Here is a translation of the article.
Russian gave chance to dance.
Tess-Angelica Oldelius had a choice to quit ice dancing, or to find a new partner.
She found him - in Moscow.
- We aim for Euros and Worlds together, "says Tess-Angelica.
It was make or break for Tess-Angelica Oldelius. One of Sweden's few icedancers on reasonable high level was without
a partner and the choice was simple: find a new partner - or quit.
- I put in my profile on icedance.com, it is a kind of dating online site for icedancers says Tess-Angelica.
I was very surprised when it came an email from Denis in Moscow. I had been looking for a partner of
substantially lower class, but I thought I will go to Moscow and try.
In Moscow waited 21-year-old Denis Smirnov, national team at junior high level, for the 20-year-old Swede.
Smirnov, with World Cup competitions on his merit list, has trained figure skating since the age of four and
ice dancing for ten years. Tess-Angelica has trained for 15 years, but only two years with icedance.
She had the opportunity to stay in Moscow in four weeks but thought honestly it wouldn't go so well
- Denis Smirnov is a skater of a much higher class - so the return journey was booked after only one week.
But ...
- We trained together for two days, by then Denis and his trainer had made up their minds. We worked great together, we have
the same movement pattern and the same basic technique. I have trained with a Russian coach (Vera Pukrovskaja)
and was known to the Russian technique, "says a cheerful Tess-Angelica.
Now, Tess-Angelica applied to, and been accepted to the Sport School in Moscow and will stay, if all goes as intended,
for five years. Then she will also develop the partnership with Denis Smirnov that took the couple on a temporary
visit to Stockholm this week.
Our trainer in Moscow is talking about Euros and Worlds. It would be really fun. And it will be for Sweden
, in that case. At Euros and Worlds, it is sufficient if one in the pair has the nationality that
the pair will compete for, "says Tess-Angelica.
The couple's training in Tyresö this week was supervised by skating sporting director Carina Skoog. Who was very satisfied:
- They have good chemistry and good basic technique. The chemistry is incredibly important in ice dancing, it should
strike sparks between the athletes, they should captivate the audience, "says Carina Skoog. Provided that the Russians
releases Denis, and I think they will, we have good contacts with them, so I consider it realistic that we can get a couple
to represent Sweden.
Much needed, in this case. And welcome: Sweden has only had about ten icedance pair , and none at the elite level.
The last pair to represent Sweden at a European Championship was Åsa Agblad and Christer Thorell. That was
24 years ago. And 27 years ago was the last time skated in Worlds: Ulla Örnmarker and Thomas Svedberg came in 20th place.
Tess-Angelica and Denis are aiming higher.
