The rotary machine starts spinning at an accelerating speed, but on top of it a squatter with one leg is modeling a sitting pirouette Iida Karhunen hardly even sways. His being still seems stable when, after spinning for a while, he stands up and jumps from the device onto the concrete floor.
As Karhunen moves a little to the side to wait for his next turn, another skater steps onto the rotation machine and the coach Marina Shirshova increase the speed of the adjustment switch. In the corridor of the Lappeenranta ice rink, figure skaters are having their side exercises.
16-year-old Iida Karhunen made a splash last spring when she skated fourth in the Junior World Championships. Only one of the Finnish juniors in figure skating has reached the same high ranking Jenni Vähämaawhich reached no less than two fourth places in 2007 and 2008.
Karhusen’s total score of 186.32 was also exceptional for Finns. None of the Finnish female figure skaters have reached such a high score in almost five years, and before that only Viveca Lindfors and Laura Lepistö.
The rule change was annoying at first
Iida Karhunen is a top prospect, but because of his age, he won’t make it to the adult league until next season.
In the rule change made by the International Figure Skating Association two years ago, it was decided to gradually increase the minimum age for seniors from the previous 15 years to 17 years.
Due to the rule change, Karhuse became a kind of interloper. If he had been born a year earlier, he could now skate in his third season in the adult league.
– At first, I thought it was a real shame that I couldn’t move on. But it’s gone quite well here now, and there’s not that much to worry about anymore, says Iida Karhunen.
Coach Marina Shirshova understands her protégé’s frustration, but considers the rule change justified. According to him, there is no need to rush into the adult series.
– It doesn’t always serve young skaters, because adults perform like adults, especially in the women’s series. Their skating looks like a different side of presentation. Yes, Iida understood that this was a good solution, says Shirshova.
It’s hard for the coach to hold back his smile when the talk turns to Karhusen’s result in the Junior World Championships. He admits that he expected a good performance, but the ranking still surprised him. Over the years, he has developed a clear vision of his skater’s strengths.
– His character is very hearty, and he is physically gifted. He has good coordination and is a good type of skater, light and fast. Iida jumps nicely. It is stable and beautiful, and has a fast rotation. Jumping elements are his strength and great pirouettes.
The spark for skating was already small
Iida Karhunen has spent a large part of her life at the ice rink. The spark for figure skating was ignited by his older sisters Laura’s and Henna skating hobby.
– Iida was born around the same time when her sisters started skating. That’s why, as a baby, he was always with the ice rink and took naps in the yard of the rink. At the age of one, Iida followed closely and tried to catch up while Laura practiced her own competition program on the living room floor, mother Anne Karhunen tells.
When she was less than two years old, Iida Karhunen put on her sister’s skates at home and put on her competition suit, announcing that she was going to the ice. After almost a year of struggling, he was finally allowed there.
The older sisters were assistants in their own club’s skating schools and were practically the only ones that Iida Karhunen, who got her first kicks on skates, qualified as helpers.
– One of us always had to be with “Iitu”, because he thought the others would have helped too much. He also dared to tell us when he wasn’t allowed to be touched because he wanted to try himself, Laura Karhunen laughs.
Short program with spare skates
A more recent example of the determination of the Finnish promise is the Junior Grand Prix competition in Budapest a year ago.
Due to a luggage problem, Karhunen had to skate his short program with spare skates and a borrowed suit only received the night before. In addition, the skates were larger than normal in size, blades and blades.
Even so, he was able to perform almost flawlessly, for example, with his triple-flip-triple-triple combination.
– It was a bit challenging at first. Then I just tried to think that they were my own skates, Iida Karhunen recalls the eventful trip to the competition.
His own skates arrived before the free program, but still the practice time went by getting used to them again, when he had a couple of days with spare skates. Despite the skating episode, he still finished seventh in a tough competition.
Karhunen’s competition programs this season are a top choreographer Adam Solyan handwriting.
Which of you had the last word if there were differences of opinion when making the programs: the Belgian top choreographer or the South Karelian ice skater?
– Yes, it was Adam who decided what to do, Iida Karhunen smiles.