Martiusheva and Rogonov: Will they be given another chance?

[mousepotato]

Am I laughing, was there an emoticon rotflmao? No, there was not, so, no, it is not a joke.

Sui & Han are the team to beat, which they will continue to prove as they transition from juniors to seniors, mark my words.

You are as serious as you are delusional. Let's see them go head to head at worlds with S/S, V/T and even P/T and see how they do. At 4’7” if she doesn’t out grow him soon, they will have a shot by the 2018 Olympics.

 

[tulosai]

^

I think B/L said their only Olympics aim also is 2014
the top 3 russian pairs may have their last olympics in 2014, so hopefully these means the younger pairs like M/R will shine after 2014.
but they will be competing for the spots with Stolbova/Klimov and younger juniors like Daankova/Deputat and Gainetdinova/Bich

I just hope they don't get duped by influence in favor of others
like Gerboldt/Enbert. they too must have to prove their placement.

I hope that B/L will stick it out for 2018 but he is I believe 26 already- it is understandable if they would not want to.

 

[sky_fly20]

I hope that B/L will stick it out for 2018 but he is I believe 26 already- it is understandable if they would not want to.

but if B/L do decide to stay until 2018 OLY . I don't see a problem for the men reaching in his 30's
Szolkowy is 34 and even Kavaguti will be 29yrs. by 2014. Bazarova is only 19 and Larionov at 26 isn't that old for the men.

 

[Nadine]

Actually Yuko Kavaguti is 30 yrs. old (see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuko_Kavaguti ). Her partner is 27.

But I agree with you more & more athletes are staying in longer, especially pairs. Shen & Zhao were in their 30's when they won gold (she 31 & he 36)! And even John Baldwin was 36 & his partner Rena Inoue 33 when they took bronze at the 2010 Nationals. ^)

Still, these are rare cases, and are the exception rather than the rule imho. But we shall see...

 

[sky_fly20]

Actually Yuko Kavaguti is 30 yrs. old (see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuko_Kavaguti ). Her partner is 27.

thanks, I totally forgot Yuko is older than Smirnov
so she will be 32 yrs. old by 2014

 

[Eris]

AFAIK they're planning to take part in the CoR Final later this month.

They won't be there. There were some problems with Anastasia's boots and she skates in new ones now.

New video, Anastasia and Alexey are doing a lift and a pair spin. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9b9ByrAIuA
He says he started skating at 6, she - at 5. They're skating together for 6 years.

 

[mousepotato]

I think B/L said their only Olympics aim also is 2014

They may have meant their current aim is 2014. Vera is just turned 19 and will only be 21 by Sochi and Yuri will be 27 so both can easily have 4 more years. Yuko will be retiring for sure and Smirnov who will only be 29 may continue if a partner of his caliber is free but he does have a family so he may just retire as well.

V/T have said 2014 is it (he is now 28 and she is 25) but if something should happen that they don't win gold, or any medal at all, I doubt they will be happy with that. The Germans will be the oldest team with Aliona being 30 and Robin 34 at Sochi but still younger than the Chinese who won last time and even younger than P/T who are now 30. I think B/L have their sights set on being Russia's #1 and the 2018 Olympics.

 

[Nadine]

Dang, I honestly didn't realize Aliona & Robin, the German Pair, we're that old, or will be. Good for them for continuing to compete, just like my favorite Evgeni Plushenko, because if they still got the goods then go for it!

That said, I will be rooting for Sui & Han because I enjoy their pair skating the most. Just as Zhenya's skating is my favorite amongst the men. :thumbsup:

 

[tulosai]

but if B/L do decide to stay until 2018 OLY . I don't see a problem for the men reaching in his 30's
Szolkowy is 34 and even Kavaguti will be 29yrs. by 2014. Bazarova is only 19 and Larionov at 26 isn't that old for the men.

I certainly did not mean it would be impossible or unusual for Yuri to keep competing in paris into his 30's. My point was more (and only) that I could understand if he did not want to do so. 2018 would be his third Olympic cycle. Knowing nothing about him personally, how much he enjoys figure skating, etc etc I was only saying that if he wanted to be done after 2014 (due to age or due to other reason) I think that would be normal and not especially strange. If he and Vera wanted to stick around for 2018 and try to medal (assuming they don't in 2014) I also would understand that. Though Vera has stated publicly that she knows/knew she would never want to have a different partner, I would also find it unsurprising if Yuri decided to retire and she kept competing in pairs assuming there was someone at her level for Russia to pair her with, since really, if she wanted, she could have Sochi and two more Olympic cycles in her.

My point was not that Yuri is over the hill. As just one example Brubaker is the same age and I would be shocked (assuming he and MBM stay together/he wants them to stay together) if he does not anticipate/plan to complete two Oly cycles with her. My point was just that, while I hope B/L will continue, I wouldn't think it was crazy if they don't.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

1. Russia's field is sick. It is undeniably the broadest field (a high number of teams can be sent to various competitions and be successful, regardless of the depth of the competitions) and deepest field (3 of the top five at last year's worlds).

2. So M/R have their work cut out for them. The Russian Federation as a balancing act to engage in. Option one: they spread the wealth amongst all potential. Option two: single out certain teams for attention. Both have positives and negatives, but I'll note that since the top three are largely set in stone for the rest of the quad (knock on wood), the Russian Fed might think it wise to spread the wealth amongst I/M, G/E, M/R and S/K. Davanokova/Deputat won't be age eligible for the SGP until the Sochi season or the one thereafter, I believe, so we'll exclude them for now.

3. M/R's problem is that they've fallen behind I/M, G/E and S/K, regardless of what the National results were. That and politically they don't seem to have the support.

 

[seniorita]

^ Oh I think they will have RF support after Sochi, if all the comments I read about them after Russian Nationals continue, if nothing else they will take notice that people really like them. Would it make any difference to start hyping them from now?If she keeps consistent I think they will dump I/M for them, they are more "russian" kind of pair and Lubov is not looking well right now
S/K are lovely and they totally won me over at Euros. G/E I dont like them and I think if they werent Moskvina's pair there wouldnt be such discussion around them.

 

[sky_fly20]

1. Russia's field is sick. It is undeniably the broadest field (a high number of teams can be sent to various competitions and be successful, regardless of the depth of the competitions) and deepest field (3 of the top five at last year's worlds).

2. So M/R have their work cut out for them. The Russian Federation as a balancing act to engage in. Option one: they spread the wealth amongst all potential. Option two: single out certain teams for attention. Both have positives and negatives, but I'll note that since the top three are largely set in stone for the rest of the quad (knock on wood), the Russian Fed might think it wise to spread the wealth amongst I/M, G/E, M/R and S/K. Davanokova/Deputat won't be age eligible for the SGP until the Sochi season or the one thereafter, I believe, so we'll exclude them for now.

3. M/R's problem is that they've fallen behind I/M, G/E and S/K, regardless of what the National results were. That and politically they don't seem to have the support.

I agree about spreading the wealth because young pairs like Stolbova/Klimov , Davankova/Deputat and others are the future of russian pairs
but some aren't progressing well enough. Iliushechkina/Maisuradze have fallen even behind Martiusheva/Rogonov, as I see it, there is always political clout like how some of these teams are being overlooked compared to others like say Gerboldt/Enbert

 

[mousepotato]

I think it's a little too soon to put nails into Iliushechkina/Maisuradze's coffin, they are far better they are given credit for. They did have a bad Russian Nationals last year but even the Russian federation wasn't sure who to send to Europeans and they ended up sending G/E. Whoever they would have sent would have got 4th place so it didn't much matter. Last year at the Grand Prix they won Skate Canada (granted with hardly any competition) but they did go to the GPF with B/L and manage to beat them. I/M had an ok Grand Prix season this year finishing 6th and 5th. B/L also had a 5th place finish at one of their Grand Prix's so it does happen. It didn't help I/M that they used their old sp, it doesn't show much maturity. They also had another bad nationals, hopefully they will regroup and be better but it's too soon to write them off.

Gerbolt and Enbert haven’t done too bad either, 1st or 2nd at all three B competitions. 4th at both Russian nationals, 4th at the Europeans, 4th at Cup of Russia in 2010 and 5th in 2011 (0.72 behind S/K); they are not a team I really like but considering he’s not that great of a male pair and she’s a bad singles skater doing her pairs best they are pretty good and deserve just as much of a shot as anyone.

S/K are pretty good but again just as M/R got a medal because of V/T and K/S injuries, so did S/K, otherwise they would have been 4th; just like G/E in 2011. S/K didn’t get to Europeans because of their talent, it was because of Smirnov’s misfortune and they medaled because the Italian messed up. I would rather have a good pair who can win and not just get medals through luck.

Martiusheva/Rogonov OTOH, is too soon to sing their praises. They had one good nationals where they won the bronze and in reality it's because the top two teams dropped out so they are actually in 5th place. They are going to need many more competitions at that level to think they are going to compete to be Russia’s #1 after 2014. They need to do many more senior Bs like Cup of Nice. She is still young at almost 17 but he is almost 24, they need to get it in gear and soon.

Davankova/Deputat did well at nationals but I’m not even going to put them on my radar until they become seniors and she survives puberty. The chances of those two lasting together are rare, it is for most juniors. I think he also is Ukrainian; I would think he would want citizenship.

 

[sky_fly20]

Davankova/Deputat did well at nationals but I’m not even going to put them on my radar until they become seniors and she survives puberty. The chances of those two lasting together are rare, it is for most juniors. I think he also is Ukrainian; I would think he would want citizenship.

Deputat has been released by Ukraine to skate for Russia
so citizenship is not a problem, I think Volosozhar has Russian citizenship now too.

 

[mousepotato]

Deputat has been released by Ukraine to skate for Russia
so citizenship is not a problem, I think Volosozhar has Russian citizenship now too.

Being released by the Ukrainian Federation has nothing to do with Russian citizenship, it only means that he can skate for Russia in ISU sanctioned competitions. If he plans on going to the Olympics skating under the Russian flag he needs to become a Russian citizen and hold a Russian passport like Kavaguti and Volosozhar had to. Being that he's Ukranian he should get Russian citizenship much easier than Kavaguti but he still needs it.

 

[DianaSelene]

Being released by the Ukrainian Federation has nothing to do with Russian citizenship, it only means that he can skate for Russia in ISU sanctioned competitions. If he plans on going to the Olympics skating under the Russian flag he needs to become a Russian citizen and hold a Russian passport like Kavaguti and Volosozhar had to. Being that he's Ukranian he should get Russian citizenship much easier than Kavaguti but he still needs it.

Right. And I'm sure that if he and Davankova show results, it will only take a few months to give him citizenship. Currently he doesn't need it though. D/D won't be at the sochi olympics and they will have to wait until 2018.

 

[tulosai]

Right. And I'm sure that if he and Davankova show results, it will only take a few months to give him citizenship. Currently he doesn't need it though. D/D won't be at the sochi olympics and they will have to wait until 2018.

This. Russia's policy on this is not like the USA's (where there was a definite question of if they were going to give Belbin citizenship in time for her to skate in the Olys with Agosto). If they think D/D are a real medal hope at any time there are no words for how fast they will manage to get him citizenship. I think a few months is actually a overestimate.

 

[DianaSelene]

This. Russia's policy on this is not like the USA's (where there was a definite question of if they were going to give Belbin citizenship in time for her to skate in the Olys with Agosto). If they think D/D are a real medal hope at any time there are no words for how fast they will manage to get him citizenship. I think a few months is actually a overestimate.

Yep. Volosozhar began skating with Trankov since about May and I think she got expedited Russian citizenship in December. I think it is logical for a country to accept a skater who will obviously show results. It was ridiculous when Belbin said at the olympics she almost didn't know until the last minute whether she will go to the olympics.

 

[mousepotato]

Actually that's incorrect. Volosozhar got citizenship more quickly that a 'normal' person for two reasons; because she was born in the former USSR and her parents were Russian, they also filed in Tver where there’s less paperwork unlike Moscow. If she were German, American or Japanese, it wouldn't have come so quickly, it would have taken years.

In the case of Tanith, she got her green card in August of 2002 in the hopes she could compete in the 2006 Olympics. President George W. Bush made her a naturalized citizen on December 31, 2005. It doesn't get any closer than that. Most of the time it takes about 5 years to become a citizen of the US. Even though she was pushed through, it still takes time to do the paperwork, especially after 9-11.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Anyway, I don't think that's relevant to this discussion - we're talking about them as possibles for the 2018 Olympics. According to Yuko Kavaguti's wiki page, she moved to Russia in 2003 (with Moskvina), got citizenship December 2008. I think should it be necessary, Deputat will be fine to get citizenship.