Skaters flock to UD for summer training

Italian figure-skating coach Franca Bianconi (right) works with Italian skaters (from left) Victoria Manni, Jennifer Cuciuella and Marcella De Trovato.

10:14 a.m., Aug. 2, 2005--With her country preparing to host the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, internationally recognized Italian figure skating coach Franca Bianconi and three Italian skaters recently completed a three-week stay at the University of Delaware’s Ice Skating Science Development Center.

Last summer, Bianconi, who competed in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, N.Y., visited UD with 12 skaters to train under Jeff DiGregorio, coach of national, international and world-class skaters.

The skaters were here to participate in a comprehensive summer training program that offers coaching in all aspects of the sport, including freestyle, moves in the field, pairs, dance, choreography and stroking.

The Italian skaters are among some 250 skaters participating in this year’s summer training program, which includes individuals from Bulgaria, Switzerland, New Zealand and Germany, as well as skaters and coaches from nearly all 50 states in the United States.

Returning to UD with Bianconi were Victoria Manni, Jennifer Cucinella and teenage Olympic hopeful Marcella De Trovato. De Trovato, who will turn 14 next year, has three Italian UISP championships and the 2005 Italian Newcomers Championship among her list of skating achievements.

A Torino native and a skater since age 4, De Trovato took second place at the 2005 Italian National Junior Championship in Merano, and picked up a silver medal in the novice category at the International Competition in Slovenia this year.

“Marcella is the one to watch out for,” Bianconi said. “She started skating in Torino and has moved to Milan because of the world-class training facilities there.”

Manni and Cucinella also have performed well in Italian regional competitions for the 10-to-12 age group in which they skate, Bianconi said.

During their three-week stay at UD, the girls put in three, 40-minute sessions on the ice each day, concentrating on jumps, spins and technical elements. Skating sessions were augmented by ballet practice and physical conditioning sessions, Bianconi said.

“All this training is skating-specific,” Bianconi said. “It supports the skills they will need in a competition.”

For Bianconi and her students, one of the chief motivating factors in coming to UD for summer training sessions was the chance to work with DiGregorio, whom Bianconi met in the late 1970s while training for the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid.

“We came back here this year because my girls all like working under Coach DeGregorio,” Bianconi said. “For us, being at UD also is a motivation because it’s exciting and the girls get to see some of the best skaters and coaches in the world.”

Bianconi coaches Olympic hopeful De Trovato in UD’s Gold Ice Arena. De Trovato, who will turn 14 next year, has three Italian championships and the 2005 Italian Newcomers Championship among her list of skating achievements.

Like their American skating peers, the Italian girls put in a full training schedule that often included early morning and evening skating sessions. Back home, during the school year, the girls must balance training with academic responsibilities in a school system that Bianconi describes as extremely competitive and demanding.

“The girls don’t seem to mind the extra effort,” Bianconi said. “Besides, the training is so demanding that they would not go through with it if they didn’t like skating so much.”

When not on the ice or in the class or training room, her students relaxed by swimming or just taking it easy. They also liked to go shopping, Bianconi said.

“They train very hard during the week, so they like to relax on the weekend,” Bianconi said. “On the weekends we go sightseeing, to places like the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.”

Bianconi said that she and the girls are looking forward to the XX Winter Olympic Games, which will be held from Feb. 10-26 in Torino and several mountain resorts.

“This year I was nominated by the Italian Federation (Federazione Italiana Sports Ghiaccio) to be a member of its technical committee,” Bianconi said. “I also will be involved in some capacity during the Olympics. For the past two years, I have been a commentator on RIA (Italian National Television and Radio).”

Bianconi, who said she is always looking for new techniques and new training programs, would like to return to UD with more members from the Italian national skating team.

“Everybody is always working on ways to improve themselves at UD,” Bianconi said. “This provides a great example for our young skaters.”

Former Olympian Ron Ludington, director of UD’s Ice Skating Science Development Center and member of the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame, said that national and international skaters and coaches are attracted to UD’s summer program for a variety of reasons.

“Skaters and coaches are attracted to our program because of our facilities, organization and coaching staff,” Ludington said. “We’re primarily a training center, and our intention is to produce quality skaters.”

Article by Jerry Rhodes
Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson

E-mail this article

To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here.