Virtue, Moir enjoy break from competitive skating
The message from former U of Windsor student Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir to the starryeyed young skaters who took part in Wednesday’s clinic at the Nepean Sportsplex?
Relax. Be yourself. And, just like Wayne Gretzky infamously said so many years ago, get away from the rink once in awhile to try another sport and put some balance in your life.
Indeed, Canada’s best known skating couple — seriously, how many other non-hockey athletes are household names in this country and have had their own TV show? — offered up a down-to-earth exchange towards those hoping to follow in their skate marks.
Long before they captured gold at the 2010 Olympics and silver at the 2014 Olympics, they dabbled with other activities.
“For us growing up, we came from very sports- oriented families, they exposed us to as many different things as pos- sible and skating was just one possibly hobby,” Virtue said.
“Even still, it has become our career, but we try not to identify solely as figure skaters and that has been important. I remember when we would change the sport when the season changed.”
For now, the two are clearly enjoying the break from serious competition, embracing the give-and-take of the current cross-country tour, a partnership with Lindt’s Chocolates, which allows them to touch base with skating at the grassroots level. Virtue said it’s a reminder of when she was nine years old, listening as Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay — the sister-brother skating duo from Aylmer — were offering advice.
Virtue and Moir also say they’ve spent a good portion of the post-Sochi life re-connecting. They insist they’ve yet to make a decision on whether to re-commit themselves for yet another run at an Olympic gold in South Korea in 2018.