Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov Split

anyanka · Mar 29, 2014

dorispulaski said:
Pechalat trained in Russia for a long time. I bet she speaks Russian. Certainly Fabian does, in any case. And I would not be surprised whether some words spoken in Russian, probably by Elena, reached her ears.

Send them to Shpilband; they need teknik more than anything else, and Zoueva doesn't provide it. Maybe Fabian, now that he is working with Igor, could do their choreo?

I noticed that after Vancouver 2010, no Russian teams trained in the US anymore. Suddenly everyone went back to Moscow or Petersburg. I remember when Linichuk trained Domnina / Shabalin, and the top Russians trained all through the 90s in the US. Now that Sochi is over, I wonder if perhaps the skating federation would be open to sending teams to North America to train once again? They didn't have the resources before but now the country is flush with oil money and it's definitely finding its way into training top athletes. Or would the Russians suddenly call all the coaches back to the old country if they had facilities and funds at their disposal?

And where IS Linichuk these days? Is she grooming junior teams for the next quad and they'll suddenly start winning everywhere on the 2014 GP series?

pangtongfan · Mar 29, 2014

hyperinflation said:
why was she even commentating when she should be standing with g/p at the boards.......

Good question and so true. It seems her commentary career is becoming more important than her coaching career.

dorispulaski · Mar 29, 2014

Linichuk is still at Iceworks in PA. It is a while since she has had a team at Worlds, other than the Chinese team.

whatif · Mar 29, 2014

Not all but majority of Russian skaters do not like training abroad particularly in US. They find it hard to adjust culturally. Not competing or traveling but spending too long time living there. Hence I doubt many of them will be volunteering to do so. The Federation can push anyone but there is no need, the conditions in Russia are perfect and less expensive than shipping somebody abroad. Unless they make a deal with Zoueva, who is the only one they may be attracted to.

Pippuripihvi · Mar 29, 2014

anyanka said:
I noticed that after Vancouver 2010, no Russian teams trained in the US anymore. Suddenly everyone went back to Moscow or Petersburg. I remember when Linichuk trained Domnina / Shabalin, and the top Russians trained all through the 90s in the US. Now that Sochi is over, I wonder if perhaps the skating federation would be open to sending teams to North America to train once again? They didn't have the resources before but now the country is flush with oil money and it's definitely finding its way into training top athletes. Or would the Russians suddenly call all the coaches back to the old country if they had facilities and funds at their disposal?

I guess some russian skaters trained abroad because after the collapse of the USSR there were almost no good skating rinks in Russia + a lot of coaches moved to US. Now there's just no need in it, and it all started long before Sochi and Vancouver. Some coaches have returned, the number of skating rinks is growing, and a whole new generation of young coaches has appeared. But not a single coach in the world can solve problems that I/K have. It's called laziness.

BlackPack · Mar 29, 2014

WeakAnkles said:
This ^ I really liked The Man with a Harmonica as well, except for the musical cut to TechnoTosca (Russians do seem to love their eurotrash disco updates of classical music, probably because the beat gets pushed in the audience's faces). The Birds program was a classic example of mistaking histrionics for drama, which is why it is already enshrined in the Camp Hall of Fame. Their posture is often tragic, but I'll say one thing for them--I have never ever been bored by or indifferent to their programs.

That's great to hear there's someone out there (except me) who enjoys B&S. I also loved their Melody of the White Knights program, a soundtrack that was first skated by Maria Butyrskaya. Birds was awful; I don't know what Zhulin was thinking. I completely agree with you on the Tosca Fantasy. I don't know why they didn't just stick to the Man with the Harmonica from start to finish. It was dark and modern, much like the Kerrs' Muse's "Ruled by Secrecy." Their posture seemed to be quite good earlier in their career. I don't know if they were trying too hard to be fast and thus sacrificed posture and line in doing so.

sisinka · Mar 30, 2014

BlackPack said:
That's great to hear there's someone out there (except me) who enjoys B&S. I also loved their Melody of the White Knights program, a soundtrack that was first skated by Maria Butyrskaya. Birds was awful; I don't know what Zhulin was thinking. I completely agree with you on the Tosca Fantasy. I don't know why they didn't just stick to the Man with the Harmonica from start to finish. It was dark and modern, much like the Kerrs' Muse's "Ruled by Secrecy." Their posture seemed to be quite good earlier in their career. I don't know if they were trying too hard to be fast and thus sacrificed posture and line in doing so.

They wanted to have this music only....but then Tarasova came and started to push them to change music completely (how much it reminds this season's story - a changement of whole SD and music in FD), but Zhulin didn't want to change the music, he wanted to keep a Man with the Harmonica, but Tarasova persisted, so Zhulin finally made a compromise - he change the second part of music for Tosca....so originally his idea was for one piece of music only, but once again Russian Federation didn't accept it and force him to make a changement. And once again the most difficult it was for B&S to adapt on new music/new programs and skate it perfectly like they would train it whole mid season...

Zhulin already gave an interview where he says that this season (for B&S) was in bigger part his mistake and that he will try not to repeat mistakes next season (but I can still feel, that this is not only about his decision and his programs, but also about Russian Federation - what they will force him to do/change in late August/September when all skaters should already have programs complete...I don't want to see a repetition of this beginning of the season surprise with new SD and new music for FD).

sisinka · Mar 30, 2014

BlackPack said:
That's great to hear there's someone out there (except me) who enjoys B&S. I also loved their Melody of the White Knights program, a soundtrack that was first skated by Maria Butyrskaya. Birds was awful; I don't know what Zhulin was thinking. I completely agree with you on the Tosca Fantasy. I don't know why they didn't just stick to the Man with the Harmonica from start to finish. It was dark and modern, much like the Kerrs' Muse's "Ruled by Secrecy." Their posture seemed to be quite good earlier in their career. I don't know if they were trying too hard to be fast and thus sacrificed posture and line in doing so.

With old choreography for recent music and new extremely fast Four Seasons music where B&S tryied to come into almost all beats in music, until this time I don't understand how they could skate it clean at Russian Nationals. The music is so fast that it is almost impossible to come for most of beats, all other skaters who used Four Seasons had choreography which did not accept all beats, only from time to time (just compare with Usova & Zhulin who skated the same music). B&S programs was so difficult to skate (I still think that probably only V&M would be able to skate such choreography to such fast music and not to fall)...and Birds story allowed different postures, even some of those Bobrova did...but I agree and expect that next year a couple will come with better body postures. Their lines are great, free leg extension, knee work is quite good, they have great skating skills, one of best edges in the field and somebody who saw them live at practise said that they are very silent while skating....the only problem is Bobrova's posture, but it is a noticeable problem.

BlackPack · Mar 30, 2014

Thank you so much for all the information and I always enjoy your Russian insider stories that the mere English Google can't find, sisinka. I do feel bad for B&S. I feel that they're marionettes/puppets to the defunct, arcane, and incompetent Russian Federation. They do indeed have so much natural talent. Zhulin, grow a backbone and stand up to them! He does have clout with his Ice Age work.

Tarasova sounds like she's going senile. The magic she worked with Yagudin, G&P, etc. is long gone. She is making statements that are fantastical and silly such as Sotnikova's exhibition is an innovative blend of the modern and classical or that Yuna's skating sucks or, in this instance, Ennio Morricone's brilliant, haunting Man with a Harmonica should be polluted with Tosca Fantasy.

Meoima · Mar 30, 2014

Tarasova the godmother is definitely senile, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have any big guns anymore, I hope she should stop and go for good but that scenario is still quite far away. :slink:

pangtongfan · Mar 30, 2014

She is completely senile these days, and has been for quite a few years. She single handedly butchered Mao's technique and skating, even if she came up with some occasionaly great programs for her (eg- 2010 Olympic season LP) and it took her years of post Tarasova to get back on track. She actually pushed hard in Russia for Bobrova & Soloviev to be Russian #1 for years, as opposed to I&K who have so much more talent and potential. The scary thing is she still carries huge clout in Russia and to a lesser degree the skating world.

WeakAnkles · Mar 30, 2014

anyanka said:
And where IS Linichuk these days? Is she grooming junior teams for the next quad and they'll suddenly start winning everywhere on the 2014 GP series?

After the utter debacle of the aborigine OD in Vancouver one would hope she is too ashamed to show her face.

WeakAnkles · Mar 30, 2014

sisinka said:
They wanted to have this music only....but then Tarasova came and started to push them to change music completely (how much it reminds this season's story - a changement of whole SD and music in FD), but Zhulin didn't want to change the music, he wanted to keep a Man with the Harmonica, but Tarasova persisted, so Zhulin finally made a compromise - he change the second part of music for Tosca....so originally his idea was for one piece of music only, but once again Russian Federation didn't accept it and force him to make a changement. And once again the most difficult it was for B&S to adapt on new music/new programs and skate it perfectly like they would train it whole mid season...

Zhulin already gave an interview where he says that this season (for B&S) was in bigger part his mistake and that he will try not to repeat mistakes next season (but I can still feel, that this is not only about his decision and his programs, but also about Russian Federation - what they will force him to do/change in late August/September when all skaters should already have programs complete...I don't want to see a repetition of this beginning of the season surprise with new SD and new music for FD).

Here's a good rule of thumb: if the description of something sounds like it will be utterly SILLY, the realization of it will be MUCH MORE STUPID. If someone had said to B/S and Zhulin, you know there's artistic, there's artsy, and there's artsy-fartsy, and having them play birds with sound effects with feathered costumes is even sillier than artsy-fartsy, it would probably have saved them all a world of grief.

Meoima · Mar 30, 2014

pangtongfan said:
She is completely senile these days, and has been for quite a few years. She single handedly butchered Mao's technique and skating, even if she came up with some occasionaly great programs for her (eg- 2010 Olympic season LP) and it took her years of post Tarasova to get back on track. She actually pushed hard in Russia for Bobrova & Soloviev to be Russian #1 for years, as opposed to I&K who have so much more talent and potential. The scary thing is she still carries huge clout in Russia and to a lesser degree the skating world.

Oh really? Then why my friend who is a fan of B/S said Tarasova always favors I/K over B/S?

BlackPack · Mar 30, 2014

WeakAnkles said:
After the utter debacle of the aborigine OD in Vancouver one would hope she is too ashamed to show her face.

That wasn't the only casualty. Not only did she ruin DomShabs but she also ruined Belbin and Agosto. 4 Olympic programs that didn't work. Not to mention "Cats" or "African Beats" or whatever that program is supposed to be (Krylova and Ovsiannikov 1999)....... What about DomShabs Spartacus? 2 Spectacular lifts that they already had before going to Lini and the rest of the program was a snoozefest. Moldovian Dance for the graceful and vivacious Belbin and Agosto? Actually, everything they ever did with Lini was

Some good moments and potentially good concepts but none of them worked.

She is probably one of the worst choreographers in skating.

I think skating insiders now avoid Lini like the plague. Shame, it does seem she and her husband are nice people. Their students seemed to like them, but that alone doesn't produce favorable results.

She used to have students who medalled at every Worlds/Olympics for nearly 2 decades. Now... I don't even know who her students are.

BlackPack · Mar 30, 2014

Meoima said:
Oh really? Then why my friend who is a fan of B/S said Tarasova always favors I/K over B/S?

Yes.... but with senile people, they're fickle. So you never know.

BlackPack · Mar 30, 2014

WeakAnkles said:
Here's a good rule of thumb: if the description of something sounds like it will be utterly SILLY, the realization of it will be MUCH MORE STUPID. If someone had said to B/S and Zhulin, you know there's artistic, there's artsy, and there's artsy-fartsy, and having them play birds with sound effects with feathered costumes is even sillier than artsy-fartsy, it would probably have saved them all a world of grief.

Well, the whole point sisinka was trying to make is that Zhulin knew it was bad but was powerless to stop it due to evil forces such as moldy Russian archaic vultures in the Federation and other senile people.

Snow63 · Mar 30, 2014

V.Piseev said that I/K splitting is unacceptable and this situation 'will destroy' ice dancing in Russia. He also mentioned that this rumour was started by 'our rival' (Zueva?), And that it does not honor any media or a specific person who started it and still trying to promote this situation.

Source: http://www.sports.ru/others/figure-skating/159060383.html

plushyfan · Mar 30, 2014

Snow63 said:
V.Piseev said that I/K splitting is unacceptable and this situation 'will destroy' ice dancing in Russia. He also mentioned that this rumour was started by 'our rival' (Zueva?), And that it does not honor any media or a specific person who started it and still trying to promote this situation.

Source: http://www.sports.ru/others/figure-skating/159060383.html

Yes, I read it. Shame on that person, who began to sart the rumour. Figure skating is disgusting sometimes.

WeakAnkles · Mar 30, 2014

And where were your protests when an "anonymous Russian coach" started his/her own rumor via L'Equipe? I don't recall either of you saying Shame on that person then.

Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov Split

anyanka

pangtongfan

Match Penalty

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl

whatif

Pippuripihvi

BlackPack

sisinka

sisinka

BlackPack

Meoima

Match Penalty

pangtongfan

Match Penalty

WeakAnkles

WeakAnkles

Meoima

Match Penalty

BlackPack

BlackPack

BlackPack

Snow63

Pray one day we'll open our eyes.

plushyfan

WeakAnkles

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