Aljona Savchenko has been released to the USA to continue her pairs career

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taz'smum

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Since she was released, does that mean she has to skate for the US now? Or because she never competed, can she still compete for Germany? Assuming she can find a partner of course.

You are released to a specific 2nd country, so she is free to skate for the US with any US partner.
If she wishes to change to a 3rd country and has never competed for the 2nd country country, she will need to be released by the 1st country(Germany) to skate for a 3rd country.
 

hanca

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You are released to a specific 2nd country, so she is free to skate for the US with any US partner.
If she wishes to change to a 3rd country and has never competed for the 2nd country country, she will need to be released by the 1st country(Germany) to skate for a 3rd country.
Then again, if Germany released her so easily the first time, it is quite possible that they would release her easily again, to skate for any other country.
 

Sabine-Yuna

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Then again, if Germany released her so easily the first time, it is quite possible that they would release her easily again, to skate for any other country.
Maybe by the time German Fed has realised that releasing her so easily wasn't a good idea. They had to pay France a lot of money to get Bruno Massot. How can any country get Savchenko for free? German Fed had to collect money for team jackets. So I'm sure they could need some money.
 

hanca

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Maybe by the time German Fed has realised that releasing her so easily wasn't a good idea. They had to pay France a lot of money to get Bruno Massot. How can any country get Savchenko for free? German Fed had to collect money for team jackets. So I'm sure they could need some money.
Maybe. Or maybe they thought they owe her and therefore would do whatever she wants. If they are nice to her, the chance is that she may pass on her skills by coaching German skaters in the future. If they annoy her, she can easily move and start coaching anywhere else.
 

Primorskaya

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Maybe. Or maybe they thought they owe her and therefore would do whatever she wants. If they are nice to her, the chance is that she may pass on her skills by coaching German skaters in the future. If they annoy her, she can easily move and start coaching anywhere else.
I somehow don't see her coaching German pairs. I reckon she'd go for a Fed with more clout, and a club with more financial means than they have.
 

hanca

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I somehow don't see her coaching German pairs. I reckon she'd go for a Fed with more clout, and a club with more financial means than they have.
I guess it also depends where they want to live as a family. If they stay in Germany, most of her students will be German pairs, at least at the beginning. Later on, when she builds up her school, some foreign pairs will probably come, but it will take time. If she goes abroad, she will be able to choose federation with more clout, but would her husband want to move to a different country? Would they want to bring up their child somewhere else? Those are all questions that will influence where is works.
 

olympic

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^IDK. While working w/ the Knierims, they developed an interesting, ambitious SP w/ different movements that was w/in the realm of their capabilities, physically speaking

This story of her pairing w/ Nyman was probably the weirdest story in Pairs history
 

Taso

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^IDK. While working w/ the Knierims, they developed an interesting, ambitious SP w/ different movements that was w/in the realm of their capabilities, physically speaking

This story of her pairing w/ Nyman was probably the weirdest story in Pairs history
She has things to offer in the realm of coaching and choreography, I agree with you there. I think her personality is difficult for a head coach role.

And yes definitely agree with you on the incredibly weird Nyman pairing.
 

hanca

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Does she want to coach? I thought she tried it and didn’t like it.
I don’t think Aljona wants to coach now, because now she still wants to compete. But when she is one with competing…who knows. Will she want to do shows, or will she return to coaching?

I don’t know whether she didn’t like it. She stopped working with Knierims because they had different opinions on how hard they would be working. That’s not me saying that they are slackers, but maybe Aljona is a bit intense. If she got a similarly minded pair, either some serious workaholic, or skaters from Japan, China or anywhere where the culture means that the skaters are used to do as they are told and never complain, and the results could be quite interesting.
 

rfisher

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IMHO, Nyman was just a place holder for this year to be replaced as soon as the Olympics were over by a male pair skater who wants a shot at a worlds medal which they could have with her. I fully expect someone to fill that spot.
 

Miezekatze

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I don't see her having enough patience to work with any skaters that are not as crazily ambitious and talented as she expects, which probably constitutes about 99% of skaters worldwide and 100% of German skaters. Which is probably what Taso meant too...being a good coach requires a lot of different skills.
 

kirkbiggestfan

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The list of potential partners for the next olympic cycle is small: Brandon Frazier, Brian Johnson, Danny O'Shea, Tim Leduc, Misha Mitrofanov...
Some of them could be tempted.
 

Jammers

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I think Aljona as a coach is probably like how Michael Jordan would have been as a coach. Over demanding and with no patience for anyone not nearly as talented as he was so it was smart that he didn't even try to be a coach. Larry Bird despite also being a great player had to really work hard to make up for his lack of athletic talent so he made a great coach because it was all about fundamentals with him and no doubt he had the patience to work with players.
 

karmena

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Aliona is too much into love with herself and her own skating ( and I do say this neither in negative or positive way). Coaching requires rather to forgot about oneself and instead- to give everything for the skaters. To be smart and wise in opening hidden potentials of the skaters, to guide wisely, and with joy and conviction... to believe in skaters, and, yes, to uplift their spirits when it is necessary. It is not something one can learn. Coaching is a talent and yes, patience, a lot of patience. It seems Aliona does not have any of these qualities neither she is interested to develop them. She is focused on herself and only on herself. Not everyone have to have of course a talent and wisdom of Tamara Moskvina.

Perhaps Aliona may find her own way how to give her knowledge back to the skating world (?) or not... no one knows. She certainly does not seem ready or wiling for that stage now.
 
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karmena

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Since she was released, does that mean she has to skate for the US now? Or because she never competed, can she still compete for Germany? Assuming she can find a partner of course.

For her there is no rules or obstacles. if she wants something then she gets what she wants. It always has been her mindset.
 

MacMadame

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It is not something one can learn.
Of course, it can be learned. It's a skill and like any skill can be learned and improved upon. It might not come naturally to some people and they may not want to put in the work to get decent at it but it's something you are born being able to do. Or not do.
 

hanca

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I don't see her having enough patience to work with any skaters that are not as crazily ambitious and talented as she expects, which probably constitutes about 99% of skaters worldwide and 100% of German skaters. Which is probably what Taso meant too...being a good coach requires a lot of different skills.
You may be right, but all she needs is one pair that is as crazily ambitious. Ingo Steuer also did not have a big group of students, in fact, Savchenko/Szolkowy were the only successful pair he coached.
 

hanca

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Aliona is too much into love with herself and her own skating ( and I do say this neither in negative or positive way). Coaching requires rather to forgot about oneself and instead- to give everything for the skaters. To be smart and wise in opening hidden potentials of the skaters, to guide wisely, and with joy and conviction... to believe in skaters, and, yes, to uplift their spirits when it is necessary. It is not something one can learn. Coaching is a talent and yes, patience, a lot of patience. It seems Aliona does not have any of these qualities neither she is interested to develop them. She is focused on herself and only on herself. Not everyone have to have of course a talent and wisdom of Tamara Moskvina.

Perhaps Aliona may find her own way how to give her knowledge back to the skating world (?) or not... no one knows. She certainly does not seem ready or wiling for that stage now.
Aljona may not have a chance to become a copy of Moskvina, but she could become another Tutberidze! Or a copy of Natalia Pavlova…
 

skylark

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She wouldn't have a chance at 2026 either though. From what's been posted here, and what I've read about the process of becoming a US citizen, she would not be eligible to compete until the 2030 Olympics. If she just wanted to skate, and compete I would wonder why she wouldn't be able to get another athlete to move to Germany.
there's always the chance that the politics could change and she could get an "extraordinarily talent" push in time for 2026. Not likely at all, I would agree, but there's a chance. But I think the chance came up in Colorado, and she took it. Didn't work out, but nothing has ever stopped Aljona.

As to your other statement, history of 2018 shows us that if she found the right partner, chances that the two could skate for Germany in 2026 are greatly more possible. I am hoping she'll find the right person. I like watching her.
 

rfisher

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there's always the chance that the politics could change and she could get an "extraordinarily talent" push in time for 2026. Not likely at all, I would agree, but there's a chance. But I think the chance came up in Colorado, and she took it. Didn't work out, but nothing has ever stopped Aljona.

As to your other statement, history of 2018 shows us that if she found the right partner, chances that the two could skate for Germany in 2026 are greatly more possible. I am hoping she'll find the right person. I like watching her.
I suspect she's already scouted out the possibilities in Germany. She wants a big guy who can get her in the air for throws and twists and who can do the SBS jumps as well as she can. And, given the lack of female skaters who are world medal caliber in the US, I suspect more than one will be willing to negotiate for a world's medal. And, TBH, so will the USFS. She knows the Chinese have one pair of her caliber and they are injury prone. Russia has several so they are the main threat. Canada and the US current pairs, no. So, she could take the right man to Worlds. And, she doesn't have a 4CC gold, so there's something new for her.
 

skylark

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I suspect she's already scouted out the possibilities in Germany. She wants a big guy who can get her in the air for throws and twists and who can do the SBS jumps as well as she can. And, given the lack of female skaters who are world medal caliber in the US, I suspect more than one will be willing to negotiate for a world's medal. And, TBH, so will the USFS. She knows the Chinese have one pair of her caliber and they are injury prone. Russia has several so they are the main threat. Canada and the US current pairs, no. So, she could take the right man to Worlds. And, she doesn't have a 4CC gold, so there's something new for her.
Yes, I was thinking if she could recruit another partner from another country who would be willing to apply for citizenship in Germany. And I've always thought that there could be a whole, satisfying new life for her in competing if she goes for doing as much as possible with a new partner, including trips to Worlds, even if another Olympics doesn't work out. She loves to compete. I'm not sure I agree that any of the US top pairs guys would leave a happy partnership for a world medal. But that's just me, and it's entirely possible.
 

Bigbird

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It's a pity. I hadn't realized how difficult it was for some athletes to walk away from the sport. I have greater respect for those who've been able to navigate these waters more seemlessly?

How can this realistically end for Aliona? Sigh.
 

tony

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It's a pity. I hadn't realized how difficult it was for some athletes to walk away from the sport. I have greater respect for those who've been able to navigate these waters more seemlessly?

How can this realistically end for Aliona? Sigh.
But with all respect-- she left the sport at the top, she became a mother, got right back on the ice and was right back to normal, even landing 3+3 combos. She paired back up with Massot and after a week or so they looked like they hadn't taken any break since 2018. She's more than capable of pulling off another surprise, and this board is a perfect starting-point to show how many people were :rolleyes: her decision in 2014 and even calling her desperate at that time.

If she personally wants a new challenge in life, so what? If she's finishing 7th out of 8 in Grand Prix competitions for the next four years, also so what? She has a passion for the sport and that's what is keeping her in. No one is forcing her.

As a comparison, Chusovitina has the respect of just about everyone in the world for continuing on, and I don't see anyone questioning why she didn't walk away earlier. Zoe Jones returned and hasn't produced any major results yet and everyone cheers her on, too. If the argument becomes 'well it's going to tarnish the legacy, people aren't going to remember her if she has worse results', I beg to differ. I'll still remember the 2018 LP as one of the all-time bests.
 

Brenda_Bottems

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It's a pity. I hadn't realized how difficult it was for some athletes to walk away from the sport. I have greater respect for those who've been able to navigate these waters more seemlessly?
Miss Savchenko should look to our own Sarah Hughes for inspiration in that regard. It's called walking away from the sport with class and dignity. The Nyman summer sideshow has not been dignified and has only provided fodder for gossipmongers.

-BB
 

Willin

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At some point, Nyman was also in Pralognan at that camp. No idea what happened.

Based on the deleted social media, there's speculation that the SafeSport cases against them have had some sort of development. The social media deleting happened soon after or around the time he was at the camp. It's possible that he went to that camp, was notified of the SafeSport development, and then either told her about it (causing her to cut it off) or cut things off himself based on whatever news he got. Or so the speculation goes.

It may also just be that once she got to skate with him in a non-Dalilah-centered environment she realized he wasn't as good as advertized by Dalilah and co.
 
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