The captain of the Russian team at the World Team Trophy, Nikita Katsalapov, commented on the performance of the Russian team on the first day of competition in Fukuoka, Japan:
- All the guys from our team tried to keep fit, which they scored during the season, so that they could roll well in this tournament. To be honest, I thought that I would not be nervous, because all the main starts are over. But at team competitions there is a completely different responsibility, because here you ride not only for yourself, but you fight with the whole team and everyone brings something to the common piggy bank. So I didn’t manage to relax and just enjoy renting others, but I still think that today was a good day.
Today we saw a lot of cool rentals. I am very happy for Lisa Tuktamysheva, who demonstrated serious skating - she fought for the first places. Glad for Andrei Lazukin - he showed everything he could, despite the end of the season. Sonya Samodurova did not flinch. And Vika Sinitsyna and I also put in a rhythm dance “Sin best”.
It is a pity that Sasha Samarin failed to roll cleanly. But I'm not his coach, so I can not comment. I think that they and Svetlana Vladimirovna (Sokolovskaya - note) understood what they were going for. But tomorrow is still ahead, and Sasha and all our guys will fight.
Tomorrow greenhouses come into the fight. Natalia Zabiyako and Alexander Enbert are very well prepared. They have been in Japan for more than a month, so they should not have problems with acclimatization. They themselves already want to join the fight. So tomorrow, as I said, we will fight.
The last time I participated in the WTT team tournament in 2011. Then another ride with another partner, and many things have already been forgotten. In addition, this time I play the role of team captain. This means that you need to motivate the guys, tune them. And better by personal example. Vika and I started first today and set a good mood.
I was appointed captain of the team in our Federation. I think that there was no voting among the athletes who joined the team for this tournament. But for me it does not matter. Being a captain is an honorable duty and I will try to do everything I can. Of course, it’s impossible for me to ride for everyone, but moral support is often also important.
As for paraphernalia, scarves, toys, a samovar, and other things, our "team leader" Valery Artyukhov brought all this to Japan. Thank you so much for that. Perhaps on the first day we didn’t fully uncover our artistic abilities in Kiss & Krai, but we discuss everything together, what needs to be done, what to portray, somewhere we improvise ... I think that tomorrow everything will be much more fun when Vika and I roll back and be able to exhale. We will invent something interesting. And the other guys will catch up, "- commented Nikita Katsalapov.
Not that I usually care about skaters' private lives but it's hard to miss the personal connection between S/K. I've always thought that, beauty-wise, these two were a match made in heaven and that, long before I realized they actually were an item. So I wasn't surprised to see them obviously in love. They are one ultra gorgeous couple.
You jinxed him to fall, tell us the truth.
, but IMHO, they should change that lift, it looks like he could drop her every single time.
Best Russian couple in at least 10 years now. Please keep it up!
and he spoke very well 
