Ice-skating Books

Book Synopsis Ice skates made from animal bones were used in Europe for millennia before metal-bladed skates were invented. Archaeological sites have yielded thousands of examples, some of them dating to the Bronze Age. They are often mentioned in popular books on the Vikings and sometimes appear in children''s literature. Even after metal skates became the norm, people in rural areas continued to use bone skates into the early 1970s. Today, bone skates help scientists and re-enactors understand migrations and interactions among ancient peoples. This book explains how to make and use them and chronicles their history, from their likely invention in the Eurasian steppes to their disappearance in the modern era.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments viiPreface 11. Skating Before Skates 52. How to Skate on Bones 102.1. Sources and Approaches  102.2. Selecting Bones for Skating  112.3. Making Skates  142.4. Attaching the Bones  202.5. The Pole  242.6. Skating!  252.7. How Fast Did They Go?  312.8. Wear and Discard  333. The Study of Bone Skates 363.1. Skaters and Scholars  363.2. Identifying Bone Skates in Written Records  393.3. Identifying Bone Skates in the Archaeological Record  434. How Ice Skating Came to Be 514.1. An Origin Story  514.2. The Steppes As a Homeland  544.3. Skates, Skis and Horses  564.4. Skating Across Europe  625. Tools or Toys? 665.1. The Question of Use  665.2. Bone Type  705.3. Complexity  745.4. A Note on the Earliest Skate Candidates  836. Skating and Skiing in Medieval Scandinavian Literature 856.1. Skates and Skis  856.2. Skaters and Skiers  876.3. Skating and Skiing  906.4. Skríða As a Generic Verb of Motion  936.5. The Similarity of Bone Skates and Skis  987. Skating on Bones in the Middle Ages 1007.1. The Scandinavian Expansion  1007.2. Bone Skates as Scandinavian Artifacts in Great Britain  1077.3. Bone Skates on the Continent  1147.4. Directions for Future Research  1178. The End of the Bone Age 1198.1. The Emergence of ­Metal-Bladed Skates  1198.2. The Spread of the New Style  1278.3. Where to Go from Here  132Appendix: Modern Descriptions 135A.1. Germany and Poland  135A.2. Central Europe  138A.3. Great Britain  141A.4. The Northeast  142A.5. Scandinavia  142Chapter Notes 147Bibliography 169Index 183

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Book SynopsisTessa and Scott share their incredible and inspiring story now updated and expanded with a new introduction, over 100 dazzling new photographs, and three all-new chapters covering the pair's stunning performances at the Sochi and PyeongChang Olympic Games and beyond.Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are the most decorated figure skaters in the history of the sport, and are widely celebrated by peers and fans alike for their superior athleticism, one-of-a-kind partnership, and generosity of spirit. In these pages, they share their incredible story with the world. Tessa and Scott: Our Journey from Childhood Dream to Gold offers an intimate and revealing behind-the-scenes look at the iconic duo. Veteran sports columnist Steve Milton draws from hours of conversations with Tessa and Scott as they take us from their first meeting in 1995 to their impressive debut and rapid rise on the international scene; from the highs and lows of competitive skating to t

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Book Synopsis Of all winter sports, none is so widely watched and commented upon by the media as figure skating, which is often considered the Winter Olympics'' centerpiece. This critical text examines the ways in which media attention has gradually altered and affected the sport, from the early appearances of Sonja Henie, to skating''s gradual audience growth via television, and to the ramifications of the scandals in the 1994 and 2002 Olympics. The topic is illuminated by more than 30 interviews with commentators, skaters, producers, directors and others. In addition to numerous photos, illustrations show the compulsory figures for which figure skating got its name, as well as a sample of the charted-out camera blocking for TV directors. Appendices include collected anecdotes from early broadcasting experiences; a profile of broadcaster Jim McKay; and commentary from Carol Heiss on her 1961 musical Snow White and the Three Stooges.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAuthor of the lauded subject monograph, Figure Skating: A History, Hines applies his substantial subject knowledge to profiling the sport’s medal-winning pairs, singles, governing bodies, and organizations. Also clearly explained, among the 800 alphabetically ordered, paragraph-long entries, are the mechanics of specific skating styles and techniques. Notable is the opening chronology, which is studded with detailed events and extends to include 15 field-defining moments. Eleven appendixes detail International Skating Union members and record medal winners by competition, while a 16-page bibliography offers further-research titles. This most-updated subject lexicon supplants John Williams Malone’s The Encyclopedia of Figure Skating (Facts On File, 1998). * Library Journal *An old sport, figure skating in modern terms began in Restoration England in the 1660s. Though it is one of the most popular events of the Olympic Winter Games, this is the first reference work to bring together the history, terminology, and stars of the sport. A chronology of the sport and an introduction are followed by A–Z entries for persons, organizations, terminology, and countries where figure skating is popular. Jumps such as the axel and the salchow are explained....Popular stars, such as Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamel, and Scott Hamilton, are covered. The Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding rivalry is explored, as are the Battle of the Brians, between Brian Boitano and Brian Orser, and the Battle of the Carmens, between Katarina Witt and Debi Thomas, who performed to the same music at the Calgary Olympic Winter Games in 1988. Eleven appendixes, among them lists of International Skating Union members and officeholders, World Figure Skating Hall of Fame members, and World Figure Skating Championship medalists, appear before an 18-page bibliography. This encyclopedia is comprehensive and informative, with tidbits such as the importance of artificial ice and Zambonis to figure skating. Providing a good balance of biography and history, it is a worthwhile purchase for academic and public libraries serving serious students of the sport as well as fans. * Booklist *Those who are interested in figure skating likely will find all they need to know in this historical dictionary. This easy-to-read, comprehensive volume is truly unique. Although many other sports dictionaries are available, none focus entirely on figure skating. A researcher and an elector to the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame and the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame, Hines (emer., Christopher Newport Univ.) has provided more than definitions of terms related to figure skating. The text begins with lists of acronyms and abbreviations used, followed by a chronology of figure skating. After the definitions themselves, 11 appendixes provide a wealth of information regarding medalists at various skating events and members of various skating organizations. The appendixes are followed by a detailed bibliography....This dictionary is written for anyone involved with or interested in figure skating. Recommended. Libraries with sport sciences collections serving lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. * CHOICE *

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Book SynopsisAt the 1984 Olympics, American Scott Hamilton skated into the history books when he claimed a gold medal in Sarajevo. Beside him the entire time was his coach, Don Laws. A member of the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame and a U.S. Junior Champion, Laws is one of the most respected and admired ice skating coaches in the world. In addition to Hamilton, Don was the coach of champions Michael Weiss and Patrick Chan. This authorized biography tells the story of Law's exemplary life and chronicles his singular dedication to figure skating. Don Laws: The Life of an Olympic Figure Skating Coach recounts Don's youth, from his childhood in Washington, D.C. to his Junior Men's Figure Skating Championship to his triumphs as a coach on the international stage. Featuring personal interviews with many of his former pupils, this humorous and enlightening biography captures Don's dedication to the sport and to his students. In addition, this book goes behind the scenes of the controversial new judgingTrade ReviewDon Laws wasn’t just my coach. He was a friend. A father figure. A mentor. My rock. Nothing I did after 1979 would have been possible with any other coach. I can’t wait to read this book, to better understand the man who completely changed my life and made everything I am today possible. -- Scott Hamilton, Olympic Gold MedalistTable of ContentsChapter 1: 351st CommRecon Company Chapter 2: The Renegade Alphias Chapter 3: Passion Chapter 4: Once Bitten Twice Shy Chapter 5: I Was A Centerfold Chapter 6: Halcyon Days Chapter 7: The Crash Chapter 8: Beware of the word “NO Chapter 9: Organized Chaos Chapter 10: Full Tilt Boogie Chapter 11: “The 6.0 Club or the SSSO” Chapter 12: “Paving the Way” Teaching and Coaching Techniques Chapter 13: Scott Chapter 14: Peanut Butter and Jelly for Vodka and Caviar Chapter 15: “Penumbra” Chapter 16: “The Sum of it All” Epilogue

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Book Synopsis Finnish figure skater Kiira Korpi''s career included triumphal championships and bitter disappointments. Trained from early childhood in a sport that demands uncompromising self-discipline and unrelenting work, her fight until you make it attitude brought her success and fame--and an insidious performance anxiety. Mental and physical burnout forced her retirement in 2015. With interviews and quotes from family, friends, coaches and competitors, Korpi''s candid memoir describes the making and eventual undoing of a champion, reveals a darker side to the ice princess image of women''s figure skating and advocates a more holistic, athlete-centered model of training.Trade ReviewAn impressive and candidly informative sports biography."—Midwest Book ReviewTable of Contents Preface  1 1. Café Pushkin  3 2. From Cracks into Fragments  5 3. The Gold Tap  15 4. When Everything Was Still Fun  27 5. ­Olympic-Size Nerves  39 6. Everyone's Kiira  48 7. Paying the Bills  55 8. Those Triple Jumps Hiding in Warsaw  64 9. Weight Watcher  70 10. 282 Jumps  81 11. Imperfect Perfectionist  85 12. The Big Fall  91 13. Friendship and Envy  96 14. The Man with the Strange Name  101 15. Police Costume  107 16. When Nothing Is Enough  119 17. Text Message  126 18. A New Beginning  134 19. Torn  140 20. "You are no longer good for me"  152 21. From Kiira to Kiira  157 22. Breaking into Wholeness  161 23. Surrender to Life  169 Epilogue  178 Index  183

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Book SynopsisA new posse of figure skating superstars has emerged over the last decade, delighting fans around the world. These young athletes--whose skill, power, grace and artistry were so thrillingly displayed at the 2010 Olympics, are celebrated here in glorious images and insightful text. At the 1998 Nagano Games, Olympic figure skating judge Jean Senft blew the whistle on vote trading, paving the way for a new judging system that is now driving the sport in exciting directions. Senft describes how today's skaters are exploring ever-more difficult and dramatic ways of scoring and provides an insider's view of international figure skating at its highest level. More than 140 stunning full-color photographs by renowned photographer Gerard Chataigneau highlight the talents of the sport's new stars, including Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Evan Lysacek, Joannie Rochette, Yu-Na Kim, Johnny Weir, Mao Asada, and many more.Table of ContentsIntroduction: A New Era The Evolution of Figure Skating The ISU Judging System Triumph on Ice * Pairs * Singles, Women * Singles, Men * Ice Dance Conclusion: Where Will Figure Skating Go From Here? Index of Skaters Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisOn February 15, 1961, all 18 members of the U.S. World Figure Skating Team were killed in a plane crash, along with 16 coaches, officials, and family members. Frozen in Time takes readers inside the lives of the young skaters who died in the crash, revealing their friendships, romances, rivalries, sacrifices, and triumphs. The dramatic focus lingers on two families of powerful women: the Owens and the Westerfelds. Maribel Owen, the most famous woman in figure skating at the time, relentlessly drives her two young daughters--pairs champion Mara and the spectacular Laurence, who graced the cover of Sports Illustrated on the day she died. Myra Westerfeld, meanwhile, loses her marriage while guiding her daughters Sherri and Steffi to the pinnacle of the sport. Along with the bittersweet personal stories, author Nikki Nichols recounts the U.S. skating program's lengthy struggle to rebuild after this devastating accident.Trade Review“Frozen in Time is the beautiful, heart-wrenching story of the eighteen members of the U.S. figure skating team of 1961 and the sudden tragedy that took them from us at the summit of their achievement. —Senator Edward M. Kennedy “Nichols does a masterful job of seamlessly weaving together this long-ago era with the contemporary world of the sport. It is a terrific and informative read.” —International Figure Skating magazine “The sensitivity of the writer will touch every skating fan in what may be one of the ten best-written sports books of the year.” —Barry Federovitch, Trenton Times “A moving tribute to the skaters who died for their sport.” —Indianapolis Star “Written with an insider’s perspective, Frozen in Time is a painstaking and heart-breaking love letter to the sport as well as to those who perished in the crash. I highly recommend it whether or not you are a skating fan.” —Jennifer Woodlief, author of Ski to Die and A Wall of White

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Book SynopsisRead the deeply moving and impeccably researched account of the events surrounding the plane crash that killed the 1961 US figure skating team.Only once has the United States lost an entire national team to disaster: 1961, when all eighteen members of the US figure skating team died in the crash of Sabena Flight 548. Sixteen family members, coaches, and friends died with them. Frozen in Time takes you, for the first time ever, inside the lives of these skaters, revealing their friendships and romances, rivalries, sacrifices, and triumphs.The skaters you'll read about were the top finishers at the 1961 US National Championships. Winning a medal at Nationals earned each skater passage aboard Sabena Flight 548, a state-of-the-art Boeing 707. The plane would take them to Brussels, where they planned to board a new plane for Prague, host city of the 1961 World Figure Skating Championships. Some of the skaters brought parents or older siblings as chaperones. Coaches and judges also boarded the plane, and some of them brought spouses and children. When the plane crashed in a Belgian field on February 15, entire families were shattered, and the American skating program suffered a staggering blow that threatened to cripple it for many years.Frozen in Time takes you on a journey to experience the highly competitive US National and North American championships of that fateful year. This story takes place in the final days of what now seems like an antique era, when the world was black and white, when figure skating was not a well-publicized sport. The book portrays strong, accomplished women leading unconventional lives on a national stage in a conservative era. The story of the Owen and Westerfeld womenalong with all the dedicated athletestranscends the world of sport and touches the human heart. It is one of the most powerful and tragic stories in the history of American sports.. . . a reverential tribute. Skating enthusiasts will want to add this to the shelf.Publishers Weekly

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