The red-haired girl says that Brian has skated sinc he was 3 and a half. As soon as he accepted his friend's mockeries, this youg prodigy he mapped out his path to become european champion and vice world champion in 2004. He was a little weakened this season and hopes whereas he's 21 years old to pick up again before February, month of Torino Olympic Games. But for the moment, Francois-Xavier Bunel tailed him a few days before the Trophee Eric Bompard. At the ice rink, at home, at the physical therapist, you will see all, know all...

Brian is in his car. The reporter : "where do we go?" Brian : "We go to the ice rink. It's practical, 5 minuts in car. I don't have time to lose, I lose no energy in the traffic, that's advantage. That's why I wanted to stay in Poitiers instead of going near Paris... That's here!".

"Poitiers, 7 a.m., Brian Joubert is already ready to go on the ice. Yes, it is the only time slot for him to profit lonely of the ice rink."

Brian : "This is Andrei Berezintsev, my coach since this summer, in july. (we see a banner) An italian fan I see the summer made this banner for Europen championship in Torino, and I think she will be there for the Games, and... she's adorable!

The trainig begins. Brian : "Here we go. It will be cool. It's a beginning (can someone help me to translate "une mise en bouche", please?)".

The journalist : "Less than two months before the OG, an important step is in the offing in Brian's season, the Trophee Eric Bompard, French step in the Grand Prix. After a hard start in the season, he redoubles of trainig.

Brian : "I don't feel my ears anymore, it's normal (he drinks). After, it will be hands, and feet". He returns skating.

Brian : "I started when I was 3 and a half. My two grand sisters put me into the swing of things, because I wanted to do like them. The first year, hesitated between figure skating and hockey, because when I was at school, friends made laughed at me, but after the first season, I immediatly liked it, and I know that friends told me "Brian, go put your tutu", and they still say that! But it is to joke. But it is the first image we see, and this is stupid because when we see jumps, it's very physical, athletic, and we can be both graceful and masculine. It was hard for me to accept it at the beginning.

He skates but fails an element. "Fuck! I have difficulty doing this exercise!!!"

Andrei : "Brian is a passionate person, strong mentally, hardworking, talented... And he knows what he wants, that's easy with him. hese somebody who is very determinated"

Andrei to Brian during the training (sorry, but this part is very difficult to translate for me because i don't have the vocabulary in english...): " you don't bring up the pelvis enough". "tight enough in the air", "thiiiiiiiink about the placement...", "When you stay closed whith your thigh, even if your leg is bended, if you close uor left arm to recover your run-up, you help yourself. In fact, that's the rhythm witch disturb you...", "take your time", "good, don't you feel good, there?"

Brian : "I always have prioritized jumps, left artistic side out, until my first world championship, I was 15 years old, where I really understood that artistic side was important. I realized 3 perfect programs, technically, but I was 15th... (Andrei corrects him during his spin). And I sayd to myself "Brian, guys before you are less god technically speaking, but they beated you... So it is on artistic note". It helped me to understand that I had to work on this. And it was very good for me!"

Brian makes a spin and go out. The journalist's voice says :"To perfect his choregraphy, Brian Joubert has to repeat as well without skates and without ice, but with a mirror..."

Brian : "I am in the gymnastics room to see myself in the mirror... And in the same time, to work supports, suppleness, and to be suppler, after, on the ice. I fact, when we are on the ice, we are like actors, and I am James Bond, I fight, I danse whith women, I drive cars..."

Brian gets dressed again, he sings softly. The reporter : "You have it it in your head now?" Brian : "Oh yes! But now it's ok, the worst is when we put programs on. When we put them on, we hear always the same music 8 hours per day, and the night, it works, it works..

A car arrives. "Brian Joubert still lives to his parents. A very important family environment, in which one his mother plays a key role. As soon as he has skating lets him time, he he uses these few moments to take his niece Inathea at the creche."

The reporter, to Mrs Joubert : "Have you already accepted that one day he will leave?" Mrs Joubert : "leave home? Oh yes, that's a angering question. Later will be the best! Because as long as his career isn't finished, I think he needs a very strong family structure, and supervision. House would be sad. Do you realize what I do for him all the day? I would have the impression of doing nothing. I see amaking apointmentsbout all the quotidian little things. Making appointments with a physio... When he tells me "Mum I have a backache", it's no use he telles me "make an appointments", I know what it means..."

Brian is at the physio

The physio, to Brian : "We will do the 2". "Do 2 rotations on each movement". "Inspire, blow, inspire, blow..." "There is a big work on postural pressure. And by the oscillating board, Brian makes all his slide and making supple, stretching preparation."

Brian : "I know my body very well. It allows me to have no big injurie. I have a quite important follow-up with Jean (the physio's name), and it avoids me this kind of problems. I do this exercise, sometimes I run, I go cycling, I practise other sports, I can as well play tennis... But most of the work is on the ice" The reporter : "And body-building?"

Brian : "No, never. Because I take muscular mass, and it mayes weight on the ice, it's very bad.."
Brian goes down.
The physio, to he reporter : "Do you want to try?"

Brian drives his car. He is at the hair dresser. Brian : "In fingure skating, style, physique are very important. It allows to be attractive for the jury and the public. I often heard that I look attractive, so I have to keep it. So yes, it is important!"

"Return to the ice rink, at the end of the afternoon. Brian spends 4 to 5 hours per day there. Tonight, it is the last training before going to Paris. (Andrei : "very beautiful jump! ) And for the moment, all is good."

We hear Andrei, very content of Brian ("BEAuTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!", "WONDERFUUUUUULLLL", "gooooooooood", "I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", "there is a very beautiful rhythm", "nothing to say, except... that's good!", "very very good", "there is a very good placement, Brian! On every jump. It's really great").

"Special mention for his famous combination quad toe-loop triple toe-loop, he is nearly the only ones who try to do it in competition..."

Brian : "I regard the ice as a person we will say. We mustn't hurt her, but we must be as light as possible, and not lean on her... If we respect it, ice gives us back, gives us more speed, makes us jump higher. So we have to team up!"

Brian is in the changing room
Brian : "these skates last 6 months, and they have a huge importance".
Psssit psssit (He sprays something in his skates).
Brian : "IT is the magic spray! It's very very important!"
The reporter : "Why?"
Brian : "For the other poeple in the changing room with me to live, or it is an stink..."

Brian : "My sportive goals are simple : to win the 3 titles, european champion, world champion, and olympic champion. But I would like realizing a great performance. For example, passing 3 quad in 1 program. It would be extraordinary, and poeple would remember me!"

In his room, Brian's mother asks him if he took all he need, and they chose what he will take (T-shirts, trousers, etc...). Brian says that his mothers helps him to prepare his suitecase, because when he does it by himself, he doesn't take care to fold his clothes correctly, so it's better when his mum does it!

Then the journalist asks him if he has place enough to sleep in his bed, with all these teddybears. Brian laughs and says "yes, yes, because just before sleeping, I eject all of them on the floor, so the bed is only for me!". And his mum adds that each bear has its place on the bed, they never change.

Then he takes the train. He says it's difficult for him to care his bags during the steps. lol, in fact he's a little bit crude... In the train, he says that he travels a lot, he's used to doing it, he likes it, and it makes him discover other things, when he goes to China, Japon... He travels, discovers other cultures, countries, and that's important, that's good, interesting. He arrives to Paris station, takes the metro. The journalist asks him if he starts to be stressed. "No, I will be stressed one hour before the competition, that's all. I think it will be OK. I hope!" and he laughs.

They arrive to the station. Steps again! Then he's a little crude again. lol, too many steps, that's too much! At the hotel : "good bye, see you at the competition!"

Fist trainig in Paris Bercy ice rink. It's bigger than in Poitiers, ambience is not the same. Brian is distabilized. In the stands, Didier Gailhaguet, ex Surya Bonali's coach, and Brian's special adviser... "He's a very charming boy, a very sensitive boy. I didn't know it. I used to think that he was as strong as a concrete wall, but he is both a warrior on the ice, and a very nice boy. We don't become European champion and vice world champion by a coincidence. He's a very talented, so much more that I thought. He's a skater who can progress a lot". Gailhaguet is still speaking : "In my opinion, he is at 60% - 70% of his talent" Morosov and Berezintsev are looking at Brian, he is fails all his jumps. Berezintsev tells him "taht's nothing!" Gailhaguet speaks again :" That's a pity that he doesn't have in Paris the exactness he has during his trainings in Poitiers. Of course he has to adapt to a taller icerink, a different ambience. I wish he had the same precision he had in Poitiers yesterday. So I said it to him."

In the ice rink, near Andrei Berezintsev, we can find an other Russian, Nicolai Morozov, Brian's choreographer..."

Brian : "Russian school? Russians are the best in figure skating, from international point of view. They are rigurous poeple, and I think that's important. To be rigurous, and not to count working hours. That's what we need to arrive to top. And they have huge competences. That's why I chosed them."

"Saturday, 6.30 a.m., training for free program. The day before, Brian arrived 2nd of short program, behind the Canadian Jeffrey Buttle. "

Andrei, Nicolai and Brian are talking, on the ice rink's side.

Andrei : "We are 4 points and a half late, that's not very much, because 4.50 points late, it makes a bottom-of-the-range triple jump..."

Brian : "Yesterday it was quite stressful, I was very nervous, but on the contrary, I was able to manage it, and I am proud of it, it means that my mental attitude is coming back, and I made a "clean" (he says it in english... lol) program. It wasn't a huge performance, but it was a clean program, that's what I wanted to do..."

Andrei : "The most difficult is done. The introduction was good, so I think and I hope he will approach the free program with more relaxation..."

Brian's mother : "I am very stressing!!!"

the reporter to Andrei : "Your forecast for this afternoon?"

Andrei : "we win!!!"