“We just wanted to try something new. After the Olympic season, it’s the time when you can experiment a bit.” Niina Petrokina on new programs and work on 3A and quad jump
Niina Petrokina on her programs for 2026-2027 season.
original source: sport.err.ee dd. 18th May 2026 by Anu Saartis
Two-time European figure skating champion Niina Petrokina will work with two world-class Canadian ice choreographers for the new season, introducing a new short program and continuing to develop her technical skills. Here’s a translation of her comments posted on ERR.
The choreography was created by former ice dance world champion and multiple-time ISU Choreographer of the Year, Shae-Lynn Bourne from Canada, with whom Petrokina is collaborating for the first time. In the new season, Petrokina’s short program will feature music by Spanish pop star Rosalía, legendary Icelandic musician Björk, and the versatile Yves Tumor’s winter hit “Berghain.”
“We just wanted to try something new,” Petrokina admitted. “After the Olympic season, it’s the time when you can experiment a bit, and I can say that this experiment has already turned out very well. I really like the program, and so do my coaches; everyone who has seen it says it’s completely different from my previous programs – the way I move, the way I skate, the different movements. Every day, I want to skate it more and more!”
The seventh-place finisher at the Olympics is now working with two Canadian ice choreographers, as her new free program is being created by Mark Pillay, with whom Petrokina is collaborating for the fifth season.
“With Mark, he already has an idea in his head before the training starts, but Shae-Lynn builds it right on the ice. She’s constantly changing things, trying to draw out all the movements from you that you never thought you could do. We also worked a lot on how I skate and glide – to work more with my body and skate on deeper edges,” Petrokina explained.
The short program was put together in five days in California, USA. In addition to mastering the new short program, Petrokina is also working on more difficult jumps.
“I’m working on my jumps, but the most important thing is to stay healthy. The triple axel and the quadruple toe loop – actually, the toe loop is going better for me than the axel, but the axel is still more essential. I’m trying. I’ve practiced them my whole life, but something always happens! I hope this time I’m wiser and can control myself,” Petrokina said.
Niina Petrokina will debut her new short program on May 25, when the Rocca al Mare Skating School celebrates its 25th anniversary. Work on the new free program will begin in June in Austria. “Right now, we’re discussing which music to choose, since there are several options. I want one piece, Mark suggests another – as always! We have to think about which option will work best,” Petrokina laughed.
Related topics: Niina Petrokina
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