« Sasha is growing, » Serguei Dudakov, who coaches her alongside Eteri Tutberidze in Moscow, had mysteriously offered as a grand happening during the ISU Grand-Prix Final in Turin, last December. Trusova, the serial quad-jumper, had grabbed the bronze in Turin.

Trusova, the 2018 and 2019 World Junior Champion, also took the bronze medal six weeks later in Graz, Austria, at the European Championships.

Trusova is probably the only skating lady in the world who can land four different quads. “The only quad I don’t master is the loop,” she offered. “I sometimes land the triple Axel, but not always.” She started landing quads more than four years ago. “I always wanted to jump something no one did. I always need to do more!” She explained, smiling.

This has remained true as she grew to the senior ranks. “I want the hardest possible content – otherwise I will make mistakes on the easier things,” she added. “I have four quads in my program. My coach allowed me to do five, but only for fun. I prefer to do more than less, so we went for five, but my coaches opted for four eventually to reduce the risk,” she mused.

Trusova is probably the most authentic and least sophisticated of the three Muscovites. This season she decided to skate to the “Games of Thrones” soundtrack. “I was called ‘The Princess of Dragons’”, she explained. “Someone told me I was looking like Daenerys and sent a picture of hers to me, suggesting I should skate her role. So we did!” She said enthusiastically.

All nature and as generous in her comments as she is on her skates, Trusova always goes to compete with her dog Tina. “Lana, the other dog, stays home with Chloe, the cat. Lana is more well educated than Tina, who doesn’t always obey me. Lana is teaching Tina how to behave like a dog. She would have loved to come, too. Chloe doesn’t care as much, as she is a cat.”

In Graz, however, Trusova failed the double Axel of her short program, fell on the opening quad Lutz of her free and tumbled on a subsequent quad toe.

What made her falter like that this season?

As a matter of fact, Trusova may just be reaching the balancing point between childhood and adulthood. “I didn’t grow, perhaps 1 cm.,” she admitted. “I don’t think it’s a kind of technical thing. I probably became taller a bit, but I don’t think it could affect my jumping skills. It’s mostly a mental question,” she added.

“A mental question:” maybe that’s precisely what growing is about. Feeling overwhelmed by questions, after years when things were all flowing so naturally. Starting to wonder: can I still do it? Feeling that one’s body and soul are changing, not only in size.

Becoming an adult however doesn’t frighten Trusova. “I always wanted to be an adult,” she offered, smiling. “You know, I have a 5-yr old brother. When I see him doing nothing, I envy him. I’d love to do like him! I told that to him once, and he replied: ‘No, it’s so boring, I really want to become an adult as well!’”

Trusova launched the quad revolution in Eteri Tutberidze School’s in Moscow, and subsequently on the global stage. Her coach was already announcing it, back in 2016: they had that girl who could land quad Salchows. She was 10 at the time, and had not come to international light by then. She did one season later, however, setting fire to junior skating and lady skating at once. Her training mates, Kostornaia, Shcherbakova, Valieva fought to follow her prowess on the ice.

Could it happen that Trusova doesn’t lead that revolution, because of her growing and becoming an adult? “Anyway, I want to keep on jumping all my quads whatever happens,” she offered, undisturbed.
We wish her so much to overcome that transition period. “Life is long, but skating life is short,” Tutberidze had said, back in 2016. For sure, this aborted season is a nightmare, when you’re running after time to realize your full potential before your grow too much. Good luck, Sasha!