Contests
Figure Skaters Online contests give visitors the chance to win prizes while surfing through the nearly twenty Figure Skaters Online athlete pages. Many of the contests focus on answering trivia questions, finding hidden links and solving puzzles.
A previous contest, "Johnny Weir: Poetry on Ice," asked fans of Johnny Weir to write original poems about the 2006 Olympian. From the more than 100 participants, Renate Linnenkoper from The Netherlands was selected as the winner by Weir and his mother Patti.
Winners of previous contests have received Champions on Ice post show passes to meet the Figure Skaters Online skaters who participate in the summer tour. Other contest prizes included autographed photos, subscriptions to skating magazines and other skating memorabilia.
The most recent "Mystery Skater" contest asked visitors to use clues to figure out which Figure Skaters Online athlete is profiled. The contest ran through the end of January.
Visitors who solved the mystery of the "Mystery Skater" contest were entered for a chance to win an autographed 8x10 photo of the mystery skater, Alissa Czisny, competing last season at Skate America. The photo was donated by Leah Adams.
Sidarta of Richmond, Virginia, won the photo.
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Mystery Skater
For a chance to win an autographed 8x10 photo of one of the senior ladies who has a Web site at Figure Skaters Online, readers solved the clue below:
"At the U.S. Championships in Spokane, Wash., the mystery skater made her sixth consecutive appearance in the senior ladies event, where she earned a personal best and won the bronze medal. The skater, who represents the Detroit Skating Club, has won two medals in her five appearances on the Grand Prix circuit."
The answer was Alissa Czisny.
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Poetry on Ice
"Johnny Weir: Poetry on Ice," asked fans of Johnny Weir to write original poems about the 2006 Olympian. From the more than 100 participants, 21 poems were selected by his mother Patti Weir and two members of the Figure Skaters Online staff to advance to the final round of the contest.
Weir selected the winner, Renate Linnenkoper from The Netherlands, from the final 21 poems. She recieved an autographed 8x10 photo donated by Leah Adams.
Pamela McKay from the USA finished second. Lori Cunningham from the USA, Hila Benyovits from Israel and Evie Goode from the USA finished third, fourth and fifth. Sandra Bore from France finished sixth.
Kaysha from Russia received an honorable mention.
First Place: Renate Linnenkoper, The Netherlands
The silver mist embraces the moon
Offering shelter to those that come soon
The twinkling stars and twilight glow
Caress the surface of the ice below
And on that ice, a figure stands
His face framed by raven strands
His visage adorned by hazel eyes
Reminiscent of lover's feverish goodbyes
With swanlike elegance he has flown
Into a world entirely his own
Where beauty and love are the order of the day
And not foreign whispers that tell us what to say
He utters a word and all is still
His speech thought poison with eloquent skill
His life a puzzle they wish to unravel
His art not part of their venomous scandal
Fragile he seems to ignorant eyes
He is refulgent and strong like a sunrise
We watch the story he has chosen to tell
In which we secretly relish to dwell
Second Place: Pamela McKay, USA
An indifferent glance arrests the apathetic eye
Stills the senses and penetrates the heart
A musical vision, pure and athletically refined
A beauty, unconventionally set apart
He seems to skate in his own private sphere
A closed enigma, lowered lashes, youthful face
Yet his eyes let us in to his ethereal domain
Of sweet sorrow and gently masculine grace
Commentators rave of his "kindness to the ice"
Extol his "ride out" and extraordinary "knee"
But words only capture technique and physique
Our spirits savor rare artistry
Third Place : Lori Cunningham, USA
Keeper of my love
Athlete and artist forged into one
Most perfect union of strength and style under the sun
He glides across the ice so elegantly through space
Body fabulously adorned with feathers and lace
Like an angel twirling down from heaven's bed
A halo of sunglasses perched upon his sweet head
Smoldering green eyes with a sun-kissed face
A dirrty charm and spiritual red bracelet add grace
Breathtakingly beautiful in every way
The truth spoken from his lips always brightens my day
Words full of candor and meaning do hold
Uttered eloquently from this one so bold
Intoxicated with the cognac poured from his dance
To watch so lovely a swan, I am blessed with this chance
As Otonal icicles spin and jump in my head
I feel my heart swoon as my soul is fed
From riding the shadow of a childhood gone by
Now honored and exalted on a podium held high
Gold medals upon his neck earned though skill and power
He has blossomed into the prettiest flower
On the happiness you give, I do reflect
Returned is this angel's adoration and respect
For the man who dons one glorious glove
To Johnny, the keeper of my love
Fourth Place: Hila Benyovits, Israel
A Tribute to Johnny Weir in Iambic (AKA: Because You Make Us Happy)
A poem for you? Ridiculous. What words
Could capture the true essence of your art?
The commentators watching you at Worlds,
Seem overwhelmed before you even start.
They've seen you skate before, they know you well -
Their voices show such reverence when they speak,
The ice will soon surrender to your spell -
"Watch closely," they say, "This one is unique!"
When they saw last year's marks, they scoffed the judges
To some of them they may still hold some grudges...
Now I can't skate, and must confess - for shame! -
That I can't tell a Salchow from a Loop
But talent, skill, and passion lit a flame
In those cold places where my heart once drooped.
The courage and the honesty you show
Are an enchanted source of inspiration
And whether on or off the ice, we know
Your message is: Your life is your creation.
And this is why we see you as a star;
It's not just what you do - it's who you are.
Fifth Place: Evie Goode, USA
Grace and beauty combined as one,
Moving to the music and word,
A true artist among the masses,
Never afraid to say what's unheard.
Honesty today is long forgotten,
Speaking your mind is taboo these days,
Silenced by close minded press,
Because he speaks what they're afraid to say.
A quick wit to match today's world,
Where being headstrong is needed,
Misconstrued by close minded people,
As a diva, pompous or conceited.
Gliding across the glassy ice,
The rhythm and emotion in sync,
Stirring and inspiring all who watch,
Every being in and out of the rink.
Outrageous, and outspoken its true,
With a wild flair for fashion,
More than that, a real person,
Trying to live life with heart and passion.
People can have such audacity to judge,
With them it's win or be criticized,
True success comes from the soul,
All that matters is if a man tries.
How many medals did they bring home?
Al least he had the courage to compete,
Those words he can use as ammunition to train,
There's no word he hates more than defeat.
Never in my mind could he be a disgrace,
For an important lesson he's taught me,
Give it your all and don't give up,
I'm so proud he represented our country.
Sixth Place: Sandra Bore, France
Instant d'éternité
Quand tu prends ton envol
De plumes costumé
Et que tu tourbillonnes
Par tes ailes emporté
Caressant la surface
D'immenses lacs gelés
Tel un cygne majestueux
De puissance et de grâce
Elégance et fraîcheur
Qui enflamment la glace
Tous les anges dans les cieux
S'inclinent pour te saluer
Toi qui remplis l'espace
D'un souffle de volupté
Et quand revient l'automne
Par ton âme sublimé
Le temps suspend son vol
Instant d'éternité
Honorable Mention: Kaysha, Russia
Uvajaemyi Vanya Plotinin,
Razreshite priznatsya v lubvi,
Mi sideli za vas i "boleli",
Vplot' do nashei moskovskoi zari
Kulaki mi na schastie derjali,
I stuchali serdtsa v unison..
Pozabiv pro uchebu, rabotu,
Pro domashnih jivotnih i son!
Ne nujni nam pobedi, medali,
Pust' lish prosto kataetsya on...
Ved' dlya nas - eto iskrenne skajem:
Milyi Vanya VSEGDA CHEMPION!
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Secret Number
In order to win the contest, which rans from Jan.
23, 2006 through Feb. 4, 2006, entrants calculated a secret number by using
clues below about Figure Skaters Online Olympians Benjamin
Agosto, Tanith Belbin, Evan Lysacek, Ryan O'Meara, Jamie Silverstein, and Johnny Weir, and Figure Skaters
Online Olympic second alternates Scott Smith and Katy Taylor, to perform
mathematical operations.
- Multiply the number of consecutive U.S. National Championships won by Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto by the number of consecutive U.S. National Championship titles won by Johnny Weir.
- Multiply answer 1 by the total number of times Evan Lysacek won a medal at the Junior World Championships.
- Multiply answer 2 by the final placement of Jamie Silverstein and Ryan O'Meara at the 2006 U.S. National Championships.
- Add answer 3 to the year that Tanith Belbin first competed as an official U.S. citizen.
- Subtract the total number of times Evan Lysacek has won a medal in senior Grand Prix events from answer 4.
- Subtract the year that Johnny Weir withdrew from the U.S. National Championships from answer 5.
- Add answer 6 to the year that Jamie Silverstein and Ryan O'Meara made their competitive debut as an ice dancing team.
- Subtract the year that Johnny Weir won the Junior World Championships from answer 7.
- Multiply answer 8 to the number of second alternates to the 2006 Olympic team that have official websites at Figure Skaters Online.
- Add answer 9 to the year that Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto won their first Skate America title.
- Subtract the year that Johnny Weir and Evan Lysacek finished first and second at the U.S. National Championships from answer 10.
- Subtract the last two digits of the year that Tanith Belbin was born from answer 11.
- Subtract the last two digits of the year that Ryan O'Meara was born from answer 12.
- Add answer 13 to the year that Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto won the silver medal at the World Championships.
The winner of the contest, who correctly calculated that 2006 is the secret number, received an
8x10 autographed photo of Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto performing their gypsy free dance from the 2005-2006 season. The photo was donated by Leah Adams.
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