http://rickyy.canalblog.com/
Very nice interview, I shall translate soon (maybe
) but if you read French, take pleasure.
Very nice interview, I shall translate soon (maybe
) but if you read French, take pleasure.
Interview with Stephane Lambiel in French
- Thread starter Zazanuka
- Start date
Journalist man : An exceptional trio: Roger Federer, Tom Lüthi and of course Stéphane Lambiel. 3 world champions, 3 completely different personalities.Thank you once again to Stéphane Lambiel for agreeing to take part in this interview.
Stéphane. Since March 17, 2005, day of your first world title in Moscow, a whole world was built or rebuilt around you. In twelve months you became a real star. What do you do to electrify the public like this?
Stéphane : " I don’t do anything at all(sigh). I don’t try to do anything at all. I simply try to continue my planning i.e. the training and then the competitions. And I try to win. I try to be the strongest. It is true that it is not always easy but I have an entourage which supports me enormously and then… There you go. Now it’s time to rest. It is a different thing. It is necessary to know how to combine the training and then the other things(resting).
Journalist woman : "So you took time to relax(breathe), to celebrate your 21 years since the end of the season, 2 weeks ago?
Stéphane : "Exactly. Only these last 2 weeks I was able to really celebrate my title of Calgary. The season as well since it was very very long. And my birthday. I have the good luck to have my birthday at the end of the season. It is rather practical. Like this we can celebrate.…'
J ournalist man : "It was on April 2, wasnt it?"
Journalist woman : "last Sunday"
Stéphane Lambiel : "on April 2 yes. Exactly."
Journalist woman: " The season, as we’ve just said, finished two weeks ago with the world title in Calgary.
If you look back to the whole of this season, on the three major competitions: Europeans, Olympic Games, World Championships, there is (it seems to me) a conclusion to be made, that on the level of mental solidity, you really seem to have taken an additional dimension.
Stéphane Lambiel : "Well it is perhaps also because of the fact that my physical preparation was very well organized. So if I feel well with my body, I feel ready to attack. I felt very strong in my head. I never had doubts this season. I knew that I had the means of going to the top since I won in Moscow and from there I really gave everything to it. I arrived in Turin injured. But I gave it everything. I had no doubts. I knew that this medal was possible and that was proven with the results. The Olympic Games is a very very strong moment where a lot of people ‘crack’(under pressure)and it is the person that ‘cracks’ the least which remains on the podium.
Journalist woman: "If we come back in the order of the competitions of the season, in Lyon it was the general repetition and the championships of Europe before the Olympic Games. Did you feel at this time with the victory of Pluchenko that the Olympic title was ‘promised’ to him this season?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Well at the beginning of the season it was said that in the Olympic Games there would be a Russian domination in the four disciplines. Me, I trained for 15 years to win the title. I did not want to say to myself: "ok well I’m going to the Olympic Games to win the silver medal". All the time I hoped that the gold medal was within reach(possible).. And then after the competition I was very satisfied with the silver medal.
Journalist woman : "Plushenko. What is your relationship with him? This season we had a bit of ‘ The Lambiel/Pluchenko duel’. We talk about it everywhere. Until now it was a little bit condescending.On the other hand now, you seem like a true rival for him. Which kind of relation do you have with Evgeni Pluchenko?
Stéphane Lambiel : "I believe there is much respect between us but it’s not the ‘war’ as it was with Yagudin 4 years ago. It is much healthier. And it is true that during the competition we dont really talk with the other competitors. It is rather each person’s manner of preparing, his manner of warming up. And then after the competition it is different. The tension is gone and there is much more communication. Now we will go on tour. There will be Pluchenko, and other American skaters. And there is much more contact with them than during the competitions.
Journalist woman : But sometimes there are some small things that take place, that could be the cause of creating ‘ennemies’(sorry cant really translate there) between skaters?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Well even if there are I dont pay really much attention. I try to be really discreet. So when I enter the cloakrooms, me, I put down my things, and then I immediately will warm up. I really do not try to play a game. I mean...I want to fight when I am on the ice. I am alone in front of the judges, I must show everything.And there is no tension between the skaters. And if there is some it is not because of me.
Journalist woman : "You said a few moments ago that " the Olympic Games is obviously the dream of everyone ", and you’ve been preparing for it for 15 years. Then this year, it was really a tile. 10 days before, this injury to your knee… Was there a small moment of doubt during which you said to yourself: " I will not be able to go"?
Stéphane Lambiel:"It was very difficult to wait in fact, for the result of the MRI and it is true that when the results came out they were rather negative and I cried a lot as you can see in these images, but they were more tears of sadness.
I was very shocked because you prepare for a great event like that which takes place every 4 years. And, there is a chance of medal, well it’s obvious that is hurts to be injured 10 days before a huge competition like the Olympic Games.
Journalist woman : "And then afterwards. When the decision was taken "its good I can go to Turin" what was more difficult? To disregard the pain or to manage all the media talk which started with "Stéphane Lambiel will be able to really defend his chances as he should?"
Stéphane Lambiel : "Yes I did not really look around me. What was difficult was the stress that I had. That was very hard to manage because there was so much waiting and the day of the free program in Turin was the longest day of my life I think. To wait in this Olympic village, we are locked up, like lions in a cage. And you only have the right to ‘leave’ to go on the ice to show quadruple and triple axels etc. Thus it was one very very long day and I think that this impatience there was hard to manage.''
Journalist woman : "it is different really, an Olympic medal? You already have several medals. Various kinds .It is nevertheless a different thing?
Stéphane Lambiel : "I believe that the Olympic medal it is quite different yes. And then it is true that at the house it is different from the others. The others are similar…''
Journalist woman: "It is placed especially"?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Those which come from the ISU in fact are similar. Whether they are silver or gold… they always have the same form, the same size. Whereas that of the games is different that for example that of Vancouver.
Journalist woman with journalist man: Jean-François, you wanted to ask a question?"
Journalist man: "Euh yes. I have a question indeed. When you are a dancer, when you are an artist, and you are, a skater, when you carry on an activity like this, I have the feeling that you must be a performer(exhibitionnist?). Are you a exhibitionnist, you too?
Stéphane Lambiel : without answer. Thinking.
Journalist Man : " You seem to be very shy sometimes. Carrying on an activity like that you must be able to leave yourself for a moment. ''
Stéphane Lambiel :'' Well the ice I think that is my field. Each person has its field and I feel well when I go on the ice, when I have my skates on. Euh.. There is a part of me which likes to be ‘shown’ since ice-skating is a sport of spectacle(show). But I also like to be discreet, to have my life, to make my things in a certain manner and it is nice to have these 2 extremes. ''
Journalist man: "You always arrive at really separating these two things? To have your private life and the one that you want to let be shown?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Exactly. I have a professional life and I have a private life. And I try not to mix them.''
Journalist woman : "the last competition, as we will show now was the World Championship in Calgary. There really was an image of a competitor( a fighter) who is brought out. You acknowledged afterwards that Calgary was more difficult than Turin. Why?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Ah. Now. Perhaps that I will reconsider my words. Calgary was different because the tension and the pressure were not really similar any more. What was difficult on the other hand was to have to defend my title. It is true that I had ever been in this position but I was really well with myself. The weight of the Olympic season was no longer there and then I could let go as you can see on these images.
Journalist woman : "Yes. Moreover on the ice there was one difference… I re-watched the images for the first time of Turin. It was nevertheless a Stéphane Lambiel very different in the expression.
Stéphane Lambiel : "At the technical level it was much more impressive for me and then feeling(presentation)-wise you can really see that I had let go and that I could fly...
Journalist woman : "after this world title people started to speak a little about you and money. Is that something that bothers you as it is known that ice-skating is not a sport where the money ‘floats around’ contrary to tennis or golf for example?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Yes definitely. Having a title of champion of the world does not pay as much as perhaps a qualification in quarterfinal of tennis of a mediocre tournament. But what I really have to say it is that they look at the money that I gained this season, but they do not see what I spent over 15 years of career.
Journalist woman : "the investment…"
Stéphane Lambiel : "the investment, the investment of my parents and… Not only money. I do not like to speak about money… It is also important the time and everything that my parents sacrificed so that I can practice my sport and that I can make it to the top."
journalist man : "Nothing never is truly acquired. Even when you are a world champion. In which field do you wish to progress?"
Stéphane Lambiel : "I must progress in all. To progress technically. I must find new choreographies, a new project for the next season, for the short program and the free program. It is clear that it is difficult. This year I came with something rather surprising: "a zebra which flies". Now it will be something else…
Journalist woman : "extra terrestrial"?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Yes. For the next time I do not know yet what I will do. But I hope that it will be good.
Journalist man : "In any case, continue to make us dream. Thank you Stéphane Lambiel. Thank you to have taken part in this programme. Have a great summer. We will be delighted to see you again next winter.
Stéphane Lambiel : "Thank you very much'
Stéphane. Since March 17, 2005, day of your first world title in Moscow, a whole world was built or rebuilt around you. In twelve months you became a real star. What do you do to electrify the public like this?
Stéphane : " I don’t do anything at all(sigh). I don’t try to do anything at all. I simply try to continue my planning i.e. the training and then the competitions. And I try to win. I try to be the strongest. It is true that it is not always easy but I have an entourage which supports me enormously and then… There you go. Now it’s time to rest. It is a different thing. It is necessary to know how to combine the training and then the other things(resting).
Journalist woman : "So you took time to relax(breathe), to celebrate your 21 years since the end of the season, 2 weeks ago?
Stéphane : "Exactly. Only these last 2 weeks I was able to really celebrate my title of Calgary. The season as well since it was very very long. And my birthday. I have the good luck to have my birthday at the end of the season. It is rather practical. Like this we can celebrate.…'
J ournalist man : "It was on April 2, wasnt it?"
Journalist woman : "last Sunday"
Stéphane Lambiel : "on April 2 yes. Exactly."
Journalist woman: " The season, as we’ve just said, finished two weeks ago with the world title in Calgary.
If you look back to the whole of this season, on the three major competitions: Europeans, Olympic Games, World Championships, there is (it seems to me) a conclusion to be made, that on the level of mental solidity, you really seem to have taken an additional dimension.
Stéphane Lambiel : "Well it is perhaps also because of the fact that my physical preparation was very well organized. So if I feel well with my body, I feel ready to attack. I felt very strong in my head. I never had doubts this season. I knew that I had the means of going to the top since I won in Moscow and from there I really gave everything to it. I arrived in Turin injured. But I gave it everything. I had no doubts. I knew that this medal was possible and that was proven with the results. The Olympic Games is a very very strong moment where a lot of people ‘crack’(under pressure)and it is the person that ‘cracks’ the least which remains on the podium.
Journalist woman: "If we come back in the order of the competitions of the season, in Lyon it was the general repetition and the championships of Europe before the Olympic Games. Did you feel at this time with the victory of Pluchenko that the Olympic title was ‘promised’ to him this season?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Well at the beginning of the season it was said that in the Olympic Games there would be a Russian domination in the four disciplines. Me, I trained for 15 years to win the title. I did not want to say to myself: "ok well I’m going to the Olympic Games to win the silver medal". All the time I hoped that the gold medal was within reach(possible).. And then after the competition I was very satisfied with the silver medal.
Journalist woman : "Plushenko. What is your relationship with him? This season we had a bit of ‘ The Lambiel/Pluchenko duel’. We talk about it everywhere. Until now it was a little bit condescending.On the other hand now, you seem like a true rival for him. Which kind of relation do you have with Evgeni Pluchenko?
Stéphane Lambiel : "I believe there is much respect between us but it’s not the ‘war’ as it was with Yagudin 4 years ago. It is much healthier. And it is true that during the competition we dont really talk with the other competitors. It is rather each person’s manner of preparing, his manner of warming up. And then after the competition it is different. The tension is gone and there is much more communication. Now we will go on tour. There will be Pluchenko, and other American skaters. And there is much more contact with them than during the competitions.
Journalist woman : But sometimes there are some small things that take place, that could be the cause of creating ‘ennemies’(sorry cant really translate there) between skaters?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Well even if there are I dont pay really much attention. I try to be really discreet. So when I enter the cloakrooms, me, I put down my things, and then I immediately will warm up. I really do not try to play a game. I mean...I want to fight when I am on the ice. I am alone in front of the judges, I must show everything.And there is no tension between the skaters. And if there is some it is not because of me.
Journalist woman : "You said a few moments ago that " the Olympic Games is obviously the dream of everyone ", and you’ve been preparing for it for 15 years. Then this year, it was really a tile. 10 days before, this injury to your knee… Was there a small moment of doubt during which you said to yourself: " I will not be able to go"?
Stéphane Lambiel:"It was very difficult to wait in fact, for the result of the MRI and it is true that when the results came out they were rather negative and I cried a lot as you can see in these images, but they were more tears of sadness.
I was very shocked because you prepare for a great event like that which takes place every 4 years. And, there is a chance of medal, well it’s obvious that is hurts to be injured 10 days before a huge competition like the Olympic Games.
Journalist woman : "And then afterwards. When the decision was taken "its good I can go to Turin" what was more difficult? To disregard the pain or to manage all the media talk which started with "Stéphane Lambiel will be able to really defend his chances as he should?"
Stéphane Lambiel : "Yes I did not really look around me. What was difficult was the stress that I had. That was very hard to manage because there was so much waiting and the day of the free program in Turin was the longest day of my life I think. To wait in this Olympic village, we are locked up, like lions in a cage. And you only have the right to ‘leave’ to go on the ice to show quadruple and triple axels etc. Thus it was one very very long day and I think that this impatience there was hard to manage.''
Journalist woman : "it is different really, an Olympic medal? You already have several medals. Various kinds .It is nevertheless a different thing?
Stéphane Lambiel : "I believe that the Olympic medal it is quite different yes. And then it is true that at the house it is different from the others. The others are similar…''
Journalist woman: "It is placed especially"?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Those which come from the ISU in fact are similar. Whether they are silver or gold… they always have the same form, the same size. Whereas that of the games is different that for example that of Vancouver.
Journalist woman with journalist man: Jean-François, you wanted to ask a question?"
Journalist man: "Euh yes. I have a question indeed. When you are a dancer, when you are an artist, and you are, a skater, when you carry on an activity like this, I have the feeling that you must be a performer(exhibitionnist?). Are you a exhibitionnist, you too?
Stéphane Lambiel : without answer. Thinking.
Journalist Man : " You seem to be very shy sometimes. Carrying on an activity like that you must be able to leave yourself for a moment. ''
Stéphane Lambiel :'' Well the ice I think that is my field. Each person has its field and I feel well when I go on the ice, when I have my skates on. Euh.. There is a part of me which likes to be ‘shown’ since ice-skating is a sport of spectacle(show). But I also like to be discreet, to have my life, to make my things in a certain manner and it is nice to have these 2 extremes. ''
Journalist man: "You always arrive at really separating these two things? To have your private life and the one that you want to let be shown?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Exactly. I have a professional life and I have a private life. And I try not to mix them.''
Journalist woman : "the last competition, as we will show now was the World Championship in Calgary. There really was an image of a competitor( a fighter) who is brought out. You acknowledged afterwards that Calgary was more difficult than Turin. Why?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Ah. Now. Perhaps that I will reconsider my words. Calgary was different because the tension and the pressure were not really similar any more. What was difficult on the other hand was to have to defend my title. It is true that I had ever been in this position but I was really well with myself. The weight of the Olympic season was no longer there and then I could let go as you can see on these images.
Journalist woman : "Yes. Moreover on the ice there was one difference… I re-watched the images for the first time of Turin. It was nevertheless a Stéphane Lambiel very different in the expression.
Stéphane Lambiel : "At the technical level it was much more impressive for me and then feeling(presentation)-wise you can really see that I had let go and that I could fly...
Journalist woman : "after this world title people started to speak a little about you and money. Is that something that bothers you as it is known that ice-skating is not a sport where the money ‘floats around’ contrary to tennis or golf for example?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Yes definitely. Having a title of champion of the world does not pay as much as perhaps a qualification in quarterfinal of tennis of a mediocre tournament. But what I really have to say it is that they look at the money that I gained this season, but they do not see what I spent over 15 years of career.
Journalist woman : "the investment…"
Stéphane Lambiel : "the investment, the investment of my parents and… Not only money. I do not like to speak about money… It is also important the time and everything that my parents sacrificed so that I can practice my sport and that I can make it to the top."
journalist man : "Nothing never is truly acquired. Even when you are a world champion. In which field do you wish to progress?"
Stéphane Lambiel : "I must progress in all. To progress technically. I must find new choreographies, a new project for the next season, for the short program and the free program. It is clear that it is difficult. This year I came with something rather surprising: "a zebra which flies". Now it will be something else…
Journalist woman : "extra terrestrial"?
Stéphane Lambiel : "Yes. For the next time I do not know yet what I will do. But I hope that it will be good.
Journalist man : "In any case, continue to make us dream. Thank you Stéphane Lambiel. Thank you to have taken part in this programme. Have a great summer. We will be delighted to see you again next winter.
Stéphane Lambiel : "Thank you very much'
Last edited:
