Mathew Gates ~ World and International Coach

Best of luck to our ice dance teams competing at the 2026 U.S. Ice Dance Final!

Henderson, Nevada
• November 3-7

Junior Dance
Nicole Kirsanov & Kejin (Ethan) Peng

Intermediate Dance:
Emily Zhou & Kenneth Running

Juvenile Dance:
Sophia Zhou & Skyler Kay
Ariel Running & Gunnar Gates

We’re so proud of all of you! 🇺🇸


Kirsanov Legacy Team - Mathew Gates, Natalia Gudina-Kirsanov, Suzy Seminack, Irina Romanova, Andrey Kyforenko

The World's top figure skaters will be competing in Boston at the 2025 WORLD FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS, March 25-30!!! Join us in wishing these two awesome humans the best of luck!!
This will be Berk's second World
Championships, and Kat's first! Their first together as a team! Make sure to catch Kat/Berk & Coach Mathew on Peacock!
Otherwise, tickets are for sale! Make the trip to Boston
We are rooting for you!!

Make sure to catch Katarina DelCamp-Akalin & Berk Akalin at the 2025 WORLD FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS in BOSTON!!! 🇹🇷

https://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/ucweekly/area-figure-skaters-qualify-for-international-tournaments/article_c28b1b4a-cb8a-11ef-b901-63c7bfc319e8.html

Area figure skaters qualify for international tournaments CHARLOTTE – Several figure skaters who have won or qualified for international competitions are training locally with Elite Training Team at venues like Extreme Ice Center and Pineville Ice House.

https://enquirerjournal.com/enquirer_journal/silver-skater-on-world-stage-local-ice-dancer-places-2nd-in-english-contest/article_5adf9b4f-da8e-57cc-b451-cb3fc08480c7.html

Silver skater on world stage: Local ice dancer places 2nd in English contest WESLEY CHAPEL, N.C. — Long hours on the ice continue to pay off for 13-year-old Sofia Gates of Wesley Chapel.

Do you recognize any of these cuties? A blast from the past from their days at Elite Skating Academy in 2018! Two of these kiddos (Anna & Molli) have gone on to achieve amazing things in just a few years.

At just 12 years old, Anna has already earned a bronze national medal in intermediate ice dance, has been a 3-time National Development Team member, and earned her gold medal in USFS skating skills!

At just 11 years old, Molli is a 2-time National medalist, securing silver in Juvenile and Intermediate ice dance, has been a 3-time National Development Team member, and earned her gold medals in both USFS skating skills and singles. Recently, Molli won the pewter medal at her first National Qualifying competition of the season, novice ladies, with a score of 101.09!

The future is bright for these hardworking young ladies! They are a testament to what can be achieved through high level goal setting, a high performance mindset, team work from Elite Training Team and a lot of perseverance! Carpe diem!

It's been just over 15 years since I met my forever person, and 14 years since we got married. Happy anniversary to my forever love!

Congratulations & Good Luck to Sofia Gates & Nikolas Vayo, they will be competing at the United States Ice Dance Final in Bloomington, MN. (Formerly known as US Nationals) the skaters will be competing for National medals/placement, as well as an invitation to the U.S. National Development Team Camp which is held in conjunction with Jr/Sr US National Championships - held in Columbus, Ohio (January 2023) 🇺🇸