2016 JGP Mordovia Ice Dance SD | Page 5 | Golden Skate

2016 JGP Mordovia Ice Dance SD

sneakers

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Dec 24, 2015
Loboda / Drozd weren't crisp and looked visibly slow on the step sequences, they didn't look light... Loboda looks to have finally matured and might be struggling with growing pains. The best russian junior imo, are Sphivalyeva / Smirnov with wonderful light skating skills and very deep edges - only their levels aren't very good yet.

chances of Carreira / Ponomarenko winning overall is around 70 - 80 %.
 

Snow63

Pray one day we'll open our eyes.
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Mar 26, 2014
Loboda & Drozd had two visibly awkward moments, one in the lift, and one in one of the step sequences, AFAIR.

Carreira and Ponomarenko were not in the grestest sync in the twizzles, but the rest looked good, and their interaction with each other and the music was top notch, much better than their last outing. On balance, I have no problem with the two teams being close.

Loboda/Drozd skated much better than at Moscow Cup couple of weeks ago, but they still don't look ready for the season. How is it possible? :dbana: However, even in this state I don't see how Carreira/Ponomarenko could beat them without serious mistakes on their part. The difference between their overall abilities, speed and power now is pretty obvious. On the other hand, I can see Carreira/Ponomarenko on the top of Olympic pedestal in the future, can't say the same thing about Loboda/Drozd, unfortunately. Still love them :)
 
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topaz emerald

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Dec 1, 2015
My :slink: in Saransk says that Loboda and Drodz coach was really upset after C/P marks... She was seen having loooong discussion with Russian judge!!!!

?? what was the problem? she didn't like the fact that C/P scored so close to her pupils? In my opinion, C/P should be in first place :)
 

sneakers

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Dec 24, 2015
Loboda/Drozd skated much better than at Moscow Cup couple of weeks ago, but they still don't look ready for the season. How is it possible? :dbana: However, even in this state I don't see how Carreira/Ponomarenko could beat them without serious mistakes on their part. The difference between their overall abilities, speed and power now is pretty obvious. On the other hand, I can see Carreira/Ponomarenko on the top of Olympic pedestal in the future, can't say the same thing about Loboda/Drozd, unfortunately. Still love them :)

that's because most russian junior ice dance have not so good skating skills, edges aren't very deep - you can see this will L/D. They are good in juniors but struggle to transition to seniors, the last successful was Stepanova / Bukin. I can see at least Shpivalyeva / Smirnov transitioning better to seniors, but I hope someone can teach them to get high levels.
 

Snow63

Pray one day we'll open our eyes.
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Mar 26, 2014
that's because most russian junior ice dance have not so good skating skills, edges aren't very deep - you can see this will L/D. They are good in juniors but struggle to transition to seniors, the last successful was Stepanova / Bukin. I can see at least Shpivalyeva / Smirnov transitioning better to seniors, but I hope someone can teach them to get high levels.

I don't know if you can call that transition successful, they were JWC and beat Papadakis/Cizeron constantly, but in Seniors they won bronze at EC (with basically no competition) and that's all. No GPF, no top 10 at Worlds, no nothing. And honestly, if she will not start to bend her knees properly and their dances will not be at least average, I don't see them being very successful later in their careers.
As for edges, their edges are okay, clearly not Ilinykh, Katsalapov, Bobrova or Soloviev's level of deepness, but not much worse than Parsons' and McNamara. And ceirtanly not worse than Shpilevaya/Smirnov's.
 

MsLiinaLii

Final Flight
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Mar 8, 2013
I want Shpilevaya/Smirnov and Kuts/Mihkailov to leave Zhuk and go abroad, where they would be taught to get the levels cause both team have great potential.

Kuts/Mikhailov have been skating together since March, before that both had only 2 seasons of Ice Dance with previous partners - both were single skaters before switching to ICe Dance. Also, their participation today was questioned up until their start since Eva has back pains/back injury, so they are very cautios in doing their elements.... And I love their FD - hope they will skate it cleanly!
 

Snow63

Pray one day we'll open our eyes.
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 26, 2014
I want Shpilevaya/Smirnov and Kuts/Mihkailov to leave Zhuk and go abroad, where they would be taught to get the levels cause both team have great potential.

Kuts/Mikhailov have been skating together since March, before that both had only 2 seasons of Ice Dance with previous partners - both were single skaters before switching to ICe Dance. Also, their participation today was questioned up until their start since Eva has back pains/back injury, so they are very cautios in doing their elements.... And I love their FD - hope they will skate it cleanly!

So true. Same goes for Stepanova/Bukin tbh.
 

MsLiinaLii

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 8, 2013
So true. Same goes for Stepanova/Bukin tbh.

I personally do not see Stepanova/Bukin as serious contenders even if they start getting levels. There is a mismatch in that pair IMO.
While the 2 pairs I mentioned - both partners are well-matched, have the look, the lines, ice presence and etc.
 

sneakers

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Dec 24, 2015
I personally do not see Stepanova/Bukin as serious contenders even if they start getting levels. There is a mismatch in that pair IMO.
While the 2 pairs I mentioned - both partners are well-matched, have the look, the lines, ice presence and etc.

Shpivalyeva / Smirnov really do have everything except for the levels, Zhuk/Svinin will never reach them to high levels, they are not good as a technical coach.
Shpivalyeva / Smirnov effortless stroking and skating skills really caught my eye, they way they bend their soft knees in step sequences and both being expressive, Smirnov being up there with Cizeron as one of the most expressive male dancers.

It will be a waste if they will not reach such an enormous potential.
 

sneakers

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Dec 24, 2015
So true. Same goes for Stepanova/Bukin tbh.

Stepanova I think has limits to improve, I agree the pair is just mismatched with their abilities. Stepanova still hunches and the skating skills are not as good as his, given that Bukin doesn't have that good of skating skills either.
 

Snow63

Pray one day we'll open our eyes.
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Mar 26, 2014
Shpivalyeva / Smirnov really do have everything except for the levels, Zhuk/Svinin will never reach them to high levels, they are not good as a technical coach.
Shpivalyeva / Smirnov effortless stroking and skating skills really caught my eye, they way they bend their soft knees in step sequences and both being expressive, Smirnov being up there with Cizeron as one of the most expressive male dancers.

It will be a waste if they will not reach such an enormous potential.

With that I fully agree. They need more effective coaching team. Sadly Rus Fed rarely approves moving Junior teams abroad, and not only because of financial demands.
 

sneakers

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Dec 24, 2015
With that I fully agree. They need more effective coaching team. Sadly Rus Fed rarely approves moving Junior teams abroad, and not only because of financial demands.

I think Russia Fed are willing to train russian ice dancers in North America with good prospects look at I/Z and S/K.
 

Snow63

Pray one day we'll open our eyes.
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 26, 2014
I think Russia Fed are willing to train russian ice dancers in North America with good prospects look at I/Z and S/K.

But the Fed is not paying full price for Ilinykh/Zhiganshin, right? They have sponcor.

I think they will need to be pretty high at Senior Nationals to receive such opportunity. I highly doubt the Fed will send Junior team. Maybe in a couple of years.
 

sneakers

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Dec 24, 2015
But the Fed is not paying full price for Ilinykh/Zhiganshin, right? They have sponcor.

I think they will need to be pretty high at Senior Nationals to receive such opportunity. I highly doubt the Fed will send Junior team. Maybe in a couple of years.

Not junior of course, but once they are in senior level.
 

Axelsk8r

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 4, 2014
I want Shpilevaya/Smirnov and Kuts/Mihkailov to leave Zhuk and go abroad, where they would be taught to get the levels cause both team have great potential.

Kuts/Mikhailov have been skating together since March, before that both had only 2 seasons of Ice Dance with previous partners - both were single skaters before switching to ICe Dance. Also, their participation today was questioned up until their start since Eva has back pains/back injury, so they are very cautios in doing their elements.... And I love their FD - hope they will skate it cleanly!
Kuts has a really bad back injury, she's skating with brasses and it seems painful when she walks....
 
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topaz emerald

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Dec 1, 2015
I think she feels they're too close!

haha, well, I wouldn't be surprised if C/P beat them. Anthony and Christina have grown a lot physically. And I think Anthony's just going to continue to grow and get taller. I think Christina's done growing in terms of height. But they are are beautiful couple. Though I think they need to work on their twizzles and unison. Also, I like their exogenises music for FD, but not awed by their choreography. I wish they had a better choreographer. I think Igor's choreography is bad. I wish David Wilson or Jeffrey Buttle choreographed for them.
 
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