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CNN Live Today

Skating Championships

Aired January 08, 2004 - 10:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Michelle Kwan is just one of the competitors in the U.S. figure skating championships that are swooshing across the ice in Atlanta this week. Turns out it's right next door to us right here on CNN. 250 skaters from around the country are competing in various levels for 12 national titles in what's one of the most watched annual sporting events in the country. You can see the skaters this weekend on ABC. So we've got to get a preview. We bring on one of their commentators. We have ABC Sports commentator and champion Paris figure skater -- can't forget that part -- Peter Carruthers, with us here.
Good morning.

PETER CARRUTHERS, ABC SPORTS: Good to see you again.

KAGAN: I know. We did a little skating event in, what, '96, in Russia.

CARRUTHERS: Saint Petersburg.

KAGAN: Yes, it's cold. I remember that.

CARRUTHERS: Absolutely.

KAGAN: Let's talk about this event. Michelle Kwan, the most famous skater, not just in America, but in the world. She's been a little bit missing in action, though, up until this event.

CARRUTHERS: Well, actually Michelle Kwan is just completely awesome right now. She's trying to win her eighth national title. Nerville Vincent (ph) won nine (ph). The norm for that is about four.

And you know, what's interesting about Michelle Kwan is she's such a class act, whether she's winning or losing, on the ice, off the ice. She just has the whole package.

KAGAN: A true lady.

Now Sasha Cohen probably will be her main competitor, wouldn't you say. A great jumper.

CARRUTHERS: Yes, but Sasha Cohen just made a big coaching change. She's now being coached by Robin Wagner, and she made that coaching change on Christmas Eve, a couple of weeks ago.

KAGAN: Yes, you don't do that two weeks before the national championship. CARRUTHERS: Right, but I think that ladies event is going to be just incredible to see the real fight between Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen, because they're both very good skaters.

KAGAN: And you mentioned Robin Wagner. People might say who's that. But what they will remember, when Sarah Hughes won the gold medal, that was her coach. Where is Sarah Hughes?

CARRUTHERS: Well, actually, good for Sarah, she went back to school. She's at Yale University right now. She won her Olympic gold medal. That was it for her as far as skating was concerned, and she wanted to continue on and pursue an education. I think that's a very good example for young people.

KAGAN: Do you think it will be like Tara Lipinski, you got the gold and said thanks for playing?

CARRUTHERS: Well, I don't think it's a question of that at all. I think this is a young lady, Sarah Hughes, that is, that wants to have a complete life and fill out her life, with not only sport, but academics also. So I take my hat off to her.

KAGAN: Let's talk about the men. Oh, yes, they skate, too.

CARRUTHERS: Yes, they do, the men skate exactly.

KAGAN: Michael Weiss, not your typical champion. This is a father of two, right?

CARRUTHERS: Yes, yes. He's a great multitasker for sure, three- time U.S. champion. He comes in here, been battling some problems. Had walking pneumonia in the month of December. He's a very hard- working skater, and he's going to get a lot of competition actually from Timothy Gable (ph), who is the quad man, the guy who's done all the quads in the past.

KAGAN: Big jumper, but Timothy Gable had trouble finding good boots. That strikes me as odd. They have so many resources. I don't have trouble finding shoes that fit.

CARRUTHERS: That is a real problem. You know, it's like wearing someone else's skates when you feel uncomfortable in the boots. And this has been the entire season for him. So he's got to work through this, and that's not what you want coming in to the U.S. championships.

And by the way, Daryn, as a skater, I can tell you, this is really the premiere event. 20 years ago I came to Atlanta...

KAGAN: We found a couple pictures. We'll talk about this. Today is the 20-year anniversary of your national championship year, with you and your sister Kitty.

CARRUTHERS: Oh my goodness, there we are.

KAGAN: Nice outfits. CARRUTHERS: They're in my closet now. My son says, who wore those?

KAGAN: Can you believe it's been 20 years? The event was right her here in Atlanta, that you won?

CARRUTHERS: Yes, over at the Omni. Sure, stayed here in the hotel, was great, then made the Olympic team, and that's another point to make about the U.S. championships. This is the stepping stone to the World Championships, and then eventually the Olympic Games. So the skaters take it very seriously, and it's a great honor to be there for them.

KAGAN: Tell us where we can see the coverage on ABC.

CARRUTHERS: Well, actually ABC Sports has great coverage. And the other thing is it's going to be live, a lot of it. It starts 4:00 p.m. Eastern on Saturday with the dance, and then the men will come in live. And then 8:00 p.m. Eastern, great coverage with the pairs, and then it will go right into the ladies live with Sasha Cohen and Michelle Kwan. You can't get more than that.

KAGAN: Full skating buffet.

CARRUTHERS: You better believe it. Look forward to it. Very exciting.

Peter Carruthers. Congratulations on the 20th year anniversary.

CARRUTHERS: Well, thank you, and it's nice to see you again.

KAGAN: And seguing into a very successful broadcast career as well. Thanks for stopping by.

CARRUTHERS: You bet.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired January 8, 2004 - 10:47   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Michelle Kwan is just one of the competitors in the U.S. figure skating championships that are swooshing across the ice in Atlanta this week. Turns out it's right next door to us right here on CNN. 250 skaters from around the country are competing in various levels for 12 national titles in what's one of the most watched annual sporting events in the country. You can see the skaters this weekend on ABC. So we've got to get a preview. We bring on one of their commentators. We have ABC Sports commentator and champion Paris figure skater -- can't forget that part -- Peter Carruthers, with us here.
Good morning.

PETER CARRUTHERS, ABC SPORTS: Good to see you again.

KAGAN: I know. We did a little skating event in, what, '96, in Russia.

CARRUTHERS: Saint Petersburg.

KAGAN: Yes, it's cold. I remember that.

CARRUTHERS: Absolutely.

KAGAN: Let's talk about this event. Michelle Kwan, the most famous skater, not just in America, but in the world. She's been a little bit missing in action, though, up until this event.

CARRUTHERS: Well, actually Michelle Kwan is just completely awesome right now. She's trying to win her eighth national title. Nerville Vincent (ph) won nine (ph). The norm for that is about four.

And you know, what's interesting about Michelle Kwan is she's such a class act, whether she's winning or losing, on the ice, off the ice. She just has the whole package.

KAGAN: A true lady.

Now Sasha Cohen probably will be her main competitor, wouldn't you say. A great jumper.

CARRUTHERS: Yes, but Sasha Cohen just made a big coaching change. She's now being coached by Robin Wagner, and she made that coaching change on Christmas Eve, a couple of weeks ago.

KAGAN: Yes, you don't do that two weeks before the national championship. CARRUTHERS: Right, but I think that ladies event is going to be just incredible to see the real fight between Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen, because they're both very good skaters.

KAGAN: And you mentioned Robin Wagner. People might say who's that. But what they will remember, when Sarah Hughes won the gold medal, that was her coach. Where is Sarah Hughes?

CARRUTHERS: Well, actually, good for Sarah, she went back to school. She's at Yale University right now. She won her Olympic gold medal. That was it for her as far as skating was concerned, and she wanted to continue on and pursue an education. I think that's a very good example for young people.

KAGAN: Do you think it will be like Tara Lipinski, you got the gold and said thanks for playing?

CARRUTHERS: Well, I don't think it's a question of that at all. I think this is a young lady, Sarah Hughes, that is, that wants to have a complete life and fill out her life, with not only sport, but academics also. So I take my hat off to her.

KAGAN: Let's talk about the men. Oh, yes, they skate, too.

CARRUTHERS: Yes, they do, the men skate exactly.

KAGAN: Michael Weiss, not your typical champion. This is a father of two, right?

CARRUTHERS: Yes, yes. He's a great multitasker for sure, three- time U.S. champion. He comes in here, been battling some problems. Had walking pneumonia in the month of December. He's a very hard- working skater, and he's going to get a lot of competition actually from Timothy Gable (ph), who is the quad man, the guy who's done all the quads in the past.

KAGAN: Big jumper, but Timothy Gable had trouble finding good boots. That strikes me as odd. They have so many resources. I don't have trouble finding shoes that fit.

CARRUTHERS: That is a real problem. You know, it's like wearing someone else's skates when you feel uncomfortable in the boots. And this has been the entire season for him. So he's got to work through this, and that's not what you want coming in to the U.S. championships.

And by the way, Daryn, as a skater, I can tell you, this is really the premiere event. 20 years ago I came to Atlanta...

KAGAN: We found a couple pictures. We'll talk about this. Today is the 20-year anniversary of your national championship year, with you and your sister Kitty.

CARRUTHERS: Oh my goodness, there we are.

KAGAN: Nice outfits. CARRUTHERS: They're in my closet now. My son says, who wore those?

KAGAN: Can you believe it's been 20 years? The event was right her here in Atlanta, that you won?

CARRUTHERS: Yes, over at the Omni. Sure, stayed here in the hotel, was great, then made the Olympic team, and that's another point to make about the U.S. championships. This is the stepping stone to the World Championships, and then eventually the Olympic Games. So the skaters take it very seriously, and it's a great honor to be there for them.

KAGAN: Tell us where we can see the coverage on ABC.

CARRUTHERS: Well, actually ABC Sports has great coverage. And the other thing is it's going to be live, a lot of it. It starts 4:00 p.m. Eastern on Saturday with the dance, and then the men will come in live. And then 8:00 p.m. Eastern, great coverage with the pairs, and then it will go right into the ladies live with Sasha Cohen and Michelle Kwan. You can't get more than that.

KAGAN: Full skating buffet.

CARRUTHERS: You better believe it. Look forward to it. Very exciting.

Peter Carruthers. Congratulations on the 20th year anniversary.

CARRUTHERS: Well, thank you, and it's nice to see you again.

KAGAN: And seguing into a very successful broadcast career as well. Thanks for stopping by.

CARRUTHERS: You bet.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com