Savchenko and Massot team up | Page 10 | Golden Skate

Savchenko and Massot team up

BlackPack

Medalist
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
What will happen to Robin?

Considering he wouldn't even skate in exhibitions that pay good money, I suppose he will quit skating altogether?

Will he still be involved with skating as a coach or start a new career?
 

Pamigena

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2014
@BlackPack
page 10 ;) =>

Well, and what will Robin be doing? something interesting as well. He is going to be a coach at iceDOME in Oberstdorf, a very well known skating camp for young talented skaters which was founded by Michael Huth, Carolina Kostner's coach, in 2008. Huth competed for the former GDR in the 80s for the Dresden skating club and also Chemnitz later on. So they really know each other! Furthermore, Kostner took part in the farewell show "Imagine on Ice" last Saturday in Chemnitz, so all of this is a well-laid out plan for all 3 of them masterminded by of course Ingo Steuer. ;-)

http://en2012.ice-dome.com/icedome/coaches/8043-8693-0-0-8693-0.htm

Robin will be a great coach IMO!
 

BlackPack

Medalist
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
@BlackPack
page 10 ;) =>

Thanks Pamina! :agree: I'm happy to hear Robin will be a coach. He seems like a nurturing type. I get the feeling he was "encouraged" by Aliona to compete in Sochi; it wasn't really his idea. He seems like a simple man who's happy to have won so many medals, but medals and status don't seem to be the meaning of his life. Maybe he's just done with exerting so much pressure on his body as well as all the politics of competitive skating.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
I feel bad for Robin because he doesn't get to capitalize on his success because Aliona chose to skate on with another partner.
 

Buttercup

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
I feel bad for Robin because he doesn't get to capitalize on his success because Aliona chose to skate on with another partner.
He could have capitalized on their success by going to All That Skate, and chose not to.

It's okay for Savchenko and Szolkowy to want different things at this point in their lives. If she still wants to compete, she shouldn't have to put that on hold in order to skate in shows -and if he doesn't want to compete or perform anymore, that's his prerogative, too.
 

BlackPack

Medalist
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
I feel bad for Robin because he doesn't get to capitalize on his success because Aliona chose to skate on with another partner.

According to previous posts, Robin didn't want to capitalize on his success, having turned down plum show opportunities. He just wanted out.

Things must have been really bad for him.

As for Aliona and Bruno - the question of citizenship may already be complex. Then they have to at least sit out for another year. So they won't even know if they have any potential until at least 2015-16 season. Relying on a partner to win gold is just too crazy. Even her prime she wasn't always consistent herself. That's just madness.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Maybe it is the Fumie Syndrome or a trend towards Geriatrics on Ice (LOL) but it seems like there are more skaters trying to prolong their amateur careers on in some cases fence sitters or more bluntly not wanting to commit, perhaps not willing to move on all this in sp ite of the fact that the prize money and opportunities have decreased significant both pro and competitive. Remember we still have K and S in pairs and Dai, Carolina, D and W, V and M, Czisny,all undecided or sitting there even Chan and Mira but I will not put them in that category as they are relatively young still. I guess despite the popularity of the song Let it Go...it is really hard to do that. sure you want people to reach their dreams but sadly or truthfully your dream is likely to conflict with someone else's. I admire these skaters because they are going for what they want. Maybe i am jaded. So many dreams and hope but "reality" or my fear of supporting myself and a family often puts dreams secondary to getting a job. I mean these are very talented people who have accomplished a lot - even for them to be mentioned they are undoubted national if not world or international medallists with more travelling than most of us will see in our life times. But you wonder is it that they are so blessed with rich families. My mom and dad worked hard jobs, not glamourous, no adoration and hated their jobs but did it so we could eat. Maybe people like Aliona and other skaters can have it all - if not in part because of talent or wealthy family members. For every Brian Boitano or Katarina Witt or Yuna Kim, Michelle Kwan and Mao Asada there are so many who don't even reach the level of success athletically or financially of even Nicole Bobek, Christopher Bowman et al.
 

BlackPack

Medalist
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Maybe it is the Fumie Syndrome or a trend towards Geriatrics on Ice (LOL) but it seems like there are more skaters trying to prolong their amateur careers on in some cases fence sitters or more bluntly not wanting to commit, perhaps not willing to move on all this in sp ite of the fact that the prize money and opportunities have decreased significant both pro and competitive. Remember we still have K and S in pairs and Dai, Carolina, D and W, V and M, Czisny,all undecided or sitting there even Chan and Mira but I will not put them in that category as they are relatively young still. I guess despite the popularity of the song Let it Go...it is really hard to do that. sure you want people to reach their dreams but sadly or truthfully your dream is likely to conflict with someone else's. I admire these skaters because they are going for what they want. Maybe i am jaded. So many dreams and hope but "reality" or my fear of supporting myself and a family often puts dreams secondary to getting a job. I mean these are very talented people who have accomplished a lot - even for them to be mentioned they are undoubted national if not world or international medallists with more travelling than most of us will see in our life times. But you wonder is it that they are so blessed with rich families. My mom and dad worked hard jobs, not glamourous, no adoration and hated their jobs but did it so we could eat. Maybe people like Aliona and other skaters can have it all - if not in part because of talent or wealthy family members. For every Brian Boitano or Katarina Witt or Yuna Kim, Michelle Kwan and Mao Asada there are so many who don't even reach the level of success athletically or financially of even Nicole Bobek, Christopher Bowman et al.

Most skaters aren't wealthy; I think this reflects reality - 80-90% barely make it, 10% are mass affluent, top 5-1% rule the world. Unless they hit the jackpot Yuna or Mao with endorsements and shows, I think elite skaters can be pretty poor after their overheads are paid. Considering training, ice time, costuming, coaching, traveling, etc. for an elite skater is around 100K a year, so even if they make good money, their earnings get burnt fast. Which is wise to retire if you have enough cachet to command show opportunities.

So that is why aging skaters who still pursue OGM is highly financially and physically unwise.

I mean, I'm sure Dai and PC can afford it if they want to, but people like Abbott, I highly doubt it.

Silvia Fontana's father built her a skating rink, but then he committed suicide (commentators are just so dumb, announcing that kind of info during a performance). I don't know if her family was always well-off.

Even Tessa Virtue who has been winning the top silver/gold for years, still has her numerous costumes be paid by her parents "My poor parents!"

If you want to be make a lot of money, skating isn't it.

Very few people get to make as much money as Michelle, Mao, Yuna, Evan who have somehow struck a chord with mass hysteria.
 

Sandpiper

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 16, 2014
Let's not go doom and gloom just yet.

- The videos have so far looked promising, the lifts in particular.
- Pairs have far more longevity than singles. Many pairs have attended 3+ Olympics, and have medalled in more than one. Shen/Zhao won Olympic gold while they were 31 and 36 respectively, adding to two previous bronze medals. I'm more worried about the Caro/Dai/Plush situation in singles.
- Let's not rag on Massot too soon. Sure, he hasn't been successful so far, but he can improve with a strong partner like Aliona. Artur Dmitriev won another Olympic gold with his second partner, who was reportedly much worse than Massot.
- I'm sure Aliona knows how difficult it'll be. She wants Olympic gold with all her heart, yes. But I really doubt she'd do this if she'd regret it the moment she misses gold. No way does she think she's a lock for gold--that would be ridiculous. In these four years, I'm sure they can achieve something even if it isn't OGM. If she feels healthy enough to continue, and feels like she has nothing to lose, why not go for it? If they win any kind of medal at all in 2018, it'll already be a triumph. Imo, three bronze medals is possibly worth more than a single gold, because it shows your ability to stay competitive through a long period of time.

Regarding money: Well, I don't know what this particular situation is. But if they have the means/funds to skate, why not? How they spend their money is up to them. And frankly, so many normal people spend money on dumber things than skating (cigarettes, beer, going for a movie every Friday instead of every other Friday... :laugh:). Then again, I've never been an advocate of "let it go." Always went for "keep holding on."
 

BlackPack

Medalist
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Let's not go doom and gloom just yet.

- The videos have so far looked promising, the lifts in particular.
- Pairs have far more longevity than singles. Many pairs have attended 3+ Olympics, and have medalled in more than one. Shen/Zhao won Olympic gold while they were 31 and 36 respectively, adding to two previous bronze medals. I'm more worried about the Caro/Dai/Plush situation in singles.
- Let's not rag on Massot too soon. Sure, he hasn't been successful so far, but he can improve with a strong partner like Aliona. Artur Dmitriev won another Olympic gold with his second partner, who was reportedly much worse than Massot.
- I'm sure Aliona knows how difficult it'll be. She wants Olympic gold with all her heart, yes. But I really doubt she'd do this if she'd regret it the moment she misses gold. No way does she think she's a lock for gold--that would be ridiculous. In these four years, I'm sure they can achieve something even if it isn't OGM. If she feels healthy enough to continue, and feels like she has nothing to lose, why not go for it? If they win any kind of medal at all in 2018, it'll already be a triumph. Imo, three bronze medals is possibly worth more than a single gold, because it shows your ability to stay competitive through a long period of time.

Regarding money: Well, I don't know what this particular situation is. But if they have the means/funds to skate, why not? How they spend their money is up to them. And frankly, so many normal people spend money on dumber things than skating (cigarettes, beer, going for a movie every Friday instead of every other Friday... :laugh:). Then again, I've never been an advocate of "let it go." Always went for "keep holding on."

Yes, Artur Dmitriev, Protopopovs, Shen and Zhao are possibly the top 5 greatest pairs skaters to ever live. Irina Rodnina had the most medals but no one hailed her as one of the greatest.

S&S, while much admired, aren't at the level of the above-mentioned. While the abovementioned had struggles, they almost always delivered when it counted. S&S didn't rise to the occasion in Vancouver and Sochi.

In Sochi, Savchenko fell on the 3axel. She can only blame herself in Sochi, not Robin.

I think what's mad is that Savchenko thinks she can still skate better in her twilight years (in skating years) than she did in her prime with a partner who's untested.

Regarding money - well, talk to financial advisors and older people - they would almost always say they wish they didn't spend on things that turned out not to matter.
 

Sandpiper

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 16, 2014
But at the time S/Z "retired" the first time, they had two Olympic bronze medals. Same as S/S. And three less World titles. Yes, you could say they were "better" in terms of programs, skating, consistency, ect. But I wonder, would we (because I agree with you) be hailing them as one of the greatest of all time if they hadn't come back and won Olympic gold? I think their story just proves you should come back and give it another go.

There's no point "blaming" either Robin or Aliona for Vancouver or Sochi. So, she fell on the throw 3A. Even if they landed it, I doubt they would've won, considering their other errors. They would've just gotten silver instead. Well, Robin had a whole slew of mistakes in Vancouver. Should we go blame him too? You're right--they (the two of them) didn't deliver on the Olympic stage. No need to play the blame game when acknowledging that.

The thing is, Aliona doesn't need to skate better in than twilight years than in her prime in order to win Olympic gold. She just needs to finally deliver on the Olympic stage--surely we can agree that Vancouver and Sochi were not good examples of S/S's skating? Aliona only needs to outskate her opponents, not her past self. Were Shen/Zhao in their physical prime in 2010? If she keeps herself injury-free, why not continue? Even if she and Massot come dead last in every competition, I don't think it'll tarnish S/S's legacy one bit. (Of course, if Aliona is very injured, I suggest she retire for the sake of her health. That's another argument altogether).

I do agree she should quit if Olympic gold is all that mattered to her--if she'd deem the following four years a waste the moment she misses gold. But if you and I can sit here speculating about her chances, I'm sure she knows what they are herself. More likely, she wants gold and will keep chasing it, but knows the road will be difficult and is willing to accept any result. I can't think of anyone being deluded enough to think otherwise. Only she can answer if continuing "matters" or not, but I see regrets being more likely for people who don't try, rather than people who gave it their best shot and just couldn't pull it off.
 

BlackPack

Medalist
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
But at the time S/Z "retired" the first time, they had two Olympic bronze medals. Same as S/S. And three less World titles. Yes, you could say they were "better" in terms of programs, skating, consistency, ect. But I wonder, would we (because I agree with you) be hailing them as one of the greatest of all time if they hadn't come back and won Olympic gold? I think their story just proves you should come back and give it another go.

There's no point "blaming" either Robin or Aliona for Vancouver or Sochi. So, she fell on the throw 3A. Even if they landed it, I doubt they would've won, considering their other errors. They would've just gotten silver instead. Well, Robin had a whole slew of mistakes in Vancouver. Should we go blame him too? You're right--they (the two of them) didn't deliver on the Olympic stage. No need to play the blame game when acknowledging that.

The thing is, Aliona doesn't need to skate better in than twilight years than in her prime in order to win Olympic gold. She just needs to finally deliver on the Olympic stage--surely we can agree that Vancouver and Sochi were not good examples of S/S's skating? Aliona only needs to outskate her opponents, not her past self. Were Shen/Zhao in their physical prime in 2010? If she keeps herself injury-free, why not continue? Even if she and Massot come dead last in every competition, I don't think it'll tarnish S/S's legacy one bit. (Of course, if Aliona is very injured, I suggest she retire for the sake of her health. That's another argument altogether).

I do agree she should quit if Olympic gold is all that mattered to her--if she'd deem the following four years a waste the moment she misses gold. But if you and I can sit here speculating about her chances, I'm sure she knows what they are herself. More likely, she wants gold and will keep chasing it, but knows the road will be difficult and is willing to accept any result. I can't think of anyone being deluded enough to think otherwise. Only she can answer if continuing "matters" or not, but I see regrets being more likely for people who don't try, rather than people who gave it their best shot and just couldn't pull it off.

Well I agree that S&S would probably have lost the OGM in Sochi even if they were clean. To be honest, I don't think they should have won bronze at all. It should have gone to Pang and Tong who only had one small error if I recall correctly and they skated beautifully which the partisan Sochi audience didn't appreciate.

I think this thread has gone on long enough about the same points. Yes, Aliona has the right to pursue her dreams, but we can't know for sure if she is being realistic. It doesn't sound like she'll be happy with anything less than OGM - that's what many people have a problem with. There were definitely a few titles and medals that S&S didn't really deserve; they were gifted many times in their career. Aliona doesn't appreciate her accomplishments. It just sounds sorely misguided. It's a very narrow view of life that stands to weather even more disappointments when her assessment is distorted.
 

Sandpiper

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 16, 2014
I guess it just comes down to how realistic Aliona is: we can't know for sure if she's realistic, but we can't know for sure she is not. I just find it hard to believe she's a deluded as you think. "Wanting the OGM" =/= "being unhappy with anything but the OGM"

Re: S/S vs. Pang/Tong in Sochi. Actually, Pang/Tong did win the free skate over S/S. But they were 6 (!) points back after the short program (stumbles on the side-by-side jumps). I do agree that P/T should've scored higher in both segments (and their skate was gloriously beautiful). I'm not certain who deserved the bronze in the end since both had errors (P/T had small errors in both programs, S/S had huge errors in the free).

P/T were the unluckiest team ever: two fourth place finishes at the Olympics, just missing a medal both times, then missing gold in 2010 because the legendary Shen/Zhao returned. But hey, they were 34 in Sochi, coming off injuries, and were still competitive. Who's to say Aliona won't be in Pyeongchang? ;)
 
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