“I was always watching the performances of Tutberidze’s girls. Then the opportunity to train there appeared, how could I miss such a chance?” Interview with Swiss skater Anastasia Brandenburg
Interview with Swiss figure skater Anastasia Brandenburg about training with Tutberidze.
original source: Sport24 dd. 10th October 2024 by Vladimir Afanasiev
Swiss figure skater Anastasia Brandenburg, who placed 6th at the World Junior Championships in an interview with Russian media spoke about training with Eteri Tutberidze during camps and suspension of Russian skaters. Here’s a translation of her comments.
“Q: In Russia, little is known about you: you represent Switzerland, have Russian roots, and have been to Eteri Tutberidze’s training camp several times. Can you tell us more?
Anastasia Brandenburg: I was born and raised in Switzerland, my parents are Russian and German, so I initially had German citizenship. I’ve been skating since I was four years old. When I was seven, we decided to pursue professional figure skating.
First I skated in my own country, once attended a camp with Stephane Lambiel. Then, during school holidays, we would go to Russia and work with various coaches. Later on, circumstances allowed me to train with Eteri Georgievna Tutberidze. We first went there for a training camp, and then we started coming regularly during subsequent holidays.
As a child, I looked up to Anna Shcherbakova; I really like her, she’s my ideal (smiles).
Q: When you went to Tutberidze’s camp, did you get a chance to talk to her?
Anastasia Brandenburg: No, unfortunately. I saw her, but I was too scared to approach her; I was shy (smiles).
Q: How did your family and friends react to the decision to go to Eteri Tutberidze? Was there any negative reaction?
Anastasia Brandenburg: I was always watching the performances of Eteri Georgievna’s girls. Then the opportunity to go appeared, how could we miss such a chance? We went there and really liked it, the training sessions are very professional.
As for negative reactions, maybe there were some, maybe not. I just trained to improve my results.
Q: Are there many differences in training when comparing Russia and Switzerland?
Anastasia Brandenburg: It’s completely different. Initially, it was hard because we have a different rhythm; at home, I trained much less. But once I got used to it, it became normal. However, when I return to Switzerland after such preparation, it’s hard to maintain the form, especially since I also have school.
In Russia, the daily routine was like this: wake up, ballet, ice, stretches, lunch, general physical training (sometimes instead we had dance class), then second ice and cooling down. In my free time, I either just rested or did my homework, as school let me off a week earlier.
Q: Do teachers compromise?
Anastasia Brandenburg: I go to a school for talented children, where they let us go. The school supports us; for example, before the World Championships, I needed to go to Eteri Georgievna, and they let me go. I just have to complete all the homework, and they really support me; I really like my school (smiles).
Q: How many languages do you know?
Anastasia Brandenburg: English, Russian, German, I learn French at school, and I’m also teaching myself Japanese — I really want to go to Japan.
Q: Online, your short program this season is often compared to Kamila Valieva’s routines; they say your movements repeat from her “Storm,” and your dress reminds them of her Olympic In Memoriam. What is your take on this?
Anastasia Brandenburg: Our programs are completely different, different music, my program has a different meaning altogether. The dresses are also different, maybe the color is similar.
Q: When your programs are compared, does it flatter you or rather bother you?
Anastasia Brandenburg: Generally, I don’t care. But I want to show my program in a way that makes it clear: this is my program, I haven’t copied anything. I haven’t succeeded in doing this yet, but I’m trying to show it so that such talks won’t happen again.
Q: Do you keep in touch with anyone from the Tutberidze group?
Anastasia Brandenburg: In the summer, I spoke with Sonya Akatieva, Alisa Dvoeglazova, Dasha Sadkova, and Maya Khromykh; we still keep in touch and wish each other luck.
Q: Russian skaters have been absent from the international scene for several years now. Are they still remembered?
Anastasia Brandenburg: I think they are remembered, but quietly.
Q: You’ve skated on the same ice with Akatieva, Dvoeglazova, Sadkova. In your opinion, if allowed back into international competitions, what places could they contend for?
Anastasia Brandenburg: If it’s Sonya or Alisa, then definitely first place, no questions (smiles). I really sympathize with the girls; not being able to compete internationally for the third year… I really feel sorry for them. I don’t even know how they manage to keep up. I would love to compete against my friends, that would be cool. It doesn’t matter how I perform; I would just like to see them. So far, I have performed internationally without the Russians; it would be great if there was a way to bring them back. Otherwise, I follow your domestic season and root for my friends.
Q: Under the old rules, you could have been eligible to compete in the Olympics in a year, but after Beijing, the age minimum was raised. Does that upset you?
Anastasia Brandenburg: Right now, I don’t mind because I have a German passport, and I will only get the Swiss one next year. If I already had it, it would have been cool to go to the Olympics next year (smiles).
Q: This season, Sergei Dudakov was with you at the Grand Prix stages, but now your coaches are Michael Huth and Nicole Schott. Did you follow Nicole’s career when she was competing?
Anastasia Brandenburg: Yes, we always watched her and rooted for her.
Q: When the age minimum was raised, Nicole reacted positively: “Children should remain children long enough.” Do you agree with that statement?
Anastasia Brandenburg: I recall the recent Olympics in Paris, where, for example, in skateboarding, 14-year-old won… Every sport has its risks, including the chance of falling from a great height and injuring yourself in skateboarding. It’s easier for the young to perform quads than for adults — that’s the only thing that’s not quite fair. But otherwise, I’m okay with it.
Q: Do you have any hobbies?
Anastasia Brandenburg: I love playing Genshin Impact. I also have a little sister, sometimes I spend time with her. I also like to draw and read: if I like a book, I can just read it for five hours. Most recently, I really liked Lightlark and Nightbane by author Alex Aster — these are the first two books of a trilogy, and I’m eagerly awaiting the third. I don’t read Russian literature; I prefer reading in English. I love listening to music — sometimes classical, including Russian, sometimes pop.
Q: Is figure skating popular in Switzerland?
Anastasia Brandenburg: Figure skating is not popular here; football and hockey are bigger. Domestic competitions gather few spectators; there are many more at Grand Prix stages. Even more so at the World Championships. That’s why I want to achieve good results, to show people that there is figure skating in Switzerland too.
Q: Are you already thinking about the future?
Anastasia Brandenburg: My main goal is to participate in the Olympics and represent Switzerland. As for life after sports… Maybe I’ll become a coach, or maybe I’ll choose a different path. But at least once in my life, I’d like to visit Japan (smiles).”
Related topics: Anastasia Brandenburg, Eteri Tutberidze
It is simply this: figure skating isn’t a very varied international sport, in terms of international competition, and especially those who go down in history as the greatest. I didn’t even know the names of the greats Jeffrey Ferguson Nolt mentioned.
Nice article, but this skater is a bit arrogant when she states Switzerland does not have much figure skating. That may be true of today, but Switzerland has had a few of the greats: Denise Biellman and Lucinda Ruh, to name only two of the greatest spinners skating has known! No mention of them, young lady?
I find it quite disappointing that many young skaters today aren’t familiar with the history of their sport, both nationally and internationally. At the very least, they should know about its most shining ones.