1999-2000
Season
Exerpts from articles before and after 2000 world championships
by
Daria Srebnitskaya [Soviet Sport](Before 2000 Worlds)
If Elena Berezhnaya and Anton
Sikharulidze are disqualified their European gold medal
that the won in Vienna will go automatically to Maria Petrova
and Alexei Tikhonov.
-(P&T)
We both think that we are not ready for those medals, because
we didn't win them in a competition.
-But
then you will probably also receive the prize money.
-(Alexei)
That's not the point. We want to emphasize that we are very
saddened by the fact that Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze won't
skate. We like to compete with them. And they are wonderful,
talented skaters. We are sure that it's necessary to have
a constant contact with a team doctor. It's not so easy
for us either, because we live in St.Petersburg. Masha has
an on-going problem with her knee. She's tried everything.
She even tried alternative medicine. It made her leg look
like one huge bruise from hip to ankle... But it's not a
fact that this alternative medicine works. He leg still
hurts a bit. Our team doctor Victor Ivanovich Anikanov is
a wonderful specialist but he's too far.
-Can't
you just buy train tickets and go to Moscow?
-Of
course we can, but it would mess up the training schedule.
I guess you're right though.
-It's
obvious that all figure skaters get sick once in a while
and take cold or cough medicine. It means that anyone might
be caught on that if it's wished. Might that particular
incident be political?
-It's
not impossible. You know how tired people are of seeing
Russians win. That's why we think you can never be too careful...
Sovietsky Sports - Post-Worlds 2000 Article
Masha and Alexei have skated their interpretation of the
Four Seasons, Vivaldi with just a few minor flaws but overall
it was rather impressive. The students of Ludmila Velikova
have gained strength artistically. The Champions admitted
that it was hard for them psychologically because they felt
a lot of pressure on them since Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze
didn't compete.
Alexei
Tikhonov: -Actually, we skated the long program pretty well
although we did lose speed at one moment. As for the SP,
I believe, ours is the best, as well as the costumes.
-Didn't
Palamarchuk's accident affect you?
Maria
Petrova: -We didn't know about it, because we were warming
up far from the stands. No one told us. We only heard that
he fell down.
-You
skated before Shen and Zhao. Were you happy with the draw?
-Alexei
Tikhonov: -Strategically, it's better to skate 3rd or 4th
in a final group, but we were second. Abitbol and Bernadis
had #1 draw, but, frankly, I didn't take them that much
into consideration, I'm not fond of their skating. That's
why I thought if we skate first, we should do everything
possible.
-Maria
Petrova: -I wanted to compete with the Chinese pair and
believed that we would win. You cannot fight if you don't
believe in yourself. Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao didn't seem
unbeatable to me. We did beat them at Grand Prix events.
-Have
you seen Berezhnaya and Sikhuralidze before your free program?
Alexei
Tikhonov: -We accidentally bumped into Anton in the elevator
and he wished us good luck. It was a bit an awkward moment.
They are the leaders, two-time World Champions and all of
a sudden such a misfortune.
-You,
on the other hand, are often very lucky. Last year in Prague,
when B&S withdrew due to the flu, you became the European
Champions.
Alexei
Tikhonov: -That's right, we are lucky! However, I've been
thinking about it and came to a conclusion that the luck
exists only for the strongest. It's the result of a tremendous
work, and if we got the gold medals, we deserve them!
-I've
heard, you have a new terrific exhibition number.
Maria
Petrova: -Yes, we like it. I think you will see us being
completely different. This program is to Verdi" aria
E Donna Mobile but with a contemporary approach.
-Masha,
you used to skate with Sikharulidze and were World Junior
Champions. In the winter of '96 he not nicely left you and
went to another partner. Do you have any anger towards him?
Maria
Petrova: -No, but I've been through a very unpleasant time.
Nevertheless, we parted on mutual agreement. Now, we talk
and are even friends.
-If
Anton wants you back, would you refuse?
Maria
Petrova: -Yes! I would refuse.
