Stars on Ice dazzle at Huntington Civic Arena

HUNTINGTON - A little cranked-up Ozzy Osbourne music and 19 of the world's best figure skaters helped kick off the Smucker's Stars on Ice tour at the Huntington Civic Arena Friday night.

With speakers cranked and a couple dozen laser lights following every move, the skaters, which included five gold medal winners from the 2002 Olympics, mesmerized a crowd of more than 1,500.

Six-time U.S. men's figure skating champion and three-time Olympian Todd Eldredge turned himself into a human blender, spinning into a blur to the cymbal-smashing beat by the late, great drummer Buddy Rich's "Channel 1 Suite."

Canadian Olympic gold medal pair David Pelletier and Jamie Sale got a rousing hand with a graceful, spirited spin around the rectangular ice to the snappy sounds of "Come Fly With Me."

Many folks had been happily given tickets for Christmas.

Wilma Pyle of Charleston made the season bright for her family, including daughter, Eva Crockett, Pyle's sister, Marybeth Wolfe, and Pyle's aunts, Janet Martin and Smitty Young.

Crockett of Eleanor was on her first night out since having a child two months ago. She said it was a special girls night out for them all, but especially for Martin, 73, and Young, 74, both of whom are figure skating fans.