From Publishers Weekly
As the U.S. Figure Skating team prepares take center ice at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, competitive figure skater and journalist Nichols takes a soft look at the sport's pivotal moment in this reverential tribute to the 18 skaters (plus friends, family and coaches) who died in 1961 when their plane crashed en route to the world championships in Prague, eliminating the U.S.'s hope for a successful 1964 Winter Olympics and setting into motion a rebuilding process that rushed young skaters into the top echelons of international competition. Nichols's account of the rivalry between Laurence Owen, the daughter of Olympic figure skater Maribel Vinson who appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated the very week of the crash, and Stephanie Westerfeld (both died in the crash) is the extent of scandal readers can expect to encounter here. Nichols does little to disguise her admiration for the team and is primarily concerned with maintaining a legacy, perhaps explaining her naïve and timid writing. Skating enthusiasts will want to add this to the shelf.
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Book Description
In February, 1961, a plane crash killed all 18 members of the U.S. Figure Skating Team—along with 16 friends, family members, judges, and coaches— on their way to the World Championships in Prague. It was a tragedy that had repercussions in the sport of figure skating for years to come. FROZEN IN TIME: THE ENDURING LEGACY OF THE 1961 U.S. FIGURE SKATING TEAM is the first book ever to explore the events leading up to the crash that changed the face of the sport.
In time for the upcoming 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, and to honor the 45th anniversary of the crash of Sabena Flight 548, author and competitive figure skater Nikki Nichols presents a deeply moving and impeccably researched account of one of the most tragic stories in the history of American sports. FROZEN IN TIME takes readers inside the lives of these skaters, revealing their friendships and romances, rivalries, sacrifices, and triumphs leading up to the fateful trip.
The book also explores the aftermath of the crash. Because the U.S. skating program had lost all of its stars and was struggling to rebuild, very young competitors—including Peggy Fleming—were thrust into the spotlight to fill the void. Those young skaters matured quickly and became the very face and future of the sport.
But perhaps the most far-reaching and inspirational response to the loss of the 1961 team was the creation of the U.S. Figure Skating Memorial Fund, which has provided training grants and scholarships to skaters who would not otherwise be able to afford the sport—including Scott Hamilton and many other top skaters.
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