Russia Names 2014 Team for Europeans

[RemyRose]

Russian Team for Euros announced:
http://fsrussia.ru/news/1015_plyucsh...pionat-evropy/

Men: M. Kovtun, S. Voronov, K. Menshov
Alternates: A. Pitkeev, A. Gachinski

Ladies: A. Sotnikova, J. Lipnitskaia, A. Leonova
Alternates: A. Pogorilaya, N. Gosviani

Pairs: Volosozhar/Trankov, Stolbova/Klimov, Bazarova/Larionov
Alternates: Antipova/Maisurdaze, Davankova/Deputat

Dance: Ilinykh/Katsalapov, Sinitsina/Zhiganshin, Riazanova/Tkachenko
Alternates: Monko/Khaliavin, Stepanova/Bukin

 

[sky_fly20]

Non Bobrova / Soloviev ?

 

[RemyRose]

Zhulin wants them to prepare for the Olympics, he declined the spot, so no B/S.

 

[Mirunna]

I can't believe Alena is going after 2 crappy season with very poor skates only because she had a good SP at nationals.
Pogo must be devastated. It would make more sense to send even Liza (I mean she was forth at her GP events, even had a very good LP at her first one and was at least able to score over 110 in the LPs, something Alena didn't do for ages). And her LP at nationals would't score over 110 in an international competition.
Bad choice, but good news for Adelina and Julia, since even if Alena beats them both at Euros, I am sure they would still make the Sochi team.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Ah, I was just in the process of starting a thread about the Russian team as well! Oh, well, I've edited my comment and copied it into this one:

I was going to post this last week, but decided to hold off until Russian Nationals were finished, as there are enough threads in which people are speculating about who would be in the Russian Olympic team!

When I visited the Team Russia 2014 website last week, the team page for Figure Skating was linking to the following skater profiles:

Maxim Trankov/Tatiana Volosozhar
Nikita Katsalapov/Elena Ilinykh
Alexander Smirnov/Yuko Kawaguchi
Alena Leonova
Evgeni Plushenko
Adelina Sotnikova
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva

So should we be reading something into this :think: , or are these skaters just listed to keep the template in place?

I suspect it might be just for the template, as there are too many Ladies listed for Sochi (3 instead of 2), and not enough listed for Pairs (2 instead of 3) and Dance (1 instead of 3)

CaroLiza_fan​

Russian Team for Euros announced:
http://fsrussia.ru/news/1015_plyucsh...pionat-evropy/

Men: M. Kovtun, S. Voronov, K. Menshov
Alternates: A. Pitkeev, A. Gachinski

Ladies: A. Sotnikova, J. Lipnitskaia, A. Leonova
Alternates: A. Pogorilaya, N. Gosviani

Pairs: Volosozhar/Trankov, Stolbova/Klimov, Bazarova/Larionov
Alternates: Antipova/Maisurdaze, Davankova/Deputat

Dance: Ilinykh/Katsalapov, Sinitsina/Zhiganshin, Riazanova/Tkachenko
Alternates: Monko/Khaliavin, Stepanova/Bukin

Much as it pains me to say it (being a huge Liza fan, of course), on current form, Russia have definitely chosen the right people to go to Euros.

And, apart from Bobrova/Soloviev coming in instead of one of the other Dance couples, I can't envisage any changes for Olympics/Worlds.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[RemyRose]

When I visited the Team Russia 2014 website last week, the team page for Figure Skating was linking to the following skater profiles:

Maxim Trankov/Tatiana Volosozhar
Nikita Katsalapov/Elena Ilinykh
Alexander Smirnov/Yuko Kawaguchi
Alena Leonova
Evgeni Plushenko
Adelina Sotnikova
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva

So should we be reading something into this :think: , or are these skaters just listed to keep the template in place?

Your reading way too much into it. That page has looked liked that for a good while. Every time I go to that page, its the same profiles and has been that way for at least 2 years or so. Even look at how long the stories of Mishin, Mozer, and Tukt (flashing pics at the top) have been up on the main page, since Sept.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Your reading way too much into it. That page has looked liked that for a good while. Every time I go to that page, its the same profiles and has been that way for at least 2 years or so.

I thought that too. As my pointed out in the bit I added while you were writing your reply, the numbers are all wrong for all categories except the Men's.

I suspect it might be just for the template, as there are too many Ladies listed for Sochi (3 instead of 2), and not enough listed for Pairs (2 instead of 3) and Dance (1 instead of 3)

But, I just wanted to play Devil's Advocate to see what the response would be!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[RemyRose]

I thought that too. As my pointed out in the bit I added while you were writing your reply, the numbers are all wrong for all categories except the Men's.

But, I just wanted to play Devil's Advocate to see what the response would be!

CaroLiza_fan

Uh huh

 

[sisinka]

It becomes more and more strange in dance field…or more and more clean?

I saw an article just few hours before where Europeand Team was announced (it was before final decision made by “Ispolkom“, who decided who would skate at Euros). And that article announced Bobrova & Soloviev.

I also remember that after free skate Soloviev talked about some changes in free skate before Euros (so after free skate he still planned to skate at Euros).

Then I find an article where Russian media announces that Bobrova & Soloviev were not chosen to the Euros team (to the letter it was written that they didn’t get in the Euros team).

Then I found that some people in Russian forum pointed that Elena Vaitsechovskaya (a Russian journalist) mentions that Dima has a back injury again which was caused in the beginning of autumn when a car (without mark with number) with lights switched off knocked Dima.

It is interesting that during whole competition Dima didn’t notice an injury.

It is also interesting that few minutes ago during medal ceremony a commentator said that Federation chose not to send Bobrova & Soloviev to Euros and that Federation prefers to let them practise more (it is very logical that after clean skate they should practise more while Ilinykh after disaster in free skate needs to compete and not to practise more…).

And in another Russian article… http://news.sportbox.ru/Vidy_sporta...rova-i-Soloviev-zhertvuyut-CHE-radi-Olimpiadi
…Gorshkov says that Bobrova will not be at Euros and that Zhulin will come with more detailed information.

Zhulin was always a great tactician. He knows that Euros champions will have an advantage going to Sochi. And I am sure that he remembers very well what happened last year to Pechalat not competing at Euros. Pechalat came to Worlds while Bobrova was reigning European Champion and it was a big advantage of course. Yes, Pechalat made a mistakes in free dance but they were already sitting at fourth place behind Bobrova after short dance.

I don’t believe that this idea comes from Zhulin’s head. I don’t believe that Zhulin would allowed this and without any fight give an advantage before Olympics into hands of Pechalat and Cappelini (and indirectly to Weaver & Poje as well).

So…looking at facts…Bobrova & Soloviev were forced to change short dance at the end of August…then they were forced to change the music of free dance…then they were critised by Tarasova who pointed their mistakes (while in the same time Tarasova was praying for Ilinykh and was unhappy with them not getting to Final, while Ilinykh’s mistakes and low levels makes Tarasova restful )…and after clean performances and clear victory at Nationals Bobrova & Soloviev is not allowed to skate at Euros…it starts to be too much strange…
…I hope that Bobrova will be allowed to skate at least at the Olympics and Worlds

I don’t hesitate that both Zhulin and Federation will come with some “understandable reason“ but what else to say…

But everything bad is good for something or somebody…
Riazanova & Tkachenko must be happy with another chance to compete at Euros. If they beat Sinitsina & Zhiganshin there they will surely be named in the Olympic team.

And the most happy ones are Ilinykh & Katsalapov. Their main national rivals are out of Euros which means that they will come to Budapest like the best Russian team. Russian Federation already showed them how much they wished to give them in Olympic team with inflated score after free dance. Federation always supported Ilinykh & Katsalapov and they showed that the supporting will continue no matter how their skating will look like (prognosticate Olympic gold to them since 2010). Ilinykh & Katsalapov have the best chance to win a medal at Euros without putting some real effort (I don’t count that even in bad dreams they could be beaten by Coomes, Guinard or Hurtado, and as to Riazanova and Sinitsina – Russian judges and Federation already showed where is the place of those teams in their eyes). And in the same times Federation gave Ilinykh & Katsalapov a great chance to repair their poor reputation after that disaster in free skate.

The only thing which I like about the situation (personally)… Pechalat & Bourzat have a great chance to become European Champions again and come to Sochi like the main contenders for bronze, I would wish them to finish their career on such high level.

 

[RemyRose]

Honestly I think it has more to do with the Russian fed trying to give R/T one more opportunity to place higher than S/Z for that 3rd Olympic spot.

 

[FSGMT]

Did Plushenko personally decline his spot? it will hurt his WR I think...
And, Leonova is a bad choice, I think: she's back and she's in good form, yes, but pogorilaya has had a better season so far and she skated better than alena in the FS at Nationals, the only "bombed" program was the SP at National

 

[RemyRose]

Did Plushenko personally decline his spot? it will hurt his reputation I think...

Yes, him and Mishin declined.

 

[hanca]

Did Plushenko personally decline his spot? it will hurt his WR I think...
And, Leonova is a bad choice, I think: she's back and she's in good form, yes, but pogorilaya has had a better season so far and she skated better than alena in the FS at Nationals, the only "bombed" program was the SP at National

Leonova is not in 'that' great form. She still doesn't have her edge jumps sorted. She completely avoided Salchow; she did only one loop in the FS and none in the SP... She filled up her program with toe assisted jumps which gives her maximum of 5 jumps in the FS. So she will either have to risk doing loop or Salchow, or she will aim for 2 triples less than the others. Considering the level of competition, that could place her at best at 10 place and not better. At the nationals she got huge PCS; she is not going to get such a huge PCS at any international competition.

 

[FSGMT]

Leonova is not in 'that' great form. She still doesn't have her edge jumps sorted. She completely avoided Salchow; she did only one loop in the FS and none in the SP... She filled up her program with toe assisted jumps which gives her maximum of 5 jumps in the FS. So she will either have to risk doing loop or Salchow, or she will aim for 2 triples less than the others. Considering the level of competition, that could place her at best at 10 place and not better. At the nationals she got huge PCS; she is not going to get such a huge PCS at any international competition.

Well, her SP was 3T+3T and 3F when she won that phase of the competition at Worlds (in a weak field), so as long as she skates it clean there is no problem there, in the FS she landed 5 clean triples and in recent performances she landed some very good 3Lz (always with the "e", but it is no longer a strange flip), and during the morning practice she landed a beautiful 3S: she has all the jumps, she just has to land them, so I can say that she is "in good form". Still, Pogorilaya has more difficult programs right now and has better reputation, so she should be sent for me

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Yes, him and Mishin declined.

That's not a good move if he expects to compete in Sochi. At the least he should have a skate off against Kovtun and even then Kovtun with a strong performance at Euros essentially seals his spot.

 

[sky_fly20]

Honestly I think it has more to do with the Russian fed trying to give R/T one more opportunity to place higher than S/Z for that 3rd Olympic spot.

for what ? R/T are stagnant boring skaters with the same type of programs every season
better give it to a young couple for an Olympics experience. R/T aren't getting younger either

 

[elif]

Maybe Bobrova and Soloviev are going to skate at team event in Olympics so this is why they are not in the Euro team. Probably Americans and Canadians are not going to skate at 4CC so they will have only political disadvantage against Pechalat/Bourzat, If Pechalat/Bourzat can win Euros. This is a suprise. I thought they will skip GPF and nationals but they didn't.

 

[RemyRose]

Interview with Plushenko on Euros: http://fsrussia.ru/news/1016_evgenij-plyucshenko-na-chempionat-evropy-ya-ne-poedu/

Interview with Gorshkov that says R/T and S/Z will fight for spot at Olympics, V/T and B/S are locks for Sochi (no one else is), no changes to Euros roster (no K/S): http://www.allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=78980

 

[sisinka]

Maybe Bobrova and Soloviev are going to skate at team event in Olympics so this is why they are not in the Euro team. Probably Americans and Canadians are not going to skate at 4CC so they will have only political disadvantage against Pechalat/Bourzat, If Pechalat/Bourzat can win Euros. This is a suprise. I thought they will skip GPF and nationals but they didn't.

Bobrova & Soloviev couldn't skip Nationals, they had to prove to everybody including Russian Federation that they are still and again and once again number 1 team. They have to prove it four years in a row. 2013 European Champions and World Bronze Medalists have to prove that they are again and still better then European Silver Medalists and 9th World team. If they didn't go to Final everybody would say that they are afraid of confrontation with top team. If they didn't skate at Nationals everybody would crown Ilinykh & Katsalapov a Russian number 1 team.

Not to send them at Euros put an advantage to everybody else except Bobrova & Soloviev. Team event is not so important like individual one, maybe it would be another idea made by Russian Federation. Everybody who will skate both Team and Individual competition will be extremely tired, the Team competition is sooner. Maybe Russian Federation will decide to put Bobrova at both events and make Ilinykh resting and concentrate to individual one only. After this Nationals and after this strange politics I am loosing the idea that the decision are made for better future and best results of Russian skating. Much more it looks like support of few selected persons no matter how their skating qualities looks like.

I am sure that coming at Olympics we will once again hear that silly and beyond all understanding question: "Who is Russian number 1?"
No more I am not blaming fans for such questions, everybody has a right to like and prefer different couples, we have all different taste. I am and I always was for correct judging with distributing dance couples into groups of those who are great and those who are not (looking at all aspects I mentioned in other threads). I am for appreciating dance teams for what they really know to do on the ice, not only looking to what I personally like. But there is always a lot of place for fans to have their own "horses" and favourite couples.

I blame Russian Federation to make such steps which leads every year to that silly question.
I admit that Ilinykh & Katsalapov are entertaining couple and talented couple and Nikita has "it" factor as a dancer while Lena is a super sexy doll on the ice, they both have nice basics, no doubts.
Bobrova & Soloviev are absolutely different kind of skaters. But the fact is that during four years Ilinykh & Katsalapov even with help of "it" factor and sexappeal advantage were not able to prove that they are better skaters / dancers. Even with help of Federation, even with help of Zhulin in 2010/11 season / later Morozov (even with Morozov's behind the scene support) Ilinykh was not able to get over Bobrova.
And Federation instead of supporting number 1 team, decides to keep them out of Euros to help Ilinykh to improve her fallen reputation (while it means that Bobrova may loose better position like last year World medalist if Pechalat will win Euros / Cappelini will win Euros). Few weeks ago Alla Shechovcova tried to make situation more fair, she tried to explain why there are problems with calling number one teams and supporting Ilinykh. Shechovcova pointed to a fact that both two teams can be supported and then a medal chance will be better. It is nice if it would be done like that. But this looks like supporting one team only while the other team is put down to help to get favourite team up (to my deeply not understanding they are putting down number 1 team, while visibly worse number two team is supported).

I don't know what to think about it. I love figure skating, it is a beautiful sport, but with such behind the scene stories...it is hard to understand people who make such important decision which are influencing skaters in way which is not called the best but "the most suitable"... but for somebody else.

 

[elif]

I think team competition is important. It is in the Olympic ice with Olympic judges. And Olympic audience will be there for clapping. Other top teams are going to be there too so this is high level competition. Everybody going to talk about how skaters had skated. Bobrova/Soloviev's short dance is strong so they can pass Pechalat/Bourzat or other bronze medal teams again in the SD at least.