Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov Split

pangtongfan · Apr 14, 2014

I have a feeling Team Elena might end up doing better than Team Nikita. I feel funny even saying that like it would be a surprise, when it really shouldnt be as she is clearly the more talented and technically sound skater of the two; but it seems more of the hype now is around his new pairing so I guess to some it would be.

nimi · Apr 14, 2014

sky_fly20 said:
Ruslan may need to grow some beard but can't see that happening

Damn. No way they are ever gonna get level 4 lifts, twizzles and step sequences, then.

Alba · Apr 14, 2014

sky_fly20 said:
looking at the new potential partnership to form
I//Z are of more disadvantage and need to fill in more of the gap than S/K

Based on what exactly, lifts only? They could very well work perfectly. What else?

I/Z will be skating together because their previous partners left them, not necessarily their own choices

Which could very well work in their favor. Ask Ilya Averbukh, he knows very well why.

Alba · Apr 14, 2014

nimi said:
Damn. No way they are ever gonna get level 4 lifts, twizzles and step sequences, then.

Precisely. :biggrin:

pamela · Apr 14, 2014

sky_fly20 said:
looking at the new potential partnership to form
I//Z are of more disadvantage and need to fill in more of the gap than S/K
I/Z will be skating together because their previous partners left them, not necessarily their own choices

Thats true. Maybe I/Z's tryout results are not successful and maybe the fed will encourage a tryout with Bukin... Too many maybes.
But it could happen, I see S/K's tryout being more successful than I/Z's and it will result in keeping the first, splitting the second and find new partners for them... The worse that could happen is that the Elena and Ruslan miss the whole season, but if it turns out in more adequate partnerships then it should happen.

Meoima · Apr 14, 2014

sky_fly20 said:
Ruslan's look is too much like a high schooler too, high school musical cutie but not Elena's sensual beauty type, Ruslan may need to grow some beard but can't see that happening

When does growing beard have anything to do with all the techniques?

Sam-Skwantch · Apr 14, 2014

We need a GS alarm for when Pangtongfan / SkyFly_20 / CSG are all logged in at once :popcorn:

For the record I expect better skating from Elena than Nikita. Team Elena #1

bekalc · Apr 14, 2014

Alba said:
Based on what exactly, lifts only? They could very well work perfectly. What else?

Which could very well work in their favor. Ask Ilya Averbukh, he knows very well why.

Anissina didn't immediately hook up with Irina's new partner, she looked around first. I think its possible Averbukh doesn't regret his choice. He doesn't have Olympic Gold but he has an OS and a World title...

Meoima · Apr 14, 2014

Sam-Skwantch said:
We need a GS alarm for when Pangtongfan / SkyFly_20 / CSG are all logged in at once
For the record I expect better skating from Elena than Nikita. Team Elena #1

Those 3 would make a team, the strongest team ever if our forum has ever entered a skating competition. With PTF as the choreographer, CSG as the coach and Skyfly as the skater. :popcorn:

Anyways, I am in team Elena, too. I hope she will show him how badass she is, kick him in the butt.

pangtongfan · Apr 14, 2014

bekalc said:
Anissina didn't immediately hook up with Irina's new partner, she looked around first. I think its possible Averbukh doesn't regret his choice. He doesn't have Olympic Gold but he has an OS and a World title...

There is no saying he would achieve more with Anissina than he did anyway. Ilia might be a better skater than Gwendal, and Marina is almost certainly a better skater than Irina, but there is something to be said for chemistry and how the teams work together. I dont see Averbuhk & Anissina being the best match for some reason.

He married Lobacheva, so I dont think he regrets at all having a successful career with his wife and many years of spending doing what he loves most with someone that important in his life, as opposed to putting up with diva Anissina for years (who anyone deserves a medal for).

pangtongfan · Apr 14, 2014

Meoima said:
Those 3 would make a team, the strongest team ever if our forum has ever entered a skating competition. With PTF as the choreographer, CSG as the coach and Skyfly as rhe skater.

Well of course you would have to make myself or Skyfly the choreographer for any hope of a successful team. CSG wouldnt know anything about actual artistry in skating if it bit him in the behind, so coach would be the only possible position for him (not that he would be likely to succeed even in that, but atleast you give a small fighting chance).

Alba · Apr 14, 2014

bekalc said:
Anissina didn't immediately hook up with Irina's new partner, she looked around first. I think its possible Averbukh doesn't regret his choice. He doesn't have Olympic Gold but he has an OS and a World title...

Because she couldn't. She had to be released first.
Anyway, I'm not speaking about regrets, but the motivation that a split like this can give you.
Ilya said the same thing, for example, in ref. to Elena e Ruslan. This is regardless of whether Elena and Ruslan are going to end up as e couple or not.
For me for example would be a great push/motivation to do very well, and send my previous partner to hell and beat him every time.
So, my point is that it can be a blessing in disguise. The fact that they were left, and it was not their choice doesn't necessary have to be negative.

bramweld · Apr 14, 2014

One responds to sky_fly20, gmyers etc at your own risk. Or better yet ignore if a sensible conversation is to be had. Now I need to duck :slink:

Ryan O · Apr 14, 2014

sky_fly20 said:
Ruslan's look is too much like a high schooler too, high school musical cutie but not Elena's sensual beauty type, Ruslan may need to grow some beard but can't see that happening, Bukin already has on ice aura as Elena, has power and they have skated before together as juniors for a brief period

I think it's probably true that looks matter more in ice dance than they do in the other disciplines. Dance has different performance aspects than singles and pairs. The look of a team, their costumes & their personalities, probably all have more impact on the judges - whether consciously or unconsciously.

But while I agree that looks matter, I'm not sure if they have as large of an impact as you are suggesting. Looks get noticed, but it's not a modeling competition - the skaters have to have some technical ability and dance well together, too.

bekalc · Apr 14, 2014

Alba said:
Because she couldn't. She had to be released first.
Anyway, I'm not speaking about regrets, but the motivation that a split like this can give you.
Ilya said the same thing, for example, in ref. to Elena e Ruslan. This is regardless of whether Elena and Ruslan are going to end up as e couple or not.
For me for example would be a great push/motivation to do very well, and send my previous partner to hell and beat him every time.
So, my point is that it can be a blessing in disguise. The fact that they were left, and it was not their choice doesn't necessary have to be negative.

Well exactly but Anissina strikes me as a very motivated person. In terms of Ilia, if he's main goal was Olympic Gold, he wouldn't have chosen the partner he went to.

I'm not convinced he and Anissina had it. Watching their junior worlds program, he had this big classical style and Anissina didn't so much in that program. Would have loved to seen him with a Navka or Angelica.... (unless they height wouldn't have worked)

He really was a fabulous ice dancer.

Alba · Apr 14, 2014

bekalc said:
Well exactly but Anissina strikes me as a very motivated person. In terms of Ilia, if he's main goal was Olympic Gold, he wouldn't have chosen the partner he went to.

I'm not convinced he and Anissina had it. Watching their junior worlds program, he had this big classical style and Anissina didn't so much in that program. Would have loved to seen him with a Navka or Angelica.... (unless they height wouldn't have worked)

He really was a fabulous ice dancer.

You are focusing too much on Anissina and Ilya, but my comment was not about them. I took them as an example to say that the fact that Nikita left Elena doesn't mean it's not gonne work for her or Ruslan, whether they are going to end up together or not.
On the contrary it might work very well, or even better, because it is also about motivation, and Anissina found herslef in the same situation and look her career. It's about how someone can react in similar situation.
As Ilya himself said about Elena and Ruslan: "Both are emotional, colourful, young, besides, they are the hurt party, which will give them a boost." He knows what's he is talking about. It doesn't mean that he has regrets for his choice of course.

I agree with you about Ilya. He really was a great dancer and would've loved to see him skate with Navka.
I can't picture him with Angelica tbh.

bekalc · Apr 14, 2014

Alba said:
You are focusing too much on Anissina and Ilya, but my comment was not about them. I took them as an example to say that the fact that Nikita left Elena doesn't mean it's not gonne work for her or Ruslan, whether they are going to end up together or not.
On the contrary it might work very well, or even better, because it is also about motivation, and Anissina found herslef in the same situation and look her career. It's about how someone can react in similar situation.
As Ilya himself said about Elena and Ruslan: "Both are emotional, colourful, young, besides, they are the hurt party, which will give them a boost." He knows what's he is talking about. It doesn't mean that he has regrets for his choice of course.

I agree with you about Ilya. He really was a great dancer and would've loved to see him skate with Navka.
I can't picture him with Angelica tbh.

I think Elena is an incredible talent. However, while she's more consistent than Nikita, many say he has the better skating skills...

However, In general my concern with Elena and her new partner is the amount of thought put into the partnership. Irina Rodinova a nationwide search went on. Anissina put some big thought into it too.

I guess my thing is that I would like to see Elena give a few guys a try before quickly finding someone else. I always thought she'd be fab with Tkachenko although maybe he's to old. Or Butkin.

pangtongfan · Apr 14, 2014

bekalc said:
However, while she's more consistent than Nikita, many say he has the better skating skills...

Who would that many be. His mom and dad?

bekalc · Apr 14, 2014

pangtongfan said:
Who would that many be. His mom and dad?

I lot of people over at FSU, for one. Say that Nikita has better skating skills.

uhh · Apr 14, 2014

bekalc said:
I lot of people over at FSU, for one. Say that Nikita has better skating skills.

Skating skills mean nothing if you can't hit your elements, and throughout their career Nikita has tended to be the one who struggled for consistency. I would agree he has the stronger skills, but the difference between them was much more marked 2 years ago. Elena has gained a lot of power and cleaned up her edges over the last couple of seasons.

Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov Split

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