Pre-Euros Media and introduction of skaters | Golden Skate

Pre-Euros Media and introduction of skaters

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
MEN:

3 Russian, 2 French, 2 Czech and 1 Spanish skater…they all have skills to win a medal here…but medals are 3 only…and they are 8…
European men look to loose a contact with Asian and Canadian skaters…There was one European skater at Grand Prix Final only. But I am sure they all want to prove that European men can still show great skating qualities and rival with the rest of the world.

Maxim Kovtun
Skater who loves to talk and people loves to talk about him. Big support from Tarasova caused that last year after Russian Nationals many Russian skaters made a protest agains Kovtun cheering for Menshov (who finished in front of Kovtun at Nationals) who should be send at Euros. Finally Tarasova and Federation send Kovtun everywhere and the result is the only one man allowed at the Olympics. This year Kovtun is doing everything to let people forget that not very fair-play story. He is the only one who has 5 quads planned… but he didn’t land all of them at one competition yet. After not confident showing at senior Grand Prix which still had a two silver colours for Maxim, he qualified for Final and finished fifth.
Interesting interview with Vaitsekhovskaya:
http://www.sport-express.ru/olympic14/figureskating/reviews/39485/
and English translation - http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/sho...I-will-be-thrilled-to-do-the-team-comp-in-Soc
…Kovtun looks to be hungry to show how good is he, also tells about being in Morozov group and being fired from the group…

Javier Fernandez
After last year‘s superb results Javi showed much more nervosity than what would be expected from Euros Champion and World Bronze medalist. Obviously becoming European Champion brings much more responsibility than Javi could probably imagine, he needs to learn how to deal with it. With not good skating he finished fifth and third at Grand Prix and didn’t qualify for the Final. We all know that he can jump quads (and many people believe that he will), but he needs to know it and mainly believe in it as well.

Tomas Verner
After disasters at last European and World Championships with plenty of single jumps, he started this season without Grand Prix (thanks to his last year poor results), but he won B-competitions – Nepela Memorial and Cup of Nice. His last competition was Four Nationals where he won over Michal Brezina. What is alarming a little bit – he even didn’t attempt quad both in short and free skate there.

Michal Brezina
Another skater who is looking for good concentration. Whole season struggling and fighting with quad attempts (and good message, he already landed few beautiful quads). Fourth and fifth place at Grand Prix looks not that bad. Overall he will defend his last year bronze medal – a motivation which worth fighting for it even more.

Brian Joubert
He didn’t get a permission to compete at Grand Prix. At French Nationals he won a free skate but overall he lost to Amodio (who is struggling with jumps all season and didn’t land triple axel in free skate at Nationals).
http://absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=interviews&id=2014brianjoubert
…in interview Brian says that Morozov called him in December and offered a help, Brian accepted. Brian himself is confused about Morozov reasons for helping him (and probably he is not the only one). But the fact is that Joubert is big fighter who always skates on 150 percent and never gives up. Maybe we will be suprised with his skating.

Sergei Voronov
After being fired from Morozov‘s group, he found himself besides Eteri Tutberidze (Lipnitskaya’s coach). This season he won Golden Spin and Ice Stars B-competitions, finished second at Finlandia Trophy. Grand Prix result was a disappointment (even with clean skate in short program), Voronov finished ninth. This season Sergei is more confident, his quads seems to be more solide and as a jumper he is one of the best.
Interview with Vaitsekhovskaya:
http://www.sport-express.ru/olympic14/figureskating/reviews/39475/
with translation - http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/sho...ew-with-Voronov-I-was-desperate-at-the-summer
…some interesting notes: “ I think that a sportsman who wants to reach a high goals must learn to listen to uncomfortable or annoying things. Yes, top level sport is heartless but without it (without critisism) you will never get a result.“
… whether is it harder to skate agains more and more young skaters: “What to complain to? It is life. If you decided to do this sport, you had to deal with the fact that every year there would be more skaters younger than you. You need to break yourself (deal with it) and adjust to it. And not to try to adjust the situation to your taste.“

Konstantin Menshov
His second travel at European Championships, he finished seventh in 2011. Konstantin finished eight at NHK, and fourth in Moscow Grand Prix (be could be third in my opinion, but Javi is European Champion, so judges didn’t allow such result). He is another great jumper…and another skater without confidence. And yes, Russian Federation doesn’t support him as well.
 

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
PAIRS:

Tatiana Volosozhar & Maxim Trankov
I am looking forward to great battle with Savchenko & Szolkovy, I found both couple great but this season head to head I prefer the artistic style of Tatiana & Maxim more than athletic style of Alena & Robin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJmbtQJrUPM – interview with a journalist Guberniev, there are some shots from practise, working with Alla Kapranova – very well known choreographer in Russia…
 

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
DANCE

Without Bobrova & Soloviev and Pechalat & Bourzat, the main contenders for Bronze in Sochi, dance competition starts to be less and less interesting before the Olympics.
…The Euro title is important and the European Championships have long tradition but this championships is not going to answer the question who is the biggest contender for the Olympic bronze. Of course European Champions will get a lot of points (over 100 in free dance at least), but there will be no straight comparison with other medal contenders.
…I expected that with Bobrova not allowed at Euros the advantage will be on the side of Pechalat and Cappellini (without any fight), but with Pechalat out, the advantage of winning European title before Olympics in no more that noticeable.
…Cappelini & Lanotte are expected to prove that they are better that Ilinykh & Katsalapov (like they did at Grand Prix) but in the same moment they can’t prove they are better than couples who finished ahead of them at GPF… and Ilinykh & Katsalapov should prove that they can finally skate clean programs and got high levels during one competition…
If Cappellini & Lanotte skate clean, they can be another European Champions from Italy after 2001 Champions Fusar-Poli & Margaglio. If they will make mistakes, they way is open to the Russians…
…Bronze medal fight looks to be open…it will be interesting who will take the chance…


Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov
After fourth and second place at Grand Prix, superb points at Grand Prix in Paris, standing ovations, many mistakes at Nationals (the couple got the fourth highest element mark in short dance, they were overscored in free dance)…Russian media looks to focus on the couple very much…

http://sportstories.rsport.ru/ss_video/20131231/711968399.html Lena’s video
…Lena is skating alone at practise, no Nikita there…
…it is nice than Lena’s mom is allowed to be everywhere with her daughter and support her at every competition thanks to P&G (even her grandmother will be at the Olympics for all days)

http://itar-tass.com/opinions/interviews/1875 4 January 2014, Lena’s interview
…“Physically, we are ready for the Olympics.“
…relating to fall at Russian Nationals: “I don’t know why a fall happened….We need to concentrate every second, for the whole program.“
…how does she marks performances at Russian Nationals: “Very well, because the audience liked our programs very well. And after announcing the second place, people were trampling and whistling“. (they also did this after Dmitriev’s short program result)
…relating to psychologist: “I know that psychologists work with many sportsmen. I am against it. I have my own head on shoulders. I am able to deal with my emotions myself.“

http://sportstories.rsport.ru/ss_person/20131231/711825969.html 31 December
…Lena’s interview with Andrei Simonenko, well known journalist
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2zpnyi1&s=5
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=6p7ogg&s=5
…another pictures used in interview from practise and again without Nikita…
… Lena said: “Immediately after Nationals we wanted to run at practise with Nikita, we even didn’t want to celebrate New Year but coach said no way, you must relax both head and body…the most important is to know what to do and our coach said that he knows“…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-jq5XJDGuM Lena speaks about Nationals, Olympics…
…English report…finally clips with Nikita but from past three seasons…
…“We felt very good after the Russian National Championships, because we had a very good programs and it was skated well and a public was very happy with our programs. But I feel great after this because the most important thing is that people loved it….They are (the public) our judges….our coach said that you just need to relax your head, to relax yourself, and you need to go on the ice with this power and you need to just this, it is gonna be like ten ot twelve days and you need to push hard and we gonna win“…
(funny moment when talking about Bobrova & Soloviev, Stepanova & Bukin were shown instead)

In one interview they know what is wrong, in another interview they don’t know where the mistake was done…they immediately wanted to practise after Nationals but Lena was alone on the ice (so she wanted to skate and Nikita didn’t want?)…after making so many mistakes and missing element in free dance and two mistakes in short dance – she calls this well done programs??? (top couples are always not satisfied even with minor mistake in program). Yes, audience support is important but also average couples got ovation. Again so many moments which goes against each other.

Still the couple is well know for their speed, good edges, romantic dances and Hollywood-like oustanding poses. I can’t imagine what should keep them from medal.

Sinitsina & Zhiganshin
Young couple competing for the first time at European Championships. 2012 Junior World champions, who entered senior circuit last season, finishing 3rd at their second senior Grand Prix in Moscow.

This year Victoria and Ruslan are one of the biggest abonents to a title “Less supported team by own Federation“.

The couple struggled in their only Grand Prix in Japan – during short dance Victoria fell in opening steps of finnstep which caused lost element, judges and specialist really didn’t excuse anything and couple earned 44 points only (19 points from their best score). They skated free dance very well but judges still looked not to forget mistake from short dance giving the couple 79 points and finishing at disappointing last place.
The couple is very promising – they both have great basics, edges, beautiful lines, they can skate both ballroom dances and romances, they have “it“ factor, they have “exterior“ (which I don’t find important but once it is counted…yes, they have it also). Seeing such qualities one can’t believe that still some judges try to look like that Victoria and Ruslan are worse in technique and on the same level in components like Kathy and Chris Reed, it is ridiculous and put another question towards Russian Federation about supporting promising teams.

The last joke was result at Winter Universiade where Victoria and Ruslan showed two strong programs which were good enough for clear win there. But again support by French Federation for Carron & Jones was much better than no support by Russian Federation. It all pointed into dramatic and furious four points deduction in free dance. During Russian Nationals commentator announced that after those four points deduction at Universiade Vika and Ruslan made a protest and wanted to clear the things – finally it was reviewed and told that there should be just one deduction. But Russian Federation was quiet, no official protest was done, so the result stayed like that.
Another curiosity during Universiade was accident with Carron’s costume at the end of free dance – after lift a part of Carron’s skirt broke away from the costume, stayed on Jones‘ shoulder and than fell on the ice – which should be given a point deduction for costume….but, they didn’t get than deduction. Some protest by Russian Federation about not fair judging? No. Why?

But as we talked in “Russian Team for Euros“ thread same people are persuaded that own Federation‘s support is no more needed. So I am looking forward to fair judging at least at European Championships.
 

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
WOMEN

Adelina Sotnikova
The most propagated girl by Russian Federation. If she skates clean, she can win (at least judges marks looks like this). Adelina is still in the middle of her puberty but I am sure that she will keep her triples even with senior body building (which I can’t say about most of children’s stars from Russia). Her skating is very unpredictable, 3 falls in Grand Prix Final after clean short program are an example of this. But Russian Nationals were competition where Adelina executed two very solid programs.

Julia Lipnitskaya
Another supported girl by Russian Federation, the most confident in Russian field right now, a silver medalist from Grand Prix Final, two gold medal winner from Grand Prix. She still has child’s body, small jumps and not very good skating skills but she improved from last season for sure. Puberty is still in front of her but this season and maybe even next season she will still profit from child’s body.

Carolina Kostner
Third and second place at Grand Prix this season. Loosing to Russian kids, didn’t qualify for Final, a changement of free program put Carolina in difficult situation. She has the advantage of skating skills but with her not the most difficult jump arsenal, she can be overjumped easily.

Valentina Marchei
Last year Marchei surprisingly finished third in short program at European Championships, finally she didn’t hold that position and fell to fourth overall. Still it was the best placement in her career. This year she finished sixth and seventh at Grand Prix. I remember Marchei when she came at European Championships for the first time in 2003, she was 16 and a very temperament girl. She was the one who could make one mistake and completely ruined every next jump thanks to it. During last few years she became more mature and she discovered what I noticed in Voronov’s new approach also – that if you want to skate nobody can stop you. And if you love this sport and enjoy skating than you will always catch the audience’s attention and transfer something magic into audience’s heart.

I don’t like when some skaters say that skating doesn’t worth it without winning titles. I know that all skaters want to win and be famous in the sport, but there is a big difference if you skate for money, glory and titles only or if you do what you love no matter what. The second possibility is much closer to my feelings to skating, so I am always glad to see that skater is passionate for figure skating also.

Today’s Marchei can even skate lyrical melodies with nice presentation. With such deep women’s field I think that it is almost impossible for Marchei to repeat her last year short program result but for sure her programs are a nice example of a senior woman with elegant skating.

Alena Leonova
At Russian Nationals Alena skated a great short program, she was struggling with some jumps in free skate but still her Carmen was full of passion and excitement.

In Alena’s case what comes to my mind…
If a coach wants to have a champion he/she must work profesionally with his/her skater. But in past three years I have a feeling that Leonova got no professional help from her coach (I can’t call a professional approach some words like: “You are beautiful, you are the best.“).

I am watching Alena since she came at European Championships for the first time in 2009. Last three years didn’t show the improvement which Russian Federation expected sending her to Morozov (in moment when Alena finished fourth at both European and World Championships 2011). It is said than one next year the technique gained from ex-coach still remains. First season with Morozov Alena won silver at Worlds, bronze at Grand Prix Final, silver and bronze medal at Grand Prix. But then everything went worse.
All last three years Alena looked so exhausted and tired in the second half of the free program. (In the beginning of the season Katya Pushkash noticed that Morozov puts no attention at off ice training, that he thinks that on ice training is important only. In recent interview Kovtun told that now he is skating a whole program twice a week while in Morozov’s group in was three times a season.)

Alena’s choreography is criticised from all sides. While Julia works with Averbuch and Adelina with Tchernyshev and Tarasova, Morozov continues to make “old judging system“ choreo with no steps between elements and no new movements.

All skaters are choosing carefully Olympic programs…Alena starts season with tango, than comes back to Pirates and finally she finishes with 2010 short program with Kalinka’s second half added. (No comment to last year free program changes.)

Alena always struggled with technique of jumps. Last two years that struggle is bigger than before. There are so many jump specialists in Russia – Kudriavtsev, Mishin, Gromova, Urmanov… and there is Arutunian in US. But Alena was never sent to somebody who would correct her technique. Why?

Alena’s skating skills are almost the same like in 2011, only her spins improved a lot since that time. But Morozov is a dance coach mainly…if nothing else he could improve her quality of edges. He didn’t.

Another details like the situation Alena described in her blog – that during warm-up at Grand Prix she couldn’t find her coach at all…

Alena is still used to work with Piatova as well, so she distributes her preparation among Piatova, Morozov and Morozov’s assistent travelling from one place (or country) to another. I am sure that at least Morozov and Piatova have a different style and way of coaching (at least Alena pointed it after the coaching change in 2011). It is like you would take Wagner during competive season and send her to Mishin for one months, than to Vodorezova for another month and than to Shpilband for next month – the result would be chaotic a little bit, I guess.

But in front of journalist’s eyes Alena keeps protecting Morozov from any punishment, it is kind of her, but I can’t do the same – I can compare how she was skating in 2011 and the level is not much higher.

I am reading Golden Skate for long to notice that Alena Leonova is criticised a lot for almost everything. I don’t agree with some of criticism she got and in the same time I don’t see a reason why she should be punished alone for things like choreo, skating skills, physical condition and jumping technique which are a part of coach’s job in meaning that he should prepare skater’s training plan, he should come with changements if the process is not working and in Morozov’s case he comes with choreo and programs as well. I also heard that skaters are adult ones and may behave independently in sport. It is not true and definitely it is not working. In top-level sport every sportman needs to be surrounded with great teams.

For last two years I have a feeling Alena stayed alone in her team while Morozov is concentrating to Ilinykh and Takahashi mainly. And surprisingly now before European Championships he even offers his help to Joubert instead of taking care of his own students.
 

Frenchie

I'm gonna customize the CRAP out of this title!
Medalist
Joined
May 4, 2013
Sisinka! I missed you! :party2: As well as your in-depth analysis of everything Russian and beyond! :points:

Sergei Voronov
After being fired from Morozov‘s group, he found himself besides Eteri Tutberidze
Do you know if Voronov has the same take on what happened? Did he ever give an interview saying "yup, he kicked me out!" ? Or did Morozov state this?

…it is nice than Lena’s mom is allowed to be everywhere with her daughter and support her at every competition thanks to P&G
Who's P&G?

But as we talked in “Russian Team for Euros“ thread same people are persuaded that own Federation‘s support is no more needed.
What I said was
I'm glad that the world of Ice Dance has become far less political than it used to be years ago, and that it's becoming easier to get great marks for a great performance, even if you didn't get 100% of the possible backing from your federation in the past, and aren't showcased as the clear and only number one in your country
Ahem... I'm confident an analytical person like yourself will agree that there's quite a big difference between saying "it's becoming easier to get great marks for a great performance, even if you didn't get 100% of the possible backing from your federation in the past, and aren't showcased as the clear and only number one in your country" and "own Federation‘s support is no more needed". Wouldn't you agree?
OK. Looking forward to watching some pretty... toothless Euros with you and everyone here at GoldenSkate! :popcorn:
 

Frenchie

I'm gonna customize the CRAP out of this title!
Medalist
Joined
May 4, 2013
Those are great interviews, in particular those of Kovtun and Voronov!

Reporter: The word is you will be competing in the personal event in the Olympics. What do you want?
Kovtun: Name me an athlete who doesn't want to go to the Olympics or doesn't want to compete! I think everyone wants it. But it's not up to me. If I will be allowed to represent my country in the team event I will be thrilled. I will do everything I can to be ready to skate 4 programmes.
That sounds very level-headed and humble to me. Does someone have a link to the stuff he said that some on this forum found to be arrogant?

Kovtun: The quads are such jumps.. like women I guess. You can't understand them. Those who do them know it's not just technique, there is magic.
:laugh: That is cute. So... Quads are like women. And doing Quads is magic. Let me think about that for a second. Yup, got it. He's a philosopher! :cool:
 

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Do you know if Voronov has the same take on what happened? Did he ever give an interview saying "yup, he kicked me out!" ? Or did Morozov state this?

Oficially Voronov never admited who made a final decision but…oficially he was never asked who came with it, but…

http://morozov-team.com/article/85.html
There is an article from 4 of April where Voronov says that he considers a possibility of changement in his sport life, or even a change of a coach. In the same moment he confirms that nothing is sure yet. He says that he still trains (no vacations yet) and that final decision about leaving or not leaving Morozov’s group will be discussed between him and Morozov and decided during or in a month.

http://rsport.ru/figure_skating/20130404/654954657.html
The same day, 4 of April, via phone Morozov confirms that he finished his cooperation with Voronov, that he is not blaming Voronov that is it the skaters decision, if he wants a changement or not… he (Morozov) has nothing against.

It happened in time when many people criticised Morozov for poor results of his skaters at World Championships (Takahashi – 6. place, but 8. place in free program, Amodio – 12. place, but 15. place in free program, Ilinykh & Katsalapov – 9. place, but 10. place in free dance and only 16th in element mark, Leonova – 13. place). It was told that a number of skaters in his group are probably one of the reasons for such results.

http://rsport.ru/interview/20130826/682467618.html
Voronov’s interview from May where he describes work with Tutberidze, a journalist notices that after leaving Morozov group he was without a coach for some time, Voronov admits that he called Tarasova and together they discussed options and finally came to Tutberidze.

Usually when you finally decide to leave one coach you already have a place where to come – next coach. It is quite difficult to find a place where to train if you are not a part of any training group. If you leave coach in a rush and then stay without another coach…it happens when a relationship with your coach is “in fire“. But Voronov wanted to think about it, to take a time….in moment when Morozov already decided and made a fast ending of their story (but forgot to tell Voronov)…so Voronov was fired.
 

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Who's P&G?

P & G is Procter & Gamble, a Worldwide Olympic Partner, wchich started with a campaign “Thank You Mom“ with videos of skaters and their moms (many sportsmen took place there, Meryl & Charlie and Tessa & Scott also). From Russian skating it is about Ilinykh and Bobrova only…it is an interesting comparison…

Bobrova describes her sporting career like team job, there are many clips with Dima Soloviev, she and her mom talks about sacrifices to the sport, about ups and downs of Katya and Dmitri in sport.

Ilinykh is talking about herself only, no Nikita exists, she doesn’t mention him in one sentence, he is even cut out in podium picture from Junior World Championships. And dance lifts is Lena doing with Morozov.
(All top level skaters are doing sacrifices, many skaters are living far from home – in different country or town. It must be hard in young age, in every age. Also Navka described how she was in USA for the first time without family in a very young age.
But Lena‘s story doesn’t look to go with reality, Lena and her mom described her life in America where she was so alone in the beggining, crying in nights and pointing that her mom left her on her own… but in December number of Prosport journal…
http://journal-off.info/sport-journals/13877-prosport-21-22-dekabr-2013-prilozhenie.html
…page 55-59, Lena said that she was in America with her grandmom who passed driving licence to be able to drive in US.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCEt-ZSxGBE – Lena

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlqzgT47dxE – Bobrova
 

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Ahem... I'm confident an analytical person like yourself will agree that there's quite a big difference between saying "it's becoming easier to get great marks for a great performance, even if you didn't get 100% of the possible backing from your federation in the past, and aren't showcased as the clear and only number one in your country" and "own Federation‘s support is no more needed". Wouldn't you agree?

I agree.
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
I hope Sotnikova is judged fairly in PCS
getting a 60 PCS with 3 falls in the LP, judges need to stop loving this girl at all :disapp:
 

bramweld

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Yes, it's very odd in some ways that she likes to think about that time when they were apart but Nikita doesn't like to remember it much. There are new clips on Russian TV of them together though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpBhOXF_gwE

It would be nice if they did more. But I understand it though. I wouldn't want to spend my every waking moment with a co-worker especially one that was an ex-boyfriend.

Could someone interpret the ProSport interview? I know little or no Russian.
 

Frenchie

I'm gonna customize the CRAP out of this title!
Medalist
Joined
May 4, 2013
Thanks again for all the insight!
Sounds like there was a lot of drama behind closed doors between Morozov and Voronov...
P&G: I was trying to think of some famous Russian Ice Dancers who might have been involved in sponsoring I/K... or 2 coaches or something! :laugh:
Have you been watching Ice Dance for long? Or more involved than watching? I'd be curious about your take on Drobiazko/Vanagas!
 

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
It would be nice if they did more. But I understand it though. I wouldn't want to spend my every waking moment with a co-worker especially one that was an ex-boyfriend.

Could someone interpret the ProSport interview? I know little or no Russian.

I understand that spending so many time together on the ice may mean that they want to spend their free time without each other, it happens to almost all couples. But all those interviews and videos are about their skating career not about their personal life. Lena points her achievements like she would achieve that medals herself without Nikita, I don’t catch this.

http://journal-off.info/sport-journals/13877-prosport-21-22-dekabr-2013-prilozhenie.html

About childhood:
Lena started at the age of four with skating. Her coach advised her to spor school. She as a child didn’t understand if a skating is important or not but she understood that she must to get up at 5 o’clock and go to metro and go to training where coaches agonize you. In some moment skating draged her into and she always loved to skate in front of public.

About partner:
She started to skate with Nikita at the age of 11, they were quarreling, she came to America. But she found no partner there. She came back and she strarted to meet with Nikita again and they decided together to try again. But she had to passed a test – Nikita skated with her and another five girls and then he had to choose one of those girls. But it finished well for Lena.

About life in America:
She was there with gradnmom who passed a driving licence, but was afraid of driving. Once in a supermarket her grandmother saw another old woman driving car and she lost fear from driving from that moment.

About Shpilband and Zueva:
All couples befire those two went their ways are a result of their common work, so nobody yet know whether they are good without each other. Training with them in US – there was a big group of specialists and everybody came from one specialist for steps to another for spins and then physical training.

About rivals:
Her idols are Tessa and Scott. All couples want Olympic gold and they are all prepared well.

About friends:
It is hard to have friends in skating. She is in good terms with Gosviani, they met at last European Championships, they are the same even putting the same things on the same places. She loves Adelina Sotnikova, she is like her sister. She has two friends off ice – mdicine student and design student.

About Swan Lake:
She can’t say that the story is Swan Lake. She can’t say that Nikita is Rothbart and she Odylie or Odetta. It is a story of two strong characters who fight with each other and help each other. She feels that in her image there is more from Odylie. She is strong and independent but inside she is weak and vulnerable, she wants to give that idea (please, tell the girl that good swan is Odetta).
They have difficult elements in program which they never did before. Lifts were learning with somebody from Cirque du Soleil, but they have to take 6 seconds only and Nikita has to make so many things (positions). She tried a ballet skirt like in Don Quijote but it didn’t work, Nikita couldn’t find her hands and legs during lifts, they were falling all the time.

About Maya Plisetskaya:
She saw many ballets. She loves Plisetskaya version of Odylie, with Valeriy Kovtun, some people thought she was talking about Max Kovtun, but no, it was a ballet partner of Plisetskaya. Maya was great and she danced like she wanted, fabulous woman. But Lena doesn’t want to copy her, she knows that if she wants the audience to believe her she must feel it herself. In these days they are meeting with Diana Visnevska, Lena thinks she will help them.
 

bramweld

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Well for right now this is his working situation. He just has to learn how to handle it. None of us knows how long their partnership will last but IMHO, Nikita needs to focus more on his consistency, because his mistakes have been very costly. Regardless of what happens in the future he needs to clean up his footwork and twizzles. If it means that he needs to spend hours on the ice alone to get it done he just needs to do it. They are very, very impressive together, when they are BOTH on. Lena, regardless of her personal flaws, seems to be sharp as a whip. She has improved a lot this year with respect to her artistry. He needs to get his technical consistency together. But the problem I fear is what if this is the best that he can do. He's had these problems even from the beginning with Zhulin.

BTW. Thanks for translating the story.
 

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
http://fskating.com/2014/01/brian-joubert-reunited-with-nikolai-morozov.html

http://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/...au-programme-court-pour-Brian-Joubert-1752685

Morozov persuaded Joubert to change his short program.
It is so short time before Euros and Olympics, and he has no chance to try it at some not so important competition.
I am very curious how it will end…
If the choreography is something totally different from Joubert’s style or style of his old short program, it will be extremely difficult for him to skate in amazingly.
If the choreography is something similar to what Joubert is used to do, than it has no sense to change a program at all.
I don’t know but I worry that this situation will help every skater except Joubert himself.
 

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Lena, regardless of her personal flaws, seems to be sharp as a whip. She has improved a lot this year with respect to her artistry.

I can‘t agree with you. I know that I am very strict and ancompromising as to quality of ice dancers. But I am like this to everybody, including Ilinykh. People have their personal opinions about their favourite skaters and nothing against it, but once you say that somebody is good technician or good in presentation or artistry there should be some objective things which can prove it.

Great presentation means that you are able to express music or story you come with, to be able to go with music in rhythm also, to match changing of mood and dynamics in music.
You say that Ilinykh improved in presentation (let’s completely forget about Nikita, watch Lena only)…

Look at short dance…dancing is out of the rhythm in between elements parts – first problem, but if you think that dancing out of the rhythm can still match music perfectly, OK, let’s go on…music rhythm changes three times, Lena’s movements are still in the same kind of dynamics – more slower than fast, even in the last part where she uses her head only to express music…that’s another point, you think that great performer can express fast and dynamic music moving her head? (because all the main work and movements are done by Nikita, who we don’t look at right now)...another thing – Lena’s presentation is all the time about being sexy and hot like Hollywood queen…and she really looks sexy and hot…but the music is not sexy and hot only, the last part is wild and frenetic that you almost loose your breath… but Lena is still hot and sexy in quite restful and peacefull way…

OK, let’s look at free dance…here it is more complicated about the story…looking at all Lena and Nikita and Morozov’s interviews it is hard to find what is music and story about…we have Swan Lake story with Odylie and Rothbart, but it is not ballet and Lena wants to be good Swan but tends to be Odylie more (looking at her December interview), but also it is a story of two strong characters who are loving and fighting with each other…but ballet dancers were working with couple (Diana Visnevski and some young ballet dancers) …

Looking at choreo – Lena is doing swan moves four times (two times in straight places, once in final lift and first lift hand’s position can be also taken like swan movement)…what Lena does is not ballet move (she pointed learning ballet movements in front of the mirror and she had those ballet dancers to help her, but it doesn’t work) – her head’s position is not good – to much forward, her hands are not ballet – her fingers are flexed which you can’t find in ballet dancers…overall Lena‘s body posture has nothing to do with ballet…but she knew it…in 2011 using Don Quijote and working with great ballet ex-dancer and coach now Ludmila Vlasova she had more ballet preparation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8GRqMbLaPY – just compare….but yes, Lena pointed that their free dance is not a ballet (but then talks about ballet preparation and ballet dancers helping her) – very confusing indeed. But let’s believe that it really has nothing to do with ballet.

Another thing – we have swan moves in it, but it is about woman…well we can try to come with some idea why mentally healthy woman moves with her hands like swan and how that moves shows a fight and love to her partner (and yes, swan costume..)...

Another thing – expressing two strong characters (I don’t see in what moment she expresses strong character but I confess that this may be something what I simply couldn’t notice), expressing love and fight – I see that slow part expresses love, but where is fight, in what moment, where are her movements reminding a fight?

Another thing – music is changing in character and speed and dynamics but Lena’s movements are still the same.

Looking at music and Lena’s moves (totally forgetting Swan Lake story, just listening what music itself says) – it is dramatic at the beginning (Lena is not very dramatic in moves but very dramatic in facial expression, her movements taking first pose and taking pose in first lift is rather full of anger – so maybe there was planned a fight before starting program and during first lift). Than waltz part starts – music is full of joy and celebration and the imagine of a ball comes into my head (just listening the music), but Lena is out of the rhythm, no sparkles, no flawless of body posture, no ball at all. And what I terribly mind and what looks to be this season bad habbit – Lena forgets to extend her free leg absolutely and it doesn’t look well, it has nothing to do with dancing technique at all. Than slow part about love starts…Lena is slow indeed, she takes her hand from Nikita, then doing swan moves and lovely looking to judges, so she probably doesn’t want Nikita, but no, she extends her hands to him, so she wants him…spin…after it Nikita takes her hand and keeps her close to him, but Lena extend arms to judges (who does the girl want?). Final part with drama, the music is sharp, full of big emotions, full of energy and tension, yes, it is music suitable for fight, but during whole part Lena was doing moves slower and without any dynamics comparing to music (especially because of you I watched Russian Nationals, TEB and NHK – there was one dynamic movement from Lena in this part right after the twizzles bot in NHK and TEB, not in Nationals). Whole dynamic part took 1:11 and she did just one or none movement which would express the music. Looking all moves only without music in final part – I don’t understand it too much, there is a long preparation for twizzles, than Lena take his head into hands like “What I have done!“ (it should probably do Nikita, when he is struggling with twizzles so often), then Lena touches Nikita hand for a while, she makes turns and extend her arms maybe like bird?, then she hides behind Nikita like she would be afraid of judges, one quite dramatical move in Ina Bauer with extended arms in the middle of step sequence (during all step sequence she is looking at judges and looks angry, so maybe she fights with judges but with her facial expression only), then a lift which looks like from weightlifting and final ballet position (again, why ballet position when it is not about ballet).

Overall from all parts only love part can be taken into account when you think about Lena and good presentation (but one is confused whether is it love to judges or to Nikita looking at choreo). Free dance takes 4:10 and love part takes 0:45, but there is a spin in it which takes 0:24, so the whole Lena’s “in story“ part takes 21 seconds only.

I agree with you that Lena is lovely lady with good edges, she is elegant, with good costumes, sexy look, it is nice watching her gliding on the ice. But once we talk about presentation, she is not able to express different pieces. This season Morozov chose this pieces and Lena is not able to express music in short dance (expecially faster music) and she is not able to express music or story in free dance with exception of 21 seconds. But for me 21 seconds is too short time for accepting the girl like good dancer.
 

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Lena, regardless of her personal flaws, seems to be sharp as a whip. She has improved a lot this year with respect to her artistry.

Many people points to a fact that Ilinykh is still so young and that we have a high exceptations looking at her age. Yes, we have a high expectations, because if you want to be top dancer you must be higher and better than average dancers, you understand. And still ice dancing is about (or should be about) what you show on the ice, not how old are you. I don’t want be the one who will come to Kathlynn Weaver after the Olympic‘s free dance and say something like: “You know, you were fantastic, but we have to take into account that Lena is younger then you so we put her ahead of you!“ Could you do that?

But I must confess that during this long analysis I started to think that maybe I really want to much from 19 years old girl. And it was you, Frenchie, who made me think about a sort of experiment to prove myself if I am really so strict and want to much from such young baby or not. Frenchie wanted me to say my opinion about Drobiazko&Vanagas and it took me to history of skating and I watched many old videos…And it took me to the idea to look for great dancers…more exactly how were they dancing in Lena’s age…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSXT8HsDazQ 1993 Krylova-Fedorov
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D89_W1W-iMg 1993 Krylova’s waltz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cnHLcJvSBs 1993/94 Anissina Peizerat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiHKNVQWis4 2010 Tessa Scott
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6mge7uZbLo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpTWcQyaF1w 2003 Domnina Shabalin (I didn’t find good quality 2004 free program – Tango, so I took program, where Oksana was 18 years old
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv7UOYX6eXM 1994 Navka
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BMUEYuNZKc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wyjld3MF0jQ 1991/92 Grishuk Platov
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmLsKqJTHbM 1986 Klimova Ponomarenko

I took placements from season programs are from - European Championships (where usually placement was better than at World Championships):
Krylova – 4. place, Anissina – 12. place, Domnina – 12. place, Navka – 10. place, Grishuk – 3. place, Klimova – 2. place, Tessa’s placement everybody knows (not from European Champs of course).

In all cases girls were better then Lena in every aspect of both skating and dancing. If you look at skating skills, to ability express the music, rhythm, anything…Lena is worse. No girl mentioning above was never in a shadow of her partner.
What I also noticed while watching those past year’s programs, all girls had more difficult choreography, more steps, more difficult moves, they all could dance with their whole body (not arm only, or leg only, or head only). It is said that new judging system is more demanding and that programs became more difficult. So how is it possible that Lena has much more simple choreopraphy then even Klimova in 1986? And if a program from 2013/14 season is more simple then the program skated 28 years ago how it can be counted like top-world program?
Sure all those 19 years girls were not on the top of their potential (except Tessa probably), so I hope that Lena will improve and show better dancing and skating in future.
 

bramweld

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
I still think she's actually quite fabulous. Her uncanny ability to merge both the artistic and technical is commendable. No other female dancer today has her quality. Excited to see how she matures :) However, it would be nice to see Nikita not feeling the need to apologize so profusely to her for silly mistakes. They lost nationals when they lost the SD, because he made too many mistakes. They usually lose unnecessary points because of his twizzle issues. They made them easier for him this year and he still struggles. She puts on a brave face almost every time; I believe she at least should be credited for that. However, this is just my opinion. So while some might feel he is more expressive, point taken but expressiveness alone will not will championships he needs to focus on his technique. They will never win and maybe she will never have the freedom to be as expressive as she'd like to be if in the back of her head she's wondering did he make a mistake? With this in mind the constant need to prop him up and belittle her is pointless.

BTW civil disagreements are always good :) What I don't like to see are skaters skewered due to personal prejudice. Not cool. This IMO should be about sport not maligning the character of people who don't have the opportunity to defend themselves.
 
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