Virtue & Moir Together at Last: In a Fan’s Dreams, That Is

The ice dancing duo skated their hearts out for gold, the world wept and an internet romantic fantasy was born.

We have trained our collective selves to watch the Olympics (from the couch) for “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat,” but nothing quite prepared us for the power of Pyeongchang 2018 and the Canadian “romance on ice.” But I digress: it’s the Canadian ice dancing pair of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir that we very personally and soooo badly wanted on the podium with gold around their necks and a ring (from Scott) on her finger.

We can be forgiven for wanting romance in the arena we normally reserve for hip checks and breakaways. We get caught up in the soundtracks, the glitter, the lifts, the bodysuits, the twizzles and the look … oh yes, that look. Can we talk about how he (Scott) looks into her (Tessa’s) eyes. Can we?

If not, can we talk about that hug? The one before they hit the ice, the one that synchronizes their breathing and stops our hearts. Could they be any closer, hold any tighter … ? Ooh, sorry – we got distracted.

We’ve had Torvill and Dean, Sale and Pelletier, Stojko and Browning (okay, the latter, not a couple, but damn we loved them and the drama of their competition). Figure skating at the Olympic level has captured us for decades, in many ways – it’s a sport that tugs on your heart and takes your breath away. In a year when a figure-skating movie (I, Tonya) bubbled the Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan soap opera-on-ice back to the surface, it’s only fitting that the country, the world, has romanticized Virtue and Moir. We just want more … fairy tale.

Fans and celebs alike can’t get enough. Okay, we’re all gushing …

Fifty-one-year-old fan Karen says, “They are so connected and clearly love each other, maybe not romantically but there is definitely a strong bond. But I would argue they are more of a couple than most married couples. Look at the way they look at each other. Can’t fake that, there is deep feelings.”

Sarah, 57, is passionate: “You want to believe that kind of connection can exist between two people. In an interview when Scott was asked what his worst fear was, he said, ‘Letting Tessa down.’ He said he couldn’t live with that. Tell me he doesn’t adore her! I just want to see a real life fairy tale.”

Yes, mission accomplished. Record-breaking gold. They executed their goals. Spectacularly. Trained for years and years. Pain and sacrifice we can’t even imagine. But dammit, they gave us seven minutes of fantasy, joy and floating above the all familiar ice surface.

On Feb. 20, Moir (when interviewed by CBC) said of his relationship with Tessa “It’s a special relationship. That’s not going anywhere.” Actually, it’s going on tour … and we’ll be there.

We’ll be there for every whisper, every hug, every look, every technical, artistic athletic move. And as Canadians we will scream with pride; as romantics — we will maybe, just maybe … catch a glimpse of the spark that captured a nation and an Olympics.