Watch for Stars in Spokane!

Written by admin on January 12th, 2010

Sasha Cohen

Spokane, WA area hotels are filling up fast as the superstars of the skating world and fans from all over flood the city in advance of the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which will be held January 14–20 at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena and other downtown Spokane venues. There are still tickets left for the championships (go to http://www.spokane2010.com/2,tickets or call 1-888-SK8-2010 to purchase) and the Spokane area’s best extended stay hotel, Stratford Suites, still has some great rooms available, so what are you waiting for? This is a great time to be in Spokane if you are an ice skating fan! Keep an eye out for some of the most famous skaters in the nation, including Sasha Cohen, Caroline Zhang, Ryan Bradley, and reigning world and Olympic silver medal ice dance duo Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, all of whom will be vying for a chance to compete in the Olympics in Vancouver next month.

The championships will mark Sasha Cohen’s much anticipated comeback after taking a hiatus from competitive ice skating. In an interview with the Going for the Gold podcast series, she said, “I think coming back defines me—I am a fighter . . . I want to push myself, set goals, improve, and I have nothing to lose.” You can watch the full interview at the Passport to Gold website.

In addition to the superstars of the skating world who will compete in the championships (1500 skaters total will participate), all of the former U.S. Olympic gold medalists in figure skating will be in Spokane for the final performance of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and will participate in a presentation during the Smucker’s Skating Spectacular on Sunday, Jan. 24. The Olympic champions who are scheduled to appear are: Dick Button (1948, 52), Tenley Albright (1956), Hayes Jenkins (1956), Carol Heiss Jenkins (1960), David Jenkins (1960), Peggy Fleming (1968), Dorothy Hamill (1976), Scott Hamilton (1984), Brian Boitano (1988), Kristi Yamaguchi (1992), Tara Lipinski (1998), and Sarah Hughes (2002).

River Park Square, Spokane Wasington

FanFest in downtown Spokane’s River Park Square will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday, January 15, and continue throughout the competitions. Free and open to the public, FanFest is the community gathering place for the event, with the most current information, autograph sessions, a food and beverage booth provided by Safeway, a sponsor, the Spokane Victory Ceremonies, and other fan events. KHQ and 92.9 FM will provide entertainment and live news and radio broadcasts. But the biggest draw will be the figure skating stars showing up to sign autographs and take pictures with their adoring fans!

Whether you select the all-event 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships package or attend just one or two events, Stratford Suites is a great place to make your headquarters for relaxation and watching the championships from the comfort of a luxurious suite on a 50” hi-definition television. Don’t forget to ask about our convenient shuttle service!