 Ever wonder what goes on backstage during the U.S. Championships? Read on...
Notes from Saturday, Jan 27
I park myself in the backstage area next to the monitor that posts the scores and levels, and spend the 45 minutes preceding the final group of the ladies free skate writing down everything that happens.
1:15 – TV crews work on getting their cables ready so that the cameramen can follow the skaters. Rubber floor mats are adjusted to minimize the chances of someone tripping.
1:17 – Emily Hughes runs past and down the hallway to the skaters’ locker rooms.
1:17:30 – Peter Carruthers runs past, chasing Emily.
1:17:32 – Bonni Retzkin runs past, chasing Peter.
1:21 – Juliana Cannarozzo stands around with coaches Mark Mitchell and Peter Johansson.
1:21:20 – Juliana shoots me a quick smile.
1:23 – Peter strolls back.
1:24 – Kimmie Meissner comes out and faces the wall.
1:24:40 – Kimmie runs back down the hall.
1:25 – Mark Mitchell asks Juliana if she’s ready to head out to the ice. She is.
1:26 – Kimmie runs in.
1:26:05 – Kimmie runs out.
1:27 – Laura Fawcett walks by.
1:27:03 – Kimmie runs in and stands in the corner, facing the corner.
1:28 – Multiple camera crews encircle Kimmie as she jumps up and down to warm up.
1:29 – Peter Carruthers comes in and says to Kimmie that she’s on her toes.
1:29:30 – Alissa Czisny walks by calmly, smiles into the camera in her face
1:29:45 – Kimmie gets down on the floor to stretch. Cameraman gets down on the floor, too
1:30 – Rachael Flatt walks by. Cameraman jumps up to follow her
1:31 – Kimmie walks back by the mixed zone. Camera does not follow her
1:32 – TV cameraman struggles with the cable. His co-worker runs off.
1:33 – Tom Zakrajsek comes over to look at the monitor with the scores.
1:33:30 – Kimmie and her trainer come back. Kimmie once again faces the wall.
1:34 – Spokesman-Review photographer goes toward the kiss and cry
1:34:10 – TV sound engineer waves at me
1:34:50 – Kimmie chats with coach Pam Gregory, then keeps walking around. TV camera still on her.
1:35 – Another cameraman comes over and films Kimmie.
1:37 – Frank Carroll comes over to check monitor
1:38 – Zamboni break begins
1:39 – Igor Shpilband walks by.
1:39:04 – Taylor Firth walks by.
1:39:38 – Julianna, Mark and Peter check out levels. Someone unhappily exclaims “TWO?!”
1:40 – Everybody starts gathering backstage.
1:42 – Rachael Flatt comes out. Her makeup looks good.
1:43 – Emily Hughes comes out. Gives me a little smile
1:43:30 – Alissa comes out. Adjusts her dress
1:44 – Bebe, Frank and Ken come out all smiles. Walk to ice entrance
1:44:15 – Juliana, Mark and Peter hug and leave.
1:44:40 – Bebe and Ken come back. Have intense (but quiet) conversation
1:45 – Mark Mitchell runs past with a coat.
1:45:02 – Taylor Firth strolls by.
1:45:11 – Peter Carruthers comes back, writing in a notebook, and goes back down the hall.
1:46 – Man with multipack of tissues brings them out for the table that has the bottled water (with labels removed) by the entrance to the ice
1:47 – ABC producer walks by
1:47:08 – ABC producer walks the other way
1:48 – Michelle Boulos walks by and goes down the hall.
1:49 – Michelle Harvath goes down the hall to get to her photo spot.
1:50 – Megan Williams-Stewart walks by with food.
1:50:30 – Video fluff broadcast very loudly in the arena
1:52 – Braden Overett walks by. Does a little hair flip
1:53 – Braden walks by the other way, talking on his cell phone
1:54 – Mickey Brown does a little dance backstage.
1:55 – Backstage empties out
1:56 – Peter Carruthers goes to ice area
1:57 – Kurt Browning walks by and pantomimes biting his nails. He’s not completely kidding.
1:58 – Cameramen now backstage waiting for skaters to leave the warm-up ice
1:58:06 – Catering comes back to look at bottled water supply
1:59 – One-minute warning. You can feel the tension and energy.
2:00 – Warm up is over. Skaters leave the ice and head toward locker room to top |