Sometimes he still jumps. Most likely in the “fun hours” at the end of the season. But Rittberger, Axel and Toeloop are no longer part of Michail Savitskiy’s program. Four and a half years ago, the Offenbach figure skater became a dancer on the ice. “Ice dancing is a much more theatrical sport,” says Savitskiy: “It’s more about acting, how you dance together as a couple and tell a story in your programs.”
At first he didn’t value it that much. “But I have become wiser.” Now he can no longer imagine his life without gliding and dancing with his partner Darya Grimm. His beloved jumping is forbidden to him.
A week and a half ago, the two achieved great success in the Taiwanese capital Taipei. For the first time, a German ice dancing couple won a medal at the Junior World Championships: bronze. “It’s very cool that we’re going down in history like this,” says Savitskiy.
have patience
Coach Rostislav Sinicyn recognized the potential early on. The expert from the former Soviet Union had advised his runner during the time of doubt that he just had to be patient and stick with it.
“Figure skating is expensive,” says Savitskiy. : Image: EPA
Persistence had not necessarily been Savitskiy’s strength in the past. Today he trains up to 50 hours a week. He gave up gymnastics at the age of ten and his mother, who was an ice skater, advised him to try skates. The parents moved with their youngest son to Oberstdorf, where his brother Daniel, who was five years older, lived and trained.
Live and train
The parents, who had completed their studies in physics and computer science in Russia and Belarus, had moved to Germany because of their careers, and the next move was not difficult for them. Because “it went quite well in the individual,” says Mikhail Savitskiy. His ability was enough for the national squad. But after six years he lost interest. Again it was the mother who showed her offspring the way. A test in ice dancing with Darya Grimm, who was also tired of individual fate, was promising.
The new combination surprised in the first junior season 2021/22 with two sixth places at the Grands Prix and fifth place at the World Championships. A year later, Grimm/Savitskiy achieved their first victory in the Grand Prix series. However, they had to give up during the World Cup due to Grimm stopping food poisoning. Nevertheless, says her partner, the basis for the successes in the season that ended was laid.
But last summer it wasn’t clear whether they would be able to continue their top-class sports careers. “Figure skating is expensive,” says Savitskiy, adding: “More than 1,000 euros a year for the skates, 500 to 1,000 euros for each costume, several 1,000 euros for the choreographies, and the trainer also costs a lot.”
No money
The German Ice Skating Union (DEU) told them before the season that they had no money for support. “You ask yourself what the association brings you,” says Savitskiy. With him he saw the smaller problem. As a sports soldier, he receives a salary every month. “Without the Bundeswehr, I wouldn’t have survived this long in this sport,” says the computer science student.
“It was more difficult with Darya,” because her mother made her career possible. Finding sponsors is very difficult in figure skating in Germany. Thanks to a painstaking search, it “somehow” worked. After the successes, including the World Cup bronze, those responsible at the DEU promised to at least reimburse the costs for the competitions: “But nothing has happened yet.”
Katja Sturm Published/Updated: Katja Sturm Published/Updated: Katja Sturm Published/Updated:
Savitskiy doesn’t just have great talent for figure skating. He played the piano for a long time and well: “I traveled a lot, played in Cyprus and Georgia and took part in music competitions in Germany.”
After graduating from high school, he could no longer combine daily piano practice with figure skating and had to make a decision: “An athlete’s life is very short, at 30 it’s already going downhill,” is how he explains his decision in favor of a career on ice, although it costs more money than it brings. He could get back to his piano playing and performances later: “There are many who, at 80, still play as if they were 20.”
