FSNews:
We know you can do all jumps beautifully in trainings. Sometimes you change jumps during your performance. What do you need to do all jumps clean during your performance?Johnny Weir:
- "I don’t know. I think this year the programs are so difficult and so many things with spins, jumps, step sequences… it’s hard to focus. It’s hard to focus on everything because there is so much to focus on. But, for sure, in trainings it’s one thing to do all of the jumps and all of the spins, all of the step sequences but then you go to compete, and you have a pressure of wanting to be in the first place and trying to relax and remember everything that you're supposed to do, and it’s very difficult. But of course I can do all of the elements, and I can do the program clean, and the only way I would change something is if I made a mistake before in the program which maybe isn’t good but it’s the way how my head works. If I make a mistake then I want to try to do something to fix it."
FSNews:
After Nationals you wanted to do Tatiana Tarasova’s show but you couldn’t. What happened? How did you feel about not going?Johnny Weir:
- "Well, I found out that I would go to Tatiana’s show in December, near American Christmas. I was so excited and I really wanted to perform in her show. I was supposed to do the Swan program that she choreographed. I would do the Swan. At the US Nationals I was still supposed to go to do Tatiana’s show but about a week after Nationals my Federation told me I couldn’t go because I didn’t compete in the Four Continents Championship. The Four Continents I did one time, and I’ve never done it again because it’s so difficult to compete there right after our National Championship. But my Federation wanted the best skaters to be in the competition. They wanted to make it something special like the European Championship. So, they wouldn’t let any skaters do shows at the same time unless we compete in Four Continents. I didn’t know that until it was three days before I had to come to Moscow. It was very disappointing and I was upset. I really really wanted to go to Russia. I understand that they can’t treat me differently than other skaters. So I had to say I wouldn’t go."
FSNews:
In your opinion, what should the program of an Olympic champion be like: clean in technique or full of artistry and beautiful choreography?Johnny Weir:
- "Well, you can’t be Olympic champion without both. You have to be perfect technically and you have to show something beautiful and interesting."
FSNews:
Ok, I asked the previous question for a reason. Have you heard about the open letter to Ottavio Cinquanta by Sonia Bianchetti? She’s writing that figure skating is dying right now, and the main reason for it is the new judging system. Do you agree with her?Johnny Weir:
- 'There was somebody who went to my ice rink and brought the letter in and they printed it in the computer and I read it. A lot of what Bianchetti says is true, and she makes a lot of good points. I think we need more people in our sport to say things like Sonia did. We need more people to stand up and help the skaters because as skaters we don’t have the ability to go to the President of the federation or the President of ISU and say: “this is too hard, we can’t do it”. So we need the support from judges and officials that will help us and will help figure skating. The sport is dying, in America especially. It’s popular in Russia and in Japan as well. In the US nobody really pays attention anymore to our job. We work so hard and it’s very difficult.'
FSNews:
It’s so sad.Johnny Weir:
- "It’s sad. I mean all the skaters now, we’ve worked our whole lives almost to be something and to make our sport popular, to be the best in our sport. Now everything is changing. So it is sad. But there is nothing that one person or one skater can do alone."
FSNews:
What do you think about the future of figure skating? Will it become even more difficult in technique and more beautiful?Johnny Weir:
- "I hope there will be a lot more improvements in the details and in the artistry of the perfomance. The jumping is very impressive, and spins are very impressive, but really they’re just too difficult almost, the spins especially, it’s too difficult. The spins take 40 seconds so when you finish the spins you have to jump. And jump, and jump, and jump. Ant there is no time for anything interesting and anything beautiful. That’s sad. So I’m hoping if they keep changing something in the judging system, and they make the elements a little bit easier, then we can show something more interesting. And I really hope that’s the case."
FSNews:
Johnny, when will you be in the Russian team? HAHA!Johnny Weir:
- "(laugh) HAHA!!! Oh, I don’t know, maybe soon. A lot of the Russian skaters, Russian officials and judges have asked me the same thing, when I’ll be in the Russian team and when I’ll compete for Russia. I’ll see how Yuka Kawaguchi does and then I’ll decide!"
Interview Copyright © FSNEWS.RU - Reprinted With Permission
