Double Klutz

Did you know that figure skating first appeared as an Olympic sport at the 1908 Summer Games in London? For more than 100 years medal contenders have amazed us with their talent: Axels, triple Salchows, quad toe loops, throw jumps and sit spins. Whether competing solo or as a pair, the athletes’ names have become household words and their stories something we’ll always remember. Ironically, ice skating is something my sister would like to forget.

Deni accompanied Zhak and Kaden to a neighbor’s birthday celebration at the ice arena. While not of Olympic caliber, she’s a good skater. The boys, on the other hand, had never been on the ice. They did so great with the learning-to-skate walkers that on the final lap at the end of the party Zhak decided to try it sans assistance. As soon as he let go, he had a look of panic on his face and started to wobble. Knowing he was going down, Deni and her maternal instinct slid in. What they ultimately executed wasn’t a double lutz (the counter rotated jump), but a double klutz, a tangle of arms and legs resulting in a heap of Deni and Zhak. While she cushioned his fall and he landed unscathed, her shoulder slammed into the ice. Instead of achieving a gold, silver or bronze medal for athletic prowess, she acquired a broken collarbone. Ouch!

While she only scored a 2.5 on technical merit, she receives high marks for (motherly) performance. I think the Russian judge had a soft spot for her.