YAKKING WITH YAGUDIN

Alexey Yagudin – I did not hide my relationship with Masha Savelieva.

Translation of an interview with Alexey Yagudin (AY) by Maria Remizova (MR) a correspondent of a Russian language publication “Komsomolskaya Pravda” printed on April 17, 2008.

The famous figure skater talked about his personal life and many other things.

Alexey Yagudin left the big sport, but he is still the center of attention as a famous persona and one of the most valuable bachelors of Russia. Not long ago, during his work at the Ice Period show, there were a lot of talks about his romance with singer Victoria Deineko. There were even rumors of a wedding, but Mendelssohn was quiet that time. Recently his autobiographical book “Stopping at Nothing” came out where he honestly talked about the behind the scene events in figure skating.

MR – Alexey, are you getting ready for the Olympics?

AY - Currently I am working at the show “Symphony on Ice” with Ilja Averbuch. We are performing a lot and I am in good form. We are working ourselves into the ground. In reality, I am not getting ready for the Olympics for some time now, because of my operation. Unfortunately the rehabilitation was not going as I expected. Now I am just supporting my form to make my spectators happy every day.

MR – Who do you consider to be the main competitor of yours in figure skating?

AY - I respect the work of practically everyone. For me the first place or the 25th place really makes no difference – everyone has their positive and negative sides. I am just observing other skaters and I am trying to use their positive qualities for my own development. I have a great choreographer – Alexander Zhulin. Prior to him I was working with Tatiana Tarasova with whom I still have very good and warm relations. She is forever my coach number one and the only coach who gave me everything that I have in this life.

MR – Do you often visit your mother? Does she spoil you with some tasty things?

AY – Of course she spoils me with homemade meat patties and other things. Lately I am staying in Moscow most of the time and very rarely go to St. Petersburg. My mother and grandmother are the main people in my life, and any time I visit with them, they try to stuff me with some tasty food. They are always telling me that I lost weight, but it is how all normal loving parents are.

AR – Do you observe a diet?

AY – I am watching my body and sometimes I go on a diet.

MR – Did you give any thoughts to what you would be doing after sports?

AY – I am considering two options while currently I am still skating. I also am considering investing in real estate. I have a transportation company in St. Petersburg. But I am doing it only for financial reasons. My main business is figure skating. The other areas that I like to develop are the movies and music or other creative sides of life. Currently I am involved in the production of a TV series under a working title – “Hot Ice”. It is my first try out as an actor. We have already taped 20 episodes. Of course I have other proposals and I like it very much. I just published a book, which was also some different activity from figure skating. Of course I did not write it myself, I was just dictating the text. Initially it came out in Japan and later in Russia.

MR – It came out as a very revealing book. Was anyone upset?

AY – I did not set a goal to upset anyone. I just wrote about the events as they were happening. I feel that the main thing in our life is to stay a human being, not to step over some lines.

MR – Many are talking about your competition with Evgeny Pluschenko. Do you maintain any relations with him?

AY – We never were close, even when we were skating in the same group. At this time we do not call each other or write to each other. We are moving in different circles, we have different friends. To be honest I am thankful to Evgeny that all these years we were practicing and competing together. This way we helped each other to fully develop. The level that we reached at the 2002 Olympics has not been reached since then by other skaters. I have respect for his achievements and contributions to the sports. We never had bad relations.

MR – Who did you consider as an echalon of woman’s beauty in your childhood?

AY – No one. For me each person has her beauty. I can not say that I like blonds more than brunettes. Each person has her best feature.

MR – Many people think that you are a Casanova.

AY – In my life I never created any image of myself, I just live. Life is unpredictable and thus it is interesting. One never knows what will be next. But that is interesting is the process. If we would know what is next, we would be bored. And what is related to me being a Casanova, I think that all men are like that.

MR – It had been said that you are now dating a soloist of the group “Fabrica” Dasha Savelieva. How did she conquer you?

AY – It is clear that I meet ladies based on their external beauty, but if there is nothing behind the beauty, we can not have relations. Sasha is a very open, nice person. The main thing is that I can trust her. She is a good friend, very devoted and I appreciate it very much.

MR – Why did you keep your relationship with her a secret for so long?

AY – We did not really kept it a secret. We did not want to have outsiders get involved in our relations; it is usually not a good idea. Our private lives are fine, we are dating.

MR – Do you seek advice on your private matters from your mother?

AY – I am an adult and can make my own decisions.

MR – Are you planning to settle down and to start a family?

AY – I like the way I live now.

MR – So, you are not planning to get married?

AY – I was not planning to go to Germany for exhibition performances, but all of a sudden I got an invitation. I do not plan things, I just live my live and whatever happens, happens!

MR – Would you like to have many children in the future?

AY – Maybe. I am a man who often changes his mind. My views and tastes are constantly changing. Considering children, one must be an idiot not to want children in the future. Regarding the number of kids – life will tell.

MR – Did you have an event in your life that you feel sorry that it happened?

AY – Absolutely not! All actions that I took were parts of my life. We all make mistakes. One just has to draw conclusions from these mistakes. It is easy to say that one has to learn on someone else’s mistakes. But it rarely happens. Usually we make our own mistakes. It is especially true for the Russians.

MR – What is missing in your life now as to make you happy?

AY – Honestly I am happy now. I have everything that I need now. I have a job that I love; people that I love are around me. I have devoted friends and I am calm and happy.