Deniss Vasiljevs

Indeed, he's sunshine on skates. I remember reading someone's post here who met him at Euros, & she said he was the nicest skater she had met there. Deniss is not just an incredible talent, but a charming & intelligent boy with great character.

The Absolute Skating wil be interviewing some skaters participating in Ice Legends, including Deniss. They give an opportunity to post questions: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1136698593047544&id=113697665347647

I find this quite hilarious (and adorbs at the same time), now the coach sports an identical, matching haircut to his student
https://www.instagram.com/p/BETdpialPsv/

BTW I already post my question for the Ice Legends interview :agree:

A recent news clip/interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1gHdTzgVrQ

And a print interview from the same event. Deniss was given 2000 Euros as a prize from the Daugavpils City Council for his 2nd place finish at the Youth Olympic Games.

http://sportacentrs.com/ziemas_sports/slidosana/15042016-vasiljevs_es_nevaru_izdzivot_bez_ledus_il

A tv documentary about Deniss...would it be possible for someone to translate? Looks very interesting!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJV_CXqMYdQ

silverfoxes said:

A tv documentary about Deniss...would it be possible for someone to translate? Looks very interesting!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJV_CXqMYdQ

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I am just insanely overjoyed!!! Inside the showcase that appears around 04:30, a copy of a collage I made for him before Europeans 2016 is on display along with his medals and trophies!!! (upper right corner of the case, just to the right of the three medals) I can express how honoured I am!!!! :hap93:eace:

This is the close up of the collage (I don't see the way to upload the original file, so I link the one I uploaded to Instagram.. slightly modified to fit their square format)
https://www.instagram.com/p/BA-mHWLudjB/?taken-by=charliedioliver

I like how there is so many little interviews or documentaries about Deniss. You can see how the media are interested in him and it's a good way to find some supporters. I would like to know roughly what he says, too! And the fact, that city is giving him some reward for his achievements is so nice! I wonder if it's Latvian rewards system for exceptional achievemnts or something like that. And it's beautiful collage, MGstyle

cathlen said:

I like how there is so many little interviews or documentaries about Deniss. You can see how the media are interested in him and it's a good way to find some supporters.

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Yes absolutely!!! And the fact that he is invited by Stèphane himself to his Ice Legends show is a sure sign he is already making an impact. And the invitation came before he wowed the world at WC with his SP. I am quite confident that he will be invited to more shows (there will be Kings on Ice in Riga and Tallinn this November, if it doesn't interfere with his competition schedule that can be a great opportunity for him too. And I also believe he will be able to secure solid sponsors as he makes name for himself. And thank you for compliments, I am still hopping on cloud nine!

Adorable I was actually thinking recently that Liza is kind of like the female version of Deniss...both of them are such charismatic and joyful young performers. I really hope their programs from the show will be aired on tv (and that someone will kindly upload them).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEd53JtweB2

silverfoxes said:

Wonderful new interview

https://bevsmithwrites.wordpress.com/2016/03/31/vasiljevsfully-charged/

I think he's growing up so much this year that he will probably change his hairstyle by next season. But he could always go back to the baby mullet he had when he was younger

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I posted this article in Patrick's Fan Fest too! It is WONDERFUL! I :agree: with Deniss's list of favorite skaters (Stephane, Dai, Patrick, and Javi). What's most exciting to me is that Deniss wants to be an ARTIST on the ice! He is quite well-spoken about everything. The article included the video of his Worlds SP and I watched it today for the first time. This was also the first time I'd watched any of Deniss's skating. It's adorable how much the British Eurosport guys loved him. All I can say is WOW!!!!! I will have someone else to follow on the competitive scene after Patrick retires!!!

GO DENISS!!!

With Stephane: https://www.facebook.com/1195496182...9549618231301/402586669927593/?type=3&theater And he enjoys his time on IceLegends

If you're still interested I could try translating the most important parts of this latvian documentary a bit later

Stephane Lambiel about Deniss: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1139907539393316
(my vague translation, sorry if there're some mistakes. Starting from 14 second)
Stephane: Deniss Vasiljevs is a Latvian skater and he had a great start in seniors this year. He is 16 and he is very young but he already has a lot of maturity. This year he has got silver at Youth Olympic Games and he was 14th at the World Championships. This reminds me of my first Worlds 14 years ago. This was my first experience at the senior stage as well. And yesterday while we were eating and talking I realized that it's just a start of his career and I really hope that one day he will be a legend and will write a chapter in the figure skating history. In any case, he started very well!

Deniss' Puttin on the Ritz at Ice Legends https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeFCknO7xLY
He really has the ability to integrate falls into his performance.
I'm glad he was given the opportunity to perform with so many great skaters.

bartlebooth said:

Deniss' Puttin on the Ritz at Ice Legends https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeFCknO7xLY
He really has the ability to integrate falls into his performance.
I'm glad he was given the opportunity to perform with so many great skaters.

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He even drew a huge applause by falling, can happen only with Deniss Vasiljevs!!! I am so happy for Stèphane's keen eagle eyes to spot his brilliant talent and decision to invite him, and the boy surely did the great master proud. And I was so proud of him too, instead of being intimidated by the presence of so many superstars he shared the ice with, he really rose to the occasion!! :agree: He also charged up his programme by throwing in an extra combination, not to mention attempting the 3A, downgrading the elements for a show performance doesn't exist for Deniss. I hope this performance will boost his crowd funding campaign, and of course all my best wishes for the future success in general, which is already more than promising :luv17:!

Nice pics from the show:

https://twitter.com/DenissVjpfan/status/724723680429789184
https://twitter.com/DenissVjpfan/status/724723409238691840

Still trying to catch up on all the videos...and Acirelk, yes, please, translate the documentary if you don't mind! I think we would all be very grateful!

Coach Ingrida made a loving audio message in support of Deniss and published it on their crowd funding site. You can feel the profound, motherlike love and bond she has with Deniss, and it's touching. https://www.pursu.it/podcast

Deniss lived with Ingrida & her family when he was in France...I am sure she feels like a second mother to him & will always support him. And she did a spectacular job taking him as far as she could.

Some more nice photos from Ice Legends at the top of this gallery:

http://www.photoya.de/galleries/ice-legends-2016/

Hello, everyone I tried to translate the documentary, but as it is quite long, I’ll make it in two parts. I imagine that there are plenty of English mistakes and for that, I am apologizing in advance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJV_CXqMYdQ

The documentary itself is in Latvian, but Deniss is speaking in Russian.

PART I

Narrator: Today, three talented skaters represent Latvia on the world arena: a 16-year-old Deniss Vasiljevs, a 17-year-old Angelina Kuchvalska, and a 15-year-old Diana Nikitina.
The first time when Deniss put on skating boots he was three. His dad liked playing hockey and he took his son along.

(2:50) Deniss: It took me some time before I started liking skating. It is a very interesting sport indeed, sometimes I even liked going to the practices. However, it was never as it is now. It is like a drug for me and I am addicted to it. Figure skating is my life purpose now. I love it so much. It is a tremendous pleasure to skate, to get the adrenalin while competing or training. It also makes my mom very happy. When I was a kid, I was kind of forced to go to trainings because I would rather watch cartoons. Only later, I started realizing that I really liked figure skating and it was not just a hobby anymore, but also my work. Before, the most difficult task for my parents was to make me leave our apartment to go to the training.

(4:30) Deniss: This is my first victory. I was seven. I got the first place in Austria. (4:47) This one I got in Warsaw in 2011, five years ago. (4:56) Also, five years ago, I got first place in Nationals, even though my skating was very bad back then. (5:13) That is my last achievement. This January, I got silver at YOG. (5:33) My first Grand Prix, I was thirteen. (5:42) The very first big award that I got. I was the first non-Russian who got on the podium in “Rostelekom Crystal Skate” (3rd place, Novice).

(Are you watching your own performances?)
Only starting this season. Before, I really hated watching myself skating and hated the critics, especially my mom’s critics. Now, I am watching and rewatching my programs and everything I am doing. I am analyzing everything that is happening around me and how I influence my surroundings. I am searching my weaknesses and trying to improve.

(Do you watch your competitors?)
Yes. Until this season, I was mostly interested in junior level skaters. I knew all of them. I wasn’t that interested in seniors. Now, I also started watching seniors. I am searching for some interesting details, tricks.

Narrator: When he is not at school studying, he is training in Sochi. Deniss says that he has two different lives: one is in his hometown Daugavpils, another one is in Sochi, Russia.

(8:24) Deniss: In Sochi I have a very busy schedule. Even though I am not spending that much time for school, I have trainings all day long. When I come back home, the only thing I can think about is that I want to sleep. I get very tired physically and emotionally. When I am at home, it is also very tiring because I always want my mom to be proud of me and her presence here is very motivating.

The whole Latvian part is basically about how hard it is to train in Latvia, that there is not enough facilities, no high level coaches and no money.

He made a clip to thank his Japanese fans all in their language. Very impressive how well he recites it, considering that Japanese pronounciation and intonation is extremely particular. Even a Mario Tshirt for a special effect. Can this boy be any more adorable :luv17:
https://twitter.com/DenissVjpfan/status/726921253156622336
*He is saying "Hello, I am Deniss Vasiljevs. I am so happy to have so much support from you. Thank you so much for always cheering for me. I will continue to do my best. Thank you! With love, Deniss."

BTW Acirelk thank you so much for the translation!!! I can only understand bits and pieces of detached words here and there - I once attempted to learn Russian so I could speak to Alexei Urmanov, that ended up in a miserable failure but now I want to meet Deniss too along with his coach, I might as well give it a go again I am getting motivated all over again