Domnina, Shabalin moving to Linichuk | Golden Skate

Domnina, Shabalin moving to Linichuk

blue dog

Trixie Schuba's biggest fan!
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Dec 16, 2006
Wow--the last time Linichuk/Karponossov had two high-ranking teams was when Pasha/Platov and Krylova/Ovsiannikov trained together...
 

Ptichka

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Jul 28, 2003
Wow! I am of two minds on this. On the one hand, I am not sure Gorshkov can help Do&Sh improve as much as they need to, so I am glad they are making a switch. OTOH, I dislike Linichuk, and would have wanted them to choose a different coach.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Wow! I am of two minds on this. On the one hand, I am not sure Gorshkov can help Do&Sh improve as much as they need to, so I am glad they are making a switch. OTOH, I dislike Linichuk, and would have wanted them to choose a different coach.
Ptichka - Do you dislike Linichuk on a personal level or a professional one? I always thought linichuk was one of the top Skate Dance coaches.

Do you think they will like living in Jersey. So many Russian skaters seem to dislike it. That's not a healthy way to train.

Joe
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
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Dec 28, 2006
So Domina and Shabalin, Belbin and Agosto's biggest rivals have moved to the US to train with the same coach as the americans?

DRAMA

One of the reasons that Tanith and Ben moved is because they were one of three top level dance teams under the same coach. I cannot imagine this situation will be any better. Somehow I can't picture Tanith and Ben making friends with these practice mates, as they did with Davis and White.

This is really cray that the russian would do something like this. I has respect for them last year, although they were Tanith and Ben's biggest threat. not sure if i still have that respect.

This is like as if Michelle and Irina had chosen the same coach.
 

mycelticblessing

Final Flight
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Nov 9, 2007
One of the reasons that Tanith and Ben moved is because they were one of three top level dance teams under the same coach. I cannot imagine this situation will be any better. Somehow I can't picture Tanith and Ben making friends with these practice mates, as they did with Davis and White.

This is really cray that the russian would do something like this. I has respect for them last year, although they were Tanith and Ben's biggest threat. not sure if i still have that respect.

B/A never explicitly said that their move was because three was a crowd, that was merely speculation. So, this may not really affect them at all.

And why would you lose respect for them just because they are switching to the same coach as their rivals?:scratch: Many skaters do that. Just think Oda/Takahashi.
 

merrybari

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Think also Weir/Lambiel.

I have to wonder if any of them really like it or are just putting a good face on what could be an awkward situation.

Virtue/Moir // Davis/White still remain with the same coach but that doesn't change the fact they are also one of each other's chief rivals.

Only time will tell the real impact this will have for all involved next season.

Happy skating/training everyone.
 

~tapdancer

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 18, 2008
I have to believe, though, that B/A most definitely thought "three was a crowd". They are used to being top dog. I really don't think D/S coming on board with Linichuk is going to sit well with them. They can pretend it doesn't bother them but I'll bet they are upset. Just my thoughts.

I remember well what it was like for G/P and K/O. It was tense. Their "friendship" was a sham.

Oh well...yes, there will definitely be drama this season.
 

merrybari

Final Flight
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Oct 21, 2007
I wouldn't think they'd be very happy about it either.

I know in their shoes I most likely wouldn't like it either - especially after having turned my life upside down to make such a change.
 

mycelticblessing

Final Flight
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Nov 9, 2007
I wouldn't think they'd be very happy about it either.

I know in their shoes I most likely wouldn't like it either - especially after having turned my life upside down to make such a change.

That's probably true, but unfortunately, elite coaches almost never coach exclusively. They're always in demand by top skaters.
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
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Jul 28, 2003
Ptichka - Do you dislike Linichuk on a personal level or a professional one? I always thought linichuk was one of the top Skate Dance coaches.
When Soviet Union fell apart, many rinks closed. Due to her close friendship with Alla Shekhovtsova (Piseev's wife), Linichuk got most of the elite ice dancers. Her handling of the many competing teams was questionable at best. It is speculated that she almost purposely held down (in particular a Ukrainian team whose name escapes me at the moment) some teams in order to help others. She could afford to make rash decisions because she had such an amazing fleet of skaters. For example, it is still a mystery how much she had to do with Averbukh choosing to skate with Lobacheva instead of Anissina. However, even if it were all his decision, it is still remarkable that Linichuk did not lift a finger to help Anissina's career in Russia. Well, she certainly got her karmic revenge in 2002! Or, take Navka & Kostomarov when they were still with Linichuk. Certainly, Linichuk just decided one day that Navka had no future in the sport and told Kostomarov to dump her. Here is also something I find interesting in a Kostomarov interview (http://ptichkafs.livejournal.com/12222.htm): "Lininchuk was much more lenient with the male skaters than she was with the girls. Male skaters could get away with a lot. If something wasn’t working, I could throw something at Tanya, even shove her on the ice. I totally did not know how to control myself.". Karmic revenge, again, when Navka & Kostomarov became Olympic champions under a different coach. Even going back a bit further - after 1994, she told Gritchuk that she did not think it wise to try to go for two gold medals; this is what forced G&P to go searching for another coach, eventually settling in with Tarasova. Again, of course, karmic revenge in 1998. Come to think of it, Linichuk certainly has had reasons to feel very frustrated with herself during the past 3 Winter Olympics.

Now, having said all that, let me shift gears a bit. Linichuk has certainly learned her lesson, and learned it well. She has by now lost her arrogance. She has also improved a lot as a coach - I believe she really got as much out of Lobacheva & Averbukh as was humanly possible; she has also done a good job with Denkova & Stavijski (btw, I think it was probably them that suggested this switch).

BTW, here is a link to an article Werner did some time ago on Gorshkov, the coach D&S left - http://ptichkafs.livejournal.com/7670.html.
I remember well what it was like for G/P and K/O. It was tense. Their "friendship" was a sham.
True, but then again who could ever be friends with Gritchuk :eek: There are many example to the contrary, too - Bin Yao's three teams, or Kazakova& Dmitriev and Berezhnaya & Sikhuralidze. Though I am not arguing that this doesn't look strange.
 
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dorispulaski

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Jul 26, 2003
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Well, it's entirely possibly that Domnina & Shabalin will not like it in NJ. Have they ever trained outside of Russia before?

I hope B&A stay there long enough to get the benefit of intense training on the compulsories for sure.
 

Audrey19

On the Ice
Joined
Jun 26, 2007
Oh no, this won't be good for Tanith and Ben...:no: I actually thought that being the number 1 team alone would lift some pressure from them, but of all the people Domnina & Shabalin...
So much drama next season...:eek:hwell:
 

merrybari

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Oh no, this won't be good for Tanith and Ben...:no: I actually thought that being the number 1 team alone would lift some pressure from them, but of all the people Domnina & Shabalin...
So much drama next season...:eek:hwell:

I'm still at a loss as to how it works for major competitors to train under the same coach.

I don't suspect Tanith and Ben will move on right away, if at all, after uprooting themselves so recently.

Who knows if D/S will like it either. Sort of surprising they'd try it knowing B/A were already there.

Suspect both teams will take a wait-and-see approach. I'm sure they'll push each other intensely.

Drama is right!!! What an amazing season 2008-09 promises to be.
 

sillylionlove

Medalist
Joined
Oct 27, 2006
The soap opera that is figure skating........

This is a very interesting coaching change. With all the crazy coaching changes that have happened this off season, it will be interesting to see how the season turns out!
 

emma

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
This news comes as a huge surprise to me - I didn't see it coming at all. Without any insider knowledge, I can only speculate about whether B/A felt 'crowded' and wanted singular attention from a top coach. What they made clear is a need for a change....I understand that feeling (I think), but I admit, I felt sort of bad for them. I thought they had great performances/programs last year - and with the exception of the freaky fall at worlds, really looked much much better than the previous year (where, for me at least, ironically, I didn't think they should have been 3rd at worlds, where this year, I kind of did).

Anyway, having said that - I do think they have room to grow, and in particular with Tanith - still more stretch, with Ben I can't put my finger on it (but I feel he was great and stayed that way, but somehow I feel a lack of something)...but my point then is going to a new coach with a new training routine and breaking it down and building again sounds like a fantastic plan. A bit risky - maybe - given the push to the olympics, but definitely better to break down and build this year in preparation for the olympics.

So, having said all that - enter the Russians. I don't know what to make of that for B/A. I suspect it will be great for D/S (and I freaking loved the make over of the bulgarian D/S with this coach)....only time will tell what it does for B/A. So, any of you with inside insight - do share what you can! (this really is an interesting off season!).

One more thing - aren't they all now in Aston Pa - not New Jersey or Deleware?
 

merrybari

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 21, 2007
One more thing - aren't they all now in Aston Pa - not New Jersey or Deleware?

Yes they train in Aston but it's just a hop, skip and jump from DE - not sure how it relates to New Jersey, but the states over there are very small so there's not much distance involved.
 
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