Tamara Moskvina: “When tenth points decided the fate of the Olympic gold, we need to look even for a slightest advantage which will allow us to outperform our competitors.”
Interview with Tamara Moskvina about preparation of her group for a new season.
source: rsport.ria.ru dd. June 8, 2022 by Boris Khodorovskii
Celebrating her 81st birthday recently, Tamara Moskvina joked: “The order of numbers is mixed up in the passport. I’m 18!“
Can we say that you are starting to work in the new Olympic cycle?
Tamara Moskvina: Already started. We continue to work as we have always done. Nothing has changed in the figure skating sports club that has my name. We feel, as before, the support from the leadership of the FFKKR, the President of the Figure Skating Federation of St. Petersburg and the vice-president of the FFKKR Anton Sikharulidze.
How does the current situation affect the work, when Russian skaters are suspended from international competitions?
Tamara Moskvina: Some adjustments have to be made. The competitive season this year will start later than usual, we take this into account. The main start will be Russian Nationals. Although it will not be a selection for the national team for participation in the European Championshisp. But I always inspired my students: the national championships is the most important competition of the season.
For the first time Irina Zhuk and Alexander Svinin choreographed a program for your pair.
Tamara Moskvina: They did a free program for Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov. It was interesting to work with new people. The short program for the Olympic champions in the team event was choreographed by Alexander Zhulin. This is not our first experience of cooperation with him.
Can you name the choreographers for Alexandra Boikova and Dmitrii Kozlovskii?
Tamara Moskvina: This season, their programs have become the result of the creativity of our group’s coaches – Artur Minchuk and dance coach Nikolai Moroshkin. The choreographic framing of the programs of our two strongest pairs was done by the People’s Artist of Russia Albert Galichanin and the Honored Artist of Russia Elena Kuzmina.
At the pre-Olympic Russian Nationals, Moroshkin was remembered for the emotional performance of the programs of your skaters behind the board.
Tamara Moskvina: This is not the main thing in his work. Moroshkin competed in ice dance, participated in Junior Worlds, won the Russian Cup Final, and in our group he works very effectively with pairs. He teaches children dance transitions, works on components, tries himself as a choreographer. He had several very successful exhibitions programs. This year we decided that it was time to work on competitive programs.
Will the style of our leading apirs Mishina/Galliamov and Boikova/Kozlovskii change?
Tamara Moskvina: For now, I can only say that both pairs have short and free programs in different styles. In which ones, you will see at the test skates.
Where can Boikova and Kozlovskii improve?
Tamara Moskvina: In the complexity of the elements. We try a quadruple twist and a quadruple throw in training. Let’s see if we can put these elements into programs.
After the Olympics, did you notice any even the slightest manifestations of star fever on Mishina and Galliamov, who became champions in team competitions and bronze medalists of individual competitions?
Tamara Moskvina: And how does it show itself?
Different attitude to the coach and training, some requirements associated with the new status, excessive activity in social networks to the detriment of routine work.
Tamara Moskvina: The guys’ attitude to training has not changed, and I don’t follow social networks. I don’t even have an account. I don’t even know what kind of activity anyone has. Athletes always remain motivated: to learn new elements, show interesting programs, take high places in competitions. This season – at Russian Nationals. Perhaps at international competitions.
Which way will the development of pair skating take now?
Tamara Moskvina: It always takes the path of increasing complexity, to which an artistic component is added.
Many experts persistently inspire figure skating fans with the idea that a triple twist performed on the high GOE can bring more points than a risky quadruple.
Tamara Moskvina: Quadruple twist does not give a big advantage, but now, when tenth points decided the fate of the Olympic “gold”, we need to talk about the slightest advantage. If everyone is already doing a good triple twist, what can you do to stand out? Only quadruple. We carefully study the rules and look for ways to get at least a small increase in points, which will allow us to outperform our competitors.
Can your experience and authority help in the issue of the return of Russian skaters to the international arena?
Tamara Moskvina: Any coach can make some proposals through the national federation. The leadership of the FFKKR, in turn, must bring them to the ISU. Our federation employs real professionals who will defend the interests of Russian skaters and use all mechanisms for this.
Is it necessary to promote the Russian Grand Prix opposed to the ISU Grand Prix, and make it “our answer to Chamberlain”?
Tamara Moskvina: You don’t need to oppose anything. After all, the FFKKR is a full member of the ISU. You just need to hold the Russian Grand Prix at a high level. Fortunately, there is everything for this, starting with high-class athletes and ending with an audience who understands figure skating. We do not need to prove anything to anyone, the prestige and results of our skaters speak for themselves.
In recent years, Russian pairs have been playing leading roles in the world arena, and in Europe they simply have no competitors. However, in Russia, your students and other pair skaters remain in the shadow of women’s single skaters. Isn’t it embarrassing?
Tamara Moskvina: Both the FFKKR and the ISU should take care of the development of all types of figure skating, drawing the attention of fans to them. Only blondes are not to blame for being more attractive than brunettes. Today, on the wave of success of our girls, the interest in women’s single skating is higher. They have a higher level of difficulty, stronger competition and a significantly larger number of contenders for a place in the national team.
Related topics: Alexandra Boikova Dmitri Kozlovski, Anastasiia Mishina Alexander Galliamov, Tamara Moskvina
“Only blondes are not to blame for being more attractive than brunettes.” good one