Russian curlers need all international training, especially with top rivals, says national team captain Russia Sergei Glukhov .
On Sunday, the Russia-1 team led by Glukhov became the winner of the WCT Nornickel Curling Cup 2022 international tournament in Dudinka.
— It’s quite atmospheric to play in the northernmost tournament on the planet. It’s always a pleasure to be here, a very warm attitude on the part of the organizers and local residents. As a rule, everything here is always at the highest level. Last year we were third and this year we were able to win.
– Despite the Russian final, it turned out to be tense.
– Yes, the last game was like a swing – so we were ahead, then they were. It all depended on the result of several throws. It’s always a pleasure to win in such matches, because they are more spectacular and more emotional. All the time you are under tension, you are trying to control yourself, to control your emotions. When it succeeds, it leads to a result. Meetings like this are a great experience.
– To what extent does this motivate you to play in tournaments where Russian teams play in the semi-finals?
– We have played several times with these teams, we all know each other very well. We treat each game as a separate unit. If we win, that’s good, then we move on.
The Italians came here. If you can continue to invite one or two foreign teams to such tournaments, will it help you to train internationally?
— We need all international practice. Especially for a team that wants to be Olympic. Without practice, it will be quite difficult to maintain your level. We hope that our federation and the IOC (International Olympic Committee) will make a competent and balanced decision and can secure our admission to international competitions. Hopefully we will have the chance to play with the best countries. If the best teams we are used to playing with come here, it will be a good help, but if the opponents are below level, then it will be difficult to gain the necessary experience with them. On our side, we are open to all.
Will skipping an entire year be a big deal for you and your team?
– Oh, sure. You have to constantly analyze potential opponents: how they play, where they play, with whom. You have to constantly play with them, learn something new. It will be difficult to come back if the downtime is long, Glukhov told reporters.
Source : MatchTV
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