Valeriya Ezhova has quickly established herself as one of Switzerland’s most promising young skaters. In a country that has recently produced talents such as Lukas Britschgi, Kimmy Repond, and several strong junior women, the Russian-born athlete enjoyed a successful first international season for her new home country and is eager to continue her rise next season.

From Belarus to Switzerland

Ezhova was born in Moscow, Russia, where she took up skating when she was six years old.

“That was rather late,” she noted. “Many athletes start a lot earlier. I was attracted to skating right away.”

She especially enjoys the mixture of dance and music that sets this sport apart.

“From my first lessons, I knew that figure skating is the sport that I want to do,” Ezhova pointed out.

In Moscow, the young skater was coached by Oksana Matveeva and credits her for her solid basics.

In the 2021–22 season, Ezhova, a citizen of Belarus, began representing Belarus and went on to win the national junior title in both 2023 and 2024. She subsequently moved to Switzerland due to her parents’ work commitments.

“Moving to a new country was a major event for our family,” the Swiss Junior Champion recalled. “The first months very definitely the hardest.”

At first, Ezhova came alone with her mom to Champéry in April 2024 and lived right next to the ice rink. However, the teenager was unable to start training right away as she had to heal a stress fracture.

“Honestly, these three months were among the hardest in my life,” the athlete said. “The mental pressure amplified the physical pain from the injury as I had just one wish: to return to the ice.”

Settling in Switzerland

Moving from the bustling city of Moscow to the quiet mountain village of Champéry meant a complete change of setting for Ezhova. Plus she had to learn French.

“I had never studied it before my arrival, so I had to learn it practically from scratch,” the 16-year-old said. “That was not easy, but without mastering the language, it is impossible to follow classes in the Swiss school. Now, after having passed my final exams in French, I can say that I overcame that difficulty.”

Meanwhile, Ezhova’s father, brother and the family dog have joined her and her mother in Champéry and the family is finally reunited.

Working with Stéphane Lambiel

Stéphane Lambiel’s Skating School of Switzerland in Champéry was a natural choice for Ezhova to pursue her skating.

“Stéphane Lambiel is an extraordinary athlete who has had a lot of success himself,” Ezhova shared. “For me it is very importance to train under someone who knows the path to excellence; not only as a coach but also as an athlete.”

The Swiss Junior Champion enjoys working with Lambiel a lot.

“Stéphane is not a strict coach in the traditional sense, but he notices absolutely everything. Sometimes you have the impression that he remembers every detail of the program.

“If you forget a part, a move or a gesture, he’ll see it immediately. I am very impressed with his attention to detail and his ability to help his athletes to progress thanks to these little details.”

Ezhova is convinced that she can achieve a lot under the guidance of Lambiel.

Lambiel sees a bright future

The admiration is mutual. Lambiel recalled being impressed by Ezhova from their very first lessons together.

“From the very first lessons with Valeriya, I could tell she was a very serious young woman with a clear vision of where she wants to go and what she wants to achieve,” he said. “She isn’t afraid to work hard to reach her goal.”

The two-time World Champion quickly discovered there was more to the young skater than her determination.

“She has a lot of courage, and also a great sense of humor,” Lambiel noted. “She’s actually capable of surprising me with her imagination and humor. There’s this very serious side, a very hard-working side, but also a lot of humor. She’s curious, she has a desire to discover things, and that side of her is actually quite impressive.”

Beyond her personality, Lambiel was struck by two qualities that he believes form the foundation of Ezhova’s success.

“There are two things that really impressed me,” he explained. “The first is her coordination. Impressive coordination with a beautiful understanding of natural movement. It’s something she has within her. And the second thing is her mental and physical endurance, which is also very, very impressive. Those are really her two main qualities: coordination and mental and physical endurance.”

Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Lambiel revealed that Ezhova played an important role in selecting the music for her new programs.

“It was Valeriya’s imagination that led me to discover this song,” he said of her short program music by Camille Lellouche. “It’s an incredible song that I came to know thanks to Valeriya and her curiosity and her research. As soon as I heard the music, I could picture a program and what she would do. So, we created this short program together.”

On the technical side, Lambiel said they are adapting to the new rules while continuing to push Ezhova’s technical content.

“We’re of course working on the combinations, on the new rules with the choreographed spin, and on the two jump combinations that are different from previous years,” he explained. “We’re also working on the triple Axel and the quadruple loop.”

While he believes Ezhova’s natural coordination allows her to achieve difficult elements, he sees further room for growth.

“With her coordination, we’re really able to pull off some amazing things,” he said. “We still need to work a little on the power, and once that power is there, maybe add a bit more speed. But that’s the plan for the near future.”

Lambiel hopes Ezhova can continue to build experience and confidence during what will be her final junior season before becoming senior eligible in 2027-28.

“I’d like her to be able to perform her new programs while in good physical and mental condition,” he said. “This is the season leading up to the one where she’ll make her senior debut.”

He hopes the season will help her continue developing while remaining among the world’s top junior skaters.

“I’d like her to take advantage of this season to enjoy herself as a junior and also prepare for the next step—gaining experience, building confidence in her performance, and maintaining a technical level that keeps her at the top of the world rankings.”

To achieve those goals, Lambiel believes the formula is straightforward.

“Hard work is essential,” he said. “Valeriya isn’t afraid of hard work, so she needs to maintain that courage, that endurance, and that intensity in her training, but also find a balance. I think it’s important to strike the right balance so as not to overdo it and to do exactly what’s needed to achieve those goals.”

Asked to describe Ezhova as a person, Lambiel returned to the qualities that first impressed him.

“She seems shy at first glance, but she’s actually very determined and very open,” he said. “Once you get to know her a little better, you realize she’s not shy at all, but rather an intelligent person with a lot of curiosity and a great sense of humor.”

Yet even after working closely with her, he believes there is still much to discover about the young Swiss skater.

“We don’t know everything about her because I think she keeps a certain mystery about herself, but that’s what makes her so charming,” Lambiel said. “And then there’s her great musical sensitivity, and she’s very intelligent. I’m really looking forward to what’s next with her.”

A strong start for Switzerland

The move to Switzerland quickly paid dividends on the ice. In her debut season for her new home country, Ezhova not only collected two gold and one silver medal at international junior competitions, but she also won the title at the Swiss junior National Championships. In her first and only ISU Junior Grand Prix event in Bangkok, Thailand, she ranked 7th.

She then capped her first season with an eighth-place finish at the 2026 ISU World Junior Championships, establishing herself among the world’s top junior women.

It was a comeback season for Ezhova as she had to sit out the previous one after switching countries.

“I think it was a successful season,” the skater said. “At Junior Worlds, I put out a good performance. For sure, I’m aiming at better results at the World level, this is one of my main goals for the next season.”

Ezhova remembers one moment in particular from last season. “The most meaningful and at the same time most difficult moment of the season for me was at the Swiss Championships,” she recalled. “After the Short Program, another skater was in the lead, and I knew that everything depends on the Free Skating.

This competition decided about the spots at Junior Worlds and therefore it carried a lot of responsibility,” the teenager continued. “The competition among the juniors is very tough in Switzerland and each athlete deserves respect.”

Ezhova won ahead of Elisabeth Dibbern and got the spot for Junior Worlds. “I think in this moment I really felt the responsibility to represent Switzerland at the (Junior) World Championships. Therefore, winning this competition was one of the most emotional moments of the season for me.”

The other Junior Worlds spot went to Leandra Tzimpoukakis, who won the senior title but was not age-eligible for international senior events.

Gathering new experience

Competing at Junior Worlds was a new and important experience for Ezhova. “I realized how important it is to control your nerves and do your best when it counts,” she noted.

The Swiss Junior Champion was happy that she was able to show almost everything she can do. Plus, she enjoyed meeting other skaters from around the world and making new friends.

Following Junior Worlds, Ezhova had to focus on school again as she is in her last year of the grammar school (high school). “The exams continue until the end of June and only then I’ll get the chance to rest a bit before the start of the next season,” she shared.

New programs for the new season

In spite of school, the preparation for the upcoming season is in full swing. The choreography for two new programs is ready, now the skater and her team are working on refining them.

“Obviously, we need to keep in mind the rule changes and a part of the work consists of adapting the program to the new requirements,” Ezhova explained.

The skater is also pushing the envelope technically.

“I am now actively working on ultra-c elements,” she said, regarding the triple Axel and quad loop. “I am focusing as well on the consistency and quality of my skating.”

The new Short Program has a Flamenco theme.

“It is a fascinating combination of Spanish Flamenco in a French interpretation with modern lyrics showing the power of women in the modern world,” Ezhova shared. “It is a very energetic and touching piece, showcasing character and confidence.”

For the Free Skating, Ezhova and her team picked Scottish inspired music from the series Outlander. The skater appreciates the diversity of the music.

“Throughout the program, the music changes several times: sometimes energetic, sometimes lyrical, sometimes upbeat, and sometimes more gentle,” she said.

The story of the program is about a girl that has to overcome many challenges and grows stronger from that.

“I recognize myself in that. Therefore, working on that program was especially motivating for me,” the 16-year-old pointed out.

“The musical themes and the character of both programs are totally new for me,” she continued. “I really enjoyed creating them and I think that the audience will like to watch them as they are different in their atmosphere and character.”

Drawing inspiration from teammates and top skaters

Ezhova enjoys training in the Skating School of Switzerland alongside Swiss teammate Ean Weiler and Latvian skater Deniss Vasiljevs.

“Ean and I travel a lot together to competitions and we support each other,” she noted. “Deniss is one of the most experienced skaters in our group and I am always listening to his advice and encouragement.”

The Swiss Junior Champion was also happy to meet two-time World medalist Satoko Miyahara who sometimes comes to visit and train in Champéry. “I really appreciate meeting athletes of this level and watch how they work. We even once went around the village at Halloween to get some treats. Moments like that allow us to get to know each other better and they show that even the top athletes are normal people,” Ezhova acknowledged.

Internationally, Ezhova looks up to three-time World Champion Ilia Malinin and Kaori Sakamoto.

“Ilia impresses me with his courage, his technique and his constant contribution to the sport,” the Swiss Junior Champion shared. “Kaori impresses me with her consistency, her speed, power and her confidence she showed at the most important competitions.”

Outside the ice, the young skater feels inspired by former Russian gymnast and Olympic Champion Margarita Mamun. “Her story shows just how many obstacles you can overcome through hard work, strength of character, and passion.”

Building for the next season

Ezhova recently took part in a training camp in Italy and now is back in Champéry. In July, an international training camp will take part in her home rink, and she is looking forward to that. “It is always enriching to meet new people, to watch them and exchange experiences,” she noted.

Then the focus switches to the new season ahead. Ezhova hopes to compete at the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit as she currently is not senior-age eligible.

“I have a lot of goals, but the most important ones are staying healthy and keeping a good balance between studies and sport,” Ezhova shared. “I would love to qualify again for Junior Worlds. But that makes the sport so exciting: nothing is ever a sure thing. Everything depends on the daily work and the results throughout the season.”

Ezhova feels that the upcoming season is especially important to her as she will be able to move up to the senior level the year after in the 2027/28 season. With senior eligibility approaching in 2027-28, Ezhova views the upcoming season as a crucial stepping stone toward the next stage of her career.

“My goal is to prepare to the best of my ability and seize every opportunity that comes my way,” Ezhova said.

“But above all, I want to learn to truly appreciate my performances. Not worry about doing everything perfectly but fully immerse myself in the program on the ice, feel the music, and savor every moment. I believe that’s how the most beautiful performances come to life,” she concluded.