The shock of the ratings at the European Championship
– You took part in the European Championship for the first time in your career. What did you think right after the performance?
– I did it! Passed this stage in life. I’m very glad, because this is at the moment my biggest and most memorable tournament. The first time I competed in front of so many spectators (the arena in Graz accommodated 5 thousand people. – “Gazeta.Ru”).
True, I thought it would be even more exciting. Spent a bunch of sleepless nights, imagining how I ride in front of a large audience, and everyone is looking at me … Ahhh!
But it turned out that this is only wild support that helps to perform well. When you get up in your first pose, you don’t think about anything – there is only you, your breath, ice skates and ice.
– You were happy to leave the box office both times because you didn’t make obvious mistakes, but after watching the ratings, the expression on your face changed dramatically. What was happening at that moment?
– Probably, I expected higher ratings, because I think that the rental turned out to be serious. For example, in a free program, I have a combination of triple lutz + oiler + triple flip – no one else does it from girls. Of course, I understand that the rivals have fours and 4 + 3 cascades, but of the triples, my combination is the most expensive. And in my short lutz + sheepskin coat.
Even Sasha Trusova makes this cascade, because it is one of the most expensive. And to get such points, of course … I will not comment on this in any way, because the judges are doing their job, and this is their opinion.
But in the future I will try to do everything so that the mosquito of the nose could not undermine – everything will be perfect.
I will work to ensure that all the jumps are definitely completed. We will also figure out what is wrong with the slant – I did not quite understand. I reviewed the slope from the short program in slow motion and counted all the turns.
And after an arbitrary, Brian Orser told me in kiss and cry that now everything is fine fine (I even made more turns specially), but then again I got the second level. But before, there was always a fourth.
Well, in Canada we have a separate rotation trainer – we will work with him, maybe we will change something.
“Remember Yulia Lipnitskaya or Alina Zagitova”
– During performances in Russia, you did not even get to the stages of the Junior Grand Prix. When did the first thought arise that you need to change the country?
– This idea did not arise personally for me, because I was only 14 years old when it all started. Nevertheless, I remember that I skated everything cleanly, I was a stable skater, but in front of me at the tournaments were girls who could fall twice. In no case do not say that I was wrongly judged, probably, I myself did not understand something. And the main reason for the transition was in any case not that.
It’s just that at that moment my parents invested a lot in me – both financial resources and moral strength. And the Russian skaters have a short career. It is sad to admit, but it’s true. Recall Yulia Lipnitskaya or Alina Zagitova, who suspended her career – and she is my same age.
I am very proud of Alina, because she has already won everything. It is difficult in such a situation to seek motivation. But I still want to be remembered in this sport and I want my career to be long. Carolina Costner is the main motivator for me, because at 30 she went to the Olympics – it’s just a delight!
– When you decided that for the sake of a long career you need to change something, how did the transition process begin?
– When I spoke at juniors at an international tournament, we met with Marek – the president of the sports club, which I now represent. He came up to me and said that I ride very well, and, if anything, he is ready to help with the transition.
But then I did not think about it. It wasn’t such that I received an invitation and – “Bye everyone!” I went to the Russian championship among juniors – I skated well, then to the final of the Cup of Russia – I skated cleanly there too. We thought to ourselves that if I get into the national team, I will stay. I have patriotism inside, I was going to represent Russia.
But the team did not work out, and we began to work on the transition. My then coach Natalya Petrovna Dubinskaya already had such an experience, and she helped me a lot with Stanislav Kovalev, the second coach.
But Russia then refused me, and at that moment everything collapsed. However, a lot of questions arose. After my request to leave for Poland and the subsequent refusal, they did not call me in the summer for open junior rentals.
I went to Inna Goncharenko. I decided that since Russia did not let go, that means they want to give me a chance.
But it all started all over again. In the fall – the championship of Moscow, then the stages of the Cup of Russia … Strange things happened that I do not know how to explain. It seems to be doing everything possible, but still not enough.
The content was very good. At that time, it was still possible to do all the jumps in the second half, so I only had a double axel in the first, and all 3 + 3 were in the bonus zone. But still, nothing came of it, and again we decided to try to change something.
I understood that I was not letting anyone down. If now, for example, I left Poland, I would have framed many people. They invested so much in me, and now I became the leader of the single player team.
And in Russia there are a lot of talented skaters who are no worse than me, plow a lot, show the result. So for the country it was a small loss.
Just understand: I don’t want all the years of my life spent on figure skating to disappear and at the age of 18 I would skate in the Cup of Russia. We spend so much health on this – all jumps and falls affect the spine and joints, so this should be at least justified.
– For the first time, Russia did not let you go, but after a year did it nevertheless agree to the transition?
“I only got consent when I went to Brian.” That is, they simply had no choice.
Prior to that, they did not give me permission, and I even withdrew from the Russian championship because I understood that if I still get into the national team, then that’s all – you won’t be able to play for another country.
After that I was forbidden to ride in Russia. “Once this is your choice, then that’s it.” There were very ugly moments that I will not voice. Then my parents told me: “Katya, in three days you are leaving for Poland with your mother. We don’t know how much. Pack all the things that come in handy. ”
We bought a ticket – and it was a step into the unknown. Russia has not yet given the go-ahead.
Since they didn’t let me go last time, we decided to immediately apply for Polish citizenship. In this case, they could not forbid me to skate for this country, because I would be its citizen. So I left to immediately apply for all documents.
I still remember how my mother cried at night. My dad is a very strong man, but he also had tears in his eyes. Everyone understood that a career could end there. Suppose I won’t be given citizenship in Poland, I won’t be able to speak in Russia either, and that’s it.
The worst thing you can see is when your parents suffer. It was very hard. But in the fall of 2019, I received citizenship – it’s fast, in just a year and a half.
And, fortunately, so far everything is justified – I got to the European Championship, which I could not even think of! Previously, all my dreams ended at the junior stages of the Grand Prix – I just wanted to be allowed to go there.
Before, I couldn’t even show myself to be seen … they simply didn’t give a chance. And here I already spoke at the European Championship.
Let me not be in the top 5 yet, but this is my first season, and I think that it is going quite well. I drove successfully at the Grand Prix, won two challengers, even at the Warsaw Cup I managed to beat Brady Tennell from America (bronze medalist of the US Championship 2020. – “Gazeta.Ru”) – that’s cool. I went for 200 points in my career. Indeed, dreams come true. There is no easy way to happiness, but I’m on the right road.
I am very grateful to Poland for giving me a chance to prove myself. This is probably the most important thing.
– After moving to Poland, you had to stay there for eight months until you could get a visa to Canada.
– Yes. They gave me an apartment for a while – they didn’t give it to me. This is not my apartment! And then someone writes that they already handed me a BMW – no. There is nothing like that.
In this apartment, for example, visiting choreographers are accommodated while they are staging programs. And I, too, was simply allowed to live there, so as not to spend money. I was also given ice, I myself was engaged. The dance coach Sylvia looked after me, but it was the Olympic season, and she went away to the Games, then to the World Cup, and then there was a vacation.
“Did Brian not send a job?”
– No, he didn’t know me personally then – he just watched the video, and he didn’t have complete data about me.
Sylvia shot me once and sent him a video to show that I was still alive and could jump. He replied, “Super! I’m really, really waiting. ” In general, Brian often wrote about me, but not to me personally, because we did not have each other’s contacts.
– How did the transition to Orser take place?
– This was all done by the Polish Federation. In 2018, the European Championship was held in Moscow, Marek and Sylvia approached Brian there, showed a video of my rentals, and he said: “Yes, I want to train this girl.”
I did not know at all that I had a chance to train with Orser. When they called me and informed him that he would become my mentor, I simply could not believe it.
You see, I was shocked even when I was riding next to Maxim Kovtun and Sergey Voronov. Then it was the elite of Russia, and I went in such a state – “Wow.”
And in “Cricket Club” I come and understand that there are Yuzuru Hanyu, Eugene Medvedev, Jason Brown. At first, I still did not think that they could take me to one training session. I hoped that I would just see them sometimes. So studying with them is such a delight for me!
Waiting for these training sessions helped me when I rode in Poland for eight months without a coach. I knew that Brian Orser was waiting for me in Canada, and I should come to him in good shape. I did all the cascades, including Lutz + Rittberger, trained quadruples. I understood that I did not want to be dishonored.
Quadruple and competition with students of Tutberidze
– A video has appeared on the web for a long time about how you perform the quadruple salchow + triple sheepskin coat during training in Russia. Really, and with such jumps there was no chance to speak for their country?
– Apparently not.
I showed the quadruple when I was riding with Natalya Petrovna Dubinskaya, but for some reason they did not emphasize this. It was the same season when Anya Shcherbakova jumped in a quadruple sheepskin coat, and Sasha Trusova jumped in a quadruple salchow. I made a quad flush with them, but for some reason it was their foursome for all of them “wow”.
And I remember, I was sitting in the locker room and they showed me a video – “Look at what these girls are doing!”
I am very happy for Sasha and Anya – this is sincere. What they do is unrealistically cool, and I never had any kind of anger towards them.
But at that moment I felt insulted when I said, “But I just made a quadruple in training!”, To which people turned and answered: “No, Katya, that’s not it.” But why was it not that? This is the same quadruple salchow!
The girls also did not immediately begin to do cleanly, Sasha did not first screw the salchow, as I did. But I seemed to remain for everyone the wall by which they passed.
Plow, do, but they do not pay attention to you. Of course, it was a shame. Probably, this too … it also influenced my transition.
“How are you doing with the quadruples right now?”
– We are working. I don’t know when we will insert them into the programs, – I believe that it is necessary to do this when I am 100% sure, because now I even look at triples every millimeter and put a check. And the quadruple is another opportunity to give me a short notice.
If there are two jackdaws, then the quad price will drop to a triple – another chance to remove me.
When I begin to do quadruple stably – ten out of ten, I will definitely insert it. I’m not scared – I go into all fours.
I try lutz and flip, there are very good attempts. I sincerely believe that Brian and I will finish them in the spring, when all the competitions are over and there will be time for preparation.
In general, of the elements of ultra-si, the triple axel is now closest to me, and of the quadruples, it is different. Sometimes I feel better salchow, sheepskin coat or lutz. Probably a little disturbing is that now we are not concentrating on any one of them. I hope that we will make a choice and bring the quad to mind.
Or maybe it’s even better to continue to focus on the triple axel, because it can be inserted into a short program, as Alena Kostornaya does.
She does not perform quadruples, but thanks to the trixel, she scores a lot of points in the short and comes off, which then gives a chance to win.
– Why don’t you post ultra-si attempts on Instagram?
– I want to show them right away at the competitions. This will be really wow. In general, in Russia they shoot videos all the time, but rarely in Cricket Club. It happens that you work, and then this: “Damn, it’s really a pity that they didn’t take it off.”
“In the case of raising the age limit, trainers would take care of the joints of children”
“You want a long career.” What do you think about the topic discussed with increasing age for speaking on adults? Could this increase the duration of a career?
– I think it would probably be nice if the International Skating Union (ISU) raised the age to at least 17 years, because many graduates earlier – for example, girls often leave at 16. They win very quickly and leave very quickly.
In addition, riding at 15 and 17 years old are two different things. At 15, you come running, dress and perform. Now I have to constantly warm up – if I do not, then with a cold body I can not easily jump. We have to keep track of weight more, to force ourselves – everything becomes more complicated.
I think that in the event of an increase in age, coaches will begin to lead athletes in a different way to the transition to an adult level, take care of joints more, and treat children differently. When in 15 years such loads are already – then everything affects, big health problems begin.
In addition, in adult competitions you will see adult skating – there is a difference in how you feel the program and are aware of it. At 15, they told me to smile here – I will do it, but now it comes from the heart. You become more sensitive, gentle, passionate …
Now it’s not just stupid movements. You can convey your image to the audience more, and you want to look at it. Not just jumping. It is important. Maybe I’m wrong, but it seems to me that a change in age can affect a lot.
Conversations with Medvedeva in the jacuzzi and sudden hugs from Chania
– How was your first training session in Canada?
– I was excited – pleasantly excited. The first lesson was scheduled at 08:25 in the morning, because of this I got up very early. I remember warming up, standing in the headphones, the door suddenly opens, and there – Brian Orser. I say to myself: “Calmly.” He comes up, shakes my hand – “Hello, Katya! Nice to meet you, ”and I think:“ This is a real Orser! ”
Then I went out onto the ice and got excited, but Brian praised me very much, so I exhaled a little. And then Zhenya Medvedev arrived.
We were not personally acquainted with her, but when I entered the hall, she immediately said, “Oh, are you Katya? I heard about you ”- and began to hug me. Zhenya is so cute!
I heard different stories about her and I can say that this is not true. Zhenya is a very kind person. Yes, we are competitors on ice and motivate each other. If Zhenya jumps something, I will try to do better, and then she will do even better! But outside the ice, we calmly talk with her on different topics – sometimes about boys, sometimes about something else.
Once we were in the jacuzzi together, and once we went to the movies … I am very glad that I can communicate with Zhenya. At first for me she was Evgenia Medvedev – and now Zhenechka.
– How do you communicate with Chania?
– Also good. When I meet, I bow, he also bowes, smiles, and even hugs me several times. I try sometimes to support Yuzu. I remember once he didn’t have a training session, and he just sat. Then he did not know me yet, but I just walked over, sat next to him and hugged him.
Everyone was stunned by this – I even heard mouths open in surprise.
Usually no one comes to Yuzu: he is a closed person, communicates with few people, always with himself in headphones. But when I hugged him, he turned on me, and I said: “You are amazing. Yes, the training didn’t work out right now, but you’re awesome. Remember this”.
In response, Yuzu stroked my head. Then he was shocked by my courage – such a little girl came up and hugged him! And I just felt that he needed support, and I did not care. Even if he snapped at me, I would not be offended, because what I did is not very good, to say the least. But I was able to give him support.
Then he realized that I am a good, kind person, and since then he sometimes talks with me, and in general we communicate quite well. I can’t say that a lot, but sometimes we see each other, and I think that he is glad to see me, just like I did.
– And what kind of working relationship have you developed with Orser?
“I like Brian’s attitude towards me as a junior,” he never pities me. This and Zhenya Medvedev noticed. Brian demands a lot from me, there isn’t such a thing that he says: “Let’s just let it down so that you don’t get tired.” Это просто супер, я и сама настаиваю на таком подходе, говорю, что мы все равно будем пробовать.
— К Медведевой он может быть чуть помягче?
— Мне Женя сама говорила, что иногда Брайан к ней обращается: «Может, это оставим?» Но она сама по себе такая, что ни за что не оставит.
На плохой попытке она никогда не остановится — выйдет на пятый лед, но добьет и сделает.
— Сколько специалистов работают с вами в «Крикет клабе», помимо Орсера?
— Ой… я могу в день поработать с шестью тренерами. По скольжению у нас отдельный наставник, а еще после каждой второй тренировки у нас есть 15-30 минут, когда мы работаем с Брайаном и Трейси Уилсон только над скольжением. Мы уделяем этому реально много времени. Помню, как я десять минут стояла и переучивала простую перебежку, потому что там совершенно другая техника. Сначала я не очень этому доверяла, думала «Зачем мы все это делаем?».
Но потом поняла, что это действительно смотрится лучше и даже тебе самому так кататься легче. Есть свои секретики. Мне вообще нравится, что в Канаде нам прививают то, что фигурное катание не заканчивается на прыжках.
Бывает, что я смотрю прокаты некоторых девочек, и хочется перемотать все, кроме прыжков. И очень многие так и делают, мне кажется. А я хочу, чтобы в моем случае смотрели целый прокат. Я пытаюсь выделить образ, создать целостную картину — для меня это реально важно, и в «Крикет клабе» этому учат.
Запах марихуаны в подъезде, бежевый туалет и молоко за 200 рублей
— Как живешь в Торонто?
— Живу одна через дорогу от катка — в том же доме, где очень многие другие фигуристы. Снимаю квартиру в самом обычном районе. Хорошо, что мама на первое время поехала со мной туда, потому что квартира сначала была невероятно грязная, и она помогала мне драить.
Извиняюсь за эту тему, но туалет там был бежевого цвета. Сначала мы удивились, что это за странный оттенок, а потом мама начала оттирать хлоркой, и стало ясно, что изначально он был другим.
Если честно, в подъездах Торонто очень неприятный запах, потому что там разрешена марихуана. Изначально у меня очень болела голова из-за этого.
После уборки дома, как в больнице, пахло недели две хлоркой — провели полную дезинфекцию. Но зато эту квартиру мы можем поднять по деньгам.
Конечно, многие другие фигуристы, как, например, Женя Медведева, живут в гораздо лучших условиях — у них есть на это деньги. Ну это и понятно, Женя — спортсмен с большой буквы, она заработала себе на это честным трудом. Я, кстати, была как-то в гостях у нее. Правда, она уже переехала с той квартиры на другой этаж, и туда я еще не ходила.
Цены в Канаде совершенно другие. Молоко спокойно стоит 200 рублей и больше. И там нет стиральных машин! Они объединены все в одном месте на первом этаже, и за каждую стирку ты должен платить. Ты не можешь просто взять и постирать пару носков и трусы — надо сначала все вместе собрать.
Еда там тоже отличается — надо привыкнуть. Она более калорийная, так что сложнее следить за весом. Я сама все готовлю, не люблю ходить в рестораны, мне гораздо приятнее потратить время на что-нибудь другое — например, купить себе красивые коллекционные фигурки.
— С кем больше всего подружилась в Канаде?
— Я с Женей хорошо общаюсь, потом Джозеф Фан — он такой смешной, все время кушает. Также дружу с Лилианом Бынзарем — он завершал карьеру, а теперь возвращается. Женя говорила, что он очень необычный персонаж, и это правда. Таких больше нет.
У него какие-то тараканчики в голове, но они классные. Если собираемся компанией, то обычно идем втроем — я, Женя, Лилиан, потому что все на русском разговариваем.
«Влюбилась в поляка, выучила язык за три месяца»
— Как у тебя обстояло дело с иностранными языками — английским, польским?
— Когда я оказалась в Польше на восемь месяцев, языка не знала вообще. У меня ведь было всего три дня, чтобы собрать вещи. Хорошо, что часть людей там знают русский.
В то же время некоторые друзья из России начали от меня отказываться — перестали писать, отвечать. Может быть, как к предателю относились, не знаю. Это был тяжелый момент морально, потому что все пошло не так.
К тому же это был девятый класс, два месяца до экзаменов, а я переехала и мне пришлось учиться по скайпу — это совсем не то, что в школе. В конце концов в Польше я осталась одна — сначала со мной были бабушка и мама, но потом и они уехали. В выходной день я просто боялась потеряться в городе.
В тот период я много плакала, и в голове стоял один вопрос «Зачем?» Однако со временем пришли все эти ответы, и я поняла, что надо просто пережить этот переломный момент.
В итоге я сориентировалась, экзамены успешно написала, завела в Польше друзей, хотя по-прежнему говорила очень плохо. А потом я переехала в Канаду, и началось все с начала — ни друзей, ни языка.
— Ты не знала английский?
– Not. Когда еще каталась в России, то видела, что у девочек на международных стартах всегда есть переводчик, и говорила маме «Зачем мне учить английский?».
Так вот, знайте: английский понадобится всем. Просто поверьте, что его надо учить.
Я приехала в Канаду, зная «Hello», «How are you?» и «It’s okay». Меня до сих пор вся семья подстебывает вопросом «Как там твое It’s okay?», потому что это был мой ответ на все.
Хорошо, что у Брайана уже был опыт работы с такими, как я. Если я что-то не понимала, то он мне показывал, и не было проблем. А вот со вторым тренером Эрнестом у меня были проблемы, потому что он очень быстро говорит, употребляя сложную лексику.
Однажды была такая ситуация: он мне что-то сказал, я ответила «Yes». Эрнест cпросил: «Что — yes?». Тогда я говорю «No». Он — «Что — no?». После этого я призналась: «Простите, я устала, у меня нет для вас ответа».
В то время я пыталась прийти в зал для разминок, когда там никого нет, потому что боялась, что со мной кто-то заговорит, а я не пойму.
К счастью, английский я потом выучила, и в этом плане год карантина, когда я не могла соревноваться, потому что ранее выступала за Россию на международных стартах, пошел мне на пользу — было время, чтобы освоить язык.
— А когда ты выучила польский на хорошем уровне?
— Поехала на сборы польской команды и влюбилась. Это было этим летом.
Тогда я еще польский плохо знала, но мальчику очень понравилась, и мы проводили много времени вместе, просто смотря друг другу в глаза (смеется).
Это очень мило, конечно, но есть небольшая проблемка — ты со своим молодым человеком не можешь пообщаться. Иногда он мне что-то говорил, а я отвечала: «Блин, прости, я не понимаю».
Но он очень красивый, я тоже в принципе симпатичная, так что мы тогда просто друг от друга тащились — и все (смеется).
Я думала, что это была такая вспышка симпатии, и скоро все пройдет. Ничего не прошло. Я уехала в Канаду, и следующие несколько месяцев мы общались по два-три раза каждый божий день. По-английски мы хоть что-то могли друг другу сказать, но тоже мало, так что больше переписывались.
Это стало для меня мотивацией нормально выучить польский. Раньше я понимала, что мне это нужно для гражданства, но думала «Попозже, попозже». А вот тут… Катя пошла в бой (смеется).
Польский выучила за три месяца — каждое утро вставала, до тренировки шла в кафе и учила самостоятельно. Теперь я уже даю интервью на этом языке и даже разговаривала на радио.
— Как часто видитесь теперь?
— Не очень часто. Но осенью, когда у меня были проблемы с документами, я почти три месяца провела в Польше. С одной стороны, было очень тяжело, потому что я опять без Брайана, и стыдно, что так мало времени провожу в Канаде, но зато я была со своим молодым человеком. И все было хорошо.
Он мне сейчас, кстати, написал. Он тоже фигурист, танцор, катается в юниорах и очень за меня переживает.
Когда я только с ним познакомилась, увидела в нем своего брата. Помню, мы ездили на велосипедах, и я хотела сказать «Ты такой классный, как брат!». Хорошо, что не сказала, а то бы отношений, наверное, не было.
Кстати, мой рост 1,52 м, а его — 1,84. Бог не дал мне роста, но дал милоты (смеется). И я оторвалась на парне.
— Твоя главная мечта в фигурном катании.
— Я хочу добиться успехов. Не хочу говорить о банальных вещах, типа выиграть Олимпиаду или чемпионат мира. Я просто хочу, чтоб меня запомнили как очень хорошую, позитивную спортсменку и чтобы я была особенной.
«Катя Куракова? Да, мы знаем эту девочку!» — я хочу, чтобы я просто была для людей не такой, как все.
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