Verner's interview: my story is not over yet

[TAHbKA]

http://others.sport-express.ru/reviews/13618/ by Maria Nikulashkina

Most importantly - to remember who you are.

MN: Summing things up, is the 3rd place in Europeans and 12 at worlds the result for which it was worth changing your whole life?
TV: Obviously am not thrilled with my 12th place. Not with the 3rd either actually. At the beginning of the season I was considered the best skater in Europe and I wanted to remain one. Both in Bern and Moscow. But I wasn't that lucky.

MN: Was it the tiredness?
TV: No physically - at the end of my LP I did all 4 jumps, did the steps sequence and the spin. All was fine. But I started skating too slowly - twice slower than on practices, according to my coach. Perhaps that's the reason. I'll try to improve next year. I have to work on my head- after all the psychological factor is very important, especially at the end of hte competition. It is what decides who will be a champion and who wont'. So I lost to myself.

MN: In one of the interviews you compared yourself to a 58y.o Czech horse rider who all of a sudden beat everyone. Really, at your not yet 25 do you consider yourself old?
TV: Not at all. But after the not too successful season many people back home wrote me down. I don't think so myself, hence I gave that example. I was thrilled to see what happened to him - his son took place in the same competition, but it was he who won. Even though no one expected him to. Everyone kept asking `grandpa, what are you doing here?'. But most important is to know what can you do and believe in yourself.
Of course I'm not getting any younger. Just like everyone else. Many would love to, but so far no one succeeded. Nevertheless, I'm not too old yet. I'm 24 and now I realize I can skate to a music that I couldn't when I was younger. I think am now in the age when I can enjoy skating.
In Canada, where I moved to train things work differently. I work on each element separately - the steps, the spins, the gliding, the jumps. I reckon it will pay out in the future. I dont' plan to retire. It would be a silly thing to do. If I can wake the fighter in me next year all will be good. Am actuall ylooking forward for the next season and eager to start working.
Last season was successful all and all. Yes, the worlds didn't go well for me. But I did well in Grand Prix, especially here in Moscow, got to GPF. I was not brilliant, but decent in Europeans. The first part of the worlds was fine as well. I made a mistake, but it happens. In the LP I left all the thoughts beind and was skating for the audience. They were amazing! I would love to thank them so much. After my first jumps didn't happen I looked at the audience and nto the judges and realized why I love skating so much - it is because of those people.

MN: The audience loves you and you love them back. Does being so popular gets on you?
TV: Figure skating for me is a rollercoaster. Up and down, up and down. I have some doubts about my skating past. there are decision that I should had taken earlier or done differently. But I will never regret giving people emotions.

Found in Toronto all I was lookng for.

MN: After the not too successful last season did you consider retiring?
TV: Not at all - I did not yet achieve all my goals. Yes, I was drained, I couldn't possibly fall any lower. But it was not the mood I wanted to finish my career on. Besides, I have some fans of my own - I could not disappoint them so much just because I wasn't happy. deeeedeeeee deeeee deeeee
You know when it was really hard? When I got the swine flu in Skate America and had problems with WADA - because of the misunderstanding they gave me a notice and I was facing a 2 years disqualification. It's a disaster in my age. That was a moment I considered retiring. But after the season was over those thoughts were gone. Quite the opposite - I kept thinking how can I improve my skating.
It was very hard to part with the team in Oberstdorf. I spent 8 years with those people, we had great success btu last spring I realized that I need something new, something bigger. It was a hard decision to make, but I had to.

MN: You mention being all over the USA and Canada during the summer. What were you looking for?
TV: First of all the coach. I tried working with several but it didn't really work out. I met Emerson quite by chance. I was working with Brian Orser in Toronto. He was busy with Adam Rippon, perhaps with Yuna Kim and had to leave for 4 days.
I had to skate on another rink which was managed by Emerson. I had some troubles with my jumps and he just came over and gave me some advice. I didn't ask him to give me a lesson, he didn't ask tp be payed. He just gave an advice and it helped alot. We worked together for 2-3 days and I amde a decision. Toronto is a wonderful city. I have friends there and a family who could host me. My choreographer Lory Nickol lives there as well and it's close to Detroit, where the other choreographer - Camerlengo workds. Besides, there is an option to study in the uni if I decide to stay there. At the end all worked perfectly - I found exactly what I was looking for durnig the summer.

MN: A bit like a fairytale.
TV: Yeah. But the tale would be nicer if at the end of the championship I was standing on the podium, even if not on the top and was thrilled with a medal. So my tale is not over yet.
I really want to become a world medalist, to be on the podium and be able to thank everyone who supported me those years. To tell them it was not for nothing, they believed in me and I did it. But perhaps I should just forget about it because wanting something too badly kills the dream.

MN: Even if you never win a worlds medal - will you consider you career a success?
TV: I will be hugely disappointed. Of course I will not throw my figure skating life away - I found so many friends, new experiences, I've been all over the world, met interesting people. Perhaps it will help me in the future life. But it would be a disappointed not to medal at worlds. It would mean I did not achieve my main goal. Of course there would be no regrets. If I had a chance to go through all of it again - I would.

MN: What about the olympics: Have you got a goal therE?
TV: You know Brian Joubert? Let me tell you something about him. I like that guy. I lost him at the Europeans, but was not disappointed at all - I admire him and what he does on the ice. I like him as a person too.
The Olympics is a taboo for Brian. He wants to medal there so badly but it doesn't happen - because he wants it so much. Joubert participated 3 Olympics and it never happened for him.
My Olympics were a disaster - I was 18th in Turin and 19th in Vancouver. I.e. in 4 years I became 1 place worse. It's awful! It's a hard topic for me.
Every athlete dreams of an Olympcis medal. If I could have won one I would say my career could not possibly be more successful. I will try to fight for a medal in Sochi. I realize there are so many new amazing skaters, yet I do not plan to stand aside and let them ahead of me. If I feel capable to fight I will participate the Games in 2014, it will be my goal. It would be a good end for the career.

MN: Have you ever been to Sochi?
TV: No. My grandparents have during the USSR times. I saw some photos. Just the sea and the beach. I haven't seen any mountains nor sports centres. But from my experience I can only say if the Russians decided to pull something they will and they will do great. I have no doubts about that.

There is much more in the interview but have to go now. Will try to translate at night.

[MikiAndoFan#1]

Thanks, TAHbKA. Tomás seems like such a great guy. I wish him the best!

[pinky166]

Great interview! Glad he is planning on continuing and is ready to fight! Good luck Tomas !!

[Bev Johnston]

Tomas is one of my favorites! Glad he's sticking around.

Does anyone know if he has plans to change his LP? I loved his short, but I found the music for the LP positively dreadful.

[pinky166]

Tomas is one of my favorites! Glad he's sticking around.

Does anyone know if he has plans to change his LP? I loved his short, but I found the music for the LP positively dreadful.

I think he plans on getting 2 new programs. After he won COR he said something about how keeping a program for more than 1 season is boring for the audience.

[deedeelocks]

Besides, I have some fans of my own - I could not disappoint them so much just because I wasn't happy. deeeedeeeee deeeee deeeee

and TaHbKa for translating

Tomas is one of my favorites! Glad he's sticking around.

Does anyone know if he has plans to change his LP? I loved his short, but I found the music for the LP positively dreadful.

There is something about it in the rest of the interview. He talks about sing sing sing and mixing it with other music.

Sing sing sing gives me death in my soul. It's great music and it actually does fit him but it's... SO.OVER.USED !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bev Johnston]

and TaHbKa for translating


There is something about it in the rest of the interview. He talks about sing sing sing and mixing it with other music.

Sing sing sing gives me death in my soul. It's great music and it actually does fit him but it's... SO.OVER.USED !!!!!!!!!!!!

He is so good with light and spunky, so that's great news. (I actually really like Sing Sing Sing even if I've heard it more than a million times. )

[ltnskater]

and TaHbKa for translating


There is something about it in the rest of the interview. He talks about sing sing sing and mixing it with other music.

Sing sing sing gives me death in my soul. It's great music and it actually does fit him but it's... SO.OVER.USED !!!!!!!!!!!!

Sing sing sing is perfect for him... and I think the other music mixed with it works amazingly well, and really suits him (which may be familiar to some, but DEFINITELY not overused )

[mia joy]

I LOVE Tomas. I think he is actually one of the most talented guys over there, he's got the whole package: jumps, personality, ability to interpret music and entertain audience. He's not bland like some others, he actually has that masculine style, yet looks like he was flying over the ice, he's got the flow. May I say, for me him, Takahashi and Joubert are the last real men of singles skating, the rest just skate around like boys And yet, somehow he's not able to make a use of all he has. I surely hope and wish him that'll change soon.

And I love how much respect he and Brian have for each other, they really seem good friends and understanding each other quite well too. That's pretty awesome.

[senorita]

Ping Pong and football with Plush, lol, that was a funny part.

[TAHbKA]

Right, sorry for delay, continuing

I want to skate merry and happy programmes.

MN: Were you very disappointed the championship was postponed and you had to postpone your vacation as well?
TV: Not so much about the vacation, but about changing the plans. I made plans with the choreographers for the new pgorammes. Nikol and Camerlengo are the best choreographers, I reckon every skater would agree with that, hence are very busy. I planned to rest a bit after the Worlds, then go back to Canada and start working. But now I'll have to go to Toronto right after Moscow.

MN: Will you have any vacation at all?
TV: First I'll do the choreography and only then - at the end of May, beginning of June will have my vacation. I have some plans: first of all I'd love to go to Mexico and see the Maya ruins, secondly I'd love to try diving. And to go to safari in a jungle. I like an active vacation. Just laying on the beach is not for me. But whatever I will end up doing - there will be no ice and no skating!

NM: Would you share your programmes ideas for the new season?
TV: It will be something I've never done before. Perhaps others have done that on the ice before, but now I feel it's my time has come. I'd love to skate to Sing Sing Sing. It's a swing with a very fast tempo, that I'll mix with some other melodies. Lory Nicol agreed to choreograph my LP.
I have not yet spoken to Camerlengo about the SP music, but I have some ideas. It should be interesting. I always look for something that is not used by the others (seriously??? Because that `Singing in the rain' was sooo original....) and will do my best to make my programmes happy and merry.
And, of course, I will be perfecting my technique to be competitive. What we've seen in this championships - the record of 280 points that Patrick Chan received for both of his programmes, it's unbelievable, but reachable. If the Canadian could do that, why not a Czech?

I both understand and completely dont get Pluschenko

NM: If you mentioned Chan yourself: do you think the male figure skating made a step forward?
TV: To tell the truth I've never been a huge fan of Patrick's talent and still not. But Chan progressed so much since he was a junior. Of course, a huge part of that was thanks to the support from Skate Canada and various political aspects. But nevertheless, right now he skates really well and deserves the respect. In the LP he was under a huge pressure, knowing that he is the favourite for the gold, which is a very hard thing to deal with. But he did everything perfectly. I must take my hat off in front of him and say `Great job, Patrick! You progressed so much since Vancouver!'
For a very long time the ideal of the male skating was Pluschenko. Now it's Patrick Chan. But we'll try to get him, it's not impossible.

NM: Pluschenko plans to come back, by the way.
TV: Yes, I spoke to him about it. On one hand I understand him, on the other - totally don't. For him figure skating is a passion and a fights. And he just loves fights. He loves to prove things to himself. He've been doing that for years. I find it hard to name a better skater than Pluschenko in the history of figure skating. Now the figure skating demands much more, it is more tiring and being in the top form for many years is very hard. But look at Pluschenko: he won the silver in SLC, gold in Turin, another silver in Vancouver. For that he had to be in the top shape for at least 8 years. He achieved eveyrthing that was posisble and it seems he has no reason to come back and compete in Sochi. If he is only doing it for himself I understand him - he needs the adrenalin, he loves to compete.
He is good in every sport he tries. For example, I think I'm quite decent in the table tennis. But Pluschenko literally put me under the table. I had no chance against him. We were playing football and again I was amazed how good he is with the ball, how well coordinated. This guy was born to become a superhero. If he comes back and wins in Sochi he will rewrite the history of figure skating. It will be an outstanding achievement.

NHL resembles nothing.
NM: So you play the table tennis and football. What other sports do you like?
TV: It would be easier to name the sports I don't like. I like basketball, tennis, squash, volleyball, especially the beach one - it's warm. I used not to understand the kerling, but since I moved to Canada and understood the details the game became interesting. The baseball is the opposite - they show the most interesting moments on the TV, and there everything flows nicely. When I saw the game on the stadium it turned out it's quite tedious. I'll never go to a baseball game again!

MN: You haven't mentioned the hockey. Quite unusual for a Czech, and one who lives in Canada too!
TV: Of course I love hockey. It's quite hard to get tickets in Toronto - the rink is full when the Maple Leaves are playing. If you don't know the right people you'll never get the ticket. Thanks to my friends I sometimes get the tickets. Watching the game live is a delight. NHL is like nothing - not like the Czech league, not any other. It's a drive, a fight. If someone is fighting everyone is watching, including the judges, the audience are jumping to their feet. So yes, I love hockey.

NM: What do you say - will Russia beat Czech republic to get even for hte last year's worlds?
TV: I wouldn't like that. Russia is getting better in figure skating - you can't be winning in everything! Frankly, I will be rooting for the Czech team. But if Russia wins, so be it. Your team was the favourite on the Olympics and last year, it probably will be this year as well. The Russian hockey players are good on the ice, they are fast and well oriented. But sometimes overestimation of themselves might ruin their dreams. They have a great coach and a good, perhaps, even too good team. Sometimes other things are needed to win.

Now I'm not alone against the whole world.
MN: How popular is the figure skating in Czech Republic?
TV: Sport n.1 in my country is the hockey. Nothing compares to that. The football is right after. As for the rest - there is a huge gap between. Figure skating might not be as popular as it used to, but still the Czech TV says the rating of figure skating is very high. People might not be able to go around the world and cheer for us, but they love seeing it on the TV. That's just as well

MN: Were you happy for Michal Brezina, who became 4th?
TV: Of course. His success means I'm not alone against the whole world. He was 4th last year as well. He made a huge progress recently. In the former years it was just me from the Czech Republic and I lacked the inner competition. Now it's the two of us against 3 Japanese, 1 Canadian, 2 French and 1-2 Russians. In Moscow we both were in the strongest group before the SP and it's a huge success for the Czech figure skating.
Of course it's not easy to admit that Michal grew into a very promising skater. He's not only my friend, but my rival as well. I was very happy for him and congratulated him. Sure I would be much happier had I been 3trd and he 4th. Or me 2nd and he 3rd. or 1st and he 2nd. Or you know what, he 1st and me 2nd!

MN: Tell a bit about a show that took place in the middle of April in Prague.
TV: It was quite special for me. I don't participate too many shows during the season. But it was a case I couldn;'t decline - I'm the leading skater in Czech Republic, even if the results of the worlds don't say so. Pluschenko was the main star of the show, I was the 2nd. It was great to spend some time with Evgeni. I loved sharing the ice with him especially when we don't compete.I asked him to help me a bit with the jumps. H вгением. Мне нравится делить с ним лед, особенно когда мы не соревнуемся друг с другом. Я попросил его немного e agreed, which was very kind of him,

NM : The Czech press called it a Tomas Verner show. Was it?
TV: It was indeed organized by manager and sponspors. I had almost nothing to do. Just gave advice which skaters should be invited. We managed to create a great cast: we had Johnny Weir, Shen/Zhao, Sasha Cohen- so many stars. And it's without mentioning Evgeni pluschenko - probably the only skater capable to fill the rink by himself.
so I wouldn't really call it a Tomas Verner show, even though I'd love to organize one one day.

[npavel]

Thak you so much, TAHbKA, really great job. I love Thomas and would be so happy if he could achive his gool soon

[DaiKozOda]

I am really happy to know that Tomas still wants to skate and compete. Can't wait to see his new programs.
Also I liked his words about Plushenko.

[skatesindreams]

Thanks, TAHbKA,
I've always enjoyed his programs/skating.

It's nice to know that there is a thoughtful person behind them,