I have Peggy Fleming and Kristi Yamiguchi Christmas ornaments adorning the sports section of my Christmas tree (yes, I have a sports section on the tree!), alongside Mohammed Ali, Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, and Jeff Gordon. I wonder why there aren't other ornaments available of the other skating stars, particularly Dorothy Hamill, because, as I recall, she was extremely popular, having a hairdo and skating term ("Hamill camel") named for her.
Although I have never donned a pair of skates, I know skating moves when I see them executed. I especially like the ones named for people: Lutz, Axel, Camel, Ina Bauer, Salchow, Walley, Boitano, and Biellmann. Many moves are ballet terms such as arabesque. I love to see twizzles, quads, laybacks, cantilevers, and hydroblading executed. I have seen few back flips performed since the heyday of Scott Hamilton.
Before the current scoring system I could be quite accurate in judging 0 to 6. The current judging system is probably fairer, less subjective, and more technical, but not as thrilling as seeing "all sixes" as in the old days.
One of my favorite skaters was Nancy Kwan and one of the most beautiful performances I ever saw was of her skating in an exhibition after the Olympics. Although she did not win the gold that year, she wore a gold outfit and skated to a recording of Fields Of Gold by Eva Cassidy. See Nancy's performance and listen to Eva.
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