Dube returns to skate at site of her horrifying accident

Jessica Dube said after she arrived in Colorado Springs this week, people have innocently asked her if she had ever been here before.

When she says yes, this is her second visit, she said it takes a couple of seconds before their face changes.

“After that, they remember and say, ‘Ohhhhh,’” Dube said. “I say, ‘It’s OK.’”

Dube is a Canadian pairs skater who suffered a horrific and memorable accident at the 2007 Four Continents skating event. Partner Bryce Davison’s skate hit her face as he spun at a fast speed, opening up a huge laceration. She needed surgery and more than 80 stitches.

She is back for the Four Continents event again. Anyone who saw the accident is unlikely to shake it from their memory but Dube doesn’t dwell on it, not even when she returned to World Arena. She certainly didn’t look bothered when she skated flawlessly during a midafternoon practice session on the main rink Thursday.

“The other day I was practicing on the ice, and I was trying to remember what it was like, and I didn’t remember,” Dube said. “I’ve just moved on from it.”

Her partner from that day, Davison, has a knee injury and isn’t on the trip. Neither is her coach Annie Barabe. They were there that day, and Dube said it would probably be harder on them to return than it is on her.

She said she watched the video the day after, and she thinks that helped her move on. She didn’t give a thought to quitting skating.

“I got out of the hospital and after they said my face would be fine, I wanted to skate,” Dube said. “I think it was harder for people who saw it. I’ve been fine since the day it happened.”

She did return shortly after, and admits that she had some nerves the first time she did the routine, with both partners near each other spinning in tandem on one leg with their other leg extended. There was no second accident, and that put her at ease.

The accident itself was incredibly rare. Dr. Mike Sparr has worked all the major skating competitions in Colorado Springs, including Four Continents and Skate America, since 1999. The Dube accident was the only time he has had to go on the ice. Sparr was among those happy to see Dube back and skating as well as ever.

“She’s a trooper, coming back to this ice especially,” Sparr said. “That tells you something.”

Dube will always be remembered for that accident. If people hadn’t heard of it, the scar on her face is a reminder. She said it’s barely visible with makeup, and she never notices it in the mirror anymore, but it’s there, and that’s her decision. She has been asked by doctors if she would like to get more surgery in an attempt to cover it up permanently, but she resists.

“I always tell them no,” Dube said. “If I wanted to do that, I would have done it a while ago. It’s part of me.

“It’s such a big thing that happened to me. It made me stronger and showed me what I’m capable of. I’m still here and I’m still doing it. It’s a reminder when you have a bad day, it’s not the end of the world.”

Last year Dube announced she had a new partner, Sebastien Wolfe, and they are having fast success. They finished second at the Canadian figure skating championships last month, and Dube said she is excited to compete at the Four Continents competition this week and the world championships with Wolfe later this year.

The pairs short program is Saturday at World Arena, and the free skate is Sunday. While Dube understands people are always going to ask her about the accident, especially this week back at World Arena, it doesn’t bother her.    

“I’m excited to be here,” Dube said. “I don’t see why I wouldn’t.”

Contact Frank Schwab: 476-4891

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