Short Canadian Figure Skater Biographies: Men

Contains: Gary Beacom / Sebastien Britten / Marcus Christensen / Toller Cranston / Jean-Francois Hebert / Donald Jackson / David Pelletier / Ravi Walia

Gia Guddat and Gary Beacom

I know/have heard absolutely nothing about Gia except that they met at a skating club in Markham, ON, fell in love and have been together ever since. So expect everything else here to be about Gary.

Pretty much all of the info herein was gleaned from watching "Adrienne Clarkson Presents: Gary Beacom: Life on the Edge (or Living on the Edge or something like that 8)".

Always one to carve his own path, Gary gave up on coaches when he entered university. He completed a degree in physics and philosophy while training around an hour a day. He attended the '84 Olympics "alone", without a coach, and skated brilliantly. He knew that his work was unlikely to be accepted, and so stood on the ice facing the judges until the marks were announced. They were low, as he expected. Overcome by rage he kicked the boards, putting a hole in them, and trapping his blade so that he had to work to get it out again. Not long after this he turned pro, where he is much happier.

Gary believes strongly in figures and has researched "ancient figures" (non-8 type figures). He also disagrees with current wisdom over how boots should be designed. He believes that the strength should be in the ankle, not the boot. When he breaks in a new pair of boots, one of the first things he does is file off part of the side of the sole and blade plate so that they don't interfere with his deepest edges (which makes one wonder if Bourne & Kraatz must do the same).

Basic Stats

Birth Date:
Home Town: Calgary, AB
Lives: Sun Valley, ID
Hobbies: chromatic harmonica, violin, motor cycling, sailboarding, golf

Competitive History

Amateur

11th, Winter Olympics '84 (Sarajevo, Yugoslavia)
3rd, Nebelhorn Trophy '78 (Oberstdorf, Frg)
3rd, Grand Prix International '78 (St. Gervais, Fra)

Professional

8th, Outdoor Challenge '95 (Sun Valley, ID) (no respect, even on home ice ... 8)
Fox Rock and Roll Championships '94
Sun Valley Outdoor Competition '94

Pictures

At the April 5 performance of Campbell's Soups "1995 Tour of World Figure Skating Champions" in Huntsville, Alabama:
- marbles - (78K)
From Pat Delin
- marbles also - 313x223 (77k)
jazz - size: 725x403, 256 color, a painting from a billboard