From Russia with love [#27]: Summer 2017

[Marco]

There have always been certain amount of girls who looked very promisisng, but puberty and injuries prevented them to stay at that level or transfer it successfully to seniors. It is very sad, but it's life. When watching Sakhanovich from 3-4 years ago, it makes me feel quite sad too. It shows how one can't make predictions based on junior success. From those four newly eligible that season, I liked most Proklova and Sakhanovich, and much less Medvedena and Sotskova. But no one could predict which of them would make it to the top, which of them will be in contention (not quite on top but still in the group to be counted), and which of them will not make it at all.

Proklova had it all. The style, the line, the flexibility, the musicality, the jumps, the spins, everything. That's the pity. Almost every other up and coming Russian girl had something that wasn't right. Not Proklova.

Sakhanovich was always that girl with ugly tanos, jump landings with no flow and break at waist, and the world's worst 2axel. The lovely flow and spins could only help so much. She doesn't have a GP but I don't think her senior career is over yet. When even Leonova can have 2 GP events, I think there is plenty of time for everyone else.

 

[SamuraiK]

There have always been certain amount of girls who looked very promisisng, but puberty and injuries prevented them to stay at that level or transfer it successfully to seniors. It is very sad, but it's life. When watching Sakhanovich from 3-4 years ago, it makes me feel quite sad too. It shows how one can't make predictions based on junior success. From those four newly eligible that season, I liked most Proklova and Sakhanovich, and much less Medvedena and Sotskova. But no one could predict which of them would make it to the top, which of them will be in contention (not quite on top but still in the group to be counted), and which of them will not make it at all.

The proportion of the up and coming juniors that don't make it is always bigger than the ones who do. From that wave of girls we actually got 50% (Evgenia, Masha) making it to the elite, so I say overall it was a succesful generation.

 

[hanca]

Proklova had it all. The style, the line, the flexibility, the musicality, the jumps, the spins, everything. That's the pity. Almost every other up and coming Russian girl had something that wasn't right. Not Proklova.

Sakhanovich was always that girl with ugly tanos, jump landings with no flow and break at waist, and the world's worst 2axel. The lovely flow and spins could only help so much. She doesn't have a GP but I don't think her senior career is over yet. When even Leonova can have 2 GP events, I think there is plenty of time for everyone else.

Proklova was great. But one has to be realistic. If she can't train without getting injured, she has no chance. She swapped to pairs because her singles skating was not going anywhere. If she is unable to do even pairs, the only choice is ice dance, and it may be a bit late to start now. She would end up like Stavitskaya.
Sakhanovich did not always have the Tanos. In her first junior season, while she was with Pisarenko, she didn't Tano everything. That started only after she moved to Tutberidze in her second junior season. Sakhanovich had power, great edges and she used to be very expressive. I loved her overall skating, what she did between the elements.
In comparison, Sotskova (and Medvedeva too in her first junior season) was quite slower, not as powerful skater, not particularly expressive. Elegant, but for me a bit boring.
That just shows that one can never guess who will work out on top and who will go down.

 

[DobrinFan]

New interview with Tuktamysheva and Lazukin
https://translate.google.com/transl...it-i-delat-i-borotsya.html&edit-text=&act=url

 

[Jammers]

Bummed that Proklova is retiring. She was so good.

Amazing how of all the 4 Russian girls who debuted in Juniors in 2013 Proklova seemed to be the one that was going to be a star while Med looked to be the weakest of the bunch with her notable lack of speed and power on the ice and now look where they are. Med still isn't speedy on the ice but she did get faster.

 

[Sylvia]

Interview with Alexander Zhulin: http://rsport.ru/interview/20170530/1121152014.html
( Google translation: "I want to paint Sinitsina and Katsalapov" )

 

[Xela M]

Interview with Alexander Zhulin: http://rsport.ru/interview/20170530/1121152014.html
( Google translation: "I want to paint Sinitsina and Katsalapov" )

On the same site there's a link to another Eteri (and Medvedeva) interview. Eteri being as charming as ever, but the only new bit I saw was her dig at Plushenko - that he would never have become an Olympic champion had he been asked to pay the fees he is now demanding (60,000 Rubles per hour)

 

[Sylvia]

On the same site there's a link to another Eteri (and Medvedeva) interview.

This one? https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/in...nging-on-the-sport-results-discipline.101210/

ETA - Or this one in late April? https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/in...h-gorshkov-kogan-tutberidze-medvedeva.101171/

 

[Xela M]

This one? https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/in...nging-on-the-sport-results-discipline.101210/

Or this one? https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/in...h-gorshkov-kogan-tutberidze-medvedeva.101171/

No... this is a different one... http://rsport.ru/interview/20170428/1119736066.html

EDIT: Sorry, I responded before you posted the second link. It's that second one

 

[Wyliefan]

Interview with Alexander Zhulin: http://rsport.ru/interview/20170530/1121152014.html
( Google translation: "I want to paint Sinitsina and Katsalapov" )

Oh, Google Translate is having a field day with that one. But Bobrov / Soloviev, meanwhile, set up an arbitrary dance with Raduk Poklitar, a modernist preaching modernist, a famous production of Hamlet at the Bolshoi Theater.

 

[Cherub721]

That Zhulin interview is one I would definitely appreciate a full proper translation if anyone is up for it.

 

[julieann]

Kavaguti and Smirnov still assessing about continuing and wondering if they will go the test skates.

http://rsport.ru/figure_skating/20170530/1121147826.html
(Google Translate: Skater Smirnov said that they Kawaguchi soberly assess their chances for the future)

 

[zebraswan]

If they haven't decided by now, then I'm not sure what they are waiting for. What would be the point of coming back just for Russian Nats when there's virtually no chance the Fed would send them to Olys? Except to say goodbye, which I guess they could do at the test skates as well. I know it must be difficult to come back after so many injuries and still not feel like you've accomplished what you want, but it doesn't sound like that is enough motivation for them now. They are very good show performers, so they could do that for awhile & I know people would love to see them.

 

[julieann]

If they haven't decided by now, then I'm not sure what they are waiting for. What would be the point of coming back just for Russian Nats when there's virtually no chance the Fed would send them to Olys? Except to say goodbye, which I guess they could do at the test skates as well. I know it must be difficult to come back after so many injuries and still not feel like you've accomplished what you want, but it doesn't sound like that is enough motivation for them now. They are very good show performers, so they could do that for awhile & I know people would love to see them.

I think with three spots on the team it's best to keep a pair in your pocket to make sure if something catastrophic happens, someone is able to go. God forbid if S/K and T/M get injured or sick, someone with experience and good chance of doing well needs to step in.

 

[zebraswan]

I think with three spots on the team it's best to keep a pair in your pocket to make sure if something catastrophic happens, someone is able to go. God forbid if S/K and T/M get injured or sick, someone with experience and good chance of doing well needs to step in.

I think it's far more likely the Fed would convince V/T to come back than send K/S in that scenario. Astakhova/Rogonov had better results last season as well.

 

[Spun Silver]

I'm sorry to hear that K/S are struggling so hard. They were skating so well recently. Whatever happens, they are one of my favorite teams of the past decade.

 

[julieann]

I think it's far more likely the Fed would convince V/T to come back than send K/S in that scenario. Astakhova/Rogonov had better results last season as well.

I don't know if it's far more likely but it's certainly a possibility which is why they're going to the test skates as well.

Astakhova/Rogonov didn't fair much better last season and they're much greener in the competition arena. If they had more experience and any medals from nationals, euros and worlds, I would agree. I think K/S came back too soon after her injury, they should've taken the GP off like S/H did. Having old programs didn't help either.

 

[Marco]

Amazing how of all the 4 Russian girls who debuted in Juniors in 2013 Proklova seemed to be the one that was going to be a star while Med looked to be the weakest of the bunch with her notable lack of speed and power on the ice and now look where they are. Med still isn't speedy on the ice but she did get faster.

Medvedeva did improve season after season. By the end of last season I couldn't even complain much about her frentic arms. She was much more finished off in her moves. Now all she needs is two decent programs.

I wonder if Proklova had the Cohen, Czisny and Lipnitskaya syndrome whereby the extreme flexibility affected her jump technique / consistency. Funny how Proklova and Lipnitskaya both peaked in early 2014 but one ended up with an Olympic gold, a World silver, a Euro gold and a bunch of GP / GPF medals; whilst the other had nothing more than JGP medals and didn't even get to go to Jr Worlds.

 

[MarieM]

That Zhulin interview is one I would definitely appreciate a full proper translation if anyone is up for it.

I agree. He sounds as if only Nikita matters to him and is nasty to his other students.

 

[hanca]

Well, it is understandable. He is thinking about long term. Bobrova/Soloviev will probably retire after this coming season, and if some of the top couples retire, he will have Sinitsina/Katsalapov among the top teams. With Zahorski/Guerrairo he would have to put in more effort and in my view Zhulin is not putting the effort in. He is 'distracted' with various shows and does not give maximum to his skaters.

 

[Ka3sha]

Interview with Mishin
http://rsport.ru/interview/20170531/1121168294.html

- Lisa is in a good shape right now, he hopes that she will rise like a phoenix again next season
- Petrov is working on 4F, one of his programs will be to Sabre Dance (choreographed by Misha Ge and Ramil Mehdiyev)
- Arthur Dmitriev moved from Mishin to his father's rink

 

[Jeschke]

- Lisa is in a good shape right now, he hope that she will rise like a phoenix again next season

- Petrov is working on 4F, one of his programs will be to Sabre Dance (choreographed by Misha Ge and Ramil Mehdiyev)

- Arthur Dmitriev moved from Mishin to his father's rink

Surprise surprise

 

[hanca]

Interview with Mishin
http://rsport.ru/interview/20170531/1121168294.html

- Arthur Dmitriev moved from Mishin to his father's rink

To do what? To be a solo skater amoung a group of pairs, or to become a pair skater? Although at the age of 25 it may be a bit too late for a male skater to switch to pairs?

 

[Deleted member 40371]

To do what? To be a solo skater amoung a group of pairs, or to become a pair skater? Although at the age of 25 it may be a bit too late for a male skater to switch to pairs?

Doesn't he also have a bad back, lifting his partner will be even more problematic.

 

[Sylvia]

@Ka3sha (or anyone else fluent in Russian), I'm still rather confused about Tuktamysheva's program music as described by Coach Mishin in his interview vs. by Liza in her recent interview. Is her short or her long that's set to a tango and/or a French melody sung by Pyotr Leshchenko? (wiki lists him as being "universally considered the King of Russian Tango.")

 

[Ka3sha]

@Ka3sha (or anyone else fluent in Russian), I'm still rather confused about Tuktamysheva's program music as described by Coach Mishin in his interview

I had to reread that part of Mishin's interview few times to understand what he was saying
Liza's FP is to Pyort Leshchenko's tango (Mishin said that he skated to it at Worlds in 1969)

 

[Ka3sha]

To do what? To be a solo skater amoung a group of pairs, or to become a pair skater? Although at the age of 25 it may be a bit too late for a male skater to switch to pairs?

Arthur moved to Ilia Klimkin; his SP is to 'Maybe I Maybe You', Spanish motives in the Free
http://rsport.ru/figure_skating/20170531/1121178051.html

 

[Wyliefan]

Sabre Dance! That should be fun. I've always liked that one.

 

[SmallFairy]

Interview with Mishin
http://rsport.ru/interview/20170531/1121168294.html

- Lisa is in a good shape right now, he hopes that she will rise like a phoenix again next season
- Petrov is working on 4F, one of his programs will be to Sabre Dance (choreographed by Misha Ge and Ramil Mehdiyev)
- Arthur Dmitriev moved from Mishin to his father's rink

Arthur moved to Ilia Klimkin; his SP is to 'Maybe I Maybe You', Spanish motives in the Free
http://rsport.ru/figure_skating/20170531/1121178051.html

Can't wait to see Petrov, Sabre Dance with Misha Ge sounds great!

Klimkin+Dmitrev is just too weird. Faun meets lumberjack. But I'm open to anything. Soft spot for Arthur I always have!

 

[zebraswan]

I
Astakhova/Rogonov didn't fair much better last season and they're much greener in the competition arena. If they had more experience and any medals from nationals, euros and worlds, I would agree. I think K/S came back too soon after her injury, they should've taken the GP off like S/H did. Having old programs didn't help either.

Greener in competition? They've been together for 3 seasons and Alexei is 28 years old. I think they can handle it if 15-year-old girls can. Z/E will most likely get the third spot and they're even less experienced as a pair.

K/S are injury prone and the motivation seems to be gone. If they prove me wrong, great...but if they really still had the drive to compete, it shouldn't take them half a year to make up their minds. Doesn't bode well for them imo.