What do Volosozhar-Trankov need to win the gold in Sochi?

[Vash01]

Obviously they have to skate clean in the actual competition, but other than that, what else do they need to beat the other pairs?

For a pair in their first year together, they looked very good in 2011. IMO there are areas where they can improve. They seemed very technical this past year, and it was understandable. They had to get the moves down- different throwing technique, getting the unison down, etc. For a first year pair, their unison was quite good, but it could be better. I would like to see a better line (though under COP it's not that important), and a better connection between them. Tatiana has always been strong technically and I hope she will maintain that. We don't know yet how they will react to pressure. S&S and Pang & Tong cannot be ignored, as they have been on top for years. What do V&T need to do to surpass them? Also other pairs that are going to develop- Sui-Han, and young Russian pairs could challenge them. What will give them the edge? Will skating consistently clean give them the edge by becoming the judges' favorites? Do they need more difficult throws, jumps, etc.? Certainly not the quad throw since it's high risk and not enough reward under the COP.

[Autumn_girl]

I think they should just continue to improve the way they did last season. They still need a bit more time to feel each other better and skate more like a pair, try different styles in their programs to see what suits them better... Technically they are already good enough to win anything they want. Well, maybe they should add a 3F throw, but even without it they are more than able to compete with S/S or the Chinese

[Ozzisk8tr]

Show up...

[FarFarAway]

and young Russian pairs could challenge them.

Any names? No other Russian pair can challenge them in this or the next season.

I think they should just continue to improve the way they did last season. They still need a bit more time to feel each other better and skate more like a pair, try different styles in their programs to see what suits them better... Technically they are already good enough to win anything they want. Well, maybe they should add a 3F throw, but even without it they are more than able to compete with S/S or the Chinese

+1000.

[blue_idealist]

They need more complex choreography. I think if they can get that, they will be real challengers for the gold. They seem more consistent than Aliona and Robin.

[julieann]

They need more complex choreography. I think if they can get that, they will be real challengers for the gold. They seem more consistent than Aliona and Robin.

I agree, although they have only had two competitions as a pair so that really isn't enough to judge consistency and he did mess up the 3S at worlds. They will need to have a couple of seasons under their belts before consistency can be judged properly.

[Aussie Willy]

Show up...

Yep I think that is it.

One season together and they are already amazing. Give them to Sochi and they should be fabulatastic.

[orbitz]

They should hope that the German retires before Sochi .

V/T did very well in their debut last season, but let see how they'll do this season when more pressure will be on them to at least duplicate their Worlds' silver medal.

[Libertango]

They should add more transitions once they get really confortable with all the elements. Like the triple twist where they said they only get Level 1 because of the lack of difficult entrance. Their lifts are a little cautious but it's perfecly normal for such a new team.

Overall I'm not too worried because from their interviews, they seem totally aware of what they need to work on.

[rfisher]

They should hope that the German retires before Sochi .

V/T did very well in their debut last season, but let see how they'll do this season when more pressure will be on them to at least duplicate their Worlds' silver medal.

The problem with S/S is they can be the team that skated last year or the team that skated during the Olympics. You never know. My fondest hope is that V/T and S/S will push each other and we'll see fantastic pairs skating all the way through 2014. And, for that matter, I hope V/T pushes the rest of the Russian pairs teams as well.

I don't have a lot of hope regarding the young Chinese team. I think she'll outgrow him fairly quickly and they'll fade away. Either that or the attempts at quad throws will injure her.

[blue_idealist]

I agree, although they have only had two competitions as a pair so that really isn't enough to judge consistency and he did mess up the 3S at worlds. They will need to have a couple of seasons under their belts before consistency can be judged properly.

I guess so.. maybe I've just noticed the extreme inconsistency of Aliona and Robin, lol.

[orbitz]

S/S have been around for a while. It's impossible to be in peak form year after year, so it's hard to know how they'll hold up by the time Sochi rolls around.

[Vash01]

Any names? No other Russian pair can challenge them in this or the next season.


+1000.

I think there are several young Russian pairs that can develop in two years (though the RSF may try to hold them down in order to keep V&T as the top Russian pair for 2014).

Gerboldt & Enberg have a lot of promise and a great coach in Tamara. It typically takes her only a couple of years to bring a pair into top form.

Bazarova-Larianov: They have shown progress each year and they are moving up. They need more consistency and more experience, but they are in a position to challenge V&T next year if they continue to grow.

Kawaguchi-Smirnov can challenge V&T right now, but they are not young anymore, and I don't think they will be even around in 2014.

Stobova (sp?) & Klimov have time to develop.

My favorite pair Iliushechkina-Maisuradze could become very good but they have not support from their fed, so they should be looking at 2018, and not 2014.

[judgejudy27]

I dont see them having that tough a time of it to be honest. Savchenko & Szolkowy will definitely want the Oly Gold after their Vancouver dissapointment but he will be pretty old by then, and they will likely need perfect performances to have a chance against V&T by then which given their consistency issues are rare. Pang & Tong will also be pretty old by then and they are no Shen & Zhou. I dont see them getting better at this point, she has always had inconsistent jumps, and V&T already beat them easily at Worlds this year.

The others? I dont see Sui & Han rising so quickly to be gold contenders by 2014. Who knows if this team even has that much of a future, if she grows much more they are toast. V&T will definitely not be passed by a younger Russian team before Sochi, not a chance unless they completely implode. Their only domestic competition is possibly Kavaguti & Smirnov, but I dont see them winning back favor over V&T at this point.

If they continue to do the right things they will most likely win Sochi gold. It would be surprising if they dont.

[blue_idealist]

I love Gerboldt and Enbert, but I don't see them catching up to or passing V/T.

[julieann]

Gerboldt & Enberg have a lot of promise and a great coach in Tamara. It typically takes her only a couple of years to bring a pair into top form.

She said Dmitriev is actually their coach, she helps them but don't forget they are not just a new pair; but she is new to pairs skating only a year so it's going to take her a little longer than normal. I don't see them going to Sochi, maybe 2018 is a more realistic goal for them.

Bazarova-Larianov: They have shown progress each year and they are moving up. They need more consistency and more experience, but they are in a position to challenge V&T next year if they continue to grow.

I don't think next year, maybe in a 2 or 3 years.

Kavaguti-Smirnov can challenge V&T right now, but they are not young anymore, and I don't think they will be even around in 2014.

Smirnov is actually a year younger than Trankov and even though Kavaguti is a few years older than Volosozhar they both started competing in the same year, so they have been around a while. If anyone is not going to be around (especially due to age) it will be the Germans or Chinese.

V&T will definitely not be passed by a younger Russian team before Sochi, not a chance unless they completely implode. Their only domestic competition is possibly Kavaguti & Smirnov, but I don't see them winning back favor over V&T at this point.

If they continue to do the right things they will most likely win Sochi gold. It would be surprising if they dont.

I'm sure that's what Ingo (and many others) thought about S/S after worlds in 09 and looked what happen to them...you just never know what can happen.....

[judgejudy27]

The moment Shen & Zhou announced their return nobody any longer expected S&S to win the Olympic Gold. The Olympic season results are nowhere near the surprise you are trying to make them out to be.

[julieann]

The moment Shen & Zhou announced their return nobody any longer expected S&S to win the Olympic Gold. The Olympic season results are nowhere near the surprise you are trying to make them out to be.

You sure love to lump everyone together don't you?

S/S started out the Olympic Season pretty strong at Nebelhorn, imploded at TEB. Came back strong at SC with a new program (and a perfect 10 in PCS) and by the Olympics were only 0.70 away from S/Z and an OGM. It should also be noted S/Z didn't win the free skate, P/T did and S/Z would have lost another gold medal if P/T would have done a little better in the SP, so S/Z gold medal wasn't a lock as you seem to make it out be. It's easy to be right after the competition is over.

[judgejudy27]

Unless you were living under a rock you would realize that pretty much everyone picked S/Z to win the Oly Gold once they returned. I fail to see what you find funny about me just stating a simple truth. Yes S/S were seen as the favorites for the Oly Gold BEFORE S/Z announced they were coming back, and once they did everything changed. I did not say S/Z were a mortal lock for the Oly Gold, but they were clearly the favorites all along for it. S/S were not ever thought of as the team to beat for the Oly Gold with S/Z back, it is that simple.

Really the only surprises of the season were P/T being stronger than expected and Z/Z worse. S/Z besting S/S was what the vast majority of people expected to happen. Then considering S/S did not miss a podium all year they did not do much worse than expected (considering they were no longer favored to win any event S/Z were entered in).

[l'etoile]

Because I'm so in love with Aliona and Robin and want them to be the oly champions, I hope V/T would keep Morozov as their choreographer