Julia Stupak made a loud statement on social networks at the end of the season. The Olympic champion announced the transfer from the group of Yuri Borodavko to Egor Sorin, which in the ski world can be called almost the transfer of the year.
"Since we love the hot news and grind it to the bone, I decided to make an announcement. From next season I will train as part of Yegor Sorin's group. Many thanks to Yuri Viktorovich for his understanding and support. I don't want to bother with this topic anymore. Just like the topic of the IOC's decision," Stupak wrote.
Borodavko, who has more than ten athletes in the group in addition to Stupak, including Alexander Bolshunov and Natalia Nepryaeva, was sympathetic to the skier's desire and wished her good luck.
"It was Julia's decision. Just like moving to my group before this season. Since she thinks it's better that way, and if she can prepare better in Yegor's group, I'll be glad. We have an agreement: she has the right to choose where and how she prepares. There are absolutely no complaints on my part against her. Just a wish that she was able to prepare as well as possible and reach her former condition. There were absolutely no conflicts. For my part, I tried to help and meet her halfway. I think there are no complaints about me from her side. And vice versa," Borodavko said in an interview with Match TV.
At the same time, according to Sorin, this statement by Stupak is a bit premature, since the final decision is made by the coaching council, which will be held in April.
"Of course, if an athlete of such magnitude as Julia has a desire to work in my group, under my guidance, then this, of course, increases my motivation. It's nice. And if everything eventually works out, we will work. Now there are preliminary negotiations on which of the athletes in which groups will train next season. So far, Yulia and I have decided so after personal communication, but the final decision will be made at a coaching meeting, which will be held in April in Kirovsk, "the specialist said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
The reason for the skier's transition, in general, is clear. Previously, Stupak, together with Sergei Ustyugov, worked with Markus Kramer. However, in February last year, the situation changed. And despite the desire of the German specialist to stay in Russia, he had to leave the country, and the athletes had to scatter to other groups and coaches: the Olympic champion chose Sorin, and Yulia - Borodavko. But adjusting to the new requirements was not so easy.
The first could not stand Ustyugov, who, unlike Stupak, retained a connection with Marcus. Initially, it was planned that Egor would consult with Kramer about the plan for the preparation of Sergey.
"We probably initially did not agree on how our cooperation would take place. In my vision, Marcus was in charge, and Sorin had to control. He had a different position. As a result, somewhere they began to disperse, "Ustyugov explained.
As a result, the head of the FLGR Elena Vyalbe allowed Sergey to prepare for the competitions independently in Khanty-Mansiysk according to the plans that the German sent him. And it bore fruit: Ustyugov, in addition to the sprint at the Russian Championships, also won the "marathon", ahead of Alexander Bolshunov by almost three minutes.
Stupak's season was very different. She did not leave Borodavko, although she also felt out of place, which she openly talked about in an interview, while speaking very warmly about the specialist.
"In the team, there is such an atmosphere from him ... Relaxed. That is, he just calmly talks, calmly explains the task. Everything is done in a measured manner and without shouting! He never once said I did something wrong or underperformed something. I'm very, very grateful to him. However, I see that it did not fit some criterion. I have my own history, my own vision, ambitions. And psychology is its own. For me, it's softer, smoother. Yuri Viktorovich's psychology is such that you need to work on the rupture of the aorta, "Julia admitted.
The psychological state also affected the athlete. According to her, she could not recover after the Olympics in Beijing. As a result, in search of a solution to the problems in early December, the skier quit the competition and went to train with Kramer in Italy. This helped: at the "Championship Heights" in Malinovka, Stupak was in an excellent mood, and Borodavko noted her good functional readiness. At the Russian Championships, she won bronze in the team sprint, representing the Komi Republic.
And it is quite logical that Julia then wants to find a compromise option again, in which she can continue to work with Marcus, albeit remotely, like Ustyugov. It seems that borodavko and Kramer's collaboration proved impossible, while Sorin agreed to try again.
"We discussed it all together in advance. I will help her together with Egor and support her, "the German specialist said.
It remains to be hoped that such a symbiosis will benefit Stupak, and next season the fans will see the same Yulia, who is fighting for high places in both Russian and international competitions.