Two More Coaches Join Kim Yu-na’s Camp

In the middle of a long-term training session in Toronto, Canada, Korean figure skater Kim Yu-na (17, Gunpo Suri High School) has signed contracts with two more coaches. Taking a look at their careers, it won’t be an exaggeration now to call her coaching staff a “dream team.”

In the 2006-2007 season, Kim was able to make a solid senior debut, winning a bronze at the world championships, thanks to the great assistance of her coach Brian Orser and choreographer David Wilson.

Brian Orser won the Canadian domestic championships for eight straight years from 1981 to 1988, as well as two silver medals in the 1984 and 1988 Winter Olympics. Although he had been performing in ice shows until recently, he decided to retire in order to concentrate on training Kim. While active, Orser was nicknamed “Mr. Triple Axel” after his excellence in triple axel jumps, and is now helping Kim with her jump performances.

Kim’s choreographer Wilson is a veteran in his field. Included on the list of his major clients are world stars such as Sasha Cohen (USA) and Joannie Rochette (Canada).

The newly recruited coaches are Tracy Wilson, an ice dance bronze medalist in the 1988 Calgary Olympics and also a renowned television commentator, and Astrid Shrubb, a three-times Dutch champion in figure skating with 20 years of coaching experiences.

Wilson will take care of Kim’s techniques and expressions, while Shrubb will coach her spin performance.

“In order to make Kim the best skater in the world, coach Orser has mustered the best coaching staff possible, using his personal network,” said IB Sports, Kim’s management agency.

Kim Yu-na’s new short program and free skating performances for next season, which will be directed by this “dream team,” have already started to gather public interest. IB Sports announced that the music for the short program will be one with a quick tempo, whereas the one for free skating will be a rather solemn one.

kimsk@donga.com