A Divine Sport blog

[clairecloutier]

I have a new story up about the Taschlers, their return from injury, and their coach Matteo Zanni:

The Taschlers Return from Career-Threatening Injury

Two-time Czech ice dance champions Natalie Taschlerova and Filip Taschler were excited to start their season this fall. The brother/sister team earned medals at two Challenger Series events and pla…

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Also, I have a really great set of pairs & dance photos from the Grand Prix Final, all from Robin Ritoss. If you have a few free minutes, check them out:

Grand Prix Final 2023 Photos - A divine sport

All photographs by Robin Ritoss Photography. Pairs Short Program Pairs Free Skate Rhythm Dance Free Dance

adivinesport.com

 

[clairecloutier]

I have a new story up about Alisa Efimova & Misha Mitrofanov:

Efimova/Mitrofanov: Finding the Right Fit - A divine sport

What happens when you’re an elite pairs skater, you’ve just achieved your biggest success at an ISU championship … and your partnership ends right afterward? It’s a scenario that Alisa Efimova, 24, and Misha Mitrofanov, 26, both faced over the past two years. In 2022, Mitrofanov won the ISU...

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And I'll have a couple more stories soon from U.S. Nationals.

If interested, follow on my Instagram too, because I'll have a few little things coming there as well:

Instagram

Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you're into with the people who get you.

www.instagram.com

 

[clairecloutier]

I have a new interview with Adam Siao Him Fa on my web site:

Adam Siao Him Fa: "I want to skate in a way that no one did before" - A divine sport

Adam Siao Him Fa of France talks about his history-making performance at the World Championships in Montreal, where he jumped from 19th place after the short program all the way to a World bronze medal.

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I will hopefully have a bunch more stories coming soon from Worlds (and one or two still left from U.S. Nationals--cough, cough ).

 

[clairecloutier]

I spoke with Bruno Marcotte at Worlds to get some updates on Miura/Kihara, Bombardier/Mimar, and Kam/O'Shea:

Bruno Marcotte: "It's going to be important for Miura/Kihara to push the envelope" - A divine sport

Coach Bruno Marcotte talks about his students Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara, the 2023 World champions from Japan

adivinesport.com

 

[clairecloutier]

I spoke with Flores/Desyatov at Nationals about their season:

Flores/Desyatov: A happy end to a challenging season - A divine sport

Isabella Flores and Ivan Desyatov made their international debut this season after overcoming obstacles.

adivinesport.com

 

[clairecloutier]

I have a new interview up with Lilah Fear & Lewis Gibson!

Fear/Gibson: "The crowd is part of our team" - A divine sport

Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson have risen from an improbable start to challenge for the podium at the World Championship level. Their unique rapport with audiences is key to both their success and their creative process.

bit.ly

Also, a couple weeks ago, I posted an article about Katie McBeath & Daniil Parkman:

McBeath/Parkman: "We learned a lot this season" - A divine sport

New American pairs skating team Katie McBeath & Daniil Parkman talk about competing at the 2024 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

adivinesport.com

 

[clairecloutier]

Some updates from the top U.S. skaters prior to the Summer Sizzler show:

Summer Sizzler: Season Preview for U.S. Skaters - A divine sport

Top U.S. skaters preview their season at Summer Sizzler show in Boston, MA

bit.ly

With quotes from Chock/Bates, Ilia Malinin, Jason Brown, Amber Glenn, Isabeau Levito

 

[clairecloutier]

Here is a short interview with Milania Vaananen/Filippo Clerici of Italy, who start their season this week at John Nicks in NYC.

Vaananen/Clerici: "We know we can win and compete at higher levels" - A divine sport

Milania Vaananen and Filippo Clerici, a young pairs skating team from Finland, had success in their first full season together--with more to come.

bit.ly

 

[wouldacoulda]

Here is a short interview with Milania Vaananen/Filippo Clerici of Italy, who start their season this week at John Nicks in NYC.

Vaananen/Clerici: "We know we can win and compete at higher levels" - A divine sport

Milania Vaananen and Filippo Clerici, a young pairs skating team from Finland, had success in their first full season together--with more to come.

bit.ly

Oooh! I didn’t realize it was this week! I live in CT, and am tempted to go!

 

[clairecloutier]

Ahead of Canadian Nationals this week, I have a new article about Alicia Fabbri & Paul Ayer:

Fabbri/Ayer: "We plan to turn everyone's heads" - A divine sport

Competitive ice dance is all about female and male partners creating beautiful shapes and stories together on the ice. Behind the scenes, however, the sport has struggled with issues of gendered power imbalances, and Olympic champion Gabriella Papadakis recently wrote about how female partners...

adivinesport.com

This is the first piece in what I'm hoping will be a 4-part ice dance series keyed to Canadian/U.S. Nationals!

 

[clairecloutier]

Here is #2 in my series of pre-Nationals ice dance articles!

Zingas and Kolesnik: "We're here for the long run" - A divine sport

U.S. ice dancers Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik talk about his move from Ukraine, how the war affects him, and their partnership and programs.

adivinesport.com

 

[clairecloutier]

This is #3 in my pre-Nationals ice dance series:

Bratti/Somerville Talk About Their Rollercoaster Year - A divine sport

U.S. ice dancers Emily Bratti & Ian Somerville talk about their career highlights and challenging moments in 2024.

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Hopefully I'll have one more story coming tomorrow or Thursday!

 

[clairecloutier]

And here is the last story in my pre-Natls ice dance series--it's on the Browns:

Oona & Gage Brown: "We try to find joy in whatever we're doing" - A divine sport

Oona & Gage Brown open up about how they're staying motivated to compete at the 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships, despite ongoing financial challenges.

adivinesport.com

 

[Wyliefan]

Great job!

 

[clairecloutier]

A chat with Alysa Liu:

Alysa Liu: On & Off the Ice - A divine sport

Alysa Liu, two-time U.S. National champion, recently returned to competitive figure skating after a two-year break. We chat with Alysa about her life since the Beijing Olympics, her interests and passions, and how her skating is going this season.

adivinesport.com

 

[overedge]

A chat with Alysa Liu:

Alysa Liu: On & Off the Ice - A divine sport

Alysa Liu, two-time U.S. National champion, recently returned to competitive figure skating after a two-year break. We chat with Alysa about her life since the Beijing Olympics, her interests and passions, and how her skating is going this season.

adivinesport.com

This is excellent, Claire! Thanks for posting it. It makes me very happy to read about her sounding so self-assured and in control of her skating.

 

[clairecloutier]

This is just a short interview, but Hannah Lim & Ye Quan talk here about their decision to represent South Korea and what it meant for Ye in terms of seeking citizenship:

Lim/Quan Talk About Citizenship Journey - A divine sport

Ice dancers Hannah Lim and Ye Quan have represented South Korea for three seasons now, and Lim has South Korean citizenship through her parents. But this week’s ISU Four Continents marks the first time Quan will compete internationally as a citizen of South Korea. It seems particularly fitting...

adivinesport.com

 

[clairecloutier]

Here's an article about Smart/Dieck and their experience at Worlds:

"The goal was top 10. A small medal in the free dance? No, we didn't expect that."

Smart/Dieck Surprise with Breakout Season - A divine sport

“We learned a big lesson this year: Material matters,” Olivia Smart said in the mixed zone at the 2025 ISU World Championships in Boston, MA. “No matter the skate, no matter what you do on that day, the material and the program you present have got to be strong. It truly makes such a difference...

adivinesport.com

 

[Lanie]

As always love your articles @clairecloutier !

 

[clairecloutier]

An interview with Pereira/Michaud:

Pereira/Michaud: "We're hungry for more" - A divine sport

Figure skaters Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud look to claim a spot on Canada's team for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

adivinesport.com

 

[clairecloutier]

A new article about Green & Parsons:

Green/Parsons Lean Into Creativity - A divine sport

Last week’s Champs Camp had a different–and positive–vibe for Caroline Green and Michael Parsons, compared to other recent training camps. For the first time in several years, the duo are starting this season feeling ready, prepared, and, most important, healthy. Green and Parsons, who train at...

adivinesport.com

 

[clairecloutier]

An interview with Lopareva/Brissaud, from Worlds in March:

Lopareva/Brissaud: Finding Their Voice on the Ice - A divine sport

French ice dancers Evgenia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud look to reach the top level of their sport and make the French Olympic team.

adivinesport.com

 

[clairecloutier]

A short season preview:

Top 10 Storylines for the Season - A divine sport

The ISU Grand Prix series officially starts this weekend at the Grand Prix de France in Angers. Skating fans have already seen many top competitors at Challenger Series events, but now things will start to get serious. We are now less than 4 months away from the 2026 Winter Olympics in...

adivinesport.com

 

[clairecloutier]

So I was not able to attend Skate America myself this year. However, I had reporter Victoria Burdman and photographer Moment of Jay there to cover the competition in Lake Placid! Victoria has covered figure skating for outlets such as sports.ru and Figure Skaters Online. Here are some links to her articles, including an interview with Metelkina/Berulava published today, and Jay's photos. Note: To scroll through the photos easily, click on the first photo in each section, then click the arrow at the right.

We'll also have a short piece on Mikhail Shaidorov next week.

Victoria's interview with Metelkina/Berulava:

Metelkina/Berulava: Not afraid of Olympic pressure - A divine sport

Pairs skaters Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava look forward to their first Olympics together, competing for Georgia. Reporter Victoria Burdman spoke with the duo at Skate America to learn more about their mindset and preparations for the Olympic season.

adivinesport.com

Victoria's recap of Skate America as a whole: https://adivinesport.com/2025/11/20/2025-skate-america-the-many-faces-of-success/

Jay's photos (some stunning images IMO): https://adivinesport.com/2025-skate-america-photos/

 

[clairecloutier]

As promised, here is our short interview with Mikhail Shaidorov, written by Victoria Burdman.

Mikhail Shaidorov: "I want to do five quads in the free program" - A divine sport

2025 World silver medalist Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan is looking to upgrade his technical content this season, as he prepares for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic Games.

adivinesport.com

 

[clairecloutier]

Some new content on A Divine Sport:

Stars on Ice review / Full photo gallery

New article on Lara Naki Gutmann

 

[clairecloutier]

An interview with Amber Glenn from Worlds:

Amber Glenn Speaks Her Mind - A divine sport

Olympic team gold medalist Amber Glenn shares her views on issues affecting Olympic sports.

adivinesport.com

 

[BittyBug]

Thanks for another thoughtful interview @clairecloutier.

 

[clairecloutier]

I have a new article about the Israeli ice dance team Shira Ichilov/Misha Nosovytskyi:

Ichilov/Nosovytskyi: "We are stronger together" - A divine sport

In March, Israeli ice dancers Shira Ichilov and Mikhail Nosovytskyi placed 30th in the rhythm dance at the ISU 2026 World Figure Skating Championships. When the duo reached the mixed zone in Prague, they already knew they would not qualify for the free program. Yet Ichilov and Nosovytskyi were...

adivinesport.com

It was fun talking with these two at Worlds. I have to thank @TAHbKA for translating a bit of their mixed zone interview for me (and doing an amazing job). @Andrey aka Pushkin was also there to speak with the team for Israeli press.

I have to mention one thing with regard to Misha's name. It is spelled "Novositskiy" in the ISU system, but he spells it "Novosytskyi" on his Instagram, so I felt like I should go with the latter. Maybe because of this confusion, I have struggled more with the correct spelling of his name than anyone else's that I can think of! So if I misspelled his name anywhere in the article, someone please let me know and I will correct.

 

[Sylvia]

I have to mention one thing with regard to Misha's name. It is spelled "Novositskiy" in the ISU system

From what I was told a while ago, the ISU uses the spelling that's on the skaters' passports.