THE CANADIAN PRESS
GOTEBORG, Sweden — Ice dancers Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje overcame great odds just to make it to the world figure skating championships, so sitting 20th among 31 couples after the compulsory dance Tuesday was just fine by them.
"We had a little extra feeling and emotion, which is great, and to get a personal best on this dance is fantastic," Weaver said.
They finished 20th at the 2007 world championships at the end of their first season together and hope to move up in the rankings this week. One month ago, they wondered if they’d get the chance to make the trip after Weaver fell out of a lift and tore the medial collateral ligament in her left knee during a practice at the Four Continents competition in South Korea.
"Ever since that competition I’ve been in rehab and physio," said Weaver, who is from Texas and moved north to team with Poje, of Waterloo, Ont., in August 2006. "Thank goodness I had a great physiotherapist to work with me twice a day since Four Continents."
She was off ice for the first week following the accident, and she could only practise an hour a day up until 10 days ago. Such injuries normally keep athletes out of competition for four to six weeks.
"I’m just very blessed to be able to be a fast healer, and to be surrounded by such great physiotherapists," said Weaver. "I wasn’t able to walk for the first week.
"I was hobbling around but I tried to think positive because positive thinking really helps your body heal. I did everything I could 24-7."
The knee doesn’t bother her now, she said..
"It’s back to 100 per cent. There’s no limitation."
Shae-Lynn Bourne, the 2003 world ice dancing champion with Victor Kraatz in 2003, has been coaching them in Toronto, and Bourne practised with Poje during Weaver’s downtime.
"I learned little nuances to use with Kaitlyn," said Poje.
"It made it easier for me to slot right in," said Weaver. "I was a little bit nervous being compared to Shae-Lynn the first day back."
.The original dance is Thursday and the free dance is Friday.