Sinitsina/Katsalapov future prospects

[sses1]

What about P/C? Their development was "in the background" for the last few years, but really came to the forefront this season. They're younger and energetic, and could technically develop even further. Both V/M and D/W were young at the start of the 06-10 quad and by the end of it they were dominant. Just a thought.

Just a side note ... then we can resume talking about S/K again.

If P/C manage to keep improving I think they will be among the front runners for 2018. They have qualities that the other teams don't have, such great musicality, a beautiful flow on the ice and a great partnership. All they need to do is continue to improve the tech stuff. Personally, I prefer their style to C/B. It's not their time yet, but it will be. As for W/P, as much as it pains me to say this, i think they've peaked and I don't really see them climbing to the top as we know ID doesn't favor veterans.

 

[sses1]

They can't break up. He's too busy grabbing her butt at the beginning of the routine. LOL
Seriously, I was never a fan of I&K but I&Z I actually like together. I feel like he thinks he's the best male ice dancer out there and that ego is what makes me dislike him even more. I don't see them doing well. I predict they won't even be in the top ten at worlds. (I'll probably end up regretting saying that)

I actually liked I/K together when they didn't mess up. Their styles were so complimentary of each other. Nikita could do his "thing" and not look like a peacock because elena was able to match his pace and be just as expressive. She made him seem like a man more than Victoria does. I admit I am a bit bias because elena is such a special talent, but her outings with Ruslan have showed maturity, chemistry and drama as oppose to the all over the place S/K. I love the difference in style between these two teams but right now I'm wishing all the best to I/Z because with all things considered they are the underdogs here and I don't like the idea of S/Z coming out ahead just because of their good looks, recycled programs, political connections and famous coach when I/Z are clearly more put together.

 

[Sweet Dream]

Strangely enough sorta agree with gmyers, due to the success of Ruslena, my interest in I/K has waned significantly. When I see I/Z skate together I don't wonder what would Nikita do. That is a malady that only Nikita has ATM. I/Z, IMHO skate more as one.

Why do you guys always sing high praise for I/Z's skate while bashing S/K all the time? It is not fair! Didn't Nikita really know that ending his IDEAL partnership with Elena would very likely endanger his own professional career? We outsiders will never know their irreconcilable conflicts off ice, so we'd better not take sides rashly. I don't think Elena is that innocent and never see Elena as the victim of the whole split drama. And I also see nothing special in I/Z's skating, especially their free dance.

 

[chameleon]

They didn't say anything about Elena being a victim or taking sides. They just simply said they preferred I/Z's skating, which I do as well. They show a lot of promise- good speed, ice coverage, deep knee bend, good edges.

To get back on topic, unless S/K don't go anywhere for the next couple seasons, I don't see them breaking up. Even then, I'm not sure they could find partners who are at their level and a good physical match. They're kind of stuck with each other, for better or for worse.

 

[bramweld]

Why do you guys always sing high praise for I/Z's skate while bashing S/K all the time? It is not fair! Didn't Nikita really know that ending his IDEAL partnership with Elena would very likely endanger his own professional career? We outsiders will never know their irreconcilable conflicts off ice, so we'd better not take sides rashly. I don't think Elena is that innocent and never see Elena as the victim of the whole split drama. And I also see nothing special in I/Z's skating, especially their free dance.

Tbh, if you look back at my earlier comments, I have said S/K have very good programs. And to be frank I thought their exhibition held much promise. However when madam Zueva starts to say that her pupils have eclipsed D/W and V/M, their chemistry is exceptionally mesmerizing, they are the fastest team in all of ID you're just compelled to set the record straight given what we've seen. Going forward however it would be better to be tactful as it is in poor taste to kick a pair when they're down. S/K are talented skaters mind you it will just take them more time to gel due to their obvious issues.

Their smug behaviour also did not endear them to fans of ID in general. In fact I am quite happy that I/K and S/Z have split. However no matter your personal issues a person of character should be able to treat a former business partner with a modicum of respect. These are people they were still going to be in intimate contact with for at least another four years right?

Lastly the performance execution of I/Z is at a appreciably higher level than S/K at the moment. Does this answer your question?

 

[meteorlight8]

Why do you guys always sing high praise for I/Z's skate while bashing S/K all the time? It is not fair!

How is it NOT fair for people to sing high praise for I/Z considering they made GPF in their first season after such a short time together, esp. under difficult circumstances? Maybe a few go overboard in "bashing" S/K, but I think most people have been quite reasonable in their comments. S/K did NOT have a great debut, esp. when juxtaposed (inevitably) to the partners they dumped - they made major mistakes in 3 of their 4 debut programs and ended up with the lowest TES of any couple on the GP for their free dance at NHK ... that's just the hard facts. Do they need to break up? Of course not. But they're not exactly deserving of praise at this point.

Didn't Nikita really know that ending his IDEAL partnership with Elena would very likely endanger his own professional career? We outsiders will never know their irreconcilable conflicts off ice, so we'd better not take sides rashly.

Maybe he did ... maybe he didn't. It was his choice (and he needs to live with it), but why shouldn't outsiders be able to judge the outcome? People are called upon to make judgment calls and take sides without the complete set of facts all the time - it's just the way the real world works. You're free to not take sides all you want, but don't patronize others.

I don't think Elena is that innocent and never see Elena as the victim of the whole split drama. And I also see nothing special in I/Z's skating, especially their free dance.

Wait, back up, does this mean you know something of their irreconcilable conflicts off ice to think Elena's not that innocent (I thought we weren't taking sides?)? Oh the irony ... But I do agree with you - as it turned out, she's most definitely NOT the victim of this whole split. I mean even if I/Z finish last at GPF, that's no worse than what I/K had ever achieved on that front.

 

[MK's Winter]

Why do you guys always sing high praise for I/Z's skate while bashing S/K all the time? It is not fair! Didn't Nikita really know that ending his IDEAL partnership with Elena would very likely endanger his own professional career? We outsiders will never know their irreconcilable conflicts off ice, so we'd better not take sides rashly. I don't think Elena is that innocent and never see Elena as the victim of the whole split drama. And I also see nothing special in I/Z's skating, especially their free dance.

I don't think the intent was to bash. Unfortunately the comparison's are going to be made. I think that is thanks in part to Marina. I myself thought it tactless that comments were made to the press after the fact about their former partners. He should have buckled down, dropped off the radar and let the skating speak. Marinas approach set Nikita and Victoria up to fail with all of those grand expectations. And they did just that at NHK.

I do not think they will fail or break up. There are some good qualities in this pair. However I think trying to style Victoria as a Tessa made up like Navka and have Nikita try to be the next Scott Moir is a mistake. They need to get back to their basics and work on skating as a team, building that trust in their elements which I don't think they have yet. I would like to see them develop a style that is their own. These things take time and frankly I didn't expect big things from either team considering that they are brand new teams. It takes time to gel.

 

[Sweet Dream]

Their smug behaviour also did not endear them to fans of ID in general. In fact I am quite happy that I/K and S/Z have split. However no matter your personal issues a person of character should be able to treat a former business partner with a modicum of respect. These are people they were still going to be in intimate contact with for at least another four years right?

Readers always love dramas on/off ice. Do you fully believe the reliability of the Russian press in reporting such melodramatic story? Misquotes/misunderstandings often occur in the news, and we people should not be misguided by those Press Professionals all the time.

 

[Sweet Dream]

@meteorlight8, Elena's behavior on/off ice is way too dramatic and affected, so that even a man could not take that and chose to go his own way. Is this the proper answer to my version "she is not that innocent"? BTW, I am patronizing nobody here with my neutral comment.

 

[leolion11]

Elena's behavior on/off ice is way too dramatic and affected, so that even a man could not take that and chose to go his own way. Is this the proper answer to my version "she is not that innocent"? BTW, I am not patronizing anybody here with my neutral comment

I suppose Elena's behaviour on/off ice would have contributed to the split, but I think most people are siding with her because of the way Nikita handled the split.

To go back to the topic at hand, nah I'm pretty sure they won't split up. They chose to break up their old partnerships to go along with this one (at a huge expense because Nikita may very well be doing well with Elena if they hadn't split) so I bet they will continue working together. If it doesn't work out in a few seasons, then MAYBE they will split, but for now they can only continue competing together.

 

[bramweld]

Readers always love dramas on/off ice. Do you fully believe the reliability of the Russian press in reporting such melodramatic story? Misquotes/misunderstandings often occur in the news, and we people should not be misguided by those Press Professionals all the time.

Katsalapov and partner have had way too many opportunities to make respectful comments about their previous partners for us to have any sympathy for them in this regard. They themselves have chosen their current stance. As such they should be willing to accept the consequences of their actions. The callousness with which they have carried out their affairs I cannot imagine any other ID pair acting in this way. So for the last time no one blames them for the split but rather how they handled the split. But in time people will forget and warm up to them especially if their skating improves. Try to put yourself though in the place of Ruslan and Lena at the last worlds and tell me that you cannot understand the empathy that people would have for them this year. Skating in Saitama must have been one of the hardest things they've had to endure in their entire lives and they did so admirably. They have shown true grit over and over. People naturally gravitate to those kinds of stories.

 

[Sweet Dream]

Try to put yourself though in the place of Ruslan and Lena at the last worlds and tell me that you cannot understand the empathy that people would have for them this year. Skating in Saitama must have been one of the hardest things they've had to endure in their entire lives and they did so admirably. They have shown true grit over and over. People naturally gravitate to those kinds of stories.

You know, I was on the side of Elena at that time, but after some detailed inside stories were made public, I changed my position. I don't think Nikita is the one responsible for the leakage of their possible split right before their last Worlds. Anyway I wish good luck to them both with different partners.

 

[azcalder]

Of course not.

What happened today was a result of trying to rush changes between CoR and NHK. New partnerships take time. And it's not just the couple that needs to recognize this but their coach and their Federation. Pushing too hard can cause serious accidents.

Does anyone remember back to 1995 at Skate America in Detroit when Artur Dmitriev and his new partner Oksana Kasakova placed fifth. People were very worried about that pair. Oksana could barely keep up with Artur as he pulled her around the ice. However, Tamara Moskavina promised that in time, good things would happen for them. By 1998 they won the Olympic gold medal. Perhaps patience is the answer for Victoria and Nikita.

 

[bramweld]

You know, I was on the side of Elena at that time, but after some detailed inside stories were made public, I changed my position. I don't think Nikita is the one responsible for the leakage of their possible split right before their last Worlds. Anyway I wish good luck to them both with different partners.

My dear if we knew the true story I am sure that we would take sides with neither party. And I believe no one blames Nikita for the split, it is clearly obvious that they were an incompatible pair. However this is your former ice dance partner that helped you to achieve the success you have today. You don't go around betraying to the public her character flaws without due thought to your own. You don't go around calling a person smug, obstinate, prone to error and unstable when your very actions show that you are no better. Rather you "man-up" take the split in stride and move on with some dignity. This is why Ruslena have the support they do while persons are somewhat cooler to S/K. However S/K are a talented pair and they will become formidable if they are prepared to be patient with each other.

 

[bsfan]

If Elena was not innocent for the split, what about Ruslan? I just feel the whole split was very unfair to him. Why he deserves this and that 'do not want to comment' from his ex partner?

 

[Meoima]

If Elena was not innocent for the split, what about Ruslan? I just feel the whole split was very unfair to him. Why he deserves this and that 'do not want to comment' from his ex partner?

Oh dear... Ruslan is the one who benefits the most from this split IMO. But of course it must be sad and shock for him at the time.

 

[Alba]

I see they are not in Zagreb, right? How does this work for the TES minimum they need for Worlds?
They just need to hope that they are going to be chosen for Euros?

 

[chameleon]

Hope that they're chosen for Euros AND don't mess up so they can make the minimum there. It's a bit of a gamble.

 

[bramweld]

Hope that they're chosen for Euros AND don't mess up so they can make the minimum there. It's a bit of a gamble.

Her hip may be a little sore, so maybe its a gamble they have to take.

 

[MK's Winter]

Her hip may be a little sore, so maybe its a gamble they have to take.

That fall was tough. I hope she is ok. Hip bruises are the worst