Skate Canada #3: Sunday Free Dance

I love Skate Canada events that end with a Sunday free dance. The drive to the rink this morning held a bit of magic, perhaps because of the sunrise, or perhaps due to the lack of traffic. I have finally found a time when I can get from central Toronto to Mississauga in less than half an hour—Sunday morning at 7 a.m. Noted.

Besides a couple of volunteers who were wiping down tables and bringing in the coffee, I was the first person in the media room this morning. I had enough time to upload some photos and grab a cup of coffee before heading upstairs to shoot practice.

I am a perfectionist who constantly seeks the perfect shot. This can be frustrating in a sport that is performed in the round, because I am not always sitting in the right spot. Practices, fortunately, give me the chance to try out some different angles, and today, I sat on the back of the rink for a couple of specific shots. I got the ones I wanted—a kick in Tarrah Harvey & Keith Gagnon’s free dance and a lift from Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje. The day is off to a great start!

Of course, the final day of a Skate Canada event is always a bit sad. I never seem to have enough time to visit with friends, and I’m sure that I will miss saying hello to some people completely. Especially at events in Ontario, the buzz in the stands carries the vibe of a class reunion. Since I have attended Challenge at the Hershey Centre every year since 2007, so many faces are familiar to me, even among the volunteers and arena staff.

I could ramble about the greatness of today for several more paragraphs, but I’m sure that most would prefer that I send in more photos instead of continuing to hoard them on my computer.