“Thin Ice” will debut Friday at 8pm on ABC and the finals will be seen on Sunday night at 7p.m. The show that will be hosted by “The View’s” Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Kurt Browning, four-time World Champion Canadian figure skater, co-host it is a new competition for the world’s greatest pro figure skaters, live from the MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Connecticut.
Over the past couple of weeks I have been talking to the trio of judges led by super stars Katarina Witt, two-time Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion; Kristi Yamaguchi, 1992 Olympic gold medalist and Season Six champ of “Dancing with the Stars”; and Dick Button, two-time Olympic gold medalist and the voice of figure skating on American television for 45 years.
JW: Dick what will be the difference between Thin Ice and Olympic Skating?
Button:”At the Olympics as you know there are over 3000 rules. On this program yes we will watch the technical moves the same way someone who knows dancing moves would do. But this is all about entertainment so the skaters will judged on their creativity first the technical aspects will be in the mix. The big advantage for all three of us judging is that we know the people competiting very well. We have covered their careers from day one and that should allow us to know who really is on their game.”
Katina will miss not being out there participating?
Witt:”Yes I will miss not being out there having fun but I really don’t want to face the judges. Back in the old days I used to have fun with my performances and even flash a flirty smile at the judges and the crowd. But as a judge I am looking for some great dance-skate performances. I think this is made for the family and teams are so good that being a judge will be difficult.”
JW: Kristi how will this be like Dancing with the Stars?
Yamaguchi:”You will have all the showmanship and the special routines. Many of the same Dancing with the Stars coaches are working with our contestants. But there will be a great deal of great skating so what viewers will see is the best of both worlds.”
Here are the teams:
Shae-Lynn Bourne, Canada, 2003 World Champion ice dancer and John Zimmerman, three-time U.S. National Champion and World bronze medalist as a pairs skater.
Marie-France Dubreuil of Canada, five-time Canadian National Ice Dancing Champion and Michael Weiss, three-time U.S. National Champion and World bronze medalist.
Jamie Salé of Canada, 2001 World Champion, 2002 Olympic Champion as a pairs skater and Patrice Lauzon, five-time Canadian National Champion and two-time World silver medalist as an ice dancer.
Elena Berezhnaya, two-time World Champion and Olympic Co-Champion and David Pelletier, Canada, 2001 World Champion, 2002 Olympic Champion as a pairs skater.
Shizuka Arakawa, Japan, 2006 Olympic Champion and Stephane Lambiel, from Switzerland, fresh from the Vancouver Olympics, where he came in 4th.
