Page 35 of Back Outside Edge

Not sure about unstoppable, but it would definitely help me make it to the Olympics this time. I don't want to miss my chance again.

I don't think Gabby will dump me if I do, but a part of me still wonders, still worries, no matter how many times she's reassured me. If I don't make it, will I lose everything? I need her, and the rest of my university team; I couldn't be here without them and the scholarship they've given me. Time to change the subject again.

Me

And because it’s the one I’m closest with. I stall out on the flip and Lutz already, so adding another rotation seems like a bad idea.

Stefan Petryk

Let's make a deal

Me

What kind of deal?

Stefan Petryk

I help you with your jumping, and you help me with my artistry

What? Stefan Petryk wants my help? Right, the world is always upside down when I’m around him. How did I forget that? As if I'm someone special.

Maybe he's just being nice, trying to make it feel like a more even trade, or make me more proud of my own skating.

Me

Your artistry is fine.

Stefan Petryk

My artistry is shit compared to yours. Have you ever compared our component scores? Not even in the same universe

I haven’t ever thought to do that; why would I? I compare our technical scores, our overall scores, but I’ve never teased out the component score alone. Is he right? Is mine so much better? I do well there. It’s my strength. Do I do better than someone like Stefan Petryk, though?

If he's right, maybe this would be a fairer trade than I realized. Which is an interesting and unexpected twist.

Me

I like that deal.

Stefan Petryk

Me too. So how do we make this work?

That’s a more difficult question. Ideally, we'd work together at the same rink, but we're nowhere close to each other. He’s in Oakland, and I’m in Calgary.

Me

I guess we could start with video. I can film myself and send it to you. I'm not sure it would work as well for the artistry side though.

It's one thing to receive pointers on my technique for one very specific thing via video. It's another entirely for me to tell him what to do with the fundamentals of how he moves.

Stefan Petryk

What if I visited you? Could we use your rink?

Chapter 15

Stefan