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Browning knows what Virtue and Moir face
Source: |
London Free Press |
Date: |
March 8, 2013 |
Author: |
Ryan Pyette |
Shortly after ice dance champs Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won Olympic
gold in Vancouver three years ago, they joined Stars on Ice for a show
back home in London.
Kurt Browning felt the anticipation in the crowd to see "Canada's
Sweethearts" on what is now Budweiser Gardens ice.
Instant material.
"I was standing at centre ice with a microphone and I simply said,
'Thanks for coming, good night,' " the four-time men's figures skating
world champ said in an e-mail exchange with the Free Press on
Friday. "The laughter and sense of adventure from the crowd was
instant and you just do not get that kind of interaction from every
audience.
"I am positive London will provide a wonderful backdrop and energy to
the (worlds)."
Browning might not want to pull that same joke on people paying 25
bucks to park downtown next week - but it's still pretty
funny.
The legendary skater, now working for worlds TV rights-holder CBC,
knows the expectations and pressure Virtue and Moir face in trying to
win a world title on Canadian, let alone hometown, ice.
Browning is one of only a handful of Canadian skaters to answer that
challenge. He won his second world crown in 1990 at Halifax.
"When I competed at home, I found that I was either swept along in the
wave of energy or washed over by it," the 46-year-old said. "In my
hometown (Edmonton), I was so shocked by a standing ovation before my
short program started that I did not recover and missed my first
jump.
"The ability to enjoy the potential of the moment and not dwell on the
negative (and by that, he means letting family and friends down), is
very important. To pretend you are not going to be feeling emotion and
energy will get you in trouble ... no matter how much you try to
hide in your bubble."
Browning noted the intimate layout of this arena is different than in
some European rinks, where there is much more space between the
skaters and the fans. Virtue and Moir have won both their world titles
in Europe - first in Turin, Italy in 2010 and then last year, in Nice,
France.
"It will be easy for the skaters to reach out to the audience both to
entertain them but also to get the energy they need from the crowd to
feel good in such a high-pressure situation," Browning said. "Skating
at home is something most skaters will say they enjoy."
It's not just Virtue and Moir looking for a third global
crown. Patrick Chan, the current Canadian standout, has a desire to
challenge Browning's run of four wins in five years.
"Patrick can do it," Browning said. "He has already achieved something
amazing by staying in the top two for four years in a row in a (global
sport) and in the discipline that is hardest to win."
Part of the appeal of a worlds is the merging of the figure skating
stars past and present. Browning will on TV watching Chan while his
own predecessor, Brian Orser, will be coaching a couple of talented
young men who want to be the new king.
Javier Fernandez, the energetic Spaniard, made history by beating the
six-time Canadian champ last fall at Skate Canada in Windsor. Japan's
Yuzuru Hanyu, still just 18-years-old, is one of the quickest risers
in the ranks. He was second at Four Continents - an event Chan skipped
- and third last year in France.
"Brian understands that super-high level of skating - he created it,"
Browning said. "Without figures (since scrapped in competiton), he
would be the most decorated single skater in history, I
believe."
This is the stage to put it all together. Few have done it more often
than Browning, now manning the microphone with former ice dance star
Tracy Wilson.
"You have two people who simply love this sport and love the skaters,"
Browning said. "Tracy gets very emotional and cares for the athletes
so much. I love the chance to be so close to the athletes in the
moments that they will remember for the rest of their lives."
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