In 1992, I fell in love with figure skating, as I started watching Kristi Yamaguchi compete and get ready for the Olympics.  We're both from the SF Bay Area, and I just loved watching her on TV.  There were also few Asian role models in sports at the time, so I was fascinated.

Last week, Sprinkles Cupcakes held a promotion in conjunction with Kristi's Always Dream Foundation, where the proceeds from their Red Velvet cupcake sales (their BEST cupcake) would benefit the foundation.  On top of that, you could also meet Kristi (and Candace, the founder of Sprinkles) at their store in Palo Alto, CA.

Pictures after the jump!

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Hello, apologies once again if you have seen a virus warning on this site.  It seems to be afflicting SB Nation and they are at work trying to eradicate the issue. 

Please if possible, take a screenshot of the warning.

Then, close your browser and don't click on anything. Then, follow this procedure:

Send as detailed a report as possible to support@sbnation.com and include screen shots of everything abnormal you have seen. In your email include answers to the following questions:

- What browser/OS are you using?
- What site were you on?
- What page were you on?
- When day did you first see this?
- How many times have you seen it since?
- Has it happened on any other sites? Which ones?
- Did you click on anything after it redirected you to the virus scan screen?

Also, the product team would like to do a "screen share" session with you if this has happened to you; in your email let them know a time when you would be available to have such a session with them. The product team here has been working on eradicating this problem, and you can help.

If there is anything else I can personally do to help, I will, but the IT people at SBNation are hopefully going to be able to solve all the troubles soon. 

Apologies again.

I want to apologize to any of you who have gotten any type of virus warning or pop-up when they have visited this site.  It is plaguing SB Nation and unfortunately, they still haven't been able to completely eradicate the problem.  I am so sorry if it's affected any of you.  Please email requiredelementsATgmail.com if you do experience any issues.  Please let us know what you experienced, as well as what browser you were using and which pages you saw the warning on/what it said.  And definitely do not believe the warning or click on it or anything, because it's a trick. 

I am so sorry about this once again. 

I feel bad that I did not promote this beforehand for those of you who are into this sort of thing, but in retroactive self-promotion, here are some Youtube links to my appearance on Jeopardy! last week.  Unfortunately, as there were no questions on figure skating, I crashed and burned.  But it was fun anyway! 

Part 1

Part 2

Part 1 is better, for me at least.

just read this article yesterday over at asahi.com

浅田真央、中国で氷上結婚式に出席　今季のＳＰ初披露http://www.asahi.com/sports/spo/TKY201009040318.html and  it's content saying, Mao has debuted her SP for the new season ("TANGO" by Alfred Garyevich Schnittke) and performed it for the 1st time in front of the many Chinese Audiences and fans in the Beijing Ice Show "Artistry on Ice" last Sept.4. I eagerly browsed youtube for some videos that might be posted by some fans and found 2 or 3 good videos including her rehearsals!!! I must say it is such a wonderful program choreographed for her by no less than her former coach Tatiana Tarasova. Though in time, she can still polish and perform her program at her best, it is still of little disappointment that Mao still has a few problems with her jumps (she is currently starting from scratch all over again, with her jumps doing it from basic to the flow, speed, and edges), taking lessons from her jumping coach Hiroshi Nagakubo. But the rest seems to be well or better than the best she've done so far including her spins, speed and most of all her fabulous footwork. I will definitely miss the spirals this season and hope that Mao will be able to skate both her SP and LP perfectly by Nationals if not in time for the GP series.

Excess:

Mao's exhibition program this season is: "Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, CT. 2" by Frederic Chopin (Mao's favorite!)

  she portrays a real ballerina practicing ballet and her simple white costume is breathtakingly beautiful and gorgeous, instead of wearing a real tutu.

 After "Nocturne" and "So Deep is the Night" , Ballade is a beauty to behold after not seeing her skating to slow, airy music for awhile. You can all find some HD videos of Mao's Ballade  on  youtube from The Ice's official channel "theiceCTV" and other Ballade  videos from this year's "Dream on Ice" ice show last June.

Mao's LP program this season is also btw another slow music: Frank Liszt's "Liebestraume" which we all know will be choreograph by Lori Nichol. She'll perform her LP come Oct.2 in the Japan Open.

Interesting. Next move will be for Yuna Kim to drop herself and announce her retirement.

The Korea Times

Olympic figure skating gold medalist Kim Yu-na, 20, has parted ways with her coach Brian Orser, 49, the agency representing Orser announced Tuesday. 

In a press release, IMG said Kim's mother, Park Mee-hee, and Kim's South Korean agency AT Sports informed Orser on Aug. 2 that "he would no longer be retained to coach Kim."

"No reason was given for the sudden and unexpected decision," the statement read. 
“At the present time Kim continues to train at the Cricket Club in Toronto, Canada."

The toll from skating at the Winter Olympics days after her mother's death finally has worn down bronze medalist Joannie Rochette.

The Canadian champion withdrew Monday from next week's World Figure Skating Championships in Turin, Italy.

"With everything that has happened over the past few weeks, I have missed a significant amount of training time," Rochette said in a statement. "That means I'm not prepared either emotionally or physically to skate well at these championships and once again challenge for the podium.

-AP

LINK

via img1.sankakustatic.com

Apparently some Japanese bloggers have mocked up some images to parody the super popular video game Street Fighter II with our favorite figure skaters. Seems pretty fun, but I wish I could read Japanese.

via images.uncyc.org

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As a fan of the show, all I can say is.... YAY!!!!!!!!

Other contestants are, courtesy of EW:

Pamela Anderson, "the world’s sexiest woman"
Chad Ochocinco, "football’s most outrageous"
Aiden Turner, "the soap stud"
Erin Andrews, "ESPN’s broadcasting beauty"
Shannen Doherty, "The Beverly Hills bad girl"
Buzz Aldrin, "the original moonwalker"
Niecy Nash, "Reno 911’s funniest"
Nicole Scherzinger, "the Pussycat Doll"
Kate Gosselin, "reality’s most-watched super-mom"

Apparently at least one more will be named.

The last time a figure skater was on this show?

via www.pinkponders.com

Kristi Yamaguchi wins Season 6 of DWTS with pro partner Marc Ballas.  She was the front runner from the beginning.

I love this show, so I definitely will be watching and commenting if you'd like!

READ ME!

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/vancouver-olympics-figure-skating-women-classy-men-stay-flashy/story?id=9932612

It's not often in sports commentary that you hear anyone say, "He rocked the tassel."

But in the highest level of competitive figure skating, the Winter Olympics, that was how figure-skater-turned-commentator Scott Hamilton described Johnny Weir's "spectacular short program" last Thursday. Fans have always been curious about skaters' costumes. But this year, more people are paying attention to the men's outfits than the women's.

Why? Today's male figure skaters are imitating previous winners -- who wore flashy, bold, outfits at a time when few others would take the risk. The women, on the other hand, have gradually toned down their look. And judging from this year's most successful skaters, the men's outfits are only going to get more elaborate.

To read more click link....