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Rafael Arutyunyan

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Rafael Arutyunyan
Arutyunyan in 2019
Full nameRafael Vladimirovich Arutyunyan
Other namesArutunian/Harutyunyan
Born (1957-07-05) July 5, 1957 (age 67)
Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union

Rafael Arutyunyan[1][2] (Armenian: Ռաֆայել Հարությունյան, Harutyunyan; Russian: Рафаэль Владимирович Арутюнян; born July 5, 1957)[3] is an Armenian-American[4] figure skating coach. He has coached in Armenia, Russia and the United States.

Personal life

[edit]

Arutyunyan was born on July 5, 1957, in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, and studied in Yerevan, Armenian SSR at the Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture.[3] Arutyunyan's mother brought him to an ice rink after watching figure skating on television; he was skating regularly in Tbilisi by the age of seven.[5] He is married to a skating coach, Vera, and moved to the United States in 2000.[6][7] They have a son – a pianist born in the mid-1980s, and a daughter, who is an artist.[8] On July 23, 2019, Arutyunyan and his wife became U.S. citizens.[9][10]

Coaching career

[edit]

He coached young skaters in Yerevan from 1976.[11] In the 1980–1981 season, one of his students, Saak Mkhitarian, became the Soviet junior champion and placed 6th at the World Junior Championships. Soviet officials then invited Arutyunyan to Moscow, where he worked on his teaching certification and became an assistant to Tatiana Tarasova.[5]

Around 2000 or 2001, Arutyunyan joined the Ice Castle International Training Center, in Lake Arrowhead, California.[5][2][4] In August 2013, he relocated to the East West Ice Palace in Artesia, California.[6][12] He collaborates with his wife, Vera Arutyunyan, and Nadezda Kanaeva.[6] He moved to Lakewood ICE in Lakewood, California on June 25, 2016.[13] In 2019, he took on the role of Head Coach for Higher Performance Team at Great Park Ice & Fivepoint Arena in Irvine, California.[14]

His current students include:

  • Chen Yudong China (2023 – present),[15] three-time Chinese national champion (2023–2025)
  • Petr Gumennik Russia (2021 – present),[16] 2023 Russian silver medalist
  • Ilia Malinin United States (2021 – present), two-time World Champion (2024–25), 2023 World bronze medalist, three-time U.S. national champion (2023–25), two-time Grand Prix Final champion (2023–24), 2022 Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, 2022 Junior World Champion
  • Camden Pulkinen United States (May 2022 – present),[17] 2024-2025 U.S. National Bronze medalist
  • Aleksandr Selevko Estonia (2024 – present),[18]
  • Mihhail Selevko Estonia (2024 – present),[19]
  • Eric Sjoberg United States (2013 – present),[20]
  • Matthew Nielsen United States (2019 – present),[21]
  • Andrew Torgashev United States (2020 – present),[22] 2023 U.S. national bronze medalist, 2025 U.S. national silver medalist
  • Sofia Samodelkina Kazakhstan (2024 – present),[23] 2025 Kazakh national champion, 2025 World University Games bronze medalist

His former students include:

Arutyunyan with Tatiana Tarasova (center) and Mao Asada (right) at the 2007–08 Grand Prix Final
  • Alexander Abt Russia (early 1990s – 2002)[24] 2003 Russian National Champion, 2002 European silver medalist, 1998 European bronze medalist
  • Mao Asada (summer 2006 – January 2008),[25] 2010 Olympic silver medalist, 2008 World Champion, 2010 World Champion, 2014 World Champion, 4 x Grand Prix Final Champion (2006, 2009, 2013, 2014), 3x Four Continents Champion (2008, 2010, 2013), 6 x Japanese National Champion
  • Mariah Bell United States (August 2016 – October 2022),[26] 2022 U.S. national champion.
  • Michal Březina Czech Republic (June 2016 – March 2022)[27]
  • Jeffrey Buttle Canada (2004 – 2008),[28] 2006 Olympic bronze medalist, 2008 World Champion, 2004-2007 Canadian National Champion
  • Nathan Chen United States (2011 – 2022),[29] 2022 men’s singles Olympic Champion, 2018, 2019 and 2021 World champion, 2022 Olympic team gold medalist, 2018 Olympic team bronze medalist, 2017–2022 U.S. National Champion, 2017–2019 Grand Prix Final champion and 2017 4CC champion
  • Mandy Chiang Chinese Taipei (2018 – 2020)[30]
  • Sasha Cohen United States (2009),[31]
  • Ivan Dinev Bulgaria (2002 – 2003),[32]
  • Stephen Gogolev Canada (June 2019 – 2024), 2019 Junior Grand Prix Final Champion
  • Marin Honda Japan (March 2018 – 2019),[33] 2016 Junior World Champion, 2017 Junior World silver medalist
  • Taichi Honda Japan, (March 2018 – 2021)[33]
  • Alexa Knierim / Brandon Frazier United States (2020 – 2022),[34] 2022 World Champions, 2022 Grand Prix Final silver medalists
  • Alexa Knierim / Chris Knierim (2019 – 2020),[35]
  • Kiira Korpi Finland (August 2013 – 2014),[36]
  • Michelle Kwan United States (2003 – 2006),[4] 5 x World Champion (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003), 1998 Olympic silver medalist, 2002 Olympic bronze medalist, 9 x U.S. National Champion (1996, 1998-2005)
  • Hiu Ching Kwong Hong Kong (2019 – 2020),[37]
  • Alexandra Ievleva Russia (1996 – 2000) (2008 – 2010),[38]
  • Vivian Le (June 2016 – December 2017),[39]
  • Lim Eun-soo South Korea (April 2018 – September 2019),[40]
  • Amy Lin Chinese Taipei (2017 – 2018),[41]
  • Hannah Miller United States (June 2015 – August 2016),[42][43]
  • Hovhannes Mkrtchyan Armenia (unknown – 2011),[44]
  • Andrea Montesinos Cantú Mexico (2017 – 2023),[45]
  • Romain Ponsart France (August 2016 – March 2022),[26]
  • Adam Rippon United States (September 2012 – March 2018),[46] 2016 U.S. national champion. 2018 Winter Olympics U.S. Team bronze medalist
  • Audrey Shin United States (2016 – 2018),[47]
  • Alexander Shubin Russia (unknown – 2001),[48]
  • Sergei Voronov Russia (unknown – 2000),[7]
  • Ashley Wagner United States (June 2013 – March 2018),[49] 2016 World silver medalist, 2014 Winter Olympics U.S. Team bronze medalist, and three-time U.S. national champion

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Coaching Staff". Ice Castle International Training Center. Archived from the original on May 18, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "2013 - 2014 Coach/Instructor Compliance" (PDF). U.S. Figure Skating. April 25, 2014. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 25, 2014. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  3. ^ a b Арутюнян Рафаэл Владимирович [Rafael Vladimirovich Arutyunyan] (in Russian). solovieff.ru. Archived from the original on April 26, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c Hersh, Philip (December 25, 2003). "New coach helps energize Kwan". Chicago Tribune.
  5. ^ a b c Pinchevsky, Tal (February 23, 2018). "A Soviet Figure Skating Coach and His Unlikely Path to U.S. Olympic Glory". ozy.com.
  6. ^ a b c Rutherford, Lynn (March 17, 2015). "Arutunian making up for lost time with Wagner". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  7. ^ a b "Sergei VORONOV: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on November 2, 2009.
  8. ^ Brunn, Larry (4 September 2003). "Top Russian Figure Skating Coach at Ice Castle". Mountain News (Lake Arrowhead, California). Archived from the original on 19 December 2016.
  9. ^ KABC (2019-07-23). "World famous figure skating coach Rafael Arutyunyan to become U.S. citizen at L.A. Convention Center". ABC7 Los Angeles. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  10. ^ McCarvel, Nick (2019-08-05). "With Congrats from a Global Team of Skaters, Rafael Arutunian Becomes U.S. Citizen". U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  11. ^ Mkrtchyan, Vadim (March 25, 2008). Армянский тренер готовит чемпионов мира [Armenian coach prepares World champions]. Golos Armenii (in Russian). Archived from the original on January 14, 2013.
  12. ^ "Staff Coaches". East West Ice Palace. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016.
  13. ^ "Renowned Figure Skating Coach Rafael Arutyunyan to Make The Rinks – Lakewood Ice Main Training Facility Leading Into the 2018 Olympic Games". Anaheim Ducks / NHL. June 13, 2016. Archived from the original on June 14, 2016.
  14. ^ "Rafael Arutyunyan, Coach to the Reigning Figure Skating World Champion and Olympic Medalist Nathan Chen, Becomes Head Coach for High Performance Team at Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena - News - Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena". www.greatparkice.com. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  15. ^ "Yudong CHEN: 2024/2025". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024.
  16. ^ "Petr Gumennik: "We worked on my quad technique with Rafael Arutyunyan. Of course, he could not attend the training personally, but he advised and helped."". FS Gossips - blog about figure skating. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
  17. ^ "Camden Pulkinen: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023.
  18. ^ "Aleksandr SELEVKO: 2024/2025 (2nd FS)". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 16 November 2024.
  19. ^ "Mihhail SELEVKO: 2024/2025". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 7 November 2024.
  20. ^ "2014 U.S. National Championships". Ice Skating International: Online. Ice Skating International: Online. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  21. ^ "Matthew Nielsen". U.S. Figure Skating. U.S. Figure Skating. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  22. ^ "Andrew Torgashev: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 17 August 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  23. ^ "Бросившая Россию фигуристка заглянула в Москву ради роликов с Трусовой и Щербаковой. А теперь позирует в США". Sports 24. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  24. ^ Simonenko, Andrei; Vorobieva, Maria (January 5, 2014). "Rafael Arutyunyan: Gaishniku skazal: "Ya ne pil, ya yedu Mishel Kvan trenirovat"" Рафаэл Арутюнян: Гаишнику сказал: "Я не пил, я еду Мишель Кван тренировать" [Rafael Arutyunyan told traffic cop: "I didn't drink, I'm driving to train Michelle Kwan"]. rsport.ru (in Russian).
  25. ^ Gallagher, Jack (May 10, 2016). "Mao mystery finally solved eight years later". The Japan Times.
  26. ^ a b The Skating Lesson [@SkatingLesson] (August 23, 2016). "Mariah Bell and Romain Ponsart have moved to Rafael" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  27. ^ Ilina, Alexandra (June 20, 2016). "Michal Brezina wechselt zu Rafael Arutyunyan". Long Program.
  28. ^ Mittan, Barry (2008-05-31). "Buttle Bounces Back". Golden Skate. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
  29. ^ "Nathan Chen: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. 2022-05-12. Archived from the original on 2023-08-03. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  30. ^ "Mandy CHIANG: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  31. ^ "Sasha Cohen excited for her comeback". CBC Sports. CBC Sports. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  32. ^ "Ivan DINEV: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 3, 2003.
  33. ^ a b "本田真凜が米国拠点、４年後へ浅田真央元コーチ師事". Nikkan Sports. Nikkan Sports. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  34. ^ "Alexa Scimeca Knierim / Brandon Frazier: 2020/2021". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020.
  35. ^ Capellazzi, Gina. "Three-time U.S. champions Alexa Knierim and Chris Knierim: 'We're fighting for our dreams'". Figure Skaters Online. Figure Skaters Online. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  36. ^ "Korpi to train with Arutunian in Lake Arrowhead". IceNetwork.com. August 23, 2013.
  37. ^ "Hiu Ching KWONG: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  38. ^ "Alexandra IEVLEVA: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  39. ^ Stacey, Olivia. "Rafael Arutyunyan, Nathan Chen's Coach: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy. Heavy. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  40. ^ "Eunsoo LIM: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019.
  41. ^ "Amy LIN: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 17, 2017.
  42. ^ Solari, Chris (June 15, 2015). "Olympics on mind, ice skater Hannah Miller off to California". Lansing State Journal. Lansing State Journal.
  43. ^ Brannen, Sarah S. (August 3, 2016). "The Inside Edge: Aaron, Settlage announce split U.S. pair parts ways after seven years together; Hicks changes coaches". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
  44. ^ "Hovhannes MKRTCHYAN: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  45. ^ "Biography". www.isuresults.com. Retrieved 2018-09-16.
  46. ^ "Rippon Announces Coaching Change". U.S. Figure Skating. September 11, 2012.
  47. ^ Hersh, Philip. "Reality check: Audrey Shin is what's happening in U.S. women's skating". NBC Sports. NBC Sports. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  48. ^ "Alexander SHUBIN: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 26 April 2001.
  49. ^ "Ashley Wagner Announces Coaching Team". U.S. Figure Skating. June 25, 2013.
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