Spotlight on Christine Zukowski
By Thomas. Exclusive to Unseen Skaters. June 16, 2002. Photograph © Pat Sormani.

Christine Zukowski, 12, trains at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE, and is coached by Jeff DiGregorio and Pam Duane Gregory. In December 2000, she won the 2001 Juvenile national championship title at the age of 11. This past season, she won the Intermediate silver medal at South Atlantic Regionals and advanced to Junior Nationals, where she placed 10th in her qualifying round. She is competing as a Novice in the 2002-3 season.

How did you begin skating?
I was watching the 1994 Olympics. My mom said I turned to her and exclaimed, "I can do that!!" A couple of weeks later, I went to a mom and tots class at a rink down the road and I have been skating ever since.

What are your goals in skating, long and short term?
My short term goal is to medal at Nationals this year as a Novice. I also would like to be able to do all five triple jumps by the end of this season. My long term goals are to be able to land a triple axel and medal at the Olympics.

Do you have a particularly memorable or embarrassing moment in skating?
My most memorable moment so far was winning junior nationals as a juvenile in 2001. The whole trip was great. My whole family made the trip. Colorado was so beautiful. I was so excited to have skated so great, and then to actually win was awesome. I have also had the opportunity the past two years to skate at a Philadelphia Flyers [hockey] game during intermission. Skating in front of all those people is sure exciting.

You are moving up to Novice, what should we watch for in your program this year?
Well my short is set to Charlie Chaplin music. My combination is triple salchow-double toe. Plus double axel. I will be skating my new long program at the White Rose Invitational [Editor's Note: Her new long program wasn't ready in time for this May competition in York, PA, and so she will debut it later this summer instead]. So far I have two double axels, two triple salchows and triple toe. The music is from "Prince Igor" [composed by Alexander Borodin]. I really like it. I hope by Regionals to add either triple loop or flip to the program.

Do you have favorite elements?
Right now my favorite element is the triple salchow.

Who are your favorite skaters?
My favorite skaters are Sasha Cohen and Alexei Yagudin.

What was your wonderful victory in the freeskate at the Cherry Blossom Open [late April 2002] like for you, especially after the problems in the short program?
I was a little disappointed after the short. I had such a great warm-up and then the music problems. Oh well, I am sure this is not the last time something like this will happen. Next time I will be more prepared to handle this. In the free skate, my warm-up was shaky. When I went out to skate, I just told myself that I was going to do it. I was very happy with the way I skated, and hope to build on that performance. I learned that even if your warm-up stinks, just go for it.

What is your favorite aspect of skating?
My favorite aspect is going to competitions. I love to travel and like having the opportunity to make new friends. I also love the rush I feel when performing in front of the spectators and judges.