Sinitsina/Katsalapov future prospects

[noidont]

I want details about the feud between Trankov and Kustarova males. Dying for them.

 

[Mattieu]

Dear Mozgov.: I don't know why nobody considered him for Ilinykh after split. He is super great. But maybe too tall for Ilinykh. They could have look like Chock/Bates. Anna is very lucky.

Maybe because he already has a partner

 

[evangeline]

More like Ruslan was trying to diffuse the matter while trying to be respectful, but Trankov was constantly trying to belittle Ruslan. Hey look K had S picked out for at least a year in advance. No one thought the "little man" would develop nor did they care because K is the "man". LOL.. Not to say that K is not good. But I loathe how disrespectful the community as a whole has been to Ruslan. I hope they all live to regret it. So in my book K/S belong together.

It's so bizarrely immature that a 31 year-old man like Trankov is picking fights on Instagram with someone who is literally about a decade younger than he is.

 

[bramweld]

It's so bizarrely immature that a 31 year-old man like Trankov is picking fights on Instagram with someone who is literally about a decade younger than he is.

This. That was beyond bizarre. I saw it! Nonsense.

 

[sses1]

It's so bizarrely immature that a 31 year-old man like Trankov is picking fights on Instagram with someone who is literally about a decade younger than he is.

Well, its funny how things turn out. Maxim is eating his words right now and he probably still thinks S/K are the better team, just because Nikita is a "man", which by the way means nothing in his new partnership because Viki makes him look like a peacock instead. Ruslan and even Elena are the only skaters that have improved upon their other partnerships. The other 2 still look the same and worse in some parts. Ruslan may not have the conventional look of a male ice dancer but his connection with Elena and the way that they skate together will take them farther than S/K and I hope everyone acknowledges this and doesn't let politics or "appearances" influence their thinking.

 

[gmyers]

Well, its funny how things turn out. Maxim is eating his words right now and he probably still thinks S/K are the better team, just because Nikita is a "man", which by the way means nothing in his new partnership because Viki makes him look like a peacock instead. Ruslan and even Elena are the only skaters that have improved upon their other partnerships. The other 2 still look the same and worse in some parts. Ruslan may not have the conventional look of a male ice dancer but his connection with Elena and the way that they skate together will take them farther than S/K and I hope everyone acknowledges this and doesn't let politics or "appearances" influence their thinking.

No one will be thinking of them at all. They were 4th. They didn't even medal. THey are really fifth with b/s. they might be sixth when zahorski is released from France. Held down their score here because why bother? The issue is that people are saying s/k are just not prepared to be a team yet when others are after shorter periods together. S/k has no politics as strong as their technical incompetence. Their appearance loses to s/b and m/k. They will not recover from this season. Emperor has no clothes. No second first impression.

 

[evangeline]

No one will be thinking of them at all. They were 4th. They didn't even medal. THey are really fifth with b/s. they might be sixth when zahorski is released from France. Held down their score here because why bother? The issue is that people are saying s/k are just not prepared to be a team yet when others are after shorter periods together. S/k has no politics as strong as their technical incompetence. Their appearance loses to s/b and m/k. They will not recover from this season. Emperor has no clothes. No second first impression.

Chock/Bates placed 5th at their first Nationals and didn't medal at either of their GP events during their first season. And they turned out fine, haven't they?

 

[sses1]

Chock/Bates placed 5th at their first Nationals and didn't medal at either of their GP events during their first season. And they turned out fine, haven't they?

C/B are clearly the #1 for US and I think that's influenced their marks a lot. But they have a great coach in Igor, who has clearly trained them well, something S/K do not have. ID in Russia is very competitive more so than in the US so S/K have to compete against more teams who are just as good if not better than them. Obviously S/K will have no choice but to buckle down and improve upon every part of their skating and "connection" now that they are done for the season because in my mind they can't afford another season not meddling in Nationals and missing the World team or they won't even be in contention for an Olympic medal in 2018, which is what Nikita really needs or he will look like a big idiot since him and Elena were poised to win gold in 2018.

 

[gmyers]

Chock/Bates placed 5th at their first Nationals and didn't medal at either of their GP events during their first season. And they turned out fine, haven't they?

They are doing great and have a great coach. You can just forget about s/k having a great coach. Zueva wont coach them soon and wasnt very good anyway. and katsalpov is disaster prone. I believe I/z may be the c/b and s/k the s/g. S/G is a possibility.

 

[gmyers]

C/B are clearly the #1 for US and I think that's influenced their marks a lot. But they have a great coach in Igor, who has clearly trained them well, something S/K do not have. ID in Russia is very competitive more so than in the US so S/K have to compete against more teams who are just as good if not better than them. Obviously S/K will have no choice but to buckle down and improve upon every part of their skating and "connection" now that they are done for the season because in my mind they can't afford another season not meddling in Nationals and missing the World team or they won't even be in contention for an Olympic medal in 2018, which is what Nikita really needs or he will look like a big idiot since him and Elena were poised to win gold in 2018.

I/k couldn't even win a world gold or medal when poised to. Elena will be winning world gold.

 

[evangeline]

C/B are clearly the #1 for US and I think that's influenced their marks a lot. But they have a great coach in Igor, who has clearly trained them well, something S/K do not have. ID in Russia is very competitive more so than in the US so S/K have to compete against more teams who are just as good if not better than them. Obviously S/K will have no choice but to buckle down and improve upon every part of their skating and "connection" now that they are done for the season because in my mind they can't afford another season not meddling in Nationals and missing the World team or they won't even be in contention for an Olympic medal in 2018, which is what Nikita really needs or he will look like a big idiot since him and Elena were poised to win gold in 2018.

Oh, I definitely agree that Sinitsina/Katsalapov need to buckle down and work hard to improve. But I just think all the hand-wringing over Sinitsina/Katsalapov is extremely premature, especially when I remember thinking that Evan Bates had completely lost his mind the first time I saw him and Madison skate together in 2011. But by 2012, the huge improvements Chock/Bates made in their skating had me eating my own words

 

[dorispulaski]

US has a lot of good dance teams these days

Davis & White, who may or may not return to competition
Chock & Bates, GPF silver medalists
Shibutanis, 4th at GPF, won Challengers series
Hubbell & Donohue- two GP bronze medals
Hawayek & Baker - reigning Jr. World champions, two fourth places in GP this season
Aldridge & Eaton- won one leg of Challengers, Salt Lake
Cannuscio & McManus - two bronze medals in Challengers (Finlandia & Salt Lake)

and a lot of talented juniors

 

[evangeline]

They are doing great and have a great coach. You can just forget about s/k having a great coach. Zueva wont coach them soon and wasnt very good anyway. and katsalpov is disaster prone. I believe I/z may be the c/b and s/k the s/g. S/G is a possibility.

I agree that Marina Zoueva doesn't seem to be a strong technical coach, but who else should they turn to at this point?

Shpilband: is clearly focused on Chock/Bates
Krylova and Camerlengo: is clearly focused on Weaver/Poje and have a stable of other teams, like Hawayek/Baker
Kustarova and Alexeevna: obviously not
Linichuk: terrible choreography and packaging
Zhulin: unlikely to ever take Katsalapov (or Ilinykh) back given their bad blood
Svinin and Zhuk: maybe? But they have their own teams like Stepanova/Bukin, who are S/K's direct rivals
Platov: maybe?
Zazoui: does she even work with elite non-French dance teams?
Lane: has Gilles/Poirier; I think she only works with Canadian teams
Dubreuil and Lauzon: maybe? But they already have Papadakis/Cizeron and Hurtado/Diaz

 

[Mrs. P]

US has a lot of good dance teams these days

Davis & White, who may or may not return to competition
Chock & Bates, GPF silver medalists
Shibutanis, 4th at GPF, won Challengers series
Hubbell & Donohue- two GP bronze medals
Hawayek & Baker - reigning Jr. World champions, two fourth places in GP this season
Aldridge & Eaton- won one leg of Challengers, Salt Lake
Cannuscio & McManus - two bronze medals in Challengers (Finlandia & Salt Lake)

and a lot of talented juniors

The point was made in reference to 2012 when Chock and Bates finished 5th. Back then, you had Davis & White, who basically had No. 1 sealed, obviously.

Shibutanis were, for better or worse, the reigning world bronze medalists. Plus they won NHK Trophy and made GPF that fall. Even with a slight meltdown at Worlds later that season they still finished in the top 10 (8th, IIRC)

Hubbell and Donohue were another new team that came out guns blazing. They finish a respectable 6th at Skate America as a host pick and actually finished 3rd in the FD. They would later get a top 10 Worlds finish later that season. Their bronze at nationals is their best finish at nationals.

 

[uhh]

I cannot see a Russian team ever going to a non Russian coach. Platov seems the best choice, and really has done wonders with C/B, but I'm not sure he's that interested. He loved I/K, was angling for them to work with him for ages, but everything he's said since the split has been pro Elena & Ruslan, and he said in an interview that in 10 years time Nikita will look back & think he was a fool - don't think that it would be a very productive working relationship if the coach has already said that he thinks the new partner is a downgrade & the skater made a stupid decision in choosing her! Anyway, they both seem very happy with Marina & still have confidence in her, and maybe more importantly, given the press around S/K and the PCS they got especially in the FD, the federation do too.

Side note, is Elena Tchaikovskaia still coaching?

 

[bramweld]

When does the gala and award ceremony start? Do we know if Skats are invited?

 

[gmyers]

I agree that Marina Zoueva doesn't seem to be a strong technical coach, but who else should they turn to at this point?

Shpilband: is clearly focused on Chock/Bates
Krylova and Camerlengo: is clearly focused on Weaver/Poje and have a stable of other teams, like Hawayek/Baker
Kustarova and Alexeevna: obviously not
Linichuk: terrible choreography and packaging
Zhulin: unlikely to ever take Katsalapov (or Ilinykh) back given their bad blood
Svinin and Zhuk: maybe? But they have their own teams like Stepanova/Bukin, who are S/K's direct rivals
Platov: maybe?
Zazoui: does she even work with elite non-French dance teams?
Lane: has Gilles/Poirier; I think she only works with Canadian teams
Dubreuil and Lauzon: maybe? But they already have Papadakis/Cizeron and Hurtado/Diaz

I cannot see a Russian team ever going to a non Russian coach. Platov seems the best choice, and really has done wonders with C/B, but I'm not sure he's that interested. He loved I/K, was angling for them to work with him for ages, but everything he's said since the split has been pro Elena & Ruslan, and he said in an interview that in 10 years time Nikita will look back & think he was a fool - don't think that it would be a very productive working relationship if the coach has already said that he thinks the new partner is a downgrade & the skater made a stupid decision in choosing her! Anyway, they both seem very happy with Marina & still have confidence in her, and maybe more importantly, given the press around S/K and the PCS they got especially in the FD, the federation do too.

Side note, is Elena Tchaikovskaia still coaching?

Because all the major non zueva coaches hate Katsalpov I don't think it could be anyone with a name. Platov was indeed very blunt. With the majority thinking Katsalpov stupid and him causing all the problems in his partnerships it will be difficult. But however with enough money I am sure people would try to help Nikita become good.

 

[evangeline]

Because all the major non zueva coaches hate Katsalpov I don't think it could be anyone with a name. Platov was indeed very blunt. With the majority thinking Katsalpov stupid and him causing all the problems in his partnerships it will be difficult. But however with enough money I am sure people would try to help Nikita become good.

I don't think anyone "hates" Katsalapov (except for maybe Zhulin). Coaches may think that Katsalapov made a bad decision in dumping Ilinykh, but they may be unable to resist coaching someone as talented as Katsalapov, who really is an excellent skater and dancer.

After all, Zueva herself said that the Ilinykh/Katsalapov split was a bad idea at first, but she abruptly changed her tune after she agreed to coach Sinitsina/Katsalapov.

 

[sses1]

Well if they want to make a coaching change they should make it now. Though, I do have a funny feeling that they won't. Obviously, as others mentioned, it will be hard to find another coach who can give them the focus that they need and also because it seems like Marina will want to hang on to them as it would look bad on her if one of her "most high profile" teams leave. A part of me also thinks they like training in the US better to Russia. . .

 

[MK's Winter]

Well if they want to make a coaching change they should make it now. Though, I do have a funny feeling that they won't. Obviously, as others mentioned, it will be hard to find another coach who can give them the focus that they need and also because it seems like Marina will want to hang on to them as it would look bad on her if one of her "most high profile" teams leave. A part of me also thinks they like training in the US better to Russia. . .

I don't know if they like training in the US. It has been said they have had to adjust sharing the ice and not having the coaches to themselves. It was also said that they got oodles of ice time in Russia and not so much here.