From Russia With Love - Autumn 2012

[Cherub721]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7ox4...eature=g-all-u
Stepanova and Bukin are doing a Bolero FD. I was quite disappointed. I feel like this music is very difficult to do well and they don't have the maturity yet to pull it off.

Although I have to say that their twizzles are excellent - very fast rotations.

Do they have the same coaches as K&N? The music reminds me of their 2006 Bolero FD and they have some creative lifts. I agree that they're not really skating to the music, but this FD is fine for juniors. I really like this couple, they both have something special and I watch them equally.

I thought this FD was tons better than last year's one

I preferred last year's.

If none of the current senior ice dance teams place in the top 5 or 10 in Sochi I can't see any of getting any kind of support ever and would assume they would all retire but if they didn't they would not go to 2018.

How can you possibly think there's a possibility that none of these teams would even make the top 10? They had 3 in the top 10 in 2012. (It's not that they're so great, but the ice dance world is really weak right now). Russia will certainly have at least one couple in the top 5, probably challenging for a medal. And if the situation is as dire as you describe, then I think the Russian fed will support whoever is closest to the top, as they have been supporting Bobrova/Soloviev the last couple of years despite their less than impressive results.

[caseyedwards]

Bobrova and Soloviev are aiming for 2018

I wonder if they stay Russian champs til 2018. That would be some run if they medaled from 2011 to 2018. Then there must be some 2014 team - some team with some ambition for success in 2014.

[martyross]

If none of the current senior ice dance teams place in the top 5 or 10 in Sochi I can't see any of getting any kind of support ever and would assume they would all retire but if they didn't they would not go to 2018.

afaik, these dancers are not 40 or something. and unless the federation has some weird reasons to hate them, they'll keep supporting whomever they feel worth to support, as always.

[equatorial]

I agree that they're not really skating to the music

The sound quality is so poor that some of the posters thought it was not flamenco but tango in the first part. I thought their timing was quite good, but will wait for a better quality video.

I preferred last year's.

Last year they were skating like two singles skaters haphazardly thrown together to do some ice dancing. Hence, some flashy tricks thrown in to distract attention from their technique. Plus, she looked totally inferior wrt her basics. Their progress is nothing short of spectacular.

[love_skate2011]

Stepanova/Bukin have the same coach as Jana Khoklova/Sergey Novitski

What about Elena Ilinykh? I doubt she'll retire after Sochi.
I thought of Bobrova but she seems way too nice to be a diva.

Elena Ilinykh ,I dont see her as a dive
she is more of a Bombshell.

I thought they were too fast to the music and just skated through it .Their twizzles are excellent so fast and in unison.I love this couple and can't wait till they turn senior .They look great on the ice good lines and flow .He reminds me of Shabalin with that haircut
Russia are definately on the way back in dance with sooo many promising couples for the future .

yes they remind me of Domnina/Shabalin
especially with Stepanovs's long legs like Dominina

on another, the first boy medalist in Russia for JGP this season
times are desperate for russian men drought , how old , 14 ? never seen him before

SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LU0xkFF2ZY&feature=plcp

LP attempted 3A, step out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IRtOKICzdM&feature=plcp

[caseyedwards]

How can you possibly think there's a possibility that none of these teams would even make the top 10? They had 3 in the top 10 in 2012. (It's not that they're so great, but the ice dance world is really weak right now). Russia will certainly have at least one couple in the top 5, probably challenging for a medal. And if the situation is as dire as you describe, then I think the Russian fed will support whoever is closest to the top, as they have been supporting Bobrova/Soloviev the last couple of years despite their less than impressive results.

How long can that go on? I forgot R/T was in the top 10. I/K was 5th and B/S was 7 and R/T was 9. Why wouldn't they switch to I/K? Depends on the GP season again and if B/S show improvement. Not just so that they can win an event but win it impressively and also keep it up. Not just go from beating the Shibutani's to losing to them at the GPF.

afaik, these dancers are not 40 or something. and unless the federation has some weird reasons to hate them, they'll keep supporting whomever they feel worth to support, as always.

If they don't win a medal at worlds in 2014 or 2015 after the assumed DW and VM retirements I can't imagine them being supported anymore. Any of the previously mentioned Russian teams.

[Cherub721]

How long can that go on? I forgot R/T was in the top 10. I/K was 5th and B/S was 7 and R/T was 9. Why wouldn't they switch to I/K? Depends on the GP season again and if B/S show improvement. Not just so that they can win an event but win it impressively and also keep it up. Not just go from beating the Shibutani's to losing to them at the GPF.



If they don't win a medal at worlds in 2014 or 2015 after the assumed DW and VM retirements I can't imagine them being supported anymore. Any of the previously mentioned Russian teams.

I kind of wish they would do as you say... just don't play favorites with anyone, mark them fairly, and if that means it's a junior team that becomes national champions and all 3 of the teams from last year's Worlds don't make Sochi, so be it. They have to go with whoever is going to score the points in international competition. They are wasting time on B&S, IMO, and maybe I&K if they don't improve this year. But they supported DomShabs after they didn't medal in 2006 and 2007 (they deserved a medal in 2007 though), and even dumped K&N for them after K&N medalled in 2008, so I don't know.

[oleada]

I love S/B; by far my favorites of the Russian juniors. The sound quality at this JGP is terrible, and it's their first outing, so I'll wait until there's a better quality video. I think they have "IT" and are very creative.

[morqet]

They have to go with whoever is going to score the points in international competition. They are wasting time on B&S, IMO, and maybe I&K if they don't improve this year.

The Russian Fed would be very foolish to give up on I/K imo; they have shown a lot of improvement over the last year, made the transition from juniors successfully which doesn't always happen & demonstrated that they are capable of winning medals at senior ISU competitions. Their performances & results at Worlds and Euros last season will give them a lot of momentum. In terms of building an international rep, they're a year or two ahead of the other up and coming Russian teams (& I think a key thing to bear in mind is that they're still very young for a top ice dance team, only a year older than S/Z and actually younger than M/K). The ones who really should be worrying are R/T who are going into their 4th year on the senior circuit without a real breakthrough, and B/S if they don't make dramatic leaps forward with Zhulin.

[love_skate2011]

The Russian Fed would be very foolish to give up on I/K imo; they have shown a lot of improvement over the last year, made the transition from juniors successfully which doesn't always happen & demonstrated that they are capable of winning medals at senior ISU competitions. Their performances & results at Worlds and Euros last season will give them a lot of momentum. In terms of building an international rep, they're a year or two ahead of the other up and coming Russian teams (& I think a key thing to bear in mind is that they're still very young for a top ice dance team, only a year older than S/Z and actually younger than M/K). The ones who really should be worrying are R/T who are going into their 4th year on the senior circuit without a real breakthrough, and B/S if they don't make dramatic leaps forward with Zhulin.

I feel this season should be the momentum for B/S and R/T on how they will do and if they will really improve, a lot can still happen in 2018 but 2014 is a short time period now so they need to make the best of it now.

for 2018, I see the Top 3 Russian Pairs will be:

Ilinykh/Katsalapov, Sinitsina/Zhiganshin and Stepanova/Bukin in any order

[love_skate2011]

I finally figured out who Dmitri Soloviev looks like
I knew his face looked flashy when I remember seeing someone on TV

Dmitri Soloviev looks like Louis Tomlinson from "Boy Band" One Direction

[analia]

In my dream, the 2018 dance teams would be Ilinykh/a new partner who can twizzle, Stepanova/Bukin, and Kosigina/Moroshkin....

[Macassar88]

I finally figured out who Dmitri Soloviev looks like
I knew his face looked flashy when I remember seeing someone on TV

Dmitri Soloviev looks like Louis Tomlinson from "Boy Band" One Direction

Wow the resemblance is uncanny!

[kapriza]

In my dream, the 2018 dance teams would be Ilinykh/a new partner who can twizzle, Stepanova/Bukin, and Kosigina/Moroshkin....

I wish Nikita wouldn’t be such a headcase. He’s a brilliant skater, with an amazing skating skills and for me he’s a bigger star than Elena herself. But to be honest I've started noticing it only last season, up to now I was blown away by her beauty and attitude

[Moka-Ananas]

In my dream, the 2018 dance teams would be Ilinykh/a new partner who can twizzle, Stepanova/Bukin, and Kosigina/Moroshkin....

Are you kidding me? Nikita is wonderful. He has all the potential to become one of the greatest dancers ever.
Kosigina/Moroshkin on the other hand have an atrocious FD this season and they haven't convinced be so far.

[love_skate2011]

Wow the resemblance is uncanny!

indeed, if only Soloviev was shorter and they would be twins

[nuge]

[QUOTE=love_skate2011;3691845]Stepanova/Bukin have the same coach as Jana Khoklova/Sergey Novitski



yes they remind me of Domnina/Shabalin
especially with Stepanovs's long legs like Dominina

Yes she has the same look of Navka and Domina long legs and good posture .
Bukin who cares who his coaches are I'm sure he must have had a great start and great coaching from his father

[Macassar88]

[QUOTE=nuge;3692484]

Stepanova/Bukin have the same coach as Jana Khoklova/Sergey Novitski



yes they remind me of Domnina/Shabalin
especially with Stepanovs's long legs like Dominina

Yes she has the same look of Navka and Domina long legs and good posture .
Bukin who cares who his coaches are I'm sure he must have had a great start and great coaching from his father

Lol iirc Bukin was to Bestemianova like Margaglio was to Fusar-Poli. So maybe not the best coach? Although it definitely couldn't hurt.

[love_skate2011]

Federation Cup October 5-7, 2012
Sochi, Russia

Entry List:

Men:

Artur Gachinski
Sergei Voronov
Ivan Bariev
Artur Dmitriev
Gordei Gorshkov - still competing
Mark Shymatkov - still competing

Ladies:

Ksenia Makarova
Polina Shelepen
Polina Korobeynikova
Sofia Biryukova
Alexandra Deeva
Valentina Chernyshova

Pairs:

Yuko Kavaguti / Alexander Smirnov
Ksenia Stolbova / Fedor Klimov
Ekaterina Petaykina / Konstantin Bezmaternykh
Tatiana Novik / Andrei Novoselov
Ekatherine Kuklina / Maxim Petukhov

Ice Dancing:

Victoria Sinitsina / Ruslan Zhiganshin
Valeria Starygina / Ivan Volobuev
Ekaterina Pushkash/ Jonathan Guerreiro
Tatiana Baturintseva / Andrei Nevski
Anna Polikarpova / Maxim Kirillov.

[caseyedwards]

Gachinski has to win that. I wonder if the polinas can beat makarova.

Sochi test skate!