Remembering a Partnership on and off the Ice: The Lives of Yevgeniya Shishkova and Vadim Naumov

Yevgeniya Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, former Russian ice skating champions and coaches at the Skating Club of Boston, lost their lives in a plane crash that also claimed the lives of numerous athletes. The couple's impact on the skating community and their legacy as champions continues to resonate.

On January 30, 2025, the figure skating community mourned the tragic loss of two of its beloved figures, Yevgeniya Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who perished in an airplane crash near Washington, D.C. The American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport, resulting in the death of all passengers on board, many of whom were athletes returning from the U.S. Figure Skating national championships.

The Skating Club of Boston, a community that Shishkova and Naumov had helped build since their arrival in 2017, confirmed their passing through a heartfelt social media tribute. Together, this dynamic duo were not only champions on the ice, having won the world pair championship in 1994 and participated in the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics, but also partners in life, having married in their hometown of St. Petersburg in 1995.

Their impact on their students was immense; the couple coached along with other talented skaters and their mothers, as they returned from a training camp in Wichita, Kansas, when the accident occurred. With them were 14 skaters linked to the Skating Club, including two teenage athletes who shared the stage with their moms, bringing joy and dedication to their sport, only to have their lives tragically cut short.

Shishkova and Naumov relocated to the United States after the economic turmoil in Russia following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Initially based in Simsbury, Connecticut, they transitioned from successful athletes to mentors for young talent, continually fostering a competitive environment. Naumov had expressed in past interviews that coaching in the U.S. posed its challenges, citing the heightened pressures children face in a competition-driven culture.

Yevgeniya Shishkova, also recognized as Evgenia Shishkova, and Vadim Naumov will be remembered not only for their accolades but for their commitment to shaping the lives of young skaters. Their legacy will undoubtedly endure as the skating world reflects on their contributions and the relationships they built along the way.