- Joined
- Nov 8, 2017
Facebook Live : https://www.facebook.com/EurosportFR...type=2&theater
Finally, I've gotten to the end. I'll be smarter next time I'm promising something like this. What horror, that mic put towards G&G and not to the interviewer (Florent Amodio?).
Anyway, feel free to correct and fill in the gaps!
Happy Christmas. Or something.
Florent Amodio [I can't find the post back, but someone said it was him asking the questions? Could someone confirm or else give the name of the interviewer?]: Hi to all, welcome to the FB page of Eurosport for another 'live' with two guests: Guillaume Cizeron and Gabriella Papadakis. Hello to both of you (GC: Hi; GP: Good evening!)
So, you have already been here at Eurosport, that was a little under one year ago, but that was before your extraordinary start of this season, before those 3 world records in less than one month; how are you guys?
Gabriella Papadakis: We are doing really great, we are really pleased with what we did last week, we set another record and gave two performances that were at the top of what we wanted to do. We're now in Paris since two days and we're doing a media tour; it's really nice to be in France and meet everyone.
FA: We remind everyone that on the 4th of November, you were the first [ice] dancers to cross the bar of 200 points, 200.43 if I'm not making any mistakes, on the 18th of November once again, and now, Nagoya, which was last weekend, again a world record with over 202 points; it's a canonball start of the season for you two!
Guillaume Cizeron: Yes, well yes, it's all that we hoped for, we really worked our guts out at the trainings this summer, we worked very hard for this, so we're really happy that we were able to, well, deliver performances of that level, and, moreover, be able to face the pressure, that wasn't easy; but this reassures us a bit, it proves us that we're on the right track. There.
FA: So come and ask the questions you may have for Guillaume and Gabriella.
We told you in the introduction, but you two have a little record with us here on Eurosport: you are the most-watched video on FB, your first world record on November 4th, that got 27 million views; so we're hoping for the same amount of people for this 'live' (laughs), but in the meantime, come and ask your questions!
I've got a first question: Does this world record not fall a bit early in your season? Because, let's not forget, you have a huge target: PyeongChang, the OG in February; are you not ready too early after all?
GP: Ready too early? No, in fact, yes, we surely got great scores, and much better than last year, but that proves us that we have made a lot of progress compared to last year, that we're on the right track, on the right path, but, truly, we, what we notice is everything that needs improving, and there still is a lot to improve on, the scores a far from maximum, at least in our eyes; so no, we're not worried by this, we know that there are still many many things to improve on.
FA: I've got Theo who says "congratulations" (GC, GP: thanks).
A question from Romain: "How do you approach the coming GO?" How do you prepare yourselves?
GC: Hi Romain. Well... We try to stay level-headed, we try to stay concentrated on our work, on our small bubble, that's it. We have a coaching team with us who are there to support us; well, after all, these are our first Olympic Games, and well, it can be a bit stressy, but we have coaches and trainers with us who are there to help us, who have already the experience of the Games, so we're mostly trusting in them/leaning on that, and well, we stay concentrated on what we have to do.
FA: Max asks: "Can you still get a better result as far as the points go?", have you put a mark for yourselves, or some kind of [target]...?
GP: Yes, yes, certainly, as I said before, there is still a margin, sure. It's clear that these are very very good results, but we know that there are still plenty of things that can be improved, and the points can still really go up, and that's what we're hoping for at the Olympic Games.
FA: Theo says: "You just spoke about the mediatization of the performances, do think it is a pity--" Do you have the feeling to be under-mediatized? Like, compared to what you are achieving? Theo gives the example of Candeloro at that time, Surya Bonali and all those people, do you feel that... [Guillaume starts answering and the mic is pointed towards them, so his 'MOOOUI' (a hesitant yes) makes it for me hardly possible to hear the words of the interviewer, I think this is what he says, but it doesn't make much sense for me: "Ce n'est pas passé par les Jeux justement." I wouldn't know what that is supposed to mean other than: "It didn't happen because of the Games, notably (as in: in contrast to G&G)." Anybody any light to shed?]
[How strange that a written question from a viewer is not read literally, but rephrased by the interviewer...]
GC: It's true that we're in a period, even worldwide, in the US or wherever, in which skating is maybe less popular than at a certain time, but well, after all, everything is relative: it's clear that it's less mediatized than football or rugby or other sports like that, which are more popular today, but we're not complaining, we still have always full stadiums, so well, it carries on in its own sweet way, I think there are more and more people who get to know us, and more importantly, get to know the sport, and that is what is important to us, for a start, to bring programs that are modern, that are not old-fashioned, which can promote the image of skating, of what it can be today... So well, under-mediatized, no, it's true that the more talk of skating there is, the better, because it makes the kids want to skate, it can inspire, well, 'callings', but well, so, we're not frustrated.
FA: Julien talks about the OG, the simplest question in the world [I think, I'm not sure if Florent says something like 'the simplest thing in the world', Gabriella has a short laugh which again falls over the words of Florent that seem to be something like "for you/us also" before continuing] Do you think you will be Olympic champions?
GP: Well, yes, we just won the Grand Prix Final against, in fact, all of the competitors that we will have at the Olympic Games, so yes, it's doable, it's totally possible. Then again, will it be easy? NO, that's for sure, we will have to work enormously to remain the favourites and stay ahead, but yes, we know it's possible.
FA: Can we talk about-- does it also affect your sport, the psychological upper hand / the mental edge, in fact: having won something special just before THE four-yearly meet-up of the coming Games, or not at all? [Again these extremity-based questions: something totally, or not at all...]
GC: Well, you have to do your job on D-day, ah, you need-- without a perfect delivery, you can't claim the win. So our job is to make sure that they can't deduct points, that there is no discussion possible on each technical element, that it is also artistically very coherent, very powerful, so... Obviously, it's very mental, on D-day: we did it in training a million times, we know we can do it, that's not the issue; the obstacle is mental: it's stress, it's everything that can come and perturb us, anything that can come and-- It could also be an injury or something, it could be anything, but... Well, the target is that we do it as well as in training.
FA: That's one of my questions, actually, the mental side: How do you deal with this stress, this most difficult thing, [really needing help with the next few words because the sound quality and unfinished phrases leave me lost in the woods, I make an attempt for something meaningful but would like correction/confirmation] if you could stay behind your music score, the technical side etc, but the mental part, how do you deal with all that?
GP: Yes, the mind, that's complicated, because, yes, that's it, because we can work and be totally perfect and totally ready all that we want, but the day of the competition, everything comes down to what happens in the head. So, it's something-- so, well, you need self-confidence, so, you shouldn't think too much, you should-- it really is some sort of 'positive formatting' that needs to be done before the skate, and that surely is difficult, especially in very stressful moments, but we work a lot, we have a mental coach, named Steffany Hanlen, with whom we work since a bit over one year, so, well, with her we did a lot of this kind of work, we talk with her a lot, she is with us at many competitions, so, that's it. At our level, the mind is essential.
FA: Philippe asks: "Do you spend time together apart from skating, or is the on-ice time more than enough?"
GC: Well, it already almost fills all of our days. We don't spend much time together outside the ice or other activities that are part of our career. There.
FA: Well, exactly: what's a typical day for you?
GP: Well, in Montreal, where we train, in fact, it's like this: we wake up, go to the rink, do a warming up of one hour, then we have two separate training sessions of an hour and a half-- more like two hours in fact, with a break in between, and then in the evening we have either physical preparation or an appointment-- MANY appointments with the [kinesitherapist], the physiotherapist, massages, and so hop, the day quickly comes to an end.
FA: Fougue [??] ask me-- well, asks YOU, sorry,: "How do you choose your music?" How is this selection done? Is it in agreement with all, or...
GC: It's done-- Well, after all is said and done, the decision lies with US, a little also to-- a right to veto some music that we don't like or so, so it's mainly about what WE want to-- what we feel like skating to; but it's nevertheless a decision that is taken collectively with our coaches, with our coach-- well, our choreographers, because, well, the program needs to work first of all, it needs to be feasible, we need to find a concept that works, that's according to the rules, on which we can put the [technical] elements, one that inspires us, but also the choreographer, so everybody adds their two cents, and... Yes, it, it takes more time or less time; it's true that this year, our choices were quite easy, we can say, while other years it was more complicated, some times.
FA: Baptiste, who speaks of your programs, asks: "Do you have a favourite moment in one of your programs?" Is there a thing that you like specifically well, or apart from that [not sure at all due to the same issue], maybe there's a moment you even dread?
GP: (thinks) No, in fact, I think that it's a whole, we take our choreographies as a whole and, and we don't take each piece of the choreography, we try to make it our own and all that. It's true that, yes, there are for example technical parts that we're a bit fearful of, sure, it's all stuff like the step sequences, the twizzles, we really dread all of that, but otherwise, no, I think that, me personally anyway, I don't have a favourite moment in my programs.
GC: No... Not really. There are parts that we like to rehearse more than others, but... No, all is-- It's more that there are parts that "get on our nerves", so to say, (GP: parts that are more difficult than others, yes), because we spend a lot of time on one step sometimes, that we don't manage, or that isn't good enough and then... And then also, sometimes the rules are very specific about things that for us, sometimes, don't make a lot of sense, so we are forced to spend time to improve things that don't inspire us and are not interesting to work on.
FA: Edoardo asks, speaking of Montreal: "Is it a sacrifice to live abroad for your sports career?"
GP: Yes, well, it's-- in fact, I think that the real sacrifice lies in focussing totally on one's career, even though, well, for me, anyway, I don't really consider it a sacrifice because it's so totally our passion that, that, well, these are sacrifices in quotation marks, but, but, in the end, it's only joy, we love doing this, so, well. Sure, living abroad is not necessarily easy in the beginning, but, but well, Montreal, it's, it's also not the most difficult city in the world, it's, well, it remains, for starters it's French speaking, and it stays quite close to France, culturally, so, no, so it's really a beautiful city and we're happy there.
FA: Julien asks if he can get tickets to come and cheer you on? It's for PyeongChang, it's going to be a bit complicated, but it's a nice try, no? (laughter)
GP: Unfortunately... (laughter)
FA: I've got Hugo who asks, so this is a bit a wider scope: "Your ultimate goal--" you said it, you broke the world records-- what is it, is it-- What, what is most important to you? Is it the records - knowing that records can be beaten? Or is it to bring, obviously, medals home, specifically the Olympic medal?
GC: Well obviously there's a competitive part in which we want to grab medals that we don't have yet; then, yes, there are records; at one point it's going to be how many times we got this medal and how many times world champions, how many times... All of that, but we didn't set a particular target, what happens happens naturally, we don't force things, we don't have a... Yea, it's-- we-- I think that things are off to a good start, so we don't, we don't need to set such specific targets, and then again, if we would put them, it's always, it's always a bit tricky, because if we don't attain them, we run a big risk of being disappointed, so...
FA: Nicolas asks: "How do you deal with an event" - this harps back a bit to the question about the mind, but it's a bit like that - "How do you deal with the situation of being the favourites in an event?" Is it easier to go as outsiders, thinking "Well, we're going for broke" or to go with all eyes focussed on you and say...
GP: Well, that depends on the athletes, I heard both. We, I think that we are more comfortable with the situation we are in right now, we like to be the chased instead of the chaser. It's a position that we didn't always have, but well, it's, anyway, we prefer this. I wouldn't know exactly why, but (laughs) but we prefer this.
FA: The next stop in your schedule are the French Nationals, right? (GC/GP: Hmm) Is that... one more title? What is it? How do you take-- is it the continuation of the preparation, is it going after a title, or still fine-tuning/perfecting - insofar that's still possible...
GC: Yes, yes, it's true that there's not really anything at stake at that competition for us, sure; it's mainly for us a bit an occasion to meet our French fans, who do not always have the possibility to come and see us abroad or so, so... It's an event that is more of a family thing, it's the French team, with our federation, it allows our relatives, our families, our friends, to come and see us [I'm all of a sudden wondering how many people in the audience were NOT personal acquaintances of some skaters...]. So it's really nice, and then, well, it's a bit in the flow of our schedule, it ends the year: after the French Nationals, in Nantes next week, we will take one week off, 'cause we need to rest our bodies and our minds, so well... It's true that it's the 5th competition of the season [6th with the Masters de France?], so we really worked non-stop, we spent a lot of time in airplanes, jet-lagged, so now we need a bit of rest, so this is a bit the last stop, to indulge ourselves, and also to do-- it's more like a show for us to-- then really a-- something stressful, so there's a little stage fright, but more a stage fright for a show than the anxiety of a competition.
FA: Fougue asks another question, but this one's a bit outside the scope of sports, but it counts anyway: "Do you follow political news, specifically, what's happening in North Korea, as you'll be thereabouts?" [I can't for the life of me figure out what now about threats or so he then says] Do you put blinders on?
GP: Yes, that's not bad: "we put blinders on". Because-- well, we, we really try to concentrate on what we're doing, and then there's already so much, well, there's already so much stress in our sport alone, that if we would stress also for other, outside elements, there would be no end. So we know that there are people much more competent than us to concern themselves with this, and we trust in them. [God have mercy on them.]
FA: Everyone to his trade. [Again big frustration because of FA not talking in the mic, I cannot figure out what he says before 'mieux qu'eux'.] Well, I hope they're competent anyway, otherwise it will be problematic. (GP: Yes, we hope so!)
I saw a question from Damien I think, he asked: "Do you have rolemodels/examples in your sport, who made you want to join it?" or was it, I don't know, by chance, or was there one day someone that made you totally go ice dancing?
GC: Well, little by little-- it's true that we didn't start ice dancing because we were big fans of someone, because we started at a very young age, but then, little by little along our development, it's true that when we were younger, there were Marina and Gwendal, there were Isabelle and Olivier, there were Fabian and Nathalie just before us, so there were a lot of good couples, all world class, who were there before us, and we looked at that wide-eyed, you bet. And it's true that that seemed to be a very distant level when we were young, we thought "I don't know if one day we'll be at that level", but, but so... Later, little by little, we grew and then... So yes, it's mainly the French in fact, (GP: yes) who had us-- that we knew a bit better, because... because... we're French. (laughter)
FA: So I'm skipping over all the comments like "You are brilliant", "super great skaters", "you give us enormous joy" (GC/GP: Thanks!!), "from the bottom of our hearts", apart from you, it's [maltaco???] (I imagine that means really bad) (GC/GP: Thanks a lot!!) Well, there are many, so you see, what you're doing doesn't go unnoticed, and well deserved.
Angélique ask: "Which is your happiest memory of being together on the ice?" If you had to freeze today a moment out of your career...?
GP: I would say... (thinks) well there are many, it's hard to choose, but, all are equally worthy, but, but anyway, the first that I thought of, I think when we won our first Worlds in China (looks at Guillaume) anyway, the free dance...
GC: But there are very strong moments but there are also plenty of little moments, in our daily life, in our trainings, which make that, well, we enjoy what we're doing, and that we're doing it together, so... I would say that there are plenty-- I think that when we retire, I think we will have, we have more memories of the trainings in fact, than of competitions... (GP: sure (laughs))So... That's our life, the part that people see is only the competition, but we... I mean, 90% of the time we are training, so I think that my best memories will be of the trainings.
FA: Like an iceberg. (GC: Yes, it's the hidden part of iceberg - well, for the audience in any case.) But I guess that in the hidden part of the iceberg, there are moments that must be - that's part of the memory - difficult trainings...
GP: Yes, sure, sometimes, well, it's not easy to push yourself every day, but, but well, we wouldn't do it if we didn't like it, so... so there. For the time being we're still going.
FA: I'm going to ask a last question. Baptiste asks: "Among your programs, which is your favourite?"
GP: Honestly, I would say the one of this year, but...
GC: It depends. To skate, to skate I like a lot this year's, I like Mozart a lot too. To watch, if I watch the videos, I liked a lot (together with GP
Build a Home. The one of 2015-2016. I think it was, it was quite cool to skate also. It was a--
GP: It wasn't the easiest one to skate, but...
FA: [God f**cking knows what he now mumbles in the mix of erms and aaahhs and mmmmms - pardon my French but it's horrendously frustrating to have one of the voices off-mic]
GC: Yea, it was quite modern, there was something a bit... a bit... that we somehow didn't control, as if it just happened, and it's also not music that we-- in fact, it's quite cool to be surprised by the choices we make, because, it's a bit like Mozart, it's not we who chose the music, and we discovered ourselves through that choice that was made for us; and Build a Home was a bit similar, it was Marie-France who had brought the music, who had a vision/concept for us, and we trusted her and discovered ourselves-- and the discovery is interesting. This year, we knew-- we know what we are doing, we knew what we were going to do before doing it, and so there are less surprises.
GP: Also, strangely enough, a program that I love to watch, is the Waltz of the same year, 2015-2016, and it's strange because nevertheless, we've hated it-- well, not HATED it, no, but--
GC: We hated it for quite a while!
GP: Yes, it has given us such-- (GC: headaches) that program has given us so many headaches, and I was surprised, well, when I watched it later on (GC: Wasn't bad!): in fact, it's-- I love watching it, while there was-- it was really hard!
FA: Gabriella and Guillaume, we thank you for coming (GC/GP: Thanks!) And...eeeerm... I'm not going to say the word because it's not really polite (laughter) ["Break a leg", in the sense of 'good luck' or 'success!', in French is "(Bonne) Merde", which of course means 'sh*t' so it's not the most lovely word to use in front of a large audience...], but [something successful, can't hear the word] for the OG, and you come back whenever you want. (GC/GP: Thanks!)
Finally, I've gotten to the end. I'll be smarter next time I'm promising something like this. What horror, that mic put towards G&G and not to the interviewer (Florent Amodio?).
Anyway, feel free to correct and fill in the gaps!
Happy Christmas. Or something.
Florent Amodio [I can't find the post back, but someone said it was him asking the questions? Could someone confirm or else give the name of the interviewer?]: Hi to all, welcome to the FB page of Eurosport for another 'live' with two guests: Guillaume Cizeron and Gabriella Papadakis. Hello to both of you (GC: Hi; GP: Good evening!)
So, you have already been here at Eurosport, that was a little under one year ago, but that was before your extraordinary start of this season, before those 3 world records in less than one month; how are you guys?
Gabriella Papadakis: We are doing really great, we are really pleased with what we did last week, we set another record and gave two performances that were at the top of what we wanted to do. We're now in Paris since two days and we're doing a media tour; it's really nice to be in France and meet everyone.
FA: We remind everyone that on the 4th of November, you were the first [ice] dancers to cross the bar of 200 points, 200.43 if I'm not making any mistakes, on the 18th of November once again, and now, Nagoya, which was last weekend, again a world record with over 202 points; it's a canonball start of the season for you two!
Guillaume Cizeron: Yes, well yes, it's all that we hoped for, we really worked our guts out at the trainings this summer, we worked very hard for this, so we're really happy that we were able to, well, deliver performances of that level, and, moreover, be able to face the pressure, that wasn't easy; but this reassures us a bit, it proves us that we're on the right track. There.
FA: So come and ask the questions you may have for Guillaume and Gabriella.
We told you in the introduction, but you two have a little record with us here on Eurosport: you are the most-watched video on FB, your first world record on November 4th, that got 27 million views; so we're hoping for the same amount of people for this 'live' (laughs), but in the meantime, come and ask your questions!
I've got a first question: Does this world record not fall a bit early in your season? Because, let's not forget, you have a huge target: PyeongChang, the OG in February; are you not ready too early after all?
GP: Ready too early? No, in fact, yes, we surely got great scores, and much better than last year, but that proves us that we have made a lot of progress compared to last year, that we're on the right track, on the right path, but, truly, we, what we notice is everything that needs improving, and there still is a lot to improve on, the scores a far from maximum, at least in our eyes; so no, we're not worried by this, we know that there are still many many things to improve on.
FA: I've got Theo who says "congratulations" (GC, GP: thanks).
A question from Romain: "How do you approach the coming GO?" How do you prepare yourselves?
GC: Hi Romain. Well... We try to stay level-headed, we try to stay concentrated on our work, on our small bubble, that's it. We have a coaching team with us who are there to support us; well, after all, these are our first Olympic Games, and well, it can be a bit stressy, but we have coaches and trainers with us who are there to help us, who have already the experience of the Games, so we're mostly trusting in them/leaning on that, and well, we stay concentrated on what we have to do.
FA: Max asks: "Can you still get a better result as far as the points go?", have you put a mark for yourselves, or some kind of [target]...?
GP: Yes, yes, certainly, as I said before, there is still a margin, sure. It's clear that these are very very good results, but we know that there are still plenty of things that can be improved, and the points can still really go up, and that's what we're hoping for at the Olympic Games.
FA: Theo says: "You just spoke about the mediatization of the performances, do think it is a pity--" Do you have the feeling to be under-mediatized? Like, compared to what you are achieving? Theo gives the example of Candeloro at that time, Surya Bonali and all those people, do you feel that... [Guillaume starts answering and the mic is pointed towards them, so his 'MOOOUI' (a hesitant yes) makes it for me hardly possible to hear the words of the interviewer, I think this is what he says, but it doesn't make much sense for me: "Ce n'est pas passé par les Jeux justement." I wouldn't know what that is supposed to mean other than: "It didn't happen because of the Games, notably (as in: in contrast to G&G)." Anybody any light to shed?]
[How strange that a written question from a viewer is not read literally, but rephrased by the interviewer...]
GC: It's true that we're in a period, even worldwide, in the US or wherever, in which skating is maybe less popular than at a certain time, but well, after all, everything is relative: it's clear that it's less mediatized than football or rugby or other sports like that, which are more popular today, but we're not complaining, we still have always full stadiums, so well, it carries on in its own sweet way, I think there are more and more people who get to know us, and more importantly, get to know the sport, and that is what is important to us, for a start, to bring programs that are modern, that are not old-fashioned, which can promote the image of skating, of what it can be today... So well, under-mediatized, no, it's true that the more talk of skating there is, the better, because it makes the kids want to skate, it can inspire, well, 'callings', but well, so, we're not frustrated.
FA: Julien talks about the OG, the simplest question in the world [I think, I'm not sure if Florent says something like 'the simplest thing in the world', Gabriella has a short laugh which again falls over the words of Florent that seem to be something like "for you/us also" before continuing] Do you think you will be Olympic champions?
GP: Well, yes, we just won the Grand Prix Final against, in fact, all of the competitors that we will have at the Olympic Games, so yes, it's doable, it's totally possible. Then again, will it be easy? NO, that's for sure, we will have to work enormously to remain the favourites and stay ahead, but yes, we know it's possible.
FA: Can we talk about-- does it also affect your sport, the psychological upper hand / the mental edge, in fact: having won something special just before THE four-yearly meet-up of the coming Games, or not at all? [Again these extremity-based questions: something totally, or not at all...]
GC: Well, you have to do your job on D-day, ah, you need-- without a perfect delivery, you can't claim the win. So our job is to make sure that they can't deduct points, that there is no discussion possible on each technical element, that it is also artistically very coherent, very powerful, so... Obviously, it's very mental, on D-day: we did it in training a million times, we know we can do it, that's not the issue; the obstacle is mental: it's stress, it's everything that can come and perturb us, anything that can come and-- It could also be an injury or something, it could be anything, but... Well, the target is that we do it as well as in training.
FA: That's one of my questions, actually, the mental side: How do you deal with this stress, this most difficult thing, [really needing help with the next few words because the sound quality and unfinished phrases leave me lost in the woods, I make an attempt for something meaningful but would like correction/confirmation] if you could stay behind your music score, the technical side etc, but the mental part, how do you deal with all that?
GP: Yes, the mind, that's complicated, because, yes, that's it, because we can work and be totally perfect and totally ready all that we want, but the day of the competition, everything comes down to what happens in the head. So, it's something-- so, well, you need self-confidence, so, you shouldn't think too much, you should-- it really is some sort of 'positive formatting' that needs to be done before the skate, and that surely is difficult, especially in very stressful moments, but we work a lot, we have a mental coach, named Steffany Hanlen, with whom we work since a bit over one year, so, well, with her we did a lot of this kind of work, we talk with her a lot, she is with us at many competitions, so, that's it. At our level, the mind is essential.
FA: Philippe asks: "Do you spend time together apart from skating, or is the on-ice time more than enough?"
GC: Well, it already almost fills all of our days. We don't spend much time together outside the ice or other activities that are part of our career. There.
FA: Well, exactly: what's a typical day for you?
GP: Well, in Montreal, where we train, in fact, it's like this: we wake up, go to the rink, do a warming up of one hour, then we have two separate training sessions of an hour and a half-- more like two hours in fact, with a break in between, and then in the evening we have either physical preparation or an appointment-- MANY appointments with the [kinesitherapist], the physiotherapist, massages, and so hop, the day quickly comes to an end.
FA: Fougue [??] ask me-- well, asks YOU, sorry,: "How do you choose your music?" How is this selection done? Is it in agreement with all, or...
GC: It's done-- Well, after all is said and done, the decision lies with US, a little also to-- a right to veto some music that we don't like or so, so it's mainly about what WE want to-- what we feel like skating to; but it's nevertheless a decision that is taken collectively with our coaches, with our coach-- well, our choreographers, because, well, the program needs to work first of all, it needs to be feasible, we need to find a concept that works, that's according to the rules, on which we can put the [technical] elements, one that inspires us, but also the choreographer, so everybody adds their two cents, and... Yes, it, it takes more time or less time; it's true that this year, our choices were quite easy, we can say, while other years it was more complicated, some times.
FA: Baptiste, who speaks of your programs, asks: "Do you have a favourite moment in one of your programs?" Is there a thing that you like specifically well, or apart from that [not sure at all due to the same issue], maybe there's a moment you even dread?
GP: (thinks) No, in fact, I think that it's a whole, we take our choreographies as a whole and, and we don't take each piece of the choreography, we try to make it our own and all that. It's true that, yes, there are for example technical parts that we're a bit fearful of, sure, it's all stuff like the step sequences, the twizzles, we really dread all of that, but otherwise, no, I think that, me personally anyway, I don't have a favourite moment in my programs.
GC: No... Not really. There are parts that we like to rehearse more than others, but... No, all is-- It's more that there are parts that "get on our nerves", so to say, (GP: parts that are more difficult than others, yes), because we spend a lot of time on one step sometimes, that we don't manage, or that isn't good enough and then... And then also, sometimes the rules are very specific about things that for us, sometimes, don't make a lot of sense, so we are forced to spend time to improve things that don't inspire us and are not interesting to work on.
FA: Edoardo asks, speaking of Montreal: "Is it a sacrifice to live abroad for your sports career?"
GP: Yes, well, it's-- in fact, I think that the real sacrifice lies in focussing totally on one's career, even though, well, for me, anyway, I don't really consider it a sacrifice because it's so totally our passion that, that, well, these are sacrifices in quotation marks, but, but, in the end, it's only joy, we love doing this, so, well. Sure, living abroad is not necessarily easy in the beginning, but, but well, Montreal, it's, it's also not the most difficult city in the world, it's, well, it remains, for starters it's French speaking, and it stays quite close to France, culturally, so, no, so it's really a beautiful city and we're happy there.
FA: Julien asks if he can get tickets to come and cheer you on? It's for PyeongChang, it's going to be a bit complicated, but it's a nice try, no? (laughter)
GP: Unfortunately... (laughter)
FA: I've got Hugo who asks, so this is a bit a wider scope: "Your ultimate goal--" you said it, you broke the world records-- what is it, is it-- What, what is most important to you? Is it the records - knowing that records can be beaten? Or is it to bring, obviously, medals home, specifically the Olympic medal?
GC: Well obviously there's a competitive part in which we want to grab medals that we don't have yet; then, yes, there are records; at one point it's going to be how many times we got this medal and how many times world champions, how many times... All of that, but we didn't set a particular target, what happens happens naturally, we don't force things, we don't have a... Yea, it's-- we-- I think that things are off to a good start, so we don't, we don't need to set such specific targets, and then again, if we would put them, it's always, it's always a bit tricky, because if we don't attain them, we run a big risk of being disappointed, so...
FA: Nicolas asks: "How do you deal with an event" - this harps back a bit to the question about the mind, but it's a bit like that - "How do you deal with the situation of being the favourites in an event?" Is it easier to go as outsiders, thinking "Well, we're going for broke" or to go with all eyes focussed on you and say...
GP: Well, that depends on the athletes, I heard both. We, I think that we are more comfortable with the situation we are in right now, we like to be the chased instead of the chaser. It's a position that we didn't always have, but well, it's, anyway, we prefer this. I wouldn't know exactly why, but (laughs) but we prefer this.
FA: The next stop in your schedule are the French Nationals, right? (GC/GP: Hmm) Is that... one more title? What is it? How do you take-- is it the continuation of the preparation, is it going after a title, or still fine-tuning/perfecting - insofar that's still possible...
GC: Yes, yes, it's true that there's not really anything at stake at that competition for us, sure; it's mainly for us a bit an occasion to meet our French fans, who do not always have the possibility to come and see us abroad or so, so... It's an event that is more of a family thing, it's the French team, with our federation, it allows our relatives, our families, our friends, to come and see us [I'm all of a sudden wondering how many people in the audience were NOT personal acquaintances of some skaters...]. So it's really nice, and then, well, it's a bit in the flow of our schedule, it ends the year: after the French Nationals, in Nantes next week, we will take one week off, 'cause we need to rest our bodies and our minds, so well... It's true that it's the 5th competition of the season [6th with the Masters de France?], so we really worked non-stop, we spent a lot of time in airplanes, jet-lagged, so now we need a bit of rest, so this is a bit the last stop, to indulge ourselves, and also to do-- it's more like a show for us to-- then really a-- something stressful, so there's a little stage fright, but more a stage fright for a show than the anxiety of a competition.
FA: Fougue asks another question, but this one's a bit outside the scope of sports, but it counts anyway: "Do you follow political news, specifically, what's happening in North Korea, as you'll be thereabouts?" [I can't for the life of me figure out what now about threats or so he then says] Do you put blinders on?
GP: Yes, that's not bad: "we put blinders on". Because-- well, we, we really try to concentrate on what we're doing, and then there's already so much, well, there's already so much stress in our sport alone, that if we would stress also for other, outside elements, there would be no end. So we know that there are people much more competent than us to concern themselves with this, and we trust in them. [God have mercy on them.]
FA: Everyone to his trade. [Again big frustration because of FA not talking in the mic, I cannot figure out what he says before 'mieux qu'eux'.] Well, I hope they're competent anyway, otherwise it will be problematic. (GP: Yes, we hope so!)
I saw a question from Damien I think, he asked: "Do you have rolemodels/examples in your sport, who made you want to join it?" or was it, I don't know, by chance, or was there one day someone that made you totally go ice dancing?
GC: Well, little by little-- it's true that we didn't start ice dancing because we were big fans of someone, because we started at a very young age, but then, little by little along our development, it's true that when we were younger, there were Marina and Gwendal, there were Isabelle and Olivier, there were Fabian and Nathalie just before us, so there were a lot of good couples, all world class, who were there before us, and we looked at that wide-eyed, you bet. And it's true that that seemed to be a very distant level when we were young, we thought "I don't know if one day we'll be at that level", but, but so... Later, little by little, we grew and then... So yes, it's mainly the French in fact, (GP: yes) who had us-- that we knew a bit better, because... because... we're French. (laughter)
FA: So I'm skipping over all the comments like "You are brilliant", "super great skaters", "you give us enormous joy" (GC/GP: Thanks!!), "from the bottom of our hearts", apart from you, it's [maltaco???] (I imagine that means really bad) (GC/GP: Thanks a lot!!) Well, there are many, so you see, what you're doing doesn't go unnoticed, and well deserved.
Angélique ask: "Which is your happiest memory of being together on the ice?" If you had to freeze today a moment out of your career...?
GP: I would say... (thinks) well there are many, it's hard to choose, but, all are equally worthy, but, but anyway, the first that I thought of, I think when we won our first Worlds in China (looks at Guillaume) anyway, the free dance...
GC: But there are very strong moments but there are also plenty of little moments, in our daily life, in our trainings, which make that, well, we enjoy what we're doing, and that we're doing it together, so... I would say that there are plenty-- I think that when we retire, I think we will have, we have more memories of the trainings in fact, than of competitions... (GP: sure (laughs))So... That's our life, the part that people see is only the competition, but we... I mean, 90% of the time we are training, so I think that my best memories will be of the trainings.
FA: Like an iceberg. (GC: Yes, it's the hidden part of iceberg - well, for the audience in any case.) But I guess that in the hidden part of the iceberg, there are moments that must be - that's part of the memory - difficult trainings...
GP: Yes, sure, sometimes, well, it's not easy to push yourself every day, but, but well, we wouldn't do it if we didn't like it, so... so there. For the time being we're still going.
FA: I'm going to ask a last question. Baptiste asks: "Among your programs, which is your favourite?"
GP: Honestly, I would say the one of this year, but...
GC: It depends. To skate, to skate I like a lot this year's, I like Mozart a lot too. To watch, if I watch the videos, I liked a lot (together with GP
Build a Home. The one of 2015-2016. I think it was, it was quite cool to skate also. It was a-- GP: It wasn't the easiest one to skate, but...
FA: [God f**cking knows what he now mumbles in the mix of erms and aaahhs and mmmmms - pardon my French but it's horrendously frustrating to have one of the voices off-mic]
GC: Yea, it was quite modern, there was something a bit... a bit... that we somehow didn't control, as if it just happened, and it's also not music that we-- in fact, it's quite cool to be surprised by the choices we make, because, it's a bit like Mozart, it's not we who chose the music, and we discovered ourselves through that choice that was made for us; and Build a Home was a bit similar, it was Marie-France who had brought the music, who had a vision/concept for us, and we trusted her and discovered ourselves-- and the discovery is interesting. This year, we knew-- we know what we are doing, we knew what we were going to do before doing it, and so there are less surprises.
GP: Also, strangely enough, a program that I love to watch, is the Waltz of the same year, 2015-2016, and it's strange because nevertheless, we've hated it-- well, not HATED it, no, but--
GC: We hated it for quite a while!
GP: Yes, it has given us such-- (GC: headaches) that program has given us so many headaches, and I was surprised, well, when I watched it later on (GC: Wasn't bad!): in fact, it's-- I love watching it, while there was-- it was really hard!
FA: Gabriella and Guillaume, we thank you for coming (GC/GP: Thanks!) And...eeeerm... I'm not going to say the word because it's not really polite (laughter) ["Break a leg", in the sense of 'good luck' or 'success!', in French is "(Bonne) Merde", which of course means 'sh*t' so it's not the most lovely word to use in front of a large audience...], but [something successful, can't hear the word] for the OG, and you come back whenever you want. (GC/GP: Thanks!)
