NAVIGATION

Spring 2001 - The following interview was conducted by Marina and Irina Semenova, who visited St. Petersburg on June 2nd.  After watching the training, they went with Masha and Alexei to a cafe and asked them some questions that were submitted by fans and also took some new photos for this web site.  After the interview, Alexei and Maria signed autographs for fans.

Special thanks to them, and to Andrei Simonenko for his help with translation.   

Click on the photo to view a larger version.

Of the programs you have skated, which one is your favorite?

AT:   I like Vivaldi, though I'm tired of it. I also like Russian Folk short program and "Dance me to the end of love" by Leonard Cohen, we polished it and going to skate it in Galas. We skated it at Urmanov's Gala in St Petersburg.

MP: I also like Russian Folk program.

Who came up with the idea to skate to "Dance me to the end of love"?

AT: I found this music. I bought the CD in the USA, it was long time ago, I didn't skate with Masha that time. Our choreographer, Alexander Stepin helped us to make the program. The program is very simple, but the music is cool.

Who are your favorite skaters?

Both: We liked Gordeeva & Grinkov...

AT: I also like Mishkutenok & Dmitriev.

And dancers?

Both: Usova & Zhulin

AT: in men's competition I liked Browning, Urmanov, Petrenko, Boitano.

MP: I don't remember how Boitano skated.

AT: You don't remember???

MP: Well, I remember, but it was a long time ago, I was too young that time. I don't remember whether I liked him or not.

And in ladies?

AT: I like Irina Slutskaya. Kwan has perfect technique but I think Ira gives more passion to her skating. From past times I like Katarina Witt, nobody has ever skated like her. And I have to say that now women's skating became very interesting, there are many good skaters.

Are you going to become coaches when you finish your career?

AT: It's too early to think about it. But if we will do coaching, we will work here, in St Petersburg.

MP: Yes, it's too early. We are thinking about Olympics now.

Alexei, I think you will be great coach, even now you look like a coach. You have a talent for teaching people.

AT: We'll see...

What is your favorite country or city where you like to skate?

MP: I like Canada.

AT: Also Germany, Gelsenkirchen is a great town, it's so nice. It's a great skating atmosphere there.

MP: We have skated several times in Japan, we liked it there too.

AT: And at home in Russia, of course!

Everybody says that conditions for training in the USA are better.   Why you are training in St Petersburg?

MP: We've been there once. It's boring there. We like training here because we are at home.

AT: Yes, conditions there are great, and life is very good and quiet, but we are not used to it. It's boring.

Are there any problems here?

MP: Yes, sometimes.

What was different last season?

AT: Because of injuries, we had to hurry all the time. If we could change something now, I think we had to do it more calmly.  Maybe miss one or two starts and prepare better.

How do you feel now?

MP: Great!

What do you feel when you compete with Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze?

MP: It's a great feeling. Anton is very strong skater. And I like to compete with strong pairs.

AT: It's especially good when you meet each other while training.  I can't say that we are very good friends. Just normal relationships.   There is no rivalries and we are not enemies like Yagudin - Plushenko and Slutskaya - Butyrskaya.

Do you think that when a pair is a couple in normal life then it helps in skating?

AT: Well, I think it's good when two people meet each other, and they also have success as a pair in sports. Yes, I think it helps.

What do you like in each other?

/pause/

AT: Well... a lot of things.

MP: Lesha is very kind to everybody. He tries to help so many people.  Of course, he cannot help everybody.

AT: What I like in Masha is her beauty, her kindness. She is very respectful to me. I can talk and talk about her.... I think I am lucky that we met each other.

Name something that makes you both laugh?

AT: Well, we'll laugh at good joke. But it must be really good joke,  not something vulgar. Masha also likes to laugh at Urmanov. He is a very funny man.

Why?

MP: It's a secret.

What would you like to change in each other?

AT: Nothing.

MP: I thing we should change ourselves, not the other person.

And what do you like in yourself?

MP: I know that I never lie and I hate when somebody lies.

AT: I also hate to lie but sometimes, I don't know why, but I do it.

MP: For good will, I think. :-)

AT:  I try always to set a goal and I work hard to reach this goal.

By the way, are you going to participate in Goodwill Games?

MP: Yes, we'd like to. We always wanted to go to Australia so we hope we'll go there.

More photos from the interview; click to view a larger image.