Vaytskhovskaya's interview with Mishina

[TAHbKA]

«Не на меня эта критика направлена»: Мишина — о реакции Галлямова после неудач, подготовке к свадьбе и черепахе Тортиле

Тратить тренировочное время на выяснение отношений с партнёром было бы просто непрофессионально, убеждена Анастасия Мишина. По словам экс‑чемпионки мира в парном катании, они с Александром Галлямовым прекрасно понимают, что нынешней сложности программ на следующие четыре года может не хватить...

russian.rt.com

One of the most dramatic moments of the Russian nationals was Mishina/Gallyamov's reaction on the result - it was so strong that dialing Anastasia's number two days later I felt like would have to talk about the wounds of the wounded.

EV: I still don't understand how did it happen you fell at the very end of the programme on one of your most consistent and confident elements.
AM: Me neither. When I rewatched our skate I noticed there was a small leaning back, but it wasn't that critical so it would cause a fall. Perhaps we just didn't have the stamina, but really I don't have an answer

EV: I know one feels the error while in the air if it happened at the beginning of the element. Had it crossed your mind?
AM: Not really. Everything went as usually so there were no hints. It's a throw we can land any time in any condition and it's always clean. Hence we put it at the end of the programme.

EV: When you were waiting for the marks in K&C did you still believe you remained the first?
AM: I didn't see how did the other pairs skate. I heard Boikova/Kozlovski's marks and they were high, but I didn't know whether they made mistakes. So I just sat and wait for our marks.

EV: Yet you had to understand that with such a mistake on the element and a fall deduction you may not win?
AM: Of course.

EV: So why were you so upset? It's not as if you were clean and still lost?
AM: It wasn't being upset about the result, but about the mistake. We really wanted to show a clean skate at the nationals.

EV: Do you mind that it's the 3rd time your partner is being very demonstrative about his unhappiness as if you were the only one to blame for the mistakes?
AM: It's not particularly nice, but I understand it's not towards me, no matter what Sasha says. It's just the burst of the emotions.

EV: And it doesn't effect the work in your team? Who is the first to apologize if there is a fight?
AM: We don't really have fights and apologies. We come to the practice knowing we both have to be in a working condition with no personal problems on the ice. We work and we aim to a certain goal. We have a plan for each practice: we know whether we'll skate parts of the programme, the whole or work on certain elements. We do not discuss anything unrelated to the work at all. Wasting time on that would be not professional.

EV: Did you have time to discuss with Alexandr what is the next step in your preparations?
AM: It's all spoken through. In March we'll go to the RusGPF in Chelyabinks and we'll spend the next 2 weeks in Navka's new year shows. Hence right after the nationals ended we went from the gala to the night practice.

EV: I don't recall you participating Navka's shows previously?
AM: True, it's the first time we are working with her. Am replacing Navka in the show `The night before Christmas' and Sasha's role is of prince Potemkin. The show will take place in St. Petersburg, so we will stay home during the holidays.

EV: The Nationals was in a way the end of the Olympic cycle, even though the Russian athletes did not participate the international competitions. Had you and Gallyamov decide whether you want to stay for another 4 years? I know big changes in your personal life are coming.
AM: Had Sasha and I had a chance to go to Milano Olympics I'd agree with you about the 4 years. But we didn't , hence the Olympic cycle began for us a year earlier if thinking about participating the 2030 Olympics.

EV: And do you?
AM: Rather hard to say right now. First of all the Russian athletes were not allowed to participate much yet. Second - 4 years is a lot of time. Of course I'd like to hope everything will be fine and we'll be able to remain on the high level. We do not plan retiring but I am all for not planning so far away. And aim for the shorter term goals.

EV: After the Nationals I heard the point of view it was very important for the leaders to remain on the lead beacuse the comeback to the international competitions will begin with the minimal quotas. Had you considered that before the competition?
AM: Frankly? No. Think if next season we are allowed to compete internationally it will be the GP competitions. I.e. several pairs and single skaters will be allowed to compete, thus we will be among them

EV: This whole season you were catching up with the level you had been to before Alexandr's injury. Had the recovery process come to an end?
AM: In a way - yes. We are working full force again, but we can't dismiss the fact so much time was wasted. The other pairs moved forward, we wasted that time on getting the elements and the shape back. So yes, we overcame the results of the injury but we did not progress much.

EV: After 2 mistakes in a row in the RusGP evengs you must be wary working on a high. You can't avoid thinking will his arm hold or not.
AM: Technically the most complicated part of the lift i the lift. Once you are up there it's easier and there is no fear. The worry the element may no happen is indeed there. But we worked before the nationals on the lifts quite a lot - probably 3 times more than usually. These half a year that Sasha and I didnt' have a chance to work on the pairs elements we lost the feeling that I can't even name. Some kind of a very fine connection. Perhaps the technique is a bit off thus the sync in the beginning of the element is not ideal. And as a result those mistakes in the GP events.

EV: Did it also happen at the nationals?
AM: No, it wasn't so bad there, btu still I think we are not yet technically back. The lifts should be executed easier and faster.

EV: Galichanin and Kachaev who you work on the choreography are not figure skating people. What does that collaboration give you?
AM: A different view on what do we do on the ice. It's not always easy but it's really interesting. Sometimes Sasha and I try arguing and proving that some things can not be translated on the ice at all, and then suddenly get exactly to the results they want. We worked a lot on the small details that create the mood of the programme - the glances, the gestures. Two choreographers mean two different points of view. When they come together in the same programme it's great.

EV: I watched one of your practices and it seemed such a meticulous work that you are not quite used to is very tiring.
AM: Yet it brings the result. I think emotionally both our programmes were much better in St. Petersburg that in Kazan or Omsk. During the GP events we were more focused on the elements, which was a given.

EV: Your exhibition programme made me recall a phrase the leaders can not afford being funny on the ice. Of course it was about the competitive programmes, but do you agree?
AM: No. I think the funny and fun programmes always look good. And the audience loves them, which is the main thing. I noticed, for example, that we are the only ones in the last group who has a fun programme. When the skaters skate just the serious and dramatic themes I think it creates a tension in the crowd that you want to dissolve. I always loved the less serious programmes. If we could only add another 20 seconds...

EV: In the SP or the LP?
AM: In the LP. The SP is just the elements. It's rather hard to get them all into 2:50 and show somethign original and interesting. In the LP there are more opportunitues but still the time is never enough.

EV: Won't you drop dead on the ice if there are another 20 seconds to skate?
AM: The opposite. An additional time would allow us to add some dancing moves and add not an element, but a choreography. The dancers have their choreo steps. I think it would look good in the pairs as well. Now we can only afford some freedom in the exhibitions numbers.

EV: How hard is it finding a time for the practices when skating shows every day? And is it needed?
AM: We will practice just in order to simply stay in shape. May be even off the ice: the jumps, the throws, the split twists.

EV: Boikova/Kozlovski have a consisten quad throw, which became THE element of their programme. What will be your answer?
AM: It's clear our content will not be enough for the next 4 years. Now that we overcame Sasha's injuries we will be thinking about more complicated elements. First of all the jumps. In the practices we attempted a 3lz and it was quite good, but we have to work on it, as well as the throws. I would like to try a quad. I will not promise we will integrate it right away, but for us it's certainly not the only way to gain extra points in the context.

EV: Do you use some technology working on the rotational speed?
AM: I used to a lot as a kid, I participated Mishin's training camps and worked in his famous `spinner', though I still have no idea what is it called. I think it's needed in the childhood when the kid is learning the rotations. Now the fast rotation is not a problem, it's rather harder to find the right moment to open. Hence in the practices we use the jumping harness to avoid the unneeded falls.

EV: Such work takes a lot of time.
AM: Which we will have after the New Year once the shows are over. Perhaps we'll have time to learn some new lifts and interesting moves for the next season. After the RusGPF we'll start working on the main things: the new elements, new programmes. We'll have almost half a year for that.

EV: Now I understand you have to combined the practices and getting ready for your wedding
AM: We are doing it together with my husband to be, though, frankly, it's mainly him. The last several months I was much more concentrated on getting ready to the GP and the Nationals. Guess during the New Year's holidays I'll have time for that.

EV: What do you think about your coach Tamara Moskvina participating Averbukh's show as a Tortoise Tortilla?
AM: When I first heard it I thought it was a joke. Now I think it was a very important offer for Tamara Nikolaevna. It allows her to feel she is not only a coach but a person who lifts the spirits of so many people. Perhaps not just make them smile, but motivate them and show the active and full life is possible in any age, even when you are after 80.

EV: So Moskvina is training with you now?
AM: She've been always working on her skates, but now I see she is preparing skating publically. She is trying some steps, spirals, wokrong on them so the elements will not cause an injury. So we are nto worried about our coach.

EV: And the last question, since we are near the New Years and I know you like cooking - what will you have for the celebration?
AM: It just happened that I always get to prerpare things that can be done in advance - so it will be plenty and will remain for a while. Like tiramisu. Am told mine is quite nice, though I could never say so myself. I enjoy being able to offer a nice food to the others much more than actually eating it myself.