Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov Split

[snowflakebeautiful]

Seriously, these guys need to boost their self-confidence. They don't need to show-off their bodies that way. Just go out and skate their best and show who will be better. Childish boys!

Ahahaha, but really!! Looks fade. Accomplishments and personality don't - that's what they should be aiming to be great in (and I'm sure they are). Granted, my eyes aren't going to complain if they look that good working towards those things....

EDIT: - And I agree with whoever said that it's nice to see that Ruslan is working hard! :agree: I'm glad that he's training hard and has that desire to better himself for the overall goals he and Elena have.

 

[Ryan O]

Seriously, these guys need to boost their self-confidence. They don't need to show-off their bodies that way. Just go out and skate their best and show who will be better. Childish boys!

I don't think I've ever seen a rivalry in ice dance before where the 2 boys feel the need to compete with each other to show off who has the best body!

I assume it's because they are both young and maybe it is part of the macho culture they are surrounded with over there. Who knows? Even Vladimir Putin has gotten the press to take photos of him shirtless to show how tough he is!

 

[Sandpiper]

This is hilarious! Rivalries are such beautiful, beautiful things. Hopefully both teams can bring that kind of passion to the ice--then we're talking! Hey, if they feel strongly enough to show off their bodies, hopefully they'll feel strongly enough to train their butts off too. Russian drama FTW!

 

[desertskates]

This is hilarious! Rivalries are such beautiful, beautiful things. Hopefully both teams can bring that kind of passion to the ice--then we're talking! Hey, if they feel strongly enough to show off their bodies, hopefully they'll feel strongly enough to train their butts off too. Russian drama FTW!

I agree! This will finally be what draws me into ice dance for good. Thank god selfies never became a "thing" until I learned to take them rarely and be fully clothed, lol!

 

[bramweld]

I agree! This will finally be what draws me into ice dance for good. Thank god selfies never became a "thing" until I learned to take them rarely and be fully clothed, lol!

These two boys had better not hurt themselves before the season even begins..LOL.

 

[fleeting]

These two boys had better not hurt themselves before the season even begins..LOL.

A fistfight in Elena's honor! Someone hitting Nikita with a flower bouquet as he exits the ice! Morozov seeks revenge! The climax of this entire thing is yet to come!

I predict a total showdown at Russian nationals next season - and I'm excited.

 

[Scott512]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY would they do it WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY????

It's not even that I am a huge fan of them (though I am a fan) but it just makes no SENSE. They are just now starting to be SUCCESSFUL, that is not the time to break up.

I feel the same way. They are so young and could be gold medal contenders in 2018. But Elena is so good looking and a media darling and perhaps her photo shoots etc. bothered him. I don't know. But there is no reason for them to break up unless they are tired of each other or have personality conflicts. The Russian Federation must be disappointed by this. Hopefully they will each get good partners and become good ice dance teams separated from each other.

 

[Meoima]

A fistfight in Elena's honor! Someone hitting Nikita with a flower bouquet as he exits the ice! Morozov seeks revenge! The climax of this entire thing is yet to come!
I predict a total showdown at Russian nationals next season - and I'm excited.

This sounds promising!!! The battle of the EXs!!!! Nikita hit Ruslan so hard he hit the ground, Elena runs into between to protect her new partner. Victoria throw the flower at Elena, Morozombie's dramatic entrance to end the fight.
And Tarasova standing above the arena with facepalm!!

 

[96skiluvr]

This sounds promising!!! The battle of the EXs!!!! Nikita hit Ruslan so hard he hit the ground, Elena runs into between to protect her new partner. Victoria throw the flower at Elena, Morozombie's dramatic entrance to end the fight.
And Tarasova standing above the arena with facepalm!!

DYING

 

[snowflakebeautiful]

A fistfight in Elena's honor! Someone hitting Nikita with a flower bouquet as he exits the ice! Morozov seeks revenge! The climax of this entire thing is yet to come!

I predict a total showdown at Russian nationals next season - and I'm excited.

Count me in!! No one does an ice drama quite like the Russians!

 

[Alba]

It sounds logical, Alba.
But why that mention about Olympic Medals then? She lost motivation because of Nikita and his plans, no? Why to put there Olympic Medals then? She felt bad because of Nikita’s behaviour, with or without Olympic Medals, no? Why to connect lose of motivation with any medals like she did. Or did she mean that without Olympic Medals her motivation would stay on place, so Nikita’s behaviour would not be that bad in this case?

Because the question to her previous answer, about being mad and dissapointed about the news and why she didn't see the reason to go to Japan after that, was about the world title. So she said, well after 2 Olympic medals the World title giving the circumstances meant nothing, and it's true isn't it? Still, she was able to perform as good as she could.
I mean, I really understand her. I left a performance (and it was the exam of the year) in the middle and went out of the concert hall because I was mad. I was very young but still it was a stupid thing to do, but I did it. She was wise and brave enough to use her anger to her advantage.

And why she never noticed lose of motivation in all previous cases when Nikita wanted to split?

Well, first of all the question was about this case, about what happened now not the past. Second, in their previous cases they were not aiming for a medal and If I'm not mistaken it didn't happened before a competition.
She was not saying that because of the news she lost motivation about skating in general, but that she didn't understand how can someone go to Worlds and dance for the World title after knowing that your partner doesn't want to skate with you aymore, and is doing all this behind your back.

I would like to see some videos from practises from both couples, it would be interesting to compare.

Me too.

 

[kittyvondutch]

A fistfight in Elena's honor! Someone hitting Nikita with a flower bouquet as he exits the ice! Morozov seeks revenge! The climax of this entire thing is yet to come!

I predict a total showdown at Russian nationals next season - and I'm excited.

If the Russians ever make a movie of all this, I am watching with subtitles for sure

 

[Alba]

If the Russians ever make a movie of all this, I am watching with subtitles for sure

I think you will not need the subtitles at all.

 

[bsfan]

I guess Elena was not motivated to skate in world because she sensed the split was real, unlike previous rumors. She is very smart and handled it well eventually. Hope she ends up with better partnership(than this ex) and results.

 

[Meoima]

I think you will not need the subtitles at all.

Yes, who needs subtitle for this masterpiece? most entertaining movie ever.
I am excited for the end of may, though. I hope I/Z will do well. Who knows if we will have more drama this off-season?

 

[snowflakebeautiful]

Yes, who needs subtitle for this masterpiece? most entertaining movie ever.
I am excited for the end of may, though. I hope I/Z will do well. Who knows if we will have more drama this off-season?

:agree: No subtitles needed when the high degree of emotion is present!

And me too!!! I'm really excited to see how things progress!

....And I feel like with the way things have been shaking out internationally with the high number of splits and such that there's more drama yet to come. Not to mention that the Russian Fed. hasn't approved either I/Z or S/K....for some reason, I wouldn't be surprised if there was more drama with that...perhaps an extra lengthy wait?

 

[Sandpiper]

This sounds promising!!! The battle of the EXs!!!! Nikita hit Ruslan so hard he hit the ground, Elena runs into between to protect her new partner. Victoria throw the flower at Elena, Morozombie's dramatic entrance to end the fight.
And Tarasova standing above the arena with facepalm!!

Why am I imagining the scene from Pocahontas where she throws herself on top of John Smith before her father could kill him?

 

[sisinka]

Jumping back in time…
Somebody (really not me) spent a lot of time making an analysis of I&K’s and W&P’s free dance from World Champs, that person compared opened / closed dance positions. The result was warning…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gQ7pL5FOS4
I&K spent 1:27 in open positions, only 0:18 in closed positions, the rest of time took elements.
W&P spent 0:27 in open positions and 1:25 in closed positions, the rest of time for elements.
I&K covered 8% of their free dance in closed posititions, but 36% of their free dance in open positions (56% went for elements).
W&P covered 36% of their free dance in closed positions, only 11% in open positions (52% for elements).

Dance was really going into a direction of pair skating, thanks for such choreographers who remember how a dance program should look like. I hope that Kustarova, Zueva and I&Z’s choreographer will respect close positions like one of requirements for Ice Dance Cathegory.

 

[elif]

Jumping back in time…
Somebody (really not me) spent a lot of time making an analysis of I&K’s and W&P’s free dance from World Champs, that person compared opened / closed dance positions. The result was warning…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gQ7pL5FOS4
I&K spent 1:27 in open positions, only 0:18 in closed positions, the rest of time took elements.
W&P spent 0:27 in open positions and 1:25 in closed positions, the rest of time for elements.
I&K covered 8% of their free dance in closed posititions, but 36% of their free dance in open positions (56% went for elements).
W&P covered 36% of their free dance in closed positions, only 11% in open positions (52% for elements).

Dance was really going into a direction of pair skating, thanks for such choreographers who remember how a dance program should look like. I hope that Kustarova, Zueva and I&Z’s choreographer will respect close positions like one of requirements for Ice Dance Cathegory.

Unfortunately ice dance become more open everyday. Judges didn't awarded Weaver/Poje at worlds against Capellini/Lanotte too.They wanted to see open, fast skating. Next year ISU added more ''close skating'' feature to 8.0-9.0-10.0 program component scores and we have one less lift because they want to see more dance. So maybe next year they can award this. I'm not optimistic.

 

[bramweld]

Unfortunately ice dance become more open everyday. Judges didn't awarded Weaver/Poje at worlds against Capellini/Lanotte too.They wanted to see open, fast skating. Next year ISU added more ''close skating'' feature to 8.0-9.0-10.0 program component scores and we have one less lift because they want to see more dance. So maybe next year they can award this. I'm not optimistic.

The effect of this new ISU feature will change things. I believe so. This is why little fuss should be made about either of these new pairs. The pair IMHO that did more technically challenging choreography was S/Z ironically. I/K for whatever reason did not do well in closed holds or they felt constricted in them. They went for the wow factor with their elements but somehow they didn't develop in many other areas. I think that K/A will help Lena to develop in this and other areas with Ruslan. It is the hallmark of her work. Zueva is also no fool, she will be aiming to also develop S/K. So they will need time to develop in this area. Russia just has to hope that they or at least one of them really gels before the next OG. Ice dance now has many wonderful teams.

Remember also there is no more I/K and most other teams I think did more work in closed holds.