Figure skating journalist, coach, and writer Maura Sullivan Hill joins me to discuss what I’m predicting will be an extremely messy Winter Olympics. We talk about the lore surrounding today’s figure skaters, the politics baked into every aspect of the sport, and why—spoiler alert—Michelle Kwan should have won the gold medal. Plus, Maura breaks my heart by confirming the pachinko is not technically possible.
Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction and welcoming Maura Sullivan Hill
03:13 – About Maura’s book “Legends of Women’s Figure Skating.”
08:18 – Figure skating as a lens for understanding culture and politics
13:31 – The 2002 Salt Lake City judging scandal
15:26 – Old 6.0 system vs. new International Judging System
20:22 – U.S. women’s team: Amber Glenn, Alyssa Liu, Isabeau Levito
28:28 – Amber Glenn as an openly pansexual athlete
34:25 – Music selection and music rights issues
43:12 – The French team controversy and Gabriella Papadakis’s memoir
53:39 – Same-sex ice dancing partnerships
1:01:02 – Deanna Stellato-Dudek competing at age 42
1:04:38 – Men’s figure skating and Ilya Malinin
1:07:58 – Maxime Naumov’s story after the 2024 plane crash
1:09:38 – Citizenship and nationalism in figure skating
1:19:45 – Closing and Patreon watch party info
Further Reading/Viewing:
- Check out Maura’s Book, Legends of Women’s Figure Skating
- Finding Her Edge (Netflix). Is this great? No. Is it fun? Absolutely.
- The Cutting Edge. A classic.
Want even more resources, deep dives, and behind-the-scenes context on this episode’s topics? Patreon members get access to my exclusive newsletter with extended research, additional links, and insights that didn’t make it into the show. You can get the weekly newsletter when you join for free. Paid members get a monthly bonus episode, access to my AIM Buddly List chat, and more!
Read the full episode transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oPLlyYTke-HjI7B4DsWTgqJuDuzGJ7cM5s8nlJzHBDE/edit?usp=sharing
Connect with Mary:
- Website: www.marymmahoney.com
- Instagram: @mimimahoney
- Email: MaryMargaret.Mahoney@gmail.com
Connect with Maura:
- Website: https://www.maurasullivanhill.com/
- Instagram: @maura_sullivan_hill
- Check out Maura’s book, Legends of Women’s Figure Skating
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