Elena Ilinykh & Ruslan Zhiganshin

[Marta25]

Oh dear, this looks like the results from the Mordovian cup last season, these marks are too much when you consider no one else this season has got a level 4 on the partial step sequence, not even the French or V/M, but I/Z have here.

The Mordovian Cup overscored them in regards of GOE and PCS, as I wrote above the GOE and PCS here were in line with what they received in Paris. The difference were the levels. Honestly, I wouldn`t look so much at the scores, from past seasons we know that Challengers can be overscored, just look at last week`s Warsaw Cup, where Z/G improved their score from CoR by 16 points. What is important right now is for I/Z to show two clean and confident performances. The scores are only important in the regard that it will secure them GP assignments for next season.

 

[Spiral]

A great performance, well-deserved scores, and a healthy margin from Tobias/Tkachenko - 5 points is a significant difference, especially for SD.

Best of luck to them for tomorrow!

 

[chameleon]

Mordovian Ornament scoring was an issue because they didn't get proper feedback before the GP season. They've /already/ gotten that feedback, the judges clearly like them. Two clean strong skates and then drilling their levels is what counts.

Weren't you saying that they needed to put up some serious scores? Now they have but they're too high.

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[Mattieu]

The Mordovian Cup overscored them in regards of GOE and PCS, as I wrote above the GOE and PCS here were in line with what they received in Paris. The difference were the levels. Honestly, I wouldn`t look so much at the scores, from past seasons we know that Challengers can be overscored, just look at last week`s Warsaw Cup, where Z/G improved their score from CoR by 16 points. What is important right now is for I/Z to show two clean and confident performances. The scores are only important in the regard that it will secure them GP assignments for next season.

They would've been in the top 24 season's best and ISU ranking without the scores from here.
They will get 2 GPs anyway, just as they did this season.

 

[uhh]

Oh dear, this looks like the results from the Mordovian cup last season, these marks are too much when you consider no one else this season has got a level 4 on the partial step sequence, not even the French or V/M, but I/Z have here.

OK, then let's say that the partial should really be a level 3 like they got in France. Everything else they showed they could get 3 or 4 in the USA. Then it's still 74, with almost the same GOE that they were given at a GP event. It's back to where they were with Carmen (where, at Euros, they were the first team all season to get all level 4 on the pattern & partial) and showing what they can do if they keep being clean and consistent.

I think the performance here compared with the GP does underline how they've maybe struggled to handle pressure - none of their big rivals were here, they could just go out and do their thing. Hopefully there will be more of the same in the FD and they can carry some confidence into nationals.

 

[bwayrose7]

I think the performance here compared with the GP does underline how they've maybe struggled to handle pressure - none of their big rivals were here, they could just go out and do their thing. Hopefully there will be more of the same in the FD and they can carry some confidence into nationals.

This is my hope, and my worry too. Elena and Ruslan have the goods, we see it in lower pressure situations like this, and the judges seem to want to reward them this year (unlike last year, where their programs were clearly a huge problem). But going all the way back to Euros and Worlds their first season together, they tend to falter when it matters most, and this year's Russian nationals are going to be higher pressure than ever, with only one spot up truly up for grabs among 3 teams, and I/Z clearly not the favorite. And what's worse is they're going to be duking it out for that final podium spot with S/K, which means a stressful rehashing of that same old narrative. If we're tired of it, imagine how they must feel!

Don't get me wrong, I love I/Z, which is why I'm in this thread But I feel like this success could signal either way, and it's disappointing to see a team with this kind of potential keep missing out.

 

[Alba]

It is precisely because I am a fan of them, and overmarking them last season at the Mordovian cup didn't help them at all.
I don't want them to be a laughing stock, they are both really good skaters, so they don't need to be overmarked!

Make up your mind though. First you say this, before competition.

They need to post some serious scores in Talin after the scores S/B and S/K posted at CoR, otherwise they will be out of the running in the Hunger games. Even Z/G in the Warsaw Cup this weekend managed to post higher scores than Ruslena's season's best

Now you're complainig cause they got high marks. Which one is it? Complaining with whom, exactly? Cause everybody gets overscored in B competitions, normally. So I am not sure why these two will be the laughing stock?

 

[Alba]

I love the SD. So fun and dynamic. :luv17:
is it me or they have really improved the matching leg lines this season?

 

[gmyers]

Make up your mind though. First you say this, before competition.



Now you're complainig cause they got high marks. Which one is it? Complaining with whom, exactly? Cause everybody gets overscored in B competitions, normally. So I am not sure why these two will be the laughing stock?

Obviously a real score would have been better not a 76. World record is 78. 70 would've been good.

 

[Alba]

Obviously a real score would have been better not a 76. World record is 78. 70 would've been good.

My question is since when "real" scores are delivered in these competitions? Why does it suddenly becomes a problem, when IZ gets them? And wasn't the same person who kept talking before competition, about these two needing "to post some serious scores in Talin " which now seems "upset" about getting them? What if they got real scores tomorrow? Is this person gonna come here and bash them for not gettin "some serious scores"? :sarcasm:

I don't care about scores here, myself. I'm glad they skated clean and got some good levels (yep I'm counting level 3 in steps as "real"). They need to compete as much as they can and skate clean. That's all I can hope for at this point.

 

[chameleon]

As uhh pointed out, they're perfectly capable of getting at least around a 74. Their PCS and GOE is barely different from France, add that to the levels they got in SA and that's easily a mid 70s score. Was the tech panel a bit lenient here? Probably. But Kustarova is usually pretty good about getting them levels, it was always GOE and PCS in the past that was low. Hopefully they won't have anymore injuries or illnesses and can skate clean in the FD and then train hard till Nats. Does anyone know if it's too late to sign up for Golden Spin?

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[Marta25]

This competiton is for IZ a case of damned if they do, damned if they don't. When they go clean, they get big scores with people complaining they are being overscored, if IZ don't get a big score here, people start criticizing them why they can't even score well at an event like the Tallinn Trophy.
Re their chances at Nats, we have seen in the past two seasons that the Fed makes these decisions based on results of the GP series, but we also saw situations where the Fed deviated from this rule. For example in the 2013/2014 season, Sinitsina/Zhiganshin were 3rd at Nats, although they had an awful GP season. If the Fed will make such an exception for IZ? Who knows at this point. All IZ can do is skating clean, everything else is beyond their influence.
Re Golden Spin: The entries are already out, but in the past it was possible to enter a Challenger as a late entry.

 

[uhh]

109 in the FD. Again, the PCS very in line with Paris, but a big jump on the tech score. This was definitely the sharpest they've done it, although the 2nd half (everything from the exit of the spin to the end of the 2nd step sequence) still needs lots of drilling to keep the energy going all the way through. But yay for a free dance with no mistakes, and a whole clean competition!

 

[cathlen]

109 in the FD. Again, the PCS very in line with Paris, but a big jump on the tech score. This was definitely the sharpest they've done it, although the 2nd half still needs lots of drilling to keep the energy going all the way through. But yay for a free dance with no mistakes, and a whole clean competition!

They really needed that And also, ranking points!

 

[ppoison]

I thought the only thing that really stood out was the first position on the lift...they should change it or drill it..looked shaky. But overall much better and yay no falls

 

[Kittosuni]

They should try to to compete in Zagreb too. That should be a podium placement and more importantly they get a chance to get more drills and polish their routine.

 

[uhh]

Problem is there are already 3 Russian teams entered in Zagreb - Challenger entries can be flexible, but technically they are only supposed to have 3 entries from each country.

 

[Marta25]

Protocols for the FD: https://data.tallinntrophy.eu/2016/Tallinn_Trophy/CSEST2016_IceDance_FD_Scores.pdf

All level 4 except for the two step sequences, they gained over 3 points in GOE and 0,6 in PCS compared to Paris.

 

[Spiral]

Wow, this was fast, but intricate! I enjoyed it a great deal. I like many ID teams, but nobody makes me feel so alive as Ruslena.

Here's a link to a fairly decent recording. It may take a bit to load, but the quality is better than in the others I've found:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZA_o46uDGA

Mikhail Sharov's photos of them from Tallinn (so far only from the SD):
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNGq-zQjybD/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNGrYjADeNp/?taken-by=mihail_sharov
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNGrJKXDecQ/?taken-by=mihail_sharov

The only one I've seen from the FD:
https://vk.com/blackswanei?z=photo-69138676_456239249/album-69138676_00/rev

And a load of more great pics from TEF:
https://vk.com/elkinaanastassiya?z=album194836064_237772601

ht tps://www.youtube. com/watch?v=iZA_o46uDGA
ht tps://www.instagram. com/p/BNGq-zQjybD/
ht tps://www.instagram. com/p/BNGrYjADeNp/?taken-by=mihail_sharov
ht tps://www.instagram. com/p/BNGrJKXDecQ/?taken-by=mihail_sharov
ht tps://vk. com/blackswanei?z=photo-69138676_456239249%2Falbum-69138676_00%2Frev
ht tps://vk. com/elkinaanastassiya?z=album194836064_237772601

 

[sunn1ly]

I am so happy they participated in another tournament. And even more they skated clean and with fire. I am happy they didnt have any ridiculously high marks but realistic ones.

This year the GP series were ridiculous. Really huge home support in all fields. With all the boost of the US teams in SA and the Canadian teams in Canada. I felt so bad for both IZ and BS in US and CL and well WP in Russia. I was really happy that IZ will skate in France where they will be on neutral ground but it was not meant to be. And now they just delivered what I wanted.

I wish they participate on as much tournaments as possible just for my own selfish reasons to see them.

Hope they just skate like this in all competitions. Without pressure with mood and just enjoying what they are doing. Being their fan I pretty much become more tough myself and started to take the things easy. I learned to live over, ignore and laugh over some other teams fans comments and now I am IZ like a Sunday morning.