2015-16 State of Russian Ice Dance

[gmyers]

Skoptcova & Aleshin made the JGPF as well and won bronze at YOG.

And I agree. It is VERY like the American ladies.

If its like the American ladies then its up to the Russian federation to make sure they prevent going 10 years without a world medal. That's not something that should just be shrugged at.

 

[bwayrose7]

Nonsense. Hubbell & Donahue defeated Chock & Bates with that SD as well this season. They defeated Weaver & Poje with the FD. (Does this mean the World bronze medalists and Grand Prix Champions should be undermined by their federations? No.) H&D are a very strong team, well matched, back from injury, and fighting tooth and nail. They could win U.S. Nationals next year. Or they could be off the U.S. team. Every one of these U.S. teams knows it, and the competition is making them all stronger.

Precisely. It's not just about national rankings (Russian #1 vs. US #3). H/D's SD this season was widely acknowledged as a huge step forward for them and one of the standout SDs of the season. The sheer fact that one team is internally ranked higher than another means little, IMO, because those national rankings depend on the depth of the field in their countries, and right now, Canada and the US have incredibly deep fields. (Although, I would be surprised- utterly delighted, but surprised- if H/D surpassed C/B next season. I'd love it, but it's probably not happening. Sigh.)

As far as the Russians go, I admit to being slightly biased in favor of I/Z as my personal favorites; I find their skating the most unique and exciting to watch, and I think they are actually well-matched: even if Elena is always going to be a naturally stronger skater, Ruslan is a good partner. Their issue, from my uneducated standpoint, is primarily consistency and coaching secondarily. That lack of consistency has cost them big, and they have a fight ahead to regain the judges' favor. That said, there is no dominant team right now, which could work in favor of any team that manages to get two strong programs in the same year. I think B/S could have done well at Worlds if not for the meldonium scandal, but I fear that the fed may decide they're out of chances. S/B are lovely enough, but I don't find much potential to leave a mark; their programs to me are like running water: pleasant in the moment, but slipping away from memory before you know it. S/K don't do it for me at all; their programs always seem... self-satisfied and smug, I suppose, and Nikita's twizzles are the stuff of meme. But all this is just my opinion, I claim no expertise!

 

[gmyers]

Precisely. It's not just about national rankings (Russian #1 vs. US #3). H/D's SD this season was widely acknowledged as a huge step forward for them and one of the standout SDs of the season. The sheer fact that one team is internally ranked higher than another means little, IMO, because those national rankings depend on the depth of the field in their countries, and right now, Canada and the US have incredibly deep fields. (Although, I would be surprised- utterly delighted, but surprised- if H/D surpassed C/B next season. I'd love it, but it's probably not happening. Sigh.)

As far as the Russians go, I admit to being slightly biased in favor of I/Z as my personal favorites; I find their skating the most unique and exciting to watch, and I think they are actually well-matched: even if Elena is always going to be a naturally stronger skater, Ruslan is a good partner. Their issue, from my uneducated standpoint, is primarily consistency and coaching secondarily. That lack of consistency has cost them big, and they have a fight ahead to regain the judges' favor. That said, there is no dominant team right now, which could work in favor of any team that manages to get two strong programs in the same year. I think B/S could have done well at Worlds if not for the meldonium scandal, but I fear that the fed may decide they're out of chances. S/B are lovely enough, but I don't find much potential to leave a mark; their programs to me are like running water: pleasant in the moment, but slipping away from memory before you know it. S/K don't do it for me at all; their programs always seem... self-satisfied and smug, I suppose, and Nikita's twizzles are the stuff of meme. But all this is just my opinion, I claim no expertise!

On the first point you are right. United States is so superior to Russia in ice dance Russia number one is like china number one. There's no comparison. One program has collapsed and the other is exploding!

On the second point coaching is the problem and why I/z are moving but they are still going to be under the eye of the Russian federation which is devastating! And while zhiganshin may be a good working partner but everyone knows she's carrying them. That's 6.0 ice dance. She can't be Barbara fusar poli.

 

[Ice Dance]

If its like the American ladies then its up to the Russian federation to make sure they prevent going 10 years without a world medal. That's not something that should just be shrugged at.

Agreed. Hence my long meandering post earlier.

 

[Snow63]

Elena stated in her interview back in February, that they would make their final decision in May, so I guess we have to wait until then. Besides, my guess is that both Elena and Ruslan want to keep a good relationship with Kustarova. With all the mistakes she has done this season, she still was the one suggesting to them to team up and managed to bring them to a Russian National Champions title and a 7th place at their Worlds debut.
I agree that I/Z need to move on and I really, really hope they are going to switch permanently to Shpilband, but there is no need to criticize Kustarova openly.

In my opinion, the ONLY mistake Kustarova has made this season is when she agreed with Elena's music choices for SD. The root of the evil this season is SD. It's NOT Kustarova who fell on twizzles or messed up a lift. I still don't get why people criticize her THAT much.

Also, I don't understand why people think Ruslan needs a MALE coach? I personally think it's ********. Mozgov needs male coach too? No. And he's in Kustarova's group too. He just needs a GOOD coach, and Kustarova and Alexeeva did just fine for him.

Also, it's true about Yanovskaya/Mozgov. Famous russian journalist recently hinted that there're talks about split in that team because of serious injury.

 

[Marta25]

In my opinion, the ONLY mistake Kustarova has made this season is when she agreed with Elena's music choices for SD. The root of the evil this season is SD. It's NOT Kustarova who fell on twizzles or messed up a lift. I still don't get why people criticize her THAT much.

Also, I don't understand why people think Ruslan needs a MALE coach? I personally think it's ********. Mozgov needs male coach too? No. And he's in Kustarova's group too. He just needs a GOOD coach, and Kustarova and Alexeeva did just fine for him.

Also, it's true about Yanovskaya/Mozgov. Famous russian journalist recently hinted that there're talks about split in that team because of serious injury.

IMO it will be good for Ruslan to have someone new to look at his skating. It did wonders to B/S when they switched to Zhulin.
That's very sad news about Y/M.

 

[WeakAnkles]

In my opinion, the ONLY mistake Kustarova has made this season is when she agreed with Elena's music choices for SD. The root of the evil this season is SD. It's NOT Kustarova who fell on twizzles or messed up a lift. I still don't get why people criticize her THAT much.

Also, I don't understand why people think Ruslan needs a MALE coach? I personally think it's ********. Mozgov needs male coach too? No. And he's in Kustarova's group too. He just needs a GOOD coach, and Kustarova and Alexeeva did just fine for him.

Also, it's true about Yanovskaya/Mozgov. Famous russian journalist recently hinted that there're talks about split in that team because of serious injury.

Who's the injured one?

 

[Snow63]

Who's the injured one?

Anna. It seems that the injury might be fatal for her career. Poor RusFed officials, I feel their pain. Three couples...

 

[moriel]

Anna. It seems that the injury might be fatal for her career. Poor RusFed officials, I feel their pain. Three couples...

They can still talk Adelina and her DWTS partner to switch to ice dance =) *starting random crazy rumors*

 

[bramweld]

Zhiganshin may improve but never match with ilynikh. Can he ever really be her partner even if better? This isn't 6.0 ice dance. It may just be an imbalance forever.



The answer to that question is no but because of the strength of the US which can't be said in Russia.
No Russian team is equal to w/p so no to that as well.
But russia doesn't have an environment where competiton is making people stronger. So there is no room for incompetence and laziness or turning a blind eye to failures. So there must be consequences.



If only domination was the problem. The problem is incompetence. When teams to to seniors they become incompetent most of the time. If they were only silver or bronze or winning the gpf and than not winning worlds that would be a problem. But now its almost placing last at the gpf or last or not even making the gpf and then barely being top 10 at worlds. This is not loss of domination but competence.

TBH, Lena will always have that issue because she's a phenomenal dancer and skater. Nikita was IMHO adequate. A genius of a coach however will know how to make them harmonious together. Igor had this problem before when she first came to train with him, hopefully now he can address it well.

EDIT: Margalio, that was low, how can we compare our Ruslan to Margalio, Margalio? I refuse to believe it.

 

[gmyers]

TBH, Lena will always have that issue because she's a phenomenal dancer and skater. Nikita was IMHO adequate. A genius of a coach however will know how to make them harmonious together. Igor had this problem before when she first came to train with him, hopefully now he can address it well.

EDIT: Margalio, that was low, how can we compare our Ruslan to Margalio, Margalio? I refuse to believe it.

Maybe fusar poli is going to much but you have this imbalance that's just forever going to hurt the team

 

[bramweld]

Maybe fusar poli is going to much but you have this imbalance that's just forever going to hurt the team

I hope not because I really enjoyed Carmen and thought he suited her fine there and they've shown glimpses of what could be. But in all honesty this type of pair will not suit everyone, but I absolutely dig their vibe. So as they say to each their own.