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Canadian fans take over worlds
MINNEAPOLIS (CP) -- Brenda Bradshaw came all the way from Halifax. Leslie Bishop travelled from Vancouver Island. From coast to coast, Canadian figure skating fans by the hundreds have flocked to the 1998 world championships.They have taken over the Target Centre. Clad in red and white, they cheer for Canada's skaters, and for every other skater, too.
"Canadians really appreciate this sport and enjoy good skating from everyone," Bradshaw said on her way to the men's short program Wednesday afternoon.
The 35-year-old Haligonian is at her second world meet. She's already working on getting to the 2000 worlds in Brisbane, Australia. Figure skating fans plan ahead.
"If Vancouver gets the 2001 worlds, as we think it will, I'd hope to be there," said Marge Joanis of Saskatoon.
The fiftysomething Joanis says all the Canadian fan content is good for the event.
"It would be pretty dull if all of us hadn't shown up," she said.
Bishop loves her seats in Section 126 near the kiss-and-cry area, where she can get close-up looks at Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz and the others.
"It's wonderful to be here," said the Nanaimo resident. "It's nice to see so many Canadians here supporting our athletes."
It's her second worlds. All the withdrawals don't bother her.
"We're getting to see the up-and-coming skaters," she said.
She and friend Lorraine Dumont of Ladysmith, B.C., began planning for this trip two years ago when they attended the world championships in Edmonton.
"The only thing I don't like is that arena people are telling some fans to take down their flags and banners," said Dumont.
Dozens of large Canadian flags were draped over unoccupied seats and over railings on opening day. Ushers have been telling them they are obscuring advertising signs or impeding ticket holders from getting to their seats. Any flags that have been moved are being unfurled and waved each time a Canadian skates.
In Section 133, eight women wearing identical shirts and vests covered with maple leafs occupy the upper row. Each wears a white hat with a Canadian flag on a stick attached to the brim.
Sandra Snell, 56, of Thunder Bay, Ont., is among the eight who drove south for this meet. It's Snell's first worlds. She spent nine hours in the arena watching men's singles and pairs events Wednesday.
"It was disappointing that some of the best skaters withdrew but we're going to be seeing future Olympians," she said. "That's how we're looking at it, and we're still enjoying ourselves."
Ruth (Just Say I'm Over 65) Crawford is at her 11th world meet. She's in a group of 90 who came from Hamilton occuping the Section 104 corner. Her first were in Ottawa in 1984.
"Barb Underhill and Paul Martini winning the pairs that year still is my favorite performance of 'em all," said Crawford.
She's already ordered and paid for her tickets to the 1999 worlds in Helsinki.
"It does take some of the shine off it but it's great to see the younger ones coming up," she said of the withdrawals.
There is no mystery why so many Canadians buy tickets to world championships regardless of where they are held, she said.
"In the last 10 years, we've had an upgrade in our skating and that has really lured a lot of people into following the sport."
Sarah Smyth of Rothesay, N.B., is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States. So, which country's skaters does she support?
"We cheer for every skater," says the 70ish fan.
This is her fourth world meet. She's not upset Elvis Stojko and others were injured and could not come.
"This is par for the course after an Olympics," she said. "We knew this would happen."
Louis Knauff of Kamloops is watching her second worlds from Section 128.
"It's wonderful how Canadians are supporting their skaters," said the fiftysomething British Columbian. "And I'm really impressed with the American fans -- how they are cheering for everybody. They're not being partisan at all."
The greatest figure skating fans in the world ducked out of the arena for a quick dinner and were back in their seats for the pairs free-skating final.