Q: You enter the new season with a new look. What’s the reason for that? A: I’ve decided to let my hair grow long. Why? I just felt like it! In Switzerland I bought a false pony-tale and it’s so cute! I’m considering having my hair extended for this season, but haven’t set up my mind yet. You know, I like trying new things. Then again, I’ve changed inwardly and I’d like to change something in my appearance, too.
Q: How did you change? A: I think I’ve grown up. I’ve completely revised my attitude towards both ice practices and physical training. When I learned which Grand Prix events I would enter this season, I understood at once that it would be no picnic. So, I’ve got to work hard to get well prepared and armed at all points. I don’t want to lower the last season’s bar! I go to gym every day, it’s a rigid must, or I won’t be able to skate my program to the end. I keep working on my programs with a choreographer, we polish up every detail. I’ve reduced by 5 kilos over the summer, and Tarasova didn’t even recognize me at first when she saw me at the test skate! I became so light-weighted that in the beginning I lost all my jumps: when I took off, it was like rocketing to the sky, I didn’t know how to land. Now everything’s all right, and it’s great!
Q: How would you evaluate your last season? A: My mark for it is 8 on the ten-point scale. It was a great and pleasant surprise to make the Grand Prix Final, and especially to place 3rd after the short program. But there were baffles, as well, and Europeans were the biggest of them. I placed 7th and, which is more important, I wasn’t at all satisfied with my performance! But I’m glad that I managed to skate well at Olympics and Worlds. On the whole, last season was much more difficult than the one before it. In 2008/09 I was a debutant trying for top three, top five or top ten… As for the last season, I knew how hard it would be even before it actually started. Everything was on a new, higher level: programs, elements, choreography… It was another league, I felt it keenly. Plus everybody’s expectations and demands… I knew that I must maintain my reputation. Things followed swiftly on one another, gaining momentum day by day. The process continues, but I’ve already got a bit used to it, though I must admit that my new programs are extremely difficult.
Q: Did your new programs meet with approval at the test skate? A: As for the short program, everything was OK. But the free one created some dissentions. Tatiana Tarasova didn’t like it at all, she even suggested that we should replace it with another one. Tarasova remarked that the music doesn’t beautify me, but somehow keeps me down. But we told her at once that replacing the program in the middle of August is out of the question. Then we were advised to swap the elements around, so that I don’t have to run like a scalded cat from one board to another. So, now we are working on this at every practice. It’s not as easy as it may seem. At first it was very hard for me, but lately I’ve noticed that the program is indeed becoming easier to skate. Next week we will attend a camp in Novogorsk, and as far as I know there will be another test skate on September, 18.
Q: What do you think about the latest changes in the rules? A: We recently attended a seminar given by Alexander Lakernik and thoroughly analysed all the changes in every detail. In fact, it makes your head whiz and you wonder what to do first. We paid a lot of attention to spins. To tell the truth, it seems like they are going to look exactly the same, no matter who performs them, because now you have a very restricted number of options if you want to do a level 4 spin. I think it’ll be a bit boring. We are taking great pains to exclude progressive run from the programs. I may use it only when approaching a jump, and even then my hands, head and body should constantly be in action, because it is important for the program components score. I will do a new combination with half loop: toe loop+half loop+Salchow. We wanted to include 3L+3T in my program, but were dissuaded. You know, I sometimes fail to land my Lutz, and the edge problem also exists. So, we were told not to pursue Lutz and do flip instead for the time being. On the whole, it’s not easy. I must work on new combinations and spins, comply with all the new rules and polish my programs. Every practice takes a great lot of energy. Q: What events are you going to compete at this autumn? A: My first event, I think, will be in September in St. Petersburg. In October I will go to Finland, and then the Grand Prix will start. The most important thing is to have enough ice to practice. The current situation at the Academy is horrible: the main rink is closed, because its walls are all covered with black mold. They say it is dangerous even just to enter it! Our practices now take less time than usual, one hour and 15 minutes instead of one hour and a half, because there is not enough ice for everybody. But the worst thing is that there are rumors that the fungi have already been seen somewhere at the practice rink, too. Q: How do you get mentally ready for competitions? A: I try to forget all about places, scores, judges, Federation, responsibility… You can’t bear such a heavy load and you certainly can’t jump with it. I skate for myself, for the audience, for my coach. Last season we started working with a psychologist, his name is Gennady Gorbunov. We talk about everything, not only about sport, and sometimes he uses hypnosis. I can’t remember what happens during these séances, but he says that I will remember everything when the time comes and it will help me. I like working with him very much, it makes me more confident and self-collected. But the most interesting thing when you work with a psychologist is that he never tells you how to solve a problem. By talking to you and asking you questions he helps you to understand everything yourself, so that you can find a solution that is optimal for you. Q: Next Olympics will take place in Sochi… A: The thought of it is always in the back of my mind. It’s a great motivation for me and, I’m sure, for all Russian skaters. As Alexander Gorshkov aptly put it at the test skate, "Don’t think that three years are a long time, they will flit past before you notice it”. He’s right! My way to Sochi begins now, today! I’ve got to skate, fight, and work as hard as I can! I have already begun, and what about you?
Q: You enter the new season with a new look. What’s the reason for that? 