Andrew Torgashev: "Boston is the goal!"
January 14, 2025
By Ayaka Okumura
Photo © International Skating Union (ISU)
Andrew Torgashev is the 2024 Grand Prix de France bronze medalist, the 2023 U.S. national bronze medalist, and the 2015 U.S. national junior champion. He made his World Championships debut in the 2022-23 season following a remarkable comeback from the challenging 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, during which he was sidelined by an ankle injury. In October 2020, he relocated from Colorado to California to train under Rafael and Vera Arutyunyan.
We caught up with Andrew during the NHK Trophy to discuss what has been driving his strength this season, his choice of classical music for his free skate, and his ambitions as he looks toward the Olympic season.
Congratulations on a great competition. You looked emotional after finishing your free skate - almost in tears.
Oh, yeah, I mean... training can be so stressful at times. Very stressful, very emotional. Brandon (Frazier, American pair skater and 2022 World Champion with Alexa Knierim - ed) is here with me, and I told him: "I want to make it feel like all my training has been worth it, that all this stress and exhaustion have been for a reason. I want to skate and be able to say I'm so happy I pushed myself to this level, that I feel trained and ready." Now, I just want to get home, prepare even more for Nationals, and make the Worlds Team.
When did you find out that you were invited to NHK?
I found out before the exhibition on Sunday (at the 2024 Grand Prix de France).
And you flew directly from France to Japan?
Yeah. So now I'll fly back home to Los Angeles, and with that, I'll have made a full circle around the planet! Los Angeles to France, France to Japan, and Japan to Los Angeles. (laughs)
Overall, you placed 4th, which is especially impressive considering back-to-back Grand Prix events.
Yes, and it's a personal best in free skating and total score, so I'm very happy. Also, it's a season's best in the short, though last year I scored a few points higher.
This was your first time performing in front of the Japanese audience since Worlds 2023 in Saitama. How did it feel to skate in an arena full of fans, many waving American flags?
Oh, I loved it. I was talking with Shae-Lynn (Bourne) before France, and she told me to just enjoy it. We've talked a lot about skating in Japan, and the best advice she gave me was to look around and soak it all in. So, I wasn't scared or intimidated at all - I was just so happy to be in that arena! In America, we don't gather crowds like this, ever. I feel so lucky to experience it, and I'm so thankful to be able to skate in front of these fans. It's so empowering. I didn't feel nervous about how many people were there; I just felt grateful for the experience.
So her advice was to enjoy the atmosphere?
Yes, to enjoy the atmosphere and skating in it. It really relaxed me. I was focused on what I could do, thinking element by element, and trying to deliver the best performance I could with my choreography - to make the fans enjoy it as much as I do. It's a lot of work, a lot of practice and training, but I want both the fans and myself to enjoy my performances. And that's the biggest thing I'm proud of accomplishing here.
Did you expect to get a second Grand Prix assignment before leaving for France?
I thought it might happen. I couldn't know for sure, but I had to be prepared for the possibility because injuries and withdrawals are so common in men's skating. After medaling in France, I knew that out of Japan, Finland, and China, Japan would be my first choice. I didn't expect it to happen, but I knew I had to be ready just in case.
This season, you've been performing so well. What's working for you? Have you found the reason?
After Four Continents last year, I took some time to try different training approaches. I've always liked to push myself on the ice as much as possible - pushing and pushing until, honestly, I'd end up injured. This time, from around March to June, we focused on skating less and doing more off-ice training, getting stronger, and being smarter about my overall routine. I worked closely with my off-ice trainer to build strength so I could handle all the run-throughs I'd need to do later in the season.
But after preparing for the Cranberry Cup and Nebelhorn Trophy, I fell back into my old habits, which led to some pain in my foot and back. That was a wake-up call to adjust again and train smarter. I'm getting older, and I feel my body more now - it's more sensitive if I'm not careful about how I train.
In the summer, I did as much preparation as I could, training smarter with lots of run-throughs since Oberstdorf, building confidence with the jumps. Once I get to the competition, I focus on trusting the work I've already done.
Do you still experience some pain? Is it related to the ankle injury you had in the past?
Yeah, I mean, of course. There's always some pain or soreness, but I've learned to manage it better now and be smart about it. If something hurts, I know not to push and to let it recover - I don't want to be dealing with injuries all the time. It's not so much the ankle anymore, but more my back or hips. I just have to train smart.
You've kept your short program from last season, but your new free skate is set to "Scheherazade" by Rimsky-Korsakov. Can you tell me about the process of choosing this music and working on the program?
I started thinking about a new free skate back in November last year, but I had no idea what I wanted. Nothing seemed to feel right. My coaches - Rafael, Vera, and Nadia (Nadezda Kanaeva, choreographer) - suggested I try something classical. They encouraged me to go for a ballet-inspired program. I trusted them and was open to their ideas, so I decided to give it a shot.
Skating to classical music is challenging. Of course, modern programs can be challenging too - like my short program, which has some cool movements. But with modern styles, you can "hide" your skating skills behind interesting choreography. In a classical program, you can't hide anything. You need great positions, beautiful lines, and clean edges. Everything has to be polished and refined. When you do it well, it looks great. But if you don't, it really shows. I love that challenge.
What do you plan to work on as you prepare for the U.S. Nationals?
First, I'd like to rest - give my body and mind a break and reset. These past two weeks have been amazing, and they couldn't have gone better. After that, I want to create a solid training plan leading up to Nationals and focus on being successful there.
I'd love to include two [quadruple] toe loops in my free skate to raise my technical score a bit. My goal is to deliver two more great run-throughs at Nationals. Ultimately, I'm aiming to qualify for the Worlds team, and maybe the Four Continents team, depending on how things go. Boston is the goal!
Last year you finished fifth at Nationals. What's your goal for this year?
I want to be second. Ilia (Malinin) is so good, but I want to be second at Nationals.
At this competition, out of the three American men, you placed first. Does that give you more confidence about aiming for second?
Yeah, it's a very, very strong statement. I watched Tomoki (Hiwatashi) skate, and it was awesome. I thought he would score higher, but I really loved his performance, and I'm so happy for him. I used to train with him in Colorado, and we've competed against each other. So, we've both been on this journey. At Nationals, the guys usually show up ready for a strong competition. But so will I - I'll be ready to compete.
Next season is an Olympic one.
Yes, and that's why I'm still in the sport. You know, many of the guys I used to compete with and grew up with have retired, but I'm still training so hard because I want to make the Olympic team - it's my biggest goal. I've dreamed of this since I was a child.
So, yes, I want to be smart and calculated in how I approach my training, to be one of the top skaters in the US. Ideally, I'd love to be in the top 10, pushing toward the top 5 in the world. But the US Olympic team is the biggest goal, and I'll do my best to take all the right steps to make it happen.
Do you think you'll have some time to enjoy Tokyo during this stay?
I found a wagyu barbecue spot to eat at today in Shibuya, but I don't know if I'll have much time for anything else. I wish I had a day to explore Japan. I've been wanting to see the TeamLab exhibit (TeamLab is an international art collective, formed in 2001 - ed), but unfortunately, I didn't have the chance. Maybe one day, I'll come to Japan as a tourist!
