Finnlandia Trophy 2011 - Last day - Free Dance
Here we are again!
Now I am at the airport waiting for the plane to bring us back home.
Today was a tough day for Tanja. We woke up very early, like 6.15 am and after a quick breakfast we went to the ice rink for the FD practice. Her scarf on the shin war swollen and really hearting even more than yesterday and the day before. During the practice we did quickly a check-up of all the elements and we decided to go out.
When we came back to the hotel I spoke with her because actually I didn’t want her to compete if she has so much pain, I would have never forced her because I do understand what she’s being through in those days. After a long talk she decided that she wanted to try and if, during the FD she would have too much pain, we would have been stopped and withdraw from the competition.
The most important thing is the HEALTH, then comes everything else.
A lot of people around her were kind of pushing/forcing to skate the FD; she is a strong girl that loves skating, but I mean, if you will ask her: “do you feel like skating?” she would never reply no!
So during the warm up I talked to her again and she said she wanted to try…So that’s what we did!
Before competing the doctor gave her an injection for the pain. Then they called our names on the ice, we looked at each other and we started.
The program was going really smooth, she skated for herself, for me, for the public and at the end we felt that the Arena really understood us… Between each other we felt the magic, I got emotional during the last piece watching her suffering face.
I am proud again of my partner. Not a lot of people would have done what she did today.
I will end this blog from Finland with this reflection…
The saddest thing is that I have learned in my life that in the figure skating world some people are not grateful and they can’t understand and recognize some efforts. Some of them they just don’t care and is sad because what all the skaters are doing is not just a sport, is an expression of feelings….
Tanja is a wonderful person and a talented skater, I actually don’t care about anything else that is not us and our skating. I wish to her a good recovery and the wish to come back soon on the ice to skate again together.
Stefano
Final result of Finnlandia Trophy 2011
