Elena Ilinykh & Ruslan Zhiganshin

[bramweld]

Even more upset/disappointed now with the scores they had for COR. I really hope they are not disheartened but rather primed for a good fight. I hope they focus on none of the PR that will come from influential camps and simply skate lights out at nationals and make the team to Europeans.

 

[tvuckic16]

Even more upset/disappointed now with the scores they had for COR. I really hope they are not disheartened but rather primed for a good fight. I hope they focus on none of the PR that will come from influential camps and simply skate lights out at nationals and make the team to Europeans.

Oh I have no doubt they'll make it to Euros. Top 3 make it to Euros and IZ should be safely in the top 3. Getting to Worlds will be more of a fight. BS have the momentum to be 1st now, assuming they skate clean at the GPF. Second and thus placement for Worlds will most likely be between SK and IZ.

 

[Alba]

The stupid deduction mistake & subsequent effect on final placements might come back to hurt them again - if B/S are 4th or higher at GPF they will be 1 point above I/Z in the rankings & would get the final warm up group at Euros.

That's bad yeah. Anyway, it's not a big problem even if they skate in the group before last if they skate clean and really good, which is something they should be doing in anycase.

 

[tulosai]

That's bad yeah. Anyway, it's not a big problem even if they skate in the group before last if they skate clean and really good, which is something they should be doing in anycase.

I agree, I think this is unfortunate but probably not a huge deal if they are able to skate clean. Plus there is a chance B/S won't be able to get 4th... I do think they should be able to get 5th pretty easily but honestly they might need someone else to make a mistake to move up higher than that (of course mistakes do happen though).

 

[MK's Winter]

I agree, I think this is unfortunate but probably not a huge deal if they are able to skate clean. Plus there is a chance B/S won't be able to get 4th... I do think they should be able to get 5th pretty easily but honestly they might need someone else to make a mistake to move up higher than that (of course mistakes do happen though).

I wouldn't worry even if B/S finish 4th or so. Not making the GPF was a good thing. I am sure they have been to work since they got home from COR. They need this time to clean and polish their programs and work on the mental side of competition. If they are going to have a yucky year, I'd rather it be this one.

 

[uhh]

Yeah, it's to be expected that every team will go through rough times, and I'm happier it's now than in a year or two years time. Hopefully without GPF, they are taking some time to think & reassess. Everything has happened at 100 miles an hour for them for the last year and a half, perhaps even longer if you add in the Olympic season, I'm not sure how much time they've had to really focus on where they want to go beyond just "we've got to keep working and improving and fighting on everything". If you compare it to what Nikita said in his latest interview, after nationals last year S/K had the time to sit and figure out exactly where their priorities should be, more time to work on the basics and it means they got a running start this season instead of working their way in like I/Z have had to.

This applies even more so if they don't end up going to Worlds. It would be a really big disappointment & I would be slightly worried that it could let the other Russian teams establish more of a gap, but sometimes a pause & more time working without the pressure of an impending event can really help. Ksenia & Fedor looked mentally shot by Nats/Euros last year, and they got a lot of flak for taking a break, but by CoR this year you could see the benefit it had. I/Z just have to make sure they use whatever happens productively.

 

[tvuckic16]

Yeah, it's to be expected that every team will go through rough times, and I'm happier it's now than in a year or two years time. Hopefully without GPF, they are taking some time to think & reassess. Everything has happened at 100 miles an hour for them for the last year and a half, perhaps even longer if you add in the Olympic season, I'm not sure how much time they've had to really focus on where they want to go beyond just "we've got to keep working and improving and fighting on everything". If you compare it to what Nikita said in his latest interview, after nationals last year S/K had the time to sit and figure out exactly where their priorities should be, more time to work on the basics and it means they got a running start this season instead of working their way in like I/Z have had to.

This applies even more so if they don't end up going to Worlds. It would be a really big disappointment & I would be slightly worried that it could let the other Russian teams establish more of a gap, but sometimes a pause & more time working without the pressure of an impending event can really help. Ksenia & Fedor looked mentally shot by Nats/Euros last year, and they got a lot of flak for taking a break, but by CoR this year you could see the benefit it had. I/Z just have to make sure they use whatever happens productively.

We'll see. I agree they have been working like mad and maybe a nice breather would be good for them, but I think they have time to pull it together by Russian Nationals. Of course, the other two teams are not sitting idly either, but things could still work out just fine this season. And if they don't, maybe that is ok too. A bit of a break might do them good. However, I think it is still too early to say. They might be entering Russian Nationals with a bit less momentum than the other two teams, but they can still salvage things if they do well at RN and then at Euros.

 

[uhh]

We'll see. I agree they have been working like mad and maybe a nice breather would be good for them, but I think they have time to pull it together by Russian Nationals. Of course, the other two teams are not sitting idly either, but things could still work out just fine this season. And if they don't, maybe that is ok too. A bit of a break might do them good. However, I think it is still too early to say. They might be entering Russian Nationals with a bit less momentum than the other two teams, but they can still salvage things if they do well at RN and then at Euros.

Yeah, I'm not giving up yet! The big help for them is that they have the most room to grow their programs - S/K are already getting everything they can out of that FD, B/S have made their big progression at NHK, but with I/Z I see a lot of potential that's not quite coming out yet. Their SD at CoC was basically equal with S/K's SD at CoR, their PCS in China was on the same level as what the other two teams were getting, and if they manage to really polish the technical side in the way they did with the SD last year to my mind there is no reason why they should be miles behind the other teams. And of course they still have to show they can make that leap, but I don't think the scores the teams got on the GP are necessarily reflective of how the rest of the season will go. The hardest thing is that the momentum has swung away from them and everyone seems to think the competition is between S/K & B/S. It takes the pressure off a bit, but ice dance is so much about perception, it can be hard to fight your way back.

(Side note; it's going to be really tough to get the third spot at Worlds back, whoever goes. Right now the top 4 are W/P, Shibs, C/L and C/B, who all have a SB on the GP within a point of each other. Then 4/5 points back to B/S, S/K and H/D. Plus there is still P/C to come... At the moment, if everyone is clean, the highest I can see a Russian team landing is 5th, so the other team must be at least 8th. There is so little room for error)

 

[MK's Winter]

Ice network just posted the new worlds rankings and Ruslena is now ranked 9th in the World

They are now the highest ranked Senior team (I don't count Y/M because they have carry over from juniors)

 

[Marta25]

Everyone in here will be disappointed if they don`t qualify for Worlds, but it won`t certainly mean the end for them. Their partnership seems at least to me 100% secure. They are going through good and bad together as a team, reagardless of how many "experts" say that they will never become something special. I remember when D/W came onto the scene and had a very successful Worlds debut with a 7th place, their second season was also rather mediocre before they had their breakthrough in the 2008/2009 season. This is the season for I/Z to experiment a little and they seem to have a very clear view of who they want to become as a team. According to a poster in the Russian Ice Dance thread Tarasova stated during the NHK commentary that the #1 spot in Russia is still between B/S and I/Z. I don`t know if this is what the federation thinks, but I find it interesting that someone who isn`t necessarily a fan of them still sees I/Z as a contender for Russia`s #1.

 

[bramweld]

Everything will depend on their performances at Russian Nationals. The scores for the top three teams have been fairly close. IMHO, I/Z have the most challenging programmes, but to get those high scores they need to have inspired skates. I hope they have that breakthrough come nationals. In a sea of long legged ice dancers, they're objectively nobody's favourites in some circles in Russia, so they need to bring their A game. Nothing will come easily for them going forward.

 

[tvuckic16]

(Side note; it's going to be really tough to get the third spot at Worlds back, whoever goes. Right now the top 4 are W/P, Shibs, C/L and C/B, who all have a SB on the GP within a point of each other. Then 4/5 points back to B/S, S/K and H/D. Plus there is still P/C to come... At the moment, if everyone is clean, the highest I can see a Russian team landing is 5th, so the other team must be at least 8th. There is so little room for error)

I agree. It's too bad really, Russia is falling behind, well at least this year.

Like you said, sometimes it is more about perception. Russia's best chance was to strike hot and regain lead position after DW and VM retired and the Olympics were in Sochi, but they didn't have a team to do it. BS were injured and IK broke up. The new teams were, well... new, so...

Now, in one year, all these teams which were before okay but not at the top have established themselves as the cream of the crop: CL, WP, CB and then PC as a surprise being thrown in the mix. And now Russia has to try and brake through that all over again. This year the Shibs are inspired, so add them to the mix. Yep, uphill battle for Russia.

 

[paravolar]

Interview with Kustarova.
http://fsrussia.ru/intervyu/1549-elena-kustarova-kazhdyj-raz-vykhodya-na-led-lena-i-ruslan-prozhivayut-programmu-zanovo.html

 

[Marta25]

Interview with Kustarova.
http://fsrussia.ru/intervyu/1549-elena-kustarova-kazhdyj-raz-vykhodya-na-led-lena-i-ruslan-prozhivayut-programmu-zanovo.html

Did I/Z change again their lift in the SD?

Anna`s injury sounds serious, I hope she is going to be ok.

 

[uhh]

Did I/Z change again their lift in the SD?

Anna`s injury sounds serious, I hope she is going to be ok.

I'm confused too, does she mean the change between test skates & the gp or that they've made another change now?

 

[tvuckic16]

I'm confused too, does she mean the change between test skates & the gp or that they've made another change now?

Yeah, not sure. Also, why focus on changing the lift? Is that something they were having points docked from?

 

[bramweld]

I'm confused too, does she mean the change between test skates & the gp or that they've made another change now?

We'll see soon enough.

Finally she's promoting her athletes, taking a cue from Zhulin. She's absolutely seething, I hope this is converted into very productive work in her charges..

 

[bramweld]

Yeah, not sure. Also, why focus on changing the lift? Is that something they were having points docked from?

Every element is important, I'm sure they are improving the quality of all other elements as well. She just didn't expound on it in the interview.

 

[Marta25]

I'm confused too, does she mean the change between test skates & the gp or that they've made another change now?

Someone on FSU summarized the article and that poster is saying they changed the lift. TBH, I liked their SD lift at test skates the most.

 

[bramweld]

Someone on FSU summarized the article and that poster is saying they changed the lift. TBH, I liked their SD lift at test skates the most.

Actually, I found that one rather bland, and didn't really fit the energy of the music, imho. In the ex they held the split longer and her extension was really good. I hope the changes go in that direction.