Just to let you know -- this past Friday, I watched Tanya and Max practice. I arrived a little earlier than their ice time and when I turned back from their rink to go outside again, in walked V+T, arm in arm, full of energy, looking fabulous and happy. I smiled at them and Tanya sort of half-smiled back. Max didn’t register any expression. I don’t know if Tanya recognized me from when I gave her the champagne to celebrate their marriage, and we talked briefly, but I kept going. I did not want to intrude on their privacy.
After a little walk I returned to the hall and watched V+T and Tarasova and Morosov run up and down the halls, jumping rope, doing lifts in the open area. V+T did floor work, their lifts mostly, in the open area outside the rink for about 45 minutes and discussed the lifts they were practicing and tried a few different dismounts (if that’s what you call it.)
Then V+T took the ice. They warmed up separately most of the time, stroking and stroking and then practiced their side by side double-axels (they rarely bother with a spin) and then started taking off outer layers of their jackets or puffys. Then they work on particular sections and on particular sequences and specific moves of their programs. Not surprisingly, at one point, Max took issue with something – and there was substantial discussion. V+T focused on the throw triple, starting with one triple, then two triples and then three. The throw triple was looking fantastic. They and ALL the skaters were in superb physical shape. And as we know, V+T have perfect physiques AND they are also beautiful which is their extraordinarily good fortune.
V+T were on the ice with Tarasova and Morozov who have a HUGE throw-split-triple if that’s what it’s called. It’s amazing. They also skated very well, though I’d like to see a little more personality injected into their skating when they perform.
Then after an hour everyone left including Nina Moser. Their next session was to start at 2:00 p.m. so I wondered what I was going to do for 3 hours. But from the end of V+T and T/M’s session, Maxim Kovtun and MIikhail Kolyada started their practice. They BOTH skated and skated and skated at full speed and jumped and jumped and jumped over and over for about 1 ½ hours. Certainly quite different from pairs training. Obviously, pairs need to consult and coordinate and a lot of time is taken up with making sure there is perfect communication and timing. Single skaters have only themselves so they repeat and repeat ad infinitum.
Then there was the afternoon session where V+T returned and worked for a half-hour. They did their throws again and their long program once (brilliantly I might add…. Looking incredibly confident and strong.) And then they left. I was just about to leave when I walked out of the rink and bumped into Feodor Klimov! So I decided to stay a bit longer!!!. THAT was a nice surprise. I heard S/K were training too at this rink, but they weren’t there in the morning. I think it’s wise to have V+T and S/K skate at different times…(after all they are competitors).
When you look at someone’s Instagram life, you think you know them. You don’t of course, but I smiled at Feodor. He surely had no clue who I was, but he smiled back. He’s a sweetie and much better looking in real life and seemed to me somewhat slimmer. He and Ksenia warmed up, mostly separately. I was very moved by Ksenia. She skated around the edge of the rink, by herself for a long time. She seemed lost in thought, preoccupied with something and I don’t think it was about skating. But then she and Feodor started skating together and worked on their moves. They are really FAST and powerful. Wow! Then she and Feodor worked separately again. Ksenia worked on her double axels and fell twice and got a bit angry. But she didn’t make a sound. Ksenia is quite lovely, but WHAT is on her mind? I can only think how difficult it must be to keep up a training level, to remain at peak form at all times, to find the strength and persistence to continue. I wonder if she thinks all the hard work is worth it.
While I love and treasure V+T, I do think that Stolbova and Klimov’s long program is incredible – inventive and exciting choreography, great music and they skated brilliantly at Europeans. Whoever wins Worlds will have earned it, but it may be nerve-wracking this year with two such gifted pairs. Over and out.
Even Max was cheering them on at the GPF on twitter 
All the pairs work very hard and the variation makes this sport so fun to watch. I'm sure that if, somehow, they read this forum they'd be proud of their fans also supporting their pals and teammates 
It makes for a positive and friendly environment about good russian pairs~! 
regardless it's the audio that counts of course! 
). I found it so interesting when you paired their movements with studio audio, you notice all these little details and how well timed their programs actually are! 
