and Aliona was the next to skate. I didn't even set an alarm.

 

[TallyT]

Oh yeah, nervous for most of those I care for as I try to watch and type with every finger crossed, which is... challenging; madly fretful for those where a medal is really really important and close like Javi, Shoma and Boyang at PC (I wanted that medal for Javi so much!!!); really really scared for those like Mai with her delicacy and Gracie with everything she's battling. And then there's Yuzuru with his combination of incandescent brilliance, reckless courage and life history of injury/illness/tragedy is a masterclass in how to terrify the ones who love you (I still don't know how any fan who watched COC14 or his Russian Origin in 2018 managed to unpeel their fingers from over their eyes long enough to watch another competeion. Ever.) And this year I've worried pretty much nonstop about all but a handful of them every time there's a competition. Which makes for a lot of worry.

And on top of that, nervous about dodgy and blatantly biased judging against skaters who are clearly being politically downgraded and deserve better on top of the physical risks.

 

[LRK]

The way I know I've become a fan of a skater - as opposed to "merely" liking or even loving them - is that I become a total nervous wreck when I watch them compete.

 

[Arbitrary]

I never watch in the real time when any of top skaters/pairs compete. Too tricky the sport become.
And I don't like circus anymore, I cannot watch acrobats (or animals long before).

 

[Giu]

Super nervous

In my heart there's a soft spot for the underdogs

 

[alexocfp]

Nope.

As a Liza T fan, I know that the end is closer than the beginning is. Therefore, I just get excited to watch her skate.

 

[Sabrina]

I am a nervous rack when my favourite skater/team compete. I think Alaine Chartrand was the skater I worried most. Aurora Cotop comes next. I am nervous for many other skaters, but almost in a positive way. But I am lucky, figure skating programs are short, because in tennis, where matches may take hours, with ups and downs, I really risk a heart attack. I couldn't watch certain matches and after that, I rely on good samaritans to upload the match.

 

[ladyjane]

SO nervous! I was a wreck whenever Alaine Chartrand competed. I have definitely shouted “Nooo!” at my screen when someone misses a jump or falls or cursed when a Dance team doesn’t get a key point or level. Though I’m a lot more quietly anxious when I’m at the event haha.

You would have loved Joan Haanappel when she still commented on Dutch Eurosport. She would shout 'noooooo!' whenever a skater would make a big mistake. She favoured them all. Or as a variation 'oh no, what's happening?' She was less overt in commenting on ice dancing (being a former single's skater) but I've heard her many times shouting 'why do they get so few points?' - but of course that's after the Skate/dance.

 

[lariko]

I am nervous for basically everyone, because I hate the falls and pops and just even the disappointments even if the skaters are not among my top 20 favourites, but I also love the thrill of watching.

 

[skylark]

I figure that the physical symptoms of nervousness/fear/anxiety are pretty much the same as the physical symptoms of excitement/anticipation/butterflies. So I may as well take them to be excitement for my skaters, not fear. It's much more fun! Sometimes my rule has to be "fake it till I make it." I literally cannot imagine covering my eyes when my favorites skate! So reading this thread through, I feel like I'm in a foreign country. A nice one, though, if a bit wacko. I really like being a part of a group of folks as wild about figure skating as I am.

 

[Greengemmonster]

Yes! I have an existential crisis every time Rika skates. I don't know what it is about her! She drives me insane because I love her so much and think the world of her! I only started watching her with the intent of disliking her so to go from that to having a major nervous breakdown every time she skates is a very bizarre journey but here I am.

Will need sedatives for the Olympics.

 

[moonvine]

I figure that the physical symptoms of nervousness/fear/anxiety are pretty much the same as the physical symptoms of excitement/anticipation/butterflies. So I may as well take them to be excitement for my skaters, not fear. It's much more fun! Sometimes my rule has to be "fake it till I make it." I literally cannot imagine covering my eyes when my favorites skate! So reading this thread through, I feel like I'm in a foreign country. A nice one, though, if a bit wacko. I really like being a part of a group of folks as wild about figure skating as I am.

I covered my eyes when Chris and Alexa skated. But I peeked through my fingers.

 

[CoyoteChris]

I'm usually a bundle of nerves for my favorites. Sometimes I get skating amnesia and can barely remember the skate. Forgetting to breathe has happened too -- ok for the short, not so much for the long!

Yeah, I couldnt even keep my eyes open when MK skated...I was so afraid for her....now I am more like a "games of the ball" fan....I sit on the couch and cheer them along...and gasp and moan when a mistake happens...... Of course, most of us here are deep fans and are very emotional people. Maybe there are fans who are not emotional about figure skating...here is a test. Watch Jason Brown's Riverdance on youtube and if you dont feel anything, you are an unemotional fan. Just dont sit next to me in the arena.

 

[readernick]

Yes! I have an existential crisis every time Rika skates. I don't know what it is about her! She drives me insane because I love her so much and think the world of her! I only started watching her with the intent of disliking her so to go from that to having a major nervous breakdown every time she skates is a very bizarre journey but here I am.

Will need sedatives for the Olympics.

You know Rika is also my chosen child, and I did used to find it really hard to watch her skate. Sometimes, she would have this look in her eyes before her SP and when I saw that look I knew it wasn't going to go well and I would cover my eyes. However, something happened at Japanese Nationals last year. She looked exhausted, scared, and tentative before her FP, and then she went out nailed everything. I realized Rika had transformed for from an incredibly talented skater into an incredibly talented determined competitor I don't get as nervous watching her now. Still nervous, but not as nervous.

Now, I have a few other skaters who make me scared. I love Shun "I can't spin" Sato and he is enough to drive any mother insane. Amber Glenn also makes me root for her even though she is far far from realiable. Shoma and Kolyada can send my heart into palpitations they are both so talented and so prone to mistakes. I could go on... Why are so many of the skates I love unreliable? I think it is because I love an underdog.

 

[Amei]

The only time I've ever gotten nervous for a skater is when a FS starts to turn into a splatfest, I get nervous that they are going to injure themselves. Pogorilaya was mainly the skater I got nervous for, not necessarily due to any affection for her skating but because she always fell so awkwardly and hard.

 

[Greengemmonster]

I love Shun "I can't spin" Sato and he is enough to drive any mother insane

Ooh yes he definitely drives this mother insane!

The tiger mum in me wants to yell at him for yolo-ing quads and also hug him at the same time for yolo-ing quads. I know they all try hard but there's something very earnest about him that's so heartbreaking when he has a poor skate.

 

[Harriet]

Of course I do. Especially when I know they've had recent injuries - or chronic ones.

 

[LadyB]

I used to get mega nervous for Stolbova/Klimov, up to the point that I wished they'd withdraw at the last minute...

I'm not feeling like that for anyone anymore, but I do get 'normal' nervous for those I like best. Most nervwrecking for me is probably Piper & Paul, as I so wish for them to be way up top. Russian pairs making me nervous only in anticipation of great competition, as I love them (almost) all and I want them all to give it their best shot.

 

[rabidline]

For sure. Like @LRK said above, the more nervous I get, the more special the skater is for me.

I'm obviously always nervous for Shoma but I think one of the most unforgettable weeks I experienced as a fan was during IDF 2019. Even before he actually competed, I kept waking up at 2-3AM for days with cold sweats and upset stomach. It's like I knew something really bad was going to happen at IDF.