Old News

- - - - - - - - March 1, 2010 NEWS - - - - - - - -

CONGRATULATIONS!
To all Olympians and Olympic medalists for their wonderful performances at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

VANCOUVER - Canada bid adieu to the world's best winter athletes tonight, ending 17 days of thrilling athletic achievements and rousing displays of patriotism with a spectacular ceremony full of pomp and circumstance and a tongue-in-cheek homage to Canadiana for the official closing of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Relaxed and joyous in spirit to reflect the celebratory atmosphere of the athletes, the ceremony started with a dramatic countdown by more than one thousand young British Columbians chanting "Vancouver" and slamming down their snowboards like dominoes to form the countdown numbers and the iconic words "strong and free" from O Canada.

The more than 2,600 Olympians who competed at Canada's Games entered the indoor stadium no longer grouped by nation but altogether as "one nation of athletes." They appeared as Nikki Yanofsky, Derek Miller and Eva Avila belted out the upbeat debut of the song Let's Have a Party written expressly for the night.

"Athletes of the world, at your hands and through your determination and tenacity we have felt every imaginable emotion," said John Furlong, CEO of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). "We have lived the agony and the ecstasy with you as if we ourselves were competing. Boys and girls you will never meet now know that it is possible to achieve greatness through the power of a dream.

"I believe we Canadians tonight are stronger, more united, more in love with our country, and more connected with each other than ever before. These Olympic Games have lifted us up. That quiet, humble national pride we were sometimes reluctant to acknowledge seemed to take to the streets as the most beautiful kind of patriotism broke out all across our country.

"And finally to those who have watched us all over the globe we hope you enjoyed these Games and the telling of our humble Canadian story. The young men and women you sent here are coming home -- you can be very proud of them."

During the ceremony, Vancouver 2010 volunteers Ingman Bysse, Julien Capraro, Julia Li, and Bet Tuason were recognized with bouquets of flowers as a tribute to the tireless 18,500 volunteers who have worked hard -- some for years -- to help welcome the world and make Canada's Games a success.

The night also featured the official handover of the Olympic flag by Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson to Anatoly Pakhomov, mayor of Sochi - Host City of the XXII Olympic Winter Games in 2014 showcasing the best of Russian culture and sport, including Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova as a magical fairy, a live orchestral performance from Red Square led by maestro Valery Gergiev in Vancouver, members of the Bolshoi and Kirov ballets, and opera singer Mariya Gulegina performing atop a stylized troika, or three-horse Russian sleigh, encased in a glowing white "zorb."

"We have shared the joy of dreams fulfilled. We have been moved by tears of elation and tears of disappointment. We have witnessed extraordinary acts of courage and exceptional determination by athletes who refused to give up. Thank you to the people of Canada, for your generous hospitality, your warmth, and this unique and joyous celebration of Olympism," said International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge.

"And now, in accordance with tradition, I declare the XXI Olympic Winter Games closed, and I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in Sochi, to celebrate the XXII Olympic Winter Games."

The most emotional moment of the night came as the tens of thousands of spectators watched as the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Cauldron flickered and then was extinguished by falling snow in BC Place as Canadian rock legend Neil Young sang Long May You Run in tribute to the athletes. Olympic fans gathered outside at the legacy cauldron, located along the Vancouver waterfront, as it was simultaneously extinguished around 6:30 pm Pacific Time.

The later part of the evening was devoted to a cheeky audiovisual and musical extravaganza of Canada's three greatest exports: talent, innovation and humour. Three of Canada's most famous actors (didn't know they were Canadian, eh?!) - Star Trek's William Shatner, SCTV alumnus and Hollywood comedic talent Catherine O'Hara, as well as Family Ties and Back to the Future star Michael J. Fox - kicked off the segment. Shatner gave a bravo performance on the glories of the Great White North's landscape called We Dream Big, while O'Hara poked fun at the Canadian reputation for politeness in We're Sorry. In his routine We Will Claim You, Fox warmly declared all the world's athletes Canadian as they prepare to depart for home.

David Atkins, executive producer and artistic director, and Ignatius Jones, artistic director, created and produced the ceremony with a Canadian and international artistic team including director of design Doug Paraschuk, director of music Dave Pierce and director of choreography Jean Grand-Maître.

"We would like to thank that country for giving us the opportunity to work with them, those fabulous, warm, chronically polite and frankly, crazy Canucks. They've battled so hard to create these ceremonies, and laughed and smiled and pushed on when we asked them to do yet another impossible thing," said Atkins, and Jones.

"We'd like to thank our truly magnificent crew, many of whom have travelled from every corner of the globe to work with the Canadian team and who've done an unbelievable job. And of course, we'd like to thank Vancouver, for pulling out all the stops to show the world what it can do. So party hard, Canada, BC, Vancouver and Whistler. Tonight the applause is yours, and you've earned it all."

The fun continued with an elaborate -- and deliberately over-the-top -- musical routine in the style of Hollywood master Busby Berkeley playing off some of Canada's most iconic and lampooned cultural imagery. As crooner Michael Bublé gave a swinging, jazzy rendition of the Canadian standard The Maple Leaf Forever he was joined by singing and dancing performers dressed in the red serge uniforms of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), tabletop hockey players, voyageurs, lumberjacks, dancing canoes, flying maple leaves, giant inflatable beavers and moose, as well as a motorized Stetson hat in homage to this staple of the traditional RCMP uniform.

As the athletes flooded back onto the main stage, one of Canada's most famous rock bands - Nickelback - launched into rockin' renditions of their hits How You Remind Me and Burn It to the Ground, followed by songstresses Avril Lavigne and Alanis Morissette, Montreal-based punk-pop outfits Simple Plan and Hedley, and French-Canadian pop-rock idol Marie-Mai and the rollicking kitchen party folk and world beat rhythms of La Bottine Souriante.

Toronto-born award-winning rapper k-os ended the evening on a joyous note with a wicked Eye Know Something as hundreds of hip-hop dancers from XXS (Xtreme Soul Style), NON (Now or Never) and Hip Hop Youth of Vancouver took over the aisles and stage with Scrap Arts Music and Beat Nation Drummers playing along.

Lysacek Joins Dancing With The Stars Cast

Just weeks after winning Olympic gold in the men’s figure skating competition in Vancouver, Tom Bergeron and Melissa Rycroft of ABC announced that Evan Lysacek will be a contestant on its new season of Dancing With The Stars beginning March 22nd.

According to an article on icenetwork.com Lysacek was contacted by show regular Cheryl Burke asking him to be on the show. The 24 year-old Lysacek has withdrawn from the World Championships in Turin, Italy in March but is also scheduled to appear on tour with Stars On Ice.

Working out a schedule, Lysacek will be in Los Angeles for the rehearsals and taping of Dancing With The Stars on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, then take red-eye flights to the cities where Stars On Ice shows, beginning April 1, are scheduled for the balance of the week.

Lysacek’s competition in Dancing With The Stars includes recent Bachelor Jake Pavelka TV star Pamela Anderson, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, sportscaster Erin Andrews, singer Nicole Scherzinger, football star Chad Ochocinco, actors Shannen Doherty, Aiden Turner and Niecy Nash.

(Photo of Lysacek by : George Rossano)

Lysacek, Belbin And Agosto To Skip 2010 World Championships

Ashley Wagner withdraws from World Junior Championships -  
 
Vancouver, British Columbia – U.S. Figure Skating announced today that 2010 Olympic champion Evan Lysacek and 2006 Olympic silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto will not compete at the 2010 World Figure Skating Championships in Torino, Italy.
 
Lysacek will be replaced by 2009 Cancer.Net Skate America silver medalist Ryan Bradley, while Belbin and Agosto's spot will be filled by two-time U.S. bronze medalists Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre.
 
"After much consideration following the conclusion of our event in Vancouver, Ben and I have decided to end our season with these Olympic Games,” Belbin said.
 
Lysacek said that although his 2009-10 competitive season will also end with the Olympic Winter Games, he will continue to compete.
 
“I’m not afraid to lose,” Lysacek said. “Regardless of medals, I still have so much to thrive on in the sport. I’m not ready to say good-bye.”
 
Belbin and Agosto plan to continue skating as well but have not decided if they will do so competitively or just in shows.
 
“We’re going to take some time while on tour with 'Stars on Ice' this spring to consider our competitive plans for the future,” Belbin said.
 
Ashley Wagner has announced she has withdrawn from the 2010 World Junior Figure Skating Championships in The Hague, Netherlands, and will be replaced by 2009 U.S. novice champion Kiri Baga.

Vancouver Olympic Stars Join Emmy-Award Winning Smucker's® Stars On Ice® Tour

America’s Premier Figure Skating Production Welcomes The World’s Best For A 40-City National Tour Starting April 1, 2010

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

A Portion of SMUCKER’S® STARS ON ICE® Proceeds
Benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of America

( Photo of Meryl Davis & Charlie White by: Liz Chastney)
America’s top Olympic medal hopefuls at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver announced that they will join the Smucker’s Stars on Ice Tour beginning April 1st. This year’s highly anticipated production will crisscross the United States as the only figure skating tour in America, bringing you the greatest performances and competitors from the 2010 Winter Games.

The Smucker’s Stars on Ice Tour is proud to welcome America’s leading medal contenders – 2009 Men’s World and 2010 Olympic Champion Evan Lysacek; 2006 Olympic Silver Medalists Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto; and 2006 Olympic Silver Medalist Sasha Cohen. They will be joined by World Champion and Six-Time National Champion Todd Eldredge; and Two-Time World Bronze Medalist and Three-Time National Champion Michael Weiss; two-time National champion and 2010 Olympic silver medalists Meryl Davis & Charlie White, 2008 National ladies champion Mirai Nagasu, 2009 National ladies champion Alissa Czisny, 2-time National Men’s champion Jeremy Abbott, and more including several other medalists from the 2010 U.S. and World Figure Skating Championships and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The Smucker’s Stars on Ice Tour, founded and produced by Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton, is one of the premier family entertainment events in the U.S. In 2010, this award-winning production will be moving its dates to the spring in order to showcase the World’s best figure skaters at the top of their form.

The 2010 Smucker’s Stars on Ice Tour will kick off on April 1st in Fort Myers, Fla., and will visit 40 cities across the United States, coming to a conclusion with a grand finale on May 30th in Portland, Ore. TICKETS ON SALE NOW. Tickets start at $25, making the 2010 Smucker’s Stars on Ice Tour one of our country’s most affordable family entertainment options. A portion of Smucker’s Stars on Ice proceeds benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more. Please visit www.starsonice.com for tour schedule and ticket information, as well as exciting show announcements.

"Our first thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues of the athlete. The whole Olympic Family is struck by this tragedy, which clearly casts a shadow over these Games", said the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jacques Rogge.

"We are deeply struck by this tragedy and join the IOC in extending our condolences to the family, friends and teammates of this athlete, who came to Vancouver to follow his Olympic dream", said John Furlong, the CEO of VANOC, the Games Organising Committee.

For the International Luge Federation, President Josef Fendt said: "This is a terrible accident. This is the gravest thing that can happen in sport, and our thoughts and those of the 'luge family', are naturally with those touched by this event."

An investigation is underway into the circumstances of the accident. Training was suspended and technical officials are now trying to establish the causes.

Condolences also to Joannie Rochette whose mother, Therese, 55, passed away just days before Rochette competed in the Short Program. Rochette went on to placed 3rd in both the short and long programs to win a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in honor of her mother.

Condolences To John Coughlin , national pairs competitor with Caitlin Yankowskas, on the death of his mother, Stacy, 48, after a long illness on Feb. 24th. She was a registered nurse working in the field of mental health in Kansas City, Mo. Funeral services were held Feb. 27. She is survived by her husband, Michael, daughter Angela and son John.

The Kerrigan family paid their respects to their father, in a funeral held in late January. He also left a widow, Brenda, who is partially blind. The family say they do not blame anyone for the unfortunate death of their father, who had a pre-existing heart condition They feel the findings are “premature.”

2009 U.S. Champion Alissa Czisny Splits From Longtime Coach

Colorado Springs, Colo.– Alissa Czisny, the 2009 U.S. champion and two-time U.S. Collegiate champion, announced she has ended her 12-year professional relationship with coach Julianne (Julie) Berlin at the Detroit Skating Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
 
"I have so much respect and appreciation for Julie, and I am extremely grateful for everything she has done for me during our time together,” Czisny said. “Julie has always believed in me and has provided me with every opportunity to grow and improve in my skating career. I will always be thankful for the experiences we shared and the memories we created together."
 
In addition to the one U.S. and two U.S. Collegiate titles she won under Berlin, Czisny claimed the 2007 U.S. bronze medal, 2001 U.S. junior silver medal and 2005 Skate Canada title.
 
“For 12 years I have enjoyed developing Alissa into a national champion,” Berlin said. “It was great to see her reach her goals throughout the years and see her have success in international and national competition, and I wish her continued success as she pursues her skating career.”
 
Czisny has also been mentored the last couple years by Olympic champion Brian Boitano and his former coach, Linda Leaver.
 
Czisny has not yet announced a new coach.

(Photo above by: Shirley McLaughlin)

GO BACK TO HOME PAGE