Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov's interview for Russian media (Rsport, Match TV and others)
matchtv.ru
rsport.ria.ru
- Victoria, Nikita, in what mood did you wake up this morning after yesterday's victory?
Nikita Katsalapov: - Mentally we stayed here at the rink. I couldn't force myself to get out of bed today, I didn’t even want to eat. But on the whole, anyway, we rested and slept well, with a cool mood, we are ready for exhibitions now.
- Euphoria?
N.K .: - You know, I want to go further to work more. I have a bit strange feeling that we still have something to improve. I want to start preparations for the Worlds already.
- Your free dance during the season has undergone a number of changes. What have you been working on lately?
N.K .: - We added the piano to the music, added the violin - Edgar Aakopyan, a talented violinist and a good man, helped us with it. We trained a lot, skated this program a lot. We tried to arrange competitions at practices. At first, we skated some parts of the program, then did the whole program. All with full dedication. This was directly our number one task after Russian Nationals, and with each try the time of the performance we could do at our maximum only grow and grow.
We are glad that our dance seemed to fly in one breath for many people here, but we want to do more and to do better. Everything has started to work out for us now, we ourselves began to feel this program differently.
- In the first half of the season you had few losses in the free dance. Did you have any thoughts that something was wrong with the dance? Maybe you considered the option to return to last year's Bach free dance?
N.K .: - Of course. We had such thoughts for a hundredths of times. We just did not have the time and the opportunity to change something, because there was one competition after another. We tried as much as possible , with any possible ideas, to improve what the dance and now finally there we have no feeling that this dance is not 'ours'.
- How did you take the defeat in the Grand Prix final?
N.K .: - We were angry. Everything was wrong - we had bad practices, mistakes in the programs. Everything was bad in that competition for us.
Victoria Sinitsina: - I think it was a lesson for us. Nikita is right, we came from there being angry at ourselves, at our work, but also hungry for victory. Therefore, now it all happened.
- What did Alexander Zhulin say in the first place when he met you at the boards?
N.K .: - The coach said that he loves us. We have a group at WhatsApp - we always start one at competitions, - so here we are now discussing each other with a little affectionate words. (Laugh.)
- Do you find his words that you can be entirely happy only if you place ahead of the French couple with clean performances offensive?
V.S.: We absolutely agree
N.K .: - No, he is right. Our happiness is now absolutely incomplete. The protocols show that the judges appreciated out skating very well, but I just want the perfect performances of both programs. In the free dance we should work on the level on the block, our spin was quite slow, although we held it together for level 4. There was a small stumble before the step sequence. And this was not due to the fact that one of us “died” during the performance. I just want it to start in one breath and end the same way. To execute the lift like in a book, fast spin, parallel twizzles, all at plus five level. Then it will be good.
We tuned in our free dance boldly, didn't want to save ourselves. But the last 30 seconds of the program really could have been done better. Add a little of general fitness, work on our backs and legs, but we will take this into account before our preparations for Worlds.
- The World Championship will be held in Montreal. Home walls for all your main rivals after all ...
N.K .: - If you tune in this way, you can not go anywhere at all. It’s better to focus on the amount of work that lies ahead of us.
V. S.: - It will just be necessary to show our maximum.
- Do you plan to go to Canada in advance to avoid problems with acclimatization?
N.K .: - This will be known when the Federation draws up a plan for our Russian team. I think we will arrive 3 days before the short program. We, in principle, do not need more - to try the main venue in training at least once is enough. And acclimatization ... I don’t want to speak in advance, but I hope we will not have problems with it.
V. S: - Usually we don't have problems with it. It’s easier to fly to the west, and we’re used to it and can easily cope.
You are so focused on your work now, won't you burn out? And is it possible to somehow influence the mental state?
N.K .: - In order not to burn out, you need to control yourself. In general, it’s always good when you want to work. (Smiling.) We worked hard after Russian Nationals, with new inspiration, that was not an easy competition for us then. And here we felt the freedom right from the very first practice. Really, we just want to work more now.
- How would you rate the championship in Graz in terms of organization?
N.K .: - If there were no problems with the hot water in the hotel, everything else would be excellent. Seriously, that wasn’t very nice. But other than that - the ice is excellent, there is space for the warm up. A bit cool air, but well, that's okay.
V. S.: - It seems to me that it's more about the atmosphere that the audience create, not some technical issues.
N.K .: - In terms of organization, we are ready for everything, we came here to the compete.
Would you like to return to Graz? It has now become a special city for your couple.
N.K .: - On vacation, maybe? For skiing. But only after the Olympics.
- The last time Russian ice dancers won the European Championship was seven years ago.
N.K.: Katya Bobrova and Dima Soloviev.
- What does this mean for you?
N.K.: We felt very proud and got goosebumps when the Russian flag was raised. I think this is significant.
- Did you try to remember how your career went since 2014, when your couple was created?
N.K.: I just did not understand what was going on in my head at that moment.
V.S.: I didn't have any flashbacks from 2014, nothing has come to me, I was in some kind of fog and waiting. I realized that at that moment nothing depends on us, and we just have to wait for will happen. This is adrenaline with a lump in the throat. When the scores were announced, I got tears.
- Did you see that the French initially had a problem with one of the elements?
N.K.: Yes, we saw that they got some stars for their block of steps, it turned out they also got three deductions for the music.
V.S.: But then they got their points (8) back.
- What did you feel during those 8 minutes?
N.K.: I was trembling right away.
V.S.: I lay down on Nikita's shoulder and told him: "I am trembling". Indeed, the nerve was at its limit.
N.K.: Plus, we didn't have any energy. We left everything on ice.
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Синицина и Кацалапов: на чемпионат Европы приехали злые
Российские фигуристы Виктория Синицина и Никита Кацалапов в интервью журналистам, среди которых были Анатолий Самохвалов и Андрей Симоненко, рассказали о том,... РИА Новости Спорт, 26.01.2020
- Victoria, Nikita, in what mood did you wake up this morning after yesterday's victory?
Nikita Katsalapov: - Mentally we stayed here at the rink. I couldn't force myself to get out of bed today, I didn’t even want to eat. But on the whole, anyway, we rested and slept well, with a cool mood, we are ready for exhibitions now.
- Euphoria?
N.K .: - You know, I want to go further to work more. I have a bit strange feeling that we still have something to improve. I want to start preparations for the Worlds already.
- Your free dance during the season has undergone a number of changes. What have you been working on lately?
N.K .: - We added the piano to the music, added the violin - Edgar Aakopyan, a talented violinist and a good man, helped us with it. We trained a lot, skated this program a lot. We tried to arrange competitions at practices. At first, we skated some parts of the program, then did the whole program. All with full dedication. This was directly our number one task after Russian Nationals, and with each try the time of the performance we could do at our maximum only grow and grow.
We are glad that our dance seemed to fly in one breath for many people here, but we want to do more and to do better. Everything has started to work out for us now, we ourselves began to feel this program differently.
- In the first half of the season you had few losses in the free dance. Did you have any thoughts that something was wrong with the dance? Maybe you considered the option to return to last year's Bach free dance?
N.K .: - Of course. We had such thoughts for a hundredths of times. We just did not have the time and the opportunity to change something, because there was one competition after another. We tried as much as possible , with any possible ideas, to improve what the dance and now finally there we have no feeling that this dance is not 'ours'.
- How did you take the defeat in the Grand Prix final?
N.K .: - We were angry. Everything was wrong - we had bad practices, mistakes in the programs. Everything was bad in that competition for us.
Victoria Sinitsina: - I think it was a lesson for us. Nikita is right, we came from there being angry at ourselves, at our work, but also hungry for victory. Therefore, now it all happened.
- What did Alexander Zhulin say in the first place when he met you at the boards?
N.K .: - The coach said that he loves us. We have a group at WhatsApp - we always start one at competitions, - so here we are now discussing each other with a little affectionate words. (Laugh.)
- Do you find his words that you can be entirely happy only if you place ahead of the French couple with clean performances offensive?
V.S.: We absolutely agree
N.K .: - No, he is right. Our happiness is now absolutely incomplete. The protocols show that the judges appreciated out skating very well, but I just want the perfect performances of both programs. In the free dance we should work on the level on the block, our spin was quite slow, although we held it together for level 4. There was a small stumble before the step sequence. And this was not due to the fact that one of us “died” during the performance. I just want it to start in one breath and end the same way. To execute the lift like in a book, fast spin, parallel twizzles, all at plus five level. Then it will be good.
We tuned in our free dance boldly, didn't want to save ourselves. But the last 30 seconds of the program really could have been done better. Add a little of general fitness, work on our backs and legs, but we will take this into account before our preparations for Worlds.
- The World Championship will be held in Montreal. Home walls for all your main rivals after all ...
N.K .: - If you tune in this way, you can not go anywhere at all. It’s better to focus on the amount of work that lies ahead of us.
V. S.: - It will just be necessary to show our maximum.
- Do you plan to go to Canada in advance to avoid problems with acclimatization?
N.K .: - This will be known when the Federation draws up a plan for our Russian team. I think we will arrive 3 days before the short program. We, in principle, do not need more - to try the main venue in training at least once is enough. And acclimatization ... I don’t want to speak in advance, but I hope we will not have problems with it.
V. S: - Usually we don't have problems with it. It’s easier to fly to the west, and we’re used to it and can easily cope.
You are so focused on your work now, won't you burn out? And is it possible to somehow influence the mental state?
N.K .: - In order not to burn out, you need to control yourself. In general, it’s always good when you want to work. (Smiling.) We worked hard after Russian Nationals, with new inspiration, that was not an easy competition for us then. And here we felt the freedom right from the very first practice. Really, we just want to work more now.
- How would you rate the championship in Graz in terms of organization?
N.K .: - If there were no problems with the hot water in the hotel, everything else would be excellent. Seriously, that wasn’t very nice. But other than that - the ice is excellent, there is space for the warm up. A bit cool air, but well, that's okay.
V. S.: - It seems to me that it's more about the atmosphere that the audience create, not some technical issues.
N.K .: - In terms of organization, we are ready for everything, we came here to the compete.
Would you like to return to Graz? It has now become a special city for your couple.
N.K .: - On vacation, maybe? For skiing. But only after the Olympics.
- The last time Russian ice dancers won the European Championship was seven years ago.
N.K.: Katya Bobrova and Dima Soloviev.
- What does this mean for you?
N.K.: We felt very proud and got goosebumps when the Russian flag was raised. I think this is significant.
- Did you try to remember how your career went since 2014, when your couple was created?
N.K.: I just did not understand what was going on in my head at that moment.
V.S.: I didn't have any flashbacks from 2014, nothing has come to me, I was in some kind of fog and waiting. I realized that at that moment nothing depends on us, and we just have to wait for will happen. This is adrenaline with a lump in the throat. When the scores were announced, I got tears.
- Did you see that the French initially had a problem with one of the elements?
N.K.: Yes, we saw that they got some stars for their block of steps, it turned out they also got three deductions for the music.
V.S.: But then they got their points (8) back.
- What did you feel during those 8 minutes?
N.K.: I was trembling right away.
V.S.: I lay down on Nikita's shoulder and told him: "I am trembling". Indeed, the nerve was at its limit.
N.K.: Plus, we didn't have any energy. We left everything on ice.
