COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (AFP) — Reigning two-time US pairs figure skating champions Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker said Friday they will switch coaches to work with John Nicks ahead of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The duo worked with Dalilah Sappenfield here for the past two years but will now work in southern California with Nicks, who guided Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner to a 1979 world title and Sasha Cohen to a 2006 Olympic silver medal.
"After careful consideration, and with support from Dalilah, Keauna and I made the decision to make this change as we approach this very important season," Brubaker said.
McLaughlin and Brubaker began skating together in 2006 and won every competition they entered, including the 2007 world junior crown.
"We needed a big change," McLaughlin said. "This is going to be one of the toughest years for us, having it be our first Olympic season, and we felt comfortable going with someone that had that experience."
Nicks also coached Jenni Meno and Todd Sand, whose runner-up world showing 11 years ago is the best worlds result by a US pair since Babilonia and Gardner. No US pair has won an Olympic medal since 1988.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
