- Joined
- Jul 28, 2003
http://ptichkafs.livejournal.com/28098.html
Following the "Stars on Ice" show, skater Evgeny Platov became perhaps even more popular than he was during his athletic career. His female fans even created an Internet site, where they continue to talk months after the end of the program.
We will again see Platov at the World championships in Japan, this time as a coach of the British team of Sinead and John Kerr. Evgeny lives in America, but he often comes to Moscow, where we met up with him prior to the most important ice battle of the year.
Skating leaks
"Evgeny, many of our skaters and coach are slowly getting back from America - Tatiana Tarasova, Tatiana Navka, Alexander Zhulin... Are you tempted?"
"I have been thinking about it. Especially after the "Stars on Ice" show. By the way, similar shows have taken place in many other countries - in the Czech Republic, in Italy, in the Netherlands. I can say for sure that skates haves sold out throughout - they've even had a skate deficit in England! It's great to see our sport being so popular."
"Figure skating has become Russia's export product - all kinds of countries are using our resources. What's your take on this 'skating leak'?"
"Our kids are very talented. Not all of them can get to such high places at Russian Nationals as to get to the international level. So they compete for other countries.
Let's take America. I can tell you that all US girls dream of skating with Russian guys - they have more passion and more artistry. Furthermore, Russian boys are in demand because in the USA figure skating is not considered a male sport. Boys prefer to go into football, baseball, or hockey. Even the parents have a serious prejudice, as if becoming a skater automatically makes one gay!"
The British have great work ethic
"I've heard that brother and sister Kerrs who train with you have learned the term 'working Stakhan style'[1], and are certain that you'll lead them to Olympic podium in Vancouver."
"I like working with Sinead and John. You don't have to drag them along - they're very intelligent, with many ideas. They work very hard, only taking a couple of days a year off - for New Year and for Christmas (on those days, the rink is closed). When I took part in "Stars on Ice", they came to train in Novogorsk. By the way, it has great training conditions."
"In that case, why are so many of our coaches and athletes living in America?"
"We left USSR when things were very bad. In the early 90's, everything is falling part, there were crisis with everything, including fuel - there wasn't even enough for zamboni machines. The country had more important things to worry about. America, meanwhile, was going through the kind of figure skating boom we're in right now."
"Did you dream of being Olympic champion when you were little?"
"I started skating at 6. Then, however, I had a break; when I got back to the rink at 9, other kids were already doing doubles, and almost doing triples. I was behind. Well, I thought, I should just go into dance. It's fun there, there are girls, and being in a pair is great! Soon enough, I realized I was wrong - just two days after I was paired with a girl, she had a tantrum. The boys in the schoolyard were teasing me - here was goes figuring again!
But I felt that I could be a good skater. Back then, when I was watching competitions on TV at 9, I thought - 'This is awful! How can I ever go there? I'll die of fear with thousands of people watching me...' That's when I started figuring out how to fight the fear."
Oksana can't have a quiet life
"Both you and you former partner Oksana Gritchuk took part in the "Stars on Ice" project. Prior to that, you haven't seen each other for a long time. How was the reunion."
"It was nice. Oksana was practicing the tango with Petya Krasilov. I ask Oksana - 'Do you remember our footwork?' 'Of course I do'. So we skated. It was cool."
"Arriving in Moscow, Oksana called several tabloids, offering them some juicy interviews. She talked about her affair with Alexander Zhulin, who supposedly try to talk her into quitting figure skating thus enabling him and Maya Usova to win. She also talked about some financial stuff she had with Tarasova and with you..."
"Oksana and I have been through a lot. She's a unique person. She could run up to Tarasova, grab her by the lapels, and literally start shaking her like a pear tree - 'So, will we win?' I felt that with Oksana, I could win anything. Now, when almost 9 years have passed, I only remember the good."
"Why do you think Oksana can't settle down after so many years?"
"Because that's the kind of person she is. She can't settle down. That's why we argued so much, we hard to redo anything she disliked. However, that helped us find new things in our skating.
We parted at the end our our careers. Then, I was was skated with Maya Usova, and Oksana skated with Alexander Zhulin. I long felt something was unfinished. No other team in the world has our track record - two Olympics, 4 Worlds. Our whole story is like a book, where the last page has remained unwritten. It left a feeling of wanting to finish it up, put the book up on the shelf, and say - 'this was right'. I am glad we were re-united in 'Dances on Ice', and then at the New Year 'Ogonyok'."
My enemies can have my supper
"In America, have you ever considered getting an image consultant?"
"My American girlfriend take care of this. She keeps telling me I don't dress well. She even flew into Russian when I took part in "Dances on Ice". She told me right away that all my things are out of fashion, can should be burned! She then dragged me around the Moscow boutiques to build up my wardrobe. I'm to lazy for shopping."
"Is that the girlfriend you mentioned in an interview a few years back?"
"Yes, we've been together awhile. It's going great. We just haven't said the important words to make the union official."
"Do you have children?"
"No."
"Do you have a nutritionist?"
"No. I eat everything. If you're gaining weight, there is a wonderful diet, it's really simple. You could say I stole this diet from John Travolta. I suggested only eating half a pizza when yo want the whole thing. Follow this through in everything. I don't let my athletes, especially the girls, eat after six PM. Not even apples - they have too much sugar.
I was also thin, and never thought I'd gain weight. But I am on erratic schedule, being on the ice from morning to night. Coming home at night you're really hungry. So I'd supersize the meals, and the weight went up. Now the portions have been halved. I live by the principle - eat your breakfast yourself, share your dinner with a friend, give your supper to the enemy.[2]"
---------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Stakhan work movement has originated in Soviet Union in the 1930's. Its idea is to surpass all expectations with hard work, bolstered by healthy competition. Over time, it has come to refer to anyone who works very hard.
[2] A Russian proverb.
Following the "Stars on Ice" show, skater Evgeny Platov became perhaps even more popular than he was during his athletic career. His female fans even created an Internet site, where they continue to talk months after the end of the program.
We will again see Platov at the World championships in Japan, this time as a coach of the British team of Sinead and John Kerr. Evgeny lives in America, but he often comes to Moscow, where we met up with him prior to the most important ice battle of the year.
Skating leaks
"Evgeny, many of our skaters and coach are slowly getting back from America - Tatiana Tarasova, Tatiana Navka, Alexander Zhulin... Are you tempted?"
"I have been thinking about it. Especially after the "Stars on Ice" show. By the way, similar shows have taken place in many other countries - in the Czech Republic, in Italy, in the Netherlands. I can say for sure that skates haves sold out throughout - they've even had a skate deficit in England! It's great to see our sport being so popular."
"Figure skating has become Russia's export product - all kinds of countries are using our resources. What's your take on this 'skating leak'?"
"Our kids are very talented. Not all of them can get to such high places at Russian Nationals as to get to the international level. So they compete for other countries.
Let's take America. I can tell you that all US girls dream of skating with Russian guys - they have more passion and more artistry. Furthermore, Russian boys are in demand because in the USA figure skating is not considered a male sport. Boys prefer to go into football, baseball, or hockey. Even the parents have a serious prejudice, as if becoming a skater automatically makes one gay!"
The British have great work ethic
"I've heard that brother and sister Kerrs who train with you have learned the term 'working Stakhan style'[1], and are certain that you'll lead them to Olympic podium in Vancouver."
"I like working with Sinead and John. You don't have to drag them along - they're very intelligent, with many ideas. They work very hard, only taking a couple of days a year off - for New Year and for Christmas (on those days, the rink is closed). When I took part in "Stars on Ice", they came to train in Novogorsk. By the way, it has great training conditions."
"In that case, why are so many of our coaches and athletes living in America?"
"We left USSR when things were very bad. In the early 90's, everything is falling part, there were crisis with everything, including fuel - there wasn't even enough for zamboni machines. The country had more important things to worry about. America, meanwhile, was going through the kind of figure skating boom we're in right now."
"Did you dream of being Olympic champion when you were little?"
"I started skating at 6. Then, however, I had a break; when I got back to the rink at 9, other kids were already doing doubles, and almost doing triples. I was behind. Well, I thought, I should just go into dance. It's fun there, there are girls, and being in a pair is great! Soon enough, I realized I was wrong - just two days after I was paired with a girl, she had a tantrum. The boys in the schoolyard were teasing me - here was goes figuring again!
But I felt that I could be a good skater. Back then, when I was watching competitions on TV at 9, I thought - 'This is awful! How can I ever go there? I'll die of fear with thousands of people watching me...' That's when I started figuring out how to fight the fear."
Oksana can't have a quiet life
"Both you and you former partner Oksana Gritchuk took part in the "Stars on Ice" project. Prior to that, you haven't seen each other for a long time. How was the reunion."
"It was nice. Oksana was practicing the tango with Petya Krasilov. I ask Oksana - 'Do you remember our footwork?' 'Of course I do'. So we skated. It was cool."
"Arriving in Moscow, Oksana called several tabloids, offering them some juicy interviews. She talked about her affair with Alexander Zhulin, who supposedly try to talk her into quitting figure skating thus enabling him and Maya Usova to win. She also talked about some financial stuff she had with Tarasova and with you..."
"Oksana and I have been through a lot. She's a unique person. She could run up to Tarasova, grab her by the lapels, and literally start shaking her like a pear tree - 'So, will we win?' I felt that with Oksana, I could win anything. Now, when almost 9 years have passed, I only remember the good."
"Why do you think Oksana can't settle down after so many years?"
"Because that's the kind of person she is. She can't settle down. That's why we argued so much, we hard to redo anything she disliked. However, that helped us find new things in our skating.
We parted at the end our our careers. Then, I was was skated with Maya Usova, and Oksana skated with Alexander Zhulin. I long felt something was unfinished. No other team in the world has our track record - two Olympics, 4 Worlds. Our whole story is like a book, where the last page has remained unwritten. It left a feeling of wanting to finish it up, put the book up on the shelf, and say - 'this was right'. I am glad we were re-united in 'Dances on Ice', and then at the New Year 'Ogonyok'."
My enemies can have my supper
"In America, have you ever considered getting an image consultant?"
"My American girlfriend take care of this. She keeps telling me I don't dress well. She even flew into Russian when I took part in "Dances on Ice". She told me right away that all my things are out of fashion, can should be burned! She then dragged me around the Moscow boutiques to build up my wardrobe. I'm to lazy for shopping."
"Is that the girlfriend you mentioned in an interview a few years back?"
"Yes, we've been together awhile. It's going great. We just haven't said the important words to make the union official."
"Do you have children?"
"No."
"Do you have a nutritionist?"
"No. I eat everything. If you're gaining weight, there is a wonderful diet, it's really simple. You could say I stole this diet from John Travolta. I suggested only eating half a pizza when yo want the whole thing. Follow this through in everything. I don't let my athletes, especially the girls, eat after six PM. Not even apples - they have too much sugar.
I was also thin, and never thought I'd gain weight. But I am on erratic schedule, being on the ice from morning to night. Coming home at night you're really hungry. So I'd supersize the meals, and the weight went up. Now the portions have been halved. I live by the principle - eat your breakfast yourself, share your dinner with a friend, give your supper to the enemy.[2]"
---------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Stakhan work movement has originated in Soviet Union in the 1930's. Its idea is to surpass all expectations with hard work, bolstered by healthy competition. Over time, it has come to refer to anyone who works very hard.
[2] A Russian proverb.
