From Russia with love [#29]: Spring 2018 and beyond

[SamuraiK]

Bring back DivaVera for hottie Rogonov!

He already wasted an eternity on someone who couldn't jump to save her life (Martiusheva) so why go back there?

That said, there are no many options unfortunately. Maybe Efimova?

 

[Coco]

What is Trankov's former partner up to? She was a beautiful skater. I suppose she is "too old" and has been out of practice for years, but would love to see her pull a Deanna Stellato.

 

[PRlady]

What’s Caitlin Yankowskas doing?

 

[zebraswan]

What is Trankov's former partner up to? She was a beautiful skater. I suppose she is "too old" and has been out of practice for years, but would love to see her pull a Deanna Stellato.

You've got to be kidding...surely he can find someone who hasn't been retired since 2011. There may be opportunities for long-retired skaters in countries like the US, Japan and UK where top pairs are sorely lacking, but not in Russia where the competition is strong. And beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder.

I think he will find a partner eventually...she may be quite a bit younger, but as long as she's 18ish or up I don't think it would be so bad, compared to how Zhang Hao looks with his partners. Maybe Vera is a possibility, but she seems quite busy with coaching these days. The younger pairs are always breaking up - eventually someone will be free. And I would think plenty of girls would love to have a partner like him.

 

[Bellanca]

Nope, she's moved on, she has lost her ice dancing shape and I don't know if Drozd and his team are interested in waiting on her to regain the form she had at test skates last summer. I had hoped that this would be a good direction, but too late. Looks like she's committed to coaching. She really looked really nice with Anton Shibnev, IMHO, but hey it wasn't to be.

So it's believed that Elena's moved on... I never seriously entertained that she would be here and gone as a competitor from the sport in such a short amount of time. I also envisioned more titles and hardware for her and a partner. Oh well, she has the rest of her life waiting and that's the most important thing right now. Wishing Elena the best!

 

[Meteorlight]

I agree Ilinykh has moved on but still i think it will take less time to wait for her to regain form than wait for Stavitskaya to reach any decent competitive level.

THIS! Still hoping the Loboda/Drozd split is just a rumor (didn't they JUST move to Krylova together? also he must be out of his mind to downgrade like that). IF it's true though, Elena should really consider doing a tryout with him - he's super talented imo, though might be a bit tall for her? Still, worth a shot!

 

[hanca]

He already wasted an eternity on someone who couldn't jump to save her life (Martiusheva) so why go back there?

That said, there are no many options unfortunately. Maybe Efimova?

How is Efimova better than Bazarova? Bazarova’s jumps were tiny, but at least sometimes she landed them. Efimova never lands them. Until now Efimova was successfully staying as a part of Russian team number number five because there was no one else even semi decent, but as soon as the Russian juniors move up, Efimova/Korovin will be seriously dropping down with their ranking within Russia.

 

[hanca]

THIS! Still hoping the Loboda/Drozd split is just a rumor (didn't they JUST move to Krylova together? also he must be out of his mind to downgrade like that). IF it's true though, Elena should really consider doing a tryout with him - he's super talented imo, though might be a bit tall for her? Still, worth a shot!

Unless Stavitskaya spent a year with Morozov and he improved her as much as he did with Davankova a few years ago... unlikely, but I can’t comprehend how a skating mother like Drozd has would have agreed to that pairing unless she knows something we don’t know.

 

[Jeschke]

That said, there are no many options unfortunately. Maybe Efimova?

Dare you, my favourite russian pair (of course this will go nowhere )

He already wasted an eternity on someone who couldn't jump to save her life (Martiusheva) so why go back there?

Pah

What is Trankov's former partner up to? She was a beautiful skater.

You've got to be kidding...surely he can find someone who hasn't been retired since 2011. There may be opportunities for long-retired skaters in countries like the US, Japan and UK where top pairs are sorely lacking, but not in Russia where the competition is strong. And beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder.

Nothing wrong with Mukhortova being back in the mix

Edit: This entire post must have been one of my saddest in here

 

[Vash01]

I want Bazarova to make a come back and skate with Rogonov.

Either that, or may be there is a talented lady without a talented partner, somewhere in Ukraine.

 

[Ka3sha]

Russian skaters have started to post the tragic story of one fellow skater, Ivan Samodelkin (22), on Instagram. Samodelkin, who just got married recently, was severely injured in an accident and lost his right leg. Apparently he has been performing in shows after retiring from competitive skating. The skaters are raising funds now to support Ivan and to help him to get an artificial limb that will allow him to return on to the ice (that kind of prothesis apparently costs 32,000 USD).
Here is one of the postings in Russian and English, by pair skater Dmitri Ialin:
https://www.instagram.com/dimqa_yalin/
And Mikhail Kolyada (in Russian, but several photos): https://www.instagram.com/mikhail_kolyada/

They now have account on Paypal as well
https://www.paypal.me/shmelek

 

[Ka3sha]

According to sports.ru , Loboda/Drozd split and Pavel is indeed skating with Maria Stavitskaya now - Alla told that to one of the fan groups on vk.com

Am doubt that it’s a very reliable source, so still waiting for official confirmation

 

[Vash01]

According to sports.ru , Loboda/Drozd split and Pavel is indeed skating with Maria Stavitskaya now - Alla told that to one of the fan groups on vk.com

Am doubt that it’s a very reliable source, so still waiting for official confirmation

Sad. Now Alla has to find a new partner. Not an easy task.

 

[love_skate2011]

Stavitskaya ?? ekkkk

Ilinykh pls spare us, Drozd will be wasted...
maybe Loboda can partner with Pitkeev is he still skating in ice dance ?

 

[Jeschke]

Stop bitching about legendary Stavitskaya

 

[Stephanie]

Stavitskaya ?? ekkkk

Ilinykh pls spare us, Drozd will be wasted...
maybe Loboda can partner with Pitkeev is he still skating in ice dance ?

Speaking of Pitkeev, what is Alisa Lozko doing these days?

 

[Eislauffan]

They now have account on Paypal as well
https://www.paypal.me/shmelek

Good to know. Thanks! I donated via Paypal.

 

[Eislauffan]

According to sports.ru , Loboda/Drozd split and Pavel is indeed skating with Maria Stavitskaya now - Alla told that to one of the fan groups on vk.com

Am doubt that it’s a very reliable source, so still waiting for official confirmation

I had asked Pavel Drozd about it and he confirmed the split and that he is searching for a new partner. So it sounds like he is having try outs. It's probably not a fact that he will skate with Maria Stavitskaia. When I asked about the reasons for splitting he said that Alla and himself had different goals and different plans for their career.
A shame indeed, I really liked that couple. I remember them at their first Junior Final with their "Giselle" free dance. I was impressed by them. Unfortunately, they struggled when moving up to seniors, but that's a difficult transition for many teams.

 

[love_skate2011]

I had asked Pavel Drozd about it and he confirmed the split and that he is searching for a new partner. So it sounds like he is having try outs. It's probably not a fact that he will skate with Maria Stavitskaia. When I asked about the reasons for splitting he said that Alla and himself had different goals and different plans for their career.
A shame indeed, I really liked that couple. I remember them at their first Junior Final with their "Giselle" free dance. I was impressed by them. Unfortunately, they struggled when moving up to seniors, but that's a difficult transition for many teams.

Their senior debut was terrible, mostly its her who was weaker...
If he can get a better partner; Drozd can have brighter prospects in competitions.

Ililinkh, Ilinkh and maybe Skoptsova, Sphpilevaya ?

 

[DimaToe]

What’s Jana Khoklova doing these days?

 

[caseyedwards]

I had asked Pavel Drozd about it and he confirmed the split and that he is searching for a new partner. So it sounds like he is having try outs. It's probably not a fact that he will skate with Maria Stavitskaia. When I asked about the reasons for splitting he said that Alla and himself had different goals and different plans for their career.
A shame indeed, I really liked that couple. I remember them at their first Junior Final with their "Giselle" free dance. I was impressed by them. Unfortunately, they struggled when moving up to seniors, but that's a difficult transition for many teams.

Yes but Russian teams are having it the absolute worst! There’s been no successful transition for 7 years now.

So if drozd is still with Krylova you can see it’s possible loboda was fired due to her extreme deficiency in skating

 

[Ananas Astra]

I wonder if Loboda is now going to go back to Rumiantseva...

 

[Eislauffan]

What’s Jana Khoklova doing these days?

Jana is performing in Ilia Averbukh's ice musical "Romeo and Juliet" as Juliet's nanny and she is great in that role.

 

[Eislauffan]

I wonder if Loboda is now going to go back to Rumiantseva...

Or maybe she is retiring? To me it sounded like she was not as committed to the career as Pavel is. On the other hand, that's his point of view and I haven't heard her side (yet).

 

[Yehudi]

Or maybe she is retiring? To me it sounded like she was not as committed to the career as Pavel is. On the other hand, that's his point of view and I haven't heard her side (yet).

Did he say this when he was on his third vacation this past off season?

 

[Bigbird]

Their senior debut was terrible, mostly its her who was weaker...
If he can get a better partner; Drozd can have brighter prospects in competitions.

Did he say this when he was on his third vacation this past off season?

His mother might disagree with you though. Apparently, she approves of Staviskaya, she doesn't want any hefty log to damage her baby. Afterall, he's not a grown man. She's the sort of person who'd choose Sinitsina or Stepanova over Virtue.

Russian ice dance, thank you for the laughs.

 

[Eislauffan]

Did he say this when he was on his third vacation this past off season?

I was wondering about all these vacations, too.
Maybe he can skate with his sister, although she's a lot younger, but she's also an ice dancer. Seriously, I'm afraid there are not that many options for him. He probably needs to team up with a talented junior unless one of the better senior girls is ready to leave her partner for him. His sister on the other hand didn't do well last season nationally.

 

[Bigbird]

I was wondering about all these vacations, too.
Maybe he can skate with his sister, although she's a lot younger, but she's also an ice dancer. Seriously, I'm afraid there are not that many options for him. He probably needs to team up with a talented junior unless one of the better senior girls is ready to leave her partner for him. His sister on the other hand didn't do well last season nationally.

Did you ask him if he'd consider working with Lena Ilinykh? She's the only one left that comes near to his calibre if he really wants to earn medals. All she needs really is a personal trainer as Tarasova had asked for her years ago, but Morozov did not agree. Even Lena herself has admitted that this is a challenge for her, but when she does get into great form she is a catch.

Since this season is off to such a late start they would have to do what Aljona Savchenko did and use this season to learn how to skate together, then make their debut next season.

Just a thought. They are two very talented ice dancers and I really think this could work. He is capable but also very attentive to his partner on ice. I was really impressed last year with his rumba pattern, he just didn't have the support. Lena has such soft smooth edges, great power and speed, good extension when she utilizes them, technical prowess and flow and the ability to dance, and fire. It could be really good if they gave it a shot. Sometimes the easy or convenient way out doesn't bring rewards.

 

[SamuraiK]

I had asked Pavel Drozd about it and he confirmed the split and that he is searching for a new partner. So it sounds like he is having try outs. It's probably not a fact that he will skate with Maria Stavitskaia. When I asked about the reasons for splitting he said that Alla and himself had different goals and different plans for their career.
A shame indeed, I really liked that couple. I remember them at their first Junior Final with their "Giselle" free dance. I was impressed by them. Unfortunately, they struggled when moving up to seniors, but that's a difficult transition for many teams.

Phew, thank you Skating Gods.. sad about the split but if true then Loras Drozd deserves a Margaery level partner and Stavitskaya is more like a wight zombie .

 

[Eislauffan]

Interview with Mikhail Kolyada on the website of the Russian Figure Skating Federation with some new information:
http://www.fsrussia.ru/intervyu/3755-mikhail-kolyada-opyt-ne-prikhodit-s-neba.html (in Russian)
He talks about working with Stéphane Lambiel, who choreographed his new short program. He really liked working with Stéphane, he looks up to him and he feels he was able to learn something from him. Stéphane suggested the music, but Mikhail does not reveal it yet.
He also talks about doing his master degree at university (had to study hard, but feels it is worthwhile) and about the upcoming training camp in Latvia with a lot of hard training.