2017-2018 State of Russian Ice Dance

[Marta25]

I`d be over the moon if Z/G could somehow grab the 3rd Euros spot, but I think as long as S/K skate without any major mistake at Nationals, they will be going to Euros. I also believe that P/M shouldn`t be underestimated. They had pretty strong scores at CoR.

The B/S vs S/B is interesting. Before the season started I thought that there was no way S/B could overtake B/S, but with the way things are going, maybe the competition for the national title will be more interesting than I expected.

 

[madison]

Diva Ilinykh in action here on her way to Russian Championship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkNYatdJ740

 

[coldblueeyes]

Diva Ilinykh in action here on her way to Russian Championship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkNYatdJ740

I was going to post this. They don't look bad, but I was almost surprised at their levels on the twizzles. Anton was very so-so in them. But then you get to the step sequences and you see that there's a lot of work ahead of them still.

 

[bramweld]

I was going to post this. They don't look bad, but I was almost surprised at their levels on the twizzles. Anton was very so-so in them. But then you get to the step sequences and you see that there's a lot of work ahead of them still.

Not bad, work ahead. But I hope we get to see a better quality video soon. Positives, they were relatively clean, did not botch any of their elements.

But do they plan to go to nationals? It looks as though they're doing only one COR event....

 

[gmyers]

I don't think Zhulin is playing favorites at all? Or didn't you see S/K not being even close to the readiness B/S have at the moment, and I doubt they will in the current season. Also, I don't like much their SD, but it's their vehicle for the season, it works for them, and it' not scoring badly at all, the same with the FD. And where's the interview saying Zhulin was advised to scrap the SD? I didn't hear anything about that.

But where do you want them to go, and what do you want them to do? There's no way they are leaving Russia. No way. Dmitri has a son and Katia is married right now, they have their whole lives in Russia, and there's a good enviroment for them to train exactly where they are. And does Russia even has the money to send a skater to train out of the country right now? I don't even see why they should do it at this point, it won't make a difference to have half a season outside Russia. And if they want to change coaches, should they go to whom? Can you tell me honestly that there's a coach offering what they have with Zhulin in Russia?

And you should stop belittling their efforts, because it's their whole career on the line, I doubt it is something they are taking lightly. They are well trained, they are competing well. It could be better, yes, it could. Their mistake on the spin at COR took them out of the GPF, and the look on their faces at CoC said exactly what they thought of the scores they got. But people usually laugh at them protesting the scores, so I'm not gonna be the one to do that.

Why wouldn’t russia have the money? I posted the list of all the other dance teams From Europe that train in North America. Or Italy in Milan with Fusar poli. Success is in North America or Milan. Success is not Russia. Only failure is in Russia when it comes to ice dance! Having children and being married is not a barrier to many other people in all sports and all professions. Why wouldn’t krylova or dubreuil or any other not do programs or coaching for bobrova soloviev. Soloviev was just in china. Why can he travel to China to compete but not Detroit to train? He obviously can spend huge amounts of time away from his son and bobrova from her husband. Bringing up solovievs son is strange. Soloviev is all over the world all the time. Why do almost all other people in dance train in North America? There is a Belief that only good dance comes from North America and that’s why the Czech and Slovak teams trains in North America! All the major French teams. The British teams. People can buy generic or name brand products! North America is name brand.

 

[Mattieu]

Why wouldn’t russia have the money? I posted the list of all the other dance teams From Europe that train in North America. Or Italy in Milan with Fusar poli. Success is in North America or Milan. Success is not Russia. Only failure is in Russia when it comes to ice dance! Having children and being married is not a barrier to many other people in all sports and all professions. Why wouldn’t krylova or dubreuil or any other not do programs or coaching for bobrova soloviev. Soloviev was just in china. Why can he travel to China to compete but not Detroit to train? He obviously can spend huge amounts of time away from his son and bobrova from her husband. Bringing up solovievs son is strange. Soloviev is all over the world all the time. Why do almost all other people in dance train in North America? There is a Belief that only good dance comes from North America and that’s why the Czech and Slovak teams trains in North America! All the major French teams. The British teams. People can buy generic or name brand products! North America is name brand.

Russia is struggling with all the sanctions against it, the ruble has fallen so much in value. I've heard the skaters don't get anything like the funding they did before Sochi.

 

[coldblueeyes]

Why wouldn’t russia have the money? I posted the list of all the other dance teams From Europe that train in North America. Or Italy in Milan with Fusar poli. Success is in North America or Milan. Success is not Russia. Only failure is in Russia when it comes to ice dance! Having children and being married is not a barrier to many other people in all sports and all professions. Why wouldn’t krylova or dubreuil or any other not do programs or coaching for bobrova soloviev. Soloviev was just in china. Why can he travel to China to compete but not Detroit to train? He obviously can spend huge amounts of time away from his son and bobrova from her husband. Bringing up solovievs son is strange. Soloviev is all over the world all the time. Why do almost all other people in dance train in North America? There is a Belief that only good dance comes from North America and that’s why the Czech and Slovak teams trains in North America! All the major French teams. The British teams. People can buy generic or name brand products! North America is name brand.

Now tell me how many Spanish, Slovak, Czech, Danish, Ukranian and British teams are placing over B/S? And the Italians? B/S are in direct contention with the best italian team, and that's it. Now, how many french teams are scoring over B/S, and the canadians? You could even argue that, besides P/C and V/M, the other teams are pretty much in the same boat, including the americans.

If it's for them to go one week to train in NA and then come back again, why bother? One thing is to go compete in another country for four days, another thing altogether is to stay overseas for six, seven months of the year training. Pretty much all the top coaches have a top team already, some have two or three, like Montreal. What kind of treatment would they get in any those places, objectively?

 

[bramweld]

Are they really going to sanction Russia at these winter Olympics? There are rumours about them not participating in the opening, participating under a neutral flag and not playing their anthem. I mean, if they were cleared of all wrong doing what is this?

 

[Mattieu]

Are they really going to sanction Russia at these winter Olympics? There are rumours about them not participating in the opening, participating under a neutral flag and not playing their anthem. I mean, if they were cleared of all wrong doing what is this?

It's nasty, that's what it is!

 

[gmyers]

Russia is struggling with all the sanctions against it, the ruble has fallen so much in value. I've heard the skaters don't get anything like the funding they did before Sochi.

Russia economy is growing now. With Moscow being the center of training and one of the most expensive cities in the world it may be cheaper to send them to North America to a town like novi. I don’t see how sanctions on Americans dealing with Russian oil companies would effect Russian federal money being paid used to pay for coaching in novi. The sanctions are not like a total embargo. If US placed an embargo on Russia I think it money from Russian government would be affected. Even if it went through the athletes themselves.

Now tell me how many Spanish, Slovak, Czech, Danish, Ukranian and British teams are placing over B/S? And the Italians? B/S are in direct contention with the best italian team, and that's it. Now, how many french teams are scoring over B/S, and the canadians? You could even argue that, besides P/C and V/M, the other teams are pretty much in the same boat, including the americans.

If it's for them to go one week to train in NA and then come back again, why bother? One thing is to go compete in another country for four days, another thing altogether is to stay overseas for six, seven months of the year training. Pretty much all the top coaches have a top team already, some have two or three, like Montreal. What kind of treatment would they get in any those places, objectively?

It’s not about b/s beating those teams that have North American coaching it’s that all those teams know to go to North America for good coaching and not russia. Russian teams are not getting the best and are falling behind teams like chock and Bates and hubbell and Donahue because they don’t get good North American coaching from name brands like zueva spiliband dubreuil or krylova etc. you must go to North America to be considered well coached.

The treatment they got would depend on how much they paid for the service I guess. Pay for the best.

Are they really going to sanction Russia at these winter Olympics? There are rumours about them not participating in the opening, participating under a neutral flag and not playing their anthem. I mean, if they were cleared of all wrong doing what is this?

This has been considered fine by Russians. No flag no anthem no problem. They all said in iaaf world champs “everyone knows where I’m from” they all said it was silly! It was a big whatever to all the Russians.

 

[LadyB]

He obviously can spend huge amounts of time away from his son and bobrova from her husband. Bringing up solovievs son is strange. Soloviev is all over the world all the time.

Spending huge amounts of time away from their homes, families and friends is a lifestyle feature shared by pretty much every competing top athlete across all sports around the globe.
What is strange about bringing up Dima's son? He wouldn't see him all the time anyway, as they are divorced. I am not informed about every single spare minute he has and how often he sees the boy. Please share any info you've got in that respect, as I'm a huge fan eace:

 

[LittleLotte29]

Elena and Anton (those names, yeah), FD: https://youtu.be/_3dn--oRz7s

 

[Barb]

Elena and Anton (those names, yeah), FD: https://youtu.be/_3dn--oRz7s

it is evident that she only skate for fun but that is super embarrasing :disapp:

 

[uhh]

it is evident that she only skate for fun but that is super embarrasing :disapp:

https://rsport.ria.ru/figure_skating/20171108/1128413312.html

She says here they have only had the FD in that form since last week. It's completely different choreo from the test skate which is probably partially why he looks so uncomfortable. The first half and the lifts were good for such a new team, but it's clear (and she acknowledges it in the interview) that there is a huge amount more to be done, particularly on the step sequences.

I don't think it's any worse as a debut than what we first saw from teams like P/M, or even S/K back in their first GP events. Ice dance teams take a long time to come together properly.

 

[Barb]

https://rsport.ria.ru/figure_skating/20171108/1128413312.html
I don't think it's any worse as a debut than what we first saw from teams like P/M, or even S/K back in their first GP events. Ice dance teams take a long time to come together properly.

yes, sure , they only need time .

 

[bramweld]

yes, sure , they only need time .

That program is great. The most beautiful of all the FD in the Russian team. They produced this after only one to two weeks as a brand new couple? I am really impressed. Not even S/K did this when they initially got together. All they could perform was a gala. Colour me hopeful, because none of the programs presented by the Russian team thus far has impressed me much.

 

[uhh]

yes, sure , they only need time .

I'm not saying they are going to be world beaters, or on the team after nationals this year, or even ever top 3 in the country. I'm pointing out that it is very foolish & ignorant to call a team "embarrassing" after only 5 months together with programs that they are still in the process of refining. There is still a lot of work to be done and no one is denying that. You will never see a team come out after that amount of time together and skate perfectly.

(This is a perfect example of why Russian ice dance is a mess - everyone wants results straight away, no one recognizes that it takes time, and that teams need to be supported through rough early times and encouraged to stay together to get results.)

 

[gmyers]

Spending huge amounts of time away from their homes, families and friends is a lifestyle feature shared by pretty much every competing top athlete across all sports around the globe.
What is strange about bringing up Dima's son? He wouldn't see him all the time anyway, as they are divorced. I am not informed about every single spare minute he has and how often he sees the boy. Please share any info you've got in that respect, as I'm a huge fan eace:

This is what I was saying! I don’t know custody arrangement either. I’m just saying what you are about the huge amount of time he spends away from family anyway.

I'm not saying they are going to be world beaters, or on the team after nationals this year, or even ever top 3 in the country. I'm pointing out that it is very foolish & ignorant to call a team "embarrassing" after only 5 months together with programs that they are still in the process of refining. There is still a lot of work to be done and no one is denying that. You will never see a team come out after that amount of time together and skate perfectly.

(This is a perfect example of why Russian ice dance is a mess - everyone wants results straight away, no one recognizes that it takes time, and that teams need to be supported through rough early times and encouraged to stay together to get results.)

Russian dance is a huge mess because of horrible coaching. B/s ans s/b are the leaders and are both doing horribly even with the “benefit” of being very long term partnerships.

 

[bsfan]

https://rsport.ria.ru/figure_skating/20171108/1128413312.html

She says here they have only had the FD in that form since last week. It's completely different choreo from the test skate which is probably partially why he looks so uncomfortable. The first half and the lifts were good for such a new team, but it's clear (and she acknowledges it in the interview) that there is a huge amount more to be done, particularly on the step sequences.

I don't think it's any worse as a debut than what we first saw from teams like P/M, or even S/K back in their first GP events. Ice dance teams take a long time to come together properly.

Did the article say why they changed the FD choreo? Did the test skate version got bad feedback? Why didn't they change it sooner but till it was so close to their competition?

 

[coldblueeyes]

That program is great. The most beautiful of all the FD in the Russian team. They produced this after only one to two weeks as a brand new couple? I am really impressed. Not even S/K did this when they initially got together. All they could perform was a gala. Colour me hopeful, because none of the programs presented by the Russian team thus far has impressed me much.

The program they showed at the test skates was great, probably the best thing Kustarova did all her life. This program NOW is a mess. Watch the lifts and the skating in general how it regressed since then, not to talk about the twizzles - Anton just wasn't even there. This program was very good three months ago, but it's not now. Far from it. The fact that you raise the bar so high for other teams but you call this the most beautiful of all the FD in the Russian team, well. That's a bold statement...

As always, potential will take you nowhere. Elena has it in spades. If she was unmotivated to train and still can come back so much better than Anton, that doesn't bode well for them.