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Nancy Kerrigan

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Caryn Kadavy (born December 9, 1967) is an American professional figure skater and former competitor. She is the 1987 World bronze medalist and a four-time U.S. national medalist . She also competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics .

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99-525: Nancy Ann Kerrigan (born October 13, 1969) is an American former figure skater . She won bronze medals at the 1991 World Championships and the 1992 Winter Olympics , silver medals at the 1992 World Championships and the 1994 Winter Olympics , as well as the 1993 US National Figure Skating Championship . Kerrigan was inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2004. On January 6, 1994, an assailant used

198-523: A 30 for 30 documentary about the 1994 attack. On February 23, 2014, NBC aired a documentary during the 2014 Winter Olympics on the incident called Nancy & Tonya . On July 10, 2016, Kerrigan competed against Kayla Harrison on the "Battle of the Olympians" episode of the television program, Flea Market Flip (S7 E2). In November 2017, she appeared on Keeping Up with the Kardashians in

297-405: A Mortal Kombat -style arcade fighting video game developed in 1994 by Data East (the release of which was cancelled, though rare, nearly-complete prototypes are in existence), one character the player can fight as is heavily based on Kerrigan. Namely, the figure-skater "Karla Keller" played by Cristine Dupree. Keller's backstory as given in the game itself has her as an Olympic hopeful but in

396-489: A ballroom rhythm that was designated annually; and a free dance to music of the skaters' own choice. Beginning in the 2010–11 season , the compulsory and original dances were merged into the short dance , which itself was renamed the rhythm dance in June 2018, before the 2018–19 season . Source: Medals awarded to the skaters who achieved the highest overall placements in each discipline. Caryn Kadavy Kadavy

495-703: A police baton to strike Kerrigan on her landing knee; the attacker was hired by the ex-husband of her rival Tonya Harding . The attack injured Kerrigan, but she quickly recovered. Harding and Kerrigan both participated in the 1994 Winter Olympics , but after the Games, Harding was permanently banned from competitive figure skating. At the Olympics, Kerrigan won the silver medal in a controversial showdown with gold medal winner Oksana Baiul . She then started touring and performed with several ice skating troupes that included Champions on Ice and Broadway on Ice . In 2017, she

594-642: A "graceful and appreciated" part of figure skating throughout the 19th century. They advanced between World War I and World War II ; by the late 1930s, all three basic spin positions were used. There are two types of spins, the forward spin and the backward spin . There are three basic spin positions: the upright spin , the sit spin , and the camel spin . Skaters also perform flying spins and combination spins . Figure skating lifts are required elements in pair skating and ice dance. There are five groups of lifts in pair skating , categorized in order of increasing level of difficulty. Judges look for

693-455: A 2023 Maximum Effort -produced advertising campaign for LinkedIn 's business-to-business marketing. The commercial featured her promoting "CRM Cereal " and dancing with the fictional brand's giant panda mascot . Kerrigan was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars for the 24th season , which premiered on March 20, 2017. Her partner was Artem Chigvintsev . They were eliminated in

792-420: A combination because they take off from the back outside edge of the landing foot, or skating leg. To perform a salchow or flip on the back end of a combination, a half loop (which is actually a full rotation, but lands on a back inside edge of the landing leg) may be used as a connecting jump. In contrast, jump sequences are sets of jumps that may be linked by non-listed jumps or hops. Sequences are worth 80% of

891-457: A copy of the Ukrainian national anthem , someone mistakenly told Kerrigan the delay in the presentation was because Baiul had cried off her make-up and was getting it retouched. Kerrigan, with obvious frustration, was caught on-camera saying, "Oh, come on. So she's going to get out here and cry again. What's the difference?" CBS chose to air the undiplomatic comment, marking a distinct shift in

990-499: A cyst on an ovary. She withdrew from the 1989 U.S. Championships due to a stress fracture in one ankle and a pinched nerve in the other. Kadavy went on to skate regularly in professional ice shows throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, and is still active as of 2010 . She has won numerous professional championships, including Miko Masters (1993), Hershey's Kisses (1993 and 1994), U.S. Open (1993), Canadian Pro (1996), and Ladies Pro Final (1997), as well as numerous team competitions. She

1089-440: A double axel cleanly. At Worlds she delivered her best competition to date, skating strongly in all 3 phases - compulsory figures, short program, and long program - to win the bronze. She narrowly lost silver to Debi Thomas by a 6-3 verdict in the long program, and might have won silver or even gold but for popping both a triple toe and double axel in the dying stages of her program. This silenced many of her critics, and set her up as

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1188-435: A fall as a loss of control with the result that the majority of the skater's body weight is not on the blade but supported by hands, knees, or buttocks. Jumps involve the skater leaping into the air and rotating rapidly to land after completing one or more rotations. There are many types of jumps, identified by the way the skater takes off and lands, as well as by the number of rotations that are completed. Each jump receives

1287-470: A fictionalized version of the assault on Kerrigan, Keller's rival and fellow figure-skater "Eva Gunter" (a fictional version of Tonya Harding) attacks her late at night and injures her so much that Keller is forced to pull out of the Olympics. Since then, Keller trains in martial arts so she can one day take revenge on Gunter by beating her up. In the game, Karla Keller is dressed in full figure-skater attire (even wearing ice-skates) and like all other fighters in

1386-421: A figure skating rink for an ISU event "if possible, shall measure sixty (60) meters in one direction and thirty (30) meters in the other, but not larger, and not less than fifty-six (56) meters in one direction and twenty-six (26) meters in the other." The scoring system rewards skaters who have good ice coverage, i.e. those who efficiently cover the entire ice surface during their programs. Olympic-sized rinks make

1485-687: A full pivot position and the death spiral must be held for a minimum amount of rotation, depending on the level. The ISU is the governing body for international competitions in figure skating, including the World Championships and the figure skating events at the Winter Olympic Games . Medals are awarded for overall results; the standard medals are gold for first place, silver for second, and bronze for third place. U.S. Figure Skating also awards pewter medals for fourth-place finishers in national events. Additionally, at

1584-469: A groove on the bottom of the blade creates two distinct edges , inside and outside. The inside edge of the blade is on the side closest to the skater; the outside edge of the blade is on the side farthest from the skater. In figure skating, it is always desirable to skate on only one edge of the blade. Skating on both at the same time (which is referred to as a flat ) may result in lower skating skills scores. The apparently effortless power and glide across

1683-402: A harness system installed to help skaters learn new jumps in a controlled manner. A heavy-duty cable is securely attached to two of the walls around the ice, with a set of pulleys riding on the cable. The skater wears a vest or belt, with a cable or rope attached to it, and the cable/rope is threaded through the movable pulley on the cable above. The coach holds the other end of the cable and lifts

1782-601: A less stiff boot. Ice dancers may prefer a lower cut boot that is designed to enable more knee bend. Likewise, blades designed for free and pairs skating have a longer tail to assist landing. The blade profile and picks are designed to assist with spinning, jump entry, take-off, landing, and exit. Modern blade technology increasingly uses carbon fibre and materials other than steel to make blades lighter. These materials may also be more flexible and help cushion jump landings and be protective of young athlete's joints. Ice dance blades have short tails to enable close foot work and reduce

1881-602: A national spokeswoman for Fight for Sight . In the 1994 TV movie Tonya and Nancy: The Inside Story , she was portrayed by Heather Langenkamp . Years later, Langenkamp commented: "Good girls always get short shrift in this society, we want the story to be about the bad girl. I can't imagine a more admirable character than Nancy Kerrigan and it's too bad we don't make movies about people like that. People consider good girls boring, unfortunately". In 1994, Kerrigan hosted Saturday Night Live , season 19 episode 15, featuring musical guest Aretha Franklin . In Tattoo Assassins ,

1980-469: A nervous Kadavy made a couple of major mistakes, and lost the title by a 6–3 split, winning silver and qualifying for her first Worlds. There she placed a disappointing 8th, with mistakes in all 3 phases. This was the beginning of her reputation as a nervy and inconsistent competitor. At the 1987 Nationals she again went in as a strong threat for the title, especially with defending Champion Debi Thomas injured and in subpar condition (Thomas would in fact lose

2079-428: A new trend toward couture in figure skating. Kerrigan's white 1992 free-skating costume resembled a wedding dress with sheer illusion sleeves and a basketweave design on the bodice . Kerrigan's 1994 Olympic dresses were also designed by Wang. She wore another white dress trimmed with black velvet bands and sheer black sleeves for the original program and a champagne-colored dress set with 11,500 rhinestones for

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2178-491: A potential major contender for the podium at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. At the 1988 Winter Olympics , she was in 6th place after the short program but withdrew prior to the free skate due to the flu. During this period, Kadavy was coached by Carlo Fassi at the Broadmoor Skating Club ; she also worked with Toller Cranston prior to the 1987–88 season. In December 1988, she underwent an operation to remove

2277-475: A prearranged publicity parade at Walt Disney World , her $ 2 million sponsor. Following the 1994 Winter Olympics, Kerrigan participated in a Walt Disney World parade. She was caught on microphone saying to Mickey Mouse , "This is dumb. I hate it. This is the corniest thing I have ever done." She later said that her remark was taken out of context and she was not commenting on being in the parade but rather on her agent's insistence that she wear her silver medal in

2376-406: A rule stating that a skater may perform each type of triple only once in a program, or twice if one of them is incorporated into a combination or sequence. For a set of jumps to be considered a combination , each jump must take off from the landing edge of the previous jump, with no steps, turns, or change of edge between jumps. Toe loops and loops are commonly performed as the second or third jump in

2475-415: A score according to its base value and grade of execution (GOE). Quality of execution, technique, height, speed, flow and ice coverage are considered by the judges. An under-rotated jump (indicated by   <   ) is "missing rotation of more than 1 ⁄ 4 , but less than 1 ⁄ 2 revolution" and receives 70% of the base value. A downgraded jump (indicated by   <<   )

2574-451: A specific edge with the free leg held at hip level or above. Spirals are distinguished by the edge of the blade used (inside or outside), the direction of motion (forward or backward), and the skater's position. A spiral sequence is one or more spiral positions and edges done in sequence. Judges look at the depth, stability, and control of the skating edge, speed and ice coverage, extension, and other factors. Some skaters can change edges during

2673-446: A spin, the toe pick will cause the skater to lose momentum, or move away from the center of the spin. Blades are mounted to the sole and heel of the boot with screws. Typically, high-level figure skaters are professionally fitted for their boots and blades at a reputable skate shop. Professionals are also employed to sharpen blades to individual requirements. Blades are about 4.7 millimetres ( 3 ⁄ 16 inch) thick. When viewed from

2772-400: A spiral, i.e. from inside to outside edge. Spirals performed on a "flat" are generally not considered as true spirals. Spiral sequences were required in women's and pair skating prior to the 2012–13 season, but from the 2012–13 season onward, they were replaced by the choreographic sequence. The choreographic sequence consists of moves in the field, unlisted jumps, spinning movements, etc. and

2871-605: A technical specialist identifies the elements and assigns each one a level of difficulty, ranging from B (Basic) to Level 4 (most difficult). For each element, a panel of judges determines the GOE, ranging between −5 and +5, according to how well the skater executes the element. The GOE is weighted according to the base value of the element. Through the ISU guidelines skaters must perform a minimum of seven elements in their short program and twelve elements in their long program. The ISU defines

2970-401: A twist lift. The ISU defines dance lifts as "a movement in which one of the partners is elevated with active and/or passive assistance of the other partner to any permitted height, sustained there and set down on the ice". Dance lifts are delineated from pair lifts to ensure that ice dance and pair skating remain separate disciplines. After the judging system changed from the 6.0 system to

3069-401: A variety of off-ice training and conditioning methods due to rinks being closed due to COVID-19. Since 1980, all figure skating competitions must be held in completely covered and enclosed rinks. The rule was expanded to include practice rinks in 1984. According to figure skating historian James R. Hines, the development of indoor ice rinks, other than the development of the bladed skate during

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3168-406: Is "missing rotation of 1 ⁄ 2 revolution or more". A downgraded triple is treated as a double jump, while a downgraded double is treated as a single jump. An edge violation occurs when a skater executes a jump on the incorrect edge. The hollow is a groove on the bottom of the blade which creates two distinct edges, inside and outside. The inside edge of the blade is on the side closest to

3267-528: Is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games , with its introduction occurring at the 1908 Olympics in London. The Olympic disciplines are men's singles, women's singles , pair skating , and ice dance ; the four individual disciplines are also combined into a team event, which was first included in

3366-446: Is a waltz jump, which can only be done in a half-leap and is not classified as a single, double, or triple jump. Triple jumps, other than the triple Axel, are commonly performed by female single skaters. It is rare for a female skater to land a quadruple jump, and very few female single skaters have been credited with quads in competition. Senior-level male single skaters perform mostly triple and quadruple jumps in competition. The final of

3465-575: Is currently a skating teacher in Minneapolis, Minnesota . As a professional she was heavily praised by Scott Hamilton, Dick Button, Peggy Fleming, amongst others, as showing the complete package of ladies skating, combining strong technical ability for a pro (capable of a triple loop, triple toe, triple salchow, and double axel), strong spins, speed, and wonderful artistry, along with a wider variety of artistic choices and programs than she had displayed as an amateur where she had been known mostly just for

3564-562: Is integral to the discipline. The ability to skate well backwards and forwards are considered to be equally important, as is the ability to transition well between the two. Step sequences are a required element in all four Olympic disciplines. The pattern can be straight line, circular, or serpentine. The step sequence consists of a combination of turns, steps, hops and edge changes. Additionally, steps and turns can be used as transitions between elements. The various turns, which skaters can incorporate into step sequences, include: Choctaws are

3663-465: Is required for the men's, women's and pair free program. A death spiral is a required element of pair skating. There are four varieties distinguished by the lady's edge and direction of motion. The man performs a pivot , one toe anchored in the ice, while holding the hand of his partner, who circles him on a deep edge with her body almost parallel to the ice. As of 2011, the woman's head must at some time reach her skating knee. The man must also be in

3762-579: The 2022 CS U.S. Classic , 34 years after the first-ever quadruple jump (a quad toe loop) was landed by Canada's Kurt Browning at the World Figure Skating Championships in 1988. Some elite skaters can complete a jump in about one second, with 26 inches of height and 10 feet in distance. The takeoff speed of a jump can reach up to 25 kilometers per hour. Prior to most jumps, a figure skater needs to skate backward to build power and speed. Toe jumps are launched by digging

3861-720: The Fox television program Skating with Celebrities (2006) and played a small part in the ice-skating comedy feature film Blades of Glory (2007) with Will Ferrell . She hosted Nancy Kerrigan's World of Skating on the Comcast Network starting in 2005, and has done commentary work for other skating broadcasts. During the 2010 Winter Olympics , Kerrigan served as a "special correspondent" for Entertainment Tonight . She has written an instructional book on advanced figure-skating technique, Artistry on Ice ( ISBN   0-7360-3697-0 ). In 2014, ESPN aired The Price of Gold ,

3960-555: The ISU Challenger Series . The sport is also associated with show business. Major competitions generally conclude with exhibition galas, in which the top skaters from each discipline perform non-competitive programs. Many skaters, both during and after their competitive careers, also skate in ice shows, which run during the competitive season and the off-season. The term "professional" in skating refers not to skill level but competitive status. Figure skaters competing at

4059-527: The ISU Judging System (IJS), dance lifts became more "athletic, dramatic and exciting". There are two types of dance lifts: short lifts , which should be done in under seven seconds; and combination lifts , which should be done in under 12 seconds. A well-balanced free dance program in ice dance must include dance lifts. Along with other forms of skating , figure skating is one of the only human powered activities where travelling backwards

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4158-555: The International Skating Union abolished the earlier strict amateur status rules that had governed eligibility for the sport. In preparation for the 1994 Winter Olympics, she curtailed these activities to focus on her training, instead. She also began working with a sports psychologist to better handle her nerves in competition. On January 6, 1994, at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit, As Kerrigan

4257-587: The National Championships and the Lillehammer 1994 Olympics . The attack's immediate aftermath was recorded on a TV camera and broadcast around the world. The initial footage showed the attendants helping Kerrigan as she grabbed at her knee, crying out: "Why, why, why?" Kerrigan was also seen being carried away by her father Daniel. Harding won the championship, with Michelle Kwan second. Although Kerrigan's injury forced her to withdraw from

4356-462: The Navy SEALs , which do not recruit anyone with a felony conviction. Kerrigan stated in a letter dated November 25, 2005, that "to allow Stant to have the attack removed from his record would not only be an insult to [her], but it [also] would send the message that a crime like that can ultimately be swept under the rug." Stant's request had already been denied by a judge, saying that it is against

4455-486: The 14th century and the practice of fastening boots permanently to skates in the 19th century, has had the greatest effect on figure skating. It allowed for skating year-round, as well as anywhere in the world, and prevented the cancellation of competitive events due to the lack of ice in outdoor rinks. The first attempts to make artificial ice occurred during the 1870s in England and the U.S. The first notable indoor ice rink

4554-480: The 6.0 system and the ISU Judging System, the judges consider the "complete package" when evaluating performances, i.e. the best jumper is not always placed first if the judges consider the difference in jumping execution to be outweighed by another skater's speed, spins, presentation, etc. Ice dance competitions formerly consisted of three phases: one or more compulsory dances ; an original dance to

4653-522: The Boston Open, at age nine. Kerrigan's family was of modest means. Her father sometimes worked three jobs to fund her skating career; he also drove the Zamboni at the local rink in exchange for Nancy's lessons. Kerrigan was coached by Theresa Martin until she was 16, then began working with Evy and Mary Scotvold after a brief period with Denise Morrissey. The Scotvolds remained her coaches through

4752-594: The Christmas special episode. In December 2017, a fictional movie about Tonya Harding and the attack on Kerrigan, entitled I, Tonya , was released; Caitlin Carver played Kerrigan. In January 2018, Kerrigan joined Inside Edition as their Super Bowl correspondent. She also appeared in an episode of Fresh Off the Boat as herself. In 2021, she played a voice role in the animated Easter movie, Eggs . She appeared in

4851-904: The Olympic level (senior) at local, regional, sectional, national, and international competitions. The International Skating Union (ISU) regulates international figure skating judging and competitions. These include the Winter Olympics , the World Championships , the World Junior Championships , the European Championships , the Four Continents Championships , the Grand Prix series ( senior and junior ), and

4950-554: The U.S. Championships, her fellow skaters agreed that she merited one of the two spots on the Olympic team. The USFSA chose to name her to the Olympic team rather than Kwan, who was sent to Lillehammer as an alternate in the event that Harding was removed from the team. Kerrigan recovered quickly from her injury and resumed her intensive training. She practiced by doing complete back-to-back, double run-throughs of her programs until she felt completely confident in her ability to compete under pressure. The fame caused by huge media coverage of

5049-549: The Winter Olympics in 2014 . The non-Olympic disciplines include synchronized skating , Theater on Ice , and four skating . From intermediate through senior-level competition, skaters generally perform two programs (the short program and the free skate ), which, depending on the discipline, may include spins , jumps , moves in the field , lifts , throw jumps , death spirals , and other elements or moves. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to

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5148-515: The World, European, Four Continents, and World Junior Championships, the ISU awards small medals for segment results (short and free program) (Since 2009). A medal is generally attributed to only one country, even if a partnership is composed of skaters with different nationalities. A notable exception was the pair skating partnership between Ludowika Eilers and Walter Jakobsson ; their 1910–11 medals were attributed to both Germany and Finland. Beyond

5247-400: The attack led to further opportunities; she was reported to have already signed endorsement contracts for $ 9.5 million before the Olympics began. Harding denied any involvement in the planning of the attack but later pled guilty to conspiring to hinder the prosecution. In late 2005, Kerrigan expressed objections to Shane Stant's wishes to have the attack removed from his record so he could join

5346-410: The back outside edge (with counter-clockwise rotation, for single and multi-revolution jumps), but have different takeoffs, by which they may be distinguished. Jumps are divided into two different categories: toe jumps and edge jumps . The number of rotations performed in the air determines whether the jump is a single, double, triple, or quadruple (commonly known as a " quad "). The simplest jump

5445-581: The bad publicity or her own inclinations, some of Kerrigan's previously announced endorsements and television deals were dropped after the Olympics. Kerrigan was inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2004. She was also honored at Ice Theatre of New York 's annual benefit gala in 2008. Kerrigan's Olympic skating outfits were designed by fashion designer Vera Wang . Along with Christian Lacroix 's designs for Surya Bonaly in 1992, Wang's designs marked

5544-451: The blades from rust when the skates are not being worn. In competition, skaters are allowed three minutes to make repairs to their skates. There are many different types of boots and blades to suit different disciplines and abilities. For example, athletes who are performing advanced multi-rotational jumps often need a stiffer boot that is higher and gives more support. Athletes working on single or double jumps require less support and may use

5643-418: The bronze medal at the 1989 Winter Universiade , and fourth in 1990. She continued to be held back by compulsory figures until they were eliminated from competitions after the 1990 season. Kerrigan's rise at the national level continued when she placed third at the 1991 U.S. Figure Skating Championships . She qualified for the 1991 World Figure Skating Championships , where she won the bronze medal. Her medal

5742-456: The combined value of the same jumps executed in combination. A figure skater only needs to be able to jump in one direction, either clockwise or counter-clockwise. The vast majority of figure skaters prefer to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction when jumping. Thus, for clarity, all jumps will be described for a skater jumping counter-clockwise. There are six jumps in figure skating that count as jump elements. All six are landed on one foot on

5841-422: The differences in skill between skaters more apparent but they are not available for all events. If a rink has different dimensions, a skater's jump setup and speed may be hindered as he or she adjusts. Ice quality is judged by smoothness, friction, hardness, and brittleness. Factors affecting ice quality include temperature, water quality, and usage, with toe picks causing more deterioration. For figure skating,

5940-421: The early 20th century, no skaters have been allowed to represent two countries in the same competition. In singles and pairs figure skating competition, competitors perform two programs: the short program , in which they complete a set of required elements consisting of jumps, spins and steps; and the free skate , also known as the long program , in which they have a slightly wider choice of elements. Under both

6039-404: The field is a pre-determined required sequence that demonstrated basic skating skills and edge control. In the context of a competitive program, they include sequences that may include spirals , spread eagles , Ina Bauers , hydroblading , and similar extended edge moves, along with loops, twizzles, and different kinds of turns. A spiral is an element in which the skater moves across the ice on

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6138-428: The following when evaluating pair lifts: speed of entry and exit; control of the woman's free leg when she is exiting out of the lift, with the goal of keeping the leg high and sweeping; the position of the woman in the air; the man's footwork; quick and easy changes of position; and the maintenance of flow throughout the lift. Twist lifts are "the most thrilling and exciting component in pair skating". They can also be

6237-530: The free skate. Wang donated those two dresses to Kerrigan, the values of which were estimated at $ 9,600 and $ 13,000, respectively. Kerrigan turned professional after the Olympics. She appeared in a few competitions such as Ice Wars , but focused her career on performing in a variety of ice shows . She has appeared in Champions on Ice , Broadway on Ice , and an ice show adaptation of the musical Footloose , among other productions. In 2003, Kerrigan became

6336-473: The game, has magical tattoos on her skin that come alive when the player performs special attacks and finishing moves. In 1995, Kerrigan had a guest appearance on Boy Meets World in the episode "Wrong Side of the Track" where she helps Eric Matthews discover his potential for skating in a dream sequence. In 2004, Kerrigan sang a cover of " The Best " for a Tina Turner tribute album. Kerrigan appeared in

6435-472: The half toe loop (ballet jump), half loop, half flip, walley jump , waltz jump , inside Axel, one-foot Axel, stag jump, and split jump . There are two kinds of split jump: Spins are an element in which the skater rotates, centered on a single point on the ice, while holding one or more body positions. They are performed by all disciplines of the sport. As The New York Times says, "While jumps look like sport, spins look more like art. While jumps provide

6534-565: The highest levels of international competition are not "professional" skaters. They are sometimes referred to as amateurs, even though some earn money. Professional skaters include those who have lost their ISU eligibility and those who perform only in shows. They may also include former Olympic and World champions who have ended their competitive career, as well as skaters with little or no international competitive experience. In addition to performing in ice shows, professional skaters often compete in professional competitions, which are held throughout

6633-407: The ice exhibited by elite figure skaters fundamentally derives from efficient use of the edges to generate speed . Skates used in singles and pair skating have a set of large, jagged teeth called a toepick on the front of each blade. The toepicks are mainly used to help launch the skater into the air for the take-off when performing jumps. Ice dance blades have smaller toepicks than blades used for

6732-415: The ice surface temperature is normally maintained between −5.5 and −3.5 °C (22.1 and 25.7 °F), with the Olympic disciplines requiring slightly softer ice (−3.5   °C) than synchronized skating (−5.5   °C). Typically after every two warm-up groups, an ice resurfacer cleans and smooths the surface of the ice sheet. Inadequate ice quality may affect skaters' performances. Some rinks have

6831-447: The intricate footwork and close partnering in dance. Dancers' blades also have a smaller toepick as they do not require the large toepick used for jumping in the other disciplines. Hard plastic skate guards are used when the skater must walk in his or her skates when not on the ice, to protect the blade from dirt or material on the ground that may dull the blade. Soft blade covers called soakers are used to absorb condensation and protect

6930-483: The law to expunge an assault conviction. Stant was 34 when he tried to remove the attack from his record. The attack was depicted in the 2017 film, I, Tonya . The ladies single skating event of the 1994 Winter Olympics in the Hamar Olympic Amphitheatre of Norway took place seven weeks after the attack, and Kerrigan skated what she considered to be the best two performances of her life in

7029-528: The left foot.) Edge jumps use no toe assist, and include (in order of score value): Again, these descriptions assume a counter-clockwise direction of rotation, landing backwards on the outside edge of the right foot. (For clockwise rotation, the skater takes off using the alternative foot and always lands backwards on the outside edge of the left foot.) Several other jumps are usually performed only as single jumps and in elite skating are used as transitional movements or highlights in step sequences. These include

7128-511: The most difficult movement to perform correctly. They require more strength and coordination than many other pair elements, and are usually the first or second element in a program. According to the International Skating Union (ISU), "the Woman must be caught in the air at the waist by the Man prior to landing and be assisted to a smooth landing on the ice on a backward outside edge on one foot" during

7227-461: The number of spots for a country had to fill one of those spots to maintain that number), narrowly missed the World Team. In 1986 she came into Nationals having won 2 international competitions already, and after winning the short program over both Debi Thomas and Tiffany Chin, seemed to be in strong position to win her first National title. However following Thomas's brilliant 5 triple free skate,

7326-470: The other disciplines. During a spin, skaters use the sweet spot of the blade, which is one of two rockers to be found on a blade and is the roundest portion of the blade. The sweet spot is located just behind the toe pick and near the middle of the blade. The other rocker is the more general curvature of the blade when stroking or gliding. Ice dancers' blades are about an inch shorter in the rear than those used by skaters in other disciplines, to accommodate

7425-440: The parade. She said that her parents had always taught her not to show off or brag about her accomplishments. She added that she had nothing against Disney or Mickey Mouse: "Who could find fault with Mickey Mouse? He's the greatest mouse I've ever known." Commenting on the media backlash, Mike Barnicle of The Boston Globe said, "Now the thing is over so we've got to kill her. That's us [the media], not her." Either because of

7524-419: The rest of her competitive career. Kerrigan began to reach prominence at the national level when she placed fourth at the junior level at the 1987 U.S. Figure Skating Championships . She made an early impression as a strong jumper, but was comparatively weak in compulsory figures . She made her senior debut the following season, moving up the national rankings each year: 12th in 1988, fifth in 1989 when she won

7623-436: The risk of blade clash in close complex moves. They may also be thinner to assist with glide and fast changes of edge. Off-ice training is the term for physical conditioning that takes place off the ice. Besides regular physical exercise, skaters do walk-throughs of jumps off the ice to practice sufficient rotation and height of their jumps, and to practice consistency in landing on one foot. In 2020/2021 many athletes relied on

7722-571: The seventh week of the competition. Kerrigan graduated from Stoneham High School and attended Emmanuel College in Boston to study business. Her mother, Brenda, is legally blind, which prompted Kerrigan to create the Nancy Kerrigan Foundation, which aims to raise awareness and support for the vision-impaired. Kerrigan married her agent Jerry Solomon on September 9, 1995, the year after she retired from competition. The marriage

7821-602: The short program and free skate. She won the silver medal, finishing second to Oksana Baiul and ahead of Chen Lu as Tonya Harding finished in eighth place amid controversy. Harding had trouble with her equipment (the laces on her skates) and was given a reskate by the judges. Kerrigan was in first place after the short program, but lost the free skate and the gold medal to Baiul in a close and controversial 5–4 decision. Kerrigan appeared to display dissatisfaction and disappointment with her second-place finish. While Kerrigan and Chen waited over 20 minutes for Olympic officials to find

7920-410: The side, the blade of a figure skate is not flat, but curved slightly, forming an arc of a circle with a radius of 180–220 centimetres (71–87 inches). This curvature is referred to as the rocker of the blade. The "sweet spot" is the part of the blade on which all spins are rotated; this is usually located near the stanchion of the blade, below the ball of the foot. The blade is also "hollow ground";

8019-486: The silver medal at the 1992 World Championships. The following season—with Yamaguchi retired from eligible competition—Kerrigan became United States champion, even though her performance was flawed. She admitted that she would have to improve her skating in time for the World Championships. She won the short program at the World Championships in Prague , but had a disastrous free skate that resulted in her tumbling to fifth in

8118-440: The six jumps to be landed cleanly as a quad in international competition is the elusive quadruple Axel . A few male skaters made valiant efforts to land the immensely difficult four-and-a-half revolution jump (most notably two-time Olympic Champion from Japan, Yuzuru Hanyu ), but failed to land one cleanly and fully-rotated. The first clean and fully-rotated quad Axel was successfully landed by American men's skater Ilia Malinin at

8217-413: The skater by pulling the cable/rope. The skater can then practice the jump with the coach assisting the completion. This is used when a skater needs more help on a jump. However, if the coaches see fit, they could use another harness usually called "the fishing pole harness." It is named that because it looks similar to a fishing pole. The skater will put on the harness and the coach will adjust it so it fits

8316-449: The skater, the outside edge is on the side farthest from the skater, and a flat refers to skating on both edges at the same time, which is discouraged. An unclear edge or edge violation is indicated with an 'e' and reflected in the GOE according to the severity of the problem. Flutz and lip are the colloquial terms for a Lutz and flip jump with an edge violation. In 1982, the ISU enacted

8415-421: The skater. The skater will go and do the jump with very little help from their coach. They can also do the jump on any pattern they choose, whereas, the other harness, they must do in a straight line. Figure skating consists of the following disciplines: Each element receives a score according to its base value and grade of execution (GOE), resulting in a combined technical elements score (TES). At competitions,

8514-457: The standings. It was followed by an even worse performance at a televised pro-am event, where she fell three times, botched the landing of another jump, and appeared dazed and depressed, losing to 1988 Olympian Caryn Kadavy . Before and after the 1992 Olympics, she had many corporate sponsorship contracts (with companies such as Campbell's Soup , Evian , Reebok , and Seiko ) and opportunities to perform professionally, which were permitted after

8613-453: The suspense, spins provide the scenery, but there is so much more to the scenery than most viewers have time or means to grasp". According to world champion and figure skating commentator Scott Hamilton , spins are often used "as breathing points or transitions to bigger things" Figure skating spins, along with jumps, spirals, and spread eagles were originally individual compulsory figures , sometimes special figures. Unlike jumps, spins were

8712-420: The title to a young upstart, Caryn's training partner Jill Trenary ). After placing 3rd in the compulsory figures, Kadavy skated a disastrous short program featuring a major adel fall, and where she placed only 9th. With a respectable free skating performance Caryn was able to narrowly climb back up to 3rd and make the team due to Tiffany Chin's own disastrous long program performance where she failed to land even

8811-399: The toe pick of one skate into the ice, using it to vault into the air with the opposite leg. The main toe jumps are (in order of score value): All of the above descriptions assume a counter-clockwise direction of rotation, landing backwards on the outside edge of the right foot. (For clockwise rotation, the skater takes off using the alternative foot and lands backwards on the outside edge of

8910-414: The two-foot equivalents of rockers and counters. Other movements that may be incorporated into step sequences or used as connecting elements include lunges and spread eagles . An Ina Bauer is similar to a spread eagle performed with one knee bent and typically an arched back. Hydroblading refers to a deep edge performed with the body as low as possible to the ice in a near-horizontal position. Moves in

9009-423: The way Kerrigan was portrayed in the media, which had been somewhat protective of her image up to that point because of the attack against her. Kerrigan elected not to attend the closing ceremonies at the Olympics. Her agent claimed this was because Norwegian security had advised her to leave due to death threats that had been made against her, but this was later denied. Instead, she left Norway early to take part in

9108-554: The world, each with its own format and rules. The term "figure skating" is an English language term; the sport is called Eiskunstlauf in German and patinage artistique in French. The most visible difference from ice hockey skates is that figure skates have a set of large, jagged teeth called toe picks on the front part of the blade . These are used primarily in jumping and should not be used for stroking or spins. If used during

9207-424: Was a bronze medal at the 1985 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, where she placed 2nd behind overall winner Tiffany Chin , but ahead of Debi Thomas in the long program. Due to poor figures and a fall in the short program, she settled for bronze, and due to only 2 spots being allotted to U.S. women for that years Worlds due to Elaine Zayak 's retirement (at the time the rules were that at least one skater who earned

9306-564: Was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars . Kerrigan was born in Stoneham, Massachusetts , the youngest child and only daughter of welder Daniel Kerrigan (1939–2010) and homemaker Brenda Kerrigan (née Schultz, b. 1940). She is of English, Irish, and German ancestry, and has stated: "There's very little Irish in me, just my name." While her brothers Michael and Mark played hockey, she took up figure skating at age six. She did not start private lessons until age eight and won her first competition,

9405-612: Was born in Erie, Pennsylvania . As an amateur, she won medals at the U.S. Championships four years in a row, including silver in 1986. She won several competitions in 1985: the U.S. Olympic Festival, Skate Canada International , and the Moscow News Cup. She was a top-ten finisher at the World Figure Skating Championships three times, including a bronze medal in 1987. Caryn's initial breakthrough

9504-414: Was her first and his third. They have three children together: Matthew (b. 1996), Brian (b. 2005), and Nicole (b. 2008). Solomon also has a son from his second marriage. In April 2017, Kerrigan said that she had six miscarriages in eight years while attempting to have her three children. She said that the miscarriages were "devastating" and "a strain" on the marriage. Figure skating Figure skating

9603-856: Was made in 1876, by John Gamgee , in Chelsea along the north bank of the Thames River ; it measured 24 by 40 feet. By the end of the 19th century, many major cities in Europe and North America had indoor rinks. There is significant variation in the dimensions of ice rinks. Olympic-sized rinks have dimensions of 30 m × 60 m (98.4 ft × 197 ft), NHL -sized rinks are 26 m × 61 m (85 ft × 200 ft), while European rinks are sometimes 30 m × 64 m (98 ft × 210 ft). The ISU prefers Olympic-sized rinks for figure skating competitions, particularly for major events. According to ISU rule 342,

9702-413: Was part of the first-ever sweep of the women's podium by a single country at the World Championships, as her teammates Kristi Yamaguchi and Tonya Harding won gold and silver, respectively. In the 1992 season, Kerrigan again improved on her placement at the previous year's national championships by finishing second. She won a bronze medal (Yamaguchi took the gold) in the 1992 Winter Olympics and earned

9801-416: Was walking through a corridor at Cobo Arena immediately after a practice session, she was bludgeoned on the right lower thigh with a police baton by an assailant, who was later apprehended and identified as Shane Stant. The assault was planned by rival Tonya Harding 's ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and co-conspirator Shawn Eckardt (1967–2007). The conspirators' goal was to prevent Kerrigan from competing in both

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