Kurt Browning鈥檚 sense of humour, as sharp as the blades on his skates, was as much in evidence at a Stars on Ice social gathering Tuesday night as his figure-skating flair would be on ice an hour later.
One of the biggest misconceptions about figure skaters, the four-time former world champion revealed, is that they aren鈥檛 as tall as many fans assumed they鈥檇 be.
鈥溾�業 thought you were taller!鈥欌�� he said, smiling as he mimicked one fan鈥檚 incredulity. 鈥淎nd I said: 鈥楧o you mean you thought I鈥檇 be Toller [Cranston] with an O, or taller?鈥欌��
Browning and 2018 Olympics hopeful Kaetlyn Osmond made a brief appearance at the reception before joining two-time Olympic silver-medallists Elvis Stojko and Patrick Chan, two-time world pair champions Eric Radford and Meagan Duhamel and other stellar skaters on the ice at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Although the Stars on Ice castmates are accustomed to fans lining up for autographs and photos, Browning said they never take the adulation for granted.
鈥淵ou never know when it will be your last compliment,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o you store every one of them in your head.鈥�
Duana and Bob McHugh were among 75 guests invited by Stars on Ice tour title sponsor Investors Group to its private reception for clients and other guests.
鈥淔or us this is special because my kids skated with Elvis Stojko when he was the junior in Newmarket, Ont.,鈥� Duana said, reminiscing about their participation in the town鈥檚 skating club carnival in the mid-1980s.
鈥淢y kids were little and he was the 14-year-old featured skater, so we鈥檝e had a history, and we鈥檝e been watching him grow.鈥�
Her husband said Stars on Ice provided 鈥渁 wonderful opportunity鈥� to see the world-class skaters they watch on television perform live.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 compare to TV,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 quite different to see how fast they are and how high they jump in person.鈥�
Although Ann Ovstaas said she鈥檚 never been to a professional skating show before, she welcomed the chance to see Stars on Ice and attend the reception after being offered complimentary tickets.
鈥淚 remember when I was a kid we used to go to a cottage up in Sundridge, Ont., and they had an arena that was open all summer,鈥� she recalled.
鈥淒onald Jackson [the retired Olympic bronze medalist] used to practise there in the summer, just before the rest of us would go out and ice-skate. That鈥檚 what got me interested in figure skating.鈥�
Her friend Terri Chyzowski was grateful that she got to go along as Ovstaas鈥檚 date.
鈥淲hen I watch figure skaters I think their athleticism is amazing,鈥� said Chyzowski, who grew up in Saskatchewan. 鈥淲hat they do on the ice, and their strength and agility and artistic expression, it鈥檚 just amazing.鈥�
Peter Bent, Investors Group鈥檚 assistant vice-president of marketing, said sponsoring Stars on Ice was a good fit for the financial services company.
鈥淲e know there鈥檚 more to life than finances,鈥� he said. 鈥淐oming together, sharing experiences with family and friends is wonderful, and this is an opportunity for us to meet our clients in a situation different from a business context.鈥�
Victoria division director Stephen McKenzie said the show鈥檚 timing couldn鈥檛 have been better, landing in Victoria right after Mother鈥檚 Day.
鈥淢y mom eagerly anticipates getting a Mother鈥檚 Day gift to go and see Stars on Ice, and this year she got to meet her favourite, Kurt Browning,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are a lot of moms here.鈥�
Describing herself as a longtime 鈥減roud supporter of figure skating,鈥� Helen Faustino brought along her 11-year-old daughter, Annabelle, for an opportunity to see what her older sister has the potential to become.
鈥淚 have an older daughter who figure-skates,鈥� Faustino said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 15 now, and she鈥檚 been figure skating since she was four.鈥�
While Annabelle doesn鈥檛 aspire to become a professional figure skater herself, she has watched her sister鈥檚 competitions and said she was excited about seeing Stars on Ice for the first time.
鈥淚鈥檓 more of a field hockey player but I like watching,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun to watch.鈥�
