Interview
with Karolina Procházková / Michal Češka
Oberstdorf, July 2012
Q:
Please tell us something about yourself. Like how you started to
skate in the first place. How did you get involved with this sport.
Karolina:
I started figure skating when I was 4 years old. My first coach was
my mum because she was skating, too.
I did ladies
and when I was 14 years old I found Michal as a partner for ice
dancing and since then we have been together
Michal:
I also started when I was 4 years old. I started because my father
was also a figure skater. So I wanted to skate like him. I skated in
singles for a long time - until about I was 15 years old. Nobody
asked me, they said “you will be an ice dancer“ (laughs)
Q:
How do you appraise the past season?
Michal:
Well! I think it was a hard season for us because we skated for both
categories, juniors and seniors. We started with a good Junior Grand
Prix in Riga, we were at 4th place and that was good. Then we had
problems with health, there were some complications. We were in the second Junior Grand
Prix in Innsbruck and finished 8th. That was a little bit bad for us
because we thought that we would be better.
Q: At
Junior Worlds in Korea you were unable to compete, because your
luggage and the skates did not arrive in time.
Michal:
Yes, it was bad, terribly bad! But in Minsk it was worse for me
because I fell during the twizzles and it’s better I don’t think
about it.
Q:
What do you expect for the new season?
Karolina:
This season will be most important for us because it’s the last
season in Juniors. Next year we will start in Seniors, because of my
age.
Michal:
We will see! We wanna skate well and then we will see. That’s the
point!
Q:
Will there be any changes to your programms?
Michal: We
have two new programs. The choreographer is Maurizio Margaglio. We
made a lot of new things with him and I think it can be good.
Q: He
chose the music?
Michal:
Yes, but we tried that we both like it, too.
Q:
What do you think you have to work on the most?
Michal:
Well! On the skating! (laughs) Everything.
Karolina: on
so many things! To be better in skating skills, presentation and of
course physically.
Michal:
before competition, you know.
Karolina:
That’s important
Michal: Yeah, we can do everything on the ice in
practice, but in competition.... I think that’s a problem for
everybody, it’s not just us.
Q:
Where do you see your strong points?
Michal: I
don’t know (laughing) I see the strength in my partner
Q:
What are the differences in practice here in Oberstdorf, compared to
your practice in Prague?
Michal: I
think here is a better athmosphere. We just skate along with Sasha
Sinicyn and there are other couples which are much younger. It’s
good because we can fight between us [couples].
Karolina:
Yeah, we can learn
Michal:
Fight. Friendly fight.
Karolina: In
Prague we have practice with single skaters and pair skaters,
everything together
Michal:
It’s difficult to skate together. And here we have practice during
all the day . So we can concentrate just on the practice, not on
school and anything else.
Q:
You like Oberstdorf? Isn't it a bit quiet?
Michal: No! For practice
it is perfect! I don’t have problems with anything. Maybe it’s a
little bit boring, but for skating it is good.
Q:
What are you doing off the ice?
Michal:
sleeping ... eating.... (laughs)
Q:
And at home? What hobbies do you have?
Karolina: I
like horse riding, but unfortunately I don’t have so much time for
that, reading and I like painting
Michal: I
like everything! I’m happy when I can do something else than
skating. I wanna try everything like Go carting, tennis, football. I
like every sports
Q:
Did you ever been on the Nebelhorn?
Michal. No! I want, it but I
didn’t.
Q:
Karolina, what’s Michaels charakter like? How would you describe
him?
Karolina:
What do I have to say? (laughs) I don’t find the right words
(laughs) He is the Italian type! He is dynamic... hmhh....
Michal:
(laughs) She wanna to say that sometimes I’m a little bit nervous
on the ice when it is not working the way I want it to. Then it is
difficult with me.... but I think it is normal.
Q:
Michal, how would you describe her?
Michal: Sometimes she’s soooo
lazy (laughs) I’m just kidding! She can do well like she can work
well when she is in the mood. A girl is
difficult sometimes in this age. (laughts)
Q: What competions
do you plan?
Michal: The most important for us are Junior Grand
Prix. Maybe Bavarian Open. We will see!
Q: Thank you for the nice interview and good luck.
