The Skating Club of Boston was a somber place on Thursday morning, with the ice rink sitting unused and pristine. The tragic loss of six individuals connected to the club in a recent plane crash had left a void in the normally bustling facility. Skater Jinna Han, her mother Jin Han, Spencer Lane, his mother Christine Lane, and coaches Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were all returning from a national development camp in Wichita, Kan., when their flight crashed near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The club, which is set to host the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships at Boston’s TD Garden, was usually a hive of activity, preparing for upcoming competitions. However, on this particular day, it was a place for members of the skating community to come together, share stories, and offer support to one another. Olympic champion Tenley Albright and silver medalist Nancy Kerrigan, both products of the Boston area skating scene, were among those in attendance, reminiscing about their own experiences at the club.
Patrick Blackwell, a bronze medalist at the recent U.S. Junior Figure Skating Championships, was there to remember his friend Spencer Lane. He described Lane as caring, kind, and always eager to share his skating achievements with others. The sense of loss and heartbreak permeated the club, as members tried to come to terms with the tragedy that had befallen their community.
The Skating Club of Boston has a long history, dating back to 1912 when it was based in Boston’s Brighton neighborhood. The club has faced tragedy before, notably in 1961 when the entire U.S. figure skating team was killed in a plane crash in Belgium on their way to the world championships in Prague. Ten members of that delegation were from The Skating Club of Boston, and a plaque in their memory was placed in the club’s facility.
The parallels between the two tragedies were not lost on the club’s members. Paul George, a longtime member, reflected on the impact of both events on the skating community and how they had come together to support one another in the face of adversity. Ann Buckley, the club’s president, emphasized the values of perseverance and resilience that have guided the club through difficult times in the past.
As the day wore on, young skaters continued to arrive at the club, seeking solace and comfort in the familiar surroundings. Despite their grief, they knew that they would eventually return to the ice, as skating was not just a hobby but a passion and a way of life for many of them. The spirit of unity and resilience that had sustained the club through previous tragedies would once again carry them through this dark time.
The sheet of ice at the Tenley E. Albright Performance Center remained unused, a poignant reminder of the lives lost in the crash. But as the young skaters gathered in the hallway, hugging and crying together, there was a sense of solidarity and determination to carry on in the face of adversity. The Skating Club of Boston would mourn its losses, but it would also remember the strength and resilience that had always defined its community.
