Estonian ice dancing couple Solene Mazingue – Marko Jevgeni Gaidajenko made three competitive starts in one month after a complex preparation period. The Estonian championship golds were won in Tallinn and they are now improving their form in Lyon to start the European Championships in January.
Gaidajenko and Mazingue, who mainly practice at the world’s most famous ice dance academy in Montreal, Canada, skated in the Estonian championship after a gap of two years.
Although they had no one to compete with in Tallinn, they decided to show their skills to the home crowd, because the couple’s preparation for the European Championships takes place in Europe.
“Since we had already competed in Europe, it was reasonable to come to the Estonian championships,” Gaidajenko told ERR. “We are very satisfied with our races. Unfortunately Solene felt a little unwell after the race in Zagreb, but we managed anyway.”
The ice dancers took seventh place in Zagreb on December 9, bringing their personal best to 163 points. Then, Gaidajenko’s French partner, Solene Mazingue, came down with a cold and no ice training was done before the start of the weekend in Tallinn. However, the championship races went off without a hitch. The judges awarded a total of 170 points for the rhythm and free dance.
“It was nice. I really like coming to Estonia, I like the crowd and the atmosphere,” said Mazingue. “I am very grateful to be here after the accident, which has been over a year now. I am happy and excited that we will be able to compete in the European Championships soon. It was a good race for me here.”
Mazingue managed to get out of an extremely difficult situation twice during the year. Last year he fell on his head during training in Montreal at the end of September and survived thanks to emergency brain surgery, he learned to move step by step, to think and six months later he was able to skate with Marko at the World Cup.
In May, however, he fell again during training, but managed to get back into shape. The start of the new season was delayed, but the first competition took place in November and Dortmund won first place. “I fell again. My head is a tender place. I had to start all over again,” the skater said. “It wasn’t easy, but like Marko and my coaches said, I am a miracle woman and I can do it. I am very happy that my coaches and Marko helped my dreams come true every day.”
The form of the competition was achieved with a long joint effort. “We could only train 15 minutes a day, and now the maximum time is two hours. We started competing in September, when all the other couples start in June-July. In this sense it was difficult, but we managed it,” Gaidajenko said.
According to Gaidajenko, they are not afraid of any element, but during training they behave judiciously. The European championships will begin in Kaunas on January 12th. “It’s not very scary, but we still do less lifts on the ice, but generally we don’t hold back and do the elements with speed and everything is great,” he said.
2023-12-18 20:30:00
estonian-ice-dancing-duo-prepares-for-rebounding-title-competition-figure-skating
#Estonian #ice #dancing #duo #prepares #rebounding #title #competition #figure #skating