Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: “A solo show like Hanyu did? I have no idea how he survived it. It’s insanely difficult! Even doing three programs in the show are very difficult to skate physically.”
Interview with Elizaveta Tuktamysheva.
source: Championat.com dd 14 March 2023 by Yana Levhina
This season turned out to be one of the best for you; you have always been in the prizes. Maybe you have some kind of gradation of seasons; where could you place this one?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: Probably, there is no gradation. Usually it’s just that a good season passes and warm, cool memories reign. I still find it difficult to put this season in some place out of all my seasons, because it is necessary to analyze every season, and there were a lot of them.
At the main competitions of this season, you won bronze medals. Which one is more valuable to you?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: The Russian Nationals, because I already have medals from the Russian Cup Final. I have not been on the podium at the Russian Nationals for a long time, so it was a very significant medal for me.
Based on the results of the Russian Nationals, you could go to the World Championships. Did you have any hope that Russia would still be allowed to compete there?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: Not this year; everything was clear from the beginning.
Are you planning to watch Worlds?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: Yes, I am. I think it will be interesting.
Who will you root for?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: I want everyone to skate well. I can’t single out anyone in particular.
And which discipline will you follow closely?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: I’m always more interested in watching either girls or men.
This season, you began to communicate more with the fans. What is it connected to?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: It seemed the same to me, as usual.
This year, you often hold fan meetings, master classes…
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: It has always been, especially in the last four years. Maybe now they just know more about them. Together with G-Drive and Demix, we make creative, cool meetings and master classes that allow figure skating fans to win cool prizes. Thanks to my brands for making figure skating even more popular.
Do you get an extra boost of energy and motivation from the fans?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: Yes, it always gives me positive emotions and motivates me to continue working because I hear a lot of kind words from people. Thanks to them all!
The season of ice shows will start soon. Where will we see you?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: I will participate in the tour of Ilia Averbukh and, possibly, in the show of Eteri Tutberidze. The next three months are already scheduled.
Once you hold your ice show in St. Petersburg, any thoughts on doing something like this again?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: Let’s see. In principle, it was very fun and family-like, and I gathered people close to me in figure skating. But if to organize my own show, then a little bigger than it was in the past. However, this is not in my immediate plans. Maybe someday…
You may have seen Yuzuru Hanyu organize his own show where he performs alone. Do you like this idea? Would you like to organize something similar someday?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: It seems to me that this is possible only in Japan and only with Yuzuru Hanyu, because he is like a god there; millions of people worship him, and he is a very popular skater. How he survived it, I have no idea. It’s insanely difficult! Even doing three programs in the show are very difficult to skate physically and to perform for three hours in a row … I can’t imagine where he got his strength from. It’s really very cool, but I’m not a skater of that league. And I don’t think it could do that.
Do you think such a format could become popular in Russia?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: I am not sure. We have a lot of great skaters. I can’t single out one person who could do the same.
Among your nearest plans are master classes in Mexico. Alexei Mishin said that you want to swim with sharks there. Is it really true?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: It’s not quite true; I’m a little afraid of sharks (laughs). But if I overcome this fear, it will be very cool. However, not only for this do we go to Mexico (laughs). It was more of a joke.
Do you have any other extreme desires?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: I would like to try surfing. And so, the most extreme thing that I did lately was snowboarding. It’s enough for me so far. I didn’t plan to try skydiving in Sochi, and I’m not going to because I’m not ready for this yet.
One of your areas of activity is creating clothes with Demix. How do you design your collections?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: We call up with the designers, discuss design, material, and how it will all look, prepare patterns, and then Demix puts it all into production. I always really like my collections, and I look forward to when it will be possible to start working on a new one.
Before the New Year, you wished yourself to find something that you would like besides figure skating. Have you already found it or will the search continue?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: The search is just beginning, I would say so (smiles).
Have you already tried new things?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: No. So far, I have the same schedule as in the last two years. I’ll skate the show, and then we’ll see. Maybe I’ll like something.
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