Q: Can
you please tell us about your highs and lows of the past season?
A:
I cannot tell you what was the highest and I cannot tell you what
was the lowest point. But the main point is that it was a very long
season, one of the longest in my career, because of the Oympics and I
had to be in shape all the time. So we tried to do our best with my
coach Michael Huth, and we achieved some goals this season and we
also made some mistakes. That’s sport. The
main point is that I did a kind of program that we never did before
this season
Q: You
finished 16th at Worlds and I think that you can be satisfied with
this?
A: You
know, the placement does not really matter to me. I always enjoyed my
skating. This is the main point. And it's more important for me that
the audience, the people who are sitting there in the rink, have fun
and that I make them smile. That is the main point for me, they are
the judges for me.
Q:
Please tell us more about Vancouver! How
was the Olympic village? What other sport events did you see?
A:
It's like two big mountains, like Nebelhorn and Fellhorn. It was like
in 2006 which was also an incredible year. It was very exciting, full
of fun like this one also. It was really a big step for me to
participate in two Olympics. Not everyone can make it. There is no
big difference between 2006 and 2010. I enjoyed it anyway and maybe
in the same way.
The
Olympic village was incredible, incredibly big, incredible by sight.
Everything was at the highest level. I mean the apartments, the
transportation, everything was really good. I didn’t watch other
sports because I had my job to do. You know I had to skate first and
I had no time between the competition and practice. We had a few days
off, but one of them was after the short before the free and you
know: it’s not really good to go to watch some hockey or something
like this.
Q: At
the Olympic Winter Games, a discussion about the state and future of
Men's figure skating came up with the controversy between Pluschenko
and Lysacek. What is your opinion? How important do you think is the
quad in Men's skating compared to other skills?
A: A
very interesting question! Maybe I'm like a prisoner of National
figure skating you have associated with the Soviet Union for a long
time. Of course I used to say that yes, I like to do quads in my
programs, they are more important than other elements. But figure
skating made really a big step forward, I mean in skating, in skating
skills, in other elements that are also important. I cannot tell you
what is better: to take care of the quad or to take care of the
skating. Of course you need both, the jumps, and the skating
(skills). And then depending on the situation, if you can, you can
reach other targets, you can show it. Yes, both are important!
Q:
What are your plans for next season? Do you attend the iceDOME camp
in Oberstdorf again?
A:
Yes, I’ll go this summer to iceDOME, but to the second part. It
starts from July. This year I’m not going to Scandinavia, not to
other countries, I’ll only be at the iceDOME in Oberstdorf. Then
we’re going to Prague with our team. It will be just like a camp,
it’s just Michael Huth’s team. We’re going to spend some weeks,
maybe two or three in Prague. And then I'm going to start the season.
Q: Do
you change your programs, if so, what ideas do you have for new
programs?
A: Of
course I will change my short program. I had a very good short
program and I really like it, but it’s already three years that
I've been skating this program and it’s not really good for the
judges. Yes, we have some ideas, but I cannot tell you yet what it is
for sure, because so far it's just ideas. Maybe I’ll have some fun
music, not always the same. It has to be fun, with smiles, with some
jokes, we will see!
Q:
What elements do you want to work on especially and what do you want
to include into your programs next season?
A: As
usual all jumps that I'm doing. And of course we are working on the
quad as well. And I really want to do this interesting and very
difficult kind of jump like the quad toe for example. But it’s
always very difficult to put a jump into a program. You know you have
to skate a long period with the quad to do it well. If
my coach agrees, I'll put in a quad
Q:
Which is a music you never have skated to so far but would really
love to skate to?
A: I
always wanted to try classical music, Tchaikovski for example and
also “War and Peace”. But time is changing, figure skating also
and I think my type is absolutely different, but I can do it, I
think. I don’t know.
Q: You
were at the Ukrainian Nationals. How do you feel about the future of
figure skating in the Ukraine?
A:
Actually it is a disaster! As you know everything depends on
finances. First of all to get results you have to put in money. No
one can make it without this. One needs this. So that’s the
program. But you know there is still someone skating, someone is
trying to do something and there are a lot of kids in the Ukraine who
would like to skate, who would like to try it, I mean professional
sport, in the future. But everything is up to financial support.
Q: How
have you adapted to your life in Oberstdorf?
A: Oh
now it is okay! The first two months were a little bit difficult, no
one here, no friends. It is really bad, if you are alone. Now it is
much better and it feels like a second home.
Q: And
how much German did you pick up by now?
A: Ein
bisschen! Yeah, just a litte. You understand everything, but l’m
making some grammatical mistakes.
Q: Now
you're going home to Kiev for about three months. What are you
planning to do there, do you go on vacation?
A:
First I’m going to Kiev and I will still practice. I want to skate
maybe for a few weeks longer, because I have new boots, I have to get
used to new blades and I need to get the feeling with the new skates.
I think that I’m going to finish this season somewhere in April.
And then I will have a break of a few weeks, maybe I’ll have some
vacation, I want to go to St. Petersburg to see my friends and then
I’m going to start skating again in Kiev and then I come back (to
Oberstdorf).
