Vaytsekhovskaya's interview with Trusova `It would be cool to land a 4loop'

TAHbKA

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Elena Vaytsekhovskaya's interview with Alexandra Trusova for rt.com `It would be cool to land a 4loop'

EV: Alexandra, your first world championship is behind you. How will you remember it?
AT: A weird competition that looked nothing like the Worlds I was imagining. First there were no audience, hence the feeling it's the main competition of the year was kind of smeared. On the other hand I kept reminding myself it's not just any competition but one of the bests of the best. That made me a bit nervious. Last year I was waiting for it, wanted to compete so badly and it was cancelled. Hence now I was just happy to have a chance to skate.

EV: I was present in the practice where you landed all 5 quads from your LP and thought that perhaps it was a mistake putting so much energy in a warm up.
AT: I didn't think so. That practice was no different from the others. I always warm up that way, always do the jumps. I understand I have to skate clean in the competitions and in order to achieve that I have to jump all the time no matter whether it's an official practice or just any practice.

EV: The skaters like saying the fight for the medals on the major competitions begin during the official practices. Did you feel it in Stockholm?
AT: Guess not. Though I was more nervous than normally. But all and all I felt comfortable. I already competed with all these ladies last year, hence knew what will be happening and what should I be prepared for.

EV: With one small difference: previously you always had your mom by your side. Now was the first time you attended a competition without your parents' supervision. Was it hard?
AT: Very unusual. I missed mom a lot. And Dmitrii Mikhailov and even the dog. I really never spent so much time alone in my life. It's a weird feeling. On one hand I was communicating all the time, calling Moscow between the practices and the competitions, spoke to my parents, the coach, but once you hang up - you feel how alone you are. Though I can't say I wasn't ready - I was told only one coach will be able to travel with me to Stockholm.

EV: Were you upset when you learned that?
AT: Yes very. I really wanted not only Evgeni Pluschenko but Dmitrii Mikhailov as well there - that's what I'm used to.

EV: What was the first feeling after the SP where you failed the combo - a shock?
AT: I was telling before the Worlds both the coaches and the parents should I remove the ultra C elements from the programme I'll certainly make a mistake on something easy. I know myself very well in that. It never works that I take out all the ultra C and then skate clean. It's easier for me to set myself for a skate when the programme is harder.

EV: When did you first learn that?
AT: Since I was a kid: if the coaches make my task easier I start making mistakes. It was the same when I was 10 and later. Then I learned more or less how to skate a clean programme with the triple jumps. When we began integrating the quads it all came back: the complicated programmes were better.

EV: After you learned the quads had executing the triple became easier or harder?
AT: I actually recall quite well once I learned the triples I stopped understanding how to land the doubles. When I first landed a 4lz with my hands up I almost lost my triple and started overotating it quite often.

EV: Is it more comfortable jumping rippon?
AT: Lutz and Flip - yes. I think the rippon hands help you getting into the right rotation position. It as if pulls your body up thus making the landing easier.

EV: Compared to how you skated at the beginning of the season had the feeling changed?
AT: It's hard comparing the competitions, it always feels different. I did become much more consistent in the practices. I understand better what am I doing, I feel the programme and the music better. Of course it's a shame not all I planned worked in Stockholm, but think it will one day.

EV: What were you thinking before the LP?
AT: Nothing much, I was just curious. I had a good sleep, did not dream of figure skating, though I do sometimes. I was setting myself, wanted to skate as well as possible.

EV: What do your coaches usually tell you before the skate?
AT: Different things. In general we don't talk too much - my content is quite complicated, hence the coaches are trying not to bother me and not interfer.

EV: When you start skating do you hold the whole programme in your head or go step by step - from one element to the next?
AT: The latter. You don't even have time to be happy when you landed a jump - you need to set up for the next. The emotions are after the skate.

EV: What do you want the most when the competition is over?
AT: Also depends. This competition I really wanted to see the guys skating live. Fortunately we had an opportunity -we were allowed to see the competition from the stands. So I did.

EV: And?
AT: Was impressed. It was cool. And I want to go home. Especially now.

EV: How would you like to be remembered?
AT: Well, wanting to win the Olympics is not worth mentioning - everyone wants it. But I often think it would be so cool to land a 4loop and become the lady who not only attempted all the quads but actually landed them
 

love_skate2011

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4 Loop, the new record she wants in the guiness.

Trusova is fond of Mikhaylov, so why dont she just ditch Plushy ?
and just ask Mikhaylov maybe even add his BFF Samarin to form his own Club with help of sponsorship,
 
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hoptoad

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Nice interview! I'm impressed by how well she knows herself as a competitor.

Also, I hadn't thought about how weird it would be for especially young skaters who have never lived on their own to have so much alone time in a hotel room. Plenty of time to get nervous or just miss the familiar competition routine.

Go Sasha! May all the jumps find you in a big competition one day. :)
 

alexikeguchi

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Thanks for the translation! Sasha seems very insightful and confirmed a couple things I've wondered about in the quotes below:

AT: I was telling before the Worlds both the coaches and the parents should I remove the ultra C elements from the programme I'll certainly make a mistake on something easy. I know myself very well in that. It never works that I take out all the ultra C and then skate clean. It's easier for me to set myself for a skate when the programme is harder.

EV: Is it more comfortable jumping rippon?
AT: Lutz and Flip - yes. I think the rippon hands help you getting into the right rotation position. It as if pulls your body up thus making the landing easier.

It seems like her competitive mindset is best when she goes for everything, so maybe next season the coaches and officials should just let her be herself and see how things go. That strategy seemed to work for Nathan Chen, who I think is her idol. I remember an interview with Arutunian that I think was after Nathan's first world championships when he was considered a co-favorite and ended up off the podium. He seemed irked that Nathan's mother was encouraging him to try for six quads and which specific ones he should include. We all see how Nathan's career has turned out though, including how well he was able to work independently when he went away to college.

It also sounds from the interview like Sasha is satisfied with her coaching team and not planning on jumping ship just because she didn't win gold. She seems very level-headed and like she has her own goals for herself and her skating that aren't only about winning all the titles.
 

ЭPiKUilyam

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She's getting closer to that 5 or 6 quad program. I think maybe she should get a "choreographer for guys" to do her Olympic programs. Apparently Nathan Chen is the artistic leader and I see very little in his second mark compared to someone like Kolyada. But Chen gets away with it with his five quads. Sasha should too. Maybe even copy his program this year. Skate like that.
 

Spun Silver

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She's getting closer to that 5 or 6 quad program. I think maybe she should get a "choreographer for guys" to do her Olympic programs. Apparently Nathan Chen is the artistic leader and I see very little in his second mark compared to someone like Kolyada. But Chen gets away with it with his five quads. Sasha should too. Maybe even copy his program this year. Skate like that.
As of now Trusova can't do the kind of footwork and dancing Nathan does, not to mention the magnificently ferocious facial expressions of this Worlds FS. Maybe someday.
 

Vash01

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As of now Trusova can't do the kind of footwork and dancing Nathan does, not to mention the magnificently ferocious facial expressions of this Worlds FS. Maybe someday.
She is very young. She is still developing. Please give her time. Don't compare a 17 year old with a 21 year old.
 

Lilia A

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She is very young. She is still developing. Please give her time. Don't compare a 17 year old with a 21 year old.
16 going on 17 (June), 21 going on 22 (May). 5 year age gap. I agree, give her time to improve her choreo.

I'm not sure I want Trusova or anyone else to do a quad loop. Hanyu is the only one who doesn't make me hold my breath everytime he goes for it, but even then I hold my breath sometimes with him.
 

Xela M

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She's getting closer to that 5 or 6 quad program. I think maybe she should get a "choreographer for guys" to do her Olympic programs. Apparently Nathan Chen is the artistic leader and I see very little in his second mark compared to someone like Kolyada. But Chen gets away with it with his five quads. Sasha should too. Maybe even copy his program this year. Skate like that.
Love the idea of Trusova skating a men's program 😀 she would already beat many of the men with her current content
 

euterpe

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Trusova hasn't grown much yet. But she inevitably will, and that could throw a wrinkle into her competitive plans.
 

ЭPiKUilyam

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Trusova really just needs to work on her 3axel, first and foremost. That's where she can really pull ahead of the pack. The Axel is required twice over the two programs so upgrading to the triple on those will put her far ahead, and then add in three quads (two lutes and a toe, or v/v) she will be unstoppable. Just stop with the other quads....
 

Coco

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And...putting the solo triple after the jump combo in her SP, which would mean they are both after the midway point. That way, she'll never omit a combo again, imo.
 

love_skate2011

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put last two of the jumping pass in second half
the last jump should not be her 3-3 it should be midway the last jump a single triple that way she can use it as an emergency if 3-3 doent work out midway and still bonus

3A, 3Lz-3T, 3F

Does Trusova have 3F-3T? to use as aborted backup, She used to do 3Lz-3lo commonly but it has become unstable.
 

Lilia A

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And...putting the solo triple after the jump combo in her SP, which would mean they are both after the midway point. That way, she'll never omit a combo again, imo.
Only the final pass will be eligible for the second half bonus in the SP though. And the last three in the FS.

Does Trusova have 3F-3T? to use as aborted backup
She's a lipper, so if I were putting together a routine I'd keep the 3F as far away from the program as possible. In fact, I'd replace her 3F in the SP with a nice 3Loop and get positive GOE. I know her 4F got positive GOE (although it did drop from it's original GOE) but that was perhaps the best looking jump I've ever seen from her (edge aside). Also, I can see risking a call on a 4F for its base value alone, but the 3F is not worth it if she's going to get an edge call every time. Now if only eeeeveryone got the edge call they deserve we'd have a different story but, oh well.
I do think it's good to have it as a back up, in case she does fewer quads than expected. Or a solo 3Loop, or in combination if needed. The good thing about having different quads is that it's hard to run out of triples.
 

Coco

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Ugh...I thought it was first 1 (SP) / 3 (FS) passes after the halfway point. That explains a lot of the program construction I'm seeing these days.

I wish they would just require one of the non-axel jumps in the SP to be an edge jump. Doing both a flip and a lutz, which for many skaters basically means repeating a jump, is boring.
 

VGThuy

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Love the idea of Trusova skating a men's program 😀 she would already beat many of the men with her current content
Assuming she’d get the same GOEs and PCS when facing the men. Her Worlds skate wouldn’t have been scored as high.
 

Cherub721

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I wish they'd standardize the requirements for singles and allow quads in the Ladies SP. And I don't even like Trusova's skating.

I've always thought the rule in singles should be: at least a double axel, at least a solo triple, and at least a triple jump in combination with at least a double. There should be no need to update the rules until someone actually has a jump that's not yet assigned a base value.
 

ЭPiKUilyam

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And...putting the solo triple after the jump combo in her SP, which would mean they are both after the midway point. That way, she'll never omit a combo again, imo.
I'm surprised all the skaters don't have this layout.
 

Coco

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@ErikWilliam Lilia A explained up above that only the last jumping pass gets the 10% bonus, so that's why so many are leaving their combo as the last jumping element.
 

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