Sasha Cohen Figure Skating Photos
Marshalls Skating Competition 2006

About Sasha Cohen
Olympics 2006 Figure Skating Silver Medalist
Part eleven: Sasha Cohen Marshalls 2006

At the Marshalls Figure Skating Challenge on December 10, 2006, Sasha was both the judges' favorite and the fans' favorite. This was a televised ice skating competition, not counting toward any major competition, and was judged primarily by fan vote as figure skaters from the East Coast competed with skaters from the West Coast.

The day before the competition, fans who had paid the exorbitant prices for VIP seating were allowed to watch the rehearsals. Skaters dressed informally and did run-throughs of both of their programs, though many chose not to do all their jumps. Those of us who attended the rehearsal were able to watch the second programs of the skaters who did not, on Sunday, make the final round.

At the competition Sunday, Sasha debuted her new exhibition performance, a West Side Story medley which began with I Feel Pretty and also included Maria and Cool. She landed a double axel, triple salchow and two split jumps, and slid into her elegant spiral to the crescendo of Maria. The judges lauded her performance, while also noting that she might want to work on improving her "street tough" demeanor during the Cool music.

In her online journal, Sasha wrote of her West Side Story program, "I love the music and the beat. It's a different style for me, and away from the classical music I have used for most of my competitive career. West Side Story is music that allows me to do some different things, and fly all over the place. I had fun putting this program together."

Sasha competed on the West Coast skaters "team", and was chosen the winner by both fans and judges (Peggy Fleming, Dick Button, Peter Carruthers). Only the fans' vote counted, but as a result Sasha made the final round, and skated her her 2006 exhibition to God Bless America. Again, she landed a double axel and triple salchow. The judges raved about the beauty of her performance, and the fans likewise chose her as the winning skater. In fact, she received 53% of the vote, with second place going to her fellow west coaster and friend, Johnny Weir, who received 33% of the vote.

A week after the Marshalls figure skating challenge, Sasha announced that she will not compete at U.S. Nationals in January 2007. She will however be performing on the Champions on Ice tour from April to July. Perhaps we will see her skate to West Side story again....
Return to Sasha Cohen biography, page one

Last update December 29, 2006
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