2015 Europeans Pairs Short Program Jan 30

[Sandpiper]

Congratulations, Yuko and Sasha! For me, you guys were #1 on the night. The SP is growing on me more and more, even though the LP is still clearly the masterpiece. I was so happy to see these two healthy and competing, but it seems like the judges don't feel the same way, judging by those components...

Stolbova/Klimov looked better in real time than slow-motion showed. They are very fast, powerful skaters, and can mix these qualities with flow and ease. However, once seen in slow motion, the throw was two-footed and Ksenia had a slight stumble in the StSq. Shouldn't that have gone down a level, since she missed the required turn? They definitely shouldn't have +1s and even +2s for the throw. I mean, Sui/Han used to do huge, fast, daring quad throws, yet they'd get -2 at best because it was two-footed.

That being said, why all the hate on Ksenia? She's an athlete, not a saint.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

They are threatening 2 quad throws next season. Let's see and wait. I do think they are capable of much much more.

Gurl please. They haven't even attempted a 4Th in competition and they haven't even tried 3L or 3F throw. Don't be doing basic SBS and promise two throw quads, like we would actually believe that. Tukt is closer to landing her 3A in an SP than S/K are to even competing a throw quad.

 

[Alba]

You're right, of course, but the thing is that she's dissapointed with almost every result. How much would she like to earn? Is 145 not enough?

That's simply not true. Not everybody put a big smile after each score, even when they are low, which is fake by the way. One can be perfectly fine and not show the teeth. One can also get big scores and not be satisfied with her/his skating. These are two completely different things.

p.s. and are you really complaining about the judges? :sarcasm:Are you the same person that said Tatiana and Maxim deserved 10s with JCS at the Olympics? :sarcasm:

@ All: Whoever is calling her a "bitchy" face. I would like to see your face, because certainly what you keep writting are worse than bitchy, and shows your character more than her "bitchy" face.
It's amazing how some people keep judging others based on???? Nothing! Without even knowing the person at all. It's quite disgusting.

 

[Alba]

Gurl please. They haven't even attempted a 4Th in competition and they haven't even tried 3L or 3F throw. Don't be doing basic SBS and promise two throw quads, like we would actually believe that. Tukt is closer to landing her 3A in an SP than S/K are to even competing a throw quad.

I'll keep this for future reference.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

LMAO. This is brilliant judging, like they don't even bother to hide it any more.

Anymore? Uh the judges have overlooked mistakes for a while... See V/T's +GOE throws in Sochi.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I'll keep this for future reference.

Hah I might be eating my words about them attempting it before Tukt lands her 3A but there's no way they will go from a 3STh and 3ZTh this year to both a 4STh and 4T/4ZTh next year.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

She reminds me of Totmianina who also always had a sour or bitchy face.

No way... Tatiana is the queen of resting b!tchface. Ksenia looks unimpressed but not really bitchy.

 

[Scrufflet]

She reminds me of Totmianina who also always had a sour or bitchy face.

Tot always had that expression, true. Only recently did I hear that she had an absolutely horrible childhood - starving, no shoes. I now feel admiration for her drive and determination. She seems to be very happy in her marriage to Yags and he adores her. Lovely!

 

[Alba]

Hah I might be eating my words about them attempting it before Tukt lands her 3A but there's no way they will go from a 3STh and 3ZTh this year to both a 4STh and 4T/4ZTh next year.

Well, I don't know what they are able to do. It's another thing to plan and another actually doing it. But one to start is quite enough, I don't think they need 2. Let's see next season. They certainly have the technical capacity and determination.

p.s. I'm actually hoping Liza will do her 3A tomorrow.

 

[Alba]

Tot always had that expression, true. Only recently did I hear that she had an absolutely horrible childhood - starving, no shoes. I now feel admiration for her drive and determination. She seems to be very happy in her marriage to Yags and he adores her. Lovely!

I met Ksenia and she was fantastic. Smiling and talking with me, helping with my phone to take pictures with her (I had no idea how to use it. It was new) . Laughing about her nickname, on FSU. She said she loved it. In short, she was exquisite. Yet, I can't say just based on that if she is a good person or not. How can I know? Not that I care that much about it, since this is not a personality contest.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I met Ksenia and she was fantastic. Smiling and talking with me, helping with my phone to take pictures with her (I had no idea how to use it. It was new) . Laughing about her nickname, on FSU. She said she loved it. In short, she was exquisite. Yet, I can't say just based on that if she is a good person or not. How can I know? Not that I care that much about it, since this is not a personality contest.

Thank you so much for saying this Alba.

I had been avoiding this thread until I saw the final 2 performances of the SP. And when I did read the comments, I was getting so angry about what people are assuming about Ksenia being rude and generally a not nice person.

I have been connected with Ksenia on Facebook for quite a few years now, and on there (and her various other social media accounts) she has ALWAYS come across as an absolutely lovely girl.

Based on what I've seen, be it on social media or at competitions, I agree with Lota's assessment that Ksenia is a perfectionist when it comes to her skating. She just wants to be the best that she can be. And although you might end up setting your standards a bit too high, I think this is a good thing.

So, lay off her please.

CaroLiza_fan

P.S. What is her nickname on FSU? It is only once in a blue moon that I would visit that site, so I don't know.

 

[Alba]

I have been connected with Ksenia on Facebook for quite a few years now, and on there (and her various other social media accounts) she has ALWAYS come across as an absolutely lovely girl. So, lay off her please.

When she came to watch the girls SP, at TEB, she was very close to me. But I was feeling a bit hesitant to bother her. You know she has that look , and she was sitting with her coach. Anyway, I said hell I'm gonna speak with her. I was very surprised how warm and simple she was. She was lovely. She didn't gave the impression like she was bothered and wanted to close the conversation. So much that even my friend, who was with me there, started to speak with her. But as I said, it's just the impression that a fan can get from few minutes and in these circumstances. It's not like I know her.

Based on what I've seen, be it on social media or at competitions, I agree with Lota's assessment that Ksenia is a perfectionist when it comes to her skating. She just wants to be the best that she can be. And although you might end up setting your standards a bit too high, I think this is a good thing.

She is a competitor. She is ambitious and she is a fighter. What's wrong with that? On the contrary. I would say these are (or should be) essential qualities for any sportsman/woman, let alone at the elite level. She once said in an interview: "I love to skate and I love to compete. When there is no long tournaments, I sometimes want to scream even beat someone."

P.S. What is her nickname on FSU? It is only once in a blue moon that I would visit that site, so I don't know.

warrior assassin ice queen. She started laughing when she heard that. So when I asked her to take a picture together, she was obviously smiling for the pose, but I said to her: "No, I want your warrior assassin look", and she was like: "Ah, ok!" And she did it. Well kind of, because she couldn't be 100% serious and kept laughing about it.

 

[Alba]

p.s. And those who thinks that they started thinking about adding difficult elements just because they lost to R&D at the GPF, couldn't be more wrong.
In her interview - it was mid-november but this was already known to their fans before then - she said the following:

"In training, each of us individually confidently performs a cascade of two triple jumps - said the Olympic champion team tournament in Sochi. - But we do not include it in the program because it synchronously execute does not always work, and the difference in complexity between stages 3 and 3 + 3 + 2 + 2 is not so significant. It is better beautifully stable, with the "span" to perform a 3 + 2 + 2 than not very confident, with no guarantee of 3 + 3. In addition, there are ideas instead of double axel jump triple Salchow, but is still too early. " Stolbov added that the possible inclusion in the program, and other complex elements. "I have two years ago made quite confident in training ejection Salchow in four turns. But our goal this season - a foothold on the level that we showed last season and not lope elements for ultra-si. Otherwise, chasing two rabbits, you can, as they say, do not catch anything, "- said the athlete.

Sorry, it's google interview but you get the idea. Here is the original article: http://itar-tass.com/sport/1575188

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

When she came to watch the girls SP, at TEB, she was very close to me. But I was feeling a bit hesitant to bother her. You know she has that look , and she was sitting with her coach. Anyway, I said hell I'm gonna speak with her. I was very surprised how warm and simple she was. She was lovely. She didn't gave the impression like she was bothered and wanted to close the conversation. So much that even my friend, who was with me there, started to speak with her. But as I said, it's just the impression that a fan can get from few minutes and in these circumstances. It's not like I know her.

Well done to you for having the courage to approach her! With me, the hesitancy would have taken over, because I am so shy in real life. I am so glad that she was only too willing to chat to you. It just goes to prove how nice a person she is.

She is a competitor. She is ambitious and she is a fighter. What's wrong with that? On the contrary. I would say these are (or should be) essential qualities for any sportsman/woman, let alone at the elite level. She once said in an interview: "I love to skate and I love to compete. When there is no long tournaments, I sometimes want to scream even beat someone."

My point exactly! :agree:

warrior assassin ice queen. She started laughing when she heard that. So when I asked her to take a picture together, she was obviously smiling for the pose, but I said to her: "No, I want your warrior assassin look", and she was like: "Ah, ok!" And she did it. Well kind of, because she couldn't be 100% serious and kept laughing about it.

WHAAAAAAAAAT????!!! I don't blame her for laughing, because I did the same when I read it!

And I really like your style, asking for "warrior assassin" look. Again, that she was only too willing to play along just shows how nice a person she is.

Thank you again for sharing these stories with us. It helps us to get to know the real person behind the competitive skater that we see on the ice.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[LittleLotte29]

p.s. and are you really complaining about the judges? Are you the same person that said Tatiana and Maxim deserved 10s with JCS at the Olympics?

Let's not begin it again, Alba, I beg you...

 

[Alba]

Let's not begin it again, Alba, I beg you...

I'm not. You know my opinion about V&T and how much I love them. Just pointing out the doble standarts here.

Anyway, talking about skating, I would've put S&K second here. The difference is very small though so I hope they can skate a perfect long and prove they deserve to win. Otherwise I perfectly fine with K&S winning as well. I love their long.

 

[LittleLotte29]

I'm not. You know my opinion about V&T and how much I love them. Just pointing out the doble standarts here.

Anyway, talking about skating, I would've put S&K second here. The difference is very small though so I hope they can skate a perfect long and prove they deserve to win. Otherwise I perfectly fine with K&S winning as well. I love their long.

Well, I still believe that S/K's program are empty, even emptier than season ago as they had a great FS by then. Morozov, Morozov... WHY?!?! Please, S/K - come back to Stepin. All his programs, besides maybe La Strada were absolutely amazing.
I still don't like Ksenia's reactions but calling her "*****" is a bit too much, even if I dislike her as a skater.
I adore K/S' FS, it's simply gorgeous I hope that they will be clean. Unfortunately I won't be able to watch pairs FS tomorrow so I hope for some interesting comments here

 

[Sandpiper]

warrior assassin ice queen. She started laughing when she heard that. So when I asked her to take a picture together, she was obviously smiling for the pose, but I said to her: "No, I want your warrior assassin look", and she was like: "Ah, ok!" And she did it. Well kind of, because she couldn't be 100% serious and kept laughing about it.

That's amazing. And it fits her so perfectly! Especially when she's wearing the white warrior outfit in the SP.

 

[Meoima]

I have no doubt that S/K is a good pair and their quality is very good overall but seriously I hope they will have better choreography next season.

 

[Alba]

Well, I still believe that S/K's program are empty, even emptier than season ago as they had a great FS by then. Morozov, Morozov... WHY?!?! Please, S/K - come back to Stepin. All his programs, besides maybe La Strada were absolutely amazing.
I still don't like Ksenia's reactions but calling her "*****" is a bit too much, even if I dislike her as a skater.
I adore K/S' FS, it's simply gorgeous I hope that they will be clean. Unfortunately I won't be able to watch pairs FS tomorrow so I hope for some interesting comments here

It's not Morozov the choreographer, it's Alla. The one they had before. They worked with Morozov but he did do the choreo.

Anyway, I like both their programs and it totally suits them, but degustibus.
K&S LP is a masterpiece. No offence to them, but I would love to see V&T skating to something like this.

Hopefully the new choreographer that Nina is going to work with will do some wonders.