KAZAKOVA & REVIYA TAKING THEIR SKATING TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL

By Matteo Morelli | Images by Yoriko Suzuki

Maria Kazakova and Georgy Reviya are a Georgian crew that has been catching everybody’s consideration ever since, of their junior years, they began to gather necessary outcomes that embody profitable the Junior Grand Prix Last in 2019 and a second place end on the Junior World Championships the identical 12 months. 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 wish to thank them each for locating time to do that when Reviya was not feeling notably properly that week.

Maria and Georgy, thanks for agreeing to speak to us. This was your second European Championships, not a simple one to strategy for you however you continue to managed to safe a brand new private greatest in your free dance. How do you are feeling after the competitors? 

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 properly.

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 making ready, we did a number of work. The Grand Prix was so good, we loved it. This season is a lot better than final 12 months.

Developing subsequent is the World Championships in Saitama, Japan. What do you wish to obtain there?

GR: As with different competitions, we wish to present our greatest and enhance from our final competitors. We will’t be upset if we get low factors or if one thing occurs, we solely concentrate on 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 wish to attempt one thing new this season as a result of preparation time was brief. I feel the feelings we present within the programme are so near our lives, however they don’t relate to at least one state of affairs solely. Some folks ask us whether it is in regards to the battle, however it isn’t about that basically. 

MK: Should you really feel this emotion in regards to the battle, or another emotion, you possibly can take it. Watch our programme and say ‘sure, I really feel the identical emotion on this second in my life’. We wish to present folks that every particular person has completely different feelings and that this programme shouldn’t be 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 once you began to skate?

GR: I used to be 4.

MK: And I used to be 5.

Have you ever all the time been ice dancers?

MK: We had been single skaters earlier than. I don’t bounce properly, 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 got been skating collectively since 2017. How did you discover one another? 

GR: Masha (brief for Maria) wrote to me! [Laughing] First step from the lady, are you able to consider it?

Taking a look at your junior profession, the outcomes arrived fairly quick, with necessary medals received at completely different competitions.

MK: One of the best second was the final 12 months 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 fine 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 consider we might do this within the first competitors of the season the place we received regular factors, however after that we put the arduous work in and it resulted in an excellent form for us and good programmes to look at. We had been so glad, we couldn’t consider we received the (Junior Grand Prix) Last, it was a historic second.

You’ve got completed just about each type of competitors already: you went to the Junior and Senior Grand Prix, Junior Grand Prix Last, Europeans, Worlds and Olympic Video games. What motivates you to maintain bettering? 

MK: We wish to develop, it’s our objective. We now have a extremely good crew now, we’re actually pleased with Matteo. He can present us the best manner for us to develop, he reveals that to every couple in his crew. Now we will see our alternative, it’s one thing new for us. We take pleasure in our course of: we’re beginning to develop, change our skating abilities, 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 folks in his crew. He has a pleasant relationship with everybody and all of us take to each other within the group, we help one another and it’s good.

You relocated to Italy to work with Zanni. Are you having fun with dwelling there?

GR: We work lots, then go residence after the follow, eat, relaxation, eat once more, sleep, and repeat! 

What do you love to do if you end up not skating? 

MK: I like to check and skim. I learn lots, final 12 months I learn twenty-nine books! 

GR: [laughing] I don’t like studying, however when Masha reads it is among the greatest moments of the day as a result of she shouldn’t be speaking an excessive amount of! I often sit with my pc, browsing the web and enjoying video video games with my pals.

If I requested you to consider your greatest 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 know that we will do it, we’re in a fine 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 12 months, and we took a step ahead.

GR: Earlier than beginning the rhythm dance, I solely thought that we had been on the best path and I used to be so glad. 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 additionally 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 arduous work in, beginning to change our type. We don’t wish to do the identical programme each season. 

Is there something you want to conclude this interview with?

GR: Because of everybody. Thank to our federation, to our mother and father that all the time help us. And to Matteo, he’s so necessary for us.