Saturday, February 23, 2002
Pull rug out from under ice dancers
By GEORGE GROSS -- Corporate Sports Editor
Canada's Dick Pound, the controversial executive of the International Olympic Committee, is not the only one to suggest that ice dancing be eliminated from the Olympics.
Andra Kelly McLaughlin is another one.
That the American-born redhead is married to former hockey superstar Red Kelly doesn't necessarily make her a figure skating expert. Neither does the fact that her daughter Casey is an international figure skating judge.
Andra has her own credentials: She was a three-time U.S. free skating champion and member of the U.S. world teams on three other occasions. She also was a North American speed skating champion. So, obviously, she recognizes the importance of the sport of blades.
When I talked to her yesterday about ice dancing, the Olympics, and more specifically about the judging of the sport, the quiet-spoken Andra said:
"Ice dancing should not be part of the Winter Olympics. Just as ballroom dancing should not be considered for the Summer Olympics.
"I love to watch, for instance, Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz. But I think they should skate exhibitions where fans can enjoy their talents. I could even sit through their practices, they're so entertaining. But so are ballerinas and ballet dancers."
Andra has problems with the judging in the dance competitions, something Pound has, too. Even though Andra is an expert and brought up her children -- Kitty, Pat and Conn -- to excel in figure and speedskating, she still can't figure out what the judges are looking for in the dance event.
While talking to her about ice dancing, I also mentioned the fact that Canadian female singles skaters haven't won a global title since 1972 when Karen Magnussen skated away with the gold medal in Piestany, Slovakia. In fact, the previous Olympic medallist we have had in ladies singles was Liz Manley, who won a silver medal in the 1988 Calgary Olympics. Jennifer Robinson's seventh-place finish at Salt Lake City is the best since, mainly thanks to the choreography of Canadian Lori Nicol.
"I wonder if girls in Canada get the right coaching between ages 10 and 16. The same goes for the right choreographing," Mrs. Kelly said. "We have two excellent choreographers in Lori (Nicol) and Sandra (Bezic). Lori, for a while, choreographed Michelle Kwan's program and Sandra now works more with professional shows and also analyzes skating on television.
"We may have other talented choreographers and coaches, but most of them cannot afford the fees that are required for certification. That's why we lose some of them to the United States.
"Also, the rules have changed. When I completed moves on the ice such as Sasha Cohen performed at Salt Lake City -- we called it the 'Charlotte Spiral' -- I was marked down. Now the judges accept it."
Skating controversies, of course, never stop. If it's not in ice dancing, then it's in the pairs event. Yesterday, the Russians threatened to walk out of the Salt Lake Games unless Irina Slutskaya was awarded a share of Sarah Hughes' gold medal in the women's singles event.
It never seems to end. It might be an idea for Dick Pound to sit down with Andra Kelly to discuss the problems in figure skating. International Skating Union boss, Ottavio Quinquanta, could also participate.
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2002 Games Figure Skating Coverage
