Petrova&Tikhonov withdraw, complete turmoil awaits Russian Nationals

[iloveaxel]

I am surprised this has not been covered on this board. According to SkateFans:

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group...message/176384

Petrova&Tikhonov dropped a bombshell by withdrawing from Russian Nationals. It's not because they are sick, but because Russian officials&their coach don't want P&T to 'disgrace' themselves.

Money quotes:

Petrova-Tikhonov withdrew. There has been no statement from them.
However, after GPF Piseev announced that "we should expect
nothing from them at Europeans or worlds". Translation: whatever little support they were getting just turned into anti-support.Following the GPF fiasco, they went to Kiev - skated a show
there, did 3 shows in Moscow, then went to Kazan for a rink opening and were the headliners there. When I saw the Kazan article, I thought - maybe these guys are just going to quit. Quite possibly, they are now more popular than Totmianina/Marinin. Probably, they are getting more work as show skaters than they might have dreamed possible.... GPF was only on cable TV, so the general public has not been "let down" by them. It's irrelevant to their entertainment future.

In a Sovetski Sport article (reasonable newspaper) the reporter
went to 3 practices - Moskvina (Kawaguchi-Smirnov), Velikova (Obertas-Slavnov) and Vasiliev (Mukhortkina-Trankov). Ludmilla Velikova said she was going to tell Pet-Tikh to quit amateur skating before nationals so as not to humiliate themselves.http://www.sovsport.ru/imgNews/2006/...PDF-246452.pdf


Kawaguchi-Smirnov withdrew.
She has a cast - some sort of injury to her heel, but they are
still training. Nikolai Velikov is still bitter that he put them together and
Moskvina wooed them to herself... (Soviet Sport article. )


Mukhortina-Trankov are competing.
They started the season with Velikovs. Then they went to Moskvina. She got fed up with them. Oksana Kazakova started training them, but mostly was in Moscow taping "Dancing on Ice" and Moskvina "helped out".
At some point, Artur Dmitriev became their coach. Since December 5, Oleg Vasiliev has started coaching them. He makes them do 5 laps for each minute they are late to practice. (Soviet Sport article. )

Obertas-Slavnov are competing.
Obertas freaked out about having a reporter on practice. Velikova asked reporter to leave, explaining Obertas is a psychological mess and they are not ready for the competition. Nikolai Velikov blames Tamara Moskvina for the psychological damage.... (Soviet Sport article. )

For fans who are interested in pairs, this is going to be very interesting...

I am not a big fan of P&T's skating, but they are really nice people. The treatment they received is just absurd. But they should not regret or feel bad. I am so glad they are now getting the popularity and love they truly deserved long time ago. I am wishing them all the best in their new skating career.

Although technically they are not as competent as shen&zhao and TT&MM, I believe P&T will have a very successful pro career in Russia. They have amazing and very innovative lifts, those are always excellent tricks for skating shows.

I watched one segment of their exhibition program at 'Red Square', it's really really good. By comparison, TT&MM's program is just so boring, no original move, no chemistry at all.

[attyfan]

I would have liked to see them do really well the rest of the season, but I have heard that their appearance at some shows (including Russia's version of "Skating with Celebrities") have made them hugely popular -- and they deserve it, for their sportsmanship, even for those who don't like their skating.

[Ptichka]

This is so hugely unfair to them. They essentially decided to go on competing this season because the federation asked them "real nice". Now, they are tossed aside once again. This bites.

[iloveaxel]

I would have liked to see them do really well the rest of the season, but I have heard that their appearance at some shows (including Russia's version of "Skating with Celebrities") have made them hugely popular -- and they deserve it, for their sportsmanship, even for those who don't like their skating.

I am not surprised at their success. If you watch their 'Red Square' clip, you'll understand why. They have very strong and original lifts, and that's always good for skating shows.

By comparison, Shen&Zhao's program is just mediocre, perhaps they didn't really devote much efforts into their exhibition program this season. TT&MM's program is just horrible considering they're doing pro all year long. No wonder they are considering to return amateur. SOI(is TT&MM under contract with them) should get a refund.

[Joesitz]

Pet and Tik were so robbed in Calgary, imo, and I don't like them either, but I did have them in lst place after the competition. I think they should have a last hurrah at this.

Joe

[chuckm]

Petrova/Tikhonov would be hard-pressed to 'embarrass themselves' in the company of Obertas/Slavnov and Mukhortova/Trankov. The Pettikhs worst performance this year, at CoR, got a higher score than ObSlav's best score, at CoC, and far exceeds even the best FS score of Muk/Tran. All their scores this year:

178.03 Petrova/Tikhonov, CoR
174.27 Petrova/Tikhonov, TEB
154.59 Petrova/Tikhonov, GPF
153.55 Obertas/Slavnov, CoC
141.31 Mukhortova/Trankov, SA
132.39 Mukhortova/Trankov, CoR
132.19 Obertas/Slavnov, NHK

If the teams bomb Nationals, and Kawaguchi/Smirnov aren't ready for Euros, don't be surprised if the RFSF does an about-face and asks the Pettikhs to go. If they don't, they will have an embarrassment at Euros in Pairs equal to what they had in ladies in 2004 when Oblasova and Basova finished 16th and 18th.

[iloveaxel]

Petrova/Tikhonov would be hard-pressed to 'embarrass themselves' in the company of Obertas/Slavnov and Mukhortova/Trankov. The Pettikhs worst performance this year, at CoR, got a higher score than ObSlav's best score, at CoC, and far exceeds even the best FS score of Muk/Tran. All their scores this year:

178.03 Petrova/Tikhonov, CoR
174.27 Petrova/Tikhonov, TEB
154.59 Petrova/Tikhonov, GPF
153.55 Obertas/Slavnov, CoC
141.31 Mukhortova/Trankov, SA
132.39 Mukhortova/Trankov, CoR
132.19 Obertas/Slavnov, NHK

If the teams bomb Nationals, and Kawaguchi/Smirnov aren't ready for Euros, don't be surprised if the RFSF does an about-face and asks the Pettikhs to go. If they don't, they will have an embarrassment at Euros in Pairs equal to what they had in ladies in 2004 when Oblasova and Basova finished 16th and 18th.

Besides these three Russian pairs, S&S and that polish couple, who else are considered strong pairs at Euros? I only know these 5 European pairs.

[rain]

I have to agree with most others here in that while P/T didn't do well at the GPF and don't look poised to pose a real threat to the Chinese, they would most certainly not embarrass themselves next to the other Russian couples who didn't even make the GPF.

All the other little bits of gossip about the various coaches, teams and rivalries is fascinating. I guess that happens when there's a void, as there certainly is in Russian pairs at the moment.

[chuckm]

I'm adding some scores from the GP this season to the previous list, and for those who didn't skate in the GP, the scores from Worlds 06. These are Pairs teams who are confirmed to be going to Euros. There are a few more, but the scores are lower than the ones shown here.

180.67 Savchenko/Szolkowy, GPF
179.45 Savchenko/Szolkowy, CoR
178.03 Petrova/Tikhonov, CoR
174.27 Petrova/Tikhonov, TEB
171.63 Savchenko/Szolkowy, CoC
168.50 Kawaguchi/Smirnov, CoR
163.13 Siudek/Siudek, CoR
161.47 Siudek/Siudek, SA
154.59 Petrova/Tikhonov, GPF
153.55 Obertas/Slavnov, CoC
151.65 Siudek/Siudek, CoC
147.90 Volosozhar/Morozov, W06
141.31 Mukhortova/Trankov, SA
135.02 Pla / Bonheur, W06
132.39 Mukhortova/Trankov, CoR
132.19 Obertas/Slavnov, NHK
131.17 Pylkina/Hogner, SC
131.03 Efaieva/Menshikov, SA
130.94 Pylkina/Hogner, CoR
125.91 Piatkowska/Khromin, TEB
123.21 Piatkowska/Khromin, SA
117.98 Canac/Coia, TEB

It looks as if the Siudeks might be have a chance for a medal (yay!), because it's unlikely both Pettikhs and Kawa/Smirn will go to Euros.

[Kasey]

It's disgusting. After Piseev and the federation asked them NOT to retire, and they tried to fit continued eligible skating into what should have been a pro skating schedule, they STILL didn't disgrace Russia. Their only really miserable event was the GP final. And they are still the top Russian team. I really hope that we can see them at Euros and Worlds (IF they want to go), and they will go out with a bang. They are too nice to deserve such an ignoble end to their eligible careers.

[Jasper]

They've really always bored me, and I hate how the last few years they've basically skated the same program to different music. Remember last year when they suddenly had Vivaldi's Winter as their Worlds music but the choreography was no different from the choreography of their previous LP, which they used at the Olympics. Having said that, their elements were cleanest by far in Calgary and they deserved the Gold.

And to say they would be an embarassment at Nationals is ridiculous when they're still Russian Pair Team No. 1 (even though I think the new team Kawaguchi/Smirnov is already better and should get higher scores). The biggest embarassment is truly Obertas/Slavnov, once touted as the future of pairs, now placing 6th in GP events behind weak teams! She is a diva but hello, she cannot land any jumps!!!

[Jasper]

In conclusion, I hate the way the Russian Federation has treated P/T, forcing them into another season after their retirement and now kicking them out again.

[hockeyfan228]

I think Piseev is the disgrace and that his behavior towards Pet/Tik is despicable.

[Ravyn Rant]

ITA with everyone else who's disgusted. What a horrible way to treat people.

[emma]

This is sad news. Pet/Tik have just been such 'good citizens' of skating. I feel bad that they were treated this way EVEN if they weren't in top form, seems a team that has given this much deserves a little more respect. I wish them all the best!