2021-22 Russian Ice Dance

[Alex Fedorov]

Zhulin briefly took a break from his crazy speeches of the last days and spoke about figure skating:

ÐлекÑÐ°Ð½Ð´Ñ ÐÑлин: «ÐойдÑÑ Ð»Ð¸ СиниÑина и ÐаÑалапов на ÑледÑÑÑий олимпийÑкий Ñикл? ÐÑмаÑ, ÑÑо законÑаÑ»

ТÑÐµÐ½ÐµÑ Ñемпионов миÑа в ÑанÑÐ°Ñ Ð½Ð° лÑÐ´Ñ ÐикÑоÑии СиниÑиной и ÐикиÑÑ ÐаÑалапова ÐлекÑÐ°Ð½Ð´Ñ ÐÑлин ÑообÑил, ÑÑо, ÑкоÑее вÑего, ÑигÑÑиÑÑÑ Ð·Ð°Ð²ÐµÑÑÐ°Ñ ÐºÐ°ÑÑеÑÑ Ð¿Ð¾Ñле ÑÑого Ñезона.

www.sports.ru

The coach of world champions in ice dancing Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov Alexander Zhulin said that, most likely, the skaters will end their careers after this season.

- This season is difficult for Vika and Nikita, and for you, respectively. How do you keep your nerves?

- Seasons are difficult for all athletes. Someone has injuries, someone has covid, someone else has some problems. Yes, it's not easy. But I know one thing, that for a pair of Sinitsin and Katsalapov, the Olympic Games in Beijing are the pinnacle of their careers. I think they will put everything, like me, their coach, in order to get the maximum result.

- That is, during this season, there has never been a feeling of hopelessness?

- What hopelessness? Vice versa. Yes, there are problems, but the task of the coach and his students is to cope with them. We very correctly withdrew from the championship of Russia. Nikita drove up to me during a free dance training and said: “Sasha, I feel that everything. My back hurt." And I understand that if Nikita goes to the end in a free program, he can break his back, and this is 4-5 weeks without training. I immediately said: we must to withdrew only. And we did it.

Of course, we received a lot of minuses both from foreigners and from the federation, of course. Nobody likes when someone withdraw from competition. But I don't care. One pair is important to me - Sinitsina and Katsalapov, and that they function at the Olympic Games. It is important for me and for them that they withdraw at the moment when it is needed.

- You said that the Beijing Olympics would be the pinnacle of their careers for Vika and Nikita. That is, they will not go to the next Olympic cycle?

- They will finish. Nikita is 30 years old, Vika is 26. I think they will finish. Although if they tell me that they want to skate further, I will be extremely happy. The couple is simply unique, I adore them,” said Zhulin.

 

[MCsAngel2]

I know people will probably not going to notice it much since it is only a reserve spot but the inclusion of Shanaeva/Naryzhnyi over Skopscova/Aleshin is such a power move.

Pretty sure that Zagorski/Guerrero is guaranteed for atleast one of those reserve spots if Tiffany is mildly OK but not being included at all doesn't bode well on Tiffany health status.

I think at this point it is pretty clear that the teams of Davis/ Smolkin, Khudaiberdieva/ Bazin and Shanaeva/Naryzhnyi are Rusfed's bet post olympics. And frankly I'm totally on board with this.

Morozov/Bagin will always get the political backing within Russia but I don't see them being a threat internationally. They just don't have the skills and consistency to match those 3 up and coming teams.

And then we will see where Kaganovskaia / Angelopol lands when they compete seniors.

But what about Stepanova/Bukin? I love them - are there retirement rumors I haven't heard?

 

[flanker]

But what about Stepanova/Bukin? I love them - are there retirement rumors I haven't heard?

Ivan is younger than Nikita and I don't know about any serious health problems yet so I guess they will at least try another olympic circle.

 

[flanker]

Two olympians in the picture

 

[lariko]

But what about Stepanova/Bukin? I love them - are there retirement rumors I haven't heard?

They specifically said that they don't plan to retire during either RusNats or Eu, can't remember which one.

 

[elektra blue]

They specifically said that they don't plan to retire during either RusNats or Eu, can't remember which one.

why would they, they're going to be russia N. 1 next season and with all the retirements worldwide they're going to win big medals internationally too

 

[lariko]

why would they, they're going to be russia N. 1 next season and with all the retirements worldwide they're going to win big medals internationally too

I really hope so! I love them.

 

[elektra blue]

I really hope so! I love them.

me too, as anyone knows (well not entirely because of the love of sport but still... )

 

[Dreamer57]

Does anyone know what Shevchenko/Eremenko are up to?
Will they still be on the team next year - they missed nationals and were dissatisfied with getting one GP (the only competition I've seen them in all season), barely heard anything from them lately

 

[ucrgirl]

Have Stepanova and Bukin arrived in Beijing yet?

 

[flanker]

Finally an optimistic news about Sasha/Vanya:

Александра Степанова: «Сегодня вечером мы вылетаем из Москвы в Пекин»

Призеры чемпионатов Европы, двукратные чемпионы России в танцах на льду Александра Степанова – Иван Букин вылетают сегодня из Москвы на Олимпийские игры в Пекин: -- Сегодня вечером, 8 февраля, мы

fsrussia.ru

They will fly to Beijing today.

 

[Jammers]

Any news why they waited so long to go to Beijing?

 

[flanker]

Stepanova/Bukin are in Beijing - confirmed:

СÑепанова и ÐÑкин пÑилеÑели в Ðекин Ð´Ð»Ñ ÑÑаÑÑÐ¸Ñ Ð² ÐлимпийÑÐºÐ¸Ñ Ð¸Ð³ÑаÑ

РоÑÑийÑкие ÑигÑÑиÑÑ ÐлекÑандÑа СÑепанова и Ðван ÐÑкин пÑилеÑели в Ðекин Ð´Ð»Ñ ÑÑаÑÑÐ¸Ñ Ð² ÐлимпийÑÐºÐ¸Ñ Ð¸Ð³ÑаÑ.

www.sports.ru

 

[flanker]

They could be like: "Hey guys, what's going on here?"

 

[flanker]

When the russian ice dancers will skate (Moscow time):

 

[flanker]

 

[elektra blue]

When the russian ice dancers will skate (Moscow time):

Vika's face in this photo is hilarious

 

[flanker]

 

[flanker]

The confusion continues. The other Anna Shcherbakova

 

[NAOTMAA]

It will be interesting to see what happens if S/K don't continue. It looks like there will be another drought until the juniors come of age. There are a number of talented juniors that I can see making the transition to seniors successfully but they are very young and probably won't be factors till the next quad heading into 2030