Alaskan Ernie Barker, one of the first to compete in the figure skating finals this week, summed it up best when he hit the ice Friday with a shout: "This is great!"

Organizers would second that. All week, the Tesoro Sports Centre has been filled with spectators -- so many that some were asked to wait at the door until others had left. "I was anticipating large crowds, but nothing like this," said facility manager Mitch Kean. The venue welcomed crowds of 4,500 to 5,000 a day, about twice as many as expected.

The draw? A mix of music, butterfly-bright costumes and sport -- and the sense that there was victory behind the performance of every athlete, whose moves spoke eloquently of bravery, grace and skill.

Among the crowd-pleasers Saturday, the last day of competition, was the first-place program of Julie Stanhope and Alexander Morrison of Nova Scotia, Canada, competing in level I pairs free skating. Decked out in bright turquoise outfits -- the color of Stanhope's birthstone -- the two performed a fast-paced performance full of tricks.

First a lift, then a spin, a stroke, a bunny hop, a crosscut, a drag, a forward spiral, a shoot-the-duck. The crowd clapped in time to the country music backing the couple, whose every move brought a rousing cheer.

Stanhope, 31, who has a pixie-like frame and firecracker personality, has been skating for 12 years. By contrast, 30-year-old Morrison -- who has won two silver medals in summer events -- put on his first pair of skates just two years ago.

Morrison, diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 15, says figure skating and other activities help him keep his mind focused and get him through what can be a difficult illness. Part of the condition involves hearing voices and music that isn't there. But Morrison has found a way to turn those symptoms to his advantage. When he hears songs, he skates to them.

"It's taught me to keep a good beat," he said with a smile.

Later, on the winners platform, Stanhope mugged for the cameras, curtseying with vigor as Morrison held her hand.

Another gem: The moment in Alicia Zeitz and Nicholas Zmuda's swing music number (part of level II pairs free skating) when Zeitz -- the taller of the two -- lifted her male partner into the air. The unexpected switch brought chuckles and cheers.

Off the ice, Zeitz, 17, and Zmuda, 19, of Buffalo, N.Y., explained their inspiration for the move. They had been working on the lift, said the 5-foot Zmuda, when they realized it just wasn't going to work with him lifting his 5-foot-5 partner. So they switched roles.

The bronze-winning routine was the result of many hours of practice. The two practiced three times a week, after school, nights and on vacation to prepare. "We wound up missing school dances and parties," Zeitz said. Zeitz, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is in her ninth year of Special Olympics. Zmuda, who has Williams Syndrome, a rare genetic condition, is in his sixth.

At the Games Saturday, Zmuda seemed confident and exuberant, an athlete in his element. When the two learned they had placed with a bronze, Zmuda was thrilled. "Oh my God, I'm shocked right now," he said, a smile on his face.

Spectators added to the atmosphere by contributing their own enthusiasm. The occasional falls were greeted by cheers, not moans, and gifts rained on the ice.

Andrea Koerner and Mike Roth of Germany had just finished their routine in the Level I pairs free skating competition when they were showered by stuffed animals and roses.

Volunteers usually collect these for the skaters. But these gifts just kept coming, and Roth and Koerner insisted on showing their gratitude in person.

The tall couple skated around and around, plucking up gifts, and thanking the crowd with waves. They took a long lap, as if drinking in the cheers, and the crowd obliged them with more.

Anchorage resident Anne Hancock brought her daughters, Kari, 5, and Brittany, 8, to see the event. It was their first choice of Special Olympics events, they said, and they were glad they had come.

"I'm amazed," said Hancock. "The skaters were unbelievable. Even if I practiced really hard I wouldn't be able to do the stuff they did."

"The enthusiasm and involvement of the spectators is just fantastic," volunteer Kean said Saturday. And he wasn't immune. "I come in here and I just smile all day long," he said. "It's the best."

Reporter Sonya Senkowsky can be reached at ssenkowsky@adn.com.