Any news on Kawaguti/Smirnov? | Page 3 | Golden Skate

Any news on Kawaguti/Smirnov?

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Ooooohhh! (sad sigh) I was really holding up hope for World's.... I do hope they continue next season at least....
 

tulosai

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 21, 2011
A quick update on Yuko & Sasha from their Facebook page. If Google Translate is correct, they will miss the worlds as we, and the entire season was a wash. We all kind of knew, but this appears to be confirmation:

http://rsport.ru/figure_skating/20140224/729515155.html

Here's a recent exhibition in Moscow they performed the day after Sochi ended:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DFoirVSzSI

I'm sad it never happened for these two at the Olympics. They would likely have been the second pair on the team instead of S/K and gotten a medal. But I'll always root for them!

Honestly, the fed wasn't going to give them a bye for Worlds anyway. I know many people dislike B/L but K/S simply have not outperformed them in the past few seasons. While I like B/L, K/S are one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE pairs, so I am sad about this, but it's a fact. B/L's record since 2010/2011 season: Worlds: 5, 6, 7. Euros: 3, 2, WD, 3. GPF: 5, didn't make it, 2nd, didn't make it. K/S record since 2010/2011 season: Worlds 4, 7, 6. Euros: 2, WD, 5. GPF: didn't make it, 3, 6, didn't make it.

At competitions where thy have gone head to head:

2011 Worlds: K/S 1 space above B/L. 2012 Worlds: B/L one space above K/S. 2013 Worlds K/S one space above B/L.
Euros 2011: K/S 1 space above B/L.
GPF 2013: B/L 2nd, K/S 6th.

In fact, a strong argument can be made that the teams are essentially equal internationally, with K/S possibly being Russia's #4 team, even with this injury not taking place. I don't like it. But facts are facts.
 

anyanka

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 8, 2011
Honestly, the fed wasn't going to give them a bye for Worlds anyway. I know many people dislike B/L but K/S simply have not outperformed them in the past few seasons. While I like B/L, K/S are one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE pairs, so I am sad about this, but it's a fact. B/L's record since 2010/2011 season: Worlds: 5, 6, 7. Euros: 3, 2, WD, 3. GPF: 5, didn't make it, 2nd, didn't make it. K/S record since 2010/2011 season: Worlds 4, 7, 6. Euros: 2, WD, 5. GPF: didn't make it, 3, 6, didn't make it.

At competitions where thy have gone head to head:

2011 Worlds: K/S 1 space above B/L. 2012 Worlds: B/L one space above K/S. 2013 Worlds K/S one space above B/L.
Euros 2011: K/S 1 space above B/L.
GPF 2013: B/L 2nd, K/S 6th.

In fact, a strong argument can be made that the teams are essentially equal internationally, with K/S possibly being Russia's #4 team, even with this injury not taking place. I don't like it. But facts are facts.

Thanks for the stats and comparisons! I agree, they haven't been performing up to their standards in the last quad, at least not since V/T showed up at the 2011 worlds and absolutely stole their thunder.

Additional question: but wouldn't Moskvina have had some pull in getting them a spot on the team? I know we can't answer that for sure, but I would guess if they won Russian Nationals this year it would strengthen their case for a slot. In any event, it's just speculation at this point.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
All I know is that they recently skated in an EX, and did not compete in the Russian Cup Final.
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Country
Russia

anyanka

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 8, 2011
Interview published 28 Feb (Russian)
http://fsrussia.ru/news/1121_aleksa...nu-mne-bylo-ochen-tyazhelo-smotret-olimpiadu/
Smirnov told that they can not be at Worlds, he has only double jumps. He needs a month or two to restore.

They want to continue skating, they participate in shows and prepare to new season.

They will be great exhibition performers, even if they never got an Olympic medal. They were one of the highlights of the Vancouver 2010 exhibition gala.
 

mousepotato

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 24, 2010
Honestly, the fed wasn't going to give them a bye for Worlds anyway. I know many people dislike B/L but K/S simply have not outperformed them in the past few seasons. While I like B/L, K/S are one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE pairs, so I am sad about this, but it's a fact. B/L's record since 2010/2011 season: Worlds: 5, 6, 7. Euros: 3, 2, WD, 3. GPF: 5, didn't make it, 2nd, didn't make it. K/S record since 2010/2011 season: Worlds 4, 7, 6. Euros: 2, WD, 5. GPF: didn't make it, 3, 6, didn't make it.
At competitions where thy have gone head to head:
2011 Worlds: K/S 1 space above B/L. 2012 Worlds: B/L one space above K/S. 2013 Worlds K/S one space above B/L.
Euros 2011: K/S 1 space above B/L.
GPF 2013: B/L 2nd, K/S 6th.
In fact, a strong argument can be made that the teams are essentially equal internationally, with K/S possibly being Russia's #4 team, even with this injury not taking place. I don't like it. But facts are facts.

I’m not sure I follow your train of thought so I’ll try my own.

You are correct about the Russian Fed not sending them to Worlds, there's no reason to send them to their first competition of the season when it’s everyone else’s last. It would be best to wait until next season and start fresh; nothing would be gained by sending them now.

As far as who is the better team, that is where I think you seem to be confused. Or I’m not understanding you.

B/L have only beat K/S twice.

1. Worlds in 2012 B/L beat K/S by 1.26. This was the year Smirnov had an appendicitis in January and missed Euros. He and Yuko fell on a lift in the short and was in 11th going into the free. In the free they didn’t get credit for a lift that would have given them about 5.25+ points (and a small bronze medal) and 4th instead of 7th-possibly 3rd-who knows what that botched lifts cost them.

So B/L only beat them by 1.26 and that was with K/S giving away 5.25+ points. Not exactly blowing the competition away.

2. GPF in 2012 where B/L got the silver where they skated the best they have ever skated (and let’s be honest, the best they will probably every skate in their careers) and K/S were 6th (not K/S finest skate.)

At Worlds 2013 K/S missed another 8.25+ lift but beat B/L by 6.85 points. With the lift they would have been in 4th place. A much bigger point spread that B/L in 2012.

B/L have really only ever smoked K/S at the GPF in 2012 and considering Smirnov knee injury it doesn’t surprise me they performed poorly there and at Europeans. As far as being equals internationally, I don’t agree.

If he wasn’t injured this is what heir program were already looking like, into the season it would have looked even better. They are still landing the quad.

SP
FS
Quad Throw

If K/S skated at Russian Nationals with Stolbova and Klimov fighting for that third spot with Bazarova and Larionov (if S/K had not beat B/L by .45) V/T, K/S and B/L would have gone to the Olympics. K/S would have won the team gold because they would have skated in the team free. K/S would have had a great shot at an indi medal, especially of would have look better than they did in August which I’m sure they would have. Just one knee injury really screwed Kavaguti/Smirnov from having a great season. Interesting how things turned out.

They are by no means out of it for next season and maybe the season after that. I hope Moskvina changes some of the choreography and gets help with their endurance.

wouldn't you know it; you can't see him jump individually

He was told not to jump in the dark so you wouldn’t have seen him do anything anyway. He is only doing double jumps until April or May under the advice of his doctors. If he is not competing there is no reason to push jumps sooner than next season.
 
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