Trankov's interview with Dudakov:
He started sktaing in 1975, his parents brought him to the rink. It was a fashion to figure skate back then. In 1976 Marina Kudriavtseva was creating a group and he joined. He was an mediocre senior skater, buy won the USSR junior championship, participated the 1986 JW competition. Looking back he lacked the discipline. Retired in 1991, it was a hard time, he had no chance to make it to the team for the Worlds/Euros. He was competing with Urmanov, Tataurov, Gromov. They all coach now. Dudakov was 21y.o., he joined a show, worked in the UK for 2 years, Germany for 3 years. After he worked a season in the UK he bought a car in Germany, they flew to Germany to pick up their cars and started driving to Moscow. He kinda knew how to drive, but not really. That was his first foreign car in Russia.
He later worked on a cruise ship. They created a show for 2 weeks and then worked for half a year. It was a Carribians, so he enjoyed the views. Dudakov is afraid of flying on the planes, but he overcame it this year.
While working on the ship he was too homesick, so he went back to Moscow and joined the Khrustalny rink.
Before the shows he tried to open a business and was trying to sell snacks. That didn't work.
He came to Khrustalny in 2002, got the group of the 4-5y.o. kids and started working. The salary cut was great, but he was 31y.o, by then and didn't want to skate with the 18-19y.o. guys - that just didn't look good anymore.
The little kids groups - it was interesting because it were his first steps. The kids progressed - from nothing to basic steps, to crossovers, to 3turns etc. There were several groups on the same ice so he could compare his work with the other coaches'. Dudakov thinks the little kids learn from viewing, hence the coach who works with them has to be able to show.
The best time to start figure skating is at the age of 4, though there are kids who are good enough at the age of 3.
How do they overcome the fear of a quad? It's a process, we see whether the athlete has the spinning speed, the height of the jump, that axis in the air is correct. The first times are nerves wrecking.
In 2011 Tutberidze called and said she needed a 2nd coach and Dudakov agreed. He never asked her why him. He knew it was a huge responsibility, at that point she was coaching Shelepen, Lipnitskaya. A week later they spoke again and Dudakov joined the group.
Not every skater can land a triple jump, some will stop on the doubles and will not be able to move on. Some lack the physical strengh, some are mentally not tough enough and can't overstep the fear.
Dudakov was never wrong about a kid - if he said the kid will not be able to land a quad they didn't land a quad with the other coaches either. He can tell whether the kid is talented enough to try, but not much more - there is a chance for an injury.
Sometimes the skaters ask to try a quad and he has to be able to explain why not now - why they have first to work on the tripple jump.
The future of figure skating - where do we head to? Malinin who blew up everyone's mind with the 4A.
The skaters who he coaches - who is closer? All of them.
When there are 3 girls aiming for the same gold medal? It's heartbreaking. Each had her strong sides. Scherbakova can do the best at the right time and the right place. She has a characters - she always does the best she can at that point. Trusova - no compromises and she always attacks and attemts her maximum at that point. When you talk to her: Sasha, let's do the content that is the best for you today and the best of all that can be done, let's not allow the underotation. Valieva- was in the best possible shape, but it was what it was at the Olympics. They are all our kids, it's like a family. You always wish your kids, and I treat them like my kids and want them to succeed in everything. They are all our athletes and thinking we like one better than another is a speculation only.
Tutberdize/Dudakov/Gleikhengauz are always in touch, no matter where they are, sometimes even right after the warm up, sometimes they decide on the content if something goes wrong. All the decisions are made together.
Tutberidze always listens to everyone and makes a decision. The responsibility is hers. It's not easier for Dudakov, he just does his job, but does not decline the responsibility.
For Trankov it was much easier that someone else takes responsibility and makes the decision.
Dudakov is not jealous at all that Tutberidze is the most popular. They are a team.
Trankov tells how Tutberidze had a conversation with him that they are open, they are not making decision behind anyone's backs. Dudakov agrees.
Working for so many years with the team - there is no secret, we just trust each other 100% and not only on the rink. We can disagree, later Dudakov would be sorry that he did, but on the other hand it brings sometimes new ideas and new points of view.
During the programme Dudakov skates with the skater every step and every crossover, he doesn't know how does he keep the pocker face. He needs time to analyze the skate well, except for the major mistakes like the falls and later he can talk to the athlete on the practice.
After the competition in a different time zone Trankov would go home to rest a day and Dudakov would go back to the rink from the airport because there are kids who are waiting and the other coaches are working.
The goals for the future: just to work and hope that everyone will do the best. He would like to coach a skater such as Malinin, but you have to work to raise such a kid.
Difference between working with the boys and the girls: the girls are much more disciplined. The girls best time is 12-16, for the boys it's much later and it's hard to stick around for so long seeing how the girls are doing well.
His hobbies: history, he is now reading and learning it more. Computer games
and 
at the same time. I've seen a lot of bizarre costumes, but this had to be the top of the list.
I love Tuk. Absolutly stunning 3A than doubles the combo and ends up in 2nd after a perfect skate by Petrosyn. Valieva fell on her 3A. Liza and Mishin laughing in the KnC. But, she got a lot of points for the 3A which made up the difference in the combo and a lv 2 spin.
