Skater Cohen Signs On With Hughes’ Coach

Sasha Cohen of Laguna Niguel, twice a runner-up at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships but never a world or Olympic medalist, has turned to the coach of the reigning Olympic champion in her quest for greater international success.

Cohen this week began working with Robin Wagner, who guided Sarah Hughes to a stunning triumph at Salt Lake City. Cohen, 19, left California and longtime coach John Nicks in August 2002 to train in Connecticut with Tatiana Tarasova, coach of 2002 men’s gold medalist Alexei Yagudin. However, Tarasova said in a statement that traveling to Cohen’s competitions adversely affected her health and she’s returning to Russia “to take care of myself.”

Cohen, a graceful skater who has battled nerves, won three Grand Prix events this season but was third in the International Challenge on Dec. 5 at Auburn Hills, Mich., and second at the Grand Prix final two weeks ago in Colorado Springs, Colo. The 2004 U.S. championships begin Jan. 4 in Atlanta.

“I got a call from Sasha’s parents last week, we spoke Sunday, confirmed it Monday and started Tuesday,” Wagner said by phone Wednesday.

“Sasha has a lot of talent and I’ve always admired her skating. I think she’s seen the relationship I’ve had with my skaters and she’s very comfortable with that and wants that. I think she has a trust in me. I hope I can bring Sasha to a level that’s higher than where she already is.”

Hughes is a freshman at Yale and hasn’t competed this season. “I haven’t worked with Sarah on the ice since April,” Wagner said. “She seems to have moved on to a new phase in her life.”

Wagner added Hughes hasn’t formally retired from Olympic competition. “It was left open,” Wagner said. “I think it’s hard for a skater to verbalize something like that.”