Team USA’s (clockwise) Jason Brown, Madison Hubbell, Zachary Donohue, Danny O’Shea and Tarah Kayne, with Italian Olympic medalist Carolina Kostner, ham it up while sightseeing in Japan.


edged Diaz in a split decision, which many are calling one of the classic fights in UFC history. “It’s got to be one of the top three fights


this year,” Aaron said. “By the way, my parents never miss a fight night. I guess you can say we make it a family thing. I’m hoping I can catch


a fight live in Vegas one of these days.” — Troy Schwindt


An ‘amazing adventure’ in Japan


Mao Asada’s 10th annual THE ICE Tour


visited Osaka, Nagoya and Kitakyushi this sum- mer, with Adam Rippon, Jason Brown, Mirai Nagasu, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Dono- hue, and Tarah Kayne and Danny O’Shea join- ing the star-studded international cast. Japan’s three-time World champion is one


of the most beloved athletes in the nation, and the nine shows played to sellout crowds eager to meet the skaters. “Skaters in Japan have a stardom we’re


not used to in America, that’s for sure,” O’Shea said. “Sometimes, we had to use the back doors to get out of hotels, so we could make it to the arena on time. And the fans are amazing, just great people and fun to be around.” Te U.S. pairs champions performed this


season’s short program to Amy Winehouse’s bluesy “Back to Black.” “Every time you step out on the ice you


learn a little bit of something,” O’Shea said. “I feel like we grew in our artistic ability, which is something we’re working on this year.” Kayne built a friendship with longtime idol Carolina Kostner, the Italian Olympic medalist


Wagner’s boyfriend moving on up


As World silver medalist Ashley Wagner


makes a run at qualifying for a second Olym- pic Winter Games, her boyfriend of two-plus years, Eddy Alvarez, is quickly climbing the ranks of Major League Baseball. A few days before Champs Camp, Alva-


rez was promoted to the Chicago White Sox’s Triple-A affiliate Charlotte Knights. Alvarez, a switch-hitting shortstop from Miami, was signed by the White Sox as a free agent in June 2014. It’s been a whirlwind for the couple,


who actually met at the 2014 Olympic Win- ter Games in Sochi, Russia. Alvarez was there competing as a speedskater and, through an impromptu introduction in the athlete cafete- ria, the two became fast friends. “Marissa (Castelli, U.S. pairs) got into So-


chi a few days before I did,” Wagner said. “I told her that it was her sole purpose to make friends for us. We were in the cafeteria and Marissa,


and World champion who competed at her first senior World Championships in 2003. “She told me that as I gained experience,


I’d have a completely different perspective on my career,” Kayne said. “When you look up to somebody, you never know how they will be when you meet them in person. It was so refreshing to spend time with her, because she was so encouraging. If I had a day when I was down about myself, because we trained a lot when we were there, Carolina always knew ex-


actly what to say to make me feel better.” — Lynn Rutherford


Top, Ashley Wagner and Eddy Alvarez before a Charlotte Knights game; Alvarez turns two.


Maddy (Chock) and I were taking a picture to- gether in the photo booth when Eddy walked in. Marissa ran out of the picture to go say hi to him. She dragged Eddy over and said, ‘Tis is my new friend Eddy!’ We sat and had lunch and then he walked with me back (to the athlete housing) and we’ve been buddies ever since.” Alvarez grew up roller speedskating before


someone recommended he take his talents to the ice. He, like other members of his family, also played baseball. In Sochi, Alvarez won a silver medal in the 5,000-meter relay. Follow- ing the Olympics, Alvarez concentrated again on baseball and was signed by the White Sox. “It’s been incredible to watch everything


along the way,” Wagner said. “I knew nothing about baseball going into this and now I know way more than I feel like I should. It’s really nice for me because he’s the first person I’ve dated that’s a serious athlete. It’s nice to have someone you don’t have to hold their hand through the experience. He knows what’s going on; he knows somedays I’m going to be abso- lutely crazy, and it’s OK.” Wagner follows most of his games on an


app and knows all of his stats. A call-up to the White Sox in September would be a dream come true, she said.


— Troy Schwindt SKATING 13


LAURA WOLFF/CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS


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