Canada’s most beloved ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir have announced they are officially retiring from skating.
The duo made the announcement last night via a video uploaded to their separate Twitter accounts while the world was sleeping.
“After 22 years, it feels like the right time to step away from the sport,” Virtue said. “This is so personal and emotional for both of us. We’re just so grateful. How lucky are we really that we got to share all of this together and with all of you?”
That’s right, after 5 Olympic gold medals, 3 Olympic appearances, 3 world championships, 19 broken records, and 22 years of skating together, the ice dancing pair is parting ways. For fans of the Olympics and fans of the couple’s rumored romance alike, Virtue and Moir’s news truly marks the end of an era.
Everyone under the sun remembers the iconic moment during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics when the Canadian ice dancers captured everyone’s hearts with their intensely passionate dance to Moulin Rouge! And if you remember the pair’s performances from years before, you’d recognize them for being so in sync that everyone assumed and prayed that they’d become a romantic pair instead of just coworkers.
That’s why the news of Virtue and Moir’s retirement has devastated so many. So many people hoped that one day, we would see the skating pair get the fairytale ending we wished they had.
Twitter didn’t waste any time reacting:
To be honest, I feel like the Internet is collectively going through a bad breakup that none of us saw coming. We’ve invested ourselves in the ice dancers since the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and just can’t stop loving them now!
Virtue and Moir shared a passion and chemistry like no other, despite their personal differences.
But throughout the rumors and difficulties they faced, they always shared the same vision and tremendous respect for each other. The skating pair celebrated both personal and professional milestones together, including becoming the most decorated skaters in the world.
Additionally, Virtue and Moir’s chemistry seemed so pure to viewers who tuned in to watch them skate.
It was as though for the 3-minute performances we were all at peace. The pair captivated everyone naturally. We all rooted for them, swooned over them, and adored them.
Many outside the Canadian border are just as confused about this news as us Canucks. A lot of people are speculating that the ice dancers’ retirement is a result of Scott Moir’s new engagement (and no, it’s not to Tessa). Maybe Moir feels that it’s disrespectful to be so intimate with someone while his partner is watching and hearing comments from crowds of fans. Or maybe the pair’s bodies just knew that it was time to move on.
Truthfully I feel like Virtue and Moir will take their time apart and enjoy some downtime for a bit, mainly because they’ve been extremely busy for their whole adult lives. However, I strongly feel like they will become coaches together one day and maybe even shape the future for the next generation of ice dancers. Only time will tell, though.
But if you’re a fan the power couple, don’t worry. They’re still preparing for a Canada-wide Rock the Rink tour that begins in Abbotsford, B.C., on Oct. 5 and ends in St. John’s, Newfoundland on Nov. 23.
Thank you to Tessa and Scott, who made us believe in love, showcased beautiful talent, and brought us along for the ride. Watching them grow has also been a joy. I wish them both all the best in the future, and by “best,” I mean that I hope they find thier way back to each other. Tessa and Scott deserve to be in each other’s lives forever.
Featured Photo via wikimedia commons
