Loena Hendrickx Belgium’s Loena Hendrickx is taking a refreshing and inspiring approach to the…

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Loena Hendrickx

Belgium’s Loena Hendrickx is taking a refreshing and inspiring approach to the upcoming 2024-25 figure skating season. This comes on the heels of her recent success of being crowned the 2024 European Champion which marked a significant milestone in her career. Despite some challenges last season, she is now focusing on enjoying the sport without the pressure of proving herself. This shift in mindset might bring a new level of freedom and joy to her performances.

We met with Hendrickx during her stay at a training camp hosted by Adam Solya and Marina Shirshova in Imatra, Finland. The five-time Belgian national champion reflected on last season and shared some tidbits on her new programs for this season.

The positives and challenges

“The only really positive thing last season was Europeans,” Hendrickx said honestly. “Skate America was kind of good as well. After that it went a little bit downhill. Europeans was very good, but I think there I could have done a little bit more in the free program.”

Hendrickx admitted that going into Worlds was challenging. She finished fourth at this event.

“Overall, l look back to that competition in a positive light,” she said. “I was mentally very down during the preparation towards worlds. When I finally felt the happy vibe again around 1 1/2 weeks ahead of worlds, I had two very good training days and then I got injured and couldn’t skate for a few days.”

Hendrickx said she still had quite a bit of pain while in Canada before competing in what would be her seventh appearance at this event in Montreal.

“I took the practices very easy and didn’t jump a lot” she shared. “Then I skated the short of my life! I didn’t feel any pressure and that made me feel a bit more relaxed. Also, the practice the next day went very well. Then one of the media guys asked me one question that really threw me off. He asked if I would be disappointed if I didn’t win. This question made me so nervous so that the next day I woke up in tears. It changed my mind.”

The skater added that not having done any run-throughs of her free program for nearly two weeks didn’t help matters any.

“The short is easier to pull off, but with the free, it is a bit more difficult,” Hendrickx pointed out. “You need the practice, and I didn’t have it. I came into worlds with the thought of reaching the top 10. Then, when I won the short, my expectations grew higher. I knew the free would be more difficult, but there was hope. Fourth place overall is still pretty good. I was of course disappointed at first, but considering how my road to the worlds were, I can be pretty happy with it.”

Maturing and recovery

Reflecting on the mentally challenging hours ahead of her free skate in Montreal, Hendrickx admitted that the mind game gets harder as you get older.

“A comparison I often use to explain it is, when you’re a child, you go to an amusement park and you ride a big rollercoaster without fear. But when you get older you know the fear. This is how I feel in skating. Additionally, everything gets slower, my body gets slower because I am not a teenager anymore.”

After worlds, Hendrickx took a few months off to slow down and recover, both mentally and physically.

“At the beginning of the off season I did a lot of shows,” she shared. “I did only choreo sessions and went on holiday. That was actually a must for me this year—this summer I needed a holiday! Last season, I did more shows, so I was so tired and didn’t have a real vacation.”

“I really want to be fresh for next season,” she continued. “I am not the little kid anymore that can train nonstop. These things you have to learn when you get older and how to deal with it. I hope the holiday will do me good and I hope I won’t be as tired next season. Last season I was exhausted towards the end of it.”

Looking ahead to the 2024-25 season Hendrickx wants to avoid that.

Finding joy in the sport

Hendrickx feels she has achieved a great deal in the sport in her and wants to “enjoy” competing going into her 10th year as a senior.

“The competition I enjoyed the most was actually 2023 Worlds in Japan,” she relayed. “I really want to find that enjoyment again. I don’t have to prove myself. On the other hand, I am the perfectionist who always wants to do everything and be perfect. I want to show the best version of myself.”

The skater admires USA’s Jason Brown and sees that “loves and enjoys what he is doing.”

“That’s how I want to feel as well,” she said. “That the placement doesn’t matter. And overall, I know that as soon as I don’t stress too much and am enjoying it more, that makes it easier for me to compete. Like at the short program at this year’s worlds. I don’t need to win, I don’t need medals. I just want to skate for myself and enjoy it and then I can actually win medals.”

2024-25 Programs

Hendrickx developed two new programs together with her long-time choreographer and good friend Adam Solya. The skater said that she very much relates to these programs and feels them with her “entire heart.”

“I wanted something different than the years before,” she said. “It was a lot of up-tempo. The new free program will be very different from what people expect. It’s to the song “Believe” by Madilyn Bailey. It is a bit like how my life is going. I struggled a bit with relationships and growing up. I just want to tell with this program that everything will be okay. And sometimes the bad experiences will help you into a better one. ”

“We wanted to use the song as a show program last season,” she added. “This was a song I put on when I was training, and it helped me through an emotionally difficult time. I wanted to use it as a show program as it represented my experiences of that season and that time of my life. Somehow it didn’t happen as a show program.”

However, while they were searching for music, Hendrickx knew she wanted something slow, yet powerful at the same time.

“I really wanted to have a program like that because that’s me, that’s really me,” she said. “It’s very different than what people will expect. Actually, a lot of people asked me to do something different, so this was already in my mind. I think this song will be a good choice!”

She is not concerned about any negative feelings or emotions that might arise from the music while she performs.

“This episode in my life is already a long time ago, so it’s fine,” said the skater. “I really love the song and the cover we are using is perfect for me. I am excited to show it!”

The new short program will be to the song “Black and Gold” by Brenna Whitaker and will have a jazzy feel.

“I don’t think there are styles I haven’t done yet, except for this was one,” she said. “Jorik (her brother) found this song. He put it on randomly and asked me if I liked it, and I did.”

Season plans: A strategic approach

Hendrickx isn’t entirely certain whether she will compete first at a Challenger event. She is currently slated to compete at Grand Prix de France and Grand Prix Finlandia Trophy.

“If I get invited for the Japan Open, I will do that again,” she confirmed. “Maybe I will do a little Challenger because it’s also important to get World Standing points as the Olympic season is approaching fast.”

After her time in Finland, Hendrickx traveled home to Belgium where she is looking forward to spending time with her friends and family and build up for the season. Home is a very special place for the 24-year-old, her happy place.

“I truly love my family,” she said. “My two oldest brothers have children and I really like to spend time with them. I also love spending time with my dog. That’s something that relaxes me. It’s important to not think about just skating, but to also have something else in your life.”

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