Although considered one of the five official disciplines of figure skating, synchronized skating—in which teams of up to 24 skaters perform elaborately choreographed routines, often at breakneck speeds—is the only one not yet represented at the Olympics. It's hard to imagine why. If two people flinging each other around the ice is worthy of medals, shouldn't two dozen skaters doing it at the same time be 12 times as worthy?
Read morePortland figure skating coach Mari Malama has faced many professional challenges this year. The toughest? Finding an open rink. →
When Ice Rinks Closed Around the State, a Portland Figuring Skating Coach Still Found a Way for Her Students to Compete in the National Championships
Portland figure skating coach Mari Malama has faced many professional challenges this year. The toughest? Finding an open rink.
Read more2005 US Figure Skating Championships in Portland, Oregon
2005 US Figure Skating Championships were the national figure skating championships of the United States for the 2004-05 season. Its results determined the skaters who would qualify for the 2005 World Championships, 2005 Four Continents Championships, and 2005 World Junior Championships, in addition to influencing the selection process for the 2005-06 Grand Prix and 2005-06 Junior Grand Prix series. It was held at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon for the novice, junior, and senior skaters, and at the Northwest Arena in Jamestown, New York for the juvenile and intermediate skaters.
Ladies' podium from left to right: Jennifer Kirk, Michelle Kwan, Kimmie Meissner, and Sasha Cohen
Michelle Kwan won the ladies event, receiving four 6.0s in the process. This is Kwan's ninth ladies title, tying the record with Maribel Vinson Owen.
Kimmie Meissner attempted a triple Axel in her performance. Many media gave her credit for it, but as of Sunday morning there was no word if USFSA would formally ratify it. It appeared to us in the performance and in the replay that the jump was pre-rotated on the takeoff (a big 1/4 turn skid entering) and cheated more than 1/4 turn on the landing. So we call the jump more than 1/2 turn cheated, even though she came a lot closer than several of the men this week. The first (and only from our point of view) U.S. lady to land a triple Axel in competition was Tonya Harding in 1991.
Johnny Weir
Johnny Weir won the Men's event, successfully defending his title. Just 7 more to go to catch up to Kwan!
1978 USFS Championships in Portland, Oregon
Oregon Skating Council (OSC) was formed as a traditional USFS inter-club association to permit other Oregon clubs to have a role in the planning and execution of the 1978 U.S. Figure Skating Nationals.
It was the first time the U.S. Championships were held in the Northwest since 1969 and first time that Oregon played host to the Championships. Integral to the bid to bring the event to the state was James Lawrence, President of the Oregon Skating Council, which was created by members of three Portland area clubs specifically for the purpose of bringing the event to the area. It was also the first time a multi-club co-operative had been established for the purpose of organizing the U.S. Championships, which drew one hundred entries 'from sea to shining sea'. -Skate Guard Blog
