(we see Marina & Gwendal training, skating their "Beethoven's last night" program, then we see Marina's mother waiting outside of the rink with Marina's dog, a sharpei)
Question: Are you waiting for Marina?
Irina: Yes.
Q: Are you her mother?
I: Yes.
Q: And who is that dog?
I: It's Marina's.
Q: What's his name?
I: Maroussia.
Q: It's a female?
I: Yes.
(Muriel Zazoui arrives with her dog, a poodle)
Q: What's its name?
Muriel: Harry. It's Maroussia's friend. They've known each other since she was born, a year ago.
Q: And you always take him with you?
Mu: Yes, all the time. He's always with me. He's in the dressing rooms quite often but... It's a good dog.
(Marina arrives and carresses Maroussia)
Q: Is she waiting for you everyday?
Marina: No!
Q: Does she come to see your practices?
Ma: No, she doesn't. It's cold at the rink, here there's the sun.
(We see Gwendal coming back home)
Gwendal (in front of his door): You can already hear him telling me I'm very late!
(He enters and there's his cat waiting for him, meowing)
G: Naba has quite a story, in fact I brought him back from Egypt. His mother had given birth to kittens and it was actually a cat that the holiday resort was taking care of. When they saw all the kittens they said they couldn't take care of all them, so they asked people to take kittens with them. So if Naba is here, it's because we didn't let him die in the desert!
Now I share my life with Naba. I was out of home for a long time after the World championships, so for him it was a long time alone. he could stay home and have fun in the garden, but nevertheless he sulked when I came back home, he really sulked. He was happy to see me but he made me understand that I shouldn't leave for so long.
(Gwendal plays with his cat in the stairs. Then he takes him to the sofa to cut his claws)
G: I've always done it to him because actually I was afraid he would do it on my tapestry! It's a bit more tense for the hind legs because he doesn't like me to touch them, but the claws of the hind legs grow slower. Now he doesn't do it by himself so if I forget to do it the claws become very sharp!
I think he's as sporty, independent like me... and he has some mad moments too when he needs to have fun and... I'm a bit like that too!
(Naba is shown in one of his "mad moments". Then we see Marina & Gwendal practice again)
G: I don't take him with me because it's not good for a cat to be taken everywhere like that, and it's not his kind to be taken everywhere. He's the guardian of the house actually! I miss him but I know he's fine and he's happy to be at home. He is outside very often but he's also home loving. He needs his marks, like all cats.
(Marina and Muriel are walking together with their dogs)
Ma: I definitely like dogs most. I love dogs and I've always wanted to have a bulldog or a sharpei, and last year I had this present in Moscow. I brought her back when she was very small. For me Maroussia is like a luck-charm. Since she's been with me, in skating for example, we became World champions, we won all our competitions. And she feels everything, everytime I'm feeling bad she is beside me and strokes me. She's a bit capricious, she only likes very good things, but it's my mum's fault because she's the one that takes care of her, because I can't spend a lot of time with her.
(Gwendal is out in the country with his cat)
G: The first time I let him go out in Villard-de-Lans, I had to accompany him. He was afraid I would leave him, so I made him visit, and now he's at home here. He goes for a walk, and he hunts a little bit! Or he pretends to hunt! Even though he's a city-dweller, the Egyptian instinct is still there!!