From Russia with Love [#35]: Winter 2019

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Khuda is not a Papadakis & Cizeron fan...thinks they are full of themselves and have no charisma guess she also likes man-woman programs ?

«Смотрю на учениц Тутберидзе — и понимаю, как удачно ушла в танцы». Яркое интервью российской фигуристки

Вице-чемпионка мира среди юниоров Елизавета Худайбердиева — одна из самых ярких фигуристок на льду и вне его.

www.sport-express.ru

Girl please shut up and... focus on your skating...

Yeah why don't stop telling a young woman to SHUT UP.

 

[Holy Headband]

lol everyone needs to care about this way less. Khuda is a bit of a diva, which some may find refreshing and others may find abrasive. It's inevitable that showing some actual personality in interviews will open you up to a wider range of reactions than sticking to forgettable platitudes. Accept that others might find Khuda more or less likeable based on this interview than you do and move on. It doesn't necessarily mean they lack manners or are misogynistic.

Personally, I love the divatude and I don't find her to be out of line. She's cocky and outspoken, like a lot of people I knew when I was her age (which is not to say she's wrong or unaware of the effect of her words, just that an older version of Khuda might have chosen to say less--and deprive us of content to chew on), which makes me laugh. Also her comment about P/C is ultimately both petty/inconsequential and completely believable.

In fact, I find Boikova/Kozlovski's we're not like other young people, we're so highbrow and innocent and we respect our elders, let us tell you about Tolstoy and The Beatles uwu act a lot more grating, which only goes to support my point that having a distinctive personality as a public figure is always a risk.

 

[Dobre]

Well, Dimitri's fall in the SP sort of sealed Khuda's fate. They did come back in the free skate, but a fall in ice dance is the kiss of death unless everybody else falls.

Boy, there were a lot more falls at Four Continents than I realized.

 

[mjb52]

I think this would be a fun one to discuss during the off-season, the whole diva/divo/political correctness/cultural norms issue. If everybody is nice all the time, the sport becomes a lot less entertaining, but I feel sort of guilty about enjoying the drama when I know that there is often a psychic toll it takes on the personalities involved to be the diva/divo who ends up performing/having that persona.

 

[Wyliefan]

In fact, I find Boikova/Kozlovski's we're not like other young people, we're so highbrow and innocent and we respect our elders, let us tell you about Tolstoy and The Beatles uwu act a lot more grating, which only goes to support my point that having a distinctive personality as a public figure is always a risk.

What makes you think it's an act? Some people like Tolstoy and The Beatles.

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

I don't know about Zhulin, but I believe this guy used to work at Sambo 70 and coached Trusova before she moved to Eteri's group.

Martine Dagenais - Pourchasser mon rêve à Moscou | Sports | Radio-Canada.ca

« J'ai acheté un aller simple pour Moscou. Une décision déchirante. Partir en Russie, ça m'éloignait de ma famille, de ma mère surtout, qui n'était jamais trop loin. Maintenant, elle est à neuf heures d'avion, à huit heures de décalage. J'étais face à un choix. J'ai choisi ma passion. »

ici.radio-canada.ca

Speaking of Volkov, here’s an article (in French but Google translate in your friend) about his wife, a former Canadian junior champion coaching at Plushenko’s angels. Interesting!

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

In fact, I find Boikova/Kozlovski's we're not like other young people, we're so highbrow and innocent and we respect our elders, let us tell you about Tolstoy and The Beatles uwu act a lot more grating, which only goes to support my point that having a distinctive personality as a public figure is always a risk.

Having observed them a few time in person, I can tell you it's not an act. They are both well educated and highly intelligent. Their interests and behavior reflect their family backgrounds. If you pay attention, you'll notice how sophisticated Boikova's English is. It's just who they are. They may fancy themselves as Andrei Bolkonski and Natasha Rostova, but that's just a beautiful childhood fantasy. Let them have it...

 

[zebraswan]

Who knew that having manners and being well-educated could be "grating" to some people. We are truly living in Idiocracy.

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

Who knew that having manners and being well-educated could be "grating" to some people. We are truly living in Idiocracy.

Perhaps someone's headband is too tight and making that person cranky.

 

[Immortelle]

I love B/K, just goes to show you can be bookish, polite, believe that no good music was made after 1979 and be an elite athlete ?

 

[Mad for Skating]

Surprisingly, I am sad and somewhat relieved for her at the same time. That negative vibe between her and Fedor really made watching them uncomfortable for me. I felt for her though when Trankov was interfering and being rather derogatory in public. While I accept that's just his style it was jarring. Why would you disclose private matters between two people just because you don't like her? But again I realize it is his style and he has no issues with hurting anyone he does not like in public. My final two cents, a soul is worth much more than a figure skating medal, move on, and rise to higher heights.

I agree that Trankov made some off comments about Stolbova in the past, but I am happy to see that this time, he had only good things to say about her. He said she was a great athlete, but it takes two great athletes to make a successful pair.

Sad but not too surprised by Stolbova’s retirement. She has been through a lot, particularly being denied the Olympic spot without a reason. Perhaps the partnership with Novoselov was her last ditch effort to make it. At first everyone was excited, like Aliona’s OGM. I thought it would take more time for Ksenia to make a decision on her new partnership but probably she had seen enough to make her final decision.

I saw her and Klimov skate at the 2016 and they were clearly one of the top pairs, despite a few mistakes.
It breaks my heart to see that such talent was wasted, and I think it was pure bad luck. Too many injuries and then the 2018 Olympics shock. At least she tried to make a comeback.

On the positive side she does have an OGM (team), Olympic silver, world silver. She and Klimov were capable of so much more. It was not meant to be.

I hope she will be happy with whatever she does in the future.

I totally agree 100%. They were blessed with incredible talent but they just had so much bad luck. Looking back on their performances from the 2014 Olympics and 2015 GPF, I just can’t help wondering what could’ve been. She’s an incredibly strong person and I can’t blame her one bit if she’s finally decided to leave the sport. With the depth of pairs in Russia and the gap between her skills and Novoselov’s, it just seemed like a long shot. Still, it seems like she’s going out on her own terms and that’s all that matters. I think she will go far in whatever she does.

In fact, I find Boikova/Kozlovski's we're not like other young people, we're so highbrow and innocent and we respect our elders, let us tell you about Tolstoy and The Beatles uwu act a lot more grating, which only goes to support my point that having a distinctive personality as a public figure is always a risk.

Well, I can’t speak for all teenagers, but I’m close to Boikova/Kozlovskii’s age and while I don’t mind a good Taylor Swift album, I love War and Peace and other classic literature (Austen, Dostoyevsky, the Bronte sisters). Just because we’re young doesn’t mean we can’t love some good oldies.

 

[Bigbird]

I agree that Trankov made some off comments about Stolbova in the past, but I am happy to see that this time, he had only good things to say about her. He said she was a great athlete, but it takes two great athletes to make a successful pair.



I totally agree 100%. They were blessed with incredible talent but they just had so much bad luck. Looking back on their performances from the 2014 Olympics and 2015 GPF, I just can’t help wondering what could’ve been. She’s an incredibly strong person and I can’t blame her one bit if she’s finally decided to leave the sport. With the depth of pairs in Russia and the gap between her skills and Novoselov’s, it just seemed like a long shot. Still, it seems like she’s going out on her own terms and that’s all that matters. I think she will go far in whatever she does.



Well, I can’t speak for all teenagers, but I’m close to Boikova/Kozlovskii’s age and while I don’t mind a good Taylor Swift album, I love War and Peace and other classic literature (Austen, Dostoyevsky, the Bronte sisters). Just because we’re young doesn’t mean we can’t love some good oldies.

Your statement about Trankov is not entirely true. In fact he does say that Ksenia's career ended the moment she parted with Fedor. Then he played nice. He may be a talented athlete, some may find him refreshing, but in my eyes he is simply a crass classless person with of course his own personal redeeming qualities, but as a public figure crude at best.

 

[Mad for Skating]

Your statement about Trankov is not entirely true. In fact he does say that Ksenia's career ended the moment she parted with Fedor. Then he played nice. He may be a talented athlete, some may find him refreshing, but in my eyes he is simply a crass classless person with of course his own personal redeeming qualities, but as a public figure crude at best.

Well, I am a huge Stolbova fan, but to be honest, I think Trankov was right. Novoselov was a good skater, but Ksenia was an incredible skater. IMO, the main strength of Stolbova/Klimov's skating was how well they skated together as a pair. They both had incredible skating skills and moved like one person on the ice, not two. I'm not saying it would've been impossible for her to achieve things with Novoselov, but it would've been a long shot, especially with the level of the rest of the field right now.
It breaks my heart, but I think she is making the right choice to step away from competition.

 

[Bigbird]

Well, I am a huge Stolbova fan, but to be honest, I think Trankov was right. Novoselov was a good skater, but Ksenia was an incredible skater. IMO, the main strength of Stolbova/Klimov's skating was how well they skated together as a pair. They both had incredible skating skills and moved like one person on the ice, not two. I'm not saying it would've been impossible for her to achieve things with Novoselov, but it would've been a long shot, especially with the level of the rest of the field right now.
It breaks my heart, but I think she is making the right choice to step away from competition.

Respectfully, whether or not he is or isn't right wasn't the issue for me. The comment IMHO was simply unkind given the circumstances. OTOH, while I respected their technical abilities what came across most glaringly was the lack of any empathy between them. I always appreciated the warmth and connection of Sui and Han. I often wondered how differently their careers might have been if they could have had a better relationship. Trankov and his meddling did not help. When I first met them as youngsters though I was completely enthralled. All the best to her as she moves forward.

 

[Ka3sha]

Happy 73rd birthday, TAT

 

[Ka3sha]

Max Trankov's interview with Ted Barton

Тед Бартон, интервью о российском фигурном катании - влог Максима Транькова

Комментатор Тед Бартон специально для Первого канала работал на Чемпионате России по фигурному катанию и Первенстве страны среди юниоров. Олимпийский чемпион...

www.youtube.com

 

[thvu]

I'm not sure what to think of Ted Barton interviewing Trankov for Russian TV... (but I can't wait to watch it!)

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Well, I am a huge Stolbova fan, but to be honest, I think Trankov was right. Novoselov was a good skater, but Ksenia was an incredible skater. IMO, the main strength of Stolbova/Klimov's skating was how well they skated together as a pair. They both had incredible skating skills and moved like one person on the ice, not two. I'm not saying it would've been impossible for her to achieve things with Novoselov, but it would've been a long shot, especially with the level of the rest of the field right now.
It breaks my heart, but I think she is making the right choice to step away from competition.

I have to agree with you. To put it bluntly, as much as I wanted Stolbova and Novoselov to succeed, it was obvious they weren't going anywhere. Just shows how difficult it is to create a great pair that stays together for a long time. This is why T/M are so frustrating to me. They seem to have it all, but are missing the magic ingredient that all great pairs have/had.

 

[Wyliefan]

Apologies if this was already posted, but I didn't see it. The 4 A's did a photo shoot for a Russian magazine, and the pics are really nice.

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I may have missed some -- there were quite a few!

 

[PRlady]

Those are some gorgeous young women.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I love B/K, just goes to show you can be bookish, polite, believe that no good music was made after 1979 and be an elite athlete ?

And have a woman's body.

 

[TAHbKA]

Betina Popova retired

 

[mjb52]

Holy crap. This one I didn’t see coming. There is a huge pile up of young dance teams but even still...

 

[Ka3sha]

Betina Popova retired

They retired as a team...

Танцевальная пара Бетина Попова/Сергей Мозгов объявила о завершении карьеры - 14 февраля 2020 - Sport24

Сегодня стало известно, что победители зимней Универсиады в Красноярске 2019 и многократные призеры международных соревнований, танцевальный дуэт Бетина Попова и Сергей Мозгов приняли решение завершить спортивную карьеру.

sport24.ru

 

[rfisher]

I will miss their sense of humor and fun.

 

[Ka3sha]

Apparently, Betina has just recently graduated from GITIS (Russian Institute of Theatre Arts) and defended her thesis on the highest mark.

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Sergei mentions in his Instagram post that he will start coaching and hopes to succeed in this.

 

[Bigbird]

Holy crap. This one I didn’t see coming. There is a huge pile up of young dance teams but even still...

The injuries took a toll. Bittersweet but good for them. I really enjoyed their goofy galas, especially the drunk groom. I hope they do many shows!!

 

[Ka3sha]

Speaking of Volkov, here’s an article (in French but Google translate in your friend) about his wife, a former Canadian junior champion coaching at Plushenko’s angels. Interesting!

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[Mad for Skating]

I have to agree with you. To put it bluntly, as much as I wanted Stolbova and Novoselov to succeed, it was obvious they weren't going anywhere. Just shows how difficult it is to create a great pair that stays together for a long time. This is why T/M are so frustrating to me. They seem to have it all, but are missing the magic ingredient that all great pairs have/had.

I really wanted to believe they had a chance, but with the depth of the pairs field in Russia, the gap in their skating skills, and the coaching situation, it was definitely a long shot. TBH, it really made me appreciate just how rare Stolbova/Klimov were as a team - you don't often see two skaters with incredible skating skills as a pair (I'll add Sui/Han and Volosozhar/Trankov to that list). They were truly something special and I don't think anyone could've been a better partner for her. So I'm not surprised she's decided to retire, but it's still bittersweet.

I still do have faith in T/M, but they can be pretty frustrating sometimes.

Betina Popova retired

What is it with all my Russian girls retiring this week? Does the universe really hate me?
I honestly don't watch much ice dance, but I always found Popova/Mozgov entertaining and quirky.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Betina Popova retired

OMG. After all the denials. Sigh.