Day Two at the 2003 World Figure Skating Championships Championships

Report and photographs by Marie L. Hughes

Today, I'm giddy from SkateFAIR momentum.

The day started out with Ron Pfenning's resignation from the ISU and when we got to the MCI Center, everyone was buzzing about it.

Then, about twice as many SkateFAIR members showing up to put stickers on pins and buttons as I expected. Many introduced themselves by saying "I never post, I just lurk" and then got right to work. As we were working, we attracted a bit of notice as more and more people came up and asked how they could get a button. Of course we didn't send any of them away empty-handed. Many of them insisted on making a donation of a few dollars and the SkateFAIR kitty now is $38 richer.

At one point, a man with a credential approached us. My heart started racing as I anticipated him telling us "You can't do that here." Instead, he asked us for buttons lots of buttons! I was intrigued so later on I tracked him down and asked him for an interview.

He turned out to be Michael Santer, father to Mens competitor Bradley Santer from Australia and himself a photojournalist. We talked a bit about the press Down Under. It seems figure skating has a much lower profile there than it does in the United States so not much has been written about the recent changes to the judging system. However there has been a lot of discussion within the skating community at all levels from club to national. He tells me that the Australian Association is an outspoken opponent of the interim system and we know they have filed a protest with the ISU about "it's a project, not a rule."

Michael also gave me an earful about how hard it is on the skaters and their parents when they can't get the sort of feedback they used to get from knowing the marks. Without knowing which judge gave which mark, it's impossible to know how various judges are interpreting the skater's program and what they need to do to improve it and he believes without the ability to find out why a judge gave the mark they did, the sport will suffer.

He also had some respectful words to say about Ron Pfenning for standing by his convictions with his resignation from the ISU Technical Committee today. As many of you know, Australia has had a very personal experience with the "ways of Ottavio Cinquanta" and when asked about it, Michael had this to say: "What he did in 2000 with Worlds, he's trying to do to the whole sport."

What a scary thought.

On a lighter note, when I came back from interviewing Michael, I found out that Ben, the SkateFAIRian formerly known as Neil, had given one of our buttons to Frank Carroll. Now that is something I would have liked to get a picture of!

I also have to give a big "Woo Hoo" to Kathy who went around the Convention Center several times with a big bag of buttons and asked everyone she saw to take one. She says pretty much everyone wanted on and she only had two refusals all day.

The Convention Center continues to be a laid-back place to meet, watch skating and give out buttons. They have THREE concession stands open including one that makes smoothies and funnel cakes! Also, the security personnel are more relaxed. We were sure that they would never let us in with our suitcase and tote bags full of buttons and pins so all the SkateFAIR volunteers trooped down the escalator and each took a few bags back up with them. Then, I went up myself with just one bag of buttons and managed to sweet talk a guard into letting me bring in the empty suitcase so I wouldn't have to drag it back to our car several blocks away.

He was leery but said it was okay "as long as it was empty." He also asked me "what's with this No Secret Judging" so I got to practice some of the SkateFAIR talking points on him.

After putting too many labels on too many pins and buttons, I started to get antsy and wanted to go back to the house and work on my signs. But I couldn't get my mother the one who has been saying for days she doesn't have the energy to watch skating all day and is going to pace herself and only go to certain events to leave! I finally got her out of the Convention Center by enticing her to go check out the MCI Center.

The MCI Center is much more rigid in terms of enforcement of the rules. The security guard not only looked inside our bags but he made us unzip every single zipper. Unfortunately, my bag has a lot of zippers so we were there a while. One good side effect of the extended search is that I got to explain all about "No Secret Judging" to him though. Well, he did ask.

I think that by the end of the week, we're going to have one well-educated arena security force!

At the MCI Center, the Japanese and Chinese Ladies were practicing and my mother's transformation from casual to serious figure skating fan became complete.

The set up at MCI Center is wonderful for watching skating with plenty of light for good photos and seats right up to the boards. Plus, in spite of warnings to the contrary, they do have at least one concession stand open. I didn't see any funnel cakes though.

While watching the Ladies, I ran into our inimitable Naomi Paiss, recently quoted in the Toronto Star about the flexibility of Cinquanta's feet, and she said she'd given a button to Peter Caruthers! I also finally got to meet the infamous David Forberg. Of course I gave him a button and a few other people sitting near him, too.

Eventually though, I began to wear out but once again I couldn't get my "I have to be in bed by 9pm" mom to leave. I finally guilted her into it by reminding her that her husband was waiting for us to come home and work on the signs that we'd specifically asked him to look up Chinese characters for and it would be rude to keep him waiting.

With luck, I'll be back tomorrow bearing at least one "Go Chinese Team" sign and buttons and pins for everyone who wants some.