Anastasia Shpilevaya & Grigory Smirnov

[The Finn]

Any idea what they are saying in this interview?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPWFe9KW-mU

 

[Marta25]

Looks like they are back on ice

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcUtp0vDLUI/?taken-by=shpilevaya_nastya

Hopefully they can still make it to Junior Nationals in January

 

[The Finn]

They are not on the entry list for Junior Nationals. I am SO disappointed because it means that they can't make it to the JWC now, and this season was their last junior eligible season.

 

[Barb]

They are not on the entry list for Junior Nationals. I am SO disappointed because it means that they can't make it to the JWC now, and this season was their last junior eligible season.

omg, no

 

[3T3T]

Oh no, I didn’t realise this was their last year of junior eligibility, so disappointing. I’m disappointed that they haven’t made the Junior Worlds podium, after a 5th and 4th in the last two seasons I was hoping for a bronze (at least) this year. I really liked their ‘Love Story’ free, even though I sadly only seen it the once. It will be tough for them to break through in Russian senior ranks but they can do it.

 

[The Finn]

It must have been very hard for them to see how Skoptsova/Aleshin won everything this season. In the past they always beat S/A and they must have known that if they would have been healthy they could have won everything this season. It could have been their golden season.

Now that they had to skip their last junior season things will be harder than expected for them next season. Most likely they don't get any GP events, In theory if they would look excellent in the CS events and domestic events they could get the home GP spot but even that looks highly unlikely. Hopefully we will see them at three CS events at least.

 

[Marta25]

In the past the competition between S/A and S/S was very close. The difference at Junior Worlds 2017 was only 0.13 points. It`s bad that this injury had to happen in their last junior season, since it will also have consequences for their GP season, but I would rather have them miss out this season than dealing with an injury in the next few years that wasn`t healed properly because they rushed getting back to the ice. Yes, it would have been nice if they could have won at least one World Junior Medal, but we saw over and over again that success in Juniors doesn`t always translate to success in Seniors, especially not in Russian Ice Dance. I hope they will overcome this difficult season and we will see them with great programs and success in the next season.

 

[The Finn]

It seems Nastia & Grigory were at the opening game of the 2018 Fifa World Cup. I am sure it was a great event for them since Russia won Saudi Arabia 5-0.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkBPZk3DgzG/?taken-by=shpilevaya_nastya

 

[The Finn]

Now that we know that Loboda / Drozd have split up and Evdokimova / Bazin has already been selected for Rostelecom it looks like Shpilevaya / Smirnov should be the obvious choice for the 3rd Rostelecom spot. I mean there are no other real contenders I can think of.

 

[The Finn]

Is that a submarine in the back on this pic?

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl5NEHFj7Y9/?taken-by=shpilevaya_nastya

 

[dorispulaski]

If it is, it is in a museum. There are no outside railings on operational submarines, because at best, they would cause drag and noise, making them slower and more sonar-detectable, and at worst they would tear off when underway at depth, weakening the hull.

https://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/how-the-soviet-akula-changed-submarine-warfare-1819380681

 

[The Finn]

It is indeed a submarine. You can see the same submarine in this video. It is a museum submarine in Moscow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW_M20id8YU

As one can see in the video next to that submarine is an old ekranoplan, not the famous Caspian Sea Monster though, but a smaller one.

 

[sunn1ly]

What an innovative free dance and they skated it so well. I am now earning to see their tango. Won't they already give them GP assignment or two. They are really wonderful.

 

[aperon]

good program
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXSohFvOEwI

 

[Tex]

Really cool, unique, and modern free dance from them and a new team for me to cheer for. Here’s another video of their FD from a different angle. https://youtu.be/zDk3CUzsVxM

 

[coldblueeyes]

I've missed these two so much! Love the FD, hopefully they can bounce back this season and make themselves known!

 

[The Finn]

Another video which is not as shaky as the first one.

FS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDk3CUzsVxM

 

[The Finn]

What an innovative free dance and they skated it so well. I am now earning to see their tango. Won't they already give them GP assignment or two. They are really wonderful.

Hopefully they will get the last Rostlecom spot which is still open. They should be the number one favourite the get it but you never know until Fed will announce it.

 

[Lana05]

They were 3rd with good points 173.77 behind Sinitsyna/Katsalapov and Evdokimova/Bazin https://www.fsrussia.ru/results/1819/1etap/CAT002RS.HTM
This should be enough for Rostelecom spot

 

[The Finn]

Video interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jhmeUClfbQ

1st Russian Cup Event
RD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mj4T4B0KmQ
FD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0wUKEUXsdg