“Due to the international situation, for our career it will be safer to train in Europe.” Interview with Georgian ice dance duo Maria Kazakova and Georgy Reviya
Interview with Georgian ice dance duo Maria Kazakova and Georgy Reviya. About 2021/22 season, preparation for World Championships and decision to temporary move to train to Italy.
source: vk.com dd. 1st June by Andrei Efremov
Tell us about your impressions of the World Championships held in the French city of Montpellier.
Georgy Reviya: We had a very interesting preparation. Because against the backdrop of events taking place in the world, together with our Federation and coaches we decided that it would be safer for us to train in Europe. We went to Oberstdorf to Rostislav Sinitsyn. And two weeks before the World Championships, we trained with him. Accordingly, we flew to Montpellier from Germany.
Maria Kazakova: We were advised to go to Oberstdorf by Denis Eduardovich Samokhin. Our team was in Italy, but we listened to our coach.
Georgy Reviya: He said that Rostislav Sinitsyn would work with us, he had a pair there.
What are the features of Rostislav’s training?
Maria Kazakova: We want to thank him, because at this difficult time for us, when we left our coaches for the first time in our lives (note: the guys train with Maria Borovikova and Denis Samokhin) he helped us to prepare both mentally and physically so that we would perform well at the World Championships.
Georgy Reviya: Morally, Rostislav helped us a lot. And he helped me too. Huge thanks to him, because about a week before the World Championships, I hurt my back very badly. I couldn’t get out of bed. He sent me to his specialist, drove me by his car. Thank you very much for this. Despite the fact that we had contact and trained with him for the first time in our lives, he treated us very warmly, always helped, gave some tips. In training, he worked with us, as with his duets, on an equal footing. There was no such thing that we skate and no one is looking at us. We were constantly under coach’s supervision.
How did the World Championships turn out for you?
Georgy Reviya: For me personally, there was a little less responsibility than at the Olympics. And it was strongly felt. But considering how our preparation went… we have been preparing for two weeks, and for 3-4 days I did almost nothing, because I couldn’t.
The rhythmic dance, on the whole, was performed well for our condition. Of course, we wanted to do better, we wanted to be more spectacular, we wanted to be better in everything, but that’s how it turned out … We did not approach the World Championships very well in terms of physical shape, but nevertheless, for us, for our condition, we skated not bad that day. “Not bad”, this is exactly the word describing how we skated.
And the free dance?
Georgy Reviya: The free skate turned out better than at the Olympics. Short turned out worse, but free dance was better. Both physically, and in execution, and cleanliness. Somehow it was easier to skate, maybe the ice helped, the audience, the support of our guys.
And what happened next, after the World Championships?
Maria Kazakova: After the World Championships, we flew to Georgia and stayed there for three weeks, because Gosha was undergoing a rehabilitation course in Georgia. The Federation helped us restore our health. Gosha underwent a course of physiotherapy.
And what is the effect of the treatment? Did it help?
Georgy Reviya: I think so. I’ll run ahead a little and say that during the period of working on new programs, after such a long break, we didn’t skate for almost a month, nothing bothered me.
Where did you go next?
Maria Kazakova: After Georgia, we had a mini training camp. We spent two weeks in Yerevan, Armenia. There we worked on free dance with Elena Sokolova (Elena Sokolova choreographed the 2019/20 free dance “In the End” by Linkin Park)
I love Elena very much, it’s cool that you are with her again!
Maria Kazakova: Yes, it’s really great that she was able to fly in and help us. Everything happened spontaneously. And it’s good that it happened, because working with her on a free dance was very pleasant, very comfortable. We skated at night again, at this time insanely interesting ideas come to her …
That’s they way she works.
Maria Kazakova: It’s great, because we tried to implement all her crazy ideas and it seems to me that it will be a rather interesting free dance. Of course, we still have a lot of work to do, because we missed a lot because of the trip to Georgia. And now, when we first returned to Georgia after Yerevan, and then to Moscow, a lot of work awaits us.
Georgy Reviya: Lots of new work. It all happened so spontaneously. The President of the Federation said that there is such an opportunity and it is possible to agree that they will give ice. Plus, we talked with our coaches on this topic. Samokhin Denis Eduardovich texted: “Think about who can be involved in working on a free dance.” And it so happened that they gave this ice in Yerevan, I immediately called Elena Sokolova and said: “If you don’t mind, if you have time, we urgently need your help”
Let’s move on to the next question, the most important one, about your future, about work in the upcoming season. Where do you plan to be, with whom to work?
Georgy Reviya: We returned to Moscow. Almost three months have passed since we left for the World Championships. First of all, we went to our coaches. All together we have been thinking for a very long time, and together with the Federation, weighed the pros and cons. During the conversation, we discussed that due to the international situation, we do not know what will happen next. And for our career, solely for this reason, to participate in international competitions, so that we can travel everywhere and not miss anything, being as safe as possible, it will be safer to train in Europe. This is our mutual decision and it is temporary.
I understand why this is happening. Who are you planning to train with?
Georgy Reviya: Yes, yes, we are negotiating with an Italian specialist. This is Matteo Zanni. He coaches in Italy, in his group there is a duet from the Czech Republic, brother and sister Tashlerova/Taschler …
I liked them last season, very much!
Maria Kazakova: They have improved a lot in the last few seasons.
Georgy Reviya: We have discussed all the conditions, everything suits everyone and we hope that we will be able to work together. At the beginning of July, we should come to Georgia, after I finish the session at my university. You need to apply for a visa to Italy so that you can stay there and do not have to leave the country. We hope that from July we will start full training and will prepare with full force for the upcoming season.
And what city will it be?
Georgy Reviya: Appiano. We discussed all this with our coaches (approx. Denis Samokhin, Maria Borovikova), and this cannot be called a transfer to another group. There is no break up in our relationship, neither coaching nor human, it’s all temporary. And we really hope that the situation will change, everything will fall into place, and as soon as we have the opportunity, everything will return to normal.
What competitions do you plan to compete in the new season?
Georgy Reviya: We hope to compete in two senior Grand Prix, two Challenger series events, a couple of B series events, the European Championships, the World Championships and the World Team Trophy. Therefore, the main task during the season is to score as many rating points as possible in order to get to the team trophy.
Maria Kazakova: Yes, our whole team is aiming for the World Team Trophy.
Related topics: Maria Kazakova and Georgy Reviya
Leave a Reply