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Cohen won't skate

Silver medalist pursuing acting career

Hilary Kraus  •  Staff writer
Published December 23, 2006

Sasha Cohen speaks to the media before practice for the Marshalls Challenge Dec. 9 in Boston. (Associated Press ) Related information Read more

After months of keeping her fans on the edge of their blades, Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen went public on Friday. She's not going to skate at the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Spokane, Jan. 21-28.

The announcement, which was made in a U.S. Figure Skating press release, came as no surprise to the event's local promoters and fans.

"We anticipated that she was not coming," said co-promoter Barb Beddor of Star USA. "When you say you haven't decided 30 days before the event, that really says you're not coming. You can't just turn it on in 30 days.

"When we talk to fans, they say, 'We've kind of gotten the impression that she's not coming.' "

Cohen, 22, has not skated competitively since the World Championships in March. The only thing Cohen has landed since has been bit parts in movies and TV shows as she takes acting classes in her pursuit of another career. Cohen also has performed in events such as the Champions on Ice tour and Marshalls Skating Challenge, where earlier this month fans voted her their favorite skater.

Cohen said she plans to return to competitive skating in the future.

"My major goals are the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships in Los Angeles and the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver," Cohen told U.S. Figure Skating. "I love the thrill that competition brings, and I'm not ready to give that up. But I'm the type of person who is all or nothing. When I train and compete, it's my life. I can't be there just to be there. These past few months, I've really enjoyed skating simply for the love of it."

The post-Olympic national championships are usually a year for rebuilding. However, the Spokane field is filled with Turin Olympic skaters whose goal is to skate in the 2010 Olympics. Johnny Weir, Evan Lysacek, Kimmie Meissner, Emily Hughes, pairs John Baldwin and Rena Inoue, and ice dancers Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto are committed to the event.

There also is some concern about the health of Weir, Lysacek and Agosto.

After arriving in St. Petersburg, Russia, last week for the ISU Grand Prix Finals, Lysacek withdrew before the short program because of an ailing hip. Weir complained of pain in his right hip from a fall in the short program and didn't skate his free skate. Agosto has a bad back.

Beddor and Star USA partner Toby Steward are in frequent contact with U.S. Figure Skating officials and have been reassured the injuries are not that serious.

Now that the tickets have been mailed, Star USA has been answering questions regarding some befuddled customers.

The most asked questions:

Q. Why am I not in the first few rows considering I ordered my tickets the first day they went on sale (March 12, 2004)?

B. The first rows are reserved for the judges' stand (which takes up six rows), ABC/ESPN broadcast platforms, cameras and the kiss-and-cry area.

However, fans in the lower bowl will be close to the skaters. The arena is intimate, holding 10,901 for the event. At past nationals, the main venues have been as roomy as 20,000-seat arenas.

Q. Why are my tickets in the upper level considering I ordered them the first weekend they were on sale?

A. People who ordered that far in advance, but only ordered Exhibition of Champion tickets, likely will be in the upper deck. That's because the best seats were assigned to those who order the pricey all-event ticket package. Each package includes 21 sessions and costs $495.

Yes, the ladies championship free skate will begin at 10:40 a.m. the final day of competition. The unusual time is to accommodate live TV. In past championships, the ladies' finals have been aired at 8 p.m. in the East. This year, the network is slotting it into midday programming.

The men's free skate will begin at 5:40 p.m., Pacific time, and will be shown live on ESPN2.