Their names are synonymous with American pairs skating, but many skating fans may not yet be used to seeing them -- together.
Kyoko Ina won two national pairs titles with former partner Jason Dungjen. John Zimmerman won the bronze medal at the 1997 U.S. Championships in Nashville, Tenn., with Stephanie Stiegler.But this week, Ina and Zimmerman will be making their debut at the 1999 State Farm U.S. Championships as America's team to beat. It may not be a position they're completely comfortable with right now, but their progress after teaming up last year indicates the shoe is beginning to fit.
"At the beginning of the season, we felt extremely rushed and extremely pressured," Ina said.
"Before, we had been skating at this level," she said, raising her hand above her head, "and then we were kind of bumped down to the beginning level. We were frustrated. Things that we thought would be simple were really difficult -- things like basic stroking and basic lifts -- and things we thought would be difficult were easy."
Zimmerman interjected: "Not that there were any second guesses (about the partnership). There weren't."
"But we knew what we were capable of, and we got frustrated that it wasn't happening right away," Ina continues.
At the time they entered their first competition last year, they had only been together a few months. Ina had ended her partnership with Dungjen after the Nagano Olympics, sensing they had different long-range goals.
Zimmerman began his search for a new partner last year when it became clear that Stiegler was not recovering from an injury at the pace they had hoped.
For Ina and Zimmerman, it was a case of being in the right place, at the right time, with the right skills. The result? The right partnership, the duo says, though they're quick to say they are still a work in progress.
"For my part, I'm coming from a different angle," Zimmerman said, "not as developed as Kyoko. I have a lot to learn from this girl."
Ina stresses they're still trying to develop their own style, and continue to added difficult elements to their repertoire.
To help with the transition, they enlisted the aid of a new coach, the legendary Tamara Moskvina, who has also trained Russian Olympians Artur Dimitriev and Oksana Kazakova and Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze. Add choreographer Tatiana Tarasova, and it's no wonder the pair has improved from their fifth-place finish at Skate America in October to second at Trophee Lalique the following month.
It's all part of a master plan, Ina says, which Moskvina drills into them regularly. They are blazing a path toward the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City; and each competition brings them one step closer to their goal.
"Tamara has helped us realize that every event we'll do until 2002 means nothing," Ina said. "They're just practice runs, and if you skate great, then great. That'll help prepare you for the long run. And if you skate poorly, then okay, because that'll help prepare you for the long run, too. What she's put into our minds is that the only thing that really matters is the 2002 Olympics."
This year's nationals is just one more step along the way, they say. They are modest about their progress, and realistic in their day-to-day expectations. Though they are heavily favored to win, Ina and Zimmerman refuse to underestimate the competition, or stray too far from their goals.