Above: Quinn Cushing and her twin sister Harlow share a love for skating.
By Joanne Vassallo Jamrosz
At the recent Greater Chicagoland Fall Invitational, spectators did a double-take — again and again and again ... and again.
No, their eyes weren’t playing tricks on them. Four sets of twins competed in the intermediate women’s event. With double the sparkle and double the spins, these dynamic duos had everyone asking the same question. What’s it really like to skate and compete alongside your twin?
Harlow and Quinn Cushing, 14, from Mount Prospect, Illinois, are members of the Chicago Figure Skating Club and train with coaches Chris and Alexa Knierim, Sean Marshinski and Timothy LeDuc.
“I think it’s fun being involved in the same sport as my sister, because I get to go to the rink and practice with a skating buddy,” Harlow said. “Also, we have different strengths in skating, so we can sometimes help each other.”
Quinn noted that the two do everything together, so skating together feels normal.
As with the Greater Chicagoland Fall Invitational, they often compete at the same competitions.
“If our warm-ups don’t overlap and there’s enough time to watch Quinn, I absolutely watch and support her when it’s her turn," Harlow said.
Quinn also tries to watch Harlow skate if she’s able, but notes their competition preparation is different, despite being twins.
“I’m kind of in my own head on the day of a competition, so I don’t offer Harlow a ton of encouragement. As a twin, I know she understands, and I’m thankful for that,” Quinn said.
For their mother, Lindsay Hackman-Cushing, skating has been the experience of a lifetime.
“Their happiest memories are the ones at the rink, and I’m grateful to be part of their skating journey,” Lindsay said. “Thankfully, there’s an ebb and flow to both the girls' skating. If one has a good week and the other is struggling, it’ll flip the next week. Twins or not, I love the strength and character-building that comes with competing in this sport. Skating has been such a gift for our entire family.”
Ellie and Viv Flaks, 16, actually began skating a year apart. Ellie was 7, and Viv was 8, after she watched Ellie skate in an ice show.
“I instantly fell in love with the sport and wanted to get on the ice as soon as possible,” Viv said.
The Flaks live in Geneva, Illinois, and are members of the Northern Ice Figure Skating Club. Both train together with coaches Stefania Berton, Rockne Brubaker and Collin Brubaker.
“I enjoy working alongside my sister on the ice as it motivates and challenges me at the same time,” Ellie said. “I love it when we both push each other to become better athletes and individuals on the ice.”
For Viv, the best part about skating with her twin is pushing each other to improve.
“As a twin, what makes skating fun on and off the ice, especially with other skating friends, is the mutual support and friendly competition that strengthens our bond and creates lasting memories,” Viv said.
“Viv and Ellie have this unspoken vibration between them where they feel each other’s emotions,” their mother, Chrissa Flaks, said. “You can’t see it as an outsider, but you can sense it between them. To know someone that closely is such a special experience to watch as a parent.”
Mari and Ellie Flores’ skating experience is also unique. Their mother, Jenni, happens to be their coach. The twins, 13, are from Peoria, Illinois, and are members of the Heart of Illinois Skating Club.
“I love competing with Ellie,” Mari said. “When we are at a competition, we stand at the door to the ice together. When one of us is on the ice about to compete, the other one is by them, wishing them luck and telling them that they are amazing.”
Ellie also enjoys competing with Mari.
“I am her biggest cheerleader and she is mine,” Ellie said. “Over the years, I have gotten so used to having her there with me at a competition, then when one of us isn’t competing at the same competition, it feels different. We wish we were together.”
Jenni loves to see them enjoying their sport ... and she enjoys coaching them.
“I think it’s a unique situation, coaching your own kids in a competitive sport. I love that they want me as their head coach. We get to experience the sport in every way,” Jenni said.
Olivia and Sophia Hu, 12, skate at the Detroit Figure Skating Club. They train with coach Julie Berlin, but as Olivia noted, they have different choreographers, so their styles aren’t necessarily similar.
Still, Olivia loves having a twin who skates.
“It’s something that has brought us closer and allowed us to learn so much together,” Olivia said. “She has always been my biggest supporter, but she also pushes me to improve.”
And sharing it with Sophia makes it even better.
“I just love celebrating our achievements together, just talking about the sport and laughing while we train on the ice,” Olivia said.
For Sophia, having her twin on the ice provides a friendly rivalry.
“We are always competitive and try to outdo each other,” Sophia said. “Olivia and I have the same friends at skating, and if our friends aren’t at the rink, we have each other, and it doesn’t feel that different whether we have our friends there or not.”
For Olivia and Sophia’s mother, Ling Wang, having twins who skate means double the effort, double the exhaustion … but also double the joy.
“Every time I see them on the ice, whether gliding side by side or cheering each other on from the boards, I know this journey is shaping them not only into strong skaters but also into incredible human beings,” Wang said. “And that makes every second worth it.”
