Russian teen makes history with quadruple Lutz jump

MOSCOW: Russian figure skater Aleksandra Trusova, this year’s world junior champion, made history at the weekend by executing a quadruple Lutz jump for the first time in women’s skating.

The 14-year-old Trusova, a pupil of renowned Russian coach Eteri Tutberidze, also performed a combination of quadruple-triple toe loops to collect 146.7 points for her free routine to win the ISU Junior Grand Prix event at Kaunas, Lithuania.

Alexander Gorshkov, the head of the Russian figure skating federation, congratulated the skater.“I’d like to congratulate Sasha (Trusova) and Eteri Tutberidze’s coaching team,” Gorshkov told journalists.

“Trusova already performed the quads last year but with a quadruple Lutz jump she raised her skating to a new, higher level.”The jump named after Austrian skater Alois Lutz, who first performed it in 1913, is one of the most difficult elements in figure skating and was previously performed at official events by men only.

Trusova said she would continue to work to improve her free routine performance.“I was very nervous as it was the first tournament of the season and my first attempt ever to perform three quads in my free routine,” Trusova said.

“In general I’m pleased with my results at this event but I committed some mistakes in my free routine. I will keep on working to improve my performance.“The next Grand Prix stage will take place in Slovenia and I want to present both of my programmes (short and free) in a flawless way there.”

Trusova is just the latest teenage skating star to come off Russia’s remarkable production line. Alina Zagitova was just 15 when she won the women’s singles figure skating title at this year’s Pyeongchang Olympics.