EVGENIA MEDVEDEVA MOVES TO CANADIAN COACH ALJONA SAVCHENKO KAETLYN BRUNO OSMOND MASSOT TURN TO A DREAM COACHING SEASON MADISON CHOCK & SANDRA EVAN BATES GO NORTH BEZIC OF THE REFLECTS BORDER ON HER CREATIVE CAREER Happy family: Maxim Trankov and Tatiana Volosozhar posed for a series of family photos with their 1-year-old daughter, Angelica. Photo: Courtesy Sergey Bermeniev Adam Rippon and his partner Jena Johnson hoisted their Mirrorball Trophies after winning “Dancing with the Stars: Athlete’s Edition” in May. Photo: Courtesy Rogers Media/CityTV Contents 24 Features VOLUME 23 | ISSUE 4 | AUGUST 2018 EVGENIA MEDVEDEVA 6 Feeling Confident and Free MADISON CHOCK 10 & EVAN BATES Olympic Redemption A CREATIVE MIND 14 Canadian Choreographer Sandra Bezic Reflects on Her Illustrious Career DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS 22 Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot Turn to Coaching ON THE KAETLYN OSMOND COVER Ê 24 Celebrates a Dream Season OLYMPIC INDUCTIONS 34 Champions of the Past Headed to Hall of Fame EVOLVING ICE DANCE HUBS 38 Montréal Now the Hot Spot in the Ice Dance World THE JUNIOR CONNECTION 40 Ted Barton on the Growth and Evolution of the Junior Grand Prix Series Kaetlyn Osmond Departments 4 FROM THE EDITOR 44 FASHION SCORE All About the Men 30 INNER LOOP Around the Globe 46 TRANSITIONS Retirements and 42 RISING STARS Coaching Changes NetGen Ready to Make a Splash 48 QUICKSTEPS COVER PHOTO: SUSAN D. RUSSELL 2 IFSMAGAZINE.COM AUGUST 2018 Gabriella Papadakis drew the starting orders for the seeded men at the French Open tennis tournament, and had the opportunity to meet one of her idols, Rafael Nadal. Photo: Courtesy Gabriella Papadakis Skating Into Summer his of-season has had a lot of interesting twists thus far. hough Two proposals were rejected on Day 1, which gave rise to some many of the retirements that have been announced were expected, interesting debates. some of the coaching changes and pairs and ice dance partnership he proposal to raise the age limit for senior competitions was splits were unexpected. rejected, as was forbidding high ranking federation oicials from he coaching change that took most by surprise was that of acting as judges, referees, controllers, etc. at ISU competitions. Evgenia Medvedeva, who is now training in Toronto. We spoke Another proposal — submitted by Japan — was that only one to Brian Orser about taking on the Russian star and have reported jump in the second half of the short program and the last two jump in this issue on how this change came about. elements (single or in combination) in the second half of the long As we go to print, the International Skating Union (ISU) is in program would receive a bonus. It was accepted. I know this will the midst of its 2018 Congress in Seville, Spain. For the irst time come as good news to many of you, as the amendment should ensure in history, the ISU live-streamed many of the meetings for all programs are more balanced. Back loading will not have the impact disciplines under its umbrella. I have found it very interesting to on scores as it did last season, so there will be little or no reason for watch, listen and learn. programs to be designed that way. We will have a full report on he ISU is committed to promoting skating in developing the important changes in the next issue of IFS. countries and when a judge from a small nation asked how judges he Junior Grand Prix Series gets underway in late August. We in her country were supposed to get the experience to judge high- spoke to Ted Barton — the ISU commentator for the seven events level international events, ISU vice president Alexander Lakernik — about his experiences over the past four years and how skating simply said, “develop skating in your country. here is no other way.” has evolved on the junior circuit. hat puts the onus directly on the country, which is where it he schedules for this Series, the Challenger Series and the senior should be. Australia and Spain have been two of the standouts in Grand Prix Series are listed on the inside back cover of this issue. that regard, developing programs, hosting seminars and sending skaters and teams to international competitions to gain experience Susan D. Russell, and improve. Publisher PUBLISHER Susan D. Russell [email protected] NORTH AMERICAN EDITOR Robert Brodie EUROPEAN EDITOR Tatjana Flade DESIGNED BY Laurea Media EDITORIAL Elina Paasonen, Akiko Tamura, Elvin Walker PHOTOGRAPHY Vicki S. Luy, Elina Paasonen, Flavio Valle INTERN Brooklee Han ADVERTISING/SALES [email protected] CORPORATE OFFICE International Figure Skating/Laurea Media 270 Queens Quay West, Suite 1301, Toronto, ON M5J 2N4 Please include your name, mailing and e-mail addresses and a telephone number in all correspondence to International Figure Skating. SUBSCRIPTIONS (U.S./Canada) 844-357-2044 International: 973-627-5162 WEBSITE www.ifsmagazine.com International Figure Skating is published bimonthly by Laurea Media, 270 Queens Quay West, Suite 1301, Toronto, ON M5J 2N4. One-year subscriptions: US$29.99, Canada US$34.99, International US$49.99. Subscribers should allow 1 to 2 weeks for change of address to become effective. POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to: International Figure Skating, PO Box 3000, Denville, NJ, 07834 USA. Subscriptions ordered are nonrefundable unless otherwise promoted. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings and photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. All rights to letters sent to International Figure Skating will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as subject to unrestricted right to edit and to comment editorially. Requests for permission to reprint should be sent to the publisher. The title International Figure Skating is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Contents copyright © 2017 by Laurea Media. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Printed in U.S.A. CPC PUB #0913103. 4 IFSMAGAZINE.COM AUGUST 2018 Former Finnish champion Kiira Korpi, 29, married Arthur Borges Seppälä, 33, in a romantic outdoor setting at the Villa Balbianello in Como, Italy, on April 30. Guests included Valentina Marchei and Laura Lepistö. The newlyweds honeymooned in Cambodia. Photo: Courtesy Kiira Korpi EVGENIA MEDVEDEVA FEELING CONFIDENT & FREE BY TATJANA FLADE & SUSAN D. RUSSELL At the end of an Olympic season, coaching changes, partner splits and retirements VCMGRNCEGKPVJGYQTNFQHƂIWTGUMCVKPI (GYJQYGXGTECRVWTGINQDCNCVVGPVKQP hough coaching changes are the decision, it is true. I am changing coaches “I remember how I came when I was norm at the end of any season, and my new coach is Brian Orser,” very young. Sometimes it was hard, but Tfew make headlines around Medvedeva said. they coached, educated, and supported me the world. “I want to perfect myself and try new and, when necessary, pushed me. I grew One, however, which captured global methods of training. Probably my new up under the eyes of Eteri Georgievna. media attention was that of two-time life is starting today. I will do everything She has had an inestimable input into my World champion and reigning Olympic possible to improve.” development, not only as an athlete but as silver medalist, Evgenia Medvedeva. When asked about switching national a personality. I learned many life lessons In early May, while she was on vacation, allegiances, Medvedeva responded “this from her that I will remember my whole a Russian television network aired an is nonsense. With my training base in life. I spent my childhood at the Crystal ice unconirmed report that she was leaving Canada I have to change my residence, rink, and I will remember the time of hard her longtime coach, Eteri Tutberidze — but I don’t plan to change my citizenship. but fruitful work with gratitude. a rumor that had surfaced weeks earlier I will continue to represent the Russian “I hope that as time passes everyone will in skating circles, but which Medvedeva federation and remain with the Sambo 70 understand that this was the only possible denied at the time. School while training under Brian. I am option for both of us in order to continue he news exploded like a bombshell doing this in order to try new opportunities to work honestly.” in Russia. and other methods of training. I will hen came the speculation and rumors continue to represent Russia at the READING THE SIGNS that not only was Medvedeva moving to highest level.” Many wondered what had broken down Canada to train with Brian Orser, but that In a statement released by the Russian or stopped working in the dream team of she would no longer represent Russia — skating federation, Medvedeva thanked Medvedeva and Tutberidze. instead, perhaps another country such as Tutberidze and her coaching staf for “11 But, parting ways with her coach Armenia, the homeland of her father. valuable years of my life; long, fruitful seemed very likely following Medvedeva’s On May 7, Medvedeva returned from and sometimes very diicult work; for the second-place inish at the 2018 Olympic vacation and went directly from the airport huge patience they showed me, and the Winter Games. to the oices of the Russian Figure Skating incredible professional coaching exposure. After sufering a stress fracture in her Federation to oicially conirm she would hese people gave me a life in igure skating foot last fall, she had continued to train be training with Orser. and led me to the high-level results that I and compete. She won both her Grand Prix “As difficult as it was to make this rightfully can be proud of.