- Joined
- Jul 28, 2003
The following is a translation of their letter published here:
Why we parted ways with Alexei Gorshkov.
On April 17 2005, following 8 years of cooperation, we said good bye to our coach Alexei Gorshkov and his team. This sentence can sound like an eulogy, but this is indeed very painful. Obviously, eight years of working together brought disappointments, disalusionments, and much joy. All people who helped us along with Alexei Gorshkov (Sergei Petukhov, Sergei Chemodanov) became a real family to us. We grew together - we as athletes, and he as a coach. That's why it took us so long to take this step.
We started thinking of major changes after our disastarous fifth place finish at the World Championships in Moscow. We realized that something had to be done immediately in order to get back the judges' interest. However, we did not know what exactly we should change: Style? Choreography? Coaching principels? Hairstyles? Costumes?
For the past two years many specialists, coaches, journalists, athletes, and even fans suggested we go to another teacher, but we did not do it for emotional and moral reasons. We even avoided talking about it between each other. Besides a new person, it's also new a coaching base, a change in long established stereotypes, new place, and likely even a new country of residence. The time, however, has come to dot the i's.
It pains us to leave Alexei Urievich; to leave Odincevo which we will always cherish in hour hearts. However, we had to sacrifice something. We don't just want to participate in the 2006 Olympics. We are full of determination, will, and strength to work and to win any competition. To that end, we're willing to do everything that is possible and that is not.
At the end od last seasons we found ourselves at the edge of a deep precipice. Today, we made a decisive step forward. Only time will tell where it will lead us - to the sky or to the seabottom.
Albena DENKOVA
Maxim STAVIJSKI
April 19, 2005, Sofia
Why we parted ways with Alexei Gorshkov.
On April 17 2005, following 8 years of cooperation, we said good bye to our coach Alexei Gorshkov and his team. This sentence can sound like an eulogy, but this is indeed very painful. Obviously, eight years of working together brought disappointments, disalusionments, and much joy. All people who helped us along with Alexei Gorshkov (Sergei Petukhov, Sergei Chemodanov) became a real family to us. We grew together - we as athletes, and he as a coach. That's why it took us so long to take this step.
We started thinking of major changes after our disastarous fifth place finish at the World Championships in Moscow. We realized that something had to be done immediately in order to get back the judges' interest. However, we did not know what exactly we should change: Style? Choreography? Coaching principels? Hairstyles? Costumes?
For the past two years many specialists, coaches, journalists, athletes, and even fans suggested we go to another teacher, but we did not do it for emotional and moral reasons. We even avoided talking about it between each other. Besides a new person, it's also new a coaching base, a change in long established stereotypes, new place, and likely even a new country of residence. The time, however, has come to dot the i's.
It pains us to leave Alexei Urievich; to leave Odincevo which we will always cherish in hour hearts. However, we had to sacrifice something. We don't just want to participate in the 2006 Olympics. We are full of determination, will, and strength to work and to win any competition. To that end, we're willing to do everything that is possible and that is not.
At the end od last seasons we found ourselves at the edge of a deep precipice. Today, we made a decisive step forward. Only time will tell where it will lead us - to the sky or to the seabottom.
Albena DENKOVA
Maxim STAVIJSKI
April 19, 2005, Sofia