Can You Feel The Magic?

Their inevitable coronation finally complete, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir quickly turned their gaze toward bigger and better things.
And they were far from alone.
First, the formalities. Virtue and Moir closed the deal on their first national senior ice dance title Saturday night at Pacific Coliseum, weaving a special brand of magic that entranced the audience at the BMO Canadian figure skating championships.
With a final total of 209.09 points — including a personal best of 103.76 for their Umbrellas of Cherbourg free dance — Virtue and Moir overwhelmed the rest of the field. Last year's bronze medallists, Kaitlyn Weaver of Houston, Tex., and Andrew Poje of Waterloo, Ont., upgraded themselves to silver this time (175.61). Allie Hann-McCurdy of Orleans, Ont., and Michael Coreno of Delhi, Ont., took the bronze (173.86) and round out the team which will represent Canada at the world championships in Sweden.
Sure, Virtue and Moir are happy and proud to lay claim to their first national crown. But already, they are clearly looking beyond this latest milestone in a still very young career.
"It means a lot," said Moir, 20, of Ilderton, Ont. "It’s definitely a huge goal of ours, I don’t know if it’s sunk in yet. We’re hoping to take this momentum and use it at Four Continents and worlds, and hopefully be best in the world one day soon."
Already, that question is being asked about these two young virtuosos of ice dance. And it's not if, but when.
"I think they’re world class, really," said former world champion Shae-Lynn Bourne, who coaches Weaver and Poje. "Actually, I thought that from a young age when I first saw them in junior when they won (in 2004). I was very impressed at their poise and control then.
"But now, they’ve matured so much and for sure, they could win worlds and win Olympics. How could they not?"
Others already dare to put them in the company of legends.
"For me, it’s like (Jayne) Torvill and (Christopher) Dean," CBC analyst Tracy Wilson, a former Olympic bronze medallist said, invoking the names of the Olympic and world champion greats from Britain. "That’s how I felt watching Torvill and Dean. I’m seeing something that’s magical. That’s what I see when I watch them. And they’re kids."
Added Bourne: "They look like a magic team. They create magic on the ice, that’s what’s special. Tonight, when they stepped on the ice, they didn’t hold back and they take you into a trance and take you into their little world. And it’s beautiful, it really is."
Moir called it their best performance "emotionally" of the year, but allowed that there's still room to get better yet.
"We’ve trained hard so that every competition we do has been getting better and (we want to) use that to still climb at Four Continents and worlds," he said.
They certainly could get used to this kind of success in the city in which they hope to realize their Olympic dream.
"Any chance we have to skate here is just a bonus and we’re getting so much exposure in Vancouver, which is great," said Virtue, 18, of London, Ont. "Being in this venue, this city, it’s great. It’s nothing but a confidence booster leading up to the Olympics."