The Future of Figure Skating

00:55:56

Magdalena Tascher: Growing Skating in Poland

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2026/09/28

Magdalena Tascher is the president of the Polish Figure Skating federation, and also commentates for Eurosport. You might have seen her in Team Poland’s box during the Olympics waving a pierogi plushie! In this conversation, we got into the challenges of growing figure skating’s popularity in Poland, which of the ISU’s proposals might help that goal, and the importance of maintaining joy as a part of the sport. YouTube: https://youtu.be/pb1JX8447yMTranscript:

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00:56:13

Philip Hersh: Can rule changes make skating popular...

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2026/09/14

Philip Hersh spent 28 years as Olympic sports writer for the Chicago Tribune and has gone on to write about the Olympics and figure skating for Ice Network and NBC Olympics. He has covered 21 Olympics, 13 winter and 8 summer, as well as 38 US figure skating championships, 21 world championships, and many other competitions in Olympic sports. Recently, Phil has been writing about the changes that the ISU has been proposing for the coming seasons, and the opposition from federations and many athletes

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01:04:49

Eri Lee: Scholarship, Coaching and "Liberating Skating"

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2026/09/07

K Eri Lee is a Ph.D. student in Feminist Studies with a focus on elite, national-team sport and the Asian diaspora. They are also a figure skating coach and former US national team synchronized skater with the Haydenettes. You might also know Eri through their fabulously informative instagram account, @LiberatingSkating. Eri works to build sporting worlds where everyone, regardless of where they come from or who they are, can experience the joy of movement and community. We had a wide-ranging

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00:53:38

Sabrina Snoad & The Future of Synchro

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2026/08/17

It’s an exciting time for synchronized skating, with the news in July that the sport - or at least the Synchro 9 variation - will be added to the 2030 Olympics. To talk about all things synchro, my guest today is Sabrina Snoad, co-host of the Synchro Skaters Club podcast. She joined me for an episode that is one part “Synchro 101” (for this figure skating fan), and one part a discussion of the future of the sport, and the changes, good and bad, that being in the Olympics could bring. Transcript:

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00:09:20

ISU President Jae Youl Kim

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2026/06/15

Jae Youl Kim was reelected as president of the International Skating Union at the federation's Congress which wrapped up Friday in Tenerife, Spain. In this exclusive interview, he talks about athlete compensation and the comments by IOC President Kirsty Coventry, as well as how the ISU leadership will try to communicate better and avoid misunderstandings with athletes and coaches when changes are introduced. Transcript:

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00:32:33

ISU Candidates 2026 - Tatsuro Matsumura

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2026/06/08

Tatsuro Matsumura is a current member of the ISU Council, having served in that role since 2018. He was a competitive ice dancer and coach, before working with the Japanese Skating Federation and Japanese Olympic Committee. The International Skating Union's Congress is being held from June 10th through 12th, and at this meeting, member federations of the ISU will vote on office holders, including the President, the Vice Presidents, the Council, and members of the various committees that help to

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00:24:34

ISU Candidates 2026 - Jimmy Stryhn Meyer

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2026/06/03

Jimmy Stryhn Meyer is a candidate for the ISU Council. He is the president of the Luxembourg Figure Skating Federation, and is also president of the Staff Committee at the European Court of Justice. The International Skating Union's Congress is being held from June 10th through 12th, and at this meeting, member federations of the ISU will vote on office holders, including the President, the Vice Presidents, the Council, and members of the various committees that help to govern the sport. The ISU

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00:35:33

ISU Candidates 2026 - Oleksandr Volkov

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2026/06/01

Oleksandr Volkov is a board member of the Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation, and a lawyer specializing in cross-border litigation, international arbitration and sports and esports law. He spoke to me from his office in Kiev, and had to relocate to the basement mid-interview when Russian bombing began. The International Skating Union's Congress is being held from June 10th through 12th, and at this meeting, member federations of the ISU will vote on office holders, including the President, the Vice

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00:41:18

ISU Candidates 2026 - Susanna Rahkamo

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2026/05/29

Dr Susanna Rahkamo has been a member of the ISU Council since 2022. With her partner Petri Kokko she was the 1995 European Champion in Ice Dance, and was the originator of the Finnstep pattern dance. She has served as the President of Skate Finland, and in leadership roles with the Finnish and European Olympic Committees, and was previously the leader of the ISU Development Commission. Dr Rahkamo is running for a second term on the Council. International Skating Union's Congress is being held from

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00:32:56

ISU Candidates 2026 - Robin Cousins

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2026/05/21

Robin Cousins is one of the candidates running for the ISU Council. The 1980 Olympic champion, he has served in many roles within figure skating as a choreographer, a professional skater, a also most recently has been the president of British ice skating. I also spoke with Robin for a full podcast episode at 2025 Europeans, which you can find in our playlists as Episode 54. https://youtu.be/jHgI5n_wdDw?si=KYIuGxV7q7b-dh9DThe International Skating Union's Congress is being held from June 10th through

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01:09:47

Jatta Muhonen

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2026/04/20

Jatta Muhonen is a doctoral researcher in psychology at the University of Helsinki, and a former top synchronized skater from Finland. Having personally navigated emotional abuse within the sport, she now dedicates her career to athlete welfare. Her PhD examines the factors shaping athletes’ experiences of emotional abuse and their readiness to recognize and disclose it, with a particular focus on the role of athletic identity. Her multifaceted career also includes roles as a safeguarding officer,

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00:53:26

Eric Radford

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2026/03/23

As he finishes his second term on the ISU Athletes Commission, Eric Radford joined me to talk about how skaters can use their voices to impact decision-making.Eric Radford is the 2018 Olympic Bronze medalist in Pairs and the gold medalist in the team event, as well as a two-time World Champion. In 2019, he was elected as the singles and pairs representative for the ISU Athlete Commission. In 2022 he was elected chair of the commission, and served on the ISU Council until May 2025.YouTube:

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01:04:46

Erica Rand

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2026/02/01

Erica Rand has just published a new book called ‘Skating Away from the Binary’, which looks at our skating and our struggle to be allowed to compete as a gender-nonconforming pair team, and examines issues around gender binaries, sports, and politics in a very accessible way.As well as being my pairs partner and friend, Erica is a professor of Art and Visual Culture and of Gender and Sexuality Studies at Bates College. Many of her courses concern the intersections of gender, race, and

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01:13:17

Dr Ami Parekh

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2025/12/22

Dr Ami Parekh made history as the first skater to represent India at the World Championships. She now works as a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor. She is passionate about helping skaters be healthy at all stages of their career, and frequently works as the medical director at competitions. Ami is also the Executive Director of the Chicago Youth Foundation, an organization which brings figure skating and hockey to underserved communities. https://youtu.be/MOouEgSLzfA Transcript:

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01:24:39

Jimmy Morgan

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2025/12/08

Jimmy Morgan is a coach and choreographer and the co-Vice President of American Ice Theatre. Previously, he competed at the national level in pairs with his partner Alex Shaughnessy. Jimmy is an advocate for LGBTQ + inclusion in sports, and through both his work on the ice and his social media presence, he encourages people to engage with figure skating and art in general as a way to learn more about yourself and engage with new ideas. Jimmy is also one of my pairs coaches! We a really fun

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00:57:37

Trans Inclusion w/ Grace McKensie

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2025/11/13

With transgender inclusion in sports being the target of intense political attacks, I was grateful to speak with an athlete who has been a leading voice for inclusive sport. Grace McKenzie (she/her) is a transgender woman and lifelong athlete who found an inclusive and welcoming support network within the U.S, women's rugby community, which she describes as the most transformative experience of her transition journey. She was recruited to her first team in 2019, and played for 7 years across the

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00:00:01

Stéphane Lambiel & Christopher Trevisan

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2025/11/03

Episode Notes Stéphane Lambiel is a two-time World Champion and the 2006 Olympic silver medalist. He continues to perform in shows around the world, as well as working as a choreographer and the head coach of the Skating School of Switzerland. Chris Trevisan is the Director of the Skating School and was previously a guest on the Future of Figure Skating (episode 14). In this conversation, recorded in Champéry in August 2025, Stéphane and Chris discuss the values that underpin their work and their

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00:58:59

Jean-Luc Baker

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2025/10/22

Episode NotesMy guest today is ice dancer and choreographer Jean-Luc Baker. With his partner Kaitlin Hawayak, Jean-Luc is the 2018 Four Continents Champion, a 4-time US Bronze Medalist, and a 2022 Olympian. Since stepping away from competition a few seasons ago, Jean-Luc has embraced his role as a coach and choreographer. He continues to teach seminars through his organization Your True Step, which he runs with friends Nathan Chen and Sam Chouinard, and he has even tried out commentating during the

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00:45:21

Louise Walden-Edwards

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2025/10/14

Episode NotesIn this episode, Louise Walden-Edwards shares her journey of writing her first children's book, 'Ice Dream Sundays,' which aims to inspire young skaters and promote inclusivity in sports. Louise Walden was the 2011 British national champion in ice dance, and now works as a coach, choreographer, and TV commentator for Eurosport. We talk about Louise’s journey to becoming an author, her work with Inclusive Skating, and the importance of making space for everyone to be welcome on the ice

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00:47:55

Robin Cousins

The Future of Figure Skating ·

2025/09/08

Episode NotesMy guest today is the 1980 Olympic Champion Robin Cousins. In his amateur competitive career, Robin won three world medals, a European title, and four British national championships. He has also had a prolific professional career, appearing in and producing numerous ice shows and competitions, judging Dancing on Ice, commentating for the BBC, and even appearing on stage in West End productions. He remains deeply connected to the sport today as the President of British Ice Skating. I

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