2018-19 Russian Pairs' figure skating | Page 5 | Golden Skate

2018-19 Russian Pairs' figure skating

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Is this year's FP technically worse/inferior to their last year's? Last year's was a joke to me as well so I never paid it too much attention. I was too shocked by their music and costumes and did not watch it closely after the first time I saw it.

This all makes no sense to me at all as they are actually technically good and good programs would get them far.

Yes, it is worse. That at least was one whole program, whether you liked the music or no. This is a terrible medley with awful music cuts.

- - - Updated - - -

Well, at least, one competition has already passed + test skates. I'll wait Nebelhorn Trophy, but I'm sure there will be nothing new.

The test skates are not a competition.
 

puremagic

-
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 14, 2016
Is this year's FP technically worse/inferior to their last year's? Last year's was a joke to me as well so I never paid it too much attention. I was too shocked by their music and costumes and did not watch it closely after the first time I saw it.

This all makes no sense to me at all as they are actually technically good and good programs would get them far.

Their last year's FP program wasn't so bad. But costumes were really horrible. I don't know what's wrong with mistress Mozer. This couple deserve to have programs with the same quality as V/T and S/K had.
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Their last year's FP program wasn't so bad. But costumes were really horrible. I don't know what's wrong with mistress Mozer. This couple deserve to have programs with the same quality as V/T and S/K had.

I thought the costumes they had at the beginning - the wine red ones - were quite nice, but I don't know where they disappeared to. In an interview they said they hadn't been liked, so they got the blue ones instead? (And then they weren't liked, but they didn't have the time to change them, apparently.)

The music selection for the new FP is just so... weird. Listening to it, one's main question remains: Why?
 

nimi

Medalist
Joined
Apr 7, 2014
This couple deserve to have programs with the same quality as V/T and S/K had.
Definitely.

As far as last season's much criticized FP goes, a recent interview had some interesting tidbits (translation from FS Gossips):
Wasn’t it hurtful to hear the opinion that your free program is much weaker than your main competitors’?

Evgenia: This is just criticism that should be taken into account and don’t repeat such mistakes. (...) We did it first to one music, then the federation looked and came to the conclusion that music is not a format. As a result, we had to change it. (...) Our program they watched in July, when we were at training camp in Sochi, representatives of the federation came there and came to see our practice. Then they told us that it must be changed.
Wonder what the original FP was like...

They also said that Tchernyshev, who did last season's successful SP, choreographed both programs this season. I think his track record is good so I really don't know what's going on here. Maybe we've only seen the rough drafts and the final choreo will look better and also make more sense with the music choices? I want to believe... but can't help thinking that based on what we've seen this far, the SP does look boring and the FP is... uh... :confused2:
 

pearly

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 1, 2017
Their last year's FP program wasn't so bad. But costumes were really horrible. I don't know what's wrong with mistress Mozer. This couple deserve to have programs with the same quality as V/T and S/K had.

To me the music (Music) was also a very poor choice. Maybe because I've seen it done by some lower ranked skaters so it stuck in my mind as something a world medal contender simply does not skate to. Then the costumes sort of just added on to that. And then 2017/18 came.
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Definitely.

As far as last season's much criticized FP goes, a recent interview had some interesting tidbits (translation from FS Gossips):

Wonder what the original FP was like...

They also said that Tchernyshev, who did last season's successful SP, choreographed both programs this season. I think his track record is good so I really don't know what's going on here. Maybe we've only seen the rough drafts and the final choreo will look better and also make more sense with the music choices? I want to believe... but can't help thinking that based on what we've seen this far, the SP does look boring and the FP is... uh... :confused2:

The SP can be worked on, I think - it has the potential to become better.

My problem with the FP is the music choices/cuts - they feel like random pieces of music that are somewhat in the same vein stuck together. Even if one likes the music (I don't) there is no build to the program. It is possible to put disparate pieces of music together that evolve, build and create a whole - see Astakhova/Rogonov's SP, for example. These pieces don't do that. It's as if someone had been browsing music, listened to snippets before discarding them - and then suddenly decided to stick them all together to create a program. It doesn't matter if the choreo is a Piece of High Art, or if T/M suddenly turn into the most extrovert, outgoing performers in the history of figure skating - nothing will change the poor music choices. I haven't even paid much attention to the choreo for that reason - and also because it always takes pairs longer in the season to gel with a program, and therefore I always cut them a good deal of slack early on. Unlike singles, it isn't enough that each skater learns the choreo, and the performance, and the elements - they need to both do it together as well. Therefore early on pair programs are especially prone to looking tentative. My whole concern is the music.

Something like this might suit them, I think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpHz2yW2ghM

The music has drive, and momentum which suits their skating, but at the same time the music is not so "strong" so as to overwhelm them. There is no doubt other music - in other styles as well - that would suit as well. Surely finding them music that would suit them can't be that hard?

As for their current FP music - I wouldn't like it for anybody.
 

nimi

Medalist
Joined
Apr 7, 2014
Astakhova/Rogonov did really well in the SP @ Nepela and are leading. They were practically tied with Z/E in PCS but A/R had all of their elements called level 4 and therefore better BV & TES. (protocol)

The music cut that looks pretty damn questionable on paper didn't actually sound too bad when they skated!

Oh, and aside from a fall in the sbs 3S, Efimova/Korovin skated well, too.

Thoughts?
 

nimi

Medalist
Joined
Apr 7, 2014
Stolbova on Carmen (translation from FS Gossips again):
Preparing for the season, you had to change the music for the free program and took famous “Carmen”, many figure skaters skated to it, including Navka-Kostomarov, and Virtue-Moir …

Ksenia: By all accounts, Carmen is the best choice for the Olympic season for our pair. It seems that we have finally grown to this level. Secondly, the classical version of Bizet-Shchedrin will be understood at all continents. And I’m very flattered that you set the level of choosing this music by such great dancers as Tessa Virtue – Scott Moir and Tatiana Navka – Roman Kostomarov. I have reviewed almost all ice and ballet versions of Carmen, Fedor and I hope that we will be able to contribute to the ice story of this truly immortal masterpiece. By the way, if I remember correctly, in pair skating, no one has taken it yet.
...except Gordeeva/Grinkov did (although not as their FP, right?) but anyway...
 

s_parks

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 25, 2013
Well, there's certainly a bright spot in Russian pairs with Pavliuchenko/Khodykin. Their choreo and ss are impressive for a junior pairs team, and this is their first season together I believe. And best of all, she can do both triples!
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
Oh, and about juniors. It happened again. The Russian pairs curse continues. The new strong pair appeared again: Evelyn WALSH / Trennt MICHAUD. I won't be surprise if they will win JWC 2018 (or it could be Aussies again).

Yes, I can see how cursed Russian junior pairs are. Two pairs events gone and they have five medals. What a disaster! How come they don't have all six? Terrible state of affairs. :palmf:
 

puremagic

-
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 14, 2016
Yes, I can see how cursed Russian junior pairs are. Two pairs events gone and they have five medals. What a disaster! How come they don't have all six? Terrible state of affairs. :palmf:

Shush. Will talk after JWC 2018.
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
Shush. Will talk after JWC 2018.

Do junior worlds medals matter for long term results? Radionova has two golds, and yet it is not going to help her to get to Olympics. Sakhanovich has two silver and yet it didn’t get her even on the Russian team this year. A skater is only as good as their current skating.
 

whatif

Medalist
Joined
Feb 20, 2014
Do junior worlds medals matter for long term results? Radionova has two golds, and yet it is not going to help her to get to Olympics. Sakhanovich has two silver and yet it didn’t get her even on the Russian team this year. A skater is only as good as their current skating.

Well, in pairs skating, it used to. Because it takes time to become a pair. But then Canadians changed the game. Now any single skater can just lutz their way to the Gold. Forget about actual pairs skating. I think Russians are now changing their system to reflect this.
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
Well, in pairs skating, it used to. Because it takes time to become a pair. But then Canadians changed the game. Now any single skater can just lutz their way to the Gold. Forget about actual pairs skating. I think Russians are now changing their system to reflect this.

Not as easy to lutz your way to gold. The Canadians were beaten at the last worlds. Lutz on its own is not enough, and those pairs who medalled managed to do so even without Lutz. I think the level of skating in top seniors is so high with all those super hard elements, that it doesn’t matter who is successful at junior level and who is later bloomer. Lots of junior medallists did not get anywhere. Feditchkina, Mirzoev, Davankova, Vygalova, Zakroev, Gainedtinova, Bich...
 

Lana05

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 1, 2016
Pavliuchenko/Khodykin have better PB now than World Champions :thumbsup: They recieved 166,24 and A/W 164,10 at WC. Well done :clapper:
 
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