Kagiyama Yuma and Carolina Kostner form skating’s newest unexpected duo - with aim to up his artistry

In the ever-evolving world of figure skating, it’s impossible to know what’s going to come next. But few fans had Carolina Kostner stepping in as an assistant coach and choreographer for Kagiyama Yuma on their predictions list for the 2023-24 season.

She’s a four-time Olympian from Italy, the 2014 Olympic bronze medallist and 2012 world champion, known for her engaging artistry and world-class expression.

And he’s still just 20, Japan’s already-established Olympic silver medallist but with an untold runway of success ahead of him after a left foot injury took him out for much of 2022-23.

The two have teamed up this year, with a focus on further developing Kagiyama’s second mark. The impact has been immediate: Yuma landed on the podium at both his Grand Prix stops this season (including a win at NHK Trophy), going on to claim bronze at the Grand Prix Final earlier this month.

“Being able to share my experience and expertise with such an amazing and talented skater is a big, big pleasure and a big honour of mine,” Kostner told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview earlier this season.

“He's been working very hard; he's focused,” she added. “He loves skating. And you can see that he sets little goals every day that he tries to reach and tries to improve. And each time [I’m] away for a bit and see him again, I see big improvements.”

"Coach Carolina is mainly teaching me how to express through skating," Kagiyama said in a separate exclusive interview. "Up until now, I only worked on the technical side. But to stand toe-to-toe against the world’s best for Milano [Cortina 2026], I need to work on the artistry – creativity of skating.

"[We are taking] a holistic approach, improving overall."

Kagiyama Yuma: ‘To skate like that has always been my goal’

“As a skater, Carolina was always so expressive, so beautiful,” says Kagiyama in Japanese. “And to skate like that has always been my goal. I’m incredibly grateful for her coaching.”

The two came together via renowned choreographer Lori Nichol, whom Kostner has worked with since 2006 and Kagiyama has collaborated with since she did both of his programs for the 2021-22 Olympic season.

“It's been a long-time dream for me and Lori to be able to work together with other skaters,” explained Kostner, who is also an ambassador for the coming Olympic Winter Games in Italy.

“Yuma asked me to assist him [for] his competitions, as well... the artistic part [of his skating]. My role in this is everything except the jumps: I think nowadays, with all the rules, it's very important to have different sets of eyes looking at the whole program and having different opinions so that you can find the best strategy and the best program to present.”

Kagiyama comes from a skating background, with his father and head coach Kagiyama Masakazu a three-time champion in Japan in the early 1990s, qualifying for the Olympics in 1992 and again in ’94.

His big-jumping prowess helped him to the Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020 gold before he made his mark on the senior circuit, but his artistic development now has his focus, with Grand Prix Final winner Ilia Malinin looking to build up his program component scores, too.

'He's taking on this responsibility'

As the coming World Championships in Montreal in March mark the halfway point of the four-year Olympic quad, Malinin and Kagiyama are joined by two-time Olympic medallist in singles Uno Shoma, the two-time and reigning world champion, atop the discipline.

In men’s skating today it’s a race of the physical – Malinin continuing to up that ante with his one-of-a-kind quadruple Axel – but also of the artistic: Dating back to the likes Patrick Chan and Hanyu Yuzuru over a decade ago, the sport demands not only a skater who can hit quad after quad, but also who has a clear commitment to the overall program and all of the intricacies that entails.

And so for Kagiyama, in enters Kostner.

“Becoming an artist in skating doesn't happen overnight,” she told Olympics.com. “It's a long process; everyone's route is different. But the most important thing is that we see Yuma growing: We see him putting his personality and himself into his own skating, taking responsibility in his training and his preparation – and also in his skating choices.

She continued: “I love how he comes up with his own solutions to issues or to things that he feels uncomfortable. And that is great to see – that he's with you in trying to find his best skating.”

Midway through this Grand Prix season, Kagiyama won his first Grand Prix title since 2021, capturing the NHK Trophy gold in front of a home crowd in Osaka. His "Rain, In Your Black Eyes" free skate oozed with touches from Nichol (who choreographed it ahead of last season) and Kostner, his commitment to his performance more clear than ever. 

Kostner was rinkside alongside Kagiyama Masakazu, offering quiet advice and greeting Yuma at the boards with her presence, often playful and encouraging. The two appear to be playing the long game: Yes, the improvement is there, but the future is the focus, not just the present.

“In my eyes he can make improvements to everything,” Kostner told Japanese reporters there. “I want him to work on his extension, and his projection of emotions.”

She added: “I think he's becoming very aware of where he stands and where he wants to improve. He's taking on this responsibility; he's putting his character and personality into his skating. It's very exciting to see."

More coaching for Carolina Kostner?

Is this the beginning of more coaching for Kostner, who last competed at Worlds in 2018?

"I have no idea, no expectations," she said with a smile.

"Because I think no expectations for me are the best expectations. I love skating and... I hope everyone that takes the route to go into this difficult sport has the chance to find the best it can be," she said. "And if I can just support them in a little bit on their way, I think it's already a big mission accomplished."

Kostner remains heavily active in the sport: She has her aforementioned ambassador role for Milano Cortina; still skates in exhibition shows; and the past two seasons she's advised young American Isabeau Levito, though there was no formality around their partnership. 

For Kostner, who is now 36, the mission is clear and simple: She wants to pass on what the sport has given to her.

"I think being able to transmit and to share your skating and your expertise is even more valuable than any medal I've ever won," she said.