Man on a mission
Evan Lysacek, two-time World bronze medalist, full-time performer in the Champions on Ice show, has added another twist to his hectic life as a figure skater: one-day ticket hawker for the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
From sunup to sundown Wednesday, the 21-year-old rising American star worked the city like Hillary Clinton at a Democratic fundraiser. His whirlwind day involved doing two TV interviews at dawn and more for the dinner-hour broadcasts, four radio show appearances, a kids clinic and question-and-answer session at Eagles Ice-A-Rena, a luncheon at the Convention Center’s new Group Health Exhibit Hall with U.S. skating championship promoters Toby Steward, Barb Beddor and city officials; and an autograph session at River Park Square.
“Spokane is a really awesome community. It’s convenient,” said Lysacek, who was repeatedly told all his stops were five minutes away. “The best thing for us is to be in a supportive community and a community that is excited to host us.”
Lysacek was here to introduce the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championship newest ticket packets, which – like all clever promoters – he dubbed, “The Big Four.”
The name stands for the four biggest competitions at the Jan. 21-28 event: men’s, women’s, pairs and dance medal rounds. The championships will be decided on Friday, Jan. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 27. The package, which will go on sale Aug. 11, costs $298.
Lysacek will return here in two weeks on July 27 when Champions on Ice makes its annual stop in Spokane.
“The same kind of community support can be said for the tour,” Lysacek added. “We go to certain cities and get no recognition for being there. We’re doing it for the audiences – we’re not doing it for us. We want to tour the country and show people how much fun skating is and give everyone the opportunity to see live figure skating in their hometown.”
This was Lysacek’s first trip to Spokane. When Skate America competition was held here in 2002, he was 17 and still working his way up to the senior division.
He showed he’s a fast learner. By the time he was 20, Lysacek won two World bronze medals, another bronze at the 2005 Portland nationals and a silver at the 2006 St. Louis nationals as he was edged out by Johnny Weir. The flamboyant skater also is expected to compete at the 2007 nationals, as the Lysacek-Weir rivalry grows.
Lysacek’s achievement that gained the most attention, however, came during the 2006 Olympics, when he leapt from 10th place after the short program to finish fourth overall. A few weeks later at Worlds in Calgary, Alberta, he jumped from seventh after the short program to third after the free skate.
“I’m the comeback kid,” said Lysacek, who has changed his look with a summer buzz cut.
The Chicago native lives and trains in El Segundo, Calif., with Frank Carroll – best known as Michelle Kwan’s coach – and Ken Congemi.
He said he’s only spent four weeks in Southern California since the St. Louis nationals last January. He plans to return near the end of August, when the 52-city Champions on Ice tour ends.
He’ll begin putting together his 2006-07 program after that, which will involve working in Toronto with choreographer Lori Nichols, also a former member of Team Kwan.
The plan, he said, is to work toward the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.
“It’s four years, but it is going to come so quickly,” Lysacek said.