Tatiana Volosozhar & Maxim Trankov | Page 245 | Golden Skate

Tatiana Volosozhar & Maxim Trankov

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Mukhortova interview. I feel more kindly toward her than I did before I read her comments. In telling their stories people tend to omit information which paints them in a poor light and her explanation of the problems between Maxim, herself and their coach (OV) certainly skips over the truth. Any teacher, professor, or coach who has a fling with a student is on dangerous ground and has made a bad decision. A young and pretty girl may also make a bad decision and have her head turned by the flattering attention of someone in authority. And a young man, even one who has no romantic interest in his partner, feels humiliated and betrayed by those he trusted. There was no way this mess could have been resolved without strife. Maxim had the good sense to look for an exit from the situation but Maria, I think, paid dearly for her foolishness.

But she seems to have weathered the “downfall” and found enough strength to keep from going to pieces. It must have been a huge adjustment to leave the world of competition and become part of a commercial enterprise and she admits that tough transition. Maria has found some satisfaction in what she is doing and the fact that teaching appeals to her is also promising. It suggests she has found some humility and I wish her well. She made some big mistakes (as we all do) and I give her credit – I think she’s been through a lot.

I also believe her when she says she was genuinely happy for Maxim as she watched him pursue his objectives (with Tanya). Sometimes when enough time goes by, one tends to remember the good things in a relationship and the miseries fade.
 
Hello again. I forgot to welcome Aceiel and Monwara to this site! So glad to have you aboard!

With the recently-updated long, long list of V+T material at the beginning of this thread, I decided to watch V+T’s 2014 Grand Prix final -- the “Jesus Christ Superstar” program. I actually haven’t seen EVERY version of their programs so I was shocked that Tanya had fallen TWICE in competition. Wow! I had no idea. I thought she was always perfect and never made a mistake! Shows how important it is to watch EACH iteration of their programs.

Also their VHK*** performance of Jesus Chris Superstar is the most beautiful skating I’ve ever seen from V+T. They are fluid and graceful beyond measure and move over the ice like silk in the wind. And at a terrific speed too (people forget to mention how fast they skate).

Changing the subject: I think Aceiel raises some good points about how V+T might be positioned vis a vis their competition. That is, can V +T maintain for two more years that “competitive edge” that is needed to win? They’ve achieved what they set out to achieve, so are they still hungry enough to catch the fire again? What about the pairs chasing at their heels?

I thought Peng and Zhang were just wonderful in their long program at World’s. I think THEY are going to be at their best soon and could be very dangerous.
Radford and Duhamel – meh…. I think they have already had their best year.

Stolbova and Klimov are brilliant technically, but their skating is a bit cold and mechanical and there is little rapport between them. But I suppose if they don’t make any mistakes…they could be a threat.

Kavauti and Smirnov. They can be great too, but are they still competing? Sui and Han? I don’t think so. And Tarasova and Morozov are sweet but they have a long way to go as far as style, comfort with performing, emotional content, connection with the audience, etc. Alyona Savchenko and Bruno Massot, I have no idea what the word is on their skating..
So, it’s true. So far, no one is close to V+T. But that could change…


***If V+T skate like this in two years, they are unbeatable.
 
IMO, the most dangerous pair in the worls is Sui/Han. They has very good technique with 4Tw already and 4STh in plans, and they improved a lot in lines/programs/execution last season and can get even better in future.
TM has good potential but 1) they didn't have quads last year (but looks like they are learning it) 2)(and more importent) they have a lot of work on style/interpritation and so on - like they need their own face.
DR - best BV without doubts but quolity of elements and skating could be much better.
SK are a lot like DR in my opinion, but with a better lines, better quolity of elements and much lower BV (but if rumors are true - it can be another story next season).
KS... - sorry, they have never skate clean on Worlds or OWG. They can win GP events, RN, or ECh but I don't belive they will ever medal on WCh or OWG :( It's a pity - they has everything for WCh medals but year after year loose their chanses.

As for VT - everything depends on them and their health. They really need at least a shape of olimpic season continue winning, and everything depends on health - will they be able to get that shape or not. I see they are trying to learn new elements (like 3FTh) - but who knows how will they do them at competitions and will it be enought against quads or not... Anyway it will not be like an easy walk for them.
 
HermioneG said:
IMO, the most dangerous pair in the worls is Sui/Han. They has very good technique with 4Tw already and 4STh in plans, and they improved a lot in lines/programs/execution last season and can get even better in future.
TM has good potential but 1) they didn't have quads last year (but looks like they are learning it) 2)(and more importent) they have a lot of work on style/interpritation and so on - like they need their own face.
DR - best BV without doubts but quolity of elements and skating could be much better.
SK are a lot like DR in my opinion, but with a better lines, better quolity of elements and much lower BV (but if rumors are true - it can be another story next season).
KS... - sorry, they have never skate clean on Worlds or OWG. They can win GP events, RN, or ECh but I don't belive they will ever medal on WCh or OWG :( It's a pity - they has everything for WCh medals but year after year loose their chanses.

As for VT - everything depends on them and their health. They really need at least a shape of olimpic season continue winning, and everything depends on health - will they be able to get that shape or not. I see they are trying to learn new elements (like 3FTh) - but who knows how will they do them at competitions and will it be enought against quads or not... Anyway it will not be like an easy walk for them.
Click to expand...

Yes -- all good points. I will look at Sui and Han again. I think I wasn't fainting over their programs. And it is sad that Kavaguti and Smirnov somehow can't win when they should.

Sorry -- what does BV mean? I'm not quite sure? Basic value? I guess my brain isn't working at full speed....

And yes, agree about DR -- they always seem a bit sloppy to me. You NEVER see that in V+T. Never.
 
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Thanks ! And thanks for the video, Alba! Some of these other pairs could of course develop within two years (Deputat, etc. )
 
Does anyone know why they stopped performing the 3FTH? They used too and then in 2012/2013 it was gone.
 
sses1 said:
Does anyone know why they stopped performing the 3FTH? They used too and then in 2012/2013 it was gone.
Click to expand...
Tanya got hip injury that season (3 different throws loaded her hip more than she could do safely, plus Max got injured and because of his healing they practiced like one day of two and had do that day more than they do usually). And Tanya said she felt something wrong on 3F (feelings were different from 3S and 3Lo), 3FTh wasn't consistent, so they did'nt see the reason to risk her health 2 years before OWG.
 
I am looking for a video of Mukhortova and Trankov of one of their last skates together where Maria is clearly sad. Really heartbreaking video, I found it once in this thread but now i am lost in 328 pages. If anyone can help I would be grateful.
 
Mukhortova and Trankov skated in some shows after Worlds. This is the reason why Tanya and Max's official partnership date is comparatively late. M&T had committed to some shows and Max chose to honor those committments (as opposed to say, Enbert or Sinitsina, who left their partners hanging with broken contracts).
 
kinoriH said:
are you talking about this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNxxkOxAMg0
this is their very last skate together, March 2010.
Click to expand...

Wow that performance was actually quite emotional, I loved the end when he got down on his knee and kissed her hand, I mean they would have hated each other but at the same time they would've been genuinely sad during the split and all they'd gone through D:
(I also have to laugh at someone in the comments saying they only felt sorry for Maria and that Maxim was selfish and only cared about getting higher results and medals, goodness that's what happens when you only know one side of the story!)
 
HermioneG said:
IMO, the most dangerous pair in the worls is Sui/Han. They has very good technique with 4Tw already and 4STh in plans, and they improved a lot in lines/programs/execution last season and can get even better in future.


I looked at the programs of Sui +Han again. They are certainly very skilled, no question about it. They can do a lot of neat tricks, but could use a bit more polish – especially Han. And even though it’s clear that they are talented skaters, they need to develop more charisma. I think the difference between their Free and Peng-Zhang’s Free was telling. Part of Sui-Han’s problem was their music – it was ponderous and dry. Not all symphonic music is beautiful. They never connected to it, didn’t really connect to each other, and the choreography seemed unrelated to the music. IMO, the program misfired. They got second because of their excellent skating -- not particularly great programs.

Peng-Zhang’s music – by Shostakovich – was a brilliant and daring choice. Their Free Program was exciting, Peng and Zhang connected to each other, looking right into each other’s eyes and when they connect to each other, they communicate to us, the audience. (This is what V+T are masters of.) Zheng treated Peng with such tenderness. They are an endearing couple. They need to work on a few things too, but I think both these pairs will, in two years, smooth out all the wrinkles and as noted here, V+T will have to have their best game ready.

I watched DR’s short and long World’s programs again. I think that sometimes the judges feel it is time to reward a team for their hard work over the years. That’s my conclusion for their win here. Also, I had to look for videos where Max wasn’t commenting -- he talked much too much.
Click to expand...
 
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aceiel said:
Wow that performance was actually quite emotional, I loved the end when he got down on his knee and kissed her hand, I mean they would have hated each other but at the same time they would've been genuinely sad during the split and all they'd gone through D:
(I also have to laugh at someone in the comments saying they only felt sorry for Maria and that Maxim was selfish and only cared about getting higher results and medals, goodness that's what happens when you only know one side of the story!)
Click to expand...

And I must say they skated beautifully in this program.
 
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