It would be easy for Alexei Yagudin to just go through the motions when he instructs groups of youngsters during his down time.

After all, he's already a four-time world champion in men's figure skating, which should be enough to impress anybody. And he hasn't skated in months due to a hip injury, which would make any athlete cranky.

But the Russian star didn't come off as anything but 'cool,' according to two Whitehorse residents who recently had the chance to meet him.

'He was quite funny,' smiled Kevin Caron, the lone male figure skater in the territory. 'We talked to him a lot during the spin classes, because he didn't like spinning.'

Fellow Whitehorse skater Katie Blaker, who had her skates signed by Yagudin, agreed that he acted just like anybody else, even though his talent was clearly above anything she's witnessed.

'He was really good,' she said, calling Yagudin the best out of all the former and current champions she's had the chance to meet. 'It was pretty cool. His footwork was awesome.'

Blaker and Caron, both 14 years of age, spent two days last week at a seminar in Vancouver with the world champion. They also received instruction from three-time Canadian champion and international medallist, Emanuel Sandhu, though they weren't quite as inspired by their time with him.

The invite to the seminar came as a result of their selection to the B.C./Yukon Section Provincial Development Team, for 2005/06.

During the two days, they also took nutrition classes and spent time with Joanne McLeod, the coach of Sandhu, and Canada's Anne Schelter, who developed the world-renowned program called Annie's Edges to help skaters gain optimum speed.

'We talked a little bit about the new judging system that we competed with at Summerskate, too,' stated Caron, adding that he likes it.

Each element in a program has a base mark, under the new judging system. The judges have technical representatives who call out the elements during the program and the judges then give a mark to the skater on a scale of minus three to three.

At the end of your program, you add on all of your element scores, plus and minus, to your overall base score, and that's your final score. So a zero on an element is actually a good thing, explained Blaker's mom, Sheri. It means you completed your element on standard and you didn't lose anything.

After the competition, each skater gets a complete report card, listing where they lost or received additional marks. With the new system, there is less room for favouritism by judges, since every mark they give is displayed on the report card for the skaters to see.

'It's better than how it used to be,' said Caron. 'It's a lot more fair.'

Summerskate, held Aug. 18-21 in Burnaby, B.C., marked the first time Yukon skaters have experienced the new judging system. Blaker and Caron were joined in Burnaby by Whitehorse's Chantal Emond and Teneil Caron, skating in the pre-novice event.

Kevin finished seventh in his group while Blaker was eighth, Emond was 20th and Teneil came in 22nd.

Summerskate wrapped up what was a busy summer for all of the competitive skaters from the territory. Kevin spent two weeks in Vancouver training under Karen Magnusson, returned home for three weeks and then went back to Vancouver for more training with Magnusson before the seminar.

'My double axel had improved (after the summer sessions), so I can start landing it now,' he said. 'And I can start working on triples. I also got a new program.'

Blaker went to a skating school in Coquitlam this summer, under coach Bruno Delmaestro.

'I learned a lot, landed a few doubles and tried a couple triples,' she said.

Amelia Austin competed in the pre-novice ladies freeskate event at Prairie Skate in Saskatchewan, where she trains during the summer, and placed an impressive fourth. It was her first time competing at that level and it was described as a real confidence booster for her.

Two other skaters, Kayla Hallonquist and Karin Sederberg, trained away from home this summer as well.

In addition to those training outside the Yukon, 27 skaters participated in the Klondike Summer Skating School in Whitehorse. Everyone is now gearing up for the regular season, which starts this week with practices and a seminar, facilitated by national coach Tina Leninger, who teaches out of the Centre of Excellence in B.C.

For Kevin and Blaker, it's off to Saskatchewan for competition as part of the B.C. contingent later this month, where they hope to improve on their overall scores from Summerskate.

'I want to get my double axel together,' said Kevin. 'And I want to improve my spins.'

'I just want to work on running through my program clean,' added Blaker.

As for the rest of the season, Kevin plans to 'land one or two triples, probably two.'

Both skaters are hoping to do well at the B.C. sectionals in November, as they, and several other Whitehorse skaters, continue training toward the 2007 Canada Winter Games. Blaker will also be part of the Yukon contingent travelling to Arctic Winter Games (AWG) next February.

Male figure skating is not part of the AWG, because there would not be enough participants.

For more on the upcoming Yukon figure skating season, see Tuesday's edition of the Star.