Episode Notes

Peter Grütter competed representing Switzerland throughout the 1950s and 60s, including at the 1964 Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck. He's now been a coach for more than 60 years and is acknowledged as an expert when it comes to steps and turns and control of the blade. His most famous student is Stéphane Lambiel, who he coached to two world championship titles and the Olympic silver medal in 2006. After the end of compulsory figures, Peter took what he had learned from his coach, the legendary Jack Gershwiler, and created a series of warm-up steps and turns that could be used for his students to maintain their mastery of the blade. These steps and turns are now available as an e-learning course through the ISU's eRink program. Peter still teaches, including coming every Wednesday to the Skating School in Champery to work with young skaters. We were very lucky to be able to watch his master class during the 2024 summer camp in Champery and to get to sit down with this great coach to learn about his ideas for the future of the sport.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EGiyQDfaDiY?feature=shared
Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1avXr_BnHlap96sVQrMz0_Mh8Cxq5q4kqdR4QMgkSE3U/edit?tab=t.0

Steps & Turns eRink course: https://elearning.isu.org/course/view.php?id=440

More about Jack Gerschwiler https://www.skateguardblog.com/2020/07/getting-to-know-gersch-jacques.html
“The Technique of Skating” 1977 book by Otto Hugin and Jack Gerschwiler

2003 Interview w/ Peter : https://web.archive.org/web/20070928143716/http://www.stephanelambiel.ch/int%26art/interviews/e-gr%C3%BCtter201203.html
2009 Interview: http://www.absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=interviews&id=2009grutter
2013 Interview: http://www.absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=interviews&id=2013gruetter

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