Lindsay van Zundert: “Everyone in the audience clapped during free program to the The Pirates of the Caribbean. I had never experienced that before.”
Interview with the Dutch champion Lindsay van Zundert. About Challenge Cup, preparation to Worlds and Kaori Sakamoto.
source: schaatsen.nl
At the Challenge Cup Lindsay van Zundert scored the highest point total in her career: 176.84.
About her performance at the Challenge Cup
Lindsay van Zundert: It was the first performance of the season without a fall. I am very pleased with that. I told myself, “You are here for a reason, you can do it.” After the last jump, I was very relieved that everything worked out.
I think it’s quite an experience to be able to participate here. It is a good exercise for me in preparation for the World Championships. The level is very high, especially with a world champion at the competitions.
I had a very stupid final position. That made no sense. My choreographer had not fully completed that final position. So I thought, “We need to have a final position.” The pose in the short program was pretty nice, so we decided to use it for the free program as well. I wanted to finish on my knee, but then I lost my balance, and there was almost a fall. Luckily, I was able to mask it a bit.
About Kaori Sakamoto
Lindsay van Zundert: I happened to have to go to the doping control with Kaori Sakamoto. She couldn’t urinate. I was short of half the amount. We both had to wait and laugh, and we talked briefly with each other. That was a special moment. I feel that I am starting to find a bit of a place in this world. I hope this will motivate other children to take up figure skating as well.
About motivation to continue skating
Lindsay van Zundert: After the Games there were the World Championships, but after that it was like, “What now?” I’ve had a really tough summer mentally. I had reached the highest level achievable in terms of competitions, and I no longer had a goal for myself. In addition, all the media attention came, and suddenly it was all gone when I got home. I got some rest; my school was finished, so that obligation also disappeared. After the summer, I heard that I could skate at two senior Grand Prix, and that’s how it went quickly uphill. I started working very hard for that, and that way my motivation returned very quickly.
I talked a lot about it with my family. They are my number one. I can say anything I want to them. I also get a lot of support from both of my coaches. After the first competitions of the season in Oberstdorf, the competition jitters came back, and I knew I didn’t want to miss this feeling. Especially with my new programs. It is recognizable music (referring to the music of The Pirates of the Caribbean, ed.). Everyone in the audience clapped. I had never experienced that before.
I look at myself. I have to try to improve my own points and get the best out of myself. I have no influence on what the others do.
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