Zoueva to Move International Skating Academy to Estero, FL

[sk9tingfan]

Zoueva will be moving her entire academy to Estero, Florida which is near Fort Myers with a 7,100+ seat arena and two smaller ice surfaces on February 25 per USFSA.

https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/...-relocates-international-skating-academy.aspx

 

[Sylvia]

Last sentence in the article reads: "Joining Zoueva on her staff of coaches will be Johnny Johns, Ilya Tkachenko and Alper Ucar; Massimo Scali and Oleg Epstein will serve as part-time coaches."

ETA that Epstein explained why he is not moving full-time to Florida in this translated interview that took place during the GP Final: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/vaytsekhovskayas-interview-with-epstein.104900/

 

[Dobre]

"Joining Zoueva on her staff of coaches will be Johnny Johns, Ilya Tkachenko and Alper Ucar; Massimo Scali and Oleg Epstein will serve as part-time coaches."

Oh, it's nice to hear that Tkachenko is coaching.

And that Marina & Scali will still be working together in some form. I wonder if she might also help with choreography for any of the teams that he helps build.

 

[kirkbiggestfan]

Good for her. Who is she currently coaching?

 

[Spun Silver]

Her new approach sounds innovative and I can see it being very appealing to athletes. Young ones in particular might be induced to stay in skating when it is combined with sun, biking and kayaking! Whether it will actually make the skating stronger ... what do you guys think?

Plus, I can't wait to see Alper Ucar at the boards!

 

[overedge]

Her new approach sounds innovative and I can see it being very appealing to athletes.

Also appealing to coaches who are tired of living in cold places with long winters

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

I don't know about figure skating in Florida, but hockey is huge in Tampa. I was kind of shocked when I visited. A lot of kids play hockey there, and their pro team is hugely supported.

 

[laviemn]

Good for her. Who is she currently coaching?

Allison Reed & Saulius Ambrulevičius, as far as being seen in the KnC this season.

 

[Debbie S]

She also has the Purnells (USA Junior team that will compete at Nats) and Karen Chen's brother, Jeffrey, is with her, looking for a partner. Based on IG pics, it looks like Logan Bye is still training in her group, I assume looking for a partner.

Tim McKernan coached in her group in Canton but it doesn't sound like he's making the move to FL. I wonder if he will stay in MI or move somewhere else.

 

[vesperholly]

I don't know about figure skating in Florida, but hockey is huge in Tampa. I was kind of shocked when I visited. A lot of kids play hockey there, and their pro team is hugely supported.

I wonder if that is because of a lot of Northeastern expats who moved there.

 

[liv]

Having the current top team in the NHL probably doesn't hurt... winning brings fans... and there are tons of Canadian snowbirds around there too....

 

[VGThuy]

I'm interested to see if the Shibs announce they're moving to Florida. If so, that'll tell us if they plan on continuing. If not, then either they really are retiring (or not coming back till season before the Olympics a la V/M) despite what Maia said in the latter half of last year about continuing to 2022 or they are being coached elsewhere (which will also be exciting).

 

[aftershocks]

https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/...-relocates-international-skating-academy.aspx

Sounds interesting:
"In addition to the International Skating Academy's existing staff and programming, which includes strength training, ballet, ballroom and modern dance, Zoueva will use the area's resources to incorporate elements of tennis, soccer, biking and kayaking into her training program, all of which she hopes will work together to create more well-rounded athletes."

 

[Willin]

Interesting to see this right on the heels of Robin Szolkowy announcing a pair's training program in LA. Rafael Artunyan has also mentioned an intention to do something similar for singles skaters. I wonder if USFSA is trying this out for some of the disciplines?

 

[RoseRed]

I'm interested to see if the Shibs announce they're moving to Florida. If so, that'll tell us if they plan on continuing. If not, then either they really are retiring (or not coming back till season before the Olympics a la V/M) despite what Maia said in the latter half of last year about continuing to 2022 or they are being coached elsewhere (which will also be exciting).

If this were to occur (though I don't consider it the most likely outcome), Igor and Pasquale would seem like the most obvious choice (though of course there would be other options).

 

[aftershocks]

Interesting to see this right on the heels of Robin Szolkowy announcing a pair's training program in LA. Rafael Artunyan has also mentioned an intention to do something similar for singles skaters. I wonder if USFSA is trying this out for some of the disciplines?

Check the article links about the Szolkowy announcement in U.S. Pairs thread. It's already been mentioned that Raf Arutunian is relocating his training site to the same state-of-the-art rink (Great Parks Ice Rink, in Irvine, CA) as Meno/Sand/Szolkowy:
https://www.ifsmagazine.com/robin-szolkowy-joins-california-coaching-team/
https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/u-s-pairs-2018-19-season-news-updates-part-ix.104932/page-3

 

[Sylvia]

Fort Myers-Naples TV news report about Marina Zoueva's academy ("20 skaters from 5 different countries..."): Former Olympic skaters bring ice dance academy to SWFL, gear up for performance Sunday
Ilya Tkachenko is also interviewed on camera.

ETA - just noticed that there are 2 other news video reports by the same reporter (click on the photos below the screen at top).

 

[Spun Silver]

Fort Myers-Naples TV news report about Marina Zoueva's academy ("20 skaters from 5 different countries..."): https://www.fox4now.com/news/local-...at-hertz-arena-gear-up-for-performance-sunday
Ilya Tkachenko is also interviewed on camera.

Four time Olympic champion Marina Zoueva? Gotta love the media. But it's nice to see a coach stressing skaters' health and happiness. Anyone recognize any of the skaters (esp the dance team with the girl with long platinum hair)?

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ Maybe Nicole Kelly? She and Berk Akalin represent Turkey at the senior level - she is quoted in this January 2019 article: https://www.naplesnews.com/story/ne...arina-zoueva-moves-academy-estero/2676728002/

ETA:

@Spun Silver, if you are referring to the "girl with long platinum hair" in the second video that played for me, she is only identified as being from Bulgaria (didn't catch her first name). Her partner is Dane Ayers, who competed in Intermediate Dance at 2018 U.S. Nationals.

 

[Sylvia]

International Skating Academy's website is updated following Zoueva's move to Florida - here's their latest blog post (March 26, 2019): http://internationalskatingacademy.com/ice-academy/

 

[twizzletoes76]

Gosh, now that Marina has officially left the Canton, MI rink, I wonder if the directors there regret firing Igor? I mean, who is left training there now? I imagine a financial loss for rink owners/management—poor them!

 

[Bob Mc]

International Skating Academy's website is updated following Zoueva's move to Florida - here's their latest blog post (March 26, 2019): http://internationalskatingacademy.com/ice-academy/

FYI- Joshua Santillan and Jessica Pfund will be doing some supplemental training with Marina Zoueva and Johnny Johns once or twice a month. They are coached by Lyndon Johnston in Ellenton, FL.

 

[hanca]

Gosh, now that Marina has officially left the Canton, MI rink, I wonder if the directors there regret firing Igor? I mean, who is left training there now? I imagine a financial loss for rink owners/management—poor them!

Poor them? Serves them right. I would call it karma.

 

[barbarafan]

Poor them? Serves them right. I would call it karma.

except it was done to please Marina and off she goes without a scratch. Shibs parents are part owners. Maybe Shibs will starta school there.

 

[hanca]

except it was done to please Marina and off she goes without a scratch. Shibs parents are part owners. Maybe Shibs will starta school there.

They were unfair towards Spilband, so now they will lose money. That’s called consequences. I know it sucks that Zueva is not affected on this occasion, but she she will get her bit. Karma is a bitch.

 

[twizzletoes76]

Yes, Hanca, agreed. The firing was unfair and done for questionable reasons. My comment above was meant to be slightly ironic/facetious—I have no pity for the rink owners in Canton—I merely wanted to bring up a point that I saw no one had mentioned yet in regards to how now that rink would be left without any elite training school.

 

[hanca]

Yes, Hanca, agreed. The firing was unfair and done for questionable reasons. My comment above was meant to be slightly ironic/facetious—I have no pity for the rink owners in Canton—I merely wanted to bring up a point that I saw no one had mentioned yet in regards to how now that rink would be left without any elite training school.

Don’t worry, even if no one mentioned it, I am sure some posters though about it. I did, for example. (I just thought it would sound too bitchy to write it. It sounded to me like gloating.)

 

[Lara111]

They were unfair towards Spilband, so now they will lose money. That’s called consequences. I know it sucks that Zueva is not affected on this occasion, but she she will get her bit. Karma is a bitch.

What has happened there? Why was he fired?

 

[mollymgr]

What has happened there? Why was he fired?

Igor and Marina, who ran Canton's Arctic Edge Ice Arena (the former Montreal of Ice Dance ) had a falling out. All the skaters went on vacation after the 2012 season and came back to Igor being fired by rink management. I can't find the Detroit Free Press article anymore but it was one of the most discussed topics on FSU. It was all mysterious and sudden and there is an element of Marina not being the innocent one in this whole ordeal.
http://www.espn.com/olympics/figure...s-dismissed-igor-shpilband-ice-dance-director
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/spo...moir-caught-in-coaching-split/article4255940/
Igor went on to start his own camp in Novi MI and that's his current base. Several teams from Arctic went with him whereas others stayed with Marina. IMO, the split was the beginning of the end of Canton's reign over ice dance.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

If Igor and Marina had stayed together, they might both be moving to Florida now anyway. Everyone has enough of those Michigan winters eventually.