Douglas Gerber is clearly on the “high road’ when it comes to World Figure skating; having pulled off a succession of firsts for a New Zealander, he’s now “under the wing” of one of the world’s leading coaches and seems on track for what’s called a super smash and the Olympics.
 
The super smash is to compete at the Olympics, the World Championships and the 4CC (Four Continents Championships).
 
He has made history three times in the last year, becoming the first New Zealander to land a quad (four rotations while airborne), the first Kiwi to have landed three different types of quads and the first New Zealand male to make it to the 4CC under its new rules. 
 
Douglas competed in the 2023 4CC in the US. This event is for the top skater from each country and was later scouted by the internally renown, Christy Krall. Competing under her maiden name of Christy Haigler, she represented the USA at the Olympics and world and 4CC championships.  Now regarded as The coach in world figure skating, Ms Krall served from 1996 to 2002, as the senior director of athlete programmes for U.S. Figure Skating and has a track record of takings her students to this level.  

The “Boy from West Auckland” was invited to show of his skills at a rink so exclusive that only skaters invited by Ms Krall can train there.  Obviously, he impressed because he was handed a two-month trial which, in turn, resulted in him being taken on as one of Ms Krall’s athletes.

Reach the edge of the big-time means that Douglas now has a team of eight people looking after his interests and skating development:  a dietitian, physiotherapist, psychologist, sports psychologist, dance coach, personal trainer, choreographer and someone to keep track of all his equipment to make sure his boots and blades are all up to scratch.