International Figure Skating December 2020

There was a collective global cheer on Oct. 1 when the International Skating Union finally posted the Grand Prix assignments for 2020. As we go to print, the Series is about to get underway with Skate America in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, due to the lengthy delay each host nation experienced organizing its event, the first two competitions will have taken place by the time this issue lands in your mailbox. But we have the final three events covered with previews and line-ups for each one. There are only five Grand Prix competitions this season. Due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Ontario in October and the government restrictions that were subsequently put in place, Skate Canada International was cancelled for the first time in history. As skaters can…

The chances of Alina Zagitova, the 2018 Olympic champion, returning to competition seem very slim at this point. On Sept. 9, she withdrew from the Russian test skates in order to focus on her new career as co-host of the reality television show “Ice Age,” produced by former World ice dance champion Ilia Averbukh. Zagitova also opted not to compete in the Cup of Russia series, which serves as the selection process for the national championships in December. I think 80 percent of Alina has decided to end her career,” said Alexander Zhulin. “It will be unrealistically difficult to fight the girls who do quads. And to be honest, why does she need all this? She has won everything.” The 18-year-old recently began her post-secondary education at Moscow’s Russian Presidential…

When all the ice rinks in Ontario, Canada, closed in March, Evgenia Medvedeva was in a quandary. With a show in Japan scheduled for the end of June, in which she had the starring role, she needed to be in shape. Concerned that international borders would close in response to the growing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, she made the decision to go to Japan in early April. But, when the rinks in Ontario slowly reopened in the early days of summer, Medvedeva found herself unable to return to Canada as the country’s borders were closed to all but essential travelers. She returned to Russia in early July and began training at the CSKA Club under the watchful eye of Elena Buianova and Tatiana Tarasova, with Brian Orser giving her…

“I just missed it so much that when I was able to go back, it kind of reignited the fire I have for the sport.” Bradie Tennell was sailing through the 2019-2020 season, enjoying the process and looking ahead to a strong finale at the World Championships. Though that plan was ultimately shelved, Tennel had a lot to be proud of, given what she had achieved throughout the season. Prior to the start of last year’s campaign, Tennell opted to skip the pre-season Challenger Series competition, — Autumn Classic International — to focus on her two Grand Prix assignments. That decision paid off at her first event, Skate America, where she captured her first silver medal on the Grand Prix circuit. A fourth-place finish at her second assignment, Skate Canada…

He won everything there was to win in his 19-year figure skating career. Now, at age 37, the Russian star has set the wheels in motion to fulfill his lifelong dream of developing a new generation of champions at his own school. Since hanging up his competitive skates in 2014, life has been a whirlwind for Russia’s Evgeni Plushenko. Throughout his career, he was always in high demand for shows and, following his departure from the competitive arena, developed a lucrative career on the show circuit. He subsequently began producing his own shows — classical exhibition galas and intricate theatre-like productions — that tour throughout Russia and Europe. Plushenko officially retired in 2017 and, after decades of competing and performing, the 37-year-old is now focused on a full-time coaching career…

The past seven months have been tough for Canadian pairs skater Lubov Ilyushechkina, who found herself adrift following the abrupt end to her pairs partnership with Charlie Bilodeau in April. Though it has taken time for her to come to terms with and recover emotionally from what transpired, Ilyushechkina is now putting the experience behind her and moving on. When Lubov Ilyushechkina left her native Russia and moved to Canada in June 2014 to partner with Dylan Moscovitch, she came with high hopes and great expectations. Though the pairs duo found moderate success on the world stages, they were never able to reach the top step of a podium at a major international in the four seasons they competed together. The partnership ended after a fourth-place finish at the 2018…