Wednesday, August 25, 2010

History Lesson: Tracey Wainman


Given that I was not born at the time and am American, I was rather ignorant of Tracey Wainman until a friend sent me an article about her earlier this week. Tracey is the classic example of a child star who didn't fulfill her promise as a senior, but boy was she a joy to watch.
As a 12-yr-old, Tracey was an extraordinarily talented skater and according to Toller Cranston "had the charisma of Michelle Kwan and Katarina Witt combined." (I think that is being a big hyperbolic on Toller's part, but we must consider the source.)


Like Toller, Tracey was coached by Ellen Burka. She had unreal speed but suffered the affliction of Slutskaya posture during some aspects of her skating while brilliant in others. Tracey's star was on the rise and the Canadian media did its typical exploiting of this girl. They anointed her the 1984 Olympic Champion right away.

Weakened by the flu, Tracey Wainman was unable to defend her title at the 1982 Canadian Championships. She began to lose confidence following the loss and was written off by the CFSA.

A year later, she retired.

Tracey came back a year later and it took her about two years to get to her peak ability. She captured the 1986 Canadian Championships with one of the most '80s short program of all time.

For fans of the skating boom, Tracey became a bad ass and the bride (and ex-wife shortly after) of Jumpin Joe Sabovcik. She is the mother of Blade, Joe's long-haired look alike frequently exploited by CBS and FOX.

Tracey currently coaches and her entire fascinating story can be read about here.

11 comments:

  1. Never heard of this girl. Now I know! Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Typical of Canada, destroy the good ones, keep the garbage.

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  3. Thanks for sharing - interesting story! And from the 1986 SP vid, now I know where Debi Thomas got her 1987 SP music inspiration... ;)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oRmeCp582A

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  4. I really loved her short program. It is amazing the great skaters that never make it to the top due to family problems, coaching problems or politics

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  5. Thanks for posting this. She was excellent at free skate, but the thing she was really known for was outstanding figures. She was unique in the fact that she was watchable and had great figures.

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  6. I have to say no to Tracey Wainman. She reminds me of Irina S. Not my cup of tea. I don't see an ounce of Michelle in her skating and maybe just a tad bit of Kat's skating.

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  7. ever heard of her. She is like a Canadian Tara Lipinski with an old lady hair cut!

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  8. I remembered Dick Button Talking about her as a big rival to Elaine Zayak.

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  9. Yeah she's about in that Elaine Zayak range but no where on the level of a Michelle Kwan.

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  10. To me, she looks like she had the same haircut as the youngest child on Eight Is Enough.

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