Interview with Anton Kovalevski
Oberstdorf, September 2008
Q: Please can you tell us a little bit about you?
A: I was born in 1985, March 9th, started to skate in 1989 when I was
4. My motivation was my older sister, she was figure skater. My career is from year to year plus, plus,
plus... and I’m here right now.
Q: What are you thoughts about the Nebelhorn-Trophy. I think you can be
satisfied with your placement as well?
A: NHT I like very much. I think 5th place is not bad for beginning in
the season. After the short program I was 6th, then 5th. Michael
Huth told me that it is really good for the first competition.
Q: Why did you change coaches and move to Germany?
A: The motivation is that in 2012 the soccer European
Championships will be held and now it's difficult. Fot that season everything is crashed,
everything will be change - roads, every airport, everything...and our
ice rink is one of this objects. Maybe our ice rink should work till
this year and then brushed up. Maybe not, I don’t know ... but I have
to change something and I have to up my level of skating. First of all there’s not
too much time for Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games I want to show
something, a new something special, something professional because I
don’t like to finished every competition I mean like World
Championships on 20th place, I don’t like it. I have to change
something.
Q: How do you communicate with Mr Huth?
A: Our discussion is in English, but sometimes he told me something in
German, sometimes I talk with him in Russian (is laughing) we
understand each other!
Q: Why did you pick Michael Huth as a coach?
A: I think that Mr. Huth is one of the best coaches, because he is not
working in his first year in professional figure skating. He has
professional sportsmen like Carolina Kostner for example and Tomas
Verner, who is my friend. And this discussion began last year because
of Vlasta Koprirova, who is the second coach of Tomas. She told me:
“maybe you can come to us in summer to the Oberstdorf Camp!” (Ice Dome)
I answered “maybe, maybe.” Then we had discussions by emails again and
again, more and more and after the World Championships in Gothenburg I
called Mr. Huth and told him that I have to change the coach. Shortly after I told
him that I'd like to come and he told me okay. That was really
good!
Q: What is different in training in Mr. Huth's group?
A: At first I felt very much the difference because in Oberstdorf
practice sessions are very professional. Mr. Huth knows what he doing
and how to begin practice and how to finish. I like it. In Kiev in the
Ukraine we have one skating practice a day, here we have three, and I
think it’s better.
Q: What do you expect, what are your goals for this season?
A: First of all I don’t think not about placements, I think about my
preparation for European and World Championships, to do clean programs
in the short and free, that’s my goal.
Q: Do you like Oberstdorf? Maybe it’s a little bit boring here?
A: I like places like Oberstdorf. It’s quiet for someone who comes
from a big city, from a capital city. I really feel different because
in Kiev I wake up in the morning and go to training and it takes me
about one hour or more to get to the ice rink. Here it’s three minutes
by bike. That’s a very big difference for me.
Q: What are you doing besides skating?
A: I have no time (for something else)!
Q: What are you doing during the weekend?
A: There is only one weekend in the week! There is nothing to do here, I’m
using internet maybe, my girlfriend is in Kiev and we talk through the
internet.
A: What competitions are you planning to attend this season?
Q: First of all was Oberstdorf (Nebelhorn Trophy), the second should be
Golden Spin in Zagreb, I think, then maybe the Grand Prix Cup of
Russia. After that there are Ukrainian Nationals end of December, and in
January there are Europeans and in March there are Worlds.
Q: What programs, what music do you have?
A: My short program is a Flamenco, the same program like last season
and free program is an Armenian Dance, it is a new one. I got the music
in Moscow because this program was done in Moscow. It was done by the
ice dancer from Armenia, Vazgen Azroyan.
Q: What does figure skating mean for you?
A: Everything at this moment. I think at first place of course is family, my
mother and father and second it’s figure skating because it’s my world,
it’s my job, I like it.
Q: It’s hard because your family is far from here?!
A: Hm, it’s not so far, but I feel it. But that’s my life and I have to
build it myself.
Q: Who are your role models?
A: My role model is Michael Huth, right now.
Q: How would you describe yourself?
A: You know my hobby is Yoga. I take Yoga lessons. It helps me to take
control and in some situations, like in a competition, this hobby helps
me really to take it a little bit easier.
Q: If you were sent to an isolated island and could take three things
with you, what would you take?
A: (laughing) blades, the coach and an ice rink.
Q: Many thanks for the interview and all the best for you!
A: Thank you so much!
