Elena Ilinykh & Ruslan Zhiganshin

[bramweld]

Agreed but I get it. Potential rivals, curiosity and wanting to compare. I don't take too much stock in these scores, like you said an isolation skate. I also noted 5 scratches from Brobova during footwork and she doesn't hold her extension through the entire waltz pattern. I'm not worried for Ruslena.

They have tenacity yes, they are big and fast yes. But.....

 

[MK's Winter]

This is what I meant by posting it! Thanks for putting it better than I could haha

No problem the score made me think. And I do appreciate B/S but I have to watch and critique as well...

 

[Snow63]

I hate fan wars, and the war that's going on right now on russian community between Ruslena fans and Bobrova fans makes me very sad. I want peace and to enjoy the dances.

 

[uhh]

It's not a fan war. Everyone on this thread has said B/S have a good SD, and that at this moment they are further along than I/Z. Just that the score they had today isn't what they'd get from an international panel.

 

[Marta25]

Lol, especially the Russian community should be happy about this development. For years, there was nothing but gloom and doom over Russian ice dance and now they have not one, but two teams, who are competitive with the best in the world. I could never warm up to B/S, but I felt very sorry for them during Sochi and when they had their long break because of Dimitri`s injury. IMO, they are two teams who have completely different styles and isn`t it great that they both come from Russia? How many people complained about all the Russian teams having the typical Russian styles, so here we have two teams who are developing their own style and it`s really up to anyone what he or she prefers.

And for the sake to not go OT: Go, Ruslena!!!

 

[LisaM]

I'm super excited about the B/S&I/Z rivalry actually! I personally prefer I/Z but B/S certainly do have an awesome quality and if they do beat I/Z it's deserved, and not like the S/B-at-Euros situation last season (not that S/B didn't deserve to go over I/Z with their mistake, but they would've never beaten I/Z if they were clean, is what I mean. B/S can still beat I/Z when both are clean).

 

[Snow63]

It's not a fan war. Everyone on this thread has said B/S have a good SD, and that at this moment they are further along than I/Z. Just that the score they had today isn't what they'd get from an international panel.

Oh, I never meant this thread. Sorry if it came out like that. Everyone is very civil here, but Russian forums are a mess now.
And we should probably stop

 

[Marta25]

The issue of I/Z`s twizzles has come up a few times and I think one reason why Kustarova keeps them this way, is maybe the fact that both Elena and Ruslan did the change of edge with their former partners for years. Elena had these twizzles when she was coached by Zhulin and also when she was with Morozov, so it seems like she just prefers them this way. S/K for example did an easier variety of the twizzles and weren`t very successful with it, at least one of them always made a mistake. I/Z just have to improve the synchronicity of that second twizzle.

 

[Alba]

I/Z just have to improve the synchronicity of that second twizzle.

The way I see it is that Elena is a much better twizzler than Ruslan right now. She is faster than him in her rotation and that's why they lose sync in the second set. I was watching the programs again and when they change direction they are in sync. They lose it once they start the second rotations because Ruslan is slower. She sometimes is trying to adjust but it's hard to do that when you're used to do be fast.

 

[chameleon]

Anyway, if I/Z are at Saransk it'll be a good indicator of how their season may progress, in terms of how fast their programs develop. For the most part, I just think they need practice, a month's time is a good amount of time for them to improve their skating and flow of their programs. Just look at their progress all last season. The only change I'd really suggest is making the ending of the SD a little less abrupt. Their SD lift is very solid, and their FD lifts were about where their lifts were last November when they first competed, so they should be much smoother in a month. They have absolutely the best Ravensburger Waltz pattern of any team we've seen so far, I was really impressed. While the complexity of their programs means that they're not as smooth and polished as they would be with programs as simple as last season's, it'll keep them from peaking too early, and they have the most room for growth of the teams we've seen.

In regards to the synchronicity of their twizzles, I'm not worried. Loss of sync on twizzles is honestly both the most common and least important of visible errors, even teams who have been together for years sometimes have trouble.

 

[solani]

I really like their twizzles, it sets them apart. I'm not so fond of catchfoot positions.

 

[LisaM]

I really like their twizzles, it sets them apart. I'm not so fond of catchfoot positions.

Me neither, I really like their first set and their change of edge going into the second. They can absolutely do them well, but I think the element didn't get as much attention as the other ones, logically. They'll fix it soon enough.

 

[Marta25]

Honestly, even D/W, who were known to be great twizzlers, hadn`t always a 100% synchronicity. Anyway, I hope I/Z are going to do a Senior B, I think they will need it.

 

[Alba]

They are ten times better twizzlers than B/S but it doesn't show. :disapp:

I disagree.

This is what I don't like about Kustarova. :disapp:

What makes you think it's Kustarova and not the skaters who feel more comfortable with those twizzles?

I think that BS score will be higher in Saransk, because they are obviously number one in Russia now and they are very well prepared early in September while IZ have a lot to work on.

Oh really? How is that obvious? Spoken with anyone from the Fed lately?

I love both teams, and wish them all the best

That's very admirable of you Snow but you do realise this is I&Z fan fest and you'll not get equal love for B&S, right?

 

[Marta25]

I`ve watched their Frida FD (again , I always feel so happy when I watch their FD. So much potential.
I also think that it`s too soon to talk about Russian #1. Even if , one of them is now better prepared than the other, what counts in the end are the results at Euros and Worlds if both of them qualify.

 

[MK's Winter]

I`ve watched their Frida FD (again , I always feel so happy when I watch their FD. So much potential. I also think that it`s too soon to talk about Russian #1. Even if , one of them is now better prepared than the other, what counts in the end are the results at Euros and Worlds if both of them qualify.

As of Worlds and Nationals, Ruslena is Russia#1. Just because B/S have a monster score in an isolated competition doesn't change that. I'll be honest if Ruslena has a strong skate at Saranks they will score high, because it's a challenger series and that's what happens there. I am sure B/S were the class of the field. They did t compete against anyone of note. I am all about comparisons but Ruslena is Russian #1 until they lose their National title.

 

[alithia]

I`ve watched their Frida FD (again , I always feel so happy when I watch their FD. So much potential.
I also think that it`s too soon to talk about Russian #1. Even if , one of them is now better prepared than the other, what counts in the end are the results at Euros and Worlds if both of them qualify.

The program is amazing yes. And with no costumes, there are people that get distracted when there are no costumes , or pretty complex programs.But this one is a gem. I/Z have an amazing quality I haven't seen in a russian team for quite a while.They drag you in, pretty much like T/D did, and like V/M did lately.They are performers, yes Ruslan too, but they firstly perform with eachother and get you in the program.That's why it went by so fast.

And sorry guys, I know that there are people that only care about traditional and classical, but I'm edgy, and I love the SD, and it's not even edgy enough for me. The waltz part is as traditional as it gets , and the march part I just love, talking about the step sequence people wanted to see ready a month before their competition...Technically wise, when executed correctly can get them a level 4. These two can do it, they have the abilities to, now it will all come up to how they skate it. We'll be back to check if I was right, I guess..

 

[bramweld]

How about we come to an arrangement, the only time B/S or any other team need be discussed in an I/Z fan thread is when they're BOTH or all competing at the same competition. Otherwise all this talk about B/S should go to their own fan thread. I want to discuss I/Z I have no interest in B/S really otherwise I'd post in their fan thread. :disapp:

 

[Alba]

How about we come to an arrangement, the only time B/S or any other team need be discussed in an I/Z fan thread is when they're BOTH or all competing at the same competition. Otherwise all this talk about B/S should go to their own fan thread. I want to discuss I/Z I have no interest in B/S really otherwise I'd post in their fan thread. :disapp:

It's becoming hard to keep some trolls out. Yesterday I thought for a moment I was reading Vikita's thread. Today is BS. I guess we should feel "flattered". No one cares about teams who they don't see as a threat.

 

[Marta25]

Someone posted an old/new vid of Ruslena during Nationals on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwl3BK1aXws