From Russia with Love [#35]: Winter 2019

Betina Popova/Sergei Mozgov WD from Nationals for health reasons
Sergei: I beg Betina for forgiveness - because of me, we will not be going to the Russian Championships. I apologize to all the fans that due to (my) health reasons we are unable to participate in the competition. We will watch from the sidelines and wish all luck!

Betina: Well... our couple will not compete at the Russian Championships in Krasnoyarsk. It was difficult to watch the main competition of the season from the sidelines in 2016, and it will be even more difficult now.


I wonder what the heck is going on and why Sergei is so apologetic - it's not like he can control his health. Unless he twisted an ankle playing soccer or something like that.
 
Sergei: I beg Betina for forgiveness - because of me, we will not be going to the Russian Championships. I apologize to all the fans that due to (my) health reasons we are unable to participate in the competition. We will watch from the sidelines and wish all luck!

Betina: Well... our couple will not compete at the Russian Championships in Krasnoyarsk. It was difficult to watch the main competition of the season from the sidelines in 2016, and it will be even more difficult now.


I wonder what the heck is going on and why Sergei is so apologetic - it's not like he can control his health. Unless he twisted an ankle playing soccer or something like that.
They have fans?
 
I like Popova/Mozgov and I hope they don't trap themselves into being the "wacky" couple. I love their personalities but I worry they will get pigeonholed a little. I wonder if the reason Popova finds it so hard is that the third spot is really up for grabs this year. Last year showed anything can happen at Russian Nationals and I don't think Evdokimova/Bazin are a strong team that is positioned to hold on to that spot.
 
I like Popova/Mozgov and I hope they don't trap themselves into being the "wacky" couple. I love their personalities but I worry they will get pigeonholed a little. I wonder if the reason Popova finds it so hard is that the third spot is really up for grabs this year. Last year showed anything can happen at Russian Nationals and I don't think Evdokimova/Bazin are a strong team that is positioned to hold on to that spot.
They already are that couple.
 
Betina Popova/Sergei Mozgov WD from Nationals for health reasons

Aw, this is so unfortunate! I like their wackiness tbh - it's refreshing. They're a bit like Gilles/Poirier for me: off-the-wall but interesting and entertaining.
 
Back injury for Mozgov. https://rsport.ria.ru/20191223/1562736141.html

Per Anjelika Krylova: "Sergei has a very serious injury, and hasn't really skated in the past month, trying to rehab his back. He has a pinched nerve, and disk problems. We thought he'd recover by the Nationals, and they started skating. But the back starting hurting even worse. Got pain-relieving shots last week, but there isn't much improvement. So a decision was made not to skate at the Russian Championships."
 
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At this point they might as well give the 3rd spot to Konkina/Drozd who has been scoring really well internationally for a new couple.
 
At this point they might as well give the 3rd spot to Konkina/Drozd who has been scoring really well internationally for a new couple.

They've only done the CS series rather than the GP. (Which makes it epically easier to score really well internationally for a new couple). And the late higher scoring CS events at that. K&D are doing fine, but I'm finding it really hard to tell where teams are going to land amidst other teams internationally based on CS marks this season. Hurtado & Khaliavin are ahead of Smart & Diaz on the SB list, and Lauriault & Le Gac are way ahead of Lopareva & Brissaud and Galayavieva & Thauron on the SB list. But this didn't do either team much good at Nationals.
 
That article was a good read. Good to hear Pavel’s thoughts and his desire to build a new base for skating in Russia.

I really like the work out of the Perm school, the only drawback is their jumps. Interesting that he says Dima has the triples but Apollinaria lacks ‘stability’ hopefully we see them soon in competition. I wonder where is Maria Vygalova now? I always liked her as a skater.

Disappointing for S/N with his injury, I assumed after news of the Russian ban they had called it quits. Ksenia doesn’t seem to have much luck. Maybe their is some late season Senior B event they can do.
 

Thank you for the update! Tough luck for them, but I hope to see them back next season.

Judging by this article here, Tuktamysheva will be including the quad toe, along with two triple axels, in her free skate at Nationals - but of course the coaches will monitor her form on the day to evaluate the risk/benefit of such a move.

Yasss Empress! I hope she lands it and grabs a spot on the podium!
 

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