Povilas Vanagas, about 50 years old with his wife and priest, life in Russia and the dream of leaving her | sports

On July 23 at Paul and Margarita’s house in the underworld it had to be different. Nearby, best friends and friends had to gather here. However, all plans were foiled by a coronavirus pandemic that hit the planet in the spring.

So the 50th anniversary, with strong ties to family members and many friends around the world, welcomed only those who could be around. Drobiazko’s father also planned to go to the spacious skate department in the private house neighborhood near Vnukovo airport, but decided to stay home for health reasons.

But despite the obstacles that limited the live meeting, the jubilee received so many congratulations that all the congratulators probably would not have had enough seats in the stands of the largest arena in which Povil and Margarita had to perform during their impressive career.

The most anticipated, of course, was one of the closest: Brother Simo and his family living in the US, Father Povilas, a Kaunas doctor. And of course the mother is Lilija Vanagienė, president of the Lithuanian Skating Federation. The man, thanks to whom Povilas, when he was only three years old, stood on the ice, survived even the strongest winds of intrigue and, together with Margarita, reached heights that are still unattainable for any winter sports representative who defends the honor of independent Lithuania.

Povilas, together with Margarita from Moscow, started skating in 1988. Then the 18-year-old multiple Lithuanian champion came to study at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Although Povilas passed four of the five entrance exams with the highest score, the institute authorities tried to admit those “who need it most.” The boy returned to Kaunas.

“At that time, the students were recruited into the army. And CSKA (Central Sports Sports Club – aut. Past). He offered the service of Povilas in sports, promised a bedroom in Moscow. We agreed. Her partner was already an experienced ice dancer, Margarita Drobiazko, who at the time divorced her ex-partner. Povilas had to learn a lot again, because individual skating and ice dancing are very different things. Also, her son kept saying that this stage was just an opportunity to avoid avoiding serving in the military. However, the couple began to participate in the competition, immediately took tenth place in the USSR championship, met the rules of a sports teacher. When Povilas’s service in the army ended, he planned to return to Lithuania. But while still serving in the Soviet army, Lithuania regained its independence, and the opportunity to represent its homeland and participate in the Olympics was the center of attention. So he stayed, “L. Vanagienė recalled.

1992 After debuting at the Alberville Winter Olympics, Povilas and Margarita won the first high-level medal in 1993. They became vice-champions of the World Student University in 2000, and Lithuanian skaters reached the peak of their careers in 2000. , when they became bronze winners of the European and world championships. That year was also marked by his two weddings.

Even the ice dancers who participated in the five Olympics were closest to the Olympic podium in 2002. In Salt Lake City, where they were in fifth place, even two of their main rival pairs collapsed. The Lithuanians then decided not to tolerate the established system and at a specially organized press conference publicly spoke about the behind-the-scenes trial of figure skating and the influence of the great powers on the results. The protest filed by the Lithuanian Skating Federation was ignored, but the snowball they had moved soon turned into an avalanche.

In the same year, 2002, the Lithuanian couple received obvious revenge from the judges during the World Championship in Nagane, where they were relegated to fourth place. This time, athletes and coaches from other countries also participated in the fight, signing a petition for subjective judgment. The International Skating Union had nowhere to withdraw because it was also under pressure from the International Olympic Committee. The figure skating scoring system has changed and has become more objective.

After deciding to end their athletic careers in 2002, Margarita and Povilas returned to the top sports after the evaluation system changed. Once again he took the podium of the European Championship and remained seventh in the fifth Olympic Games of his career in Turin. The final farewell to the sport took place at the 2006 World Cup in Calgary, where the couple from our country remained fourth in the general classification, but won small silver medals for the free program.

His sports career is over, but his performances on ice are not. His carousel twisted so much that even Paul himself could hardly believe: “There was a stage where we had 150-160 performances a year. It’s not realistic for people who finished their sports careers ten years ago. “

The carousel continues to spin. Even during the pandemic, P. Vanagas and M. Drobiazko and their new partners have already started preparing for the television show “Ice Age”, which has gained incredible popularity in Russia. In my mind, the contours of another, already nineteenth “Flaming Ice”.

The symbolic limit of life, 50 years, has already been crossed, and the sparks of the best Lithuanian skater skates of all time continue to shine as they heat the ice.

– Povilai, did you promise yourself something to do before the age of 50? Were these plans implemented?

– No, there were no promises. What you succeed, what you do, and what you fail, do not regret it. Maybe it’s a shame that the life experience I got when I was nearing my 50th birthday didn’t come when I was 15 or 20 (smiles).

– Perhaps one of the goals not met is the Olympic medal?

All athletes who have climbed the top ten in the world dream of an Olympic medal. I can’t guarantee Margarita, but for me, an Olympic medal, like the world or European championships, has never been a desperate dream. Definitely not. We skate all the time because we both love and still love this art and this sport.

– You were closer to the Olympic medal in Salt Lake City, but there, and later in the World Cup, you faced partial judgment, spoke loudly and contributed a lot to changing the evaluation system.

– In fact, it was not we who contributed, but the judges themselves, behind-the-scenes intrigues that showed the imperfection of the system.

The signing of the petition after the World Cup was not initiated by us. This was done by our fellow athletes, coaches. It was a spontaneous maidan, a revolution in the world of figure skating, because the fall of judging that the skaters we had seen with our own eyes was so annoying for everyone that it was no longer possible to wait any longer. And we contributed then, perhaps just because we skidded badly, and the judges did not rate us in the way that, in the eyes of our colleagues, we should have.

– Do you keep the trophies won?

– All medals are beautifully stored in the warehouse. Only the first European championships are in a more prominent place.

– And where are those stuffed animals that flew dozens or even hundreds from the stands on the ice after your performances?

– There are many of them in our house. Sit back and remember those moments. Of course, most are distributed to children, acquaintances.

– Maybe you kept the costumes you appeared on the ice with?

– Yes, most of us have done so far. Some were gifted, others were handed over to other skaters. However, we don’t wear them anymore, maybe we just wear little clothing details sometimes, because the costumes for competition are not always suitable for shows.

– Do you still watch photos, videos of sports career times?

– Of course. Nostalgia still involves, beating the heart. It is good that there are records on the Internet that can be immersed in the atmosphere of those days, once found. You are very grateful for modern technology for this opportunity.

– Do you see with a smile or do you sometimes shed a tear?

– In the heart, we are really tearing it down. Although sometimes they also roll on his cheeks.

– Have you had a difficult transition from an athlete’s career to the world of entertainment?

– It was not difficult for us, because we started to invite ourselves to very serious shows when we participated in the competition, since 1994. Therefore, we got to know the kitchen perfectly. While we were still active athletes, we appeared on the farewell world tour of English skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. To us, they are by far the most prominent personalities in the world of figure skating. Then, similarly, we melted more than a couple more.

When we finished our athletic careers ourselves, we thought that, like most skaters, our performances would not last long. Maybe two or at most three years. This is more common in the world of skating. Over the years, new champions are emerging, new favorites from the public. Producers begin to invite them, and the former receive fewer invitations and thus end this stage of life.

But our lives turned out differently. And after finishing our careers, we received so many invitations to various high-level shows that we started working physically almost harder than playing sports. And this continues to this day.

This was greatly influenced by the fact that in 2002 we made a great dream come true and brought the “Flaming Ice” with world-class stars to Lithuania. We thought it would be once. But already during the first time that we really enjoyed being producers, we saw that the audience in Lithuania is special. This was also seen by the skaters invited to our show. And the “Flaming Ice” story has been going on for 18 years without interruption. We bring this show to Lithuania every year. It is a unique thing. And our audience is not shrinking, but growing.

Another phenomenon that has prolonged our careers is the rise of Russian figure skating and Ilya Averbuch’s ice age television project. He and his partner were our main competitors in 2000, when we won bronze at the European and World Championships. We fought them the fiercest of all, but life turned out to be such that he became a super producer in Russia and invited us to his team. And so we have been together for more than 15 years, touring Russia and other countries.

– Do you follow Lithuanian sports life, figure skating?

– We not only follow, but also invite our most interesting stars to participate in our show in Lithuania every year. And viewers can see live the brightest stars and stars of Lithuanian figure skating.

– Saulius Ambrulevičius, who currently dances with the American Allison Reed, has participated in her show many times. If Lithuanian citizenship is not exceptionally granted, this couple will not be able to realize their Olympic dream. In a similar situation before 2014. Deividas Stagniūnas and Isabella Tobias entered the Sochi Games. They managed to overcome bureaucratic obstacles and start in Sochi. You have experienced the same, because Margarita’s Lithuanian passport and permission to participate in 1992. I have the last minute at the Alberville Games. What is your opinion on granting Lithuanian citizenship to athletes from other countries?

– In my opinion, we should only thank the athletes who decide to represent Lithuania. After all, they climb through themselves, through love for their country, their homeland, and agree to represent another state to defend their honor. It seems to me a fantastic sacrifice.

– What do you do during a coronavirus pandemic when the world of sports and entertainment is surrounded by prohibitions?

– We didn’t stand on the ice for three months because everything was closed. We immerse ourselves in household chores with the greatest pleasure. And it brought enormous satisfaction, because we haven’t had such a cheap summer for probably a couple of decades. At least I don’t remember being able to do what I wanted and how much I wanted.

I like household chores. I love gardening, plant breeding, animal husbandry. Although the animals with us are only four dogs and three cats. By the way, I will be proud: I learned to milk a neighbor’s goat.

We have a garden, we have been eating our own salads for a month and a half, and the herbs are also only from our garden. It grows berry bushes, fruit trees. I cut the grass, repair the house. There is something to do and I do everything with pleasure.

The bicycle helps to keep fit. At first I was alone, then I convinced Rita, we bought a second bike and toured the entire house. We had to buy a bike rack attached to the car and now we often go somewhere new to mention the pedals.

– Maybe you have discovered new hobbies like fishing or practicing mushrooms?

– I’m a passionate mushroom. But it is still too early for mushrooms here. Recently, my mother sent me a photo of my cousin picking up 66 boletus. Such jealousy arrested me, now I look forward to when I too can go pick mushrooms.

Fishing time also leaves scars. We have a small pond, five years ago I let eight crucibles in, and now there are more than two hundred. 30 years ago I caught and ran towards a large pond near our house.

Rita switched on the sewing machine. Sew and sew all kinds of things nonstop. My wife also has time to cook, so I bow to her every day for her care and delicious food. True, meat dishes are made by me. We have a good gas grill. If we wanted a good steak now, I could make it in 20 minutes. I really like to fry or prepare meat.

I like downhill and water skiing. Also basketball, soccer. I really like the rally, but I just watch, although I would love to lose the rally car and the actual race. Last year I tested the Formula 1 track sitting behind the wheel of a rally car. He liked it brutally.

Our great hobby is motorcycles. We travel with them while we travel in Turkey, without him we cannot imagine our rest, we go to the mountains every day. However, we do not have our own motorcycles in Russia, where we still live.

It is true that I went through the fetters of motorcycles, mopeds, motorcycles as a child. When I was twelve years old, my father gave me a motorcycle. And when I was sixteen, I was already riding my “Jawa” motorcycle.

– You say you live in Russia so far. Are you planning to move to another country?

– We live while our main job is here. When those days are over, our dream is to move somewhere else.

– To Lithuania?

– Partially. Let it be a mystery.

– Are there Lithuanian dishes often on your table?

– Rita is the biggest fan of cold beetles I’ve ever met. Before, when we had not yet produced them, when he came to Lithuania, he ate cold borscht for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We do this often.

Secondly there is a white mix. And I’ve cooked zeppelins once in my life, but somehow I won’t prepare anymore, although I really like them.

– Do you often return to Lithuania?

Before the pandemic: 5-7 times a year. But for a moment All visits are generally related to the implementation of the “Flaming Ice” project. We will rest perhaps only once a year. The direction of that break is usually Druskininkai. But we have also discovered more magical places in Lithuania: Anykščiai, Birštonas.

– It is said that sport is health. After spending so many years in sports, do you agree with that saying?

This saying is very philosophical. Because that depends on what kind of sport and how much of it. Because there is another saying: what is too much is not healthy.

If you exercise under the supervision of a great coach and a wise educator who will supervise the loads, you can get health in any sport. But if you come to a coach for whom only the result will matter, it can end badly. As Aleksas Stanislovaitis, a fitness coach and a great friend of Margarita and our great friend, said: “Whoever cannot rest, cannot work.” If all coaches followed this philosophy, there would be many more healthy and happy athletes.

During his career, he had to work for many years with the chief physician of the Lithuanian Olympic team Dalius Barkauskas. It remains our key factor in ensuring health. If there is any trauma and doubts about what to do, the first task is to buy a ticket to Lithuania and agree with Dalius to find time to inspect. He is known to many skaters who have come and come to “Flaming Ice”. There are those who call him a man of God. And I agree with them.

– You are waiting?

– I hope so. Only God knows which of us expects and which of us does not. I also try to go to church when the opportunity arises.

– You said you had seven pets. How did they both get to your house?

– We do not have breeding dogs or cats. No one is rescued after very serious illnesses.

The youngest cat came to us from Krasnodar. As we walked we saw a kitten lying under a tree. When we returned, we bought him food. When we arrived an hour later, she was lying in the same spot. I did not eat and food. Then we saw that she was half paralyzed. On the way to the airport, they took us to a veterinary clinic, but there they said there was almost no chance of survival. But we persuade him to accept. I just told him to come up with a name. We came up with a few seconds, because we found a cat under a banana, we called it Platosa.

We left that clinic, we paid to do what we could. I tried to treat him, but two weeks later he said that nothing else could be done in Krasnodar, clinical treatment and surgery, which can only be done in Moscow. We brought him here, we took him to our house after the operation. Platosha was a very ugly kitten. And now, the most beautiful creature in the world, hello. Very gentle and grateful. And now, not to mention, she’s lying at my feet.

Many stories like that. There are also simple losers that we find healthy. We brought two kittens from Turkey. We planned one, but three days before we left we saw a small kitten that we took to the doctor, diagnosed with pneumonia. Of course, we take refuge.

Our pets are travelers, like us. Everything like a balm for the heart. All very dear and very loved. And they love us for it.

They all agree perfectly. Although cats live alone at home, we do not let them out. He goes out only to the terraces, he has his own outdoor apartment on the second floor. And the dogs are in the yard.

I love all animals very much. I dream that in the future we will have a cow, a goat and a horse. And chickens. If you only allow opportunities. Maybe for the 60th anniversary.