World Figure Skating Championships comes to Boston, tribute for plane crash victims planned
The ISU World Figure Skating Championships is bringing ice skating fans to Boston and in addition to the excitement, the event will also hold a remembrance for community members who were killed in a plane crash earlier this year in Washington, DC.
The figure skating event is drawing fans to Boston from near and far.
Glimpse of stars ahead of 2026 Olympics
"I mean, the venue is amazing, so it's kind of part of the fun," said John Gibson of Watertown.
Emily Radawec traveled with a friend from Arizona to see the sport up close.
"We're glad it's back in the United States, so we made the trek all the way from the west coast, out from Phoenix. We're excited to see the best, the world's best, really," said Radawec.
While these athletes are competing for some hardware, this event gives you a glimpse of the stars that may compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. Luca DeMatte is Finland's figure skating coach. It's his second time coming to Boston for the event – the first was in 2016.
"It's such a good feeling. The best skaters come here from all around the world," DeMatte explained. "I hope the crowd is going to be big tonight and there's going to be exciting moments."
Honoring DC plane crash victims
It's a build-up of emotion, of adrenaline and there will also be a moment of silence Wednesday night for the 67 people who were killed in the January plane crash over the Potomac River. More than two dozen victims were tied to the figure skating community. Two coaches, two young figure skaters and their mothers killed in the plane crash were from the Skating Club of Boston.
"There's going to be a tribute tonight and I'm sure that's going to be very emotional," said Dawn Shearer from Watertown.
It's a moment of reflection for figure skating fans and a signal of unity for professionals in the sport.
"It's a family," said Geromie Repond, Switzerland's figure skating coach. "It's great that we can see that people are not only all about winning but also about the human life. In the end, that's the more important thing."
It is a competition, but it's also a chance for spectators to appreciate the art of figure skating.
"It's exciting because I've been watching skating since I was a little girl with my mom," Cheryl Ellsworth of Phoenix said. "So to actually be able to attend something like this is amazing for me."
