Petr Gumennik

Ice has always seemed to Petr Gumennik the best place to think. Here, in the silence of an empty arena, while the new ice is being laid, thoughts become pure and clear. Every step is an algorithm, every path is a precisely calibrated sequence of actions. Petr glides to the boards, automatically adjusting the lace on his skate. His fingers remember not just the grip of the blade, but also the keys of the piano he has played many times, the music still resonating in his mind. This season has had everything: victory at the Russian Championships, a neutral flag at the Olympics in Milan, a broken lace at the worst possible moment, and a sixth-place finish that Tatyana Tarasova called the best among ours. The ice is ready: it's time to go out for practice. After all, emotions are just variables in the equation of victory. And Petr Gumennik is used to solving his equations to the very end.