Ivan Bariev
Interview in Flims, July 2008

Ivan Bariev is the 2008 Russian Junior Champion.

Q: How do you rate this past season?
A: The last season was very good for me, because I skated well in all my competitions. I qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final, although I had only one Grand Prix (in the beginning) and although I was battling injuries. I had surgery before the Final, but I was still able to go there. The season ended successfully for me. For the next season I don’t want to achieve less. I’m still having troubles with injuries, but I got used to it already. I can overcome myself. I can skate well, no matter if my knee is hurting or not.

Q: How is your health now?
A: Sometimes it’s better, sometimes it’s worse. Right now it is not so good. But I’m healing the injury now and I’m preparing for the test skate in August.  I will prepare physically.

Q: What about your programs for this season?
A: I decided to keep the old free program, with some changes, because of the rule changes. I have a new short program, to a prelude by Beethoven in a new arrangement. The music has been especially composed for me. I was searching a long time for the short program music. The other guys already had their short programs done and were skating them, whereas I found this music one week before the end of the (past) season. It was arranged, everything was done very well. Now I’m skating it. I chose this music, because I wanted something special, and something special came out of it, because nobody has this music, I’m sure of that for a 100 percent. I’m sure that everybody will like it and the judges will appreciate it.

Q: What new elements do you plan?
A: At the end of the last season, I landed the triple Axel. I’m working on it and I want to show it at the test skate. I’m planning to put it into my free and then also into my short program. It’s working, but rarely so far. The ice has been changing constantly. At the beginning of the season, we were skating in Novogorsk, now we started to skate here in Switzerland and then we’ll get home on our ice. So the ice has been changing all the time, and the feeling is always different, and so I have to adapt each time to the ice. However, I’m confident that I will get the Axel ready.  Other than that, I have new footwork and new spins, so I have something to show in the new season.

Q: What goals do you set for yourself for the new season?
A: First of all I want to qualify for the (Junior) Final and skate better there than I did last year. I want to confirm my title as Russian (Junior) Champion, I want to place in the top three at Junior Worlds or at least in the top five. At senior Russian Nationals, I want to get close to the top four or top five. These are my main goals. And, I want to get the triple Axel consistent.

Q: How do you like the training camp in Flims?
A: First of all I really like it here. Obviously there are some problems with the air as it is high up in the mountains. But I got used to it already. I came here for the seventh time, and if I don’t  like it, I wouldn’t come here again. It’s good that this is in the mountains. I’m going to the (Junior) Grand Prix in Italy, which is also in the mountains, and I already will have adapted to it, as the time in between (the camp and the competition) isn’t so long. (Note: Ivan Bariev eventually withdrew from the JGP in Meran and was reassigned to the JGP in Ostrava). We are constantly walking in the mountains, which is kind of a relaxation but at the same time we are training physically. We have as always two practices a day plus off ice training and choreography every day. That gives some extra bonus points. We get more tired, but we are working harder.  Here we have a good atmosphere, nice people, a good ice rink. It’s a little cold, but you have to get used to it, not everywhere the rink is as warm as ours in Moscow.

Q: Thank you very much for the interview and good luck for the upcoming season!

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Vladimir Uspenski
2008 Flims, July
Q: How do you rate this past season?
A: I think the season went quite well. I mastered the triple Axel. For the 2008 season I’m planning to include the quadruple toeloop, to compete in the Grand Prix in Canada. I want to work more on my programs, on the image. Also I’m planning except for the quad toeloop also to master the quad Salchow. I will try to achieve a higher rating to get two Grand Prix in the future.