An Evening with Champions

America's Premier Figure Skating Exhibition

A preview article and photos by Alexandra Sherman

Being a figure skating fan in North America is a fortunate experience. There are large tours such as Stars on Ice and Champions on Ice, which are already known to European fans, but there are also numerous small shows that are worth mentioning. One of them is the 36^th annual An Evening with Champions show organized by Harvard University's Eliot House to benefit the Jimmy Fund of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Since its creation in 1970 by then a U.S. Silver Medalist and a Junior at Harvard University, John Misha Petkevich, An Evening with Champions has known tremendous success, raising over $2 million for pediatric cancer aid and research.

This entirely student-run show, held in Boston, Massachusetts, brings a steady crowd of Jimmy Fund supporters as well as casual skating fans. Over the past 35 years many international stars, such as Dorothy Hamill, Toller Cranston, Scott Hamilton, Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean, Brian Orser, Brian Boitano, Radka Kovarikova & Rene Novotny , Michelle Kwan, Oksana Baiul, Tara Lipinski, Elena Berezhnaya & Anton Sikharulidze and many others, have contributed their time and talent to raise awareness and financial support for the Jimmy Fund.

Host Paul Wylie, the 1992 Olympic Silver Medalist (and Harvard graduate ’90-’91), will make his 21st appearance with the show. He will be joined by an impressive slate of talent including Olympic gold medalists Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov, Ilia Kulik and Ekaterina Gordeeva. Also featured are 2-time World Pairs Champions Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin (Saturday Only), as well as 2005 World Junior Dance Champions Morgan Matthews and Maxim Zavozin.

5-time Canadian Champion Jennifer Robinson will be joined by eight-time British champion Steven Cousins, U.S. Junior pair skaters Julia Vlassov and Drew Meekins, 2005 U.S. National Bronze Medalist Kimmie Meissner (Saturday only), U.S. Dance medalists Loren Galler-Rabinowitz and David Mitchell and 2004 Skate America Silver medalist Ryan Jahnke.

Coming back as a dancer this year is Tiffany Stiegler and her partner Sergei Magerovsky, 2005 U.S National Pewter Medalists. Tiffany debuted at the EWC show 10 years ago as a pair skater with her brother Johnnie Stiegler. Check the full list of featured skaters here.

Precision skating fans will enjoy watching the Haydenettes, 15-time National Champions, while those who prefer theatrical performances will be taken by always entertaining Theatre on Ice troupe Act I of Boston, Gold Medalists at 2005 International Theatre on Ice Competition.

Note: 2004 and 2005 National Champion Johnny Weir will not be able to attend due to health concerns as reported by his coach.

The show also features local young talent, which in the past included some of the top junior skaters such as Stephen Carriere, Jessica Ranko Houston and Juliana Cannarozzo, who was recently featured in a Disney's movie Ice Princess.

Skating fans all over the globe have a unique opportunity to see the show streamed online though a CN8 cable station. Tune in on October 23, 2005 from 9 to 10:30pm Eastern Time and for a repeat on October 29 from 6:30 to 8pm.

While you're waiting for the shows to begin, take a look at the 2004 Evening with Champions photo gallery.

Do not miss this unique opportunity to see the world's best skaters and contribute to a worthy cause of fighting cancer!

Theatre on Ice troupe Act I of Boston

An Evening with Champions general information:

When: Friday, October 14, 2005 at 8pm & Saturday, October 15, 2005 at 7pm

Where: Harvard's Bright Hockey Center (click to see map)

Tickets:

General Admission: $30 (Adults), $10 (Children and seniors) and $7 (for all undergraduates)

Sponsorship Packages: $50-$2500 tax-deductible contributions

· Online: Click here to order tickets and sponsorship packages online through Pay Pal

· Harvard Box Office: Order in person or by phone (617) 496-2222

For more information, visit the EWC website: www.aneveningwithchampions.org