RANDY RISLING - Cyclists get a rare opportunity to ride traffic-free along the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway for the Becel Heart & Stroke Ride for Heart. June 2, 2013.
Continue reading "Our Best of June, Super Moon, Rob Ford, Blue Jays, MMVA, etc." »
Steve Russell - Staff Photographer - @RussellPhotos
I covered his first Olympic dives and his last.
In between Aleandre Despatie won three world championships and a pair of Olympic Medals.
Well done!
Fifteen year-old Alexandre Despatie at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, September 30, 2000. Despatie ended up finishing in fourth on the ten metre platform.
Continue reading "Alexandre Despatie retires from the springboards and towers." »
Steve Russell - Staff Photographer - @RussellPhotos
It is a testament to the power of the still image,
Yesterday Twitterverse heated up over Kevin Van Paassen's front page picture of Kaetlyn Osmond skating in the ISU World Championships Exhibition Gala.
The Monday, March 18, 2013, Globe and Mail front page.
Millions watched the event televised and saw the same things that you see on the photo. But, it's the photo that freezes action that generates debate.
Steve Russell - Staff Photographer - @RussellPhotos
Well after two days of practices, and four of competition, we were left with the final two hours of skating, the Exhibition Gala. All the medalists and a couple of the crowd favourites were invited to perform.
The Gala is a low pressure performance for the skaters, it is more about connecting with the fans and showing off a little personality.
Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier skate to "Sexy and I know it" at the ISU World Figure Skating Championship Winners Exhibitiion Gala at Budweiser Gardens in London.
Steve Russell - Staff Photographer - @RussellPhotos
Psst, I have a secret.
I think, no, I know that out of the four skating disiplines Men's, Women's, Pairs and Ice Dance, my favourite to photograph would have to be.......
Ice Dance!
It's strange, I never knew until this part week. But after a steady dose of figure skating, practices, short program and free skate, I can honestly say, Ice Dancing was my favourite to shoot.
I found a lot of the skating a little repetitious, especially the Men's and Women's programs. Outside of where on the ice the elements like jumps and spins occur, they all kind of look the same. Photographers love athletes that being a little variation to table.
While ice dance might lack those face distorting triples and quads and the insanely high launches of ladies into the rafters of arena, Ice dance does offer something that photographers crave.
Variety!
Like the other disiplines, there is a number of required elements, but it seems that most teams are able to put their own spin on many of the lifts. What the event lacks in explosive action it makes up for it in inventive ways to hoist a person into the air or glide across the ice.
I'm still not exactly 100 percent sure what a twizzle is, but I do know that I like shooting ice dance!
Spain's Sara Hurtado and Adria Diaz glide across the ice in a matrix like lift during the Ice Dance Free Skate program at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships at Budweiser Gardens in London.
Steve Russell - Staff Photographer - @RussellPhotos
Friday was the longest of the Championships.
Although fewer skaters competed, their programs were double length of the short program.
Plus add a couple Canadian medals......
Canadian Patrick Chan wins gold despite three falls in the Men's Free Skate program at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships at Budweiser Gardens in London.
Continue reading "World Skating Championships: Day 3: Chan wins Gold, Duhamel & Radford bronze" »
Steve Russell - Toronto Star - @RussellPhotos
Kexin Zhang of China spins during the women's short program at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships at Budweiser Gardens in London. March 14, 2013.
Intense Danish coaches, Martin Johansson and Kalle Strid cheer Anita Madse's performance.
Kaetlyn Osmond of Canada had a strong skate to Mambo #8 during the women's short program.
Yuna Kim, the 2010 Olympic Gold medalist from Korea skates during the women's short program.
Yuna Kim from Korea was the top skater in the short program.
Sonia Lafuente of Spain spins to the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack.
Gracie Gold from the USA looks to the crowd.
Brian Orser's skater Georgian Elene Gedevanishvili reacts to a replay of her fall while in the kiss and cry.
Akiko Suzuki of Japan skates to Kill Bill.
Italy's Valentina Marchei falls after failing to land a triple.
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva of Russia skates the short program.
China's Zijun Li spins showing off her flexibility.
Japan's Kanako Murakumi celebrates her third place finish in the short program with her coach Michiko Yamada.
Despite a fall, Italy's Carolina Kostner placed second with her vampire inspired short program.
Between the Women's program and the start of Ice Dance, Toller Cranston signs autographs in the concourse. Cranston is the official artist for Skate Canada and creator of the championships official poster, titled, "Warm Winter Romance"
Olesia Karmi and Maz Lindholm from Finland kick off the ice dance short program.
Canadian Pair Piper Gilles and Paul Portier do a rotational lift during the ice dance short program at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships.
Canadian Pair Piper Gilles and Paul Portier have some fun with the audience while awaiting results in the kiss and cry.
Siobhan Heekin-Canedy and Dmitri Dun of Ukraine spin.
Siobhan Heekin-Canedy and Dmitri Dun of Ukraine spin.
Irina Shtork and Taavi Rand of Estonia had a western theme.
Literallt in figuratively Viktoria Kavaliova and Yuril Bieliaiev of Belarus' world championship was turned upside down.....
..... the Belarussians had to borrow skates for the competition after their's were lost in transit.
Julia Zlobina and Alexei Sitnikov of Azerbaijan.
Nicholas Buckland of Great Britian shows some the the dangers of ice dance when he lifts his partner Penny Coomes.
Nelli Zhiganshina and Alexander Gazsi of Germany do a straight lift during the ice.
Canadians Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje do a lift in their ice dance program.
Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje celebrate their ice dance short program.
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir talk after finishing their short program.
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir look at their scores after the ice dance short program.
Russian Elana Ilinykh definately had one of the most colourful ice dance costumes.
One of the dangers with the long flowing skirts that the ice dancer wear, Russian Dimitri Soloviev gets lost in Ekaterina Bobrova's skirt during the ice dance short program.
Picture from day One, Pairs and Men's Short Programs
Steve Russell - Staff Photographer - @RussellPhotos
Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford glide past the hometown crowd on their way to a second in the pairs short program.
Continue reading "World Skating Championships: Pairs and Men's short programs" »
Rene Johnston - Staff Photographer - @ReneJohnston1
Montage of Chris Mazza as he testifies at Queens Park. The long-waited, and much-delayed, testimony before a legislative committee, Mazza said Wednesday he "always acted with the best interests of Ontario residents in mind."
David Cooper - Chief Photographer - @whatzname07
Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista playfully sticks his tongue out at photographers during photo day at spring training in Dunedin March 2, 2012.