42 IFSMAGAZINE.COM OCTOBER 2019
FLASHBACKS
Russia’s Elena Sokolova
claimed the 2005 Skate
America title in her seventh
appearance at the event.
Homeland favorite Alissa
Czisny captured silver and
Japan’s Yoshie Onda went
home with the bronze.
Sokolova, 39, the 2003
World silver medalist retired
at the end of the 2007
season and became a figure
skating coach.
Czisny, 32, last competed
at 2012 Worlds but did not
officially retire until 2014. She
continues to skate in shows
and hosts seminars in the U.S.
and Canada.
Onda, 36, retired after 2007
Four Continents and began
a coaching career in her
hometown of Nagoya.The 2006-2007 season
ushered in a new era
in ladies skating with
Japan’s Mao Asada,
Yuna Kim of Korea, and
Italy’s Carolina Kostner.
At their first head-
to-head competition in
the senior ranks — the
2007 Grand Prix Final
in Torino, Italy — Kim
was victorious over
Asada and Kostner,
who placed second and
third respectively.
In the six seasons
that followed, the trio
claimed six World and
five Grand Prix Final
titles between them.
Kim retired in 2014
and Asada followed
suit in 2017. Kostner has
not competed since the
2018 Olympic Games.
PHOTOS: SUSAN D. RUSSELL2007 Grand Prix Final