This a 4 page article (Word document)… at first it seems only Tatyana is being interviewed, but that’s because Maxim arrived late
This may be the most interesting thing I’ve ever read about them. I’ve cut out some of Elena Vaitsekhovskaya’s comments… it’s just long and the point is what they say…Maureen
http://www.nevasport.ru/articles.php?id=14347
August 9th.
V comments on what good shape they’re in
T: “No, we’re just getting ready for another show. This time in Korea”
Q. Did the idea of just resting appeal to you after OG and then coming back…
T: “Yes. But the question was whether RFSF could help us with sponsors. We’ve fulfilled our athletic ambitions completely. Everything that was possible. We’d like some stability or something. So that there would be no thoughts that any bad jump could lead to going hungry. We already went through that. When in autumn 2005 we returned from America to Russia, and both of us only had $300, we had no idea whether we could continue skating or not. And we had staked our whole life on figure skating. And it’s the only way we know how to earn money.
“Immediately, after the Games finished and the euphoria wasn’t over, everybody was telling us that finding money was no problem. Just compete. But 2 months later when we arrived in Moscow and met with RFSF president and really were prepared to talk about the next steps, it became clear there were no guarantees. The RFSF was told about our holiday plans, but that we were ready to start serious training July 1st if the financial issues would be resolved by then. However, nobody called us back. That’s when we really determined that our financial security depends totally on us. And we chose show skating.”
Q Is it interesting?
T “The chance to make different kind of programs and not worry about not fully rotating something is appealing. But we’re still 100% committed to the artistic part of our program as before”
…..
“We to the best of our ability try to maintain our level. After all the Olympic title makes certain demands of you, in my opinion. That’s why we train at least once a day, and seriously. This year we even took a special trip to our coach Oleg Vasilev in Chicago to make new programs and at least partially regain the form that we lost during holidays. In figure skating: it’s very simple – the longer you skate at a high level, the longer you get invited to shows. Even if you are 2-time Olympic champion, you won’t get a single invitation from a serious producer if you are skating on old baggage. But then maybe Maxim and I are just crazy?
….
T “The first half year after Turin, I didn’t want to do anything, but after a few months I came home after the Tom Collins tour, weighing 6.5 kilos (14 pounds) heavier and feeling pain in my knees as a result. I realized this was the way to a deadend. So in the fall we returned to our regular routine – skating, the gym, choreography”
…. “Oleg never forced us to do anything when we were in ISU skating. He could explain that we’re doing it for ourselves. He still helps us make arrangements for shows, and took on a lot of the administrative work, and even when he is training other pairs, he looks out the corner of his eye at us too and tells us about errors to correct. So there is no jealousy or sense of offense.”
….. What kind of conflict did you have with the Collins Tour this summer?
T “Nothing particularly scandalous happened. We arrived early, began rehearsing, then skating, but the tour’s schedule didn’t suit us at all. It was spread out over 2 months, but each week there were no more than 2-3 performances. Of course, it was very convenient for the Americans, skate on the weekends and go home. But Max and I either had to fly to Russia or find some place to stay in America. That is why Vasiliev agreed with Collins that we won’t stay til the end of the tour, but go back to Russia and Ilya Averbukh
Was Collins offended?
T “I don’t think so. We still have contractual relationship, which ends in 2 years. Although I don’t know if they will even have the tour next year. It wasn’t successful this year. There were very few spectators. Maybe that is why Sasha Cohen signed with his competitor Stars on Ice for next season.”
There is one other conflict – your relationships with E. Plushenko are said to have gotten bad after you refused to skate in his show?
T “In our opinion, this shouldn’t have even been discussed. We resolved all our issues with the Ice Vision company that organizes the show ahead of time. We warned them that we’ll skate with Averbukh. Zhenya probably heard about it coincidentally, could have said something somewhere and the information was heard and spread in the yellow press. They love the sensations and negative things”
Max: “After the Olympics, Zhenya became too much of a public figure. So everything he does or says gets heightened attention. Any uncareful word that gets heard becomes the subject of much discussion”.
Q. Getting rich. Or Percieved to be. Impact on life?
T “I suddenly developed a lot of relatives that call. I can’t even imagine how they get my number”
Q By that logic Maxim, you should be having children around the country now?
M: “I was never one to run around, so I don’t think I have to worry about that. I know for a fact that I don’t have any children yet.”
Q. While you were training, your fiancée told me that you’re expecting the firstborn in September. And that Tanya got a dog – out of solidarity?
T: “It’s not quite an even replacement. I would rather have a child. But it won’t work out for now…When you travel around the world and are always with the same people, you realize from time to time that you don’t want to see anyone. After a few months in the show, with no chance to get a change of scenery is psychologically very difficult. But a dog is a creature that is always happy to see you, and that you get to care about. You take him into your arms, and suddenly everything feels easier, lighter.”
RE: Helping Vasiliev’s pairs in Chicago
M: “It was interesting to me, but I wouldn’t call it coaching. We bear no responsibility for our comments. But we felt that we really could teach something.”
T: “When Oleg left for a few days to Germany, I worked with M.M> and MT After the first independent practices, it took me 3 days to recover. I was so tired from the constant concentration. After all the coach has to hold a mass of things in her head. To feel the athletes’ condition, how much you can push them on this or that element, so there would be no injuries and so on. I can’t imagine how to survive doing such work everyday. Never mind going to some competitions.”
M: “ I realized for real how much work has to be done to achieve minor progress. I realized how tough it was for Oleg with us. What it cost him to get us to the medals. Athletes are so egotistical. You just have to have a bad night’s sleep or trouble with something at a practice, and everyone around you is a guilty person. And the first one blamed is the coach.”
T: “I’ll never forget how in Turin, when we were to go out for the free, I suddenly felt that for the first time in my life I was really afraid. My legs were shaking, I couldn’t imagine how to take a step forward. I turned to Oleg and said “I’m scared.” He just very calmly and evenly said, “Don’t worry guys, everything will be good”. These words calmed me down so much that I forgot all my fears right away.”
M: “However, with this phrase Oleg took all the responsibility for our skate on himself. I still don’t know how he managed to sound so calm as he said it, without a bit of doubt on his face. But we reached the goal. And we thought, ‘if he’s so calm, why should we worry?’”
Did the skate pass like a moment or do you remember all the details?
M: “I felt like a robot. I just went on automatic when the music started. There were no emotions. The program was so ready that we weren’t worried about its quality. The main thing was to turn off our brains. So they wouldn’t interfere with us doing what we’d prepared to do our whole lives. And that feeling that you are skating, jumping, smiling, but that it’s not happening with you was very strong.”
T “I felt the same. When we did the final lift and entered the death spiral, Maxim suddenly screamed full out. At that moment, I got my conscious awareness back. I saw everything right away – how people were standing, starting to cheer.”
When did you feel like OC?
T: “For me it’s still like a fairy tale dream. Honestly. On the ice when I see young skaters working hard, I feel some strange sensation that all that is already behind me.”
M: “Basically nothing really changed. Of course, I get great emotional pleasure out of the realization that I worked so many years for a serious goal and achieved it. That it was me and nobody else who won that one medal. That 25 years hadn’t gone down the drain.”
Has it changed others’ attitudes toward you?
T: “It varies. Sometimes I think we arouse some inexplicable envy among others. But we really didn’t change when we won gold medals in Turin. I at least don’t feel any difference. And it’s weird to me when I get extra attention. For example, recently I came to the rink in St. Pete with the dog, which I can carry. And one of the security guards start yelling for the whole vestibule to hear, “You (informal) can’t come in here with a dog!” I asked him not to scream and waited for the director to come down, who gave me permission to enter and then I hear behind me, “You’d think she’s a movie star…”
Q. How free are you to plan your life?
T: “There is a basic plan of shows, but it’s always getting changed because of new offers. In the past year and a half, we haven’t been home in St. Pete for a whole month altogether. Now we’re leaving again – until May.”
Q. Maxim, don’t you think this performing schedule needs to make room for being with family?
M: “For me, it’s easier. The man should earn money to support his family. I’m doing that while doing what I love. I do what I like. And most of all, I see that it brings people pleasure. For me that is really important. I also noticed that when you make some long-term plans, everything gets ruined right away. That’s why I don’t try to predict anything. Although I do give a lot of thought to how my family will live. And I feel responsible and aware that I’m no longer on my own.”
This may be the most interesting thing I’ve ever read about them. I’ve cut out some of Elena Vaitsekhovskaya’s comments… it’s just long and the point is what they say…Maureenhttp://www.nevasport.ru/articles.php?id=14347
August 9th.
V comments on what good shape they’re in
T: “No, we’re just getting ready for another show. This time in Korea”
Q. Did the idea of just resting appeal to you after OG and then coming back…
T: “Yes. But the question was whether RFSF could help us with sponsors. We’ve fulfilled our athletic ambitions completely. Everything that was possible. We’d like some stability or something. So that there would be no thoughts that any bad jump could lead to going hungry. We already went through that. When in autumn 2005 we returned from America to Russia, and both of us only had $300, we had no idea whether we could continue skating or not. And we had staked our whole life on figure skating. And it’s the only way we know how to earn money.
“Immediately, after the Games finished and the euphoria wasn’t over, everybody was telling us that finding money was no problem. Just compete. But 2 months later when we arrived in Moscow and met with RFSF president and really were prepared to talk about the next steps, it became clear there were no guarantees. The RFSF was told about our holiday plans, but that we were ready to start serious training July 1st if the financial issues would be resolved by then. However, nobody called us back. That’s when we really determined that our financial security depends totally on us. And we chose show skating.”
Q Is it interesting?
T “The chance to make different kind of programs and not worry about not fully rotating something is appealing. But we’re still 100% committed to the artistic part of our program as before”
…..
“We to the best of our ability try to maintain our level. After all the Olympic title makes certain demands of you, in my opinion. That’s why we train at least once a day, and seriously. This year we even took a special trip to our coach Oleg Vasilev in Chicago to make new programs and at least partially regain the form that we lost during holidays. In figure skating: it’s very simple – the longer you skate at a high level, the longer you get invited to shows. Even if you are 2-time Olympic champion, you won’t get a single invitation from a serious producer if you are skating on old baggage. But then maybe Maxim and I are just crazy?
….
T “The first half year after Turin, I didn’t want to do anything, but after a few months I came home after the Tom Collins tour, weighing 6.5 kilos (14 pounds) heavier and feeling pain in my knees as a result. I realized this was the way to a deadend. So in the fall we returned to our regular routine – skating, the gym, choreography”
…. “Oleg never forced us to do anything when we were in ISU skating. He could explain that we’re doing it for ourselves. He still helps us make arrangements for shows, and took on a lot of the administrative work, and even when he is training other pairs, he looks out the corner of his eye at us too and tells us about errors to correct. So there is no jealousy or sense of offense.”
….. What kind of conflict did you have with the Collins Tour this summer?
T “Nothing particularly scandalous happened. We arrived early, began rehearsing, then skating, but the tour’s schedule didn’t suit us at all. It was spread out over 2 months, but each week there were no more than 2-3 performances. Of course, it was very convenient for the Americans, skate on the weekends and go home. But Max and I either had to fly to Russia or find some place to stay in America. That is why Vasiliev agreed with Collins that we won’t stay til the end of the tour, but go back to Russia and Ilya Averbukh
Was Collins offended?
T “I don’t think so. We still have contractual relationship, which ends in 2 years. Although I don’t know if they will even have the tour next year. It wasn’t successful this year. There were very few spectators. Maybe that is why Sasha Cohen signed with his competitor Stars on Ice for next season.”
There is one other conflict – your relationships with E. Plushenko are said to have gotten bad after you refused to skate in his show?
T “In our opinion, this shouldn’t have even been discussed. We resolved all our issues with the Ice Vision company that organizes the show ahead of time. We warned them that we’ll skate with Averbukh. Zhenya probably heard about it coincidentally, could have said something somewhere and the information was heard and spread in the yellow press. They love the sensations and negative things”
Max: “After the Olympics, Zhenya became too much of a public figure. So everything he does or says gets heightened attention. Any uncareful word that gets heard becomes the subject of much discussion”.
Q. Getting rich. Or Percieved to be. Impact on life?
T “I suddenly developed a lot of relatives that call. I can’t even imagine how they get my number”
Q By that logic Maxim, you should be having children around the country now?
M: “I was never one to run around, so I don’t think I have to worry about that. I know for a fact that I don’t have any children yet.”
Q. While you were training, your fiancée told me that you’re expecting the firstborn in September. And that Tanya got a dog – out of solidarity?
T: “It’s not quite an even replacement. I would rather have a child. But it won’t work out for now…When you travel around the world and are always with the same people, you realize from time to time that you don’t want to see anyone. After a few months in the show, with no chance to get a change of scenery is psychologically very difficult. But a dog is a creature that is always happy to see you, and that you get to care about. You take him into your arms, and suddenly everything feels easier, lighter.”
RE: Helping Vasiliev’s pairs in Chicago
M: “It was interesting to me, but I wouldn’t call it coaching. We bear no responsibility for our comments. But we felt that we really could teach something.”
T: “When Oleg left for a few days to Germany, I worked with M.M> and MT After the first independent practices, it took me 3 days to recover. I was so tired from the constant concentration. After all the coach has to hold a mass of things in her head. To feel the athletes’ condition, how much you can push them on this or that element, so there would be no injuries and so on. I can’t imagine how to survive doing such work everyday. Never mind going to some competitions.”
M: “ I realized for real how much work has to be done to achieve minor progress. I realized how tough it was for Oleg with us. What it cost him to get us to the medals. Athletes are so egotistical. You just have to have a bad night’s sleep or trouble with something at a practice, and everyone around you is a guilty person. And the first one blamed is the coach.”
T: “I’ll never forget how in Turin, when we were to go out for the free, I suddenly felt that for the first time in my life I was really afraid. My legs were shaking, I couldn’t imagine how to take a step forward. I turned to Oleg and said “I’m scared.” He just very calmly and evenly said, “Don’t worry guys, everything will be good”. These words calmed me down so much that I forgot all my fears right away.”
M: “However, with this phrase Oleg took all the responsibility for our skate on himself. I still don’t know how he managed to sound so calm as he said it, without a bit of doubt on his face. But we reached the goal. And we thought, ‘if he’s so calm, why should we worry?’”
Did the skate pass like a moment or do you remember all the details?
M: “I felt like a robot. I just went on automatic when the music started. There were no emotions. The program was so ready that we weren’t worried about its quality. The main thing was to turn off our brains. So they wouldn’t interfere with us doing what we’d prepared to do our whole lives. And that feeling that you are skating, jumping, smiling, but that it’s not happening with you was very strong.”
T “I felt the same. When we did the final lift and entered the death spiral, Maxim suddenly screamed full out. At that moment, I got my conscious awareness back. I saw everything right away – how people were standing, starting to cheer.”
When did you feel like OC?
T: “For me it’s still like a fairy tale dream. Honestly. On the ice when I see young skaters working hard, I feel some strange sensation that all that is already behind me.”
M: “Basically nothing really changed. Of course, I get great emotional pleasure out of the realization that I worked so many years for a serious goal and achieved it. That it was me and nobody else who won that one medal. That 25 years hadn’t gone down the drain.”
Has it changed others’ attitudes toward you?
T: “It varies. Sometimes I think we arouse some inexplicable envy among others. But we really didn’t change when we won gold medals in Turin. I at least don’t feel any difference. And it’s weird to me when I get extra attention. For example, recently I came to the rink in St. Pete with the dog, which I can carry. And one of the security guards start yelling for the whole vestibule to hear, “You (informal) can’t come in here with a dog!” I asked him not to scream and waited for the director to come down, who gave me permission to enter and then I hear behind me, “You’d think she’s a movie star…”
Q. How free are you to plan your life?
T: “There is a basic plan of shows, but it’s always getting changed because of new offers. In the past year and a half, we haven’t been home in St. Pete for a whole month altogether. Now we’re leaving again – until May.”
Q. Maxim, don’t you think this performing schedule needs to make room for being with family?
M: “For me, it’s easier. The man should earn money to support his family. I’m doing that while doing what I love. I do what I like. And most of all, I see that it brings people pleasure. For me that is really important. I also noticed that when you make some long-term plans, everything gets ruined right away. That’s why I don’t try to predict anything. Although I do give a lot of thought to how my family will live. And I feel responsible and aware that I’m no longer on my own.”
