Christian Bauer – Russia’s Desire for Immediate Results Depletes Fencing Program
January 19 2012, 7:09pm
Christian Bauer. Photo FencingPhotos.com Over on Facebook and in the forums Allex posted the following translation from a Russian site’s interview with Christian Bauer. The interview, as all of Bauer’s, provides insights on where the Russian program stands and his own views on building the engine for long term fencing dominance. Teased out from the article are statements about what looks like a short term approach to “results now” without adequate thoughts to maintaining and developing for future success. Below is the translated text, first provided on Facebook via SwordSportPR. The interview was conducted by Irina Vasilyeva. At the end of the 2011 St. Petersburg for the first time hosted the tournament of the strongest saber fencers of Russia. In the absence of the World Champion and four-time European champion Sophia Velikaya Women’s title went to to the St.Petersburg native Ekaterina Diatchenko. In Men’s – Muscovite Alexei Yakimenko was without an equal. General Manager of the Russian National Team – Christian Bauer was pleased with the quality fencing, which, after exhausting six-week training camp was demonstrated at the SC “Comet” by the leaders of the team. SW – How do you evaluate the results of this tournament? CB – Leaders of the National Team more than adequately emerged from the fatigue caused by the six-week training camp. Frankly, I was curious to see how they would fence. After all, elite arrived in St. Petersburg tired. And for them, this tournament was the first competition of the cycle, not so much physical as mental.They were competing physically against the fresh fencers, eager to show their best side. I am pleasantly surprised by Maxim Balok from Novosibirsk, he fenced well, including the final against Yakimenko. However, his progress was evident already in training. The kid is young – he is growing. Not a bad semifinal bout between Yakimenko and Petersburger Nikolay Kovalyev. Also, Diatchenko and Galiakbarova demonstrated some terrific fencing in the Final. So overall, I’m pleased with the quality of work performed by athletes. The result itself in this case was irrelevant. SW – And yet, based on the tournament, you still have some questions left in regards to the athletes’ level of preparation, and their dedication? CB – No. They fenced correctly. Not forced, yet somewhat tactically weak. But this was not an end in itself for us at the moment. Technically and physically wise it went well. SW – After the 2007 World Championships this is the first time such high level fencers gathered in St. Petersburg. Why did you decide to hold “The Tournament of the Strongest” here? CB – We try to participate in the development of Russian saber fencing. It is important that competitions are held in regional centers, which represent this weapon. In Russia, there are currently three: Saint-Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Moscow. The idea is to have three such tournaments to jumpstart the development of fencing, and in order to convey our knowledge to the local athletes. SW – How do you estimate the level of the St. Petersburg saber fencer? Recently, in the City we have quite a few promising young female athletes. CB – That can be said not only about St. Petersburg. What is important is the overall level, which is especially in the need of improvement. This is extremely difficult, and a lot still has to be done. For example “The Tournament of the Strongest” in St. Petersburg attracted 60 participants. For a country like Russia – it’s a catastrophe. There should be a minimum of 300 fencers, thus, a very real problem is present at hand. It is a problem of development, the problem of the level of the local athletes. Let me state this, it’s not just about the elite level fencers, but also about those who are at the base of this pyramid. It is also a question of policy, which is followed by the Russian Fencing Federation. I can come up with ideas, but to make them a reality is the task of the Federation. Thus, we have to “dig” much deeper. We are talking about the change in structure and philosophy. We need to open our eyes, take a look at what we are doing right now, what place the National Team currently occupies on the International Level, and what specifically can be changed to improve the situation. SW – How many years do you need to realize your vision? CB – A lot needs to be changed, in order to lift fencing. And this is given the fact that the Russian mentality is suitable for for this sport. There are psychological and physical qualities that really help Russians’ adaptation to fencing. Same goes for the Italians, who however, for other reasons, too, are created to fence. Not the French. This does not mean that they can not achieve anything in this sport, but they will have to literally jump over their heads. We need to ask the question, which has not been brought up for a while : what are we capable of? Unfortunately, I can not climb inside athletes’ heads. Yet, if nothing will change, the decline will be inevitable. Our Men’s Team is the reigning World Champion.Three boys! If one of them is injured, that’s it – there is no Team. In Russia – the Coach should not sleep at night, and think how to create a successful team out of 15-20 high level fencers, in order not to make a mistake in the future. For Women – the situation is better, 5-6 athletes are fighting for a spot on the team. Unfortunately, in this matter the Federation is closed. They want instant results. No one is thinking that there is nobody left behind the leaders. It is a pity. As I look at the Juniors – they are literally filled with talent, yet many will not go the distance, will be lost, because they were not given a timely a chance to break into the team. This is an issue not only for fencing. I have said many times that in order for the given tasks to be solved, one has to work with maximum level of dedication. You know Russia better than I do. There is money here, as well as, the infrastructure. There aren’t such circumstances in any other country in the World, except for China, where I worked for five years. In France, there is no money, no conditions. Same in Italy and Germany. The only thing that is necessary for Russia – is desire. SW – If so, how easily did you find common ground with the athletes themselves? CB – I have known the fencers for a while. Moreover, I visited your country in 1972 for the first time, so I was able to evaluate the development of the system over the past years. I have an inkling which doors I need to open to get the right result. The problem is that we have very little time, since the London Olympic Games are being held this Summer. Taking that into account I had to compress the amount of work needed to be done. During an extremely short period of time it was impossible to intoduce drastic changes. I had to use those qualities that were already there, and sharpen them to fit the standarts of modern fencing. Boys and Girls in Russia are extremely talented, during the 30 years that I have worked as a coach, this is the first team that produced results in such a short time. Hence, athletes here have a tremendous potential, you just have to steer it in the right direction. I think that the saber fencers easily accepted the new work conditions, since they feel that they can win, and that’s important. The most important current task – is to give them confidence in their abilities, to show them their true level, as they do not realize it. Then it will be possible to work. SW – Did the Russian Fencing Federation set any concrete goals for you? CB – I have a very clear purpose – gold medal at the Olympics. That’s a minimum. But this is a mistake that I saw in Russia : you think that you are the strongest, and plan to win 2-3 medals. From the standpoint of psychology, it is extremely incorrect. We are looking in a too narrow of a way at this problem, we expect not to win the title, but to defend it. Yet we have to be the conquerors; modest, but still the conquerors. SW – How do you feel about the fact that at the Olympic Games fencing has a “floating” position? For example, in London 2012 there will be no Women’s Saber Team event. CB – This is the system that has existed for many years. For Russia, this situation is a catastrophe. Women’s Saber Team of Russia is the strongest in the World. Girls could have guaranteed us at least a medal at the Olympics. But other countries have encountered the same problem, for example, the French Men’s Epee Team epee has won everything that is possible for the last 8 years, yet Men’s Team Epee won’t take place in London. It’s just not fair, especially for athletes. They are the ones, unfortunately, who have to pay for the mistakes of the International Fencing Federation (FIE). There is a lot of work that goes absolutely nowhere. The same saber fencers at the next Olympics – in 2016, will only fence in an individual event, and that is horrible, since Russia has a very strong and young team. It has not reached its limit, it’s pinnacle; and if nothing changes we will lose so many athletes. SW – How will the Team prepare for the Olympics? CB – We started preparing for the Olympics last year, since there is so little time. We do not have enough of it for any specific preparations, too many tournaments are held throughout the season. SW – By the way, the fact that the Russian Team has qualified for the Olympics has psychologically liberated the athletes? CB – Fortunately, we have solved that puzzle at the World Championships, and now we can calmly prepare for the Games. Until March, we can even afford to change up the stages of preparation, or, for example include in the program the work, which might not have been done if we had not received the Olympic licenses.
