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Hot on ice
Two isle women win a national
skating contest, to the judges'
surprise and delight
When figure skaters from Hawaii show up at mainland competitions, the reception might be comparable to that of the Jamaican bobsledders at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada.
But it was no laughing matter when Morry Stillwell, judge and president of the United States Figure Skating Association, walked up to Jennifer Jones and Asia Nakakura after the two scored gold in the organization's National Showcase 2004 last month, paused to glare at them, then shook his head and said, "I had no idea."
Snatching the Junior/Senior Duet Light/Dramatic title was indeed a monumental accomplishment for the two women from the Aloha State, who gained instant celebrity with attendees in Frisco, Texas. "The skating officials, audience and other skaters were all very shocked," said Jones. "We were definitely the underdogs."
In perhaps the ultimate compliment for a pair of unknown Hawaii skaters, Jones and Nakakura elicited numerous comparisons to the infamously contrary Jamaican bobsled team. That team is no longer just a punch line on ice. In Lillehammer, Norway, in 1994, the Jamaicans ranked a stunning 14th place, beating the United States, Russians, French and one of the Italian teams. The Jamaican bobsled team has launched a fund-raising effort to attend the Vancouver Games in 2010.
So Jones said of the comparisons: "We took that with great honor. Judges don't usually speak to the competitors at all, but four of them came up to us after we skated and talked to us for about 20 minutes. They were pretty much blown away with what was coming out of Hawaii. They did not expect it at all."
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Although the pair had placed in the Skate Aloha regional qualifying meet in Honolulu in March, ascended through hotly contested national preliminaries and into the prestigious national finals, no one, including the skaters themselves, could have predicted a top finish.
"We worked really hard on it, but we didn't really expect much so we just went at it for fun," explains Nakakura who, like Jones, competed in a range of categories, both as a solo performer and as part of a duet. The 18-year-old University of Hawaii-Manoa student spent several hours every morning for the two months leading up to the competition working on the routine with Jones.
"National Showcase 2004: A Competition in Theatrical Skating" is a glittery affair, complete with splashy costumes, dramatic lighting and expressive soundtracks that emphasize artistry and entertainment above technical skill. Jones and Nakakura's stirring, innovative techno-traditional version of "Swan Lake" helped them outshine seasoned teams. The crowd responded favorably, as did their evaluators.
"I think when the music started, everyone thought, 'Oh, here's another Swan Lake,'" laughs Jones. "We got straight first-place marks by the judges in our initial round, and then we won four out of the six first-place marks from the judges in the final round."
JONES, 30, a two-decade rink veteran and Ice Palace instructor, choreographed the medal-winning performance but credits Nakakura's vision for setting the table for a victory. "This is actually her idea," says Jones. "Asia said, 'Well, if we're going there anyway, we might as well make the most of it and put a duet program together.'"
Without the benefit of a large competitive local scene, Hawaii skaters are presumed to be at a disadvantage in national meets. While other states boast scores of ice skating clubs, the Hawaii Figure Skating Club is the only organization of its kind in the islands. Still, says Nakakura, there are a number of talented skaters waiting in the wings. "You don't have the same facilities, you don't have as many coaches," she says, "but there are some really good skaters here."
"From the beginners to the highest levels, I see a strong group of young skaters that show a lot of promise and potential," adds Jones. "I think we have a unique advantage to living out here, especially in the sport of figure skating, where people are constantly stealing your program or your moves and keeping tabs on your daily training. It gets really competitive.
"Here, no one sees us until we're ready to compete, and no one expects anything from us, so I like that element of surprise and I think it really works to our advantage.
"I always hear, 'Oh, I'm from Hawaii, I can't do this because we live way out here.' It becomes an excuse (as to) why we can't do things, but I think it should be a reason why we can and should do things."
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