Here's a quick interview of Florent Amodio on his plans for summer and his carrier made by the french community Passion-Patinage, May 7th : http://www.passion-patinage.com/?p=7565. I'm not very good at translation but there are elements that I think are important.
"This season was like the light at the end of a tunnel. After one year and a half of struggle, I have regained some confidence, it's very encouraging. I had some good feelings in fits and starts. 6th in the short at Europeans, I was in on Worlds, with not bad programs, and others less... At WTT I feel good physically and mentally, I go for two quadruple salchows in the Free. Both times, I open too soon in the air, but the idea of attempting the two quads is already huge for me. After this, I make too much mistakes, especially with jump counting and lots of jumping passes are zayaked, but I land many triples, with two axels, it's a step in term of technical density. For the rest, I stay humble, I know there's still lot of work, but I'm jacked up ! The competitors are here, and did not wait...
For next season, I already have ideas for the programs (the itw is from May). This summer, I'll work on technical aspects, and for the choreography, it will be "very Florent"! I have big ambitions, I want results. And if they don't come, this will be most likely my last season.
The planning for the summer is not fixed yet, we will define it with the Federation soon. There will be training in Bercy (Paris), Vaujany (French Alps), the Summer Cup in July in Lyon, France (competition used like a test for new programs, and selection for the Junior Grand prix) . It's really soon in the preparation, but it gives me a point of reference for the preparation of the programs.
Talking about holidays, I will have 2-3 weeks, I may go abroad, perhaps in Greece. Something to recharge batteries, and be in top form for the next season!"
Thank you Pika-Alva He has so much showmanship and originality, I hope he can pull it all together soon. I always love watching him perform with his joy and enthusiasm on the ice despite whatever placements.
I'm a little burned out on "Happy," but I'm sure Florent will have fun with it & make it very entertaining. Never heard of Benjamin Clementine before, but I like the songs. It would be hard to picture most skaters doing justice to that kind of style, but I really think Flo can interpret any sort of music.
I hate Happy, I have only one desire when I hear it: to break the radio I'm more enthusiastic about Benjamin Clementine. It's Amodio's style. I was upset last year with the "african" style. I felt that something was missing to Amodio. Maybe envy. As the season progressed, the program seemed better suited him.
I don't listen to much modern music & only hear it inadvertently - so I think Happy will suit Florent very well; it will likely be a very fun, light, happy-making program. And if it puts him in a good frame of mind, and in a good mood to perform, that can only help him as well. I think he may be turning the corner, honestly.
Wounds are still not totally healed, but the skater Florent Amodio got his act together this season, with humility and lucidity, to tie up with an international podium out of reach during the last 3 years.
The 2011 European champion will skate thursday and friday in the Nebelhorn trophy in Oberstdorf, where he will show his two programs he put up himself. A new deal for this undeniable talent stopped in full flight by the break up during Summer 2013 with his mentor Nikolai Mozorov. "Up to that point (the break up), everything had been easy for me. But I discover the dark side of thing. I'm not a superhero, unfortunately."said Amodio. "Its "only" Oberstdorf, but it's important for me. I had to reassess myself, about me, my way to practice. I thought I could have make it earlier, but it wasn't possible. My results showed it." Amodio trained with Morozov during 3 "extraordinary" years. The coach has been the craftsman of his three big medals, in the European Championships, with a gold one. After the split, Amodio collapsed and finished 18th in the Sochi Olympic Games. "Nikolai screwed up everything we built in this three years. I'm mad at him. We had created something solid, and it was all burnt down. I had to get over Nikolai. It was hard to erase all this."
Amodio struggled to find stability in training. He had several coach changes. But his lack of regularity and strictness just took him more away from high-level. "I was all alone, but I had to go through it by myself." Last season, he said he was in a rebuilding phase, under Bernard Glesser, Fabian Bourzat, and Claude Péri, who he stil trains with in Paris. He finished 9th in Worlds last year, with two programs of weak content. "I aspire to better than this, but it was a step I had to do. It's the first summer I train following on from last season." said the skater, satisfied of a summer without any scratch or contrariety.
Amodio says proudly he took charge of his life. He's starting a journalist formation in the INSEP in Paris. He practices football monday and saturday for a charity organization, does a lot of physical training, and he even puts up his progras alone. A short program to "Happy" in which he will put on a show, and a long program to Benjamin Clementine's song, where he hopes to be deeply moving. Two programs presented in the French Tour before summer. "I skated 24 times in a row in exhibition, I stuffed myself one month and a half with this two programs! The season is coming, and I'm not afraid. I don't overstep the marks anymore. I don't see myself too great, or too strong. And the motivation is here." emphasizes Amodio who doesn't want to satisfy himself with stunts. "I want to go the highest possible, and to stay there, that's the harder."
Thank you, Pika-Alva for translation! So he choreographed his programs alone? That's impressive! I just hope he won't end up like Brian at some point I wish him good luck in Free Skate at NHT
A new interview in German done after the French Masters - it's a bit long, but Google translate works well. Florent was very upset with himself after his poor performance there, but it seems he doesn't understand what went wrong. He had planned to go to Russia and work with Urmanov, but apparently won't have time until after TEB. (Why not Brian, hmm? Of course, Brian might also be busy doing shows & working with Romain now...)
I hope he can pull it together at SA...almost anyone could be a dark horse there, so you never know.