 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
||
 |
|||
1998 - 1999 Season New Team, New Beginning The spring of 1998 found both Jamie Salé and David Pelletier searching for new pair partners. As a single skater, Jamie was finding it extremely difficult to achieve the success she desired in the senior event. "The last four years in singles was extremely frustrating for me. I loved being on my own - rather I convinced myself that this is what I had to do. I wanted to try to make it in singles, but then I hit senior ladies and it's a whole new ball game. If you don't have all your triples, then you're not going to be in the top," (Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). In his competitive career, David Pelletier had competed internationally with three different pair partners. David split from his most recent partner, Caroline Roy, following the 1998 national championships feeling extremely frustrated. "After the 1998 Canadians, I decided to take 2 months off my skating. I sat down and wrote some criteria I wanted for another partner. I decided that if I can't find anybody, I'll just quit," (Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). David Pelletier went to coach Richard Gauthier to ask for his assistance in searching for a new partner. "When David came to me and said he wanted me to help him find a new partner, I said, 'David, there is only one girl I think you should skate with - Jamie,' Gauthier said. 'I knew the chemistry would be there right away,'" (Associated Press 1998). In February, David Pelletier and Richard Gauthier traveled to Edmonton for a tryout with Jamie Salé. Jamie was thrilled with the prospect of skating with David: "My whole skating career I've wanted to be at the top in skating, but I've wanted to skate with him for three years now and finally I'm here," (Jamie Salé, Canadian Championships, CTV, 1999). Jamie Salé and David Pelletier had in fact tried out with each other two years earlier and decided not to skate together at that time. "'The timing wasn't there.' 'I'm sure if we matched up then, we wouldn't be together now. Things happen for a reason,' he said. 'The click wasn't there,' (Cleary 1999). When they met again, there was little doubt that Jamie and David were destined to skate together. "'After 20 minutes I could tell they had it,' he said. 'The timing on a lot of elements, the technical stuff, was there, and sometimes that takes a year,'" (Stubbs 2000). By mid-March Jamie had moved to Montreal to train under Richard Gauthier at the Ste. Leonard Figure Skating Club. David joked: "There was only one girl allowed to skate with me and there was only one guy allowed to skate with Jamie. It was, I guess, each other. The first time we grabbed hands, it was just great," (Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). In addition to the technical elements of their skating, coach Richard Gauthier knew there was another component of the partnership that needed to be addressed. "'I had seen Jamie in junior and novice, and I knew that she and David had the same charisma and the same desire to perform,' Gauthier said. 'But I also knew of David's reputation, and I told him if he couldn't control his emotions and make every day on the ice pleasant, he'd better leave,'" (Stubbs 2000). Before their pairing, both skaters had built a significant amount of frustration. "When I got there, to Richard, I was not exactly the same person as I am now. I had a lot of frustration inside me from a couple of bad years. What he heard about me was not so good. I think his biggest work was not to show me how to do my double axel or anything - it was to show me how to control my emotions and how to make it work for me and not against me," (David Pelletier, Canadian Championships, CTV, 1999). Jamie agreed: "It was very difficult when we were doing certain elements that we knew we could do. In the beginning, if we missed it, it was devastating - like the end of the world. Now it's like we laugh at each others mistakes. I fall on a throw and he laughs, seriously. 'What's wrong with you,' he says like a joke," (Canadian Championships, CTV, 1999). It became very obvious, very quickly, that Jamie and David were developing a strong working relationship. "She comes to he rink and there's not one day that I come, show up at the rink and say 'I don't want to see her face this morning.' She has a great personality. She's very strong mind - I don't know if I should say that but she has a good, strong personality," (David Pelletier, Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). "The chemistry that we have and the way we skate, it's amazing. I never thought I would find this match," (Jamie Salé, Skate America, ABC, 1999). As their partnership came together, the team suffered a significant setback when Jamie learned that she required surgery for tendonitis that had developed in her foot. The setback was very difficult for both Jamie and David: "'We watched the other teams do the run-throughs of their programs and some days it was hard,' Pelletier said. 'We knew that we had to compete in the summer and we didn't have a program,'" (Cleary 1999). Rising to the Challenge In the summer of 1998, Jamie Salé and David Pelletier received an invitation from the Canadian Figure Skating Association to compete at Skate Canada in early November. The international assignment was a wonderful opportunity for the new team. "'They have progressed faster than I expected,' coach Richard Gauthier said. 'It usually takes 11/2 to two years to look like a team. But in their case, it took three months,'" (Cleary 1999). At the event, Jamie admitted to Barbara Underhill: "Jamie told me when I saw her here for the first time 'we were so shocked when we got invited to Skate Canada. We couldn't even believe it. We've only been together for such a short time,'" (Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). From the moment they arrived in Kamloops for their first practice, Jamie Salé and David Pelletier were the talk of the competition. "They're so well matched. They're so good together. And you can tell they're so happy to be pair skating again," (Barb Underhill, Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). "The short program is more rock and roll because Jamie's personality comes out pretty good on the ice. People around can see her face pretty good. Because we are a new team, we wanted to show our best and we wanted everybody to say ''WOW' this is a new team and look at them.' It can't just be ok, it has to be very, very good and very, very us," (Jamie Salé and David Pelletier, Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). At Skate Canada, Jamie and David skated a wonderful short program marred only by a two footed landing on Jamie's side-by-side triple toe-loop. Salé and Pelletier's marks ranged from 4.9-5.6 for required elements and from 5.2-5.7 for presentation. Jamie and David were an instant hit: with both the judges and the audience. "Not only do they have what it takes to be a great pairs team, but they were born to perform. And you can hear the crowd with them all the way," (Barb Underhill, Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). Jamie Salé and David Pelletier found themselves in second place after the short program - a higher placing than the number one ranked Canadian pair Kristi Sargaent and Kris Wirtz. "They couldn't have asked for a more solid start to their career," (Rod Black, Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). Both Jamie and David were delighted with their performance and their placing. "It was fabulous. I think our goal today was just to go out and have fun and we definitely did that," (Jamie Salé, Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). In the long program, Salé and Pelletier had a few small mistakes: Jamie two footed the triple toe-loop again, she singled a double axel, and they had difficulty with the timing of one of the lifts. Despite these mistakes, Jamie and David delivered a wonderful performance filled with energy and fun. The newest pair team in Canada continued to be noticed: "They have some very unique moves which help them stand out from the rest and they also have that audience appeal that there isn't another pair that has in the world," (Barb Underhill, Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). Well we definitely know who won the most popular pairs team of the week award," (Rod Black, Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). When the competition was decided, Jamie Salé and David Pelletier finished in third place - they had won a bronze medal at their first international competition. "They are the most promising pairs team we have seen in a long time in Canada," (Rod Black, Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). Jamie and David skated to 'Don't be Stupid' by Shania Twain in the Parade of Champions. The program was very upbeat and fun, showing both of their personalities and their sense of humor. David explained the choice of music: "We choose to skate on Shania Twain because Jamie is from out west and she likes to hang out with the horses and all that. She's a real cowgirl, so she showed me all the footwork that goes and giddy-up, we're on the ice," (Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). Leaving Kamloops with a bronze medal, people were looking toward the future. "Come the national championships in Ottawa, they could be the team to beat already. What a debut," (Rod Black, Skate Canada, CTV, 1998). More Opportunity Jamie and David received more good news when they were asked to represent Canada at the NHK Trophy following a monitoring session with national level judges and the CFSA. The team traveled to Japan in December to compete against the reining world champions, Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze. "This is all gravy for them, this was a bonus. They weren't even supposed to be here," (Rod Black, NHK, CTV, 1998). Jamie and David skated well in the short program and with a few mistakes in the long program they finished third in the event. "It's really quite amazing when you know they've only been together for 6 months. Their timing, their unison is perfect. Aside from a couple of minor mistakes, a performance they should be really happy with. They've done so much in such a short time," (Barb Underhill, NHK, CTV, 1998). Canadian Championships With two podium finishes on the Grand Prix circuit, Jamie Salé and David Pelletier walked into the national championships as the favorite to win the national pair title. "The progress that Jamie Salé of Red Deer, Alta., and David Pelletier of Montreal have made in six months has turned heads and made them slight favorites for the Canadian senior pairs title," (Cleary 1999). In Ottawa, Jamie continued to struggle with the side-by-side triple toe loop. In the short program, Jamie fell on the triple jump causing their marks to range from 5.2-5.4 for required elements and 5.6-5.8 for presentation. "They have style, they have flair, but tonight, they did not have the side-by-side triple jumps," (Rod Black, Canadian Championships, CTV, 1999). The pair finished in 2nd place after the short program. To make the world team, Jamie and David needed a strong skate in the long program to hold onto their 2nd place standing. They were under a great deal of pressure from another young pair team, also coached by Richard Gauthier, named Valerie Saurette and Jean-Sebastien Fecteau. Jamie and David were last to skate the long program and aside from another two footed landing on the triple toe-loop and a single axel by Jamie, the rest of the performance was exceptional. "There isn't a pair team in the world that has this kind of ability to perform under pressure," (Barb Underhill, Canadian Championships, CTV, 1999). Jamie Salé and David Pelletier finished in 2nd place, earning a place to the world championships in Helsinki, Finland. "They have a look that makes you want to watch more," Gauthier said. "They grab your attention. Jamie has a face that lights up the rink," (Smith 1999). Unfortunately, injury was about to strike Salé and Pelletier yet again. David began experiencing some back pain before the national championships that was diagnosed as a herniated disk shortly after the event. David took time away from the ice to recover and the pair were forced to withdraw from the Four Continents Championships and the world championships. Their first season together had ended and all the pair could do was rest, recover, and prepare for the next competitive season.
REFERENCES Mark Spector, Pelletier, Salé Surprise with 2nd in Pairs, November 6,1998 Stojko Grabs First Place in Skate Canada, Associated Press, November 5, 1998 Martin Cleary, Pairs Skaters Prepare for Spirited Battle, The Ottawa Citizen, Tuesday, January 26, 1999 Beverley Smith, Pair Put Canada Back of Figure Skating Podium, At Last: Salé and Pelletier turn heads with high-flying gold-medal performance at Skate America, Globe and Mail, Monday, November 1, 1999 Dave Stubbs, Paired for Success, Montreal Gazette, Jan 8, 2000 |
 |
||
Jamie Salé: |
|||
|
 |
|
|