Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov Split

[hanca]

I want to know this too. I/K have their motives but S/Z? I want a quote from Sinitsina because I cannot imagine her (or even Zhiganshin) wanted a split.

Of course S/Z have motives. S/Z have been at their best third Russian team, and not even settled third, because until this season Riazanova/Tkachenko were third and S/Z would be fourth at best. By getting each of them one half of I/K, they managed to get better achieving partner than they had, and completely shake up Russian dance order. Suddenly Russian spot 2, 3 and 4 is open, and both new couples will be fighting with Riazanova/Tkachenko for second and third spot, with better partner than they had. It is one of I/K that has something to loose because one of them will suddenly drop from secure second spot (which was very close to first spot - they did beat Bobrova-Soloviev sometimes) to third spot.

 

[hanca]

Everyone blames Nikita but maybe Elena is more to blame. If she hadn't started the relationship with her coach (and possibly dumped Nikita because of this), maybe they would still be together.

Right! Blame the victim! Would you also blame the victim of rape, that she shouldn't have worn tight Tshirt or shorter skirt? It is Morozov who should know better, not some 17 year old girl who was in awe of the famous Morozov.

 

[TheGothicEme]

If they will indeed split, I blame no one. Come on, it's just not working any more, that's why they don't feel like working together longer. I don't blame Lena, Nikita or even Nikolai Morozov for the separate (I just blame Morozov for all the silly programmes he created for them, that's all, his personal life off-ice, I totally couldn't care less). Lena has a right to choose her boyfriend, if she chose Morozov, that's her business, I don't think it is the main reason for them to split. They don't wish to work together anymore, so they split. Respect them and their choice, you guys

 

[TheGothicEme]

But don't get me wrong, both IK and Morozov have the same responsibility, if the team is not working anymore, it's their all fault (including Lena). DOn't try to make an innocent angel out of her.

 

[Matt K]

This is one of R/T's better ice dance FDs from 2011-2012 from their time with Gorshkov/Petukhov:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq9hnSMCkN4

They used every bit of this music, I loved the transition in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq9hnSMCkN4#t=1m58s entering the straight line lift. Every move fit the music and melded into the next move so well. The circular step footwork is also more difficult than Shpilband's and Zoueva's, only Petukhov and Linichuk use different holds like this, and makes it harder to skate closer together. This is the kind of style R/T want to skate to, not the open Americanized style that Shpilband has them doing currently. Right now they are not the full fledged hoppy jumpy team yet, but from their programs this year and Shpilband's stuff with C/L and H-C/D and others, signs are pointing that Shpilband is going to turn R/T into this open, non ice dancing direction that we see here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFNLYS-lLC0

R/T are decent skaters, they are not exceptional skaters but they are decent, and they need more programs like Snowstorm to show their ice dancing, not more FDs with open skating and short hops.

I hope the Russian Fed sends R/T to Linichuk.

 

[uhh]

I don't blame any one for the act of splitting, partnerships break down for all sorts of reasons, maybe ultimately they were too incompatible to work together - not just because of the relationship with Morozov, but they fought when they were younger all the time, even when they were an off ice couple too. And maybe the rumours about the work ethic and the difficult training situation is true, and it's up to each individual to decide what kind of conditions they are willing to work in. Where I do find fault, and I think exactly the same of Yuri Larionov & also to an extent of Sinitsina, is a situation where one partner is conspiring with the coach set up a new team, seemingly in I/K's case months before the season was over, and never letting on to the partner being frozen out that there was a problem.

Maybe his goal was always to get to Sochi, see how they did and then reassess, I have no problem with that - if they had split soon after their off ice relationship was over, they probably wouldn't have made the team for Sochi and no one wants to miss out on a home Olympics. But he was giving interviews just two weeks ago saying they were enjoying working together like never before, they wanted to skate until 2022, and that their goal for the next Olympics was to bring home two gold medals. Why carry on speaking like that and lying to his partner when now we know he had tried out with Sinitsina months before? The first report said they were told about the split at the St. P show after the Olympics - that was a month and a half ago. Other people I have spoken to say they heard whispers about this as long ago as Europeans. There was ample opportunity to tell Elena what he was thinking, and maybe even then they would have had a shot at patching things up if she knew what the issues he had were. Or if he knew he was done with the partnership, tell her as soon as he was sure so they can both go their separate ways as soon as possible. But instead he chose to keep quiet, lie to her, sort his future out & let her find out that she was being dumped on the internet. I find that despicable.

 

[ElenaNikitaFan]

But instead he chose to keep quiet, lie to her, sort his future out & let her find out that she was being dumped on the internet. I find that despicable.

I blame the person who leaked the information to the media during worlds. Maybe he wanted to tell Lena himself after worlds to not influence her performance.
But how come that everybody knew (according to Pechalat) but her?

 

[ilmiom]

Elena has just confirmed everything... Check sports.ru (sorry I'm not home and can't translate it rn)

 

[uhh]

I blame the person who leaked the information to the media during worlds. Maybe he wanted to tell Lena himself after worlds to not influence her performance.

I still find that very dishonest. You're still asking someone to put in a huge amount of effort to compete at Worlds, the least you can do is be honest with them. Once he knew it was done, tell her. If the partnership was over, what does it matter how they did in Japan?

 

[ElenaNikitaFan]

Elena has just confirmed everything... Check sports.ru (sorry I'm not home and can't translate it rn)

I posted the link on page 46 if this is what you mean http://rsport.ru/figure_skating/20140407/741387775.html

 

[ilmiom]

ElenaNikitaFan i think it's new. She says she found out about it at Worlds and then Nikita confirmed it to her on April 4.

 

[Snow63]

Tarasova: "I would be glad to be wrong, but I think the possibility of winning gold medal at the next Olympics is gone. I do not want to give any more comments. This is the decision of the management [RusFed], because if management supports it financially, then everything will be in this form".

 

[Alba]

From FSU:

Ilinyh spoke to Simonenko from rsport.ru I was approached by Nikita on April 4th, he thanked me for the collaboration and said he will no longer skate with me. The idea to break up is his. I first found out during the worlds, last week Nikita stated the facts.
Indeed Ruslan Zhiganshin and I started training together, but no one knows what will come out of that.
http://rsport.ru/figure_skating/20140407/741387775.html

Elena says she has nothing further to say, she's still in limbo and it's now up to Nikita to explain himself to the federation.
http://www.sovsport.ru/news/text-item/701442

Kustarova quoted in ITAR-TASS We decided just to try out, but there are no decisions yet. We are waiting for an answer from Nikita and Viktoria - they have to make decisions. We didn't want to waste time and did a tryout just in case. We really want things to stabilize - nothing is certain now and our point of view is not taken into an account. We'd like to have a final decision and go on with the plans.
http://itar-tass.com/sport/1102184

http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/sho...zarova-Russian-tall-guy&p=4233071#post4233071


There is also this link about Bestemianova being angry of this situation as well. I don't know what exactly is she saying though.
http://rsport.ru/figure_skating/20140407/741404720.html

 

[dorispulaski]

From the last linked article:

Moscow, 7 Apr-r-sports, Anna Manakova. 1988 Olympic champion in ice dancing Natalia Bestemianova said the Agency "p-sport" that she considers inappropriate and strange intentions to reshuffle in the Russian dance pairs Elena Ilinykh/Nikita Katsalapov and Victoria Sinitsina/Ruslan Žiganšin.
Earlier, MEDIA reported that Nikita Katsalapov intends to continue to compete with Sinitsina. On Monday, it became known that Ilinykh will skate with Žiganšinym, a statement filed under skating figure skating Federation of Russia.

Swapping Ilinykh/Katsalapov dancing couples and Sinitsina/Žiganšin > >

"Apparently, Ilinykh with Katsalapov was in a bad relationship, and because of their relationship, it not only pull down their work, and but also the work of another pair of competitors. It is a strange decision, which breaks the two strong couples and allows foreign couples [they] can easily beat [to advance]," Illya said by telephone. -"In the next four years, [if] the couples only stay together, they will be in position in the ratings, and this new position is weaker. Both couples put themselves down, and which of them can (achieve) something, nobody knows. It is strange that the coaches could not prevent couples from such a stupid decision ".

The 1988 Olympic champion added that the couple Žiganšin/Sinitsina achieved a good result in their first World Championship. "Žiganšinym & Sinitsina a great result for newcomers to the World Championships-seventh place. Why does everyone have to [criticize?], "summarized the interlocutor of the Agency.

Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov were bronze prize-winners of the Olympic Games 2014 in ice dancing, Olympic champions in the team competition. Sinitsina Žiganšin-2012 world junior champions, bronze medalists for the 2014 Russian Championships.


Re Ilinykh and Žiganšin, FFKKR said on Monday that they would team up together > >

 

[bekalc]

I don't think its fair to blame Nikita. We don't know what's gone on with that relationship for the past couple of years. Its possible that Elena's done plenty to cause Nikita to run for the hills. I frankly think she had to have done something given I/K's success.

As for him not being honest, maybe things were better a few weeks ago and things became worse again. He may still have been deciding. Its not like he announced this to the press before telling Elena.

If he tried out with someone else he tried out with someone else its not the first time he's reportedly done this.

 

[Alba]

I personally don't blame Nikita or Elena, or better say, If I have to blame someone I blame both of them. It takes two to tango.
However, I agree with Tarasova and above all I blame the FED. They should've seen this coming and they should've prevented all this mess, because Bestemianova is right, this isn't just about a couple but two couples.

About reports on work ethic issues. They were made early 2011 and I think people change. Also, the reports were always about I&K, not only about Ilynikh alone.
I don't know if she has a "Diva" attitude, but being a "Diva" doesn't mean you're lazy. Oksana Grishuk had the diva attitude but she was a hard worker, really an workaholic. So the two things are not related.

 

[uhh]

http://www.sovsport.ru/news/text-item/701475

Sounds like the federation are finally stepping in. Who knows if it is in time though.

 

[keasus]

Yes, Weak Ankles. That is exactly what happened. My apologizes to Matt K for my technical faux pas. However, my comments remain the same.

 

[Alba]

http://www.sovsport.ru/news/text-item/701475

Sounds like the federation are finally stepping in. Who knows if it is in time though.

A bit late to step in now...what are they saying?

 

[uhh]

A bit late to step in now...what are they saying?

They are going to meet with both Ilinykh and Katsalapov tomorrow, to seriously discuss what the problems are. He says it's like a piece of china, it's been dropped and broken, but maybe it's still possible to put things back together.

There's also been comments from Zhulin, Tarasova, Vassiliev saying this is a very very foolish decision - they are all on the coaching board in the fed, and I think new partnerships at this level have to be approved by the federation? So it still sounds like nothing is settled, it just comes down to whether it's possible to patch things up between the two of them. They really didn't look like a team who's working relationship had completely broken down at Worlds, so maybe there is still a sliver of hope for them. The other interesting thing is that there has been no comment from Morozov at all in this - is he already in NJ and completely out of the picture?