Those involved with the University of Delaware’s High Performance Figure Skating Center have celebrated many triumphs, including in the U.S. Nationals and Olympics.
On Thursday they endured the opposite extreme, mourning the deaths of one coach and two young skaters in a plane crash Wednesday night.
“With a heavy heart, we struggle to express the impact of this tragedy on our Blue Hen community,” UD athletic director Chrissi Rawak shared in a social-media message.
Coach Alexandr Kirsanov and young skaters Angela Yang and Sean Kay died when the American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military helicopter on approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia.
Rawak paid tribute to Kirsanov, saying his “passion and commitment touched many lives, leaving a permanent mark on our campus.”
What was originally known as UD’s Ice Skating Science Development Center opened in 1987 when Ron Ludington, who had coached numerous national- and Olympic-level skaters, moved over from the Skating Club of Wilmington.
Though not operated by the university, the UD skating center is located at the school’s Fred Rust and Gold ice arenas located south of campus with other athletic facilities at the David M. Nelson Athletic Complex.
Ludington retired in 2010 but maintained some involvement and died in 2020 at age 85. But the skating program has continued to thrive, with many of Ludington’s skaters becoming coaches at UD.
Among UD-based skaters who excelled at the highest levels were the 1992 Olympic pairs duo of Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval and 2006 world champion Kimmie Meissner. Three-time national champion and two-time Olympian Johnny Weir also got his start at UD.
The skating center was also a destination for those from other countries with high-level figure skaters, especially Russia.
One of them, Oleg Ovsyannikov, sat in front of an international media throng in 1998 and said “I want to say thank you to all the people at the University of Delaware.” Around his neck was the silver medal he had just earned in ice dancing at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, with partner Anjelika Krylova.
Tara Lipinski, who had periodically trained at UD, soon after became the youngest figure-skating Olympic gold medalist when she won the women’s singles at age 15.
More than 30 figure skaters with ties to Delaware rinks competed in the Winter Olympics for the U.S. from 1972 through 2006, including eight at the 1984 Games and six in 1988.
That history has long made UD a draw for figure skaters with high aspirations. Emmanuel Savary, a long-time UD skater, placed 13th at the recent U.S. Championships in men’s singles.
“They get excited and see the possibility that maybe they can be there someday, that it’s a reality,” UD coach Pam Gregory told DelawareOnline/The News Journal before the 2018 Olympics.
Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.
Delaware Valley picked up five bonus point wins to take a 40-29 home dual win over High Point in Frenchtown.
Luke Cyphert started the dual at 215 with a pin over High Point’s Kaleb DeFalco. Julian Bednar (120), and Tristian Fawthrop (132) also won via pin.
Oliver Paul gave the Terriers (3-0) five points off a 21-6 tech over John McCarthy at 175, Michael Hasson took a 23-7 tech over Tyler Brarman at 144 and state qualifier Sebastian Dobak earned a 7-1 decision over Gerard Empirio at 150. Vincent Rainey outlasted Thomas Jaust at 113 for a 7-4 sudden victory win.
Trey Falkenstein picked up a forfeit at 138 to make it a four match sweep for Del Val between 132 and 150.
Luke Tompkins recorded a pin for the Wildcats (1-1) at 157 while Jack Kitchart picked up a pin at 190. Region 1 third place finisher Gavin Mericle took a 2-1 decision win over Luken Alberdi at 285, Logan Takach recorded a 7-3 decision over Tanner Donaruma at 126 and Jayden Ruplall earned five points at 165 with a 17-1 tech over Rylan Bush.
Primo Maschio won the $110,000 DSBF series championship for sophomore male pacers Thursday at Bally’s Dover
Photos by Quenton Egan Photography
DOVER — Following decisive wins in both preliminary legs, Primo Maschio dug deep to head off Lew Not Lou for a 1:52.3 triumph in the $110,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders’ Fund (DSBF) series championship for 3-year-old male pacers on Thursday, Dec. 18, at Bally’s Dover.
Primo Maschio and driver Trae Porter landed second-over on the first turn behind Shore Not Beach (driven by Pat Berry), who worked to clear early leader Lew Not Lou (Jason Thompson) for the lead at the end of a :27 first quarter. Left uncovered off the first turn, Primo Maschio drove on to assume control of the terms with a circuit to go, and the Badlands Hanover-Primadonna gelding rolled to the half in :55.
Up the backstretch and through the far turn, Primo Maschio faced sustained pressure from Lew Not Lou, who re-emerged from third to force a :28.2 third quarter and pose an even bigger threat off the home turn.
“I was a little worried,” said Porter of Lew Not Lou taking aim at Primo Maschio off the corner. “He got to my saddle pad, but as soon as we got to the top of the stretch, my colt dug in deeper. He’s such a nice horse.”
Primo Maschio kept Lew Not Lou a neck at bay while Shore Not Beach stayed on from the pocket to finish third, just a length shy of the top pair.
Walter Callahan trains Primo Maschio, now a 19-time winner with $414,618 in earnings from 27 career starts, for Forrest Bartlett. As the overwhelming 1-10 favorite, Primo Maschio paid $2.20 to win.
Tommy Denvir scored a game-high 30 points for Delaware Valley in its 61-51 win over Bernards in Alexandria.
Delaware Valley (2-0) led 40-27 at halftime against Bernards.
Lochlyn Marsh scored 12 points for Delaware Valley. Peter Dubljevic had eight points.
Ryan Frame and Richie Jobs each scored 16 points for Bernards (0-3). Ricky Giebel tallied 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and five steals. Casey Hoeckele recorded 12 rebounds with four points and three blocks.
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