2017-2018 State of Russian Ice Dance

[Marta25]

Can anyone confirm if Zahorski & Guerreiro are still skating?
Sad that they ran from Zhulin to be the no. 1 team with Kustarova, only for Elena to return with a new partner pushing them back to no. 2 team once again.

In this interview Skoptsova/Aleshin mention that Zahorski/Guerreiro are skating in their training group. I really look forward to see both teams again.
http://fsrussia.ru/intervyu/3044-anastasiya-skoptsova-kirill-aleshin-v-etom-godu-my-budto-zanovo-otkryli-dlya-sebya-figurnoe-katanie.html

 

[Mattieu]

In this interview Skoptsova/Aleshin mention that Zahorski/Guerreiro are skating in their training group. I really look forward to see both teams again.
http://fsrussia.ru/intervyu/3044-an...novo-otkryli-dlya-sebya-figurnoe-katanie.html

Thanks Marta25. Russian dance needs all the Senior teams it can get

 

[Snow63]

Well, the official version is that Ruslan has to retire because of his injuries. That`s hardly her fault. And with Nikita it wasn`t just her who was difficult to work with if the rumors were true.
Let`s just say that Elena`s history shows how difficult it can be to find the right partner to skate with even if you are as talented as Elena is. This makes partnerships like Bobrova/Soloviev`s and Stepanova/Bukin`s stand out since they have been skating together over a decade.

First, there's no official version. There's even no confirmation that Ruslan has retired. http://rsport.ru/figure_skating/20170802/1123684231.html Just imagine the backfire if he will continue. Davankova is free (she don't want to skate NOW, but she can always change her mind), Anabel is free, my bet is that Morozov will make his move. Ruslan is still young and more talented than his wife's and his daughter's latest partners.

Second, I didn't say it was her fault. But I think her attitude and other problems definitely have weighted in the split(s?).

Next season we will probably have Dmitri on the market. That's where things will get interesting.

Edit: I wonder if Ruslan plans to skate in ice shows.

 

[Marta25]

First, there's no official version. There's even no confirmation that Ruslan has retired. http://rsport.ru/figure_skating/20170802/1123684231.html Just imagine the backfire if he will continue. Davankova is free (she don't want to skate NOW, but she can always change her mind), Anabel is free, my bet is that Morozov will make his move. Ruslan is still young and more talented than his wife's and his daughter's latest partners.

Second, I didn't say it was her fault. But I think her attitude and other problems definitely have weighted in the split(s?).

Next season we will probably have Dmitri on the market. That's where things will get interesting.

Edit: I wonder if Ruslan plans to skate in ice shows.

From the pics Ruslan has shared it looks like he is focussing on coaching right now. He helped out Smirnov during a training camp in Tver and there were also pictures of him working with Vazgen Azroyan`s students.

Anyway, while I would love to see him again with Elena, I would be fine with Ruslan continuing with somebody else. He is so young and talented, it would be a shame if his career ends this way.

 

[Barb]

https://twitter.com/mishageofficial/status/893524730640302084

 

[bramweld]

From the pics Ruslan has shared it looks like he is focussing on coaching right now. He helped out Smirnov during a training camp in Tver and there were also pictures of him working with Vazgen Azroyan`s students.

Anyway, while I would love to see him again with Elena, I would be fine with Ruslan continuing with somebody else. He is so young and talented, it would be a shame if his career ends this way.

Well if things don't work out for Lozko, what with Pitkeev's back issues, he could try again with her. She's really tiny.

 

[hanca]

Well if things don't work out for Lozko, what with Pitkeev's back issues, he could try again with her. She's really tiny.

I am sure he left olympic bronze and gold medallist to skate with ice dance beginner.

 

[coldblueeyes]

I am sure he left olympic bronze and gold medallist to skate with ice dance beginner.

Yeah, that would make zero sense. He'd probably skate with Elena before Alisa, for sure. But I don't know if he'd want to change partners if there would be a chance for Katia to come back after family/baby time. It seems like she's careful to say for certain whether she'll continue skating after this season.

 

[bramweld]

Yeah, that would make zero sense. He'd probably skate with Elena before Alisa, for sure. But I don't know if he'd want to change partners if there would be a chance for Katia to come back after family/baby time. It seems like she's careful to say for certain whether she'll continue skating after this season.

But maybe Elena would rather retire herself than skate with him again? Ciril Aleshin from Kustarova's group did say that they broke up. So nah, I/Z is kaput.

 

[SnowWhite]

But maybe Elena would rather retire herself than skate with him again? Ciril Aleshin from Kustarova's group did say that they broke up. So nah, I/Z is kaput.

I believe coldblueeyes thought you meant Soloviev, hence the reference to Katia, but I could be wrong.

 

[bramweld]

I believe coldblueeyes thought you meant Soloviev, hence the reference to Katia, but I could be wrong.

Wow, really. I missed that. I've heard this rumour before but isn't it just nonsense? Soloviev would be well past his prime. Realistically he will do shows for a year with Vasilisa then either get back in the game with Katya or they'll both do shows together at that time. Katya just spewed all that innuendo out there as a missive to all those who could possibly be interested in her man. TBH I find Soloviev rather unpolished as an ice dancer. He skates fast, big and with attack but very little charisma, he rarely even looks at Katya. I do like him though in their latin ex

 

[Snow63]

Wow, really. I missed that. I've heard this rumour before but isn't it just nonsense? Soloviev would be well past his prime. Realistically he will do shows for a year with Vasilisa then either get back in the game with Katya or they'll both do shows together at that time. Katya just spewed all that innuendo out there as a missive to all those who could possibly be interested in her man. TBH I find Soloviev rather unpolished as an ice dancer. He skates fast, big and with attack but very little charisma, he rarely even looks at Katya. I do like him though in their latin ex

I think it's mostly Elena's fans who's pushing this rumour. At least that's what it seems like on russian boards. I believe Elena will never agree to that, knowing that Soloviev will get back with Ekaterina either for competitions or for ice shows a couple years later. There's also rumour about him with Sinitsina, while Elena team up with Nikita again. But that's seems even more unlikely, next to impossible.

 

[Mattieu]

I heard that Soloviev would never skate with Elena, she is too high maintenance, but he is looking for someone to replace Bobrova when she stops to have babies.

I heard from credible sources that Elena did try again with Nikita earlier this year and it didn't work, but no info on why it didn't work.
IMHO this is true as if Elena is desperate enough to take as low a level skater as Shibnev just to remain in the game, then she surely would be prepared to try again with Nikita.

 

[Marta25]

Well, I see that the Russian Ice Dance carousel isn`t stopping anytime soon. If Bobrova retires after the Olympics, there will be an interesting fight for the National team. We basically have 5 senior teams and Soloviev with whoever he is going to skate with, then both Shpilevaya/Smirnov and Skoptsova/Aleshin have to move up to seniors after this season, since they are aging out. And let`s not forget Polishchuk/Vakhnov who have made significant improvements in the last season. Since he hasn`t officially retired yet, there also seems the possibility of Zhiganshin continuing with someone else. I guess the most realistic outcome is that, Stepanova/Bukin will become the new #1 unless Soloviev decides he wants to skate with Elena after all.

 

[Snow63]

I heard that Soloviev would never skate with Elena, she is too high maintenance, but he is looking for someone to replace Bobrova when she stops to have babies.

I heard from credible sources that Elena did try again with Nikita earlier this year and it didn't work, but no info on why it didn't work.
IMHO this is true as if Elena is desperate enough to take as low a level skater as Shibnev just to remain in the game, then she surely would be prepared to try again with Nikita.

Some people who had correct inside information before say that she also had try outs with Timofey Mozgov but he refused in the end because he wants to stay with Betina (who apparently is his girlfriend). I wonder how many truth in that.

 

[Mattieu]

Some people who had correct inside information before say that she also had try outs with Timofey Mozgov but he refused in the end because he wants to stay with Betina (who apparently is his girlfriend). I wonder how many truth in that.

Probably true, as Elena seems be desperate to stay in the world of skating.
Mozgov looks very an item with Betina, so no surprises there.

 

[bramweld]

Probably true, as Elena seems be desperate to stay in the world of skating.
Mozgov looks very an item with Betina, so no surprises there.

Something doesn't really make sense here;

1. Just considering Soloviev's style of skating could we really see him matching with Lena?
2. Considering how hurtful that would be to Victoria, and his own claims that he would never skate with her, why have a tryout? Was it just to embarrass her by telling her no? Doesn't make sense.
3. Considering also how Mosgov treated Anya, Lena really tried out with him?

It all just seems like wishful thinking. Soloviev may only have a stand in for a year but he and Katya I think will ride out the remainder of their amateur years together. I don't see him taking on the aggravation of learning to skate with someone new.

But then again this is Russian ice dance.

 

[coldblueeyes]

I think Soloviev's decision to continue or not will hinge on what kind of results they'll get this year. In the case of a surprise medal in Korea, or Worlds medal for that matter, I could see him taking a time off for as long as he'd like to wait for Katia, or eventually move on with his life.

Also, I think it's too early to make any prediction on what will happen in the next season/cycle, especially regarding Russian ID. We'll never know how many partnerships are going to end before they even get out of the training hall.

 

[bramweld]

I think Soloviev's decision to continue or not will hinge on what kind of results they'll get this year. In the case of a surprise medal in Korea, or Worlds medal for that matter, I could see him taking a time off for as long as he'd like to wait for Katia, or eventually move on with his life.

Also, I think it's too early to make any prediction on what will happen in the next season/cycle, especially regarding Russian ID. We'll never know how many partnerships are going to end before they even get out of the training hall.

Alright. Now you make my point exactly. The rest of the ice dance world has accepted the FACT that greatness in ice dance requires TIME. The ones who are doing well today are one's who have invested TIME in their partnerships. It looks to me like there's a notion in some Russian circles that you can wave some magic wand and create magic just like that if you find the right partner. It's a pity because that's just when the work really begins. And if they don't know that they will always remain on the outskirts of ID.

 

[coldblueeyes]

Alright. Now you make my point exactly. The rest of the ice dance world has accepted the FACT that greatness in ice dance requires TIME. The ones who are doing well today are one's who have invested TIME in their partnerships. It looks to me like there's a notion in some Russian circles that you can wave some magic wand and create magic just like that if you find the right partner. It's a pity because that's just when the work really begins. And if they don't know that they will always remain on the outskirts of ID.

Yeah, I mean, the top two right now in Russia are two couples that have been skating since forever. And the juniors coming up onto the scene are the same. Even with all its faults, that's what's working for Russia so far - I mean, I/Z were a fluke in 2014-15, which isn't to say they didn't work hard for their accomplishments. But when TPTB want to bet their marbles on partnerships that barely, or never, competed it doesn't take a genius to know it's going to end up in flames, especially because it puts pressure on teams that don't have the ice time together to deal with that.