1999 Grand Prix Final
Before the competition
Gwendal: "The results of the final
won't mean anything. It's quite a strange competition. There
is less pressure and you don't have the same feeling as in
major competitions. There are very few competitors. It looks
like a gala."
"The important thing is the impression we'll leave here. If
we can be as successful as in Prague, it will be a big step
for Helsinki."
"We have a good relationship with Krylova & Ovsiannikov.
We just don't talk about skating when we're together.
They've had a difficult career. They've always been second
behind Grishuk & Platov, even when they deserved to be
first. It must have been as frustrating as it is for us
now."
After the compulsory and original
dances
Marina: "I am glad, because we skated
well even in the new parts of our waltz. But it was
difficult to skate the compulsories and the original dance
in just one day. It was quite a long day."
After the free dance
Marina: "Worlds are very soon, there
are two weeks left, so I hope and I think that things will
change because here, we knew that there was a lot of
pressure put on the judges by the Russians, but at Worlds
everything will change I think."
Gwendal: "And we just need one judge,
for every round of the competition. Even yesterday for the
original dance, we just needed one more judge, so it's
really close... just one little thing and it will be
alright.
Question:
"However, it seems that the Russians' program was more
successful here than in Prague?"
G.:
"They were at home...(he smiles) so I think that the crowd was
theirs before the program. But if you watch the video again
carefully, you'll see that people don't cheer during their
program, whereas they do during ours even though we are in
Russia...
M.: "The only thing I noticed was the change
of costumes... apart from that, it was exactly the same as
Europeans."
Q.: "Your
goal remains the same: being World champions?"
(Marina smiles)
G.: "Of course! Our goal won't change because
of today's results. We were aware that it would be hard here
in St Petersburg, but we fought well again, and we won't
loose our courage."
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