“There is another generation of figure skaters who are similar to Western athletes in terms of their level of thinking. » Interview with Egor Rukhin

During his short career, Rukhin managed to pass through the headquarters of Tutberidze, Plushenko and Buyanova. In the summer, Egor joined the group of Alexei Vasilevsky and Yulia Lavrenchuk, resumed his performances after a year’s break and has already managed to show himself on two stages of the Russian Grand Prix.

In an interview with , the skater spoke about the restart, frequent changes of coaching teams and the chances of fighting for the podium.

“We thought we wouldn’t have time to recover by the start of the season. But we managed to do it, which I’m very happy about.

— This season, you have already managed to perform on two stages of the Grand Prix. In Omsk, I took tenth place, in Krasnoyarsk, sixth. Are you satisfied with the results?

— Today, I am satisfied. Considering the short preparation period for the season, the performances turned out to be quite good.

But I’m not even more satisfied with the results, but with the fact that I managed to start the season. There was a risk that I wouldn’t have time to prepare for the tournaments. To Alexei Georgievich [Василевскому] and Yulia Ivanovna [Лавренчук] I only arrived at the end of July. Before that, I trained for a whole year in public skating. You could say that I started working with new coaches more as an amateur than as a professional. It was difficult to get involved in the process. But it’s good that we had time to prepare.

As for the stages, it was clear that there was uncertainty in Omsk. But towards Krasnoyarsk the situation was better. In the free program, I managed to complete two quadruples.

— Was last season a complete failure?

— During the 2022/23 season I only played once. I wanted to make up the season, but I got sick with coronavirus and realized the year was lost, I had to get treatment and recover.

I trained for public skating. I was more involved in post-COVID recovery. There were problems with the lungs and it was necessary to gradually enter the training process. This summer I moved to a new headquarters.

— From a psychological point of view, is it difficult to return to competitions after a year off?

— I already had such practice that I returned to the ice after a long break. So it wasn’t difficult to start the process again now. From a psychological point of view, I was ready for the performances and I was even happy about it.

But physically, it wasn’t easy. I didn’t have any systematic training for a year. I kept 10 percent fit. When we started working with Alexey Vasilevsky and Yulia Lavrenchuk, we decided to train and develop our current form. At training camp we organized programs. We thought we wouldn’t have time to recover by the start of the season. But we managed it, which I’m very happy about.

Now it’s even a little disappointing to have participated in the first stages of the Grand Prix. If there had been a fourth or fifth stage, the form would have been even better. Now I’m in the season, but other tournaments will be clear later.

— What are the chances of going to the Russian Championship?

— At the moment I am qualified, but there are still three stages of the Grand Prix, in which other skaters will compete. I see this season as a sort of springboard for my future career. I will participate in the competitions in Moscow, I want to participate in the show jumping tournament.

“I plan to skate for quite a long time, I don’t plan to finish at 25-27”

— That season, you restarted your career. What thoughts have you had over the past turbulent year?

— I definitely had no idea about finishing figure skating. It was psychologically difficult because I was training for public skating alone. By the time summer training camp rolled around, I pulled myself together and was ready to work. I had a lot of coaches, but it was difficult to join the new team. I formed new relationships in a new team, adopted a new training system.

— On what basis did you choose new coaches? Based on the fact that there was nowhere to go?

– There was a lot. There are coaches in Moscow and St. Petersburg who could take me. I chose Vasilevsky and Lavrenchuk based on my inner feelings. I called Alexey Georgievich, we talked and after a few weeks we started training.

— Have you managed to interact with new coaches in such a short time?

— We have established contact. Of course we had a difficult time. I am already an adult athlete, I have my own established system. The coaches and I looked at each other carefully and, based on this, developed a training plan.

— What period of your career do you consider the most successful? When did you feel the most happy while skating?

“I feel the happiest now.” Before, the results were better, but emotionally I feel good now. I grew up and started loving training and preparing for competitions. I approach the process more consciously. I understand how I should train, what I should do.

— How much time do you allow yourself to warm up? When are you ready to shoot?

— I’m going to skate for quite a long time, I don’t plan to finish at 25-27 years old. I’ll give myself a season or two. But as things progress, anything can happen sooner.

— For you to get on the podium, should the current leaders end their careers, or really fight with Aliyev, Gumennik, Semenenko?

– That’s not the main thing. We don’t drive so that the leaders leave. I’m always for competition, that’s the point of sport. If the leaders continue to slip, I can really get on the podium. The main thing is to show the integrity of the program. Due to injuries and changes in the coaching staff, I did not have the full opportunity to show myself. But now we are working and after a season the situation should be completely different.

— Does the lack of international competitions help you in your situation?

— If there had been international competitions, nothing would have changed in my career. Another thing is that if I had not been absent for two seasons and showed results, then in this case I could have qualified for major international tournaments.

— Evaluate what is currently happening on the Russian scene. Are you satisfied with the level of internal competitions?

— The stages of the Russian Grand Prix take place at the highest level. In Omsk we skated in a new chic arena, in Krasnoyarsk there are also all conditions. Our federation organizes the same tournaments as the European and World Championships. It’s good that athletes can not get left behind and continue to move towards their goals.

— Don’t you think that the national team has lost the courage to compete? Skaters approach starts more relaxed, or something like that.

“Now athletes are starting to approach competitions differently. We perceive them more serenely. Another generation of figure skaters is growing up, which resembles Western athletes in terms of their level of thinking. I always looked at guys from other countries, they perceive competitions as vacations. The work in training has already been done, during the tournament you have to show yourself, get away from the competition and the public.

“If I hadn’t been a figure skater, I would have become an e-sportsman”

— You have changed many coaches, have you managed to maintain a good relationship with anyone? Do you greet them when you meet?

— I am on good terms with all the coaches — with Eteri Georgievna [Тутберидзе]Sergei Viktorovich [Волковым]Evgeny Viktorovich [Плющенко] and the specialists who worked in his team, with the coaches of CSKA.

As I left, I thanked them. Happy holidays to all coaches. Sport is sport, but human qualities must remain.

— Tutberidze joked in a recent interview that the boys left Khrustalny for CSKA because of the low ceiling of the hall. Was it the same for you?

– No, the low ceiling was definitely not the reason for my departure.

— How many bouquets of flowers did you bring to the coaches when you broke off your working relationship with them?

— I won’t say that I gave great speeches. I bought a lovely bouquet, came to the coach and said words of gratitude. However, they believed in me, they worked with me, I must remain grateful. From everyone I gained experience and knowledge.

— How have frequent changes of coaches affected your career?

– There is no exact answer. I moved and took certain actions based on my inner feeling. He always made decisions himself, even his parents couldn’t influence him. What I felt, I did. But I don’t evaluate my decisions.

— Are you an impulsive person? Has it ever happened that the coach said something during practice and, in a fit of rage, you decided to leave?

– That didn’t happen. Anything can happen in the training process. I certainly didn’t leave the coach because of one word.

— What are your hobbies besides figure skating?

— Of course, figure skating takes up most of my life, 90 percent. Even on YouTube, I often watch interviews or performances of athletes.

And I love playing Counter-Strike. If I hadn’t been a figure skater, I would have become an e-sportsman. I love acting, I’m pretty good at it.

—And your personal life?

– I’m not looking. There are no such thoughts yet. Of course, anything can happen in an instant. But I repeat once again that now all the attention is focused on sport.