Skater charms area reporters

Kimmie Meissner

5:49 p.m., Feb. 16, 2005--Kimmie Meissner, a member of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club and bronze medalist at the U.S. National Championships, met with members of the media from throughout the region Wednesday afternoon to discuss her recent achievements and future hopes.

Meissner finished third in the national championships, which were held in January in Portland, Ore., trailing only gold medalist Michelle Kwan and silver medalist Sasha Cohen. In the competition, she became just the second American woman in history to complete the triple axel, earning the adoration of the crowd.

Meissner, a 15-year-old student who commutes to the UD training facility after morning classes at Fallston High School near Baltimore, is currently preparing for the World Junior Figure Skating Championships, to be held Feb. 27-March 3 in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

First, she will participate in the U.S. World Figure Skating Send-Off Exhibition to be held at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 18, in UD’s Fred Rust Ice Arena on the campus.

Meissner, flanked by coach Pam Gregory and Rod Ludington, director of the Ice Skating Science Development Center

In the news conference, which was held at the arena, Meissner recounted how she took up figure skating at an early age after watching her brothers play ice hockey.

Asked how life has changed since hitting the triple axel and winning the bronze medal, Meissner said she had certainly never had a press conference before. Or, she might have added, been invited to appear on the Today Show with Katie Couric. “When I landed the triple axel, I didn’t know it would be such a big deal,” she said.

Meissner said it has been “very exciting” to skate against longtime U.S. champion Michelle Kwan, who she said has been a role model.

Pam Gregory, Meissner’s coach, said that working with the skater has been a pleasure. “For me,” she said, “it has been fun having Kimmie be a part of my life.”

Meissner at practice

Both Gregory and Ron Ludington, director of the UD Ice Skating Science Development Center, said they saw early on that Meissner had great potential. And, Ludington added that Kwan herself sees something special in the younger skater. “Michelle Kwan is her No. 1 rooter,” he said. “I think Michelle looks at her as the future.”

Ludington said Meissner is “an amazing role model” for younger skaters in the UD program because she is so even-keeled and also is one of the best technical skaters to have trained here. “Let me tell you,” he said, “she’s going all the way.”

For Meissner, that would mean a spot on next year’s national team and a trip to the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. “If I keep skating really well, and improving, the Olympics are possible,” Meissner said, quickly adding that her primary concern at the moment is the Junior Worlds.

Article by Neil Thomas
Photos by Jon Cox

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