Natalia Zabiiako & Zachary Daleman to skate for Canada

[Sylvia]

According to an unnamed source:

Известная российская фигуристка будет выступать за Канаду

Серебряная медалистка Олимпиады-2018 в командном турнире бывшая российская фигуристка Наталья Забияко возобновляет карьеру и будет выступать за Канаду, сообщил... РИА Новости Спорт, 18.05.2022

rsport.ria.ru

The silver medalist of the 2018 Olympics in the team tournament, former Russian figure skater Natalya Zabiyako [born in Estonia, 2019 World bronzse medalist with Enbert] resumes her career and will compete for Canada, a source familiar with the situation told RIA Novosti.

"Zabiyako's new partner will be Canadian figure skater Zachary Daleman, the younger brother of 2017 World Championship bronze medalist Gabrielle Daleman. Zabiyako and Daleman will represent Canada and train in this country with Bruno Marcotte," a source told RIA Novosti.

She will be 28 in August: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natalia_Zabiiako (Natalja Zabijako when she skated for Estonia)

He turned 22 in March and last competed with Justine Brasseur (6th in Senior Pairs at Skate Canada Virtual Challenge in January 2021). Before that he competed on the JGP in 2019 & placed 11th at 2020 Junior Worlds with Patricia Andrew: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00107904.htm
ETA that B/D were named to Skate Canada's 2021-22 NextGen Team (coached by Bruno Marcotte, Brian Shales) but they never competed this season and Brasseur announced her retirement in January 2022.

(This news was posted originally in the 2021-22 Canadian Pairs thread but I thought this was interesting/surprising enough to create a separate one.)

 

[Sylvia]

As expected, the usual suspects are being called for their opinions on this pairing.

Бывший тренер Забияко назвал хорошим вариантом ее выступление за Канаду

Намерение возобновившей профессиональную карьеру российской фигуристки Натальи Забияко тренироваться в Канаде является оптимальным вариантом, сообщил РИА... РИА Новости Спорт, 20.07.2022

rsport.ria.ru

Zabiiako's former coach Vladislav Zhovnirsky told RIA Novosti:
"Natasha caught fire in sports, she really wanted to return. During the ISU camp (training camp of the International Skating Union [in April in Berlin, Germany, I assume]), Natasha tried to pair up with a partner from Canada. The specialists liked them, and the guys themselves decided to start training in the partner's homeland. This is the most the best option for working together for them at the moment.I myself contacted Bruno (Marcotte) and asked his opinion about the new couple, to which he became interested and agreed to work with the guys.I treat Natasha very well and in any case I will be her help," Zhovnirsky said.

President of the Russian Figure Skating Federation Alexander Gorshkov gave his usual response: “She didn’t contact us about this. I’m hearing about it for the first time, so I can’t express my opinion on this issue.”

Alexander Enbert:

Бывший партнер Забияко пожелал успеха фигуристке в возобновлении карьеры

Серебряный призер Олимпиады-2018 в командном турнире фигуристов Александр Энберт сказал РИА Новости, что его бывшая партнерша Наталья Забияко заслуживает... РИА Новости Спорт, 18.05.2022

rsport.ria.ru

“Natalya loves to skate very much, she wanted it, so I’m sure the resumption of her career will be a joy for her. Accordingly, it’s a joy for me too. I hope that everything will work out for her, and if she is the first in any of the tournaments, I will be happy, I am very rooting for her. We have achieved all the successes together, and she deserves gold medals, she is a wonderful partner and a wonderful person."

Maxim Trankov:

"Без России все будет в порядке": Траньков нашел смысл для Забияко в Канаде

Серебряная медалистка Олимпиады-2018 в командном турнире фигуристов Наталья Забияко будет занимать высокие места на международных турнирах, если продолжится... РИА Новости Спорт, 20.07.2022

rsport.ria.ru

 

[oleada]

“Natalya loves to skate very much, she wanted it, so I’m sure the resumption of her career will be a joy for her. Accordingly, it’s a joy for me too. I hope that everything will work out for her, and if she is the first in any of the tournaments, I I will be happy, I am very rooting for her. We have achieved all the successes together, and she deserves gold medals, she is a wonderful partner and a wonderful person."

That is a really sweet comment

 

[Pink Cats]

This comment is the kind that coaches and former coaches should be making about their students, not the crap the Eteri Tutberidze says.

 

[VGThuy]

This comment is the kind that coaches and former coaches should be making about their students, not the crap the Eteri Tutberidze says.

Right?

 

[4rkidz]

well lucky for Daleman - hope he can step up.

 

[Kateri]

We get Natalie Zabiiako back?? omg. Warming up my PSOTY nomination already.

 

[coppertop1]

This season and the aftermath has been dramatic enough for it to be a musical.

 

[Sylvia]

Opinion piece by Anastasia Panina (May 19) that begins "Russian figure skater Natalya Zabiyako resumes her sports career and will play for the Canadian national team. RIA Novosti Sport recalls the difficult history of the athlete and explains why her decision should be respected.":

Не смейте говорить о предательстве! Как понять уход Забияко под флаг Канады

Российская фигуристка Наталья Забияко возобновляет спортивную карьеру и будет выступать за сборную Канады. РИА Новости Спорт вспоминает непростую историю... РИА Новости Спорт, 19.05.2022

rsport.ria.ru

 

[baconnwaffles]

Skate Canada, the fed that keeps on giving (other than Rusfed ofc)

Happy for Zabiiako because I think her career got sidelined by Enbert's illness. I would have preferred a better partner for her though.

 

[Bigbird]

Skate Canada, the fed that keeps on giving (other than Rusfed ofc)

Happy for Zabiiako because I think her career got sidelined by Enbert's illness. I would have preferred a better partner for her though

Yeah. I found her a bit wooden.
Do we have video of this new partner?

 

[Sylvia]

Do we have video of this new partner?

Brasseur/Daleman's Senior SP in November 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2eXQQiwmco

 

[layman]

Brasseur/Daleman's Senior SP in November 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2eXQQiwmco

Daleman seems a big, strong, healthy boy with excellent partnering skills...I would say ideal for pairs. I don't recall Zabiiako though.

 

[Amy L]

Daleman seems a big, strong, healthy boy with excellent partnering skills...I would say ideal for pairs. I don't recall Zabiiako though.

Zabiyako is a World & Olympic medalist with Aleksandr Enbert. I thought they were mostly snoozy but their medieval LARPing program was well-received at the time.

https://youtu.be/W3FXEIrpA1w

 

[Wyliefan]

And they had some ballet program with a costume change. As I recall, they were known for dullish programs with just one "Wait, what?" moment in each of them.

 

[karmena]

Yeah. I found her a bit wooden.
Do we have video of this new partner?

Agree. I have found her a bit wooden, too.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I think she's a lovely skater.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Brasseur/Daleman's Senior SP in November 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2eXQQiwmco

Can we just say how much Zach looks like his sister, down to the same eyebrows, too!

 

[karmena]

I think she's a lovely skater.

THere is no doubt that she is a lovely skater!
Though, I do not believe that this contradict with what I said; it was my impression ( mho) from what I have seen. Skaters develop and make a progress all the time.

 

[soogar]

“After a fall I couldn’t focus, my ear was bleeding, but I was thinking about getting back to trainings in a couple of days” Dramatic story of pair skater Natalia Zabijako

Dramatic story of pair skater Natalia Zabijako

fs-gossips.com

Interesting interview with Natalia.

 

[Bigbird]

“After a fall I couldn’t focus, my ear was bleeding, but I was thinking about getting back to trainings in a couple of days” Dramatic story of pair skater Natalia Zabijako

Dramatic story of pair skater Natalia Zabijako

fs-gossips.com

Interesting interview with Natalia.

Brave girl. Sad that the marriage did not work out, but happy that she has such a strong vision. Hoping all goes well for her.

 

[clairecloutier]

That was a really good interview with Natalia Zabiiako. Many revealing things in it, but I found her comments on the current top 3 Russian pairs to be especially interesting:

The guys, of course, are great in the sense that they perform the elements well – I mean the top three. But in terms of programs… I’m bored. I want something more modern, interesting. If I continued my career, I would do everything differently, not like before.

Zabiiako is a very elegant skater, but her programs with Enbert often seemed to be lacking somehow--like the concept or the choreography wasn't fully baked or tailored to their strengths. If the new partnership with Daleman were to give her a vehicle to sort of find herself artistically on the ice (as she alludes to above)--as well as being competitive--that would be a nice outcome.

It's very clear from the interview that she didn't want to retire and would have preferred to go on. So for her sake, I'm glad she has another opportunity.

 

[Bouffantrex]

Zabiiako is a very elegant skater, but her programs with Enbert often seemed to be lacking somehow--like the concept or the choreography wasn't fully baked or tailored to their strengths.

Has any Nina Mozer pair ever had fully baked choreography or programs constructed to their strengths?

 

[Amy L]

Has any Nina Mozer pair ever had fully baked choreography or programs constructed to their strengths?

Stolbova/Klimov had plenty of cool programs, but Ksenia was very picky (duh. lol) and had a lot of personal say in their music choices. T/M's Rach2 had a bad music edit, but bombastic classical definitely worked to their strengths. Pepeleva/Pleshkov had choreo and programs that mostly worked for them but they were in no teknik most of the time. So there are a few exceptions to the rule!

I found 99.99999% of everything Z/E did to be coma-inducing, but I never had any problems with their individual skating. Mozer Team absolutely ruined all of the potential that existed with Kostiukovich/Briukhanov and now they've broken up too. So many of her teams were hit and miss with choreo and now they're mostly miss. I don't think Mozer actually coaches a lot anymore, but her minions that run the place seem to have never learned anything about music or good choreo.

 

[antmanb]

Stolbova/Klimov had plenty of cool programs,

Did they? Or was it just that when she's on the ice you can't take your eyes off her? I think their speed and her personality made up for a lot of lacking parts of their programmes. I can only imagine how much better they would have been with different coaches.

 

[Bigbird]

Did they? Or was it just that when she's on the ice you can't take your eyes off her? I think their speed and her personality made up for a lot of lacking parts of their programmes. I can only imagine how much better they would have been with different coaches.

They were a ticking timebomb. The programs were good but their utter contempt for each other made their programs difficult to watch. If only they did not train with V/T and had their own champion. He was such an obedient serf and she thought they were capable of so much more. Trankov nurtured the rift between them as well. The environment was just toxic.

 

[thvu]

Stolbova & Klimov’s “Man & Shadow” Long Program is my favorite pairs program of the last decade.

 

[Bigbird]

Mine are Manfred K/S ( thanks to Moskvina and team), Pina almost anything from B/S, G/G and the Royalty of Sui/Han, they brought everything. Their blues for klook was the best Blues program regardless of discipline for that season. Good relations between a pair brings tangible results. I don't really remember any of S/K's programs with fondness. I stumble upon them and see the great attack but there were too many mistakes and ill will between the two. Very hard to watch for me. Blues for Klook I can watch endlessly.

 

[clairecloutier]

Stolbova & Klimov’s “Man & Shadow” Long Program is my favorite pairs program of the last decade.

Mine are Manfred K/S ( thanks to Moskvina and team), Pina almost anything from B/S, G/G and the Royalty of Sui/Han, they brought everything. Their blues for klook was the best Blues program regardless of discipline for that season.

I agree with all of these (Man & Shadow, Manfred, Pina)! All excellent programs.

Note, also, that all of these memorable programs preceded the post-2018 rules change that shortened pairs LPs by 30 seconds. I continue to feel that that rules change has been a big negative for pairs programs in terms of artistry.

 

[Bouffantrex]

Note, also, that all of these memorable programs preceded the post-2018 rules change that shortened pairs LPs by 30 seconds. I continue to feel that that rules change has been a big negative for pairs programs in terms of artistry.

Oh really? I think they could ditch another element in the pairs LP, but I must be honest-- re-watching these 4:30 mens and pairs programs on youtube is a serious slog, in most cases. As attention spans get shorter, there is no reason for any long program to be more than 4 minutes.

I confess I completely forgot Stolbova/Klimov were coached by Mozer. Indeed, they had some spectacular programs, and I agree the Man & Shadow program is an IJS masterpiece. To this day, I refuse to believe Morozov had anything to do with the choreography.