“The Inside Edge” is a column by Faith Bonds about figure skating.
Since quarantine began several months ago, many people have been needlessly redesigning their houses in order to avoid boredom. Some of us converted open spaces into TikTok filming studios, while others arranged and rearranged living room decor too many times to count.
Instead of focusing on home improvements, though, it seems skaters — namely, top ladies competitors — have decided to rearrange their coaching situations.
Call it quarantine boredom. Call it a need for attention.
I call it unnecessary.
Take 2018 U.S. champion Bradie Tennell, who recently announced her switch from childhood coach Denise Myers to technical junkie Tom Zakrajsek. The 22-year-old was on a solid trajectory among the international scene, currently ranking No. 2 in the International Skating Union world standings.
Tennell cited her goal of incorporating a triple axel and possibly a quadruple jump into her repertoire as the reason for her coaching change. Anyone who’s ever watched her skate, though, knows she isn’t technically challenged — if anything, she’s got work to do on presentation.
Zakrajsek’s skaters aren’t exactly known for their artistry, and it seems Tennell’s training sessions may turn into jump drills (if they weren’t already). Unless she gets hooked up with a lights-out choreographer like Lori Nichol or Sandra Bezic to increase her artistic skill, Tennell has nowhere to go but down against up-and-coming technical phenoms.
And speaking of jumping machines, two-time junior world champion Alexandra Trusova shocked the skating world with her exodus from Eteri Tutberidze’s camp three months ago. The bold competitor, who has previously performed to music from Kill Bill and Game of Thrones, decided to join forces with Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko and his skating school, the Angels of Plushenko.
Like Tennell, Trusova could use some help in the artistry department. Actually, she could use a lot of help.
In his heyday, Plushenko was known for pizazz, but never quite for classy choreography. I have a feeling he’ll pair Trusova with Russian legend Tatiana Tarasova, in which case the ideas for her programs will be grandiose, complicated and incomprehensible to everyone but the choreographer herself.
Trusova’s skating skills have little potential for actual growth, so she’ll need to train up her quads and get consistent enough to beat out Tutberidze’s ever-developing group of ladies. Which leads me to wonder: Why didn’t she just stay in the training environment where she was already succeeding?
It seems frivolous to flee a situation that was working, and careless to sever ties with a person as powerful in the skating world as Tutberidze. All potential Trusova had for medalling at the 2022 Olympics might have flown out the window as quickly as she flew out of the skating mastermind’s camp in May.
Reigning European champion and Olympic medal hopeful Aliona Kostornaia followed Trusova to the Angels of Plushenko group about a month ago. Unlike her compatriot, Kostornaia’s skating is defined by gorgeous, balletic lines and emotional performance.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all international competition in March, Kostornaia had the 2020 world title in the palm of her hand. Her combination of artistic skills, a stunning triple axel and intangible X-factor gave her all the right ingredients to be successful, regardless of her coach.
Her choice to move to Plushenko’s camp in Kislovodsk, Russia, about 350 miles east of Moscow, was a practical one: she believed Tutberidze was holding her back from endorsement opportunities. As a potential upcoming Olympic champion, the 17-year-old thought Plushenko could provide her with more sponsorships.
Whether Plushenko comes through on those deals is yet to be seen. But Kostornaia had better hope the sponsorship money is worth enduring Tutberidze’s wrath.
Kostornaia’s scores aren’t likely to suffer, nor increase by much, but Tutberidze is sure to have girls waiting in the wings to take advantage of their former training mate’s mistakes. If Kostornaia’s marquee triple axel fails her or she misses a level on a spin, Tutberidze’s slew of quad queens will be able to surmount the point deficit with ease.
While skaters play the quarantine game of hopping from coach to coach to find the elusive perfect match, fans need only wait to see whether the new coaching situations yield any better results than the original, pre-quarantine arrangements.
“The Inside Edge” typically runs every other Monday.