Javier Fernandez | Page 247 | Golden Skate

Javier Fernandez

Olibritt

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Country
Spain

mdr19

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 12, 2020
Video interview with Javi. You can find the English translation here.

Thank you for the links!
Glad to see Javi is staying positive and trying to deal with this situation the best he can. You can also tell that he does not take the little things in life for granted and that he really cherishes those close to him. I am also glad that he seems to be making progress recovering from the knee injury. Hopefully the knee will be fully back to normal soon.
I always knew that he could cook, but somehow really did not expect him to be gardening. No idea what plants he has but I hope he enjoys gardening and Effie treats the plants well!

Everyone please stay safe!:pray:
 

mdr19

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 12, 2020
There is also this interview where Javi shares a bit more about his daily life and thoughts during this time. He is his usual kind and unassuming self, and quite thoughtful, I must say.

His knee injury is also briefly mentioned here. He was going to physical therapy twice a week but then had to stop because of the coronavirus outbreak. He is now doing his best working on rehab while staying at home.

It seems that with how the outbreak is affecting everything, right now they are unsure whether this year's ROI will be happening...
 

TallyT

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Country
Australia
There is also this interview where Javi shares a bit more about his daily life and thoughts during this time. He is his usual kind and unassuming self, and quite thoughtful, I must say.

His knee injury is also briefly mentioned here. He was going to physical therapy twice a week but then had to stop because of the coronavirus outbreak. He is now doing his best working on rehab while staying at home.

It seems that with how the outbreak is affecting everything, right now they are unsure whether this year's ROI will be happening...

Hope the knee injury heals well, and that he is safe and happy.

ROI, like every other show not yet cancelled, is up in the air..... it's terrible :sad21:
 

mdr19

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 12, 2020
There is a new hour-long video interview with Brian and he mentions Javi quite a few times, sharing a couple of fun anecdotes from Javi's early years in Toronto.

Around 13:40 Brian talks about how taking some time off the ice could be beneficial and that different skaters may have different schedules. He says Javi is a perfect example of this and talks a little bit about how Javi did not want to start training early in the summer when he first started with Brian. They eventually negotiated and Brian learned as a coach to not be too bossy and tell skaters "no, you have to be here at this particular time." (I think this story has been shared before but if I recall correctly there were tiny differences regarding the exact times/months things took place, so maybe Brian, just like Javi, is not always very good when it comes to getting timelines right:laugh:)

Around 31:50, about getting Javi to seriously practice his spins during his first year in Toronto. The way Brian talks about it here is pretty hilarious:laugh: I think the improvement was quite obvious for all to see.

Around 54:25, this story about Javi and his bike is new to me so I transcribe a little here (forgive me if it's been shared before). Here in this interview Brian is asked whether any of his skaters have ever pulled pranks on him. Brian says that "If anybody would have, it would have been Javi" and shares this story:

"I have this one thing with my skaters, kind of the number 1 rule when we start together with new students. The one thing that I cannot tolarate is if somebody lies to me. So don't tell me a lie. Tell me the truth, I am a big boy, I can deal with it. I may not want to hear it, but if I ask you a question, tell me the truth.

"So one time Javi came into the rink and he was a little bit late, and that makes me a little crazy, too. So he was late and obviously had not warmed up yet. So I said to him, 'Javi, did you do your warm-up, at least?' The session was just starting. He was like, 'Well, I came here with my bike.' I am like, 'OK.' Because he lives down the hill, so to come up to the club with his bike, that would be a pretty good warm-up. And then one of the kids came over and said: 'uh, Brian, he came with his bike... on the bus.' (Brian laughs) So he took the bus up the hill and had his bike with him. He didn't lie to me, but he said he came with his bike. I'm like, 'Oh, OK, he didn't come on his bike, he came with his bike.' I'm not sure if that's a prank or not, but anyway, I thought it was quite funny."
:rofl:


But really, the whole interview is great. Like, the stories about how a teenage Brian tried to show off for Toller Cranston at a seminar and tried to impress his own coach by running past his house are absolutely cute. Brian talks about his own career as a skater and also shares a lot of insights as a coach. He really has a great mind and tons of love for skating, and is just a wonderful person. If you have time, or just want to watch/listen to something positive during this difficult time, I highly recommend this interview. :luv17:
 

eppen

Medalist
Joined
Mar 28, 2006
Country
Spain
I have been neglecting this thread for a long time... But am happy to find it in good shape!

I was delighted to see that what David said about Black Betty made sense to some one else as well - for me it just put all the pieces of the puzzle in perfect order.

Brian's interview was fun to listen to - I do wish he/they would come up with new anecdotes. I am getting repetitions only and keep thinking there must be other stuff there to tell (Brian could write a tell-all one day :laugh:) Although, what Brian said about the summer of 2014 started to make sense. The narrative has been that Javi went to Toronto earlier as a kind of a tryout and then settled for good only in August to start the season. That he would have gone back to Spain for the obligatory southern European August holiday explains a lot.

I hope Javi has his finances in order - he lost most of the income for the spring with the injury and losing the Art on Ice gig in Switzerland as well as the Taipei show in April getting cancelled for the pandemic. Japan is a little late in the game for restrictions of public events and movement of people, but I truly wonder if they can have Fantasy on Ice starting from Makuhari (basically Tokyo) already in the end of May?? (Considering that he was able to buy a flat in Madrid very soon after hitting big time with the to world championships plus apparently having money to invest in the first ROI show plus the success in getting both peronal and ROI sponsorship, must have boosted his finances nicely.)

But cancelling ROI or significantly reducing it might be sth they need to do. It is hard to know what the summer and fall will bring...

Oh, just in case you have not noticed, he will be on an IG live today at noon Spanish time. Those will stay up for 24 h afterwards, so you will be able to check it out even if you are not there and then. Maybe sth about cooking considering his companion? (Btw, he does sound like the perfect guy, does he not? - Has a cat, is able to maintain his domestic life in order on his own, loves cooking, and even does potted plants...)

E
 

mdr19

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 12, 2020
I have been neglecting this thread for a long time... But am happy to find it in good shape!

I was delighted to see that what David said about Black Betty made sense to some one else as well - for me it just put all the pieces of the puzzle in perfect order.

Just want to say Thank You again for asking David that question and for sharing that exchange here!
I've been rewatching a lot of Javi's old programs this spring as we cannot really go anywhere, and I think my impression has now changed a bit regarding some of the programs with the rewatch. All in all I am really grateful that Javi has this long lasting collaboration with David:luv17:

Brian's interview was fun to listen to - I do wish he/they would come up with new anecdotes. I am getting repetitions only and keep thinking there must be other stuff there to tell (Brian could write a tell-all one day :laugh:) Although, what Brian said about the summer of 2014 started to make sense. The narrative has been that Javi went to Toronto earlier as a kind of a tryout and then settled for good only in August to start the season. That he would have gone back to Spain for the obligatory southern European August holiday explains a lot.

That happened in 2011 I think? Or are we talking about different things?

I'm sure there are a lot more anecdotes. In one of Rizzo's interviews it is said when Rizzo spent some time in Toronto last summer Brian would say to him things like "Javi used to do this or that." But I guess some anecdotes probably stand out more so they get shared quite often in interviews:laugh: I'd also love to hear some different ones, or perhaps even more details about old ones. Like I recall Javi once mentioned in the early days Brian once threw a kick with skate(s) and left a hole in a piece of wood (or something along those lines, I really can't remember exactly what happened). I'd be curious to hear what Javi did to cause that:slink: I am always amazed by how he and Brian (and the team at TCC) were able to develop that rapport very quickly despite the early struggles. Last year when Meryl interviewed Brian and asked about how to get the right coach-athlete relationship, Brian answered by saying "It is automatic, like with Javi it's automatic, it's automatic and it's instant."

Oh and I too would really love Brian to write another book (in English, hopefully). He always comes across as very thoughtful and articulate, and with a great sense of humor. Since he does not rule out this possibility there is always hope:biggrin:

I hope Javi has his finances in order - he lost most of the income for the spring with the injury and losing the Art on Ice gig in Switzerland as well as the Taipei show in April getting cancelled for the pandemic. Japan is a little late in the game for restrictions of public events and movement of people, but I truly wonder if they can have Fantasy on Ice starting from Makuhari (basically Tokyo) already in the end of May?? (Considering that he was able to buy a flat in Madrid very soon after hitting big time with the to world championships plus apparently having money to invest in the first ROI show plus the success in getting both peronal and ROI sponsorship, must have boosted his finances nicely.)

But cancelling ROI or significantly reducing it might be sth they need to do. It is hard to know what the summer and fall will bring...

I think this is going to affect a lot of skaters, unfortunately. And the whole world is like a different place than just a couple of months ago, the impact might last for some time even after the pandemic ends:( We will have to wait and see on a lot of things. If the economy takes a significant blow, it might takes some time to recover, and that would even affect more long-term plans/projects, like the support skaters get from their federations in the next couple of years, or maybe even the dream of getting a high performance center for ice sports in Spain.

But really the primary concern right now is to fight against and survive this pandemic.:pray:

(To end this post on a brighter note... since cat is mentioned, I wonder what Effie does when Javi cooks. Would she stay close and watch or be interested in the food?;) Oh and tomorrow will be Javi's birthday. Wishing him a happy birthday, though I guess this one will be quite unusual.)
 

TallyT

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Country
Australia
Happy birthday Javi!!! I hope he has a wonderful day surrounded - if virtually - by love and friendship and good wishes.

:hap10: :cheer: :hb: :cheer: :hap10:
 

Iceangel1960

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 1, 2011
On 6 March Javi will be a guest speaker at an online conference with Down Espana, (Spanish Down Syndrome Association) 'Learn to improve yourself with Javier Fernández‘ and a Q&A. What a lovely guy!
 

eppen

Medalist
Joined
Mar 28, 2006
Country
Spain
Alas, the missed end of the season seems to have had little effect on how often we still get to see Javi - though seeing him skating would be even better!

So far many of the various IG lives and other appearances have stayed available. The first one with the Chef Marta disappeared into cyberspace, but I don't mind that so much. She was a bit irritating as she did not listen to his replies and kept interrupting and then having long monologues of her own... Then he was on Open Ice live which was cool despite the story of a family member having gotten COVID-19 (I think it must be his sister who is a nurse, but he was careful not to reveal who it was).

The workout video you can find on YT. The appearance of Effie was a definite highlight, but I also absolutely loved how his slight OCD appeared in it. At around 12 minutes, he removed some piece of cloth he had on the floor. It went beyond the camera eye, but apparently was a mess that bothered him because whilst he was listening to the instructions for the next section, he took it and neatly folded it away... In the bedroom design interview last fall he mentioned that his place is a bit of a mess and I would really love to see what "a mess" means to him. Also, the trainer was a Spaniard living in Toronto and it seems that Javi did share one of the usual expat experiences - very often you socialize more with people coming from your own country (or even other expats) rather than locals (been there, done that).

The one for Down Espana is also on YT. As is also this one with Irene Junquera, a Spanish journalist.

PJ Kwong did also one (here) and it was particularly interesting to hear him talk about himself as a person and a performer and how it works for him.

Another good one was done this week with Victor Gutierrez, a former athlete turned into journalist. It was available in Javi's IGTV, but is gone now unfortunately. A few clips on IG here. Some of the questions were unusual because it was like two retired athletes talking about what happens afterwards, what are the problems of a top athlete when it comes to life in general etc. Towards the end there was also a section on the Sochi debacle on what Javi said about gays in that one interview. It got slightly intense - I think this guy was also invited to roast him on the topic in one tv show a couple of years ago. This interview also verified that the summer camp is also definitely cancelled.

The lockdown restrictions are being gradually removed also in Spain and on Friday Javi and Jorge (his manager that is) went (I think, based on Jorge's own message) to Barcelona - don't know if it was for business or for the mere pleasure of being able to get away from the house. Javi has also done a couple of photoshoots during lockdown - the results are yet to appear. These pics are from his IG stories.

E
 
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