NAVIGATION

Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov "We are the pair in life and on the ice"
by Marina Semenova (translation - Sasha Chaplik)
http://www.newizv.ru/news/?id_news=15090&date=2004-11-12

Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov have competed for the Russian team for over six years. They have huge number of fans, no less than any other pair in the Worlds, maybe with the exception of the Chinese because the demographics have to be considered. Their fans are excited because it was Masha and Lesha who held the first Russian victory of the season at NHK Trophy in Japan. "Novie Izvestia" talked to the famous skaters.

NewIzv: Soon, the Cup of Russia, a Grand Prix event will be held in Moscow. Somehow, you are not on the roster?

Maria: We really are burning with desire to compete at home. We usually write up the events where we want to skate. This year, we picked Japan, because we like it there, France, because we've never been there before, and Russia. Our wishes were fulfilled, but unfortunately, with the exception.

Alexei: As a rule, the country's team #1 competes at home. So, not everything depends on us. (NewIzv: World Champions Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin were scheduled to participate in Cup of Russia, but they withdrew due to Tatiana?s injury)

NewIzv: Where do you like to skate the best?

Alexei: Of course, at home, meaning St. Petersburg and Moscow, because we skate for our fans. As Masha said, in Japan since that country is lucky for us. Counting the recent tournament, we won there three times. Personally, I like it in Canada very much. Canadian fans are very similar to ours. They have deep understanding of the sport, and many people always come to watch even practice sessions. Whatever we do on the ice, even running plain steps in a circle - they start to clap right away. Last year, we were very welcomed in America. Overall, it's cool everywhere, but some places are just too far away. And I don?t always want to fly far away.

NewIzv: Tell us about your programs, specifically about the free program. Why did you decided to keep the old program, "The Circus Princess" and not make a new program?

Maria: First, about the short program. it's new and tango themed. As for the free program, in reality, it's almost like new. We made a lot of changes so it would fit the new judging criteria. Moreover, last year, we didn?t skate ?The Princess? 100% even once. That?s why we decided to keep it.

NewIzv: Who choreographed your short program?

Alexei: Sergei Petukhov. Working with him is amazingly interesting. He is a professional dancer so for us to understand the program from the "insides", he tells us about it a lot. This way, he specifically prepares us for the performances.

Maria: it's one thing to just perform the program, and another thing to understand what exactly you perform. Those are completely different feelings.

NewIzv: Since you've touched the topic of new judging system, let's talk about that. Simple question - what are your thoughts on it?

Maria: I feel sorry the old system is no more. I always dreamed of getting 6.0.

Alexei: At first, it seemed to me that it would be great. For example, in theory, an unknown skater, with good skating and a program that has the elements at the according level, can come and compete with the World-famous champions as equals, with those who would get the added bonus for the "reputation" before. Now, I'm afraid that everything will stay the same, that judges, like before, would do whatever they want. I think nothing will change. Before, the process was more "show". The fans at the arena waited for the marks they were used too - they've waited for 6.0s. Now, they would just get the final result - one skater gets 156 points, another one 155.

Maria: And the fans wouldn't understand why the judges gave those points, just like sometimes skaters themselves don't understand.

NewIzv: But the ISU hopes that the new system would make figure skating cleaner and better.

Alexei: I think this is not the recipe for cleaning up. Moreover, I think that with the time, the figure skating will return to the old system. Not soon, but it?ll return. However, I don't want to sound so set on one thing - let's see how it'll all develop. There are enough weaknesses. On one hand, there is small push to invent the new elements, and this sometimes brings some good. On the other hand, there is a list of existing elements, and there is a temptation not to invent anything extra because often, there is no time or strength for it, and it makes no sense, because the new idea may not be appreciated.

NewIzv: And all skaters' programs will look similar.

Maria: Exactly. People look at each other, see someone's element which judges assigned to the highest level, and do the same thing?

Alexei: Before, there was an unwritten rule: if you came up with the element, it's yours and to steal it is in the bad taste. Now, the skaters see no other way but to repeat after the others. What is happening in ice dance? Before, the skaters picked the music, tried to interpret it and only after that, they chose the elements. Now, it's the other way around. Most important is to get more points, and there is not enough time to do something beautiful and interesting.

NewIzv: Would it warm your soul that if judges won't appreciate the beauty, but the fans will?

Maria: It would, but you won't get more points for that.

Alexei: I've read somewhere about the Chinese wisdom: if one person wants to wish the other something bad, he'd say - you should live in the time of changes. I think the situation in skating is very fitting.

NewIzv: You have to agree that ISU had to react somehow to the constant scandals.

Alexei: It had to. They wanted to reach objectivity and spent $2,000,000 for the new system. Maybe, they'll say in time that everything was done right. Again, I personally don't see the improvement yet.

NewIzv: Good, we'll leave the right to judge to the historians, and let's talk about the personal stuff now. You've been skating together for six years. Is that good for you team or you've already tired of each other?

Alexei: Not at all! Now, after all this time, I finally feel sub-consciously that we really are the team, when you don't have to say anything, when everything is clear just by looking. We do all side-by-side elements practically on "auto-pilot".

Maria: It was much harder before, we had to constantly keep up with each other, and now, everything had worked out to such a degree, that elements come out "parallel" without looking.

Alexei: Of course, it's easier to express our emotions during the performance. For example, the short program at the last Worlds felt like the best performance in my life.

NewIzv: Then tell us what qualities in each other you appreciate the most.

Alexei: Masha is the real fighter. Even when she is bothered by the injury, she comes on ice and fights to the end. There are tons of examples - at the same Worlds she was suffering from the arm problems, and a year ago, in Japan, she had a food poisoning. With all that, she skated, and did it well. I have to admit, I don't have enough of that quality. Sometimes it comes through, but rarely.

Maria: Alexei instills trust because he is strong and confident. it's very pleasant to be next to him and that's why I can mobilize myself.

NewIzv: Allow a very personal question. The world of skating is full of rumors, and one of them was that you were going to get married in the summer?

Maria: We haven't married yet. In the future, of course, we?ll do it sometime.

NewIzv: Maybe you'll clarify - are you marrying someone else or each other?

Alexei: I understand that fans want to know if we are together in real life. The answer is yes, we are together. I can't say anything about the marriage yet. We'll finish skating, and then we'll see.

NewIzv: Are you going to stay until Olympics?

Alexei: I can't promise anything. We hope to compete there.

NewIzv: What about after? Do your plans include staying in skating?

Alexei: Yes, for now. I hope by the time we retire, the Figure Skating Academy will open in St. Petersburg. Masha and I would like to work there if there is an opportunity. We plan to skate in exhibitions at times, of course, if we get invited.