Figure Skating Still Plays a Part in Summer Games

Icenetwork.com

The Olympics are here! Sure, there's no figure skating competition in the summer games, but some of the sport's biggest stars are still playing a role in London!

Notably, SCNY's very own Sarah and Emily Hughes are in London, reporting on all the Olympic fun for icenetwork.com. Follow their adventures across the pond via Sarah's chronicles on Ice Network and on her Twitter feed! 

Icenetwork.com also has a great slideshow of famous skaters who carried the Olympic torch for these London games. Torvill and Dean, Michelle Kwan and many more! 

When the Olympics are held, summer or winter, most of the figure skating community is glued to the television. Artistic gymnastics bears the most similarities in rules and athleticism to figure skating, and many figure skaters who watch it find it as compelling a competition to watch.

The scoring system for gymnastics has recently evolved similarly to that of figure skating, it seems, with open-ended scoring and emphasis on technical accuracy. The sport of gymnastics has had its share of Olympic judging scandals too, particularly at the 2008 Games in Beijing when Chinese gymnast He Kexin beat out American gymnast Nastia Liukin on the uneven bars event, despite technical bobbles and identical marks from the judges. So far in London though, the gymnastics competition has been riveting, and hopes for Team USA are high!

What's your favorite summer Olympic sport? Share with us in the comments section below.

New Rinks Open at Chelsea Piers Connecticut

Chelsea Piers in Stamford opens today! Two brand new rinks are now open seven days a week, along with dance/fitness studios and athletic training facilities.

There are no freestyle sessions set up as of yet, however if you'd like to test out the ice, there are open skating sessions every Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

A few weeks ago, the Skyliners got a chance to try out the new ice as part of the facility's ribbon cutting ceremony. Check out some of their photos here!

Have you seen the new facilities yet? Let us know what you think of them! In the meantime, keep an eye on the Chelsea Piers Connecticut website for information on freestyle sessions and other skating opportunities.