True.
Sinitsina/Katsalapov future prospects
- Thread starter gmyers
- Start date
True.
Russian nationals will be the test. If they don't make the podium, they're done for the year. They could come back with better material for next season, and if that still doesn't pan out, then they may break up.
Yes, thank you! To all of you disregarding Nick(Nikita) and Vika, saying they don't work hard or whatever, you don't know what you're talking about because I see them train everyday, working at the rink for many many hours. And to those of you that say he is a jerk, he is most definitely not. He is sensitive and is anything but you say mean about him. He congratulates and wishes good luck to all the other dancers at the rink and gets along with everyone and shows concern for younger skaters if they're troubled. Maybe he has a big ego, and "doesn't back it up with his skating" but it will make him a champion one day, because he and Victoria will be fantastic one day!
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2008
Breaking up just after a disaster event would be silly.
SK have better skating skills individually, though IZ have better result and greater support from fans. SK needs to rework their lifts, the lifts of IK look shaky already, and now S is bigger than I. It takes patience for them to get used to each other, and consistency might come a long long way. Hopefully their stronger basics could carry them along.
Last but not least, Zueva needs a better technician
SK have better skating skills individually, though IZ have better result and greater support from fans. SK needs to rework their lifts, the lifts of IK look shaky already, and now S is bigger than I. It takes patience for them to get used to each other, and consistency might come a long long way. Hopefully their stronger basics could carry them along.
Last but not least, Zueva needs a better technician
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2013
For others, it might be silly, but with Niki's track record, it may just become a tradition.
Lena and Ruslan have a great motivation as a team. They are incredibly driven to do well and prove themselves. They have a great deal of passion in their skating right now, and while it's not the run-of-the-mill romantic passion that so many others fabricate on the ice, they have the fire to succeed. Lena and Niki were predicted to be Olympic Champions ever since they were kids, so they just took their talent for granted. It's a totally different vibe for Lena and Ruslan - they are adults who are driven by passion and ambition.
As for Viktoria's reaction to Nikita after the NHK bomb, it seemed she was as angry as Babs was at Maurizio in 2006 Olympics. It almost seemed like she is finally understanding what Lena had to go through.
Niki needs to consult a sports psychologist.
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2009
I don't think that is going to happen. I/Z, M/K, and S/B proved themselves not only at Nationals but on the Grand Prix circuit. Not only that B/S should receive a chance based on their season last year. S/K didn't put their skates where the ice was after talking all that game. They didn't earn a chance to go to Europeans. They also didn't receive the Minimum TES to skate there.
There is a rule that says 1st and 2nd go
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2009
As much as I loathe Nikita Katsalapov, he and Victoria might need more time to gel. The success of I/Z is extraordinary. Not all newly formed team are able to come out of the gate swinging. I would reserve judgment until the end of next season. They are done now and can take this opportunity to get to work and prepare for next season.
Next season will be difficult for them as well - Y/M will be turning senior, Z/G will have had more time together and Tiff might have been released by France, B/S should be properly back, plus all the teams that finished ahead of them this year will have been building their international rep. They might have a slight advantage in being able to get started on programs earlier for next year, but Marina says they look great in training (you can believe as much of that as you like...) and they need the competition practice. All that's left this year is a handful of very low level senior Bs which won't do anything to getting them used to competing with high quality couples. Plus their poor GP showing hasn't helped them in the World standings, so they will still be skating early next year, and the international judges memories of them will still be the NHK disaster. They are currently in an OK position on the SB list to get GP assignments next year, but they could be overtaken by entrants at 4CC, Euros and Worlds, and in any case they'll be facing all the seeded couples again next year.
Everyone looked happy in the K&C today, but you have to think they will be worried with the way things have turned out. Everyone is pointing the finger at Marina & her team's technical deficiencies: is it really this or is it that S/K just aren't at a decent level yet? As I said on the fan thread, the step sequences are set up to be level 4, but they've never been called higher than 2 in any event this year, and that's down to the skaters themselves not making the turns cleanly. You can understand it being more of a struggle getting used to being in hold with a new partner, but it shouldn't be such an issue in the NtMiStSq in the SD. The lifts are a problem again - the rotational lift gets low levels because Nikita checks his final rotation every single time, and I can't believe that no one in their coaching team or the Russian specialists that worked with them after CoR haven't tried to address this, or fix his position in the spreadeagle which nearly brought them down again today. There is so much that needs to be done on the basics still, and the performances of I/Z and especially Z/G who have really only skated together for 5 months have shown that it shouldn't be this hard to bring a team together.
Marina still thinks they can go to "the big tournaments" this season - why when they've done nothing to show they'd do more than the teams that finished above them today? http://allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=88492
Everyone looked happy in the K&C today, but you have to think they will be worried with the way things have turned out. Everyone is pointing the finger at Marina & her team's technical deficiencies: is it really this or is it that S/K just aren't at a decent level yet? As I said on the fan thread, the step sequences are set up to be level 4, but they've never been called higher than 2 in any event this year, and that's down to the skaters themselves not making the turns cleanly. You can understand it being more of a struggle getting used to being in hold with a new partner, but it shouldn't be such an issue in the NtMiStSq in the SD. The lifts are a problem again - the rotational lift gets low levels because Nikita checks his final rotation every single time, and I can't believe that no one in their coaching team or the Russian specialists that worked with them after CoR haven't tried to address this, or fix his position in the spreadeagle which nearly brought them down again today. There is so much that needs to be done on the basics still, and the performances of I/Z and especially Z/G who have really only skated together for 5 months have shown that it shouldn't be this hard to bring a team together.
Marina still thinks they can go to "the big tournaments" this season - why when they've done nothing to show they'd do more than the teams that finished above them today? http://allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=88492
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- Joined
- Feb 9, 2009
I disagree on I/z being extraordinary because z/g are doing it to. She is not even guarantee to be released and they are doing better technically. Maybe marina is just the worst in ice dance tech now. Uhh says it all. All two medium talented skaters need to gel is five months. That's it.
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2009
Z/G are pretty good. Not as good as I/Z. I felt bad they were held down. I feel they should have been 4th. And I'm sorry but becoming National Champions almost 8 months after you pair up is pretty extraordinary. Doesn't happen often.
I agree them becoming national champions is extraordinary but a team gelling so fast has also been demonstrated by z/g but they didn't medal. But they could go to worlds and s/k couldn't. It's crazy how much of bust S/k are. I just didn't expect all of I/k's problems were Nikita's problems.
IMO, Nikita is being held back by Viktoria Sinitsina, who just is not up to him technically, which makes it difficult for them to jell as a couple. Viktoria and Ruslan skated well together, but were not going to be stars. OTOH, Ruslan has not held Elena back and they are jelling well as a couple.
Bear in mind that I/Z are Russian champions because Bobrova/Soloviev are out with injury......
Bear in mind that I/Z are Russian champions because Bobrova/Soloviev are out with injury......
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2009
There are areas Vika is holding him back, I agree. Nikita holds their team back because he is not a strong mental competitor. Look who is making the mistakes in the program. He also holds them back because he is not willing to give Vika a chance to get to his level.
I understand that B/S are out but it was a matter of time before I/Z surpassed them any way. I do enjoy their skating but the judges made it clear last year that they would put them aside for the next best thing.
Nikita is flamboyant which has its place, but his skating needs more control. While Viki has her issues, Nikita's edges are also inconsistent. He needs to learn from Cizeron how to master himself while showing off his lady. Cizeron does an excellent job of this such ease to everything he does. If Nikita learns how to skate WITH and PRESENT Victoria, they will go far. Mentally he has to adjust to the fact that he's not skating with Lena, who could match him and cover for his mistakes. This is why Ruslan is such an excellent partner. Victoria looked better as an ice dancer when she skated with Ruslan.
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