[Joel] Skating is probably the best feeling ever. It is like a mix of flying and effortlessness and all of the best experiences that you want as a human, but you can't, because we have gravity. [Christian] I would say my favorite thing about skating is the sense of freedom that you can't find anywhere else.
But the most startling event was the couples competition, which featured a pair of male skaters, dressed in camouflage, with tape over their mouths in an "X"-a direct protest against the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The couple who followed them-two shirtless men, around the same height, alternately lifting each other up and rolling over each other with playful, affectionate aggression-struck me as equally political, suggesting not just what was banned but what was possible.
The Spanish figure skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate faces a last-minute scramble to redesign his Olympic short program after a copyright dispute blocked him from using music from the Minions franchise just days before competition begins at the Milano Cortina Winter Games. The six-time Spanish national champion from Barcelona, who is set to make his Olympic debut in the men's singles event, said he learned late last week that the routine he has performed throughout the 2025-26 season would not be cleared for Olympic use.
Pair the thrill of an endlessly debatable YA love triangle with the frenzy for ice-rink romances fueled by Heated Rivalry, and you'll understand the buzz surrounding Netflix's Finding Her Edge. The new series, based on the book by Jennifer Iacopelli, follows an Olympics-bound figure skater as she navigates a love triangle between her former flame and current ice-dance partner, whom she's pretending to date for sponsorship opportunities.
Based on Jennifer Iacopelli's 2022 novel of the same name, Finding Her Edge follows teen figure skater Adriana as she juggles her Olympic dreams with family pressure and a twisty love triangle. As Iacopelli recently told of the new Netflix series, it does have a few things in common with its fellow rink romance, Heated Rivalry - like its ice-sports backdrop and Canadian talent, including the actor Aidan Shaw, who appears in both series.
"The relationship I had with my former partner is symptomatic of that system. "I may have been under a kind of control and experiencing things that were not acceptable, but in fact, that relationship reflects the system. "It's not unique, it's very common. There are still plenty of people living it today."
On Sunday, U.S. Figure Skating announced its Olympic roster, which adhered, as is natural, to the top three performers at its national championships. The men's event saw the most upheaval from the anticipated roster, but not in a way that was particularly interesting for Olympic prospects: Ilia Malinin is still the prohibitive favorite to win everything, and no other American man is expected to contend seriously for a podium finish.
Maxim Naumov glides across the ice alone, but during his chase for the 2026 Olympics, the 24-year-old figure skater rarely referred to his journey as a solo endeavor. Wearing a new white U.S. figure skating jacket on stage at Enterprise Center, Naumov celebrated those that helped him reach his goals, even those who could not be present for the moment. He knew his parents Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were still watching. "We did it," he said as a wide smile split his face. "We absolutely did it."
TV footage showed Ren Junfei and Xing Jianing sitting with a large toy in the shape of a missile labelled DF-61 as they were waiting for their scores in the kiss and cry area at the Cup of China on Saturday. The toy was briefly held up by Ren, Xing and a coach, then placed across Xing's lap. The DF-61 is a new Chinese-made, land-based intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear weapons which was unveiled at a military parade last month.
Ovechkin expressed deep respect for figure skaters Medvedeva and Valieva, emphasizing their loyalty and hard work, stating they have achieved a lot through willpower.
