Crystal Skate

It is becoming increasingly frequent that figure skating competitions count so many astonishing skaters, it's really hard to predict an outcome. This is, of course, great news for the sport itself, so let's enjoy what some of the best ladies of the US, Russia and Japan have to offer today in Lethbridge. The first to skate is Kaetlyn Osmond , who we've missed a lot last season. She was out last year due to health issues, and her start here is also unfortunate. She falls on the death drop into the first spin, which throws her off and makes her also fall on the double Axel. Her score: 59.21 . Veronik Mallet  skates to Waltz No. 7  by Frederic Chopin. It's pretty, but not flawless - the second triple Toeloop is double-footed. Love the ribbon in her hair. She gets 52.17  points. Isabelle Olsson  seems to set her goals by choosing Beyonce's I Was Here . She timed it perfectly, as this is her first important senior competition. She is also trained by her mot...

In 1902, a Londoner decided to enter the figure skating World Championships, thus becoming the first professional female figure skater and prompting the ISU to create a separate discipline for women. Her name was Madge Syers and she competed wearing ankle-long skirts, cotton shirts and hats. I wonder what she'd say if she saw some of today's costumes... Madge was able to wear heavy, layered outfits because she didn't perform a lot of elements, but as figure skating took flight and the women's discipline became more difficult, female skaters had to gradually lose fabric to be able to perform. Nowadays, there is a science to how the ladies' costumes are made. They have to be aerodynamic, in other words to allow air to flow easily so that they can move freely and jump. That doesn't mean they cannot be absolutely gorgeous though. The ladies have complete freedom to choose the themes of both their routines, which means that they can wear whatever they want. T...

One of the most anticipated events of these championships is the ladies'. Two of the youngest superstars to ever emerge out of Russia will be battling it out with the more-experienced Ashley Wagner, who is determined to give her best shot at winning the title. Polina Edmunds  comes here fresh from her surprising victory at the Four Continents Championships, and proves that her winning the title was not about luck, but about talent and hard work. I absolutely love the blue costume and her spins. Her presentation is not as spectacular as other skaters', but she's got time to improve it. Her score: 61.71 . If they gave fashion awards in figure skating, Polina Edmunds would win one for this gorgeous blue dress Source: Xiaolu Ghu/Getty Images Asia Zijun Li 's elegance is a natural extension of her delicacy, two attributes that Waltz of the Flowers  helps emphasize. She waltzes around the rink beautifully and with no technical mistakes. She gets 61.83  points. Kan...