I need to practice my czech more
so I translated:
figure skater tomas verner is traveling around. 2 months he was overseas and tried different styles of training than those he is used to. In the upcoming days he will decide wether or not he will change continents and trainers and with that forget about everything that happened last season. Singer and songwriter Daniel Landa will also offer a helping hand in getting back to be one of the best of the world.
Q: Where overseas have you been exactly?
A: I packed my stuff around the 20th of june and I went to Detroit to make my new programs. I stayed there about 10 days and then I flew to Japan for some shows. Then I returned to Detroit to finish the work there. From there I went to Toronto, to train with Brian Orser for 6 days and then I flew to New Jersey to the next training facility. Then I returned home, so I can finish my bachelor degree and decide what to do next.
Q: Where did you like it most?
A: I guess that the closest to me was New Jersey. I have some friends there who I skated with before, and a lot of Russian guys do training there. It was like I was going back in time
Q:Did you prepare everything before you left or did you improvize a little.
A: Everything was arranged before I left, I didn't want to leave anything to chance. The only thing I improvized a little were the trainers I went to for some technical advice, I arranged that myself. There it functions like this, that when a trainer has some free time, you can ask for a private lesson. Usually they don't refuse.
Q: before you left you talked about it that in the USA/Canada they have a different system of training (than in Europe). They rather just correct the mistakes. Did it really function like this?
A: it was exactly like this. The most extreme case was with Brian Orser. He just supervises a group of skaters and he corrects everyone at the same time. A private lesson really doesn't excist there. I spent 6 training hours a day on the ice and only 2 of them with trainers. And then it was up to me to decide what I'd need and where I would refine things. In europe you are on ice for 3 hours with your trainer, there is a lot of difference in this.
Q: did you make new programs in Canada with Lori Nichol?
A: This time I didn't. I have a new choreographer: Pasqual Camerlengo. He's an italian living in Toronto. He works with a lot of top skaters. I liked the programs he did for Daisuke Takahashi, so I wanted to try him as a choreographer myself.
Q: will the programs be very different from what you had in the past?
A: Not so much, after all it's still me. But the choreography is different. I didn't want to use last years programs again. My short program is to singing in the rain, which is very nice mysic, which most skaters use for an exhibition. Without lyrics however noone really skated to it yet. The free skate is for the audience, and I picked a mix of michael jackson music.
Q: and the main thing, did you decide yet where to train during the winter?
A: I have to think about it, if I want to continue with that, which I did untill now, or that I will change the conditions like I did in America. I don't want to make a decision yet now however. I have to talk to some people first, people who it concerns. At the end of september, when I finish my final exams, I will tell you my verdict.
Q: One option is to stay in Oberstdorf with Mrs Koprivova and Mr Huth, the other is to go overseas, right?
A: exactly. With mrs Koprivova I talked about what I liked and what I saw already a 100 times. I don't want to hasten my decision, because I don't want to end up like Carolina Kostner, who just jumped to los angeles, then was upset and then came back. I don't want that.
Q: Can you imagine to leave home and live in America most of the year?
A: I thought abuot that a lot. I liked training there. I just want some effective way of preparing, and that those will result in achievements.
Q: Weren't you even a little sad during these 2 months abroad?
A: On one hand yes, but I knew that I was there to see what is good and what is bad and with this thought I could get it under control. It was my idea to do this, when someone would have sent me there and I had no other choice, I would have been sadder.
Q: On the other hand it could be romantic too. Travelling overseas during the summer... or didn't you see anything besides training?
A: No, I enjoyed it. New Jersey is not far from the ocean, so I went swimming, I saw New York, shows on Broadway.... I was on the ice for 6 days and the 7th day I was free. So I checked out the background and other things I will have there too.
Q: Do you take next season as some kind of test, that if you don't manage to come back, you might as well close the door to coming back as one of the best of the world?
A: Of course, that's the view of more people around me I guess. I won't permit that the pressure will be so high and say that I 'have' to return though. But it's time for me now to demonstrate consistent achievements of the highest orders.
Q: you will get some help even from singer and songwriter David Landa, with whom you work together on the psychological aspect. That's kind of an unusal combination
A: It's a little unusual, but according to me it's completely right. I was searching for someone where I wouldn't be lying on a couch to talk about my dreams and childhood.
Q: It functioned like that in the past?
A: Nah, I exaggerated. But I wanted someone with whom I'd do something or excersize. I know Daniel for a long time already, through music and theater and his daughter skated here. He came to me after the olympics, that he could help me. I said to him that it'd be super and that we could try to see what would come of it.
Q: And what came of it so far?
A: I am enthousiastic about it. I won't analyze everything, but for now we are doing breathing excersizes, so I can focus on my breath. I'm happy about it, it's a next step in the right direction.