O’LEARY, P.E.I. - Three-time world singles champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist, Elvis Stojko rocked the ice on Sunday afternoon during the O’Leary Figure Skating Club’s annual ice show, Toys on Ice.
More than 1,000 excited figure skating fans came to see the former Canadian champion, Stojko, carve his way across the ice and inspire the next generation.
“If I can still do some of the tricks that excite the audience then I will continue to skate,” he said. “I practice on the ice pretty much four or five days a week to stay in shape. I can’t take a month off and say, ‘okay I’m going to do a show now.’
“This is something I take very seriously, and I still push the envelope and skate fast and exciting. This is what people remember me for when I was competing.”
In 1991, Stojko shook up the sport and became the first person to land a quadruple-double jump combination.
From twists, twirls and turns, he took command of the ice once again with the same power and determination the audience were familiar with from competitions.
“Skating is one of those things where you have to follow your heart and not care what anyone else thinks,” said Stojko.
“It’s a tough thing to get into as a boy. It’s always been considered as a girl’s sport because there’s a lot of softness in skating and, that’s fine to a degree. But there are guys out there that have that real pop and strength.
“And those guys tend to shy away and get into hockey and other things, especially when they get picked on at school….
“When I was going through high school I got picked on, but I used it as fuel to make myself stronger. Now, I thank all the people who were against me, the ones that always put me down and said I could never make it or become anything. It made me stronger.
“I became a cornerstone in the sport of figure skating, and that’s a tribute to strength. It comes from the support of my parents, my marshal art training, and those that worked with me."
Young skaters, who had a seminar with Stojko on Saturday, pulled out a few tricks and aerial manoeuvres of their own as they glided and danced across the ice in front of the captivated crowd.
Carly Allain, performing as “Raggedy Ann,” acknowledged she challenged herself for the show.
“The hardest move in my performance was a double salchow (a skating jump with a take off from a back inside edge of one foot) and I’m just starting to learn this move, as well as my axel.”
She added, “Yesterday I learned a lot of new figure skating techniques from our seminar with Stojko. I learned how to go into jumps, air position, and even just everyday skating skills.”
Skater Jessica Howard gave it her all during her performance as “Barbie.”
“Our coach, Julie McNeilI, picked my theme. It was a fun routine to do and I got to show off certain aspects from my personality,” she said, with a smile.
Performance themes included Ice Blossoms, Mystic Moves, Crayola Crayons, Super-Mario, Smurfs, Marionettes-STAR 2 and Minions-STAR 2, to name but a few.
The finale wrapped up with all the skaters carving their way across the ice.
Stojko concluded, “I tell kids that they may not become an Olympic champion, but they can go on to do performances and have an amazing career.
“My wife did that. She was a national champion a few times in Mexico and then continued on and was the principal skater with Disney on Ice. She played Pocahontas, Jasmine and Mulan, and she had many amazing years with this, as well as a career.”
Awards presentation:
- Can Skater of the Year, Lydia Gallant
- Program Assistant of the Year, Carly Allain
- S.T.A.R Skater of the Year, Gracelyn Paugh.
