Stephane on the cover of a Swiss magazine

[swissskate]

400 francs de sa poche

Pas de chance, la master class de Kulik était le point d’orgue de ce stage. «Et dire que j’ai dû mettre 400 francs de ma poche pour venir», soupire Lambiel. A l’hôtel Happy Rancho, le champion du monde a partagé sa chambre avec Jamal Othmann (l’autre Suisse de niveau mondial), a dû faire lui-même ses courses, mettre de la benzine dans le réservoir pour emprunter la voiture de la chef de stage et assister à une party Cool&Clean - avec ballons multicolores et jus d’orange dans des gobelets en plastique - qui tenait plus de l’anniversaire d’un enfant de 8 ans que de la soirée drague qu’attendaient visiblement ces jeunes amateurs de patin.

400 swiss francs out of his own pocket

Bad luck, the master-class of Kulik was the main attraction of this stage. <<And I've paid 400 swiss francs to come here>>, says Stéphane with a sigh. At the Happy Rancho Hotel, Stéphane shared his room with Jamal Othmann (the other Swiss skater of world class level), had to do buy his own food, put some petorl in the tank to be able to borrow the car of the stage chief and had to attend a Cool & Clean Party - with multicoloured balloons and and orange juice in plastic cups - that looked more like a birthday party of an 8 years-old kid than the flirt party that these skaters were apparently waiting for.

[swissskate]

Etrange flou artistique… Dans d’autres pays, la perspective des Jeux olympiques aurait suffi à déclencher un véritable projet national autour du sportif le plus performant après Federer. Habitué à se débrouiller par ses propres moyens, le Valaisan ne s’en formalise même pas. Heureusement, Swiss Olympic a détaché Majda Scharl, entraîneur du département Sport d’élite, pour accompagner Lambiel toute la saison. Apparue dans l’entourage du patineur peu avant le sacre de Moscou, Majda lui apporta tout son savoir-faire en matière de préparationphysique et psychologique.

Strange artistic vagueness...In other countries, the Olympic Games perspective would have been enough to set a true national project up around the most outstanding sportsman after Roger Federer. Used to sort things out all by himself, Stéphane doesn't even take offence at it. Fortunately, Swiss Olympics has let Majda Scharl, coach of the elite sport department, accompany Stéphane for the whole season. Appeared in the skater's cirlce few weeks before his Moscow consecration, Majda brought him all her know-how in terms of physical and psychological preparation.

[Melanie]

Thanks for the translation.

[swissskate]

Avec elle, Salomé Brunner (chorégraphie), Peter Grutter (patinage) et Cédric Monod (conseiller) reforment le carré de compétence indispensable à Stéphane Lambiel. «Tout est en place, se félicite ce dernier, alors que j’aurais remis beaucoup de choses en cause si j’avais échoué à Moscou.» Reste que les JO n’auront lieu que dans six mois. «Mon nouveau statut me donne la chance d’être tête de série, je n’ai pas à faire mes preuves, les juges savent déjà de quoi je suis capable.

Mais, au-delà de ça, il est impossible de planifier un titre mondial ou une médaille olympique. Nous sommes dix patineurs à pouvoir gagner, tout cela est très aléatoire et dépendra de la forme du moment. Mon objectif reste et restera donc toujours le même: faire de mon mieux.

Along with her, Salomé Brunner (Choreography), Peter Grütter (skating) and Cédric Monod (adviser) complete the competence square essential for Stéphane Lambiel. <<Everything is at its place, whereas I would have called into question many things if I had failed in Moscow.>> But the Olympics will only take place in 6 months. <<My new status allows me to be among the favorites, I don't have to prove anything, the judges already know what I'm capable of. But apart from that, it's impossible to plan an Olympic medal or a world title. We're 10 skaters able to win, it's very uncertain and will depend on the day's physical form. My aim remains the same and will always be: to do my best>>.

[swissskate]

there is another interesting article that's not featured on the website, it's about the physical preparation with Majda Scharl. There are nice pics of him and Majda on an athletic track, doing some capoeira , stretching (impressive how supple Stéphane is ), him training jumps on the track and strengthening his upper body...

[swissskate]

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[swissskate]

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[swissskate]

Reading Harry Poter and at an anti-doping control
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[swissskate]

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[swissskate]

The cover so you can see it bigger
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[SweetFranzi]

Yeahhhh even more pictures!!!!!! Me happy!

[Maria...ein Hindernis]

Thanks for the pics!

[Melanie]

Oh my oh my oh my.

I love his trainers (shoes).

Those pics are great. Thanks for providing the links.

[Katis]

Oooooooooooh! Thanks very much for pictures and the translation

[Rosy]

Wowie!! Thanx sow much for the translations! I looooooooooooooooove the article!!! And the pictures are sow nice