Article: Lubov Iliushechkina wants to skate for France, but...

[pinky166]

Apparently Kocon is only 171 cm, which concerns me considering the issues Lubov has had in the past with keeping her weight too low, and that was with Nodari who is 6 cm taller than Kocon. Lubov is 153 cm so really she should have a partner taller than 171...but maybe, if he's built like a house, it could work.

[Ziggy]

she would not even write to them in Russian

Again - she probably did so, so that a copy could have gone to the ISU/her laywer/French fed/etc.

[kwanfan1818]

But it was not a co-incidence that Gorshkov disclosed to the press that she wrote in English, portraying her as an ingrate.

[hanca]

Apparently Kocon is only 171 cm, which concerns me considering the issues Lubov has had in the past with keeping her weight too low, and that was with Nodari who is 6 cm taller than Kocon. Lubov is 153 cm so really she should have a partner taller than 171...but maybe, if he's built like a house, it could work.

18 cm height difference is not that bad. There are pairs who are much nearer with height to each other than them. (Zhangs...) And she is very light.

[Vash01]

Apparently Kocon is only 171 cm, which concerns me considering the issues Lubov has had in the past with keeping her weight too low, and that was with Nodari who is 6 cm taller than Kocon. Lubov is 153 cm so really she should have a partner taller than 171...but maybe, if he's built like a house, it could work.

Shen and Zhao did not have a huge difference in their heights and they did just fine. I think the height difference may be an overinflated factor in pairs partnerships.

[Katarzyna]

But it was not a co-incidence that Gorshkov disclosed to the press that she wrote in English, portraying her as an ingrate.

Agree! This information certainly was dispensable.

Velikov.

Another :respect: from my side. However, I’m now curious how their students will place at the next RN. I’m pretty sure openly criticizing their own fed isn’t helpful for success. And it’s not like if they had been Federations darlings in the past.

Apparently Kocon is only 171 cm, which concerns me considering the issues Lubov has had in the past with keeping her weight too low, and that was with Nodari who is 6 cm taller than Kocon. Lubov is 153 cm so really she should have a partner taller than 171...but maybe, if he's built like a house, it could work.

I like pairs where the man isn't almost twice as big than the girl. I'm looking forward to seeing them skating and hope they will be able to compete internationally soon. If only more people would speak out their mind like Velikov did, it would be really helpful for them. A lot of negative publicity is probably a thing RFSF likes to avoid on the road to Sochi.

[Vagabond]

I’m now curious how their students will place at the next RN. I’m pretty sure openly criticizing their own fed isn’t helpful for success. And it’s not like if they had been Federations darlings in the past.

I am sure that if the Russian Federation blackballed him and his skaters, he, at least, could pull up stakes and go train skaters in another country. Like France, for example.

[hanca]

By the way, Robin Szolkowy is not that high either. How much height difference is between him and Aliona?

[Zemgirl]

By the way, Robin Szolkowy is not that high either. How much height difference is between him and Aliona?

ISU bio says Robin is 1.75m, Aliona is 1.52.

Shen and Zhao are listed as 1.60/1.77 respectively.

Nicole Della Monica is taller than Lubov, so I don't think the height difference should be a huge problem.

[hanca]

ISU bio says Robin is 1.75m, Aliona is 1.52.

Shen and Zhao are listed as 1.60/1.77 respectively.

Nicole Della Monica is taller than Lubov, so I don't think the height difference should be a huge problem.

OMG, I never realised that Aliona is so tiny. Ljubov is taller than Aliona? Just 1cm, but still...

[Andrey aka Pushkin]

No way in hell Robin is 175
Maybe with his skates on.

I didn't realize Kokon was so low, though.

And Maisuradze is not a mess, he's a great pairs skater. I hope he has a great career himself, perhaps in Georgia
They could use a pair.

[hanca]

No way in hell Robin is 175
Maybe with his skates on.

I didn't realize Kokon was so low, though.

And Maisuradze is not a mess, he's a great pairs skater. I hope he has a great career himself, perhaps in Georgia
They could use a pair.

Why should Russia release him to skate for Georgia, but at the same time refusing to release Ljubov?

[pinky166]

No way in hell Robin is 175
Maybe with his skates on.

I didn't realize Kokon was so low, though.

And Maisuradze is not a mess, he's a great pairs skater. I hope he has a great career himself, perhaps in Georgia
They could use a pair.

Yes I think Robin is more likely around 170-172 cm. And 152-153 cm is pretty standard for a ladies pair's skater, Marley and Takahashi are both only 146 cm and Sui is apparently only 143 cm (though she is probably around Marley and Takahashi's height now as she appears to have grown a bit). Aliona is very tiny, but for pairs, not really.

[Cherub721]

And Maisuradze is not a mess, he's a great pairs skater. I hope he has a great career himself, perhaps in Georgia
They could use a pair.

Have I missed something or do you say that because he has a Georgian name?

[victoriaheidi]

Ok, part of me is like, "yay, Velikov rocks!" But part of me doesn't get why he had to say that she's prone to being overweight. I may have a terrible eye or not a lot of pictures, but she's always looked normal to me, even amongst pairs. And why does he have to talk like that about a girl whose eating habits are known to be troubled, anyway?

[love_skate2011]

Have I missed something or do you say that because he has a Georgian name?

Georgian last name mostly ends either ili or dze
so chances Nodari has Georgian roots are very high.

I think it is also great if he will skate for Georgia like Elene

[Andrey aka Pushkin]

He does have Georgian roots, it's not just the name (which is obviously Georgian).
But unfortunately, there's no rumor of any kind implying that he might switch countries. It would be a shame if he'd get lost in the sea of talented Russian pairs.

[kwanfan1818]

Is there even a rumor of a female Georgian pairs skater with whom he could skate? In any case, the Russian Fed would have to release him, and that would be two years, and he'd no longer have the subsidized training or the political clout of the Russian Fed.

[Vash01]

And Maisuradze is not a mess, he's a great pairs skater. I hope he has a great career himself, perhaps in Georgia
They could use a pair.

I thought Nodari had already found a partner?

[pinky166]

Is there even a rumor of a female Georgian pairs skater with whom he could skate? In any case, the Russian Fed would have to release him, and that would be two years, and he'd no longer have the subsidized training or the political clout of the Russian Fed.

Well, there is Nikol Gosviani who is Georgian but represents Russia and currently skates singles. If she were to switch representation then they could team up and represent Georgia together.