Answers

2001/2002 Figure Skating Season

Translated from German (shortened): Halli Hallo Kati and René,
I want to ask if you are in Oberstdorf this year for summer training? My sister and me are going to spend our holidays there in August. And of course we want to visit you at the ice rink. :-) When are your training hours? We would really like to watch your training. In case we are allowed?
Sue
Castrop-Rauxel, NRW, Deutschland - Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 19:16:04 (MET DST)
 

Translated from German (shortened): Hello Sue,
We will most likely train in Oberstdorf in August, but of course there can always be changes. If we are their (the ticket office can mostly tell you) our training hours are between 9:00-12:00 and 16:00-18:00 CET.
Watching our training is usually no problem.
See you, Kati and Rene :-)

Translated from German (shortened): Hello Kati, hello René!!!
Is it possible that you can skate at tours as pros??? Recently I did watch a very impressive pair at a pro competition that I never discovered at the top rankings at an ISU competition before. I am asking because I did attend the Summernight on Ice in Leipzig. Actually to see Brian Orser live, but frankly, I can only remember your tango. You were the highlight of the show.
Yours Cindy
Heads up and good luck.
Cindy
Frankfurt, Hessen , Deutschland - Friday, March 22, 2002 at 12:32:48 (MET)

Hello,
me again, what do you think on the placement of the Lithuanians? I agree with Daniel that this free dance was worth Gold and better then the one from the Israelians. Do you think their placement is a result on their protest at the Olympics? Kind of teach them a lesson?
And a question to the scoring system. Isn`t it unfair? Because a different draw could results in a different ranking. Or is accident better then pre-arrangement? What do you think?
Ciao Cindy
Frankfurt, Hessen - Friday, March 22, 2002 at 12:57:59 (MET)
 

Translated from German: Hello, Cindy
thank you for your nice email. We are back from Japan and quite disappointed. We don´t understand how it can be possible that the Lithuanians didn´t get a medal. 20 dance couples did sign a protest petition afterwards because we did not agree with the result. There were speculations that the results have been influenced. It´s hard to find an other explanation.
Our expectations were much higher and we skated better then at the Olympics but have been placed lower, very strange... We don´t think that the Lithuanian´s protest at the Olympics did influence their result. Of cource everything is speculation and evidences are missing. Maybe now - as a consequence -  ice dancing will be no longer stay an Olympic discipline??
Well, it has to be proofed that a new scoring system can change anything. Accident seems to be better then pre-aggangement. Still our kind of sports will be subjective but this time it was much too obviously!! We will continue to fight next year. If things are still that worse we have to consider our future career. Maybe we can still skate as pros. In any case we love ice dancing, we love to skate for our fans, for the audience. No judge can take this away from us!!
The Lithuanians are in the same situation and we admire them very much for their strength. Better this place then a bronce medal which has been awarded unfair, we think many observers think so...
Best wishes :-) Kati and Rene

Translated from German (shortened): Hello Kati and Rene!
I am visiting your homepage for the first time. I have so many questions. There is so seldom the opportunity to get answers, not to speak of German language.
Do you translate the English questions and answers yourself or someone else?
What figure skating magazines are available? Where can I get them?
When are the tickets for the 2004 Worlds in Dortmund on sale? How much do they cost?
Do you know of any exhibition shows or competitions near my home (Heidelberg)?
Do you know Irina Slutskaja? What kind of person is she? I think she is a very nice person and I am sorry because she so often missed the World and Olympic Gold medal.
I have read that some people are looking for video tapes. I have taped all European Championships, World Champiuonships and Olympic Games since 1995, additionally some exhibitions and pro competitions. I could help if needed if I get the tapes and p&p payed.
Best wishes,
Dorina
Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Deutschland - Friday, March 15, 2002 at 04:02:48 (MET)
 

Translated from German (shortened): Hello Dorina
just back from Japan, but tomorrow already on the German tour.
We do answer the questions at our home page ourselves, if they are in English then in English, if they are in German then in German. But the most work probably has Tino Eberl, who makes and maintains our home page. He puts our answers - depending on the content - in German and English online. (Thank you very much to Tino!!)
We don´t now yet when the 2004 Worlds tickets are on sale and how much they will cost. Maybe you can get this information on the home page of the DEU at http://www.eislauf-union.de/.
At April 28th there is an exhibition in Bad Nauheim. The Stars on Ice Germany Tour starts there, maybe you can attend??
We know Irina Slutskaya a little bit. She is really very nice and a big fighter. She never gives up. We had liked seeing her winning the Olympic Gold medal.
In Germany the figure skating magazines "Pirouette" and "Eissport Magazin" are available, often you can buy them at the ticket office of the ice rinks. In the USA there are much more magazines available, well known are "Figure Skating" and "Blades".
Thanks for the hint regarding the tapes. We will point to you if we will be asked again.
Well, best wishes, Kati and Rene

Greetings from Australia and congratulations on your 8th place finish at the Olympics. I am glad you could make it and that Rene's knee is better. Unfortunately we did not get to see your performance in Australia, however I am hoping that I will get a copy of it soon.
Anyway my question is regarding working with Christopher Dean. How did you come about to work with him (did you approach him or did he offer?) and what was he like to work with? I have heard that he is quite a hard taskmaster but I am sure it must have been a fantastic experience. Also did Jayne assist with your choreography or was she elsewhere? And did Chris assist with other parts of your skating such as compulsories?
BTW - I still have not got around to sending my photo to be autographed. I will wait until after worlds when you are not so busy.
Regards
Kim
Melbourne, Australia - Thursday, March 7, 2002 at 03:04:35 (MET)

Sorry - I forgot to put this question in my previous question.
I do ice dancing myself and was really happy that the dances for the Olympics were the quickstep and blues - I particularly love the blues (I am getting better at that choctaw).
So which compulsory dances do you enjoy the most? Do you prefer the dances with the longer edges and less steps, or the more technically challenging dances such as the yankee polka or golden waltz? And do you ever get the chance just to dance socially or is it just for competition?
Regards and thanks (again)
Kim
Melbourne, Australia - Thursday, March 7, 2002 at 03:21:36 (MET)
 

Hello, Kim
thanks for your mail.
So we came to work with Cristopher Dean over our coach Martin Skotnicky, because he used to work with him already years ago himself and with the Duchesnays. Christopher Dean is a great personality and it was really good to work with him and a great experience for us.
Jane did not assist and we were working with Chris only in summer in Colorado Springs, he helped us for the OD and the Free Dance "Ragtime".
For compulsories we prefer more the difficult ones with more steps, like Golden Waltz or Yankee Polka, but every compulsory dance has something special and you learn to skate it better and better. You never learn out in compulsories and even if it is sometimes boring for the audience you can see the differences between the couples.
O.k, Kim we have to leave you and get ready for Worlds....
Bye and until next time Kati and Rene

Translated from German: Hello,
well done at the Olympic Games and a big compliment for all your past performances. It´s always a pleasure to see your innovative dances and the phantastic choreography. Thank you very much to your coach too!!
Aditionally I like your costumes very much.
PS: Kati, where can I buy the earrings you are wearing to your costumes? :-)
Greetings,
Sandra
Magdeburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Deutschland - Friday, March 1, 2002 at 09:43:09 (MET)
 

Translated from German: Hello, Sandra,
thank you very much for your nice mail and the compliments. We will forward them to our coach.
As to the earrings, they are from my "10-years-collection" :-), but most can be bought at "Bijou Brigitte", I think every big town in Germany has such a shop.
Best regards from Oberstdorf, Kati and Rene

Hi Kati and Rene,
I am just happy that i found your website and can communicate to you. I am probably the first your fan from Azerbaijan... so the geography of your fans are getting broader and broader.
First of all I am looking forward of seeing you in Olympics and hope that Rene will feel better and you will be able to struggle with rivals from Israel and hopefully Lithuania. However, today I have questions about general status of figure skating in Germany. I am fan of German figure skators since 7 y.o. and during these 28 years I was getting pleased by former GDR skators and my idol Katarina Witt. Unfortunately, curently German ladies make me really upset. Just an example, terrible performance of Andrea Diewald. I hoped that Susanne Stadmüller will participate this year, but alas... Could you tell me, please, some new names in German figure skating (I mean ladies) who would be able to compete for a gold in the near future...
the second question is about your future plans. I keep hoping that this year is not last in your career among amatures. Will you stay after Olympics in Big Sport or you are going to leave for profi.. please say Yes...
Your big fan
Jafar Mammadov
Baku, Azerbaijan - Sunday, January 27, 2002 at 03:25:45 (MET)
 

Hello, Jafar
Thank you very much for your mail.
We are so happy, that we can go to Olympics and compete there. Renes knee is better, he will skate with a brace, but everything is going well already.
You are right, that in German skating we are having a big hole right now. New talents are rare. So we are still hoping for Susanne Stadelmüller, Katharina Häcker, the new German Champion in ladies and in men Stefan Lindemann and we have some young talented skaters in Berlin, we will see.
In Ice dancing we have Miriam Steinel and Vladimir Tsvetkov, they were third in the Junior Grand Prix Final. They are practicing with us at our coach and we think they will have a good future too. To us, we will go on after Olympics, maybe until 2004 in amateurs. We still don't know for sure, because it also depends how we will be with health (knee of Rene), how we will be able to improve our results and what the future will bring. Our dream is a medal in Europeans or Worlds. 2004 Worlds will be in Germany, this would be a good competition to stop the career. Lets see, what time will bring :-)
Greetings from Oberstdorf send you Kati and Rene

Hi Kati and Rene,
First of all I wish that everything goes well for you at the Olympics. What I would like to know is how is the atmosphere between skaters just before the competition, do they talk and with what pairs do you have best contacts. Are friendships between main rivals even possible? Thank you.
Ana
Zagreb, Croatia - Saturday, January 26, 2002 at 13:54:10 (MET)
 

Hallo, Ana!
The atmosphere in the mans dressing room is most of the time more relaxed than in the ladies dressing room before competition :-) but actually we understand very well with the skaters, the best contact we have to Gwendal, Barbara and Maurizio, Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas, Albena Denkova, Maxim Stavisky and many others too.
We have no problems with everyone because we know how hard we all have to work for that! and we respect that very much.
Greetings from Oberstdorf send you Kati and Rene

Translated from German: Dear Kati, dear René !
Today we have January 25th and I wish you all the best for your fitness test. Please, let us know the result. I barely can wait.
Greetings from Berlin
Jenny
Berlin - Friday, January 25, 2002 at 10:46:07 (MET)
 

Translated from German: Hello, Jenny,
yes, we passed the test and may go to Salt Lake City. It is such a relief after the long break due to the injury. But we worked hard and are very optimistic.
All the best to all team skaters from Kati and Rene

Hello Kati and René,

My name is Marijn and i am from the Netherlands. About 2 weeks ago, october 25-28, my skating club in the Hague hosted a Junior Grand Prix. One of the ice dancing couples participating in it was Miriam Steinel & Vladimir Tsvetkov. I got to pick them up from the airport and they seemed like really nice people. I wanted to talk to them more the next days but since the organisation kept me busy i didn't get a chance to.
Now I found out they are your training partners - do you know if they have an address for fan mail or something? I would really like to send them a letter!
Well the two of you keep up the good work, I love your skating! Bye bye,
Marijn
Leidschendam, South-Holland, the Netherlands - Saturday, November 3, 2001 at 17:49:05 (MET)
 

Hello, Marijn!
If you want to write to Miriam and Vladimir then just mail them to

BLZ Oberstdorf
Rossbichlstraße 6
87561 Oberstdorf
Germany

They practice at the same place as we do, so the post will come to the same address.
Greetings to you to the Netherlands from Kati and René

Hi Kati & Rene
It was a pity you could not come to Australia for the GWG - would have loved to have seen you skate live and even said hello.
Anyway I am very excited about your choice of music for your freedance this year - the Joplin. In fact I was rewatching Wilson & McCall's Freedance from the 88 Olympics recently and thinking what a great choice of music it would be for yourselves. In fact their's is one of my all time favourite freedances. What made you choose that music? Have you seen Wilson/McCall's programme and has that had any influence on the development of your programme?
Also I did buy a photo of you from Barry J Mittan the photographer when he was at the GWG. Would it be possible to send it to you to get it autographed? I understand if you are too busy.
Wishing you all the best for the forthcoming season.
Kim Wilson
Melbourne, Australia - Monday, October 29, 2001 at 02:42:52 (MET)
 

Hello, Kim
Thanks for your mail from Australia.
We chose the music this year because we were working with Christopher Dean and it was a suggestion of him for us. We really like this music. And we have also seen the program of Wilson/Mc Call, but it didn't influence our program so much, because it was built already with Chris. It was great to see it after so many years, but we didn't know before, that they were skating to that music of Joplin.
If you send us the photo you bought from Barry Mittan (>> autograph address >>), we will autograph it for sure! :-)
Greetings to you from Oberstdorf Kati and René

Bonjour Kati et René
Sorry but I can't write you before. So long time without news about you. First, congratulations for your last season. Happy birthday to René with late. What are your choices about music and dance for original and free programs 2001-2002. I am desapointed not see you to the Lalique Trophée. With all my encouragements. Thank you for your answer. kiss you. Sabine from France.
JUGE SABINE
FRANCE - Friday, October 5, 2001 at 02:05:21 (MET DST)
 

Bonjour Sabine,
Merci pour ton mail.
We are also sorry, that we can not skate this year Trophee Lalique. But we are only allowed to skate two Grand Prix competitions, because we were seventh last year in worlds.
Our choices for Original Dance this year are Tango (Habanera, from Carmen) and Flamenco. And our Free Dance is called Rag Time by Scott Joplin. If you want to know more about the music, then just go to the music section of our homepage.
:-)
Greetings to you to France Kati and René

Translated from German: (Note: Art on Ice has been cancelled.)

Hello Kati and Rene,
you are really the best German dance couple. I think you are great. Your expression and harmony on ice fill everyone with enthusiasm. I skate myself and therefore try to know as much as possible about figure skating. I have two questions: Do you skate at ,,Art on ice" on December 1st, 2001 in Oberhausen? I hope yes since I will attend this event. My second question: Did you ever meet Alexei Yagudin? What do you think on him? He is my favourite single skater.
I wish you good luck for the season and for the Olympics.
Best wishes, your Fan Sue!
Castrop-Rauxel, NRW, Deutschland - Sunday, September 9, 2001 at 17:21:55 (MET DST)
 

Translated from German: Hello, Sue
yes, we are going to skate at Art on Ice in Oberhausen and we are very happy, because we did not yet skate in Collogne and Oberhausen before.
As to your second question: Alexei Yagudin is a very nice person. He skates with heart and emotion. Most likely it's going to be again a heart fight between him and Plushenko this year. Both are very strong and sure it's very difficult for both to skate knowing that.
Best wishes to you Sue, thank you very much for your wishes and much fun in Oberhausen
Kati and René

Translated from German: Hello Kati and Rene,
every year in August it's a tradition for me as a figure skating fan to search the Internet for information on the new season's skating music choices of the top skaters. Due to the Olympic Winter Games this year this matter is very important. I want to ask you to which pieces of music you plan to skate this year?
Do you know already the skating music of your main competitors?
I wish you all the best for this season and can't wait for the Grand Prix in Gelsenkirchen!! I want to congratulate you to your performances at Summer-Night on Ice, especially the Tango was great!
Ciao, Juan
P.S.: Yagudin is skating this year to "The Man with the Iron Mask". What do you think?
Juan
Frankfurt, Hessen, Deutschland - Tuesday, August 28, 2001 at 00:21:02 (MET DST)
 

Translated from German: Hello, Juan
you can find our new skating music pieces at the music section at our home page.
We don't have all the information on the other skaters, but have been told that Anissina/Peizerat are skating to Cyrano de Bergerac, Fusar Poli/Margaglio likely to Gloria Gaynor's "I will survive", the Ukrainian dancers to "Queen" and the Canadians Bourne/Kraatz to Michael Jackson. That's what we have heard, but we are not sure whether it is true.
Yagudin's music is great, but the French dancers already skated their free dance to that music. Despite of that Alexei can sure skate very good to The Men with the Iron Mask and we think the choice matches to him.
Well, best wishes from Oberstdorf from Kati and René

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