When
Maxim Naumov took the ice at 2020 Guaranteed Rate Skate America last October, he was a little bit wide-eyed.
It was his first senior-level event, and suddenly the 2020 U.S. junior champion was sharing the ice with the likes of Nathan Chen and Vincent Zhou.
"It was kind of intimidating," Naumov said. "Just seeing all these people that I look up to, and I was like, 'Okay, I'm actually here. I'm in a room with them, warming up with them.'"
Naumov would go on to finish eighth at his Grand Prix debut (the 2020 Grand Prix Series was hosted as domestic events due to the impact of the pandemic).
"It was a good learning experience, and that was more for growth rather than some kind of confidence-booster," Naumov said. "Because I didn't do the best there, but it gave me a lot of learning experiences, and just to kind of feel that vibe, feel that atmosphere with all of them so I could be more comfortable in the future."
Naumov took that learning experience and ran with it as he made his senior U.S. Championships debut in January. He finished fifth at the 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships -- behind Chen, Zhou, Jason Brown and Yaroslav Paniot, all of whom are Olympians.
Heading into the U.S. Championships, Naumov hoped to let people know he's out there, do his own thing and gain more experience. Although he entered the event as the reigning junior champion, he said advancing to the senior level wiped the slate clean.
"All of a sudden, I skate my short, and it goes well, and then I'm in the last group with all of them. And I'm like, 'Okay. This is new. I wasn't expecting this,'" Naumov said with a laugh. "I was almost relieved that all the hard work that I had put in was being recognized. It was really cool because it gave me so much confidence for this season and for the future in general. Not only do I get into the last group, I actually have some potential and growth, and they can see that and support me.
"I was so excited for the next season already, right after nationals (U.S. Championships)."
Naumov's 2021 season is already underway, as he has a third-place finish at the Cranberry Cup under his belt. He will next be competing at the 2021 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic from Sept. 15-19, hosted at his home rink, the Skating Club of Boston.
The competition comes on the heels of Naumov's first Champs Camp, when he spent a week in Nashville, Tennessee, training alongside the other elite skaters and getting feedback from officials.
"Just being in the room with all of those top dogs, spending time with them, getting to know some of them, it's really, really cool to be a part of that community," Naumov said. "I think it was a really special moment for me, and I can't wait to go to the next one and the next one after that. It was a really different experience, but something that I think definitely, definitely will help me, for sure."
It's been a whirlwind of a start to the season with everything packed in back-to-back, but Naumov has been thrilled to have so many early opportunities to get his programs out there.
"We have a handful of new things that we're working on, and I'm really excited to show everybody what I've been up to," Naumov said. "And we've also been training really, really hard. Probably, I would say, harder than ever before, with all the new elements and things like that. So the intensity has definitely gone up. I think I'm really mostly excited to show everybody what I'm doing."
Also on the docket this season is his first traditional Grand Prix assignment, Rostelecom Cup in Sochi, Russia, in November.
It's one that will have special meaning for Naumov, as he himself is Russian. His parents and coaches, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, are two-time Olympians and the 1994 World champions, competing for Russia and the Soviet Union. After the competition in Sochi, the family hopes to be able to visit Vadim's parents, who still live in Russia.
"I've always wanted to compete in Russia. That was one of my dreams," he said. "And I think it's really cool to finally have that dream come true. I have a few competitions before that, so we have a good strategy in planning things out as we go along, what elements we want to do at certain competitions and things like that. So we're doing everything very methodically, so I really hope I can be in good shape and at the top of my game."
While 2021-22 is an Olympic season, which is the ultimate goal for every skater, Naumov is focused on both doing his best and the other opportunities that will be available, like making the Four Continents or World Team.
With a competition just about every month for the rest of the season, he hopes to continue the growth he's experienced in the last two years -- and never stay too far out of sight from his competitors.
"Our goal is to stay consistent and to show everybody that we're really out here, and we're working hard, and each competition that we do, try to up it a little bit, try something new," Naumov said. "I don't want to be afraid to add something and increase my arsenal. So I think that that's one of our biggest goals, is keep progressing, keep moving forward, and always stay on the heels of these big dogs."
Fans can watch Maxim Naumov compete at the 2021 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic this week
live and on-demand on Peacock Premium.
