KAZAKOVA & REVIYA TAKING THEIR SKATING TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL
By Matteo Morelli | Photographs by Yoriko Suzuki
Maria Kazakova and Georgy Reviya are a Georgian staff that has been catching everybody’s consideration ever since, of their junior years, they began to gather essential outcomes that embrace successful the Junior Grand Prix Last in 2019 and a second place end on the Junior World Championships the identical yr. This season, they’ve relocated to Italy to be coached by Matteo Zanni they usually can already see the enhancements as skaters and people. We met with them on the European Championships in Espoo, Finland, and we need to thank them each for locating time to do that when Reviya was not feeling significantly nicely that week.
Maria Kazakova (MK): Sure, it was our second one, however the final one was three years in the past.
Georgy Reviya (GR): We’re feeling good about it. We’re so pleased with each programmes contemplating the situation we skated in and what I had, we did nicely.
This season you competed at your first Senior Grand Prix occasions (in France and UK). What did you are taking away from these experiences?
GR: Earlier than the Grand Prix, we solely had two months on the ice as a result of I broke my hand. We needed to skip a number of components due to what I might do. For such a short while getting ready, we did a number of work. The Grand Prix was so good, we loved it. This season is significantly better than final yr.
Developing subsequent is the World Championships in Saitama, Japan. What do you need to obtain there?
GR: As with different competitions, we need to present our greatest and enhance from our final competitors. We are able to’t be upset if we get low factors or if one thing occurs, we solely deal with our skate now. The factors will come, we have to wait and skate.
Are you able to inform us one thing about your free programme this season? What does it imply for you?
GR: It’s a good selection for us, as a result of it’s our type. We didn’t need to attempt one thing new this season as a result of preparation time was brief. I believe the feelings we present within the programme are so near our lives, however they don’t relate to at least one scenario solely. Some individuals ask us whether it is in regards to the conflict, however it isn’t about that actually.
MK: In the event you really feel this emotion in regards to the conflict, or every other emotion, you may take it. Watch our programme and say ‘sure, I really feel the identical emotion on this second in my life’. We need to present individuals that every individual has totally different feelings and that this programme just isn’t about one story solely.
Let’s take a step again and take a look at the way you each approached skating. How previous had been you whenever you began to skate?
GR: I used to be 4.
MK: And I used to be 5.
Have you ever at all times been ice dancers?
MK: We had been single skaters earlier than. I don’t soar nicely, I wanted a number of time to simply accept that single skating was not for me, and I began to ice dance once I was 13.
GR: I began just a little bit earlier! I used to be eleven once I approached ice dance.
You’ve been skating collectively since 2017. How did you discover one another?
GR: Masha (brief for Maria) wrote to me! [Laughing] First step from the girl, are you able to imagine it?
Taking a look at your junior profession, the outcomes arrived fairly quick, with essential medals gained at totally different competitions.
MK: One of the best second was the final yr as junior, once we mixed some competitions from senior. It was a extremely optimistic season. We had a number of competitions, we had been in a good condition and skating situation and we confirmed it. That season was superb for us.
GR: We got here up very quick throughout that season. We didn’t imagine we might try this within the first competitors of the season the place we obtained regular factors, however after that we put the laborious work in and it resulted in an excellent form for us and good programmes to observe. We had been so blissful, we couldn’t imagine we gained the (Junior Grand Prix) Last, it was a historic second.
MK: We need to develop, it’s our aim. We have now a extremely good staff now, we’re actually pleased with Matteo. He can present us the precise means for us to develop, he exhibits that to every couple in his staff. Now we will see our alternative, it’s one thing new for us. We get pleasure from our course of: we’re beginning to develop, change our skating expertise, our type and our preparation for competitors. We began to do new issues and once we see that we predict ‘wow, how is it potential’. It’s a good begin for rising as skaters.
Do you prefer to share the ice with the opposite groups you’re employed with on the Younger Goose Academy in Egna?
MK: Matteo has actually good individuals in his staff. He has a pleasant relationship with everybody and all of us hit it off within the group, we help one another and it’s good.
You relocated to Italy to work with Zanni. Are you having fun with residing there?
GR: We work lots, then go dwelling after the apply, eat, relaxation, eat once more, sleep, and repeat!
What do you love to do if you find yourself not skating?
MK: I like to review and browse. I learn lots, final yr I learn twenty-nine books!
GR: [laughing] I don’t like studying, however when Masha reads it is among the finest moments of the day as a result of she just isn’t speaking an excessive amount of! I normally sit with my laptop, browsing the web and enjoying video video games with my associates.
If I requested you to consider your finest reminiscence as ice dancers, what would you say that’s?
GR: For me, it was the primary Grand Prix this season.
MK: We began to grasp that we will do it, we’re in a good condition. We had this actually cute second once we had been on the ice ready for the factors of the couple that skated earlier than us: we had been skating collectively, we simply take a look at one another within the eyes and understood that we might do it, that we had been in a greater form than final yr, and we took a step ahead.
GR: Earlier than beginning the rhythm dance, I solely thought that we had been on the precise path and I used to be so blissful. It was due to Matteo, he has given us a number of energy, we really feel his vitality and his feelings.
MK: We modified lots, not simply with our skating but in addition with our mindsets.
GR: With our work with Matteo we really feel able to get to the highest. We have to wait and put the laborious work in, beginning to change our type. We don’t need to do the identical programme each season.
Is there something you wish to conclude this interview with?
GR: Due to everybody. Thank to our federation, to our dad and mom that at all times help us. And to Matteo, he’s so essential for us.
