GORDEEVA RETURNS TO RUSSIA

Ekaterina Gordeeva is coming back on ice in Russia.

Translation of an interview by a correspondent of Russian Language newspaper “Trud” Nadezhda Shulga (NS) with Ekaterina Gordeeva (EG) printed on October 18, 2007

Two time Olympic Pair Champion Ekaterina Gordeeva is coming out on ice in Russia. She did not perform in Russia for 13 years, but she is being remembered and loved here. Her new home is America for a long time now, while in Russia, separate from her, lives on its own a legend of an out-of-this-world tragic love between Ekaterina and Sergey. Even at a recent ceremony of presenting awards in figure skating, she was awarded a “Legend” award.

Her life is like a book which consists of two chapters – the first one is the story of a great love, sadness and loneliness with Sergey Grinkov. This part is beloved and rememebered by heart by her Russian admirers. The second one is the story of the family and happiness with Ilja Kulik, which some in Russia do not even know about, while others categorically do not want to know. The book about Sergey has been written and closed long ago. Sometimes Ekaterina would take it out, would leaf through its pages and would put it back on the far away shelf. She does not want to talk about that part of her life. Now she is writing her new story of love with a wonderful person who brought her back to real life and who gave her a wonderful daughter Lisa and a warm family. Ekaterina is happy with Olympic Champion Ilja Kulik.

We met with Ekaterina before her first performance in Russia in many years. She was extremely nervous backstage at the ice arena “Luzniki." She was very concerned if the spectators remembered her and how she would be accepted now as a single skater.

NS – Ekaterina, lately the various ice shows are very popular in Russia. Did you receive any offers to participate in these projects?

EG – Yes, there were offers from Channel 2 TV. Unfortunately our family could not reorganize as we could accept the invitation to participate in “Dances on Ice”. Recently we moved to a new place in California. My youngest daughter Lisa went to the first grade and the oldest Dasha went to the ninth grade. In the States the grades nine thorough twelve are considered high school and these are the most important years in the school. It is hard for me to leave my girls. I am very used to being with them. That meant that for the duration of the project we all would have to move to Russia. Maybe next year we will be able to do it, if we will be invited again.

NS – Would you come over as the guests of honor?

EG – Yes, we will. Ilja and I will come over and will skate at the final Gala concert.

NS – The current (gymnastics) Champion of the US is Anastasia Lukin (her father Valery Lukin was a Soviet Olympic Champion, who left for USA); Andrey Bikov (son of two time Olympic hockey Champion Viacheslav Bikov) plays under the colors of the Swiss national hockey team. Is it possible that the new Champion of the USA in figure skating will be Dasha Gordeeva or Lisa Kulik?

EG – Dasha would hardly be able to do it. She skated till she was 14 and now at 15 she stopped skating. Now she is playing volleyball at her school and she likes it very much.
Lisa is six now and so far she likes skating very much. We will see what will happen with her. We are not going to force her to become a figure skater. Weather she will be a champion will not depend on her parents, or on what they can give her. She has to have a strong character, will to win and to work hard.

NS – Six year old Sasha Zhulina, daughter of Tatiana Navka and Alex Zhulin, was skating in an exhibition performance at this year’s ceremony of awarding the first figure skating prize. Your Lisa could have skated with her.

EG – Two/three years ago Dasha skated with the son of Arthur Dmitriev in a similar show in St. Petersburg. At that time everyone was asking them if they were planning to skate as a pair. I do not want to push my girls anywhere. If they have talent and if they practice, they will make it on their own.

NS – Our tennis player Maria Sharapova is often reproached for being more American than Russian. When you left for the Stated, did anyone reproach you for it?

EG – No, we were not reproached. They stopped writing about us. It was a time of declining interest in figure skating in Russia. I was very upset. It seemed that figure skating was forgotten. Seven years ago I came to Russia and did not even find a place to skate. The rinks were in decay.

NS – But it seemed that you separated yourself from the Russian press.

EG – Yes, maybe it was that way. At a difficult time in my life help came from America. There I was invited to participate in shows, under my and Sergey’s name they opened a skating rink. It seemed that no one was waiting for me in Russia.

NS – Were you not coming back to Russia for the last 13 years?

EG – No, I was here every summer and sometimes for the New Year. I did not come out to perform on ice in Russia for 13 years. We are coming here to the summer house of my parents in the Tver region. My daughters know what Russian summer house (dacha) means.