From Russia with love [#29]: Spring 2018 and beyond

[hanca]

I think Voronov has a chance to participate any B competition he choses to. Under Buyanova he also has a chance not to be underscored and not to be stepped over if he delivers. Whether he can deliver am not sure - I quite agreed with the last year's nationals results.

Voronov had much better results at GP events than all Russian men except of Kolyada. Both Voronov and Kolyada were 1st and 3rd at their two GP events and both got into GPF where Kolyada was 3rd and Voronov 4th. Aliev and Samarin failed at their GP events. In fact, if they considered results from the whole season, Voronov would have deserved to be sent to Europeans much more than Aliev or Samarin. Unfortunately the only competition that he messed up was the one that mattered most - the Russian nationals.

 

[Eislauffan]

Voronov had much better results at GP events than all Russian men except of Kolyada. Both Voronov and Kolyada were 1st and 3rd at their two GP events and both got into GPF where Kolyada was 3rd and Voronov 4th. Aliev and Samarin failed at their GP events. In fact, if they considered results from the whole season, Voronov would have deserved to be sent to Europeans much more than Aliev or Samarin. Unfortunately the only competition that he messed up was the one that mattered most - the Russian nationals.

ITA. However, Aliev was injured at the beginning of the season and that affected his results in the GP. Samarin didn't do so badly in his first GP Skate Canada he got the bronze (he was lucky, of course that others messed up, but he did what he can do) and in the second GP Trophee de France he was 4th - so not bad for his GP debut. You can't say he failed. I'm not a fan of his skating and I prefer Voronov by a mile, but you have to give Samarin credit for what he did. He then skated poorly at Nationals, Europeans and national Cup of Russia event. He, too, has struggled with injuries, but who doesn't at this level.
At Nationals I had hoped that Voronov would be selected for Europeans based on the GP results, but he did not have much of a lobby and he would have needed to skate better and to make the podium so they could not have bypassed him. He probably knew that and pressure was high. But none of the Russian men skated really well at Nationals.

 

[hanca]

ITA. However, Aliev was injured at the beginning of the season and that affected his results in the GP. Samarin didn't do so badly in his first GP Skate Canada he got the bronze (he was lucky, of course that others messed up, but he did what he can do) and in the second GP Trophee de France he was 4th - so not bad for his GP debut. You can't say he failed. I'm not a fan of his skating and I prefer Voronov by a mile, but you have to give Samarin credit for what he did. He then skated poorly at Nationals, Europeans and national Cup of Russia event. He, too, has struggled with injuries, but who doesn't at this level.
At Nationals I had hoped that Voronov would be selected for Europeans based on the GP results, but he did not have much of a lobby and he would have needed to skate better and to make the podium so they could not have bypassed him. He probably knew that and pressure was high. But none of the Russian men skated really well at Nationals.

I am not sure if Samarin’s 3rd and 4th and no GPF compares that favourably with Voronov’s 1st and 3rd and GPF. So yes, I think I expected better from him and I feel he did fail. I think Voronov’s chances for the next season are not that small, especially as Russia now has three spots.

 

[iris81]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BijWg0eDrLn/?taken-by=avtrusova
Trusova-Erokhov, the future of russian pair skating.

 

[nguyhm]

Glad to hear that Voronov is continuing. Hope that he will be on the World Team in 2019 - it's been long overdue. Best wishes to him for the season with the new coach (he keeps changing them though....)

 

[Dobre]

I think with athletes moving up, you have to give them time. You can't expect them to come up, skate without nerves, and get the same marks they will earn later in the year after establishing themselves throughout the course of a season.

I would say the same about athletes coming off a hard season, though. So not just true with young athletes but with any athlete trying to rebuild after a tough previous year. And even true with athletes trying new elements and new choreography. Sometimes the hiccups during the GP season are part of the process for building a champion level competitor later in the year.

 

[Mad for Skating]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BijWg0eDrLn/?taken-by=avtrusova
Trusova-Erokhov, the future of russian pair skating.

I could totally see her killing a quad throw, Duhamel style. She's tiny enough for pairs, in case it gets too hot in Eteri's rink in a few years.

 

[Lovemyvike]

Whoohoo! Kovtun update! (I know I'm one of the few that are excited by this)

https://instagram.com/p/Bim2uqRHd14/

 

[zebraswan]

Did Vlad and Evgenia break up? IRL, I mean. He's in Mexico, she's not. They're young so I can understand if they did, and wouldn't really care, but it's hard not to wonder whether it would affect them as a pair. It's not like they had a ton of chemistry to begin with. But maybe they just needed some time apart.

 

[Vash01]

Did Vlad and Evgenia break up? IRL, I mean. He's in Mexico, she's not. They're young so I can understand if they did, and wouldn't really care, but it's hard not to wonder whether it would affect them as a pair. It's not like they had a ton of chemistry to begin with. But maybe they just needed some time apart.

They spend so much time together on and off the ice, I am sure each needs some time alone.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Skoptcova/Aleshin - new season.
from GS - https://goldenskate.com/2018/05/rus...a-and-aleshin-look-forward-to-new-challenges/

 

[Tinami Amori]

Did Vlad and Evgenia break up? IRL, I mean. He's in Mexico, she's not. They're young so I can understand if they did, and wouldn't really care, but it's hard not to wonder whether it would affect them as a pair. It's not like they had a ton of chemistry to begin with. But maybe they just needed some time apart.

Ok. this is what is out there - the "rumors"...
- T/M will be skating together as a team, but they may have not be a couple as far back as summer 2017.
- Vlad (25) is in Mexico, with Enbert and his girlfriend, and with Ksenya Stepanova (29) who is one of the choreographers in Mozer's group. There are fotos from Cancun, on which Enbert is hugging his girl, but Vlad and Ksenya just standing next to each other, not touching or leaning.
- Evgenia was in Sochi on vacation late April. She is now back home. There is a bandage on her nose. Some people think she had a surgery and finally fixed her cracked/broken nose-bridge (a condition which stifled her breathing for sometime).
- Evgenia has been seen, off the ice, with Fedor Klimov, but in casual circumstances, no obvious romantic gestures.

the above ARE RUMORS and not confirmed.

 

[DobrinFan]

Looks like Buyanova accepted Polina https://www.facebook.com/groups/130455587659387/permalink/178694249502187/

Radionova spilled the beans https://www.sports.ru/figure-skating/1063088170.html
Yes, Polina is with Buyanova now.

 

[Mad for Skating]

Did Vlad and Evgenia break up? IRL, I mean. He's in Mexico, she's not. They're young so I can understand if they did, and wouldn't really care, but it's hard not to wonder whether it would affect them as a pair. It's not like they had a ton of chemistry to begin with. But maybe they just needed some time apart.

Evgenia and Vladimir have been dating for YEARS! This is news to me if they've broken up. They've said in interviews right before the Olympics that they're a romantic couple, so if there was a breakup, it was very recent.
They've always seemed very sweet together on Instagram, even if their programs don't show it much.

 

[Mad for Skating]

Ok. this is what is out there - the "rumors"...
- T/M will be skating together as a team, but they may have not be a couple as far back as summer 2017.
- Vlad (25) is in Mexico, with Enbert and his girlfriend, and with Ksenya Stepanova (29) who is one of the choreographers in Mozer's group. There are fotos from Cancun, on which Enbert is hugging his girl, but Vlad and Ksenya just standing next to each other, not touching or leaning.
- Evgenia was in Sochi on vacation late April. She is now back home. There is a bandage on her nose. Some people think she had a surgery and finally fixed her cracked/broken nose-bridge (a condition which stifled her breathing for sometime).
- Evgenia has been seen, off the ice, with Fedor Klimov, but in casual circumstances, no obvious romantic gestures.

the above ARE RUMORS and not confirmed.

If Evgenia starts dating Fedor I will literally have to rethink everything I've thought about Russian pair skating!!!

Actually, if anything, Fedor might be dating Evgenia's sister Lera? She was along for some of the pictures he posted in Milan (you can find them on his Instagram). Total wild guess but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[DobrinFan]

New interviews:
Elena Radionova "We need to take advantage of everything"
Max Kovtun "I realized that the feeling of unrealization in the future will devour me"
Buyanova confirms the transition of Polina https://rsport.ria.ru/figure_skating/20180512/1136787533.html

 

[Bellanca]

Radionova spilled the beans https://www.sports.ru/figure-skating/1063088170.html
Yes, Polina is with Buyanova now.

I'm happy for Polina, a fresh start, a clean slate, and I'm glad for Elena that she can put everything into perspective and concentrate on what she can control - herself, her situation.

 

[alexikeguchi]

I don't know if these videos belong in this thread, but I got nostalgic and looked up some of Buyanova's competitive performances on YouTube, and she is even better than I remembered (yes, I can recall watching the 1976 Olympics!) She had crazy height on her double axels, did everything in combination, landed triple salchow, toe loop, and loop, and in an amazingly prescient maneuver, actually jumped her double lutz with both arms above her head.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_4O9AHF2dQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlopVpUPAQY

 

[Bellanca]

I don't know if these videos belong in this thread, but I got nostalgic and looked up some of Buyanova's competitive performances on YouTube, and she is even better than I remembered (yes, I can recall watching the 1976 Olympics!) She had crazy height on her double axels, did everything in combination, landed triple salchow, toe loop, and loop, and in an amazingly prescient maneuver, actually jumped her double lutz with both arms above her head.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_4O9AHF2dQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlopVpUPAQY

Thanks for sharing. Nice trip down memory lane. Elena had great posture! No hunched shoulders, no back-pumping, etc., (that's for you Uncle Dick! ) I'm especially interested and looking forward to what ideas and direction she has in mind for Polina and where it will eventually take her.

 

[barbarafan]

I don't know if these videos belong in this thread, but I got nostalgic and looked up some of Buyanova's competitive performances on YouTube, and she is even better than I remembered (yes, I can recall watching the 1976 Olympics!) She had crazy height on her double axels, did everything in combination, landed triple salchow, toe loop, and loop, and in an amazingly prescient maneuver, actually jumped her double lutz with both arms above her head.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_4O9AHF2dQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlopVpUPAQY

Very impressive jumping....Can't wait to see what she does with Polina.

 

[Stephanie]

Very impressive jumping....Can't wait to see what she does with Polina.

And Gubanova

 

[Darkverse]

Am curious whether the rest of Chebotareva's group (Konstantinova namingly) will join

I am not sure who would pay for her even if she wants to.

I think the reason for this being just a short term arrangement may be to see if the personalities and styles are compatible and if the finances can be worked out for a long term arrangement. While he is trying to improve his jump consistency, I hope Misha will not lose his wonderful artistry.

Going with his coach is an odd idea then. And Kolyada is no Medvedeva, where would he get the money for a long-term arrangement? Unlike what some people may think, the Fed does not provide full financing in such situations. If he was really looking for money he at least would have done some shows, however much he may not like them.

I like Konstantinova... but no sure keeping Karenina LP is wise. She has not had much success with it in the past season, and we have much talked about Medvedeva's LP that made a splash.

It was primarily her SP she had problems with, not her LP, unlike the season before. And I didn't get the impression the judges had something against the program. Fans certainly liked it.

 

[Ka3sha]

Anastasia Gulyakova (15) moved from Klimkin to Mishin

 

[hanca]

Anastasia Gulyakova (15) moved from Klimkin to Mishin

Well, she had triple axel before this last season. I think it was a mistake she chose not to put it in her programs, but Mishin could be good for her. He could do the same what he did with Liza, after that unsuccessful season he managed to get her to the top.

 

[DobrinFan]

New interviews:
Sergei Voronov "I have the strength, health, desire to continue and this is the most important thing"
Maria Sotskova "EGE handed over with a temperature of 39"

 

[Ka3sha]

Tarasova/Morozov moved to Trankov
https://rsport.ria.ru/figure_skating/20180515/1136949071.html

(too early, it’s not an official information - just according to the “source, who is close to the team” )

 

[dinakt]

Tarasova/Morozov moved to Trankov
https://rsport.ria.ru/figure_skating/20180515/1136949071.html

(too early, it’s not an official information - just a “source close to the team” )

indeed. What an off-season

 

[rfisher]

Moser said she was going to be pretty much out of coaching this season. Is Trankov working at her rink or is he elsewhere? I'm at the idea of Stolbova/Klimov moving to him as well. He and Fedor are BFFs, but he and Ksenia are most definitely not.

I guess this also means Robin is out of Russia?

 

[clairecloutier]

So we will have both Aliona and Max at the boards next season!

 

[dinakt]

So we will have both Aliona and Max at the boards next season!

Somebody needs go to Duhamel immediately.