Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov Split | Page 57 | Golden Skate

Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov Split

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Snow63

Pray one day we'll open our eyes.
Record Breaker
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Mar 26, 2014
And do the Russian Fed. or S/K have to pay for the ice? ...Or is that unknown for now?

I really doubt that the Federation is paying for them. Especially since they were against splitting of two top pairs. I think Nikita has a wealthy sponsor (sugar daddy :biggrin:). Or Zueva wants them so much that she's paying for the ice herself. Of course no one except them knows for sure.
 

ElenaNikitaFan

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 17, 2014
I really doubt that the Federation is paying for them. Especially since they were against splitting of two top pairs. I think Nikita has a wealthy sponsor (sugar daddy :biggrin:). Or Zueva wants them so much that she's paying for the ice herself. Of course no one except them knows for sure.

Were they really? I doubt it now, there were so many lies.
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
And you are also right that skaters are not just athletes - they are also mini-politicians and people who know the importance of PR. You aren't going to build a fanbase or impress the judges if you look like you hate each other and want to take each other apart. So for career reasons and for the sake of earning $$, they have to learn how to put on a positive front even if things are pretty bad behind the scenes.

Actually, that's not necessarily true. What I loved on Mukhortova-Trankov was their relationship. Skating to love story while hating each other must have been pretty hard to pull off.
 

surimi

Onward and forward, Sota!
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Nov 12, 2013
I can't wait to hear the final verdict in this. Initially I was hoping for I/K to remain together but after what's been said and done, I can't see that happening. All the best to Ilinykh, she should not wait for Katsalapov anymore, and just go ahead with choosing a new partner and trying out with him. Perhaps concentrating solely on improving her skating can help her forget this entire mess. Best of luck and strength to her and to Zhiganshin. I really really hope this doesn't cause lasting damage on her skating (confidence issues).
As for Sinitsina and Katsalapov, I'm disgusted by both of them. Not because they wanted to split from their partners, but because they apparently announced it out of the blue, and now while they're taking their sweet time contemplating if they can make it work together under a new coach, their former partners are wasting practise time waiting for the definitive word from the federation. Even if S/K skate like gods when they enter a championship, I'm not sure I'll be able to ever enjoy their programs, knowing what they did. :slink:
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
I can't wait to hear the final verdict in this. Initially I was hoping for I/K to remain together but after what's been said and done, I can't see that happening. All the best to Ilinykh, she should not wait for Katsalapov anymore, and just go ahead with choosing a new partner and trying out with him. Perhaps concentrating solely on improving her skating can help her forget this entire mess. Best of luck and strength to her and to Zhiganshin. I really really hope this doesn't cause lasting damage on her skating (confidence issues).
As for Sinitsina and Katsalapov, I'm disgusted by both of them. Not because they wanted to split from their partners, but because they apparently announced it out of the blue, and now while they're taking their sweet time contemplating if they can make it work together under a new coach, their former partners are wasting practise time waiting for the definitive word from the federation. Even if S/K skate like gods when they enter a championship, I'm not sure I'll be able to ever enjoy their programs, knowing what they did. :slink:

I feel the same. At first I wished them to stay together, now I wish Elena would move on. She doesn't need him in her life. I hope she will beat him in every competition.
for me the problem is also not the fact that they split up, but how Katsalapov and Sinitsina have handled the things.
 

bramweld

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
http://izvestia.ru/news/569180

What if Morozov may have gone along with Nikita just to keep the peace, but really was not for the split? Working in Moscow however seems to be highly toxic. Can anyone shed any light on why that might be the case? I may question the mans ethics but congrats to him though for eeking out the OBM for I/K.
 

bekalc

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
So really and truly she should be glad to be away from the tension of that environment. She needs to start over afresh with a new attitude and mindset. I hope she and Ruslan achieve great things. IMHO, if Nikita felt humiliated by Lena's actions he should have been man enough to express it and voice his intentions earlier thereby giving everyone a chance to land on their feet. Because it looks like he defrauded her into believing all was okay in order to get the OBM. The more I think about it, its the more that I realize how callous these actions are. I am floored really by it. For me really the shock of it all is just settling in. Surely the fed does not believe that they could ever be reunited? So they may as well give both teams the go ahead so they can get on with their lives. There is no turning back now.

I don't see how Nikita saying this year, "hey" Elena I'm ditching after the Olympics would help anyone. They both worked long and hard on the Olympics, so I don't blame him for keeping quiet till after the Olympics/Worlds.


My understanding to was it wasn't just that she was dating Morozov. Apparently, she at one point was dating Nikita, and may have left Nikita for Nicolai.

This is why I keep on saying, there's more than one side of the story, and Elena may very well have done plenty to cause the break in the relationship.

One thing I give him credit for is he's not giving a big press article, telling all the things that caused him to want to bolt.

I think in general though we all have to remember that we don't know what goes behind closed doors in relationships, and normally it takes two folks to make a relationship break down and two to make it work.
 

uhh

Medalist
Joined
Nov 19, 2013
http://izvestia.ru/news/569180

What if Morozov may have gone along with Nikita just to keep the peace, but really was not for the split? Working in Moscow however seems to be highly toxic. Can anyone shed any light on why that might be the case? I may question the mans ethics but congrats to him though for eeking out the OBM for I/K.

From what I hear, he wanted S/K and they wanted him, but the Federation would not let them work with him - I guess considering that he is at fault either for encouraging Nikita to switch partners or at least not trying to stop him. The condition of the trial period for S/K, and it is still very much a trial, is that it is done with another coach, so Nikita can be sure of his decision without external influences.

There was another statement from Mutko this morning that the Sports ministry is not funding the time with Zoueva, so either S/K must have support from their region or they are financing it themselves.
 

OrdinaryDreamer

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 7, 2014
It's a shame the Russian skating federation didn't get I/K away from Morosov sooner, I find it hard to believe that they didn't realize he was trouble long before this drama unfolded. Due to the nature of the articles and information I've seen/read, I refuse to believe that Morosov didn't have a hand in this at some level.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, I think it's unfair that S/K are being given space while I/Z are stuck in limbo because of them. Personally, I think there should be more pressure on S/K to make key decisions, since they were so confident about leaving their partners, why shouldn't they be expected to make other decisions just as key as the decision to split?
 

uhh

Medalist
Joined
Nov 19, 2013
Reading between the lines of what's been said in the press & what I've heard from other sources, S/K are being given time firstly because some officials from the federation still hope Nikita will change his mind, and also because the Federation won't just sign off on this new partnership without being reasonably sure it will have some degree of success. They get a trial period, and if it's not working and Nikita refuses to go back to Elena, then I guess they will step in and say, OK, let's see who else there is that you could skate with.

Elena & Ruslan are also having the same trial period, under the same conditions and in some ways they are better off because they've already been skating together for a week & working with a coach both of them already know, and S/K are only just going out to Detroit. It is maybe a little bit like limbo, especially for Ruslan because the Fed has not given up on getting I/K back together, and then who knows what happens to him, or if he & Victoria would be able to sort themselves out, but neither he or Elena have just been left to kick their heels while they wait on S/K. If they look like they have promise the fed will endorse their partnership, and if they are happy skating together they can go on preparing for the next season irrespective of what happens to S/K.
 

bramweld

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Reading between the lines of what's been said in the press & what I've heard from other sources, S/K are being given time firstly because some officials from the federation still hope Nikita will change his mind, and also because the Federation won't just sign off on this new partnership without being reasonably sure it will have some degree of success. They get a trial period, and if it's not working and Nikita refuses to go back to Elena, then I guess they will step in and say, OK, let's see who else there is that you could skate with.

Elena & Ruslan are also having the same trial period, under the same conditions and in some ways they are better off because they've already been skating together for a week & working with a coach both of them already know, and S/K are only just going out to Detroit. It is maybe a little bit like limbo, especially for Ruslan because the Fed has not given up on getting I/K back together, and then who knows what happens to him, or if he & Victoria would be able to sort themselves out, but neither he or Elena have just been left to wait on S/K. If they look like they have promise the fed will endorse their partnership, and if they are happy skating together they can go on preparing for the next season irrespective of what happens to S/K.

This, I hope is the correct understanding of things. All other options would seem just too brutal.
 

Matt K

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 3, 2013
Reading between the lines of what's been said in the press & what I've heard from other sources, S/K are being given time firstly because some officials from the federation still hope Nikita will change his mind, and also because the Federation won't just sign off on this new partnership without being reasonably sure it will have some degree of success.

I am a little confused why the Fed would not just sign off on both couples, if I/K are totally through with each other (and it looks like they are), and same with S/Z. What's the worse that could happen anyways. Each of the top two couples gone (other than B/S) and they are left with some bottom teams. The Fed is in a no lose situation. They should just sign off. Or are they holding out hope that there will be more compatible partners? :confused:

Or is this just the standard red tape that is part of the Fed's process in signing off on new couples?
 

uhh

Medalist
Joined
Nov 19, 2013
I am a little confused why the Fed would not just sign off on both couples, if I/K are totally through with each other (and it looks like they are), and same with S/Z. What's the worse that could happen anyways. Each of the top two couples gone (other than B/S) and they are left with some bottom teams. The Fed is in a no lose situation. They should just sign off. Or are they holding out hope that there will be more compatible partners? :confused:

Or is this just the standard red tape that is part of the Fed's process in signing off on new couples?

A bit of standard red tape (partnership changes don't have to be made official until May 31st) and a bit of trying to make the best of a bad situation. Think of it like a business and all these skaters as an investment - they've all had central funding for at least 4 years, and considering costs per season for an individual skaters, that could easily run into $1million+ already. Even though they have no obligation to fund the new teams at the moment, the federation will want to be sure they are still getting some return on the money already put into these skaters; they aren't free to just pick someone that the federation considers unsuitable to partner. They need to get the maximum yield from their investment - now that I/K is seemingly unviable, maybe the best returns come from S/K & I/Z, maybe it comes from putting these skaters with completely different partners. But all these decisions need time because you can't tell how skaters will work together after just a few days.
 

Matt K

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 3, 2013
A bit of standard red tape (partnership changes don't have to be made official until May 31st) and a bit of trying to make the best of a bad situation. Think of it like a business and all these skaters as an investment - they've all had central funding for at least 4 years, and considering costs per season for an individual skaters, that could easily run into $1million+ already. Even though they have no obligation to fund the new teams at the moment, the federation will want to be sure they are still getting some return on the money already put into these skaters; they aren't free to just pick someone that the federation considers unsuitable to partner. They need to get the maximum yield from their investment - now that I/K is seemingly unviable, maybe the best returns come from S/K & I/Z, maybe it comes from putting these skaters with completely different partners. But all these decisions need time because you can't tell how skaters will work together after just a few days.

That makes sense. I was afraid they were holding out hope for Korobkova to pair with Nikita :laugh:
 

Ryan O

Final Flight
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Mar 5, 2004
Country
Canada
A bit of standard red tape (partnership changes don't have to be made official until May 31st) and a bit of trying to make the best of a bad situation.

Is May 31st the deadline for Russian pairs, or for the entire ISU?

But all these decisions need time because you can't tell how skaters will work together after just a few days.

Well, yes and no. :) Obviously it takes several seasons before you get to see a team's full potential, but on the other hand, many skaters have said they know within a few hours (or sometimes even within a few minutes) whether a person is compatible for them.
 

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
A bit of standard red tape (partnership changes don't have to be made official until May 31st) and a bit of trying to make the best of a bad situation. Think of it like a business and all these skaters as an investment - they've all had central funding for at least 4 years, and considering costs per season for an individual skaters, that could easily run into $1million+ already. Even though they have no obligation to fund the new teams at the moment, the federation will want to be sure they are still getting some return on the money already put into these skaters; they aren't free to just pick someone that the federation considers unsuitable to partner. They need to get the maximum yield from their investment - now that I/K is seemingly unviable, maybe the best returns come from S/K & I/Z, maybe it comes from putting these skaters with completely different partners. But all these decisions need time because you can't tell how skaters will work together after just a few days.

Yes, we will probably see some small results in half year at test skate (if it will be open and if S&K will arrive), we will see more at the end of 2014/15 season and final decision about good or bad changements of those couples will be available in two years because even with good results this season – it must be confirmed with next season. We leave in a time when it is not so unusual to lose positions and jump few placements up or down during two seasons…even in ice dance (especially with new judging system where you can lose levels in one second). A couple must show they are great and then they must confirm their great placements next year to adapt in top 5 and protect those high placements in front of couples who are close behind them.

It is impossible to look at couple even after three weeks and say for sure that a couple is promising. All important questions will get answers in one or two seasons, not sooner. Even if a couple will show nice skating together, they will lack some synchro, the speed, the feeling for each other (Nikita loved to tell that he feels Lena on 100% even at practises… how many time it will take until he will feel Victoria in the same way – definitely not three weeks, even three months, and probably even three years). Nobody knows how will new couple cope with a stress at competitions…plus both of partners doesn’t know what to expect at competitions from each other, suddenly a partner will be shaky or slower and it will be totally new situation which never happened before with previous partner and a skater will have a little bit more than two and half minutes to adapt on it and show five elements clean. The same with free dance. And we have now idea how will judges react on that new couple. Judges loved I&K and helped them and supported them as much as possible…always, but who they really loved? Lena? Nikita? Only Lena and Nikita together? Who knows what will judges do with new couples with only half of I&K presented? Nobody knows answers on these questions right now. And nobody will know it after three weeks of tryout with Zueva.

And what Russian Federation risks? Mutko said that all new couples start from zero, that they will have no Federation financial support until they will become a member of National Team again. So what is so risky for Federation that they need time to see a progress and compatibility of new couples. If Nikita and Victoria did a bad choice they will fail at competitions and even Pushkash & Guerreiro and Zenkova & Sinitsin will jump over them and S&K will never get into National Team…the same for Lena and Ruslan…and all this time new couples will be supported by sponsors or by region, not by Federation. So what does Federation risks?

Every day of another waiting is bad. You can’t think about future if your past is not solved. You can’t take music and ask some choreographer and think about new elements in programs while you are not 100% sure who will be your partner. You can’t go to choreographer and tell him: “Hey, I want a program for me and my partner, it should suit us very well but…you know, maybe I will have another partner in one month, so try to bring something what will suit both of me and both of my possible partners…here is one of my possible partner – staying beside me…and here is a picture of my second possible partner and you can find a video of her skating on YouTube…so, please, it should suit to all of us.“ Funny, really. And in moment when I start to think about project for costumes for next season….it would even be much more funny, because all those four have different sizes of clothes and have different body shape, colour of hair, hair style – some colours are more suitable for blonde, some colours more for brunettes…and how to make a costumes which will suit to all of those in moment when nobody knows who will skate with.

And now hand on heart…I don’t believe that Nikita himself was able to persuade Zueva about tryout for three weeks, overall it is a nonsense to make tryout with famous coach, tryouts are made in few days with specialists who will decide about new team, no famous coach (especially sitting in different country) is needed. So I guess that it was Russian Federation who suggested Zueva to work with S&K for three weeks (and they probably hope she will take them in future). But if Russian Federation suggested Zueva to work with team who oficially still doesn’t exist….so for Russian Federation the decision was already made, yes? Why to send to Zueva two people who has questionable future? So it is obvious that after those three weeks and test skate in front of specialists….Russian Federation will accept this couple. Why not to do it immediatelly? It would make free Lena and Ruslan for their decisions.

And what is Russian Federation expecting from Zueva working with S&K? Nikita will be in heaven with Zueva…she will not scream on him that he destroyed two great couples…she will not ask him to explain…she will not push him to think about future….she will only give advises how to do this step and that step. While I believe that Russian Federation wanted explanations and media wanted explanations and Lena and Ruslan wanted explanations….both Victoria and Nikira run away in front of it to “save and peaceful place“ in Zueva‘s team. If anybody expected that Nikita would think about his decision and start to hasitate – Zueva’s team is the last place where he would be able to think about consequences. He will happily train and relax that nobody wants anything from him.
 

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
http://izvestia.ru/news/569180

What if Morozov may have gone along with Nikita just to keep the peace, but really was not for the split? Working in Moscow however seems to be highly toxic. Can anyone shed any light on why that might be the case? I may question the mans ethics but congrats to him though for eeking out the OBM for I/K.

For me Morozov is a person who works mainly for money and fame. In moment when he broke up with Lena, he lost reasons to protect her. (I remember that he refused to train his ex-girlfriend Miki Ando saying that she would be a rival for Russian skater Alena Leonova, but he accepted Takahashi and while somebody pointed that Daisuke is a rival for Plushenko, Morozov answered that Plushenko has no rivals...so he judges everybody differently, in way how it works the best for him.)
And I think he was almost sure that I&K would leave him after this season. If there was a chance that Nikita want to stay with him but with another partner, Morozov's wish of getting another success won over some nostalgie to lonely Lena. But in moment when people's reaction on split started to be so big and negative he tried to look like nothing was known to him before. And now when it is obvious that he probably will not train S&K, he hasn't even small reason to protect Nikita or take some responsibility on himself. Why? It won't pay him no more.
 

sisinka

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
That's a fake account. It has questions from his old formspring from years ago, the "Elena" accounts he linked to are all fake, she's never had an ask account. Where did Adelina supposedly confirm this is real?

Adelina Sotnikova confirmed this account like the real Nikita's account:
http://ask.fm/adelyasotnikova/answer/109605540019

Here Adelina wishes the best at Worlds and once again she posts this Nikita's account:
http://ask.fm/adelyasotnikova/answer/110897533107
 

FSGMT

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
It's a shame the Russian skating federation didn't get I/K away from Morosov sooner, I find it hard to believe that they didn't realize he was trouble long before this drama unfolded.
It was actually the Rus Fed who sent I/K to Morozov so... :slink:
 
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