Bigbird
Well-Known Member
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- 3,122
Oh boy. We need to learn from our past misadventures. Not all young Russian girls are willing to do anything to shrivel up like a dried prune. And most Russian guys doing dance are fairly small.
Russian figure skating news in 2023
- Thread starter Sylvia
- Start date
- Status
I know what you mean. I'm ignoring the same worry with the Mrazeks. But I honestly think that lack of height might not even be such a problem for both of them. Just look at Guignard/Fabbri. Their lack of height difference didn't prevent them winning Euros and World Silver.
nuge
Well-Known Member
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- 5,150
Yes and Denkova Staviski!
Bigbird
Well-Known Member
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- 3,122
These are inspired pairs that are highly creative. They do not confine themselves to the narrow traditional narratives of current Russian Ice dance. Have you even seen the recent programme of Bagin and partner? Its like all the coaches and specialists approved of a select set of choreography that's being heavily rotated. LOL.
TAHbKA
Cats and garlic lover
- Messages
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Trankov's interview with Kawaguti
T :How did a Japanese skater switched to Russia?
K: I wanted to do pairs and I wanted to skate with Moskvina, she was coaching in the USA and then returned to Russia and I went with her.
T: You fell in love with pairs skating like me, watching Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze?
K: Right. I don't know how did I gather the courage to send her a fax. I wanted to skate like your pair, your pair is beautiful. Please take me as a student. In English. My father speaks a bit of Russian, he learned it in the uni, so we had some books.
T: What did Moskvina answeR?
K: First she declined, but I really wanted to, but I insisted and when she was in the USA she offered me to come there. For the first year she coached me as a single skater. It was really interesting. After her practices I fell in love with figure skating, my mom made me skating but I hated it myself. But after watching Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze and after skating with Moskvina my results went up - my lines were nicer. I won a JGP as a single skater, but I really wanted to do pairs. I could have a career as a single skater, but I wanted to be a pair skater. Besides, the quad was too hard as a single skater, but a throw quad was possible. So I moved to the USA and for 4 years I skated with Markuntsov, I was representing Japan and even won a junior worlds silver medal.
T: But then you represented the USA?
K: Right
T: I asked once why and you said you didn't want to represent the USA because of Hiroshima/Nagasaki.
K: What??? Did I say that??? I wanted to skate with the Russian partner, I liked the russian style and the American style was not mine.
T: Did you have a partners choice?
K: Not really. It was either Smirnov or you, but I was afraid to skate with you - you are too emotional.
T: To tell you the truth Tamara Nikolaevna offered me to skate with you. But I was also afraid - back then it seemed to me that the pairs is a Russian thing , we won all the Olympics and it was weird to me to skate with a Japanese skater. Do you remember your first day as a pairs skater?
K: Yes, with Aleksandr Markuntsov, he took my hand and I felt good. With Smirnov it took a while to get used to him. But the condition to skate with Sasha was to switch to Velikov's group. It was a tough 3 months - he worked with us on the basics and am so grateful to him
T: and the move to Russia? First to the USA and then together with Moskvina to Russia
K: I switch quite easily and get used to things quite easy. I learn the languages easily as well. I alwas dreamed to use several languages. Mosvkina was joking that if the figure skating will not work out at least you'll learn the language. I was first hurt and didn't understand. I still don't really understand all the jokes.
T: What was the hardest when moving to Russia? Food? Metro?
K: No, the food was fine, the metro was ok as well. The toilets shocked me. And the water. The water was the hardest, it took me 10 years to get used to it. The phones - the international calls didn't exist and it was hard to call my mom.
T: Where did you live?
K: First with Sasha, then I was renting from Moskvina's friend a room. Then I rented a flat of my own and I didn't have a phone nor a washing machine. I had to go out to the public phone and call mom.
T: how did your parents take your move to Russia?
K: They were ok with that. As long as I was doing what I wanted and they trusted Moskvina.
T: For me it was really hard moving from one city to another and it was a huge financial burden for my family. Who supported you?
K: My family is not particularly rich by the Japanese standart, but the ruble was so low and everything was so cheap. Hence they could support me.
T: I remember asking you Yuko, where do you live? And you said you bought a flat. I was like how? For me it was an unspeakable money. You replied, well, I am a world silver medalist, and I thought, well I'm a junior world champion and I can't even afford to rent a flat! What kind of price money did you have?
K: No no, it was my parents' money and I managed to buy a flat before the prices skyrockited.
T: Moskvina said you are cooking the Russian food quite decently.
K: Nah, it still turns out to be Japanese.
T: you said there are no good Japanese restaurants in Russia
K: right. I dont' go to the restaurants. I like cooking myself. There are some limitations what can be found. Hence I can't tell I cook the Japanese food. And the sunctions... Mom would send me a package once in a while, but now she can't. She would send me a lot of food. for example the rice that I like - it doesn't exist.
T: your favourite food?
K: What my mom cooks
T: What is your favourite Russian food?
K: the soups. And the fish Moskvin used to cook. But without the sour cream. I can eat the sour cream, but once you put the sour cream into the soup they all become the same and not hot enough.
T: I think you are my sister. I also hated the figure skating before I saw Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze skating - I would hide under the bed and my mom had to drag me by my feet. I love the soups and don't like putting the sour cream into the soup. When you move to a different country without your parents and the language how did you find friends?
K: I was a single skater and I was busy. It was ok. I didn't feel that I was alone. And Moskvina guarded me.
T: The first time you came to the test skates in Novogorsk you were crying and said you felt like in a jail - there was a fence, it was in the middle of renovations
K: I was so afraid. WE were not allowed to go out. And the water was black and dirty. And someone asked me why am I crying - because you don't have any friends? No, no, its because the wated was dirty.
T: I think you were qutie well loved in the Russian team?
K: Yes, I was. The friends were not a problem. The water was.
T: Were there situations when people would meet you - a Japanese woman?
K: They all thought I was Chinese. I was so pissed off. They never think there would be a Japanese here.
T: You have 2 high eductions. You studied in St. Petersburg in international relationship and then economy.
K: When Sasha was ill I had nothign better to do. Tamara Nikolaevna said I should.
T: That's a Japanese thing. If my partner woudl be injured I would just go and relax on the beach.
K: During that time I also got my driving license. I don't have a car and I don't like driving, but I do have my driving license. I only use the public transportation.
T: In Japan it's quite common using the public transportation?
K: True. And I don't want to be stuck in the jams.
T: Do you remember winning your first Russian nationals and what did it mean to you. Beating me, by the way.I think it was 2008 St. Petersburg. You fell from the throw and dislocated your shoulder and still beat me
K: But you skated badly?
T: No, we did ok.
K: I didn't believe it. When I started representing Russia I didn't think about it. I didn't want to think of all the responsibility of being a Russian pair skater.
T: Tanya Volosozhar when we won the Nationals, beating you and Sasha she was crying more than she was crying at the Olympics. I asked why and she said for her it was a fantasy to win the nationals with such rivals.
K: For me it was ok.
T: What is the most meaningful victory?
K: The Europeans, especially the 2nd title.
T: Let me explain. Yuko and Sasha won the Europeans in 2010, but the next one they won was in 2015.
K: Then I felt we overcame. And Sasha was injured in 2014. And I had a mental problem with the elements, so we worked a lot and my dream was doing the quad throw. We were ready for it in 2010 but we gave up
T: The 2010 Vancouve I gave up. I always wanted to beat you and I knew if you make a mistake we have a chance to win. I believed it a bit, but during the training before the Olympics I realized I had no chance and your quad throw was spot on. Why after doing the quad throw in the warm up you didn't do it in the programme , more than that making a mistake in a 3 throw.
K: Our coach. In the Europeans she said we are doing the easy one - we were told in the hotel. And we won. But then... at the Olympics she wanted to repeat the Europeans and I still didn't know it after the 6 minutes warm up and when we went on the ice we were told to do a 3. I didn't understand what was going on, Sasha was far, we didn't have the contact. He didn't know what to do and it was my dream to do a quad at the Olympics and suddenly she said not to. I was so upset and so pissed. And that was the mood I went with to the LP.
T: Do you think it was her mistake?
K: Yes. It was a very last moment thing.
T: If you were a Russian you would say `screw it' and did the quad.
K: Perhaps. But I was so pissed off. It's also that I couldn't switch so suddenly.
T: I remember how you were cursing. I never saw you even raising your voice, but I remember you screaming.
K: I was so upset. The mood going into the LP was down. And that 3 throw, and I fell, and I think we missed another element. And it was not something we thought about, just skated through.
T: And that 4th place, the worst.
T: How did you motivate yourself to train for the 2014?
K: If I got a chance to do the quad I would be ready to retire. But that gave me the motivation to work
T: And then Sasha's injury
K: But first there was my surgery
T: I remember Sasha had an injury in November, did you understand your Olympic dream was over and half a year would not be enough. The doctors said it would be impossible.
K: I believed in a miracle. At least the team event. I think we could do it. But he said no, so no.
T: Did you find the power to watch the Olympics?
K: No, I left. I went to Finland, my mom came and we spent some time together. I couldn't stay in Russia, I would go nuts. There was no Olympics talks in Finalnd.
T: So your Olympic dream was over.
K: It's ok now. Sometimes I think about it. But I didn't change my citizenship for the Olympics. No.
T: I was sure it was for the Olympcis as well.
K: I think for the Russian athletes it's important to skate at the Olympics. For me it was not. But Moskvina - when she was working with us as a Russian pair she was on fire. As a Japanese - she was quite relaxed. She said she treats everyone the same , but no, once we switched to Russia she was different, more serious, more responsibility and she was having a great time working with us and that's what I wanted that she would be excited coaching me. The whole team - Druchinina, Moskvina and Smirnov was a miracle team to work with.
T: So it was for a possibility to enjoy what you are doing to have your favourite coach be happy you gave up your Japanese citizenship?
K: Yeah, I guess it's silly. But my mom says when my soul is excited I should pick it. Switching the citizenship made my sould sing.
T: Were you ever sorry?
K: When I switched the passport I felt a piece of my soul was torn off and it was painful.
T: Can you get your citizenship back?
K: Yes, if I leave Russia and go back to Japan. For now I don't plan to. I have a job here. I got that passport so my life would be interesting, not for the Olympics. For now my life in Russia is interesting. Japan is too comfortable.
T: After the Sochi Olympics, your injury, Sasha's, you still found the power to come back and win the Europeans in 2015. Who motivated you? Moskvina? You?
K: We did. We also had a really good programme - the LP. The SP was ok as well. The SP was my favourite. I jsut really wanted to skate that programme.
T: I loved your February programme
K: Me too. I think it was the first time I fell in love with music. Even now when I hear it I start crying. I wanted to express the music and show it, previously it was just about skating nicely.
T: How did you retire?
K: It's a sad story
T: I don't think it can be a happy one.
K: For no one? But if everyone agrees? Perhaps it was because of me - I had yet another injury and I didn't miss the season but by the end of the season no one believed in us and I was skating through the pain and while the injury was on. After the nationals Moskvina said `your career is over'.
T: So you skated in the competition?
K: And she said the career is over because we skated bad
T: In K&C?
K: No, even before -when we just left the ice. Sasha didn't hear it. I just left the ice, I didn't make it to the K&C
T: Wow, I'm known for my outbursts in the K&C but I still have a lot to learn from Moskvina. Perhaps it was the empotions?
K: Perhaps. But later I learned that she was hoping that we would come back. But Sasha was too tired from my injuries.
T: So you were left alone in a foreign country without the figure skating.
K: That's how I felt.
T: And then?
K: Navka shows.
T: What do you do now?
K: I skate in the shows with a different partner but we are not quite good yet. I also do a face massage in a salon.
T: Do you have many clients?
K: Not yet. I also work as a technical specialist and I love it. I don't really like coaching and don't really want to, I can help a bit. But I do like being a technical specialist.
T: Why didn't you return to Japan
K: I'm no one in Japan. I never skated for Japan and no one knows me without Sasha. So I would come back and what? Coach the pairs? There are no pairs, the current world champions train in Canada
T: How do you communicate and see your parents?
K: It's hard. She called me and said she wanted to go to Mongolia and see the country. Perhaps I could come to Mongolia. I haven't seen her for 1.5 years - I would travel to Japan, but now I can't
T: So as a technical specialist you follow the figure skating.
K: I try to.
T: Who are the best in pairs in the World?
K: The Russians. But I love their skating
T: Do you root for someone?
K: Frankly, no
T: What is your relationship with Mosvkina now?
K: It's great. She is like a mom for me.
T :How did a Japanese skater switched to Russia?
K: I wanted to do pairs and I wanted to skate with Moskvina, she was coaching in the USA and then returned to Russia and I went with her.
T: You fell in love with pairs skating like me, watching Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze?
K: Right. I don't know how did I gather the courage to send her a fax. I wanted to skate like your pair, your pair is beautiful. Please take me as a student. In English. My father speaks a bit of Russian, he learned it in the uni, so we had some books.
T: What did Moskvina answeR?
K: First she declined, but I really wanted to, but I insisted and when she was in the USA she offered me to come there. For the first year she coached me as a single skater. It was really interesting. After her practices I fell in love with figure skating, my mom made me skating but I hated it myself. But after watching Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze and after skating with Moskvina my results went up - my lines were nicer. I won a JGP as a single skater, but I really wanted to do pairs. I could have a career as a single skater, but I wanted to be a pair skater. Besides, the quad was too hard as a single skater, but a throw quad was possible. So I moved to the USA and for 4 years I skated with Markuntsov, I was representing Japan and even won a junior worlds silver medal.
T: But then you represented the USA?
K: Right
T: I asked once why and you said you didn't want to represent the USA because of Hiroshima/Nagasaki.
K: What??? Did I say that??? I wanted to skate with the Russian partner, I liked the russian style and the American style was not mine.
T: Did you have a partners choice?
K: Not really. It was either Smirnov or you, but I was afraid to skate with you - you are too emotional.
T: To tell you the truth Tamara Nikolaevna offered me to skate with you. But I was also afraid - back then it seemed to me that the pairs is a Russian thing , we won all the Olympics and it was weird to me to skate with a Japanese skater. Do you remember your first day as a pairs skater?
K: Yes, with Aleksandr Markuntsov, he took my hand and I felt good. With Smirnov it took a while to get used to him. But the condition to skate with Sasha was to switch to Velikov's group. It was a tough 3 months - he worked with us on the basics and am so grateful to him
T: and the move to Russia? First to the USA and then together with Moskvina to Russia
K: I switch quite easily and get used to things quite easy. I learn the languages easily as well. I alwas dreamed to use several languages. Mosvkina was joking that if the figure skating will not work out at least you'll learn the language. I was first hurt and didn't understand. I still don't really understand all the jokes.
T: What was the hardest when moving to Russia? Food? Metro?
K: No, the food was fine, the metro was ok as well. The toilets shocked me. And the water. The water was the hardest, it took me 10 years to get used to it. The phones - the international calls didn't exist and it was hard to call my mom.
T: Where did you live?
K: First with Sasha, then I was renting from Moskvina's friend a room. Then I rented a flat of my own and I didn't have a phone nor a washing machine. I had to go out to the public phone and call mom.
T: how did your parents take your move to Russia?
K: They were ok with that. As long as I was doing what I wanted and they trusted Moskvina.
T: For me it was really hard moving from one city to another and it was a huge financial burden for my family. Who supported you?
K: My family is not particularly rich by the Japanese standart, but the ruble was so low and everything was so cheap. Hence they could support me.
T: I remember asking you Yuko, where do you live? And you said you bought a flat. I was like how? For me it was an unspeakable money. You replied, well, I am a world silver medalist, and I thought, well I'm a junior world champion and I can't even afford to rent a flat! What kind of price money did you have?
K: No no, it was my parents' money and I managed to buy a flat before the prices skyrockited.
T: Moskvina said you are cooking the Russian food quite decently.
K: Nah, it still turns out to be Japanese.
T: you said there are no good Japanese restaurants in Russia
K: right. I dont' go to the restaurants. I like cooking myself. There are some limitations what can be found. Hence I can't tell I cook the Japanese food. And the sunctions... Mom would send me a package once in a while, but now she can't. She would send me a lot of food. for example the rice that I like - it doesn't exist.
T: your favourite food?
K: What my mom cooks
T: What is your favourite Russian food?
K: the soups. And the fish Moskvin used to cook. But without the sour cream. I can eat the sour cream, but once you put the sour cream into the soup they all become the same and not hot enough.
T: I think you are my sister. I also hated the figure skating before I saw Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze skating - I would hide under the bed and my mom had to drag me by my feet. I love the soups and don't like putting the sour cream into the soup. When you move to a different country without your parents and the language how did you find friends?
K: I was a single skater and I was busy. It was ok. I didn't feel that I was alone. And Moskvina guarded me.
T: The first time you came to the test skates in Novogorsk you were crying and said you felt like in a jail - there was a fence, it was in the middle of renovations
K: I was so afraid. WE were not allowed to go out. And the water was black and dirty. And someone asked me why am I crying - because you don't have any friends? No, no, its because the wated was dirty.
T: I think you were qutie well loved in the Russian team?
K: Yes, I was. The friends were not a problem. The water was.
T: Were there situations when people would meet you - a Japanese woman?
K: They all thought I was Chinese. I was so pissed off. They never think there would be a Japanese here.
T: You have 2 high eductions. You studied in St. Petersburg in international relationship and then economy.
K: When Sasha was ill I had nothign better to do. Tamara Nikolaevna said I should.
T: That's a Japanese thing. If my partner woudl be injured I would just go and relax on the beach.
K: During that time I also got my driving license. I don't have a car and I don't like driving, but I do have my driving license. I only use the public transportation.
T: In Japan it's quite common using the public transportation?
K: True. And I don't want to be stuck in the jams.
T: Do you remember winning your first Russian nationals and what did it mean to you. Beating me, by the way.I think it was 2008 St. Petersburg. You fell from the throw and dislocated your shoulder and still beat me
K: But you skated badly?
T: No, we did ok.
K: I didn't believe it. When I started representing Russia I didn't think about it. I didn't want to think of all the responsibility of being a Russian pair skater.
T: Tanya Volosozhar when we won the Nationals, beating you and Sasha she was crying more than she was crying at the Olympics. I asked why and she said for her it was a fantasy to win the nationals with such rivals.
K: For me it was ok.
T: What is the most meaningful victory?
K: The Europeans, especially the 2nd title.
T: Let me explain. Yuko and Sasha won the Europeans in 2010, but the next one they won was in 2015.
K: Then I felt we overcame. And Sasha was injured in 2014. And I had a mental problem with the elements, so we worked a lot and my dream was doing the quad throw. We were ready for it in 2010 but we gave up
T: The 2010 Vancouve I gave up. I always wanted to beat you and I knew if you make a mistake we have a chance to win. I believed it a bit, but during the training before the Olympics I realized I had no chance and your quad throw was spot on. Why after doing the quad throw in the warm up you didn't do it in the programme , more than that making a mistake in a 3 throw.
K: Our coach. In the Europeans she said we are doing the easy one - we were told in the hotel. And we won. But then... at the Olympics she wanted to repeat the Europeans and I still didn't know it after the 6 minutes warm up and when we went on the ice we were told to do a 3. I didn't understand what was going on, Sasha was far, we didn't have the contact. He didn't know what to do and it was my dream to do a quad at the Olympics and suddenly she said not to. I was so upset and so pissed. And that was the mood I went with to the LP.
T: Do you think it was her mistake?
K: Yes. It was a very last moment thing.
T: If you were a Russian you would say `screw it' and did the quad.
K: Perhaps. But I was so pissed off. It's also that I couldn't switch so suddenly.
T: I remember how you were cursing. I never saw you even raising your voice, but I remember you screaming.
K: I was so upset. The mood going into the LP was down. And that 3 throw, and I fell, and I think we missed another element. And it was not something we thought about, just skated through.
T: And that 4th place, the worst.
T: How did you motivate yourself to train for the 2014?
K: If I got a chance to do the quad I would be ready to retire. But that gave me the motivation to work
T: And then Sasha's injury
K: But first there was my surgery
T: I remember Sasha had an injury in November, did you understand your Olympic dream was over and half a year would not be enough. The doctors said it would be impossible.
K: I believed in a miracle. At least the team event. I think we could do it. But he said no, so no.
T: Did you find the power to watch the Olympics?
K: No, I left. I went to Finland, my mom came and we spent some time together. I couldn't stay in Russia, I would go nuts. There was no Olympics talks in Finalnd.
T: So your Olympic dream was over.
K: It's ok now. Sometimes I think about it. But I didn't change my citizenship for the Olympics. No.
T: I was sure it was for the Olympcis as well.
K: I think for the Russian athletes it's important to skate at the Olympics. For me it was not. But Moskvina - when she was working with us as a Russian pair she was on fire. As a Japanese - she was quite relaxed. She said she treats everyone the same , but no, once we switched to Russia she was different, more serious, more responsibility and she was having a great time working with us and that's what I wanted that she would be excited coaching me. The whole team - Druchinina, Moskvina and Smirnov was a miracle team to work with.
T: So it was for a possibility to enjoy what you are doing to have your favourite coach be happy you gave up your Japanese citizenship?
K: Yeah, I guess it's silly. But my mom says when my soul is excited I should pick it. Switching the citizenship made my sould sing.
T: Were you ever sorry?
K: When I switched the passport I felt a piece of my soul was torn off and it was painful.
T: Can you get your citizenship back?
K: Yes, if I leave Russia and go back to Japan. For now I don't plan to. I have a job here. I got that passport so my life would be interesting, not for the Olympics. For now my life in Russia is interesting. Japan is too comfortable.
T: After the Sochi Olympics, your injury, Sasha's, you still found the power to come back and win the Europeans in 2015. Who motivated you? Moskvina? You?
K: We did. We also had a really good programme - the LP. The SP was ok as well. The SP was my favourite. I jsut really wanted to skate that programme.
T: I loved your February programme
K: Me too. I think it was the first time I fell in love with music. Even now when I hear it I start crying. I wanted to express the music and show it, previously it was just about skating nicely.
T: How did you retire?
K: It's a sad story
T: I don't think it can be a happy one.
K: For no one? But if everyone agrees? Perhaps it was because of me - I had yet another injury and I didn't miss the season but by the end of the season no one believed in us and I was skating through the pain and while the injury was on. After the nationals Moskvina said `your career is over'.
T: So you skated in the competition?
K: And she said the career is over because we skated bad
T: In K&C?
K: No, even before -when we just left the ice. Sasha didn't hear it. I just left the ice, I didn't make it to the K&C
T: Wow, I'm known for my outbursts in the K&C but I still have a lot to learn from Moskvina. Perhaps it was the empotions?
K: Perhaps. But later I learned that she was hoping that we would come back. But Sasha was too tired from my injuries.
T: So you were left alone in a foreign country without the figure skating.
K: That's how I felt.
T: And then?
K: Navka shows.
T: What do you do now?
K: I skate in the shows with a different partner but we are not quite good yet. I also do a face massage in a salon.
T: Do you have many clients?
K: Not yet. I also work as a technical specialist and I love it. I don't really like coaching and don't really want to, I can help a bit. But I do like being a technical specialist.
T: Why didn't you return to Japan
K: I'm no one in Japan. I never skated for Japan and no one knows me without Sasha. So I would come back and what? Coach the pairs? There are no pairs, the current world champions train in Canada
T: How do you communicate and see your parents?
K: It's hard. She called me and said she wanted to go to Mongolia and see the country. Perhaps I could come to Mongolia. I haven't seen her for 1.5 years - I would travel to Japan, but now I can't
T: So as a technical specialist you follow the figure skating.
K: I try to.
T: Who are the best in pairs in the World?
K: The Russians. But I love their skating
T: Do you root for someone?
K: Frankly, no
T: What is your relationship with Mosvkina now?
K: It's great. She is like a mom for me.
Cherub721
YEAH!
- Messages
- 17,891
Both Yuko and Max were so brutally honest. Great stuff.
irenemulindwairen
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 232
Fortunately Bagin and partner split. Didn't like them anyway.
Vagabond
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 27,057
The difference between Japanese and Russian culture in a nutshell.
Ananas Astra
Get woke, go broke!
- Messages
- 15,203
Trankov is the sports journalist we never wanted, but deserved.
I love him.
ETA: Yuko's Russian is very very good for someone who has learned the language so late in their life.
All the props to her.
Last edited:
TAHbKA
Cats and garlic lover
- Messages
- 22,135
Dunno, Zahorski's Russian was by miles better, but perhaps it's easlier for an English speaker to learn Russian than a Japanese.
caseyedwards
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 24,228
T: Did you have a partners choice?
K: Not really. It was either Smirnov or you, but I was afraid to skate with you - you are too emotional.
Lol omg classic truth lol
K: Not really. It was either Smirnov or you, but I was afraid to skate with you - you are too emotional.
Lol omg classic truth lol
TAHbKA
Cats and garlic lover
- Messages
- 22,135
Maria Sotskova is pregnant.
Maksim Kovtun is getting married.
These news are not related
Maksim Kovtun is getting married.
These news are not related
Amy L
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Did Sotskova go back to her scammer husband? I hope she made an improvement in the department...
Sylvia
Flight #5342: I Will Remember You
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A new guy? (Sotskova is expecting a daughter) https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuKSV8dtZuT/
Amy L
Well-Known Member
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Looks like a different guy. I recall the ex-husband being shorter with darker hair. We'll, I hope this one is an upgrade.
taz'smum
'Be Kind' - every skater has their own story
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Russian is ranked as one of the hardest languages for English speakers to learn.
Russian is not listed as one of the hardest languages for Japanese speakers to learn.
However, ChatGPT says "one could argue that English speakers might have a slight advantage in learning Russian than Japanese speakers due to the shared alphabet and some linguistic similarities."
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Vagabond
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ChatGPT needs to learn a thing or two about Cyrillic and Romaji.
I did not find Russian hard to learn, even though I am an English speaker. I am by no means an expert in Russian; far from it (and I have forgotten a lot of it, for lack of use).
I have not even tried to learn a far eastern language (Japanese, Chinese, etc.) because they appear and sound so different. I have heard from an American friend that Japanese is very difficult and she was very proud of the fact that she knew it well.
I was always impressed by Yuko, who spoke Russian well.
taz'smum
'Be Kind' - every skater has their own story
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@Vash01 - You did well as these are the categories ranking how difficult languages are for English speakers
Category I Languages
It takes approximately 24-30 weeks (600-750 hours of practice) to reach professional working proficiency in these languages. They are very closely related to English, so many of the same grammar rules and similar vocabulary apply. - Danish
- Dutch
- French
- Italian
- Norwegian
- Portuguese
- Romanian
- Spanish (Latin America or Spain)
- Swedish
Category II Languages
It takes approximately 36 weeks (900 hours of practice) to reach professional working proficiency in these languages. Though German is in the same family as English, its nuanced pronunciation gives it a higher difficulty level than other Germanic languages.- German
- Haitian Creole
- Indonesian
- Malay
- Swahili
Category III Languages
It takes approximately 44 weeks (1100 hours of practice) to reach professional working proficiency in these languages. You’ll notice that many of these languages do not use the Latin alphabet.| Albanian | Latvian |
| Amharic | Lithuanian |
| Armenian | Macedonian |
| Azerbaijani | Mongolian |
| Bengali | Nepali |
| Bulgarian | Polish |
| Burmese | Russian |
| Czech | Serbo-Croatian |
| Dari | Sinhala |
| Estonian | Slovak |
| Farsi | Slovenian |
| Finnish | Somali |
| Georgian | Tagalog |
| Greek | Tajiki |
| Hebrew | Tamil |
| Hindi | Telugu |
| Hungarian | Thai |
| Icelandic | Tibetan |
| Kazakh | Turkish |
| Khmer | Turkmen |
| Kurdish | Ukrainian |
| Kyrgyz | Urdu |
| Lao | Uzbek |
| Vietnamese |
Category IV Languages
It takes approximately 88 weeks (2200 hours of practice) to reach professional working proficiency in these languages. These languages are deeply nuanced, with complex grammar and pronunciation rules. Don’t let their place on this list deter you from diving right in, though—we’ve built courses to help you learn quickly and effectively!Great info. Thank you.
I found Spanish and French very hard to learn, even though there are many Spanish speakers in this part of the USA.
I find German easy, though I never had formal training in it. It is so close to English. I heard the grammar is hard, but I feel it may be relative. English grammar is easy. May be that's why English speakers have difficulty learning other languages? I think it's because learning new languages is not particularly encouraged here. In Europe or Asia the countries are smaller, so you go from one language to another very easily. Just my theory.
Any time the script is different, you have to learn new alphabets. I am sure that is why the Asian and mid eastern languages are harder to learn. I didn't have trouble learning Cyrillic; just some of the pronunciation, which our teachers corrected.
myhoneyhoney
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Fascinating!! I love learning languages. My original language is Tagalog and then English. I took French in high school and casually learned conversational Spanish over time (very easy for me since Tagalog has some similar words or just a slight variation and same for French.) Now I’m learning conversational Russian with the help of a Russian friend. I have an easier time understanding what people are saying vs speaking it though.
Coco
Rotating while Russian!
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Well that man with Sotskova looks like he wants to be there, which is a start. There is a clip of her throwing a bouquet over her shoulder to a crowd of women. Is this a combination gender reveal party / wedding?
tennellicious
Banned Member
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poor Yuko that Russian water sounds disgusting and traumatic 
taz'smum
'Be Kind' - every skater has their own story
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I was surprised that you need to filter the tap water in a big city like Moscowpoor Yuko that Russian water sounds disgusting and traumatic
hanca
Values her privacy
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They are talking about Novogorsk, not Moscow. They mention that they came there for test skates and there were some renovations being done, so I am guessing that the water got contaminated. They don’t mention how big renovations, but if it was all fenced around, it seems to me that it was a partial building site but for whatever reason they didn’t change the venue. I guess thinking that if the ice is ok, what else is needed for test skates? Such detail that one may want to wash themselves after doing physical activity such as skating may not have been taken into consideration by the organisers.
Sylvia
Flight #5342: I Will Remember You
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I've seen Russian articles today in which Mishin and Kogan say Kolyada has "suspended his career." (not surprising but still
to me)
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kwanfan1818
RIP D-10
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Kavaguti said it took her ten years to get used to the water in Russia, and I don't think she was in Novogorsk the whole time.
Sylvia
Flight #5342: I Will Remember You
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Interview published today:
"Я живой и ранимый". Запрещенное интервью Коляды
Решение приостановить карьеру серебряный призер Олимпийских игр в Пхенчхане Михаил Коляда принял еще осенью прошлого года, о чем и рассказал тогда РИА Новости... РИА Новости Спорт, 20.07.2023
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