Sinitsina/Katsalapov future prospects

[bramweld]

It is a very tense situation for them. Shock may be responsible in large part for their behaviour. They really thought they'd be outpacing I/Z even now. The potential is there. However it will take time as their skating styles are very different. However with Zueva in their corner, they will get to their destination albeit a little bit later than they had hoped.

A part of me also thinks Nikita on some level misses or regrets leaving Lena and Victoria senses this.

 

[MrsMcOups]

I also find it strange that the whole group (Nikita, Vika, and the coaches) were not talking in K&C at all - Vika was visibly upset and clearly needed support, but none was given, Zoueva appeared to have been baby-sitting Nikita. Unless drops like this are common (and I totally hate thinking this way). On a separate note, what's with their costumes - I think the previous ones were much better (personal taste.

 

[MrsMcOups]

Agree - they might need a different coach. Marina is great, but somehow her programs for S/K seem to highlight their technical mishaps rather than hide them. I seriously question her judgment in the case of their programs.

 

[dorispulaski]

MrsMcOups, Welcome to Golden Skate! Post long & often!

 

[sses1]

I just thought it was rude of Nikita to not even embrace her, look at her or genuinely ask her if she was fine. But maybe that's just him trying to act like nothing happened. I also agree with the K&C being awkward. Everyone there knew it was a very bad skate and yet they acted like robots almost, I would have loved to hear the conversation behind closed doors after that. I have to admit; I don't like Nikita's attitude and it goes back to how he does a bad job of presenting Victoria. He upstages his partner too much when he should be more concerned with finding their team nuances. I just think if he slowed down then they would have a better flow on the ice and maybe his balance points will be stronger.

 

[Alba]

TBH I think Nikita was in shock. I really don't think we can judge their feelings, intent or thoughts based on how they react on K&C, and after a disaster. Some smile, and we know they're all fake, some cry, some still in shock. It's natural.

 

[Meoima]

TBH I think Nikita was in shock. I really don't think we can judge their feelings, intent or thoughts based on how they react on K&C, and after a disaster.
Some smile, and we know they're all fake, sime cry, some still in shock. It's natural.

I think so too. They were in shock.
But obviously from that I have the feeling he didn't think of her much after such a disastrous performance. Because he was too bewildered by his own feelings.

 

[Alba]

But obviously from that I have the feeling he didn't think of her much after such a disastrous performance. Because he was too bewildered by his own feelings.

But it's normal. If you are in shock, how can you think of the other person?
You saw that even during the program, he gave up after the fall and never recovered, while she immediately got back into the program and kept going.

 

[bramweld]

I just thought it was rude of Nikita to not even embrace her, look at her or genuinely ask her if she was fine. But maybe that's just him trying to act like nothing happened. I also agree with the K&C being awkward. Everyone there knew it was a very bad skate and yet they acted like robots almost, I would have loved to hear the conversation behind closed doors after that. I have to admit; I don't like Nikita's attitude and it goes back to how he does a bad job of presenting Victoria. He upstages his partner too much when he should be more concerned with finding their team nuances. I just think if he slowed down then they would have a better flow on the ice and maybe his balance points will be stronger.

Who knows if she would have welcomed that. She didn't appear to want to embrace even after the SD. Vika does not strike me as that soft and cuddly personality. He could do that with Lena but not her. She was UPSET. He is beginning to see that the grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side.

 

[MK's Winter]

But it's normal. If you are in shock, how can you think of the other person? You saw that even during the program, he gave up after the fall and never recovered, while she immediately got back into the program and kept going.

I agree to an extent. He did abort the second lift and better to do that than risk another fall, in the respect that he didn't want to risk further injury to her and did not believe in himself at that point.

That being said I think he should have voiced some kind of concern either on the ice or in the kiss and cry. There was a lot of tension between them when they got off the ice.

 

[sses1]

I really don't understand why he would be in shock. He wasn't the one that fell. He also had considerable time to compose himself for the next lift. I thought maybe he hurt his leg somehow and didn't want to risk the weight and dropping his partner another time. The point is he is a professional and he didn't act like one, Victoria did. Many other male ice dancers would have acted differently, I would imagine Ruslan would act differently as well and he has the harder job having to lift Elena who is almost his height and not slight of figure but even he fights for composure.

 

[Meoima]

But it's normal. If you are in shock, how can you think of the other person?
You saw that even during the program, he gave up after the fall and never recovered, while she immediately got back into the program and kept going.

CoC, when both Yuzuru and Han Yan were extremely dazed and in shock after that collision, they still looked for each other. Yuzuru constantly asked: "What's about Han Yan? He even went looking for Han Yan for a while. Han Yan eventually went to Yuzuru and they both shook hands. How sweet these boys are. (Wait... It sounds like a love story...)

For sure Nikita was no where near the kind of shock that Han Yan and Yuzuru had.
I don't think Nikita is super bad for not comforting Vika after their bad free dande. He might say sorry to her after that. Or he might even cry when no one was looking. Still I feel like he is not a very sensitive folk.

 

[Alba]

I really don't understand why he would be in shock. He wasn't the one that fell. He also had considerable time to compose himself for the next lift. I thought maybe he hurt his leg somehow and didn't want to risk the weight and dropping his partner another time. The point is he is a professional and he didn't act like one, Victoria did. Many other male ice dancers would have acted differently, I would imagine Ruslan would act differently as well and he has the harder job having to lift Elena who is almost his height and not slight of figure but even he fights for composure.

People are different and react to certain circumstance in different ways.
Buckland also gave up and was like shaking when their FD finished, although he put a smile, kind of, face.

Nikita wasn't the one that fell but he was the one who caused it, and that's worse in terms of feelings and negative thoughts because you feel guilty and sometimes you don't understand what the hell happened. That's why he aborted the second lift, he didn't trust himself at that point.

Actors, dancers, musicians have had their bad moments on stage and they are pro. Some are quick to react others are not.
Do you remember Barbara's recrimination look to poor Maurizio in Torino? I think that's worse, but I can understand even that.

That being said I think he should have voiced some kind of concern either on the ice or in the kiss and cry. There was a lot of tension between them when they got off the ice.

Honestly though it's easy for us to say because we really don't know what was he, or she (maybe she doesn't like it) thinking during those moment. Maybe he's a bully and he doesn't care. Maybe he's too much concerned about himself, I don't know.
All I'm saying is we can't be so sure about their intention and feelings from television.
The only person who was lucid enough and it's also part of her job was Marina, and she should've done something.
I remember Mezzadri telling Barbara "get up, stand" while waiting for their scores in Torino.

 

[MK's Winter]

People are different and react to certain circumstance in different ways. Buckland also gave up and was like shaking when their FD finished, although he put a smile, kind of, face. Nikita wasn't the one that fell but he was the one who caused it, and that's worse in terms of feelings and negative thoughts because you feel guilty and sometimes you don't understand what the hell happened. That's why he aborted the second lift, he didn't trust himself at that point. Actors, dancers, musicians have had their bad moments on stage and they are pro. Some are quick to react others are not. Do you remember Barbara's recrimination look to poor Maurizio in Torino? I think that's worse, but I can understand even that. Honestly though it's easy for us to say because we really don't know what was he, or she (maybe she doesn't like it) thinking during those moment. Maybe he's a bully and he doesn't care. Maybe he's too much concerned about himself, I don't know. All I'm saying is we can't be so sure about their intention and feelings from television. The only person who was lucid enough and it's also part of her job was Marina, and she should've done something. I remember Mezzadri telling Barbara "get up, stand" while waiting for their scores in Torino.

Marina should have definitely took control of the situation. That's what they pay her for.

 

[penguin]

You know, Nikita isn't my favorite skater, either in talent or in sportsmanship/personality, but all this "how dare he not be more XYZ in the kiss and cry" outrage seems over the top. I'm not going to blame someone for NOT acting better in a moment of shock/surprise/rattled nerves, because everyone reacts to mistakes differently. Maybe he's full of himself and never takes responsibility for his errors, or maybe he's intensely embarrassed and finds it difficult to express that, or maybe he says things behind closed doors that we don't get to hear.

Back to the original question, though, I still don't think they'll break up, nor should they after one bad outing. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to find a new coach. I doubt it'll happen though.

 

[fleeting]

They were both clearly in a state of intense shock. It happens all the time - football players who get called out on a penalty, swimmers who false start and then look mortified, gymnasts who fall at the end of a combination. Your mind goes blank and you just feel panic. I don't blame him or her. It was a bad competition for them, happens to everyone.

And I'm definitely not the biggest fan of Nikita. I am, however, quite impressed with how quickly Victoria got up and started pressing onwards after she fell. She's tough and pretty.

 

[Buttercup]

I really don't understand why he would be in shock. He wasn't the one that fell. He also had considerable time to compose himself for the next lift. I thought maybe he hurt his leg somehow and didn't want to risk the weight and dropping his partner another time. The point is he is a professional and he didn't act like one, Victoria did. Many other male ice dancers would have acted differently, I would imagine Ruslan would act differently as well and he has the harder job having to lift Elena who is almost his height and not slight of figure but even he fights for composure.

Having your female partner fall from a lift (or hurt on another pair/dance element) can be a difficult experience in itself. The men know what kind of risks their partners are taking and they're trained, at least in theory, to try and break any falls.

Not that it's at the same level, but Marinin reportedly had a much harder time getting over the 2004 Skate America fall than Totmianina did.

 

[tulosai]

I would imagine Ruslan would act differently as well and he has the harder job having to lift Elena who is almost his height and not slight of figure but even he fights for composure.

I don't know how Ruslan would act really, but something that I like a lot and have not had the opportunity to mention before this (even though it's messing up their levels) is that in the SD lift he gets Elena 100% secure before attempting to go onto one foot, even though they both must know they are 'wasting' seconds to do so and it might lower the levels. To me this shows a very sensible concern for safety and that they have their priorities straight.

I will say a freak fall could happen to most anyone. In this particular case I think the lift was quite obviously very off and should have been aborted by one or both of Vika/Nikita, but it's a very rare team where the woman has never ever been dropped in any way.

 

[Alex D]

That an olympic champion has to go through so much negativity is not understandable to me.

Some people act like Elena won gold alone at Sochi and he is horrible and unable to skate...

 

[surimi]

Do you think Sinitsina/Katsalapov will break up after NHK?

I don't think they will, neither do I think they will leave Zoueva. They didn't have a lucky beginning of their competitive season, nor does it seem they're going to gel as prodigiously fast as I/Z. But I'm not ready to write them off after one unremarkable skate, and one bad skate. I think this question should be asked after they'd been together for a year, and no improvement is seen.