Junior Pair Skaters Embrace Eteri Tutberidze’s Group, Driven by Shared Aspirations and Mutual Understanding

Figure skaters **Taisiya Guseva** and **Daniil Ovchinnikov**, competing in junior pairs skating, shared their reasons for teaming up in **Eteri Tutberidze’s** group.

**— Was there a specific reason for your transition to pairs skating?**
**Guseva:** I didn’t have a concrete reason. I just realized that sooner or later I would need to switch to pairs because I’m quite small in stature, and there’s no one for me to grow with. So I understood that transitioning to pairs was inevitable, but I thought I’d do it around the age of 15. Instead, I ended up making the switch at just 12.

**Ovchinnikov:** There wasn’t a significant reason per se, but since I was about 14, people kept telling me that I would be a great pairs skater and that I needed to pursue pairs skating. I always resisted that idea, but I was facing injuries, which made singles skating challenging, and I only competed in a few events over two seasons. Eventually, I thought that since people see potential in me, I might as well give it a shot. So, I attended a tryout with Eteri Georgievna.

**— What do you find most challenging in this discipline?**
**Guseva:** I believe the most critical aspect of pairs is understanding one another. It’s essential to feel your partner and avoid conflicts.

**Ovchinnikov:** Absolutely, that’s true.

**— Are there any specific technical elements that you find particularly difficult?**
**Guseva:** Not really. Everything generally comes easily to us.

**Ovchinnikov:** Yes, we can do everything. We perform all elements well, achieving the maximum, the fourth level. The key is to focus, step onto the ice, and execute everything.

**— How did the transition to Eteri Tutberidze’s group come about?**
**Ovchinnikov:** I went for a tryout when Alexey Tikhonov was initially coaching. He has known me since I was 11 and always said, «You’ll grow, and I’ll take you into pairs» (smiles). When I was skating with Viktoriya Butsaeva, he would call and ask if I wanted to come over. But I knew that if I went into pairs, it had to be with Eteri Georgievna because there are excellent coaches, the competition is strong, and you’ll receive proper training.

**Guseva:** When I was still in Chelyabinsk, I was often told I’d be a perfect pairs skater. My mom and I considered moving to St. Petersburg, probably to train with Tamara Nikolaevna Moskvina. But then I went to a singles tryout with Polina Igorevna Tsurskaya’s group, and that’s where they suggested I give pairs a try with Eteri Georgievna Tutberidze,** the skaters recounted in a conversation with Championship correspondent Margarita Salnikova.