Georgia’s Anastasiia Gubanova embraces fresh vibe
Anastasiia Gubanova
Georgia’s Anastasiia Gubanova, the 2023 European champion, achieved a historic result for her country, paving the way for the next Olympic team event.
Although last season didn’t match the previous one’s success, the skater remains positive and isn’t too hard on herself. She has learned to appreciate her career and simply enjoy skating.
In her first major interview with international media, Gubanova reflected on her skating journey and gave us a sneak peek at her new programs. But that’s not all—she also shared some wedding stories, so get ready for some romantic details!
Childhood skating and family support
Like many, Gubanova began skating to address some medical issues.
“I was struggling with allergies, so doctors advised my mother to enroll me in sports,” she explained. “I was 4 years old, and we lived in Togliatti, a relatively small Russian city on the Volga River. They suggested a few outdoor options to ensure I could breathe fresh, frosty air. So my parents chose figure skating. After a few months, I started doing quite well, and my coach advised my parents to move to a bigger city to join a stronger skating school.”
“Of course, I wasn’t doing any jumps yet, just skating and doing regular stuff typical for all children of my age,” she continued. “But my mom trusted my coaches’ vision and we moved to St. Petersburg.”
A strong school meant rapid progress.
“By the age of 6, I was landing all the double jumps and joined Alexey Urmanov’s group, although my main coach at the time was Angelina Turenko,” recalled Gubanova.
Like many athletes, Gubanova gives a huge credit to her family.
“None of this would have happened without my mom,” she said. “She always believed in me from the very beginning and she’s the one who shaped my character. She always motivated and guided me, constantly telling me to ‘never give up.’ Even during tough times, she’d remind me that I was the best and that everything would be okay. That’s something you can’t put a price on. So, really, I’m still skating because of her.”
Crazy diets and weight problems
Many people notice Gubanova’s graceful arms and musicality, and it’s not without reason.
“I did gymnastics when I was a child, first artistic and then rhythmic. I even have a ranking and some medals,” she added. “In addition, until I was about 15, I regularly took private lessons with a teacher from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg. That’s where I developed my flexibility and posture.”
Unfortunately, this was also the time when the athlete first started dealing with weight problems.
“From 14 to 18, I struggled with my weight; it was terrible,” recalled Gubanova. “I barely ate, but it seemed like I gained weight from just breathing. My mind was always on diets, constantly thinking about how to get thinner. I remember one diet where I’d have rice in the morning, a piece of meat in the afternoon, and that was it. Sometimes, I’d just eat salad greens.”
“I even wrapped myself in cling film—a skaters’ secret weapon,” she continued, laughing. “I’d do it and go for a run, sometimes twice a day, on top of my regular training. But no matter what, my weight wouldn’t budge. ”
Then suddenly, her weight began to “normalize” on its own.
“Now I can eat whatever I want, whether it’s a burger or candy, and it doesn’t affect me,” said Gubanova. “All I needed was time. The female body is pretty smart; it knows how to balance itself. Now I realize I would have gotten into shape without all that suffering. But back then, I thought the most important thing was to stay super slim; otherwise, how could I aim for top spots?”
Competing for a spot on the Russian national team was always a tough challenge, so when Georgia offered Gubanova a chance to switch flags, she didn’t hesitate.
“When I skated for Russia, I felt that I couldn’t reach the top,” she acknowledged. “The competition was very tough, and I didn’t want to skate just for the sake of it; I had ambitions. So, when the offer came, I saw it as a chance to compete on the international stage and I really wanted to prove myself there. Of course, I agreed immediately. Plus, the wait for the release lined up with COVID, so it all worked out pretty smoothly.”
Within two years, Gubanova found herself standing on top of the European podium listening to the Georgian anthem.
“If someone had told me that five years ago, I would’ve just laughed,” she said. “After the win I was in total shock. For the first week I just didn’t realize what had happened. It felt so unreal!”
Georgia on her mind
Gubanova still lives and trains in Saint Petersburg, but often travels to Georgia.
“It is such a beautiful country,” she pointed out. “People are really kind and open, and the whole atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. It’s a warm and welcoming place, and I’m not just talking about the weather,” she laughed.
In fact, on one of her visits, Gubanova was named “Athlete of the Year.”
“It was such a huge honor for me!” she said. “Even being nominated was a big deal, but actually winning… It’s amazing! There are so many talented athletes in Georgia, so being chosen really means a lot to me.”
Gubanova accepted the award with a speech in Georgian. She says she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way for such a meaningful moment. This country made her Olympic dream possible.
“When I came to Beijing in 2022, I had incredible emotions,” she recalled. “It was my first Olympics, and everything was new to me. Surprisingly, I was hardly nervous. Everything was so amazing that there wasn’t time to be anxious.”
Not nervous, but very “emotional” is how Gubanova remembers those Games.
“In the team event, I was the last to skate, so it felt like everything depended on my performance,” she recalled. “And imagine, I finish my six-minute warm-up, start retying my skates, and a hook breaks off! Total disaster! At first, I was in shock and had no idea what to do. Then the coach rushed over and cut a hole in my boot with scissors. My skate was covered in blood, and I barely managed to tape up my boot. And it was already time to go back on the ice. It felt like a horror movie.”
“I got into my starting position and realized I had tightened the boot too much,” she continued. “I couldn’t feel my right foot. But what could I do? I had to pull myself together and skate. In the end, I skated clean, probably running on pure adrenaline.”
Surprisingly, the individual event felt even more challenging emotionally for Gubanova.
“There was a lot of focus on the women’s competition at that time,” she recalled. “Honestly, I was just really glad I managed to handle everything and even enjoyed my performance. The Olympics is a truly unique experience. When people told me that before, I didn’t really get it. But now I totally understand and am ready to share that feeling myself.”
Georgia did not qualify for the free segment of the team event in Beijing. But how ambitious will they be for Milano 2026? Gubanova thinks it’s too early to think of that.
“The Games are still a year and a half away and we’re trying not to get ahead of ourselves,” she said. “But I believe that if everyone performs at their best, we could have a real shot at winning a medal. Of course it will take everyone giving it their all.”
Gubanova, the most successful Georgian figure skater in history, says she’s proud to be a part of this team.
“I feel like we’re really growing as a team,” she said. “Our relationships are strong, and we get along really well. The team is very supportive of one another. For instance, Luka Berulava often sits in the Kiss and Cry with Nika Egadze as they are best friends.”
“Each season we are having more and more athletes, and we have some excellent juniors coming up!” she added.
Skating inspirations: from Kostner to Sakamoto
When asked about her inspiration among skaters from the past, Gubanova didn’t hesitate.
“I absolutely loved Carolina Kostner,” she gushed. “Her skating and charisma on the ice fascinated me! I also really liked Ashley Wagner—the atmosphere she created on the ice was amazing. She knew how to present herself so well. For me, that’s super important, even more than the technical stuff. These two skaters were always my favorites.”
As for today’s skaters, Gubanova names Kaori Sakamoto without pause.
“She is simply the best!” said the two-time European medalist. “The way she skates, the power that comes from within her, her speed, her huge jumps. It’s no surprise she’s a three-time World champion. She’s a true star!”
While discussing Sakamoto’s intent to attempt a quad loop, Gubanova gets serious.
“I tried learning the quad toe loop, but at that time, I was not in my best shape, so I did not succeed,” she confessed. “And now… I don’t know, anything is possible. It would be great to try more challenging elements, but my health is definitely the top priority.”
New programs and new choreographer
For the 2024-25 season, Gubanova opted to collaborate with a new choreographer, Adam Solya, and she really enjoyed it.
“I have been good friends with Adam for quite some time and last autumn we decided to team up for the next season,” she revealed. “This is my first time working with him and I am so happy with the way it worked out. He ended up doing both of my new programs. He wants to show a new side of me, a bit of femme fatale, and that’s so exciting!”
The skater’s short program is set to a cover of the well-known ABBA song “Money Money, Money” performed by Christian Reindl.
“This cover has a completely different vibe,” she explained. “My program will be dark, bold and even a bit edgy. This is a whole new look for me as I usually skate to something light and lyrical, but I was eager to try something new.”
Gubanova isn’t quite ready to share much about her new free skate but said that it’s a “different style from the short.”
“The difference might not be as big,” she offered. “It’s not tango or anything ethnic, but for me, each of them has a vibe of its own. The music for the free is slow yet very powerful. It’s not softly lyrical and there are strong musical parts in it. The choreography has a lot of imagery and meaning. Both programs are quite different from the style I used to skate, so I think it will be interesting.”
The skater, who chose the selections herself, actually wanted to perform them last season, but it didn’t work out.
“So, we saved it for this year,” she said. “I was really keen on skating to these particular songs and can’t wait to skate to them in competition.”
When asked what it was like working with Solya, Gubanova responded with a big smile.
“He’s very much fun and super nice!” she said. “It’s so easy and enjoyable to be on the ice with him, just a pure pleasure. We worked in Belgium and had just one week for both programs, but everything went super smooth. It took only two days for choreographing each program, and we spent the rest of the time polishing them.”
Adam returned Gubanova’s feelings.
“I believe this is the first time Gubanova has worked with a European choreographer, and it was an incredible honor to collaborate with her,” said Solya. “And fun! She’s an exceptionally well-rounded skater. The blend of consistent technical skills with unique artistry is just amazing. In the creation process, we truly thought outside the box and moved away from her conventional movements. Audience and judges will witness a ‘new’ Gubanova. In my opinion, her transformation is truly remarkable!”
An ice romance with Roman Galay
Last season, a new face appeared next to Gubanova in the Kiss & Cry area. Sometimes it wasn’t her coach, Evgeni Rukavitsin, but Roman Galay, former singles skater for Finland, and now Gubanova’s closest person.
“I’ve grown up and don’t need to be told what to do before going on the ice anymore,” she said. “I know how to motivate myself. But I do need a close person by my side before a competition. Evgeni encourages me, gives me some inspiration and kind words. It’s the same with Roma. It’s all about the support they give.”
“Roman is more like a mental coach to me,” she added. “When he attends my practices, he observes, analyzes, and then shares his insights with me. I really value his input.”
According to Gubanova, Galay not only changed her life on the ice, but in other ways as well.
“I learn a lot from Roma; he’s smart and teaches me to look at things from a different perspective,” she offered. “Sometimes, even simple details that I never considered before now have new significance for me.”
Then Galay popped the question last year in Japan at NHK Trophy.
“It was an incredibly touching moment!” recalled Gubanova regarding the proposal. “I didn’t expect it at all. He first gave such a heartfelt speech, then, just like in a movie, he got down on one knee and asked the question. Of course, I said yes!”
The couple tied the knot last week on July 27th in Saint Petersburg.
“I’m so happy!” Gubanova said, with a radiant expression. “Everyone kept telling me that nothing would change after the wedding, but I feel so inspired. I love being a wife. I haven’t changed my last name yet, as I decided to stick with Gubanova while I’m still competing.”
They had their first official registration, and then decided to have the big ceremony and party for their friends a week later.
“It meant double the planning, but also double the dresses,” Gubanova laughed.
“Honestly, I was so nervous before the wedding, more than I’ve ever been in my life,” she added. “I was shaking, crying first from nerves, then from happiness. I barely slept the night before! I never thought I could feel this way.”
Gubanova doesn’t see any problem with being mentored by her new husband.
“We both know how to keep work and personal life separate and try not to talk about figure skating at home, she said. “What happens on the ice, stays on the ice.”
Gubanova is definitely considering a future in coaching. She sees it as a great opportunity down the line.
“It looks like a good career option after I am done with competitive sports,” she said. “I’ve already given lessons to little kids, and it was a very rewarding experience. I love figure skating; it’s my life and passion. Sure, I have other interests, but this is my favorite thing to do. I keep skating, not because I don’t know what else to do, but because I enjoy it so much!”
The 21-year-old seems to be living her best life and loving every moment of it. And she truly deserves it.
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