“The season has already been tough in Russia”
– How would you rate the first season in Russia without international competitions? Has the Russian Figure Skating Federation managed to completely replace international competitions?
“I think the season has been tough in any case. It is difficult for both the Federation and the coaches and athletes. The federation probably had to put in a lot of effort because, as you noticed, it was necessary to change all the competitions.
Overall, I think it was worth it. The competitions were held at a high level, even organized tournaments were organized among the children at least as much as the Grand Prix.
In any case, it’s always difficult to find motivation for both athletes and coaches when you can’t achieve anything. But in general, in the season, everyone coped with this task. Let’s see what happens next.
-Who was the season opener for you?
– I have repeatedly noted that Grisha Fedorov is the opening of the season for me. I think Russia won the jumping championship, which no one expected. In principle, many did not know and did not hear him, but he declared himself very loudly. And at the end of the season, it seems to me that he deserves that title.
– And who can you mark as negative?
– Negative, probably no one, because everyone coped. Every athlete had a brilliant start, where everyone was able to surprise everyone with something. Yes, it wasn’t possible for everyone to maintain that form all season, but still everyone had a brilliant, admirable start.
– Olympic champion Anna Shcherbakova missed the season, Alexandra Trusova was injured. Do you think it’s worth waiting for their competitive ice return?
– I want to believe that they will find the strength and motivation to continue to prove something to themselves and others. Brilliant figure skaters and everyone will be happy to see them as active athletes in the ice arena.
– This season, Shcherbakova made her debut as a host in the Ice Age. How is his new role?
– Yes, not all topics, but I watched. For the first time, it seemed exceedingly valuable.
“He rode in Kostorna for a long time with Tutberidze, everything suited him”
– Alena Kostornaya started pair skating after switching from one trainer to another. His current mentor, Sergei Roslyakov, announced that the couple Kostornaya and Georgy Kunitsa will try to get into the national team. How realistic is this?
– You know, I once left singles at a late age for double skating. Everything is possible, the main thing is to find the strength to work harder than before, because you will have more work than other acting couples. If your plans include competing with them, trying to win, you just have to work twice as hard.
Alena is a talented athlete. It seems to me that this goes without saying, because athletes at this level cannot be talented. But I think we’ll see how much he managed to motivate himself for this next season.
– Kostornaya recently gave an interview where she criticized Eteri Tutberidze’s methods. Could it be resentment at the skater or dissatisfaction with their joint work?
– I won’t comment on that. The only thing: he skated with Eteri Georgievna for a long time, everything suited him and achieved good results with him. Then there were no comments. It happens that an athlete is missing something in terms of expectations and then looks for a problem in others, but above all, an athlete should always look for the cause within himself. This is my idea.
– It’s hard not to mention the Kamila Valieva case. International organizations are calling for the figure skater to be removed. What do you think are the chances that Valieva will not be removed?
– I think it will be difficult. This is as far as possible – I can’t even begin to guess.
– How would you rate Camila being given an Olympic-based program this season?
— I think they picked up this story on purpose.
So this mental trauma – or I don’t know what to call it – is resolved. This is their joint decision and their desire to talk about it. I thought it looked strong enough.
– Elizaveta Tuktamysheva not only competed on equal terms this season, but also beat her young rivals. What is the secret to this figure skater’s sporting longevity?
– This is more of a question for him and his coach. However, his strength is probably due to the fact that he grew up a little calmer in other realities.
It grew up around people like me and we didn’t have the same race for the elements that are currently being made. We couldn’t even think of that.
– Tuktamysheva said that she will not finish it yet. What can we expect from him in the new season? Will Liza still risk the quadruple jump?
– I don’t know if he will make it to the quad, but as far as I know, he does it periodically or regularly in training. He has a very experienced coach that he can add to the program if he sees the item is ready.
– Alexandra Stepanova recently gave birth, but has already turned into ice. What are the chances of returning to the competition after the birth of a child? Moreover, Stepanova and Bukin changed their coaches, went to Alexander Zhulin …
She’s not the first athlete to return after giving birth. We know this is possible. Moreover, it was this coach who restored – or created, I do not know how here – several Navka and Kostomarov immediately after the birth of their daughter. I think anything is possible and it will be interesting to watch.
– If Stepanova and Bukin return to competitive ice, can we expect them to be the first number one for the national team?
For some reason, I’m sure it will.
“The lease is forgotten, but the place and the title remain”
– Has international figure skating lost much without Russian athletes – especially in singles? Is it possible to say that the absence of Russian women doing quadruple jumps throws figure skating back several years?
– Definitely yes. We saw competitions like this when I was skating. On the same level as we used to skate.
-Which foreign skater impressed you the most at the end of the season?
“I can’t say anyone was surprised, it’s just that Luna Hendrix is my choice.
– He was recognized as the favorite of the European Championship, and in the absence of the Russians, can the pressure of what is expected of gold affect him?
“Of course it can. Especially considering that he’s still young and didn’t really expect him to be in such a situation. But it’s a very good experience for him, he’s a very brilliant athlete.
– How do you find the development of Anastasia Gubanova, who is currently playing in Georgia?
– It seems to me that the progress is clear, as one person wins the European Championship.
There are many “buts” – our athletes did not compete – but as the great Alexei Nikolaevich Mishin said when I trained with him: “The lease will be forgotten, but the place and the title will remain.”
– Ilya Malinin went to an ax with a quad, successfully knocking it down at competitions, but his application with a quad is not always enough to win. What’s missing?
– The question “what else is needed” is often asked after the competition, both as a coach and as an athlete. And the answer is always like this – everything, but a little. He doesn’t just need to work on jumps, especially the world of figure skating, where you have to glide, spin and of course perform very complex elements with high quality like a dancer. As a rule, skaters get stuck on something. And it seems to me that lately they have become more and more obsessed with the technical component.
Maybe other aspects of Elijah weren’t enough. Maybe experience, I don’t know for sure, but for me he is a very bright skater. I think the near future belongs to him and for me he is the one who should be reckoned with as a coach and equal to him in terms of the technical component. A serious competitor for the future.
– Under the current circumstances, Daniel Grassl has probably made the most unusual pass. How do you evaluate their performance led by Tutberidze?
Not enough time has passed yet to evaluate their collaborative work. As a rule, in the first season after the transition, the work of previous coaches, the team with which the athlete previously worked, is more visible.
And after one season, it seems that you are working with the manager you are currently with. It will be possible to talk about the joint work of Grassl and Tutberidze only from the next season.
– And as a result, what was the brightest event for you last season?
– I did not really watch the international match because our athletes did not participate. And there was no particular desire or motivation. Of course they talked, I looked. But in general, I did not observe what was happening on the world stage.
The competition of show programs in the Russian season surprised. It was very new, very educational for our current young athletes.
This tournament showed that besides the technical component, it is very important to be able to slide, to do it emotionally, to choose the right image and to convey it.
Not only to watch, but also the audience had the opportunity to see the athletes who had not competed for a long time. They were probably able to demonstrate the experience they gained after their careers ended.
I want young skaters to be just as emotional as Lesha Yagudin without losing their technical component. If this happens, he will not be equal to Russian athletes.