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While Jeremy Abbott was disappointed in his performances at the Vancouver Games, we think his determination, grit and true sportsmanship (all things that make a great athlete) were apparent as he completed both his short and free skate programs. Jeremy’s amazing attitude and sportsmanship were clear as he cheered on his fellow skaters from the United States and around the globe on Twitter! (follow him @JeremyAbbottPCF) We think Jeremy truly embodied the Olympic spirit! Congrats, Jeremy!
Before we officially move on from the 2010 Winter Olympics, we want to extend an official “Congratulations!” to the 5 Riedell skaters who competed beautifully in Vancouver! Joannie, Laura, Rachael, Johnny and Jeremy represented their countries with the true Olympic spirit. We are so happy that they stepped out onto the Olympic ice to represent their amazing countries in Riedells and we are so proud of their accomplishments!
And in case you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past three weeks (just kidding!☺), here are how our skaters finished at the Games:
Joannie Rochette (Canada): Bronze Medalist
Laura Lepisto (Finland): 6th
Rachael Flatt (United States): 7th
Johnny Weir (United States): 6th
Jeremy Abbott (United States): 9th
Earlier in the week we posed a question to our Facebook fans, What does the Olympic sprit mean to you? We received some really great answers and now we’ll be posting our thoughts over the next few days on each of the Riedell skaters and how they embodied the Olympic spirit! As we post them, feel free to share your thoughts on each of the skaters!
When I say I’ve been skating on Riedells all of my life, I really mean it! When I first starting skating, I didn’t have my own pair of boots, so I took my sister’s Riedells and pained them black. The skates were such a wonderful fit that my mom bought me my own pair of Riedells soon afterwards. Since then, my Riedell boots paired with JW Gold Seal blades have been my winning combination. From every practice to the biggest competitions, my Riedells work so well that I’ve never wanted or needed anything else.
–Jeremy Abbott, 2-time U.S. Nationals Champion and 2009 Skate Canada Gold Medalist
Nationals are over and the Olympics are still 15 days away, but this weekend you can get your figure skating fix! Tune into NBC on Sunday afternoon at 4:00 EST/1:00 PST to catch Skate for the Heart featuring Riedell skaters Jeremy Abbott and Johnny Weir. Joined by 8 cast members from across the country, Skate for the Heart hopes to raise awareness of heart disease. The taped event was first recorded in September and also features music from Jordin Sparks, Charice, Honor Society and KSM.
Did you know? February is American Heart Disease Awareness Month!
It has been 22 years since an American figure skater has taken the gold at the Winter Olympics. (Can you name the famous medalist?) Is Vancouver the place where this streak of silver and bronze medals for the U.S. team will finally end? We think so! With a strong male contenders for the Olympic team—including Jeremy Abbott and Johnny Weir—many are predicting that the American team will meet the challenge and return with the gold. In a recent article, Abbott explains how his training and stronger skating (he is including a difficult quad in his program!) will help elevate the U.S. team. What are your predictions for the Olympics?
What an exciting weekend for Riedell skaters! Both Joannie Rochette and Jeremy Abbott competed in Skate Canada over the weekend, and both skaters put on star performances. Earning first place finishes (and a record short program score for Joannie!) both Jeremy and Joannie secured a place in the ISU Grand Prix finals.
At the ISU Grand Prix finals, Riedell will also be represented by Johnny Weir. The finals are a short two weeks away, beginning December 3 in Tokyo, Japan.
Did you catch any of the Skate Canada action? What were your favorite routines and skaters from Skate Canada?
It’s been a whirlwind of excitement the past few months as we have watched our favorite Riedell skaters compete in the 2009 ISU Grand Prix! Skate Canada, the last Grand Prix event of the season, begins today in Kitchener, Ontario. Riedell skaters Jeremy Abbott and Joannie Rochette (who won Skate Canada last year!) will be competing to secure a place in the Grand Prix finals.
Good luck, Jeremy and Joannie!
Although the Grand Prix series is ending, there is no need to worry! The Grand Prix Finals are just around the corner, taking place December 3-6 in Tokyo, Japan.
Tune in to NBC this Sunday from 2:00-4:00pm EST to catch the Skate Canada action!
Did you catch the NHK Trophy excitement? Riedell skaters, Jeremy Abbott, Johnny Weir and Laura Lepisto performed in Japan over the weekend, and all three delivered great routines.
Johnny Weir let out his inner competitor this weekend with an exciting and technically challenging long program performance that catapulted him to a 2nd place finish!
Riedell’s Jeremy Abbott, (also the defending Grand Prix champion) finished 5th. The highlight was Abbott’s short program, where he skated confidently and energetically to a personal best score of 83! Laura Lepisto continued her strong season, finishing 5th at the Trophy.
Congratulations Riedell skaters!
As the Olympic season grows closer, the Grand Prix Series in winding down. This weekend, Japan will host the 2009 NHK Trophy. The Trophy, event 4 out of 6 in the Grand Prix Series, is sure to entertain. Riedell skaters Johnny Weir and Jeremy Abbot will represent Team USA, while Laura Lepisto represents Finland.
Laura is having one of her most electrifying seasons to date. Earlier this season, she won the European title and came in a career-high 6th at the World Championships. With her clean, strong skate, Lepisto is certainly in the running for a medal this weekend!
Both Jeremy Abbot and Johnny Weir are favorites in the US skating circuit, and both have exciting routines to bring to Japan. Abbott will be skating to the Beatles “A Day in the Life” for his short program and his routine is full of strong jumps and crisp edges. Weir’s routine is one of the most difficult you’ll see on the ice this season. Loaded full of spins and jumps, if Weir skates like the champion he is, you’ll be blown away!
Best of luck to the Riedell skaters this weekend!
Check out your favorite skaters this Sunday, November 8th from 2:00-4:00pm EST on NBC. Then tell us what you thought about the competition!
Over the weekend, Riedell skaters at every level competed around the world. At the Japan Open, 2009 U.S. National Champion, Jeremy Abbott, finished 3rd individually, while Joannie Rochette’s strong performance lead her to a first place finish! The Japan Open consisted of teams representing North America, Europe and Japan competing against each other. Jeremy and Joannie skated for Team North America with Beatrisa Liang and Jeffery Buttle. Their strong individual performances lead the North American team to a 2nd place finish behind Team Europe.
On the other side of the world, reigning U.S. Novice Champion, Kiri Baga, gave a stunning performance at her first ISU Junior Grand Prix in Dresden, Germany. Kiri skated her way to a first place finish in her international debut!
Congratulations to all of the Riedell skaters!
Did you see any of the performances? Tell us what you thought of them!