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We are looking forward to hearing all about everything, whenever it is convenient for you to tell us!
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Practice Reports & Europeans Experiences
- Thread starter dorispulaski
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- Mar 26, 2014
We are going to ladies short and free, men free, and gala. Live reports are due as usual.
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- Mar 28, 2006
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The second day of Moscow, the first practices. We skipped the morning ones due to Javier Fernández on the Red Square doing a PR gig for one of his sponsors, LaLiga4Sports. With Evgeni Plushenko at the presser. The massive department store Gum has a rink next to it on the Square and the event involved a group of Russians on skates trying to kick a ball, Javi was the goalkeeper. He could really not do it on skates for fear of injury, but did his best goofing around. Plenty of photos and videoclips around.
It was not as cold as yesterday but just standing around watching brought a deep freeze that is only now (close to midnight) beginning to thaw.
After a quick lunch at Gum (st this mock Soviet era diner), we headed out to the Megasport arena. Which is not in the most idyllic part of Moscow, which is very far away from the nearest metro station (there is a bus, we discovered leaving). We saw part of the men and first group of ladies. Much space on the ice as many had not yet arrived, most prominently no Russians. But this has been business as usual in the major competitions for them.
Watched a bit more closely Deniss Vasiljevs, who had an ok session, RT with free, not bad but nothing brilliant either. His axel looked more secure than before this season which is ok - still hoping at least for one quad to emerge... Jorik Hendricx toiled with his axel a lot also but it started to get better towards the end of the session. His edges and blame work are nice than what I remembered.
The last group was eyes for Javi only. I've seen him in lots of practice sessions in all kinds of competitions since Euros 2015 and this was by far the weirdest. He usually does a very moderate numbers of quads - 2-3 tries maybe per jump/combo, but today over 5 in both toeloops and salchows, even after he already had them down just fine. Absence of Brian - trip from Vancouver to Moscow probably not possible to complete before Monday afternoon - could be one reason for his unruliness. The SP runthrough was mediocre. He had what seemed like balance problems even in steps and transitions. But appeared relaxed and jokey with the all-Spanish team.
The rink is big, has uncomfortable seats, the practice session crowds were allowed only in one sector, the music was sometimes so loud it started to distort (and my poor ears hurt). Kiss & Cry was only now being built.
In general, I have liked Moscow very much so far. We spent yesterday doing some of the main sights around and on the Red Square, admired all the truly lavish Xmas lights (more IS more!!!), the food is good. People are very friendly and despite language problems, things have worked in the end. Traffic system works like a dream. The weather is ok, despite sub 0 temperatures and a bit of snow today. It could be -30... But Inside it's always warm.
E
It was not as cold as yesterday but just standing around watching brought a deep freeze that is only now (close to midnight) beginning to thaw.
After a quick lunch at Gum (st this mock Soviet era diner), we headed out to the Megasport arena. Which is not in the most idyllic part of Moscow, which is very far away from the nearest metro station (there is a bus, we discovered leaving). We saw part of the men and first group of ladies. Much space on the ice as many had not yet arrived, most prominently no Russians. But this has been business as usual in the major competitions for them.
Watched a bit more closely Deniss Vasiljevs, who had an ok session, RT with free, not bad but nothing brilliant either. His axel looked more secure than before this season which is ok - still hoping at least for one quad to emerge... Jorik Hendricx toiled with his axel a lot also but it started to get better towards the end of the session. His edges and blame work are nice than what I remembered.
The last group was eyes for Javi only. I've seen him in lots of practice sessions in all kinds of competitions since Euros 2015 and this was by far the weirdest. He usually does a very moderate numbers of quads - 2-3 tries maybe per jump/combo, but today over 5 in both toeloops and salchows, even after he already had them down just fine. Absence of Brian - trip from Vancouver to Moscow probably not possible to complete before Monday afternoon - could be one reason for his unruliness. The SP runthrough was mediocre. He had what seemed like balance problems even in steps and transitions. But appeared relaxed and jokey with the all-Spanish team.
The rink is big, has uncomfortable seats, the practice session crowds were allowed only in one sector, the music was sometimes so loud it started to distort (and my poor ears hurt). Kiss & Cry was only now being built.
In general, I have liked Moscow very much so far. We spent yesterday doing some of the main sights around and on the Red Square, admired all the truly lavish Xmas lights (more IS more!!!), the food is good. People are very friendly and despite language problems, things have worked in the end. Traffic system works like a dream. The weather is ok, despite sub 0 temperatures and a bit of snow today. It could be -30... But Inside it's always warm.
E
Have you gone to TSUM as well? It's the ultra-luxury department store, next to the Bolshoi IIRC. GUM has some middle-priced products and brands, but TSUM is for the ultra-mega-wealthy. Still, I heard it's a nice place to shop, sort of like Barneys / Nieman Marcus / Bergdorf Goodman in the US or Holt Renfrew in Canada. And of course: lunch at the Pushkin Café is amazing from what my friends who visited Moscow a couple of years ago said.
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No Tsum yet, but there are still days... We live in the Tverskaya district which is very nice and posh 
Cafe Pushkin is on the list - and actually very close, but we've tried other places nearby for dinner first. After the Grand Prix in Grenoble it is a relief to get proper food at almost all hours - the strict lunch and dinner times in France worked poorly with the competition schedules!
We went to a Russian buffet called Grabli on first evening and it was very cheap and surprisingly good (near Tverskaya metro), yesterday Lepim i Varim and pelmens (yummy! modern and trad types), today Georgian food at Khachapuri, which I hear is a chain, but very good. Tomorrow who knows!
E
Cafe Pushkin is on the list - and actually very close, but we've tried other places nearby for dinner first. After the Grand Prix in Grenoble it is a relief to get proper food at almost all hours - the strict lunch and dinner times in France worked poorly with the competition schedules!We went to a Russian buffet called Grabli on first evening and it was very cheap and surprisingly good (near Tverskaya metro), yesterday Lepim i Varim and pelmens (yummy! modern and trad types), today Georgian food at Khachapuri, which I hear is a chain, but very good. Tomorrow who knows!
E
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- Mar 9, 2017
I saw Ivett Toth, her jumps are good, she has very muscolar arms.
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- Feb 24, 2012
okay am I the only one interested or concerned about a figure skater from Russia named Evgenia? Has anyone seen anything? Is she even skating?
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- Feb 18, 2015
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I am at Megasport Arena. Evgenia wasnt at Practice yesterday and I have not seen her today. Will try to stream TOP men's practive via youtube with my Iphone.... Super72 on youtube, you may know me for Canadian streamin
Links.. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF4L7JKbdElfvG3_5Z9ik1Q this is another channell. Can Nat video got copyright strike for music in tire advertisment LOL
OR https://www.instagram.com/72super72/
Links.. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF4L7JKbdElfvG3_5Z9ik1Q this is another channell. Can Nat video got copyright strike for music in tire advertisment LOL
OR https://www.instagram.com/72super72/
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I am so jealous, Lepim i Varim is one of my favourite places in Moscow, and don't even get me started on Khachapuri
Speaking of the Megasport arena, I whined myself sensless last year going to Rostelecom Cup, because the metro station was so darn far from the venue. And my Moscow home was 2 steps from a metro station so I was very spoiled, but I didn't realise that until I googled the distance from Dinamo metro to Megasport and found out it was mere 1,5 km.
Enjoy Moscow and Europeans! Wish I was there myself right now :yay:
Ah so it's you we have to thank for Canadian nationals and intermissions in between flights
Thanks!- Joined
- Feb 24, 2012
I really hope Evgenia is okay. She has worked so hard despite all her haters. I hope she is fully recovered. It is always scarey until we see her; I don't want to jump the gun about missed practices but it is odd we don't have public sightings of her yet practising.
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- Feb 16, 2014
No, it is not odd...she has her home rink in Moscow where she can practice whenever she likes in privacy, no need to attend every practice at the venue.
Thank you for your videos! I see you still have video of Italian pairs practice listed as 'live' but it's not playing for me.. will it be available as a normal video later on? Thank you
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- Jan 7, 2016
Stupid me forgot to organise a Russian SIM card, so I’m cutting in and out of internet. I went to Pairs practice today and needless to say, I was a bit distracted by Fedor!!!! OMG!
Anyway S/K did separate and thorough warm-ups, they also practised their single jumps, with Fedya looking mainly very solid. They did a Carmen run-through which looked good as far as I can tell. I tried to video it, didn’t properly work out, so I missed a bit. T/M did their Candyman number and looked quite strong. Great response from the audience for DM/G and J/C. The latter seem to be poised to redeem themselves after missing GPF. I loved the close connection between Nina Mozer and DM/G, they are well and truly Mozer Team.
I stayed only for the first group of dancers. I’m not a fan, but P/C’s SD is just class.
On a general note: I’m so glad to be back in Moscow! Did a bit of sightseeing, found a proper bar in Tverskaya neighbourhood and I’m in the Rostelecom approved Aerostar Hotel. 10 mins from Megasport! Can’t complain.
Anyway S/K did separate and thorough warm-ups, they also practised their single jumps, with Fedya looking mainly very solid. They did a Carmen run-through which looked good as far as I can tell. I tried to video it, didn’t properly work out, so I missed a bit. T/M did their Candyman number and looked quite strong. Great response from the audience for DM/G and J/C. The latter seem to be poised to redeem themselves after missing GPF. I loved the close connection between Nina Mozer and DM/G, they are well and truly Mozer Team.
I stayed only for the first group of dancers. I’m not a fan, but P/C’s SD is just class.
On a general note: I’m so glad to be back in Moscow! Did a bit of sightseeing, found a proper bar in Tverskaya neighbourhood and I’m in the Rostelecom approved Aerostar Hotel. 10 mins from Megasport! Can’t complain.
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- Mar 28, 2006
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The bus 818 takes you from Dinamo station a bit closer to the rink, leaving it is better bcs the stop is right next to the blue ramp... Tonight's restaurant was Farm Restaurant Lavkalavka, very good, too.
But before that we sat through the last groups of the ladies, missed Carolina Kostner unfortunately. Sotskova was the only Russian showing her face being quite good despite the fact that in certain circles she is called the Sleeping Pill... Finnish girls did their short programs ok.
The men's practice was interrupted by lots of socializing every now and then, so missed a lot of the lower tier guys. Stopped to watch Deniss Vasiljevs who did his short not very convincingly. He kept working on the 3A combo and the 4T - the latter with under rotations all the time. The combo worked fine at least once. Kvitelashvili hot and cold, the little I caught. Paul Fenz causing trouble for others by being always in the wrong place.
All the Russian guys showed up for their practice! Kolyada did his FS with jumps only in the latter part (he was on 1st) and afterwards did a lot of 4Lz, 4S and 4T. The lutz and sal worked maybe once out of 5 tries. Samarin and Aliev a bit all over the place with their jumps.
Then Javier Fernández who was back to business as usual with Brian Orser holding the reigns tightly. He did the free and was also first, so did it without the quads which he had not had the time to do in the warm-up. Pretty good overall apart from the step-out in the 3A. The quads came almost without problems afterwards with the second 4S placement needing more attempts. Signed tons of things for avid fans before leaving.
The pairs was mostly interesting for the French and Russian teams. Vanessa and Morgan were pretty good apart from some trouble with the 4S - their FS has grown on me. The Russians skipped a lot of the elements but done separately they were ok. Special shout-out to the first timer Spaniards who practiced with the Russians! Valentina and Ondrej won the Italian battle for crowd favourite by a country mile.
Then it was ice dance with Papadakis and Cizeron in the first group, but when the conversation immediately turned to Guillaume's armpits, shaving them and/or his chest hair, it was clearly time to go...
Tomorrow the last men's short practices and then competition time!
E
But before that we sat through the last groups of the ladies, missed Carolina Kostner unfortunately. Sotskova was the only Russian showing her face being quite good despite the fact that in certain circles she is called the Sleeping Pill... Finnish girls did their short programs ok.
The men's practice was interrupted by lots of socializing every now and then, so missed a lot of the lower tier guys. Stopped to watch Deniss Vasiljevs who did his short not very convincingly. He kept working on the 3A combo and the 4T - the latter with under rotations all the time. The combo worked fine at least once. Kvitelashvili hot and cold, the little I caught. Paul Fenz causing trouble for others by being always in the wrong place.
All the Russian guys showed up for their practice! Kolyada did his FS with jumps only in the latter part (he was on 1st) and afterwards did a lot of 4Lz, 4S and 4T. The lutz and sal worked maybe once out of 5 tries. Samarin and Aliev a bit all over the place with their jumps.
Then Javier Fernández who was back to business as usual with Brian Orser holding the reigns tightly. He did the free and was also first, so did it without the quads which he had not had the time to do in the warm-up. Pretty good overall apart from the step-out in the 3A. The quads came almost without problems afterwards with the second 4S placement needing more attempts. Signed tons of things for avid fans before leaving.
The pairs was mostly interesting for the French and Russian teams. Vanessa and Morgan were pretty good apart from some trouble with the 4S - their FS has grown on me. The Russians skipped a lot of the elements but done separately they were ok. Special shout-out to the first timer Spaniards who practiced with the Russians! Valentina and Ondrej won the Italian battle for crowd favourite by a country mile.
Then it was ice dance with Papadakis and Cizeron in the first group, but when the conversation immediately turned to Guillaume's armpits, shaving them and/or his chest hair, it was clearly time to go...
Tomorrow the last men's short practices and then competition time!
E
No Tsum yet, but there are still days... We live in the Tverskaya district which is very nice and posh
We went to a Russian buffet called Grabli on first evening and it was very cheap and surprisingly good (near Tverskaya metro), yesterday Lepim i Varim and pelmens (yummy! modern and trad types), today Georgian food at Khachapuri, which I hear is a chain, but very good. Tomorrow who knows!
E
Make sure you go to Vorobyevy Gory at some point =)
Very nice place, with a view of big part of Moscow.
Megasport is not too far from metro. About 15 minutes walking or less than 5 minutes on bus 818 which stops closely to blue ramp or not far from red ramp.
Seats are normal.
I was at Megasport many times, at local competitions at practice rink, there are no seats to see skating, but I don't see problem at all - I love to stay at board and see very good Juniors. I'm happy that I have an opportunity to see so often so many good skaters - it is possible only in Moscow.
At Megasport practice rink I've seen first excellent skating of previously mid-level skater, birth of new star Alena Kostornaia.
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- Aug 25, 2017
And I'm jealous of you, for having been to Russia and Moscow!!I am so jealous, Lepim i Varim is one of my favourite places in Moscow, and don't even get me started on Khachapuri
Speaking of the Megasport arena, I whined myself sensless last year going to Rostelecom Cup, because the metro station was so darn far from the venue. And my Moscow home was 2 steps from a metro station so I was very spoiled, but I didn't realise that until I googled the distance from Dinamo metro to Megasport and found out it was mere 1,5 km.
Enjoy Moscow and Europeans! Wish I was there myself right now :yay:
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