Eventually, they outgrew MacIntosh—and Canada—and sought the help of Russian coaches Marina Zoueva and Igor Shpilband, world leaders in ice dance who’d put out their shingle in the Detroit suburb of Canton. “We knew they had to do something to compete internationally with the European skaters,” says Alma. “You have to play their game.” Zoueva saw they had talent but could tell that they needed help on their lifts, so she put them to work with gymnasts and acrobats from Cirque du Soleil. Next, she set to work “growing” the incredible chemistry between them. Their “soul-to-soul” skating, she says, is reminiscent of the legendary Soviet pair Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov, whom she once coached.
It was the pair’s chemistry that caught the world’s eye—“a trust, and connection that you can’t buy,” legendary ice dancer Victor Kraatz told Maclean’s. “They just connect with each other—connect with the music,” said Shpilband. “It’s magic.” Their stirring passion is in fact feigned. Believe it or not, the duo is not romantically involved (there are reports they once dated, but it threw them off their game); Moir is reportedly dating another member of the Canadian figure skating team.
They’re also famous for feeding off the crowd: “they love to perform, they love a rowdy audience,” says Alma. You could almost see them soak up the energy of the home audience in Vancouver—Scott in particular. Before taking his opening pose with Virtue, he skated round the rink alone, his arms open, his lids half-shut, seemingly absorbing the thumping energy of 11,000 fans. By then, Shpilband later told Maclean’s, he knew the gold was theirs.
He was right. The duo danced sweetly, flawlessly to Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, earning huge marks for their intricate spins and high-risk lifts—flawlessly executing their signature move, “the goose,” in which Moir crouches down while Virtue puts a skate on his thigh, balancing on one leg and extending her arms like wings before flipping onto her back to be caught by Moir and placed gently on the ice. They wanted to call it the eagle, but figured it was “too American.” It helped earn them Canada’s first figure skating gold medal of the Vancouver Games, ahead of Americans Charlie White and Meryl Davis, their best friends, with whom they share coaches and a training rink.
Back in Ilderton, the local community centre was packed with more than 300 people. Family members were out in full force: with 11 aunts and uncles in the community on Scott’s father’s side alone, “you better watch who you’re talking to in Ilderton, ’cause chances are they’re a Moir,” chuckles Jim Maguire, the manager of parks and facility services for the municipality. Watching the competition on three big-screen TVs, the crowd—most of them sporting long-sleeved red shirts emblazoned with the couple’s names—“never stopped cheering,” Maguire says. When they won the gold, everybody went wild. The Moir family took off in a parade of cars, honking their horns, and passed along streets festooned with ribbons and signs proclaiming their support for the local heroes. Carol didn’t get to bed till 5:30 a.m. “That’s the Moir family for you,” she laughs.
In Vancouver, just hours later, the duo entered Il Giardino to thunderous applause. The posh downtown restaurant was packed with their family—including nine Virtues and seven Moirs—and friends, including skaters Jeff Buttle, Jessica Dubé and Bryce Davison. They were met with champagne. A waiter broke out an operatic O Canada. “To see Scott and Tessa up there, knowing all the hard work they put into it—I was so proud,” said Charlie, Scott’s look-alike older brother, a firefighter-in-training. It was their childhood dream, Alma adds; “they’ve given up so much to get here.”
Virtue, her hair still up in a bun, was wearing black tights, flats and a red dress. Moir was in a down-filled Canada vest. Both, of course, wore their medals proudly on their chests. Moir spoke for them both, as he generally does, thanking their friends, family and coaches, before finishing up, of course, with a wink for Virtue.
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