Bobrova and Soloviev: A new beginning
Russia’s Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev are on the ice at the Olympic Stadium (known locally as Olimpiski) in Moscow, working on a pose under the watchful eyes of coach Alexander Zhulin and choreographer Sergei Petukhov. The two-time and reigning European silver medalists repeat a move over and over as Zhulin and Petukhov correct them and demonstrate to them what they have in mind.
Bobrova and Soloviev joined their new training group at the end of April and have been working hard since. Bobrova even cancelled part of her vacation in mid-May which she had planned long before she knew that they would switch coaches at the end of the season.
The decision to leave their coaches of twelve years, Elena Kustarova and Svetlana Alexeeva, didn’t come as a surprise to many observers. Although Bobrova and Soloviev…
Dolensky working hard to continue windfall
It’s been a roller coaster ride for USA’s Timothy Dolensky these past 18 months. The 19-year-old experienced the highs and lows of competitive figure skating firsthand, and is beginning to understand what life is like in the glare of the spotlight.
As the 2012 U.S. junior men’s silver medalist, Dolensky seems to be climbing the ladder of success. Following his bronze medal win as a novice in Spokane, Wash., Dolensky had a stellar summer/fall season. His summer competitions were solid, and earned him an invitation to compete on the Junior Grand Prix circuit for the first time.
With a 4th place finish at the event in Sheffield, England, Dolensky was a favorite at the 2011 Eastern Sectional Championships to earn a berth to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Greensboro, N.C.
“After placing 4th on the Junior Grand Prix, I was expected to make nationals,” he…
Perseverance pays off for Leonova
Since Irina Slutskaya’s retirement in 2006, there has been a medal draught for Russia in the ladies figure skating discipline. However, Alena Leonova became the first of an up-and-coming group of Russian girls that has taken six medals at Junior Worlds since 2009.
Leonova herself was the first Russian lady to capture the Junior World title in eight years when she won in 2009. Now, at age 21, she concluded a successful season when she took the World silver medal.
“Now, after some time has passed, I realize that I am the World silver medalist,” said the Russian skater. “People are congratulating me for this success, which is very nice. It was a surprise to me that I finished second in Nice, but it makes me very happy.”
Leonova especially sparkled in her Pirates of the Caribbean short program in Nice and placed…
Takahashi and Tran prepare for next season with new confidence
Japan’s Narumi Takahashi and Mervin Tran made history in April when they took the bronze at the 2012 World Figure Skating Championships, becoming the first pair team representing Japan to win a medal at a senior World Championships.
Three weeks later, the young team also helped to secure the gold medal for Team Japan at the 2012 ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating.
“It (the World medal) actually still hasn’t quite settled in,” said 21-year-old Tran. “I do feel like we were a bit lucky, yes, but at the same time we fought for that spot. We are happy that we were there and that we could achieve it.”
Tran believes that winning the bronze at Worlds will give them extra momentum for the upcoming season. Takahashi, 20, agreed.
“When we got the medal I got confident,” she…
Italy’s Berton and Hotarek gain ground
Stefania Berton and Ondrej Hotarek drew attention this season by winning the first ever Grand Prix medal for an Italian pair skating team at the 2011 Cup of Russia. They also came close to the podium at the European Figure Skating Championships in the past two years, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.
The bronze medal from Cup of Russia was a big motivation for the team.
“This is really, really important,” Hotarek, 28, stressed. “The medal means a lot to us and shows why we started skating together. It gives us confidence and is an encouragement that we can do more. We received appreciation from the judges and from the people. Everybody gave great response to our programs and to the way we skate.”
While the pair was happy with the first half of the season, Berton,…
Takahashi gets a confidence boost
Daisuke Takahashi of Japan ended the season on a high note when he won the Men’s event at the 2012 ISU World Team Trophy of Figure skating in Tokyo, Japan, last week, setting a new record Short Program score of 94.00 and a personal best free skating score.
For the first time since he won his World title in 2010, the Japanese beat two-time World Champion Patrick Chan of Canada.
“I don’t really have any feelings that I have to remain at the top,” Takahashi answered when asked what he needs to do to beat Chan in the future. “Patrick wasn’t perfect, he made mistakes. We both weren’t perfect. If he was perfect I know that Patrick’s program would have more points. I just need to do what I did this season and to build up on that, and maybe at the end…
