SkateQuest Celebrates International Achievements

by Reston Letter Staff

Roman Skorniakov and Tatiana Malinina, who coach at Reston's SkateQuest, were named the best coaches by the International Skating Union. Photo contributed by SkateQuest.

Successful athletes have successful coaches. It turns out that Reston is home to its own high-profile collection of both. Tatiana Malinina and her husband, Roman Skorniakov, coach figure skating at Reston’s ice rink, SkateQuest. On March 30, in Boston–after the World Figure Skating Championships–the two former Olympic figure skaters were presented with the International Skating Union’s (ISU) ‘Best Coach’ award.

“It was a big surprise for us to win. All coaches work hard and they are all great,” said Malinina. “To win among all those great coaches is an even bigger victory for us.”

The award presentation came after the couple’s son, Ilia Malinin, successfully defended his World Champion title with a dazzling performance that included six quadruple jumps. In the same awards ceremony, hosted by Olympic Champion Tara Lipinski and ISU World Figure Skating Championships medalist Johnny Weir, Malinin also won the Most Entertaining Program award and the coveted Skater of the Year award.

SkateQuest's Ilia Malinin won his second World Champion title in March. Photo credit: NBC Sports.

Malinia and Skorniakov both represented Uzbekistan in the 1998 Olympics, and Skorniakov also competed in the 2002 Olympic Games. The couple also coaches Sarah Everhardt, who trains at SkateQuest and was nominated for ISU’s Best Newcomer. This past January, Everhardt competed in the 2025 U.S. Championships in Wichita, Kansas, where she placed fourth overall. Both Malinin and Everhardt are poised to be contenders in the 2026 Olympic Games.