Interview with Coach Mishin

In the offseason, the ISU has once again changed the rules. In particular, limiting the number of repetitions of double jumps, halve the time of preparation of the athlete to enter the ice.

- This is not the kind of changes that lead to the progress of figure skating. I understand that the "rule of 30 seconds' interests due to TV, not the sporting aspect. So I can not welcome it. A minute before the start can give athletes a greater degree to show their skills. Restricting repeat double jump is also not in favor of the athlete. There is a risk disrupting the triple jump, do a double and get zero points. As a result, the outstanding figure skater might lose because of trifling errors. It happened, for example, in Sochi with Javier Fernandez Spaniard lost the medal, because he made ​​the "extra" stage. I think that these things do not decorate our set of rules. And these moments more, unfortunately enough

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Given the conditions that we had in St. Petersburg, the amount of ice and the people who are on the ice, concludes: training during the competition are much more fruitful and productive.

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KKonas said:

I've been to St. Petersburg 3 times and the 3 different rinks I saw were quite old and one could almost call them "rickety". Don't know if Russia has built any new rinks in the area. Moscow seems to have received all the $$$$ when it comes to building skating facilities if Mishin makes such a statement.

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Sandpiper said:

If I'm reading this correctly, there's not a lot of ice in St. Petersburg and the conditions are not good... to the extent that competition practices offer a better environment? Perhaps I'm making a bigger deal out of it than I should--how do competition practices stack up compared to other rinks and training centres?

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EV: Everytime when thinking about pairs skating I can't help wondering why a pairs centre such as one created by Nina Mozer in Moscow didn't exist already in St. Petersburg under you. I know you were trying to create one, why didn't it happen?

TM: Because Moscow is much more attractive for both skaters and coaches. First of all things are closer: the sports ministry is there, the federation. Second there are lots of ice rinks and schools in Moscow. And, last but not least, it's easier to find sponsors in Moscow.

EV: Yet there were times when saying `pairs skating' we meant St. Petersburg.

TM: Right. But things change. Just like in the nature: the river bank collapses, the river changes direction and where once was a field is now a lake. There were times when Stanislav Zhuk was the only pairs coach in Moscow and was very successful. But then things changed and he was not working as much as before, the pairs skating glided to St .Petersburg. Now it's back to Moscow.
The problem is that remaining on the high level and preparing the new generation at the same time is really hard, though it's the right way to develop figure skating as a business. It turned out to be impossible in St. Petersburg. Our skating federation is small compared to the one in Moscow. There isn't enough funding, not that many specialists, not enough ice. Actually there are just 2 ice rinks - Jubileiny' and the academy.

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BlackPack said:

Do rivers really change directions? I didn't know that

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BlackPack said:

Do rivers really change directions? I didn't know that

BTW... I was hoping to read some trademark odd, funny comments by Mishin. He was so serious here

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KKonas said:

The Chicago River flow direction was changed but it was man-made (civil engineering) - not a natural situation. Moskvina is famous for her folktales.

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anyanka said:

I can't wait to read Mosvkina's autobiography.

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Alba said:

Where, when? I would love to read that too. :yes:

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