Taschlerová & Taschler on a journey to attain their targets

By Matteo Morelli | Skating Picture by Robin Ritoss

Representing the Czech Republic, Natálie Taschlerová & Filip Taschler are a partnership that’s repeatedly enhancing and keen to indicate their full potential. They’re presently coaching on the Younger Goose Academy in Bolzano, Italy, with a staff of coaches that features Matteo Zanni and Barbora Silná. We met them after they competed at Grand Prix of Espoo, and talked about their journey as siblings ice dancers, how they arrange their targets and work in the direction of them.

Taschlerova & Taschler after the Rhythm Dance at Grand Prix Espoo. Picture by Matteo Morelli.

Natálie and Filip, thanks for locating a while to speak to us at Grand Prix of Espoo. With Sheffield, that is your second senior Grand Prix occasion. How do you are feeling after having accomplished each competitions?

Filip Taschler (FT): We’re so pleased with each our rhythm dance and free dance! It was significantly better than Sheffield. We arrived right here with out expectation and it was extra relaxed for us. General, it was very nice and we discovered a method to take one other step ahead.

Natálie Taschlerová (NT): Sure, I agree. The work that we tried to place in after Sheffield in only one and a half week paid off and we’re actually comfortable about it. We made some very small modifications that most likely nobody can acknowledge. 

FT: We’re so fortunate that our coach (Matteo Zanni) cuts the music. He has his pocket book subsequent to the ice and modifications it instantly as we go, so we’ve got new music for each competitors! 

Your free programme presents a powerful theme about nature and the planet. How did you provide you with that concept and the way did you develop it? 

FT: This was my thought from already two years in the past, after we completed the junior season. I noticed this idea with a synchronized skating staff. I used to be stunned they did a local weather change theme and located it actually robust and provoking. We mentioned this concept with Matteo and he was comfortable to attempt to develop it. The music had far more phrases firstly of the season, however we acquired some suggestions that it was possibly a bit too political, so we labored on some modifications to maintain it extra impartial and focussed on nature as a theme. 

Let’s take a look at once you began skating. How previous have been you once you first put skates on, and the way did you find yourself skating collectively as a staff? 

NT: I began skating once I was two, Filip began when he was 4. We are able to mainly say we’ve got been skating for entire our lives! We each began in single skating, we tried synchro, after which Filip approached ice dance whereas I used to be nonetheless in singles, however then I bought injured. I broke my arm whereas doing gymnastics, and from then I used to be scared to leap, and everybody was telling me that I had good skating expertise and I ought to strive the ice dance.

FT: At that time, I used to be not so pleased with my ex-partner, so we resolve to strive skating collectively, and right here we’re!

Do you assume the truth that you might be siblings lets you be extra direct and clear with one another?

NT: For certain. It’s known as household enterprise for a purpose! We’ve got a really pure connection and we’re having fun with extra time collectively now, which is nice. 

FT: We’ve got such a powerful connection earlier than a contest, and typically when I’m nervous she will really feel it instantly. We’ve got ups and downs in fact, however it’s regular. We’re additionally working with a psychological coach. General, we’ve got a powerful connection on the ice, and skating helps us to enhance our relationship. 

Let’s take a look at your senior profession to date. You competed at some worldwide occasions already, nevertheless the Covid-19 pandemic noticed a sequence of occasions getting cancelled over the past couple of years. How did you reside this explicit time in current historical past?

FT: We have been actually fortunate as a result of our ice rink in Italy was open on a regular basis. We had actually strict restrictions, however we have been skating rather a lot. Our coach is wonderful, he retains saying that in each scenario we’ve got to consider the optimistic aspect of it. So we used that point to enhance and concentrate on our major aim, the Olympic Video games. 

NT: And in addition I believe this era of COVID-19 helped us to get extra used to dwelling in Italy, to satisfy new folks and get into the life there, as a result of it was the primary season that we spent within the nation. So, we bought nearer with everybody and that was good. 

You talked about the Olympic Video games have been your aim: you managed to make that dream come true! How did you reside this distinctive expertise? 

FT: It was very worrying as a result of I bought injured and I needed to miss the summer time preparation. It was arduous, I assumed my dream was gone, however I labored rather a lot with my psychological coach and we made it occur! We certified and it was an incredible expertise, being on the ice with all the highest groups was so inspiring. We tried to soak up every part from our time there.

NT: Going again to the household enterprise we talked about earlier, it was good to attain our aim for our mother and for our dad, as a result of we have been at all times speaking about it with them. We sacrificed rather a lot, together with spending time with our father within the Czech Republic. We left for the USA with our mother and we saved going, which was actually arduous however in the long run, that is what paid off. General, we had an incredible time. The entire month there was fairly lengthy, however after we bought to the competitors it actually felt that we have been on the Olympics. 

Speaking in regards to the future and your goals, have you ever bought a transparent path in thoughts that you just need to comply with? 

NT: The aim is that we need to assault as a lot as attainable on the Europeans, the spots are open for everybody proper now, and we’re enthusiastic about that. We set the targets, however we at all times depart them open as a result of we skate for ourselves, not only for the medals. Additionally at this Grand Prix in Espoo, we didn’t get a medal and possibly we have been dreaming about it, however on the finish we have been tremendous comfortable as a result of we skated clear and improved. 

Having the proper assist to attain your targets is vital, and appears like your coaches are very a lot in your aspect. How would you outline your relationship with them?

FT: I believe it’s a fairly robust one. It feels extra like a household relationship in a method. Barbora (Silná) has been working with us since after we began our junior years. We’ve got a extremely deep connection together with her and likewise with Matteo, who was the primary one who instructed us that our father died. They’re attempting to place 100% in for us and to push us working in the direction of our targets to make them occur. Generally, it’s arduous to work with us for certain, due to the stress we’re beneath and, let’s say, as a result of we’re nonetheless youngsters in a method!

NT: By rising up, we admire the connection greater than earlier than. Particularly me, once I was youthful I used to be fairly one thing for Matteo’s nerves, so we admire them working with us!

FT: The staff in Italy is wonderful and it’s beginning to develop, and likewise the ice dance motion within the Czech Republic is beginning to develop rather a lot. In our staff in Bolzano, we now have the Georgian couple (Maria Kazakova and Georgy Reviya) with us, so we’re extra aggressive at coaching which is healthier for all of us to push ourselves.

The staff spirit was noticeable in Sheffield, the place each you and the Georgian couple competed.

NT: We loved it rather a lot, it was a brand new expertise for us as a staff to go together with two {couples} and one coach, but it surely was wonderful. On the observe classes, we have been giving one another the look and saying “let’s go”!