1 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:07,160 Welcome to the Rockers Skating Podcast. 2 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:11,120 It is interview extravaganza week this week before the World 3 00:00:11,120 --> 00:00:13,120 Championships. I have another great interview 4 00:00:13,120 --> 00:00:17,600 for you all today it is Leah Pereira, Trent Micheaux, the 5 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,160 Canadian pairs champions here with me. 6 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:24,840 How have you 2 been the last few weeks since the the high of the 7 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:26,840 Olympics? We've been really good. 8 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:30,960 It's been an interesting process. 9 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:35,400 A lot of athletes who we've known have talked about the post 10 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,960 Olympic pre world's kind of time frame and we've heard lots of 11 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,280 different reviews of how that might feel for us. 12 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:46,280 We've we've been doing good. We really enjoyed our time in 13 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:47,760 Italy. Obviously we had a great 14 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:52,120 experience there and lots of lessons learned, but also our 15 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:56,200 team at home has been really good with managing training and 16 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:00,240 just keeping the enjoyment factor and but still pushing 17 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,080 hard enough to be ready for worlds. 18 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:06,120 But I would say it's gone by faster than expected and it's 19 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:12,280 been going well for training. Yeah, you had a whirlwind of an 20 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:17,840 Olympics for sure, starting with getting there and being like, 21 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:21,320 we're gonna have to do the whole team event this time. 22 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:23,640 Tell me about that whole experience. 23 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,800 I mean, I you were, you were obviously prepared to do 24 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:28,840 anything, right? You were at the Olympics, you 25 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:32,360 were going to do the team event anyway and you were practicing 26 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:36,800 and getting ready for it. But tell me about how that all 27 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:40,760 transpired and how that how it felt to have to really step in 28 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:42,800 for the team. Yeah. 29 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,080 I mean, like you said, we had already been prepared to do the 30 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,840 team event for the free, so we were already trained. 31 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:49,880 It's not like we were like, OK, we're going to be competing 2 32 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,640 weeks later, we're just going to be here and like kind of on the 33 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:54,880 upslope still. We were already, you know, ready 34 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:57,080 to compete realistically 2 days later. 35 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,120 We just had to add a short into it. 36 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,600 So you know, we really wanted to, you know, give it our all 37 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,000 and give it our best for Team Canada, which is really cool 38 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,200 aspect. We've never done a team event 39 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,160 and we're both very much team sport, team player people, hence 40 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,880 why we are a team. We're not skating by ourselves, 41 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,320 so it was really nice to be able to, you know, skate for your 42 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,240 country, skate for your friends and your teammates as well. 43 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:24,840 So I mean, also getting the chance to skate 4 times at the 44 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:26,640 Olympics, it's pretty that's pretty cool. 45 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,800 A lot of people don't get to go to the Olympics and that not 46 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,800 even necessarily skate four times in one Olympics. 47 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,160 So we were really honored to have that privilege. 48 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,840 And we obviously wanted to put our best foot forward for Max 49 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:40,480 Indiana as well, who unfortunately weren't able to be 50 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,920 there for the the team event. And yeah, we just wanted to use 51 00:02:43,920 --> 00:02:46,880 it to the best of of our abilities to also help us moving 52 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:50,840 on into the individual event. And we felt ready to go because 53 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:54,120 our coaching staff and our team had had us prepared right for 54 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:56,440 when we got there. And yeah, we had a great time. 55 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:58,520 It was a pretty amazing experience. 56 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,000 I think the short for us all season has been such a great 57 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,080 vehicle and we've always loved training and competing it. 58 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:09,040 So especially when we were able to do it with our team, I think 59 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:12,000 we were both feeling obviously nervous for our first Olympic 60 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,320 performance, especially being part of the team event. 61 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,600 And as soon as we our names got called out for the six minute 62 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,320 warm up and we saw our team box standing and cheering and waving 63 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:24,400 the flags, it was just like such a confirmation of we are here, 64 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:26,760 we're at the Olympics and we have Team Canada behind us. 65 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,200 And I think that was a really special moment even no, it 66 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,840 wasn't really like televised or anything that you sort of 67 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:33,280 expected. It was just like that moment 68 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:34,880 that we kind of saw our team standing there. 69 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:37,840 It was really special. Yeah, a lot of people talk about 70 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:43,040 that team event dynamic being 1 so different than a lot of 71 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:47,120 things that, you know you've skaters generally experienced, 72 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:49,600 but two it's it's a different kind of atmosphere. 73 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,240 It's a different way of competing that maybe you're not 74 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:57,280 used to. One thing that that we've talked 75 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:01,760 about a lot with with other skaters as sort of like the, the 76 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:05,960 the order of events, you know, going first with the team event 77 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:08,920 or going first with the individual event. 78 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:13,320 I've heard both sides. I think a lot of skaters tend to 79 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,640 want to get the individual out of the way and then make the 80 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:18,839 team event feel a little bit like World Team trophy. 81 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:22,280 Curious to hear your thoughts as pair skaters. 82 00:04:22,280 --> 00:04:25,520 Right. You, you all had about a week to 83 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,040 recover in between. What did she think about the 84 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,120 scheduling? I mean, we've never done it any 85 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:33,720 other way. So it's hard to say like we 86 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,760 haven't done a World Team trophy Even so to say like, you know, 87 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:39,320 like obviously that is not like right after worlds, but it's 88 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:41,840 long enough after worlds that it's, you know, different time 89 00:04:41,840 --> 00:04:45,240 period and stuff. And we, we had the week in 90 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:47,440 between and we were, you know, we took the two days off 91 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:50,040 afterwards and did our things that we had for like planned 92 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:51,400 with our strength and conditioning coach and 93 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:53,960 everything. And we were, we felt very 94 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:57,800 prepared and ready to go for the that our own individual events. 95 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,480 And we felt, you know, like we would running into a competition 96 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:03,880 with some extra practices at the event that we were actually 97 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:05,400 there for. So we felt even more 98 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,040 comfortable. So yeah, it's hard to say. 99 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:10,920 I wouldn't, I don't, I would, I wouldn't want to say it's one or 100 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,120 the other yet because we've never done it the other way. 101 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,720 So it's it's hard to say unless you experience it, but I get 102 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:19,920 same thing. I get both sides of it. 103 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:23,160 I think we appreciate our schedule the most. 104 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:26,120 You know, watching the ice dancers do the team event and 105 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:29,160 their event right away, and even the men having two days off in 106 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,800 between, that's something that doesn't usually happen at a 107 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:33,680 skating competition. So I feel like we got pretty 108 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:35,440 lucky on our side of the scheduling. 109 00:05:36,280 --> 00:05:39,600 By the time it was our short program day, we both looked at 110 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:41,880 each other, we're like, OK, like we're ready to do this all over 111 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:43,240 again. We had our downtime. 112 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,080 We then we had time at the practice rink and the main rink 113 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:49,560 still to like, you know, kind of re get into the zone and it was 114 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:51,840 like a really good period of time and length. 115 00:05:51,840 --> 00:05:55,480 But yeah, I don't know, I think the team event relieved some 116 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,360 stress for us a little bit and like kind of had let us take a 117 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:02,040 deep breath and get comfortable. So I think I preferred it that 118 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:03,120 way. Like Trent said, we don't know 119 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:07,440 the opposite, but I think it was it was nice to feel the support 120 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:10,360 behind us and it felt a little bit less intense. 121 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,160 Yeah, it and you didn't have to skate on Friday the 13th, which 122 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:20,200 was a good thing. Tell me also about, you know, 123 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:24,920 the, the Olympics as it was unfolding, you know, the, the, 124 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,560 the sort of unknowns of your teammates, right? 125 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:32,320 Deanna and Max were sort of in limbo of like, we don't know if 126 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:34,080 they're coming. We don't we, we don't know if, 127 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:38,080 if they're going to withdraw and and then finding out that they 128 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:42,400 would come. How, how did the team like Team 129 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:46,440 Canada feel during that time? Were you all kind of in your own 130 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:52,080 zones or was that did that affect the team and the morale a 131 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,560 little bit? You know, I think we were all in 132 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:57,480 our own zones and wanting to do, you know, we, we were all there 133 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,440 to do it, to do our job. But at the same time we were had 134 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:04,360 talked about it like between each of us, just like at 135 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:06,920 different points. And you know, we are all hoping 136 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,120 for them to be better and be able to come to the event. 137 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,280 And, you know, we've been asked if we had, you know, been 138 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,360 messaging, we're talking to them and we tried to leave them with 139 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,360 their own space because, you know, mass media spreading, 140 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:19,160 hitting them all from all angles on this. 141 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,000 So we, that's the way we kind of tried to be had them in our 142 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:24,400 thoughts and we're hoping they would be there 'cause we've been 143 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:27,120 competing against them for, you know, this whole quad. 144 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:29,800 And for myself, I've been competing against Max Indiana 145 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,360 for a long time. So, you know, to see them live 146 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:35,280 their dream as well that we also, you know, had we both had 147 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:38,400 hands in each other's journeys through this experience. 148 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,760 We definitely wanted them to be there, but yeah, we tried not to 149 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:45,000 be, you know, we wanted them to have their own space because we, 150 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,400 I wouldn't in their shoes, I would probably want that as well 151 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,600 if we were like sitting at home trying to, you know, do this. 152 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:55,200 So but, you know, we all were very, really happy once they, 153 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:58,080 we've been told by, you know, our our team that they would be 154 00:07:58,080 --> 00:07:59,520 coming. And it was very exciting when 155 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:01,640 they got there and we all finally got to take our big team 156 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:03,600 photo together with the rings was really nice. 157 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,640 But yeah, no, we just, I think it was, you know, just had them 158 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:09,480 in our thoughts the whole times and it was really nice to have 159 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:12,320 them there in the end. Yeah, First Olympics, right? 160 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:18,040 The two of you were I, I don't know, I feel like you, the 2 of 161 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:21,040 you, really kind of took in the experience. 162 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:27,160 A lot of the athletes I felt in this Olympics really took 163 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:31,480 advantage of the Olympic experience, the village, the 164 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:36,120 opening, the closing, you know, as much as they can possibly fit 165 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:38,679 in without, you know, sort of tiring themselves out. 166 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:43,840 I think also very different from four years ago when we didn't 167 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:48,200 have as robust of an Olympic experience because it was COVID 168 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:51,920 Olympics. So tell me about that. 169 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:56,160 Tell me about the three weeks, your favorite things, your less 170 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:59,520 favorite things you know, and anything that stands out to you 171 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:03,160 from your time in Milan. I think it was really cool, like 172 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:06,000 you said, because Beijing was the most recent Olympics and it 173 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:11,520 was kind of unknown and there was not a lot of activities 174 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:12,920 maybe that you could participate in. 175 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:14,920 We weren't there, but Maddie skis it. 176 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:18,920 So we train alongside, had some stories and even our coach Mike 177 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:21,880 Marinara, like he went to Pyeongchang and Beijing. 178 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,800 And I think even just those the past three games have been so 179 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:28,000 different. So heading into Milan, I kind of 180 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,000 was like asking them for advice or just like curious about what 181 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,880 their experience was like, just so that I had some expectations. 182 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:36,840 And then after hearing their stories and the differences of 183 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:38,440 what we we'd kind of heard rumblings about. 184 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:41,240 And Milano was like, I think we're just going to have to wait 185 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,000 until we get there and experience it in the present 186 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,000 because there's really nothing that compares. 187 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:50,320 Even just this Olympics, having five separate villages is 188 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:52,880 something completely new to the Olympics in general. 189 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:58,440 So it was definitely very cool to not have any expectations. 190 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:02,520 I thought we definitely took advantage of the opening 191 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:04,040 ceremonies. I mean, we competed the team 192 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:07,200 short on that day and we were up I think at 5:00 in the morning 193 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:09,880 for our 10:30 AM. Yeah. 194 00:10:11,560 --> 00:10:14,800 It was and then by the time the team event was done that day, we 195 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:20,400 went back to our house. I never knew what to call that 196 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,320 thing, but our home, the village and. 197 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:26,480 Your dorm room. Yeah, maybe for like 2 hours and 198 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,040 then we were on the bus on the way to opening ceremonies, which 199 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:31,880 was super cool. Also very long. 200 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,200 But exactly what you said, like managing energy levels and like 201 00:10:35,560 --> 00:10:38,280 knowing when to fit in a little power nap or wanting when to 202 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,240 grab a snack. Just like experiencing. 203 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:42,800 I think that was the most Olympic day that we could have 204 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,680 ever had was to compete in the team event for Canada and then 205 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:48,040 also be a part of the Olympic opening ceremonies is like 206 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:51,400 really cool. Yeah, I mean, I think the the 207 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:55,480 interesting thing, like you said there for also being the first 208 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:59,080 one in the Olympics since COVID, there was such a an experience 209 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:01,440 like throughout, I mean, you probably felt it, but like even 210 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:03,960 when we went out to like out of the the village or anything, 211 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,800 there were so many fans and so, so people were so excited. 212 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:08,880 It seemed to be there and to be watching. 213 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,840 And you saw it throughout all the events, like sold out crowds 214 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:13,960 at at like all the skating events, all the speed skating 215 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,080 events, everything in Milan. So it was really a great 216 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:18,920 experience. And it felt like what the 217 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:22,280 Olympics in my head had was going to be like. 218 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:23,560 So that was obviously really nice. 219 00:11:23,560 --> 00:11:25,760 So you know what kind of like check off one of those boxes of 220 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,280 that. But at the same time also, I 221 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,040 just felt like the best way to describe it was like 10 year old 222 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:35,360 me was freaking out for three weeks and the 29 year old 223 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,720 athlete in me was at a really calm place. 224 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:39,800 Like it felt like we were because it's been part of the 225 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:41,760 plan for so long and we were prepared. 226 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:44,840 And also because we've gone through competitions where, you 227 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,640 know, some, some food might be different. 228 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:49,040 The sleeping arrangements might be weird. 229 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:51,960 Like you just having gone through experiences that you 230 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,200 will go into the we were going into the games of like, OK, 231 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:55,880 we're ready to take anything on sort of thing. 232 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:57,920 If we need to figure out stuff, we need to figure out stuff. 233 00:11:58,200 --> 00:11:59,800 Luckily, we didn't really have to do that. 234 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:03,360 The Coc was really great. We had a really great athlete 235 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:07,160 lounge in our in our building for Team Canada that had a lot 236 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,080 of snacks and foods that we were all used to having daily and 237 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:12,120 then was a nice area for us to all hang out. 238 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:14,840 I mean, I spent a lot of time in there hanging out, chatting with 239 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:16,840 other athletes and everything, which was also part of the 240 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,400 reason, you know, of the of the Olympics and it was super 241 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,880 exciting to be there for. So yeah, I mean, on my end I 242 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,160 almost have 0 complaints. I just thought it was a great 243 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:28,600 experience in general. And also it was our first game, 244 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:30,640 so we didn't have anything to compare it to, which I also 245 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:32,640 think was super nice in that sense as well. 246 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:36,040 Yeah, I mean, everybody talks about this too when they go to 247 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:38,120 the Olympics. It's it's a whole different 248 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:41,480 thing because you're everything is amplified. 249 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:45,560 Your experience there is, is just like overloaded with 250 00:12:45,560 --> 00:12:49,840 sensory stuff. But also your, the, the amount 251 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:53,800 of exposure that you get that figure skating gets is just 252 00:12:53,800 --> 00:13:00,160 multiplied in like in, in such a, a different kind of order of 253 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:05,000 magnitude, you know, to the point where Jesse Ware gave you 254 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:09,120 flowers for your short program. You know, like you, you were, 255 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:13,680 you had you, you had those experiences that you probably 256 00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:16,360 would otherwise not have if it weren't for the Olympics. 257 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:23,200 And so that short program for you, my segue is, as you were 258 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:25,360 saying, such a, such a special program for you. 259 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,600 And it's been, it's been a, a great program all season. 260 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:33,000 Tell me about the origins of that program. 261 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:36,200 And then also tell me about the couple of times you stated it at 262 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:40,120 the Olympics and you were third after the short program in the 263 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:42,320 individual events. So how did that all feel? 264 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:46,200 Music process for us is interesting. 265 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:50,160 We're both very passionate and we both feel very strongly about 266 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:52,040 the music we skate to. And that was actually one of the 267 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:54,080 things that I was really happy that Trent felt the same way 268 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,840 because I was very picky about music as a single skier. 269 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:02,560 And he is also, I wouldn't say picky, but like particular, like 270 00:14:02,560 --> 00:14:05,160 we know how we feel when we listen to something. 271 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:09,960 So I think it was Madison Hubbell who sent us the piece 272 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,360 and we had listened to it. And it's funny because our coach 273 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:17,800 had had the same piece in a playlist for us for this year. 274 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,400 So it was like a weird full circle moment that both of them 275 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:24,760 had kind of seen this vision of us skating to that music, and it 276 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:28,920 was a really smooth and easy choreographical process. 277 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:32,440 With Madison Hubbell, she kind of took the lead on that and 278 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:36,120 she's just amazing and we look up to her very much and all that 279 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:39,440 whole crew in then. But it was also really cool 280 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:41,560 because we've been working with them for now three years, so 281 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:43,840 they have really got to know us as skaters. 282 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:46,640 We've gotten to know them. And so that process of making 283 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:49,560 the program was very cool, and she had kind of had like a 284 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:53,080 storyline already set out when they cut the music and we really 285 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,280 connected to it right away. Yeah. 286 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:57,840 I mean, just on one tidbit from that, like the first day we were 287 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:01,960 there doing choreography with Maddie and Adrian, Maddie had, 288 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,720 like Leah said, took kind of the reins for most of the program 289 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:06,640 and she started skating to it. And Leah and I looked at each 290 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:08,360 other like, oh, this is going to be good. 291 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:13,200 Like right away we were like, wow, this is gonna be good. 292 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:18,200 We're usually because she looked good, but we were like, OK, if 293 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,920 we can like even do 50% of this, this is gonna be special. 294 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:24,520 Yeah. So, you know, I think that was a 295 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:29,240 big part of 2 two things. One, that we love this program 296 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:32,440 so much and that it was built around how we skated while still 297 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:34,640 improving our own skating and trying to push ourselves. 298 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:37,640 Obviously because we like to be push ourselves out of our 299 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:39,080 comfort box. And that's how we want to 300 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:42,120 continually improve our skating skills because we know at the 301 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:45,520 end of the day, you know, that's what's going to put us in the 302 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,320 top group. That's we can all we can all do 303 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:51,600 the elements in senior. It's the those extra little 304 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:53,600 pieces that actually little skating that'll put us in the 305 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:55,960 top group. So we are always continually 306 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:58,000 trying to work on that. And that's also like one of the 307 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,360 things that we both love about skating, Like we both have 308 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:03,280 fallen in love with skating because of performances by other 309 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:06,400 people. So we want to give that to fans, 310 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:09,800 the judges, everyone. So that's part of it. 311 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:12,920 But also at the same time, when we did Stars last year, we 312 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:15,240 pretty much did, we did a short every show. 313 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,560 So we did one of our programs had a twist side by side jump, a 314 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:20,720 throw, a lift and a death spiral in it. 315 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:22,680 So we just didn't do side by side spin. 316 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:27,680 Not as fun show skating, you know, So you know, yeah. 317 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,560 So we that I think I'd also really helped us going into this 318 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:34,560 season because we were like, you know, it's shows you travel in 319 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:37,480 the we did some shows where we traveled that night to the 320 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:39,680 venue. So it's like, you know, we got 321 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:41,360 to figure this out. We want to put this down and 322 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:44,200 show the audience, you know, this great program that we've 323 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,160 done. So that helped us take that like 324 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:49,920 confidence from from stars into the performance of this. 325 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:53,080 And I also think stars just made us better performers once again, 326 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:56,640 getting to be out there with, you know, some of the great, 327 00:16:56,640 --> 00:17:00,200 some great performers and working with Kurt, getting to 328 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,000 watch Elvis, working with Jason, like being a part of the cast 329 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,319 with Jason Brown. You know, just some people who 330 00:17:05,319 --> 00:17:08,560 are like such standout stars in the the actual skating aspect 331 00:17:08,839 --> 00:17:10,839 really helped us. Like, we just tried to take as 332 00:17:10,839 --> 00:17:13,920 much as that into the season as we could and just keep 333 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:15,640 developing and throughout the season. 334 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:18,200 And, you know, really trying not to just be like, oh, this is 335 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:19,240 good. OK, We're here. 336 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:23,160 Like we, we just even if it's a little bit, we got to get the 337 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:27,040 little bits like and continue with that Like so I think that 338 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:30,360 we did a really great job with the short, obviously was one of 339 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:33,080 the stand up performances for the season for us, but also just 340 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:34,920 taking that into our own skating in general. 341 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:41,440 Yeah, I mean that you you talk about the continuous desire to 342 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:44,680 push yourselves forward and and so forth. 343 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:52,560 The two of you got together in 2022 and then like months later 344 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:59,120 we're 6th at worlds and and that was a very like big start to the 345 00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:03,720 two of you as a pair. Take me back the last four years 346 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:08,600 because the the last four years has been interesting in not only 347 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:12,920 in the two of you kind of growing up in as a pair, but in 348 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:17,360 the pairs in general across the world where the the level of 349 00:18:17,360 --> 00:18:20,880 pair skating continue to go up every single year. 350 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:28,200 And you've had to figure out how to kind of craft your own space 351 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:31,320 in the world of pairs, right. And and there were times when 352 00:18:31,360 --> 00:18:34,600 maybe sometimes it felt a little bit stagnant and then you found 353 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:36,600 a new gear and you pushed yourself further. 354 00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:39,760 Tell me about some of the like highlights and where you felt 355 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:43,720 like the last four years you were able to really get yourself 356 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:46,680 into a different level. Yeah, it's very interesting 357 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:49,680 going back and thinking about it and just like even watching old 358 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:53,440 programs where we were like, yes, we are so good. 359 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:56,280 And now I look, yeah. We're rock stars and. 360 00:18:57,520 --> 00:18:59,760 I'm like, or, you know, sometimes we get comments like, 361 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:01,560 oh, you can really see their newness in the skating. 362 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:02,880 And I'm like, what are these people talking about? 363 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:06,280 Like, we look great. And I'm like, OK, clearly we 364 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:09,680 were new. Clearly we've improved a lot, 365 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:13,920 yeah. But it was, it is very nice to 366 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:16,200 look back on. And yes, coming 6th at our first 367 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:18,840 worlds was something that I was not expecting. 368 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:23,840 I think I was like extremely naive to what all of that was 369 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:25,840 about. We had done our first 370 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,560 international, I guess in the fall, Croatia. 371 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:32,760 December, yeah. December and we had placed third 372 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,160 with like a throw double S how I think actually we did 2 throw 373 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:36,880 double S. Two throw double s. 374 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:39,320 Yeah, we just did triple twists and jumps. 375 00:20:10,120 --> 00:20:14,760 But yeah, I think actually partially looking back on our 376 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:17,840 old skating is one of the things that really inspired us to come 377 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:20,080 back to Gladiator. I don't know if this is the 378 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,320 proper time to segue into this, but. 379 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:28,000 Let's talk about it, yeah? We usually our team will in the 380 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:29,600 month of December. This year we didn't make Grand 381 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:32,720 Prix Final, which we were hoping to do, but we know that the 382 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,680 season can be very long. So we kind of took December as 383 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:39,440 like a bit of a refresh. And so our coach Allison had us 384 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:43,720 skating to different pieces of music, same program, same 385 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:46,600 layout, just skating to different pieces of music. 386 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,760 Kind of just to re spark some of the choreography highlights, 387 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:52,840 just to kind of like maybe move differently. 388 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,000 And the one day she kind of came in with like a little smirk on 389 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,120 her face and clicked Gladiator. And we were like, what? 390 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:04,080 So we skated our mission long program to our old Gladiator 391 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:08,000 piece and we were like, wow, this is we really resonated with 392 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:09,880 this music and we loved it so much. 393 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:12,840 And we feel like we've grown so much as skaters and performers 394 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,640 that this is something that maybe we want to bring back. 395 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:18,720 And that was not even the intention at all. 396 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:20,480 We had no intention of changing our music. 397 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:23,400 We had just kind of really felt something. 398 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:25,880 And so the next day we came in and we skated it again. 399 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:28,520 And then we kind of started changing some transitions and 400 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:32,840 had a talk with our team, the three of us, and then got some 401 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:37,080 outside little opinions on just if we felt like it was a good 402 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:41,400 idea and we really did. So we kind of just like started 403 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:45,120 right away of just like re jigging the program. 404 00:21:45,120 --> 00:21:49,920 And yeah, I think it was a really cool process for us just 405 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:54,480 because we have like expanded our performance range and we 406 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:57,080 have, you know, lengthened our skating, We're faster. 407 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:00,720 We kind of like still felt that passion towards that music and 408 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:03,400 almost felt like Gladiator never really had its moment. 409 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:05,920 Like we, I mean, we won Grand Prix de France that year, We 410 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:08,080 made it to final. We had a lot of accomplishments 411 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:11,760 within that season, but we just felt like it needed like one 412 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:15,400 more staple of a of a performance and that we still 413 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:21,000 had some stones unturned and it was a really cool process. 414 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,600 And aside now I was very excited for a Part 2 of the gladiator 415 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:26,120 dress because that's one of my favorites. 416 00:22:26,120 --> 00:22:30,360 So I was like I need to not. Make there. 417 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:33,440 Was vision based on the fact that I want a new dress? 418 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:38,360 Let me let me decide that this is the program and not just 419 00:22:38,360 --> 00:22:41,320 about the new dress. I will give it to her. 420 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:43,320 She did say that out loud. She's like, OK, what? 421 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:45,200 Hold up. I got to take myself out of this 422 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:46,400 for a second. I don't need. 423 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,840 It's not about the dress, OK? They're like, OK, that's fair. 424 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:51,680 Because I'm proud of you for saying that. 425 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:55,000 It is, but it isn't right? It is, but it isn't. 426 00:22:56,640 --> 00:23:01,000 At the Olympics you had a a a great skate in the team event. 427 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:05,600 You probably wanted a little bit better in the, in the free 428 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,880 skate, in the individual event, but still like those four 429 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:13,120 programs that you did there were some of the the the best ones of 430 00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:15,280 your career. I mean, under that, under the 431 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:21,000 pressure, under the, the, the, the sort of occasion of it. 432 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:28,400 All right, how does it feel now that you are bonafide Olympians? 433 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:33,400 You are able to go to a tattoo parlor and say, give me those 434 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:34,920 rings. There it is. 435 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:39,720 There it is. How does it feel now that do you 436 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:43,200 go into your, what, 4th World Championships together? 437 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:46,480 Do you go into that with a different kind of motivation 438 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:48,720 now? Yeah, I definitely think you 439 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:50,880 know it. There's a level of confidence 440 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:55,040 that we can take we from the Olympics and from nationals and 441 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:57,760 we took that confidence from nationals into the Olympics and 442 00:23:57,760 --> 00:23:59,640 it helped us a lot. And we're excited to take the 443 00:23:59,880 --> 00:24:04,720 Olympic experience we had into worlds and for the same thing. 444 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:08,640 And, you know, it's really it is really cool outside of the 445 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:10,760 skating fact, one of the things that I found that was really, 446 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:13,680 really cool about this whole Olympic experience is, you know, 447 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,760 just seeing the amount of joy that random strangers have felt 448 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:21,680 from watching the Olympics and like just even being out and in 449 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:23,920 town, whatever. And people recognizing you and 450 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:26,040 say, you know, thank you so much for your performances and 451 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:29,160 representing the country so well and seeing like that legitimate 452 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:33,320 joy in their eyes and their face and at that part has been really 453 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:35,200 cool. So that also, I think, you know, 454 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,720 we carry that with us too, because that was part of what we 455 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:39,960 wanted to do and what we still want to do. 456 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:41,840 So we're like, yeah, OK, let's do that. 457 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:44,640 It like we can do that more. Like there's still some left in 458 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:47,600 the tank. It's not like you know, every, 459 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:50,640 it was the best performances we we could ever do or ever hope 460 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:51,920 for that. There were some really great 461 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,240 things in both of them. And obviously, you know, we are 462 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:57,480 very happy with all them, but we have some we we feel like we can 463 00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,440 still give a little bit more and do a little bit more. 464 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:03,360 So I think we're excited to have that opportunity to do that 465 00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:05,000 again. But also take that, you know, 466 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:08,000 those tools that we learned from the Olympics and from nationals 467 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:12,080 with us, because that's what, you know, as I think one of our 468 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:16,040 greatest strengths is that we good, bad, ugly, amazing. 469 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:18,960 We take those tools and put them in our toolbox and we use them 470 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:20,640 for whenever we need to down the road. 471 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:23,320 And we're, we just threw more stuff into our toolbox that's 472 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:26,240 going to be really helpful for us at worlds and you know, down 473 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:28,440 the line. So we're really excited to, you 474 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:31,440 know, be walking into worlds as Canadian champions and Canadian 475 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:33,880 Olympians. As performers, you're always 476 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:37,800 wanting to improve, and Trent and I kind of get in this hole 477 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,920 sometimes of even competing really well or training really 478 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:42,920 well. And the first thing we bring up 479 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:47,760 is what we want to do better. And I think that part of me and 480 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:52,080 us trying to really like, stay proud and excited of our 481 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,120 performances. We lived it, we experienced it, 482 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:58,840 We felt proud sitting in that kiss and cry. 483 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:00,800 It didn't matter what the scores had said. 484 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:04,720 We knew how we skated and that we prepared as best we could to 485 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:08,680 get up to that moment. So I mean, in most cases, then 486 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:11,600 we sat in the kiss and cry and we're also extremely proud of 487 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:13,040 the score that we were able to put out. 488 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,240 But we recognize that that's out of our control. 489 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:19,880 So we really try to focus on the fact of what we can control and 490 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:22,960 how we're going to put ourselves in the best position to do that. 491 00:26:23,360 --> 00:26:26,520 But all that being said as well, I really tried to not go back 492 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:29,320 and watch our performances for a while because I really just 493 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:33,000 wanted to sit with how it felt rather than what it looked like. 494 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:36,000 I have now. I think it was maybe only a week 495 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:39,880 ago, gone back and watched and have been able to kind of, you 496 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:42,680 know, highlight some things that we can improve on and we can 497 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,480 really just perfect before worlds. 498 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:48,000 And I think that's kind of like the perfect balance of just like 499 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,160 feeling the performance, feeling all the emotions associated with 500 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:55,840 that, and then allowing space for us to just sit with that and 501 00:26:55,840 --> 00:27:01,200 then to kind of get into like the athletes and perfectionism 502 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:04,400 in US at a later date. So I think we did a really good 503 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:07,080 job of that as well, just like being present and enjoying the 504 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:11,280 moment of all four performances. Well, back to Europe for the two 505 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:15,440 of you and to the rest of the skating community next week for 506 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,920 the World Championships. Excited to see you and best of 507 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:23,200 luck with the rest of your training and your travels going 508 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:24,360 over there. Awesome. 509 00:27:24,360 --> 00:27:26,000 Thanks, Jackie. Thanks for having us on OF. 510 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:27,640 Course. Bye. 511 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:28,160 Thank you.