And I'm honored to welcome "the best of ice-skating" here on our couch at the ARD Studio
First of all Katarina Witt - ladies first of course - and Brian Orser
One of the best ice-skaters worldwide, world-champion in 1987
BO: Thank you! Host: Nice to have you here!
Welcome Brian Orser! Welcome Katarina!
And you two know eachother well, don't you ?
BO: Yeah we go way back ...35...35..maybe even close to 40 years
KW: No, don't even mention it BO: We were babies
KW: I wouldn't put that much of an importance on it - how long (we knew eachother)
BO: We were babies KW: Yes we were young
KW: I have always looked up to him as an athlete. He was always a great competitor
And now there's even more admiration for him as a coach because he succesfully took-off as a coach many years ago
And I am happy that I didn't have to persuade him a lot when I called to ask if he wanted to come to the Studio
and that it was friendship over many many years why he -with gratitude - came today to finally explain to us how coaching really works
Host: I would first like to know from you Katarina
Were you there at the arena in 1984 when Brain showed the triple axel as the first ice-skater at Olympia? Historical!
KW: No,I unfortunately wasn't at the arena at that time. In 84' everybody was concentrating on their own competition
but in 88' I witnessed live in the arena -at that time we really became friends -
And I, a big admirer of Brian Orser,
-honestly Brian Boitano only later -
we always had a closer friendship , maybe because he had more experience in the ice-skating industry
but that's when (88') I saw him do an amazing performance live in Calgary in front of his home crowd
Host: We really want to hear alot more from you (Katarina)
Brian, now a really successful coach. He trains 5 different nations, some of which are olympic winners Insane!
But there's first a potrait about you from our correspondent Linda Striebing
to explain who you are, what you do and where you will be going
He is the goldsmith of the ice-skating world: Brian Orser
An amazing coach who generates the high-flyers from tomorrow
His achievements speak volumes
Only three days ago two of his recent proteges fullfilled their olympic dream
Particularly Yuzuru Hanyu , the Japanese idol
The gold medalist with strong nerves was able to stand up to the high expectations of his country
And won his second gold medal after Sochi
Brian also always watches over him : Javier Fernandez
With a fantastic free skate, the Spanish danced and jumped towards his first olympic medal in Pyeongchang: A bronze medal
He as an athlete never gets Olympic Gold, he is always known as the silver boy
Brian Orser wins Olympic silver in Sarajevo 1984 , 4 years later he became the tragic hero of Calgary
Orser lost the battle of the Brians for the gold medal in front of his home crowd
Out of all people he lost against US-star Brian Boitano
Fans worldwide only talked about 'the battle of the Brians'
He ended his career in 1988 and toured with Stars On Ice many years through world history
He even took part in the movie 'Carmen On Ice'
Next to Boitano and Katarina Witt and for that everyone got the TV Award 'Emmy'
Even though he never wanted to stand next to the rink as a coach , he accepted this challenge in 2006
He trains Yuna Kim and fullfills his dream of Olympic Gold with the then 19-year old South Korean skater
Yuna Kim became the first South Korean gold medalist in Vancouver and an idol for an entire generation
His collaboration with South Korea's hero seems unfinished for some people
They part ways after her win in Vancouver
She then got silver in Sochi
She helped bringing the winter games to Pyeongchang after that
and got the honor to start the Olympic flame
This was probably also -in a way- an emotional moment for Brian Orser
The man with a certain sense for gold
Host: And Brian Orser can experience alot of emotional moments here in Pyeongchang
because he can already celebrate accomplishments with the Japanese Hanyu, gold in the single men's event
Javier Fernandez won bronze
You train 5 different athletes from 5 different nations that participate in this event
How does that work?
BO: I have a very large wardrobe cause' I have the outfits from every country
But you got to treat each athlete as an individual I have to conform to the cultures, to the personalities
We have to work as adults and it has been a really great ride
And with Yuzuru and Javier I have been with them for 7 years now so it has been quite the journey to watch them grow
And become young men, fulfill their dreams this is Yuzuru's second gold medal, as you know how that feels and how challenging that is
It is difficult. He is the first man since Dick Buttons, it was 66 years ago
It is great for me and my team to be part of that journey
I loved to ice-skate. I loved it as an athlete, I loved it as a professional
I loved it when there were shows, TV specials like the one we did together
And now i'm a coach. I never saw myself as a coach. But I guess it fits
I work with some great people and we work as a team and that's the only way you can do it
Host: But the challenge is not in changing the jacket for the different countries, like we just saw
After Japan then putting on Spain because you are a coach for different nations
How does that go ?
Firstly I can imagine that there's is jealousy between one another
because you also claim a coach for yourself
Secondly you don't go to the athletes but the athletes come to you
BO: Well we run a center in Toronto and it is an old historical skating club so it has been around for 100 years and there's something Special about that
So the athletes come to Toronto Toronto is a great city of different cultures
So if we have a Korean athlete they can find a part in Toronto that is very Korean
Same with the Japanese, same with someone from Kazachstan or Spain
So they feel kind of feel at home when they are in Toronto
And the thing that is special with our club
We try to create a community that is safe for them
Everybody is inclusive whether it is the other skaters or the parents or the adults
To learn to skate kids. It is a private club so they are protected but it is a community. It is like living in a small town
And everybody is supporting eachother like have eachother's back
And you are a bigger team with Tracy Wilson who is a famous ice-dancer in Canada, you two are also friends
How did you two find eachother to say that you are going to start this ice-skating school together?
Because she is an ice-dancer so i assume she can teach the students more about some skating skills
and you bring in the technical things
So you are a rather big team
I think it is the chemistry that I have with Tracy
We grew up together in this sport
There are so many things that Tracy has offer which are more on the psychology side
She has that nuturing motherly ... Well yes she is a mom
There will be times when I'll would be saying: "How can Javier be late for a noon session ?"
And I would start to get mad and she'll say like " Brian, I have a 19-year old son. They sleep all day. Get over it"
KW: So she is more of like your coach to calm you down
She is my voice of reason and she always has been my voice of reason
I am really grateful and it is a great chemistry
Sometimes when we do good cop bad cop and sometimes where it's just like "You're at. You take over" and vice-versa
I'm very lucky that there is a nice flow
And that is the system that works well and that you can see alot of accomplishments from as we can see from the Olympic games
You also train South Korean athletes and this(ice-skating) is real hype here
Martin Malbücher will show us just how big the ice-skating hype is in South Korea
The anticipation is enormous. The waiting lines for the ticket booth are long daily
The hope to get one or maybe even two of the popular tickets is big
Because if the Gangneung Arena fills up that just gives the perfect frame for magical Olympic moments
Just like at the gold free skate of the Japanese skater Yuzuru Hanyu
Empty rows? Olympia tristesse? No rather loud cheers on the loop and an almost 2 minute stuffed animal rain
But why are Koreans so thrilled about the art on the ice ?
Woman: We were always skating on ice when were were children with our parents
And there are many fields as you can see and that was something that the entire family could do without alot of equipment
And there is always one name that pops up....
Yuna Kim. She is very famous and made us all interested in this Sport
I think because of Yuna Kim she is known worldwide
Yuna Kim made us all in interested in this sport and even though she is not active anymore we hope that there will be someone who will be as good as she was
Yuna Kim or Kim Yuna
She is a superstar in Korea
Gold in Vancouver in 2010, silver in Sochi in 2014
Even after her career she takes center stage
And to show how big the admiration is you can see the opening ceremony where Yuna got the honour to start the Olympic flame
The artists on the ice appeal to the Korean audience
But because of the high demand a fan has to pay alot - a ticket on a finale night on the best seats can cost 450€
Host: Well that is something that you have to be able to afford and Kim Yuna is also someone wh trained with Brian Orser
We really have a successful coach here today together with Katarina Witt
How is it for you two- you were both worldwide famous ice-skaters - are you still famous here ?
Do people recognize you?
KW: Well people still recognize us but i am honestly still in admiration of Brian because he still made it as an coach after his career
to shape young people and their ice-skating careers
He knows what it's like to have a dream wanting to be on the podium
And to accompany this and to play such an important part in the lives of those young children
It will always be a part of him and that is something so special that he achieved there
Because that is something not everyone can do - being at the top of the Olympic category and then being a coach
Because you have to pull yourself back, as an athlete you are rather egoistic
as a coach you always have to take a step back a Little
I probably wouldn't have been able to do it that is why i am always here with you
But he really did achieve giving young children the basis for their future and that is really admirable
Host: Brian, you also have athletes in the women's single event that we still have to see
Do you still know who,where,when,what,why? KW: What jacket to wear?
BO: I will be changing coats but this time i am interested because i will be wearing a Korean jacket
So I'm with Gabby Daleman she was third at the championship last year. she is a major Player
She was part of the Canadian team that won gold at the beginning of the year
And then I have a young girl from Kazachstan
And she is something special too. She is coming off an injury
But she is something special she is like a feather on the ice
So a couple off coats to go. I packed today. I packed my Japanese stuff, I packed my Spanish stuff, my Korean stuff
I am really excited. The women are always last at the Olympics
It is tough for these girls especially whe they have to do the team events at the beginning and then come back to do the single event at the end
It is a long waiting period but i am really excited i am on a roll so i'm going to Keep it going
KW: There still one question that i'm really curious about
You have so many amazing skaters how do distribute your love and sportsmanship to everyone equally ?
BO: Do I have a favorite of my own students ? When I got back in history then yes of course
No, I have to stay neutral and I want them to do well and they all have different personalities
When you think of Yuzuru Hanyu from Japan and Javier Fernandez from Spain
They are the complete opposite
Cultures.. Javi lives on his own ,he does his own cooking,his own cleaning. He gets himself to the rink
And then Yuzu is still with his mom, he is very much protected and he is very private and not very social
So they are opposite
But maybe that makes it easier to manage
If they have two same personalities it would be difficult
They are still like my children
My mother and my father always said- i am the youngest of 5 kids- " We love you all the same" so i will love them all the same
Host: Brian Orser, fascinating to hear how you manage all of that
We also have a little present for you - it is not an Olympic medal but it is Brian in Korean in calligraphy as a Souvenir
and as a thank you that you visited us here today
And would probably be happy because the Canadian ice-dancers won Olympic gold
And they are not under your training