2017-2018 State of Russian Ice Dance | Page 61 | Golden Skate

2017-2018 State of Russian Ice Dance

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
I wouldn't say dead, but maybe on life support?

Yes and the best hospitals are in North America! Time for a medical transport team to do a transfer. Lol. The weird thing is when people say Russia is rebuilding now. It’s not rebuilding. It’s still collapsing.
 

Anyasnake

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
I think usually the last spot on the Russian team is selected after Europeans.

Wowww... than changes everything actually. It's even crazier since Europeans are in Russia ! Just think about what can happen if someone does a case of bad politicking. The one who wins gets his team to Olys !
Also, There is a huge possibility of seeing 2 RUS team on this podium... but we'll see.
 

coldblueeyes

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Country
Brazil
Also, There is a huge possibility of seeing 2 RUS team on this podium... but we'll see.

B/S are roughly scoring the same as C/L. S/B would need some propping up, but they scored 108+ on their FD, some pushing here and there might just put them on the podium - but we'll have to see who's on the TP. Last year the russian teams didn't have much luck with the panel at Euros.
 

Anyasnake

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
B/S are roughly scoring the same as C/L. S/B would need some propping up, but they scored 108+ on their FD, some pushing here and there might just put them on the podium - but we'll have to see who's on the TP. Last year the russian teams didn't have much luck with the panel at Euros.

I stand by what I saisd : B/S should have won the silver at Euros, they were hammered on levels while the italians didn't skate their best (with mistakes). The TC was Michaela Cesaro (Italy) and stepped in a lot of time (TC doesn't decide levels but makes the final call and TS and ATS were fighting all the time according to a spectator). However, a Euros in Moscow, just before Olympics... there is always home inflation everywhere, and since GP France and this weekend, if S/B is being pushed (or simply get better), everything will be more interesting...
 

coldblueeyes

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Country
Brazil
I stand by what I saisd : B/S should have won the silver at Euros, they were hammered on levels while the italians didn't skate their best (with mistakes). The TC was Michaela Cesaro (Italy) and stepped in a lot of time (TC doesn't decide levels but makes the final call and TS and ATS were fighting all the time according to a spectator). However, a Euros in Moscow, just before Olympics... there is always home inflation everywhere, and since GP France and this weekend, if S/B is being pushed (or simply get better), everything will be more interesting...

I agree with you. I think people often overlook the power the TP has in competition. PCS and GOE can only take you so far, some judges playing favorites can help in a fraction of a point sometimes, but the levels can change the whole game - just look back at CoC and SC this year, both B/S and H/D lost three points each because of the TP, and that could have changed the results. H/D will still have a chance to qualify to GPF, but B/S pretty much lost theirs already.

But at Euros inside of Russia, I think it will be hard to beat the russians, if the so-called politicking and fixing will be as present as people tend to point out.
 

Marta25

Medalist
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
I think it will depend how the panel will look like at Euros. At 2011 Worlds in Moscow we had three NA teams on the World podium. It will also depend on P/C and if they decide to stay in Montreal and focus on training instead to travel to Moscow to win a 4th European Championship. If P/C skip it, a Russian team will probably go into the Olympics as the reigning European Champion, though I`m not sure that will help. It didn`t really make any difference for Cappellini/Lanotte and their chances to win the OBM in Sochi.

But first, we have Nationals and that`s going to be exciting enough. I`m curious how well Popova/Mozgov will do. Could they maybe surpass Zagorski/Guerreiro? Or did Loboda/Drozd manage to improve their programs and will they be 4th at Nats? Where are the Russian judges going to put Ilinykh/Shibnev? Russian Nationals is certainly not a competition to miss. :)
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
Wowww... than changes everything actually. It's even crazier since Europeans are in Russia ! Just think about what can happen if someone does a case of bad politicking. The one who wins gets his team to Olys !
Also, There is a huge possibility of seeing 2 RUS team on this podium... but we'll see.

No there isn’t! That is silly. Even if c/l makes mistakes two Russian teams aren’t beating them only b/s will.

As everyone is already pointing out Russian success (beyond b/s winning bronze) will be seen as an illegitimate result of fixing and therefore meaningless.
 

madison

Record Breaker
Joined
May 2, 2015
I think it will depend how the panel will look like at Euros. At 2011 Worlds in Moscow we had three NA teams on the World podium. It will also depend on P/C and if they decide to stay in Montreal and focus on training instead to travel to Moscow to win a 4th European Championship. If P/C skip it, a Russian team will probably go into the Olympics as the reigning European Champion, though I`m not sure that will help. It didn`t really make any difference for Cappellini/Lanotte and their chances to win the OBM in Sochi.

But first, we have Nationals and that`s going to be exciting enough. I`m curious how well Popova/Mozgov will do. Could they maybe surpass Zagorski/Guerreiro? Or did Loboda/Drozd manage to improve their programs and will they be 4th at Nats? Where are the Russian judges going to put Ilinykh/Shibnev? Russian Nationals is certainly not a competition to miss. :)

If Russian Fed is smart they should promote Z/G on the third spot.... S/K are hopeless. Nikita is worse than before when it comes to inconsistency and his fragile mental.
 

Marta25

Medalist
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
If Russian Fed is smart they should promote Z/G on the third spot.... S/K are hopeless. Nikita is worse than before when it comes to inconsistency and his fragile mental.

Z/G are scoring about 10 points less than S/K internationally. I would also like to see Z/G as #3, but right now it`s just not going to happen unless S/K make some major mistakes like in Minsk.
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
If Russian Fed is smart they should promote Z/G on the third spot.... S/K are hopeless. Nikita is worse than before when it comes to inconsistency and his fragile mental.

Yes even at NHK s/k had a horrible fall and that should disqualify them even moreso than Minsk.

Z/G are scoring about 10 points less than S/K internationally. I would also like to see Z/G as #3, but right now it`s just not going to happen unless S/K make some major mistakes like in Minsk.

Luckily huge mistakes are guaranteed!
 

madison

Record Breaker
Joined
May 2, 2015
Z/G are scoring about 10 points less than S/K internationally. I would also like to see Z/G as #3, but right now it`s just not going to happen unless S/K make some major mistakes like in Minsk.

So what? Z/G didn't have the same international exposure as S/K. Last season for example they had only a GP event. We all know how much reputation matters especially in ice dance when it comes to scores.
It will be a good move for the Russian Fed to start to promote a team as Z/G who has good basics and potential to build.
 

Anyasnake

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
I think it will depend how the panel will look like at Euros. At 2011 Worlds in Moscow we had three NA teams on the World podium. It will also depend on P/C and if they decide to stay in Montreal and focus on training instead to travel to Moscow to win a 4th European Championship. If P/C skip it, a Russian team will probably go into the Olympics as the reigning European Champion, though I`m not sure that will help. It didn`t really make any difference for Cappellini/Lanotte and their chances to win the OBM in Sochi.

P/C will go, not only to get their ranking up (and to skate in a different group than V/M for the SD for Olys) and another big showing, moreover in Russia, only 3/4 weeks before the Olympics is just the icing on the cake. It's too good to miss out, it has momentum written all over it.
I don't see anyone missing out. Same for B/S (well they're already there so it's another showing next door) and C/L, because there is a fight for OBM and both have actually really nice programs this year. Especially for C/L who missed out on this season's beginning and needs more competition.
 

Ice Dance

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
Stepanova & Bukin need to show us what they can score outside of Russia.

Sinitsina & Katsalapov need control & consistency.

My guess is that this comes down to the actual performances, maybe overall rather than in the moment but actual performances nonetheless. There's no need to go crazy worrying about the politics. The last two seasons are evidence that Russia is highly likely to support the team that shows it can get the job done. The judges at Europeans are highly likely to do the same. What do the international judges care whether S&B or S&K go for Russia? I think that is one of the reasons Russia waits until after Euros to make the decision. The Russian Fed wants to see who can hold up internationally in head-to-head competition.
 

coldblueeyes

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Country
Brazil
I think P/M and Z/G are going head to head for that fourth place - and in the event of an S/K mess, which is fifty-fifty, they could grab that Euros spot. I don't bet on that. In Minsk Z/G barely won over that mess S/K made, so just skating a little bit better is enough to set them apart. L/D seem to be falling a bit behind, and they went to SC but no one saw them competing there, unfortunately. They have to work hard not to fall behind E/B and even I/S, because I doubt Alexei wants to put a team to compete that's not at least somewhat ready.
 

Nightcrawler

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 25, 2014
A lot of wishful thinking going on when it comes to S&K's Olympic chances; they're next to zero, no matter how well they skate. They have proven themselves unreliable and a clean competition won't change that any time soon. B&S and S&B will go and I'm pretty sure the Russian Federation knows it as much as we do, but it would be really bad press to announce it at this point. Better wait the end of the GP, Nationals and Euros and let the results speak for themselves.

Russia will not medal in ice dance for the first time in history, so their best chance of a medal (even gold) is the team event and S&K have no place there whatsoever.

The next goal is to secure 3 spots at the 2018 Worlds, which is doable with some of the top teams missing. I hope B&S will compete in Milan, both to fight for a medal and earn Russia the 3rd spot back.
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
A lot of wishful thinking going on when it comes to S&K's Olympic chances; they're next to zero, no matter how well they skate. They have proven themselves unreliable and a clean competition won't change that any time soon. B&S and S&B will go and I'm pretty sure the Russian Federation knows it as much as we do, but it would be really bad press to announce it at this point. Better wait the end of the GP, Nationals and Euros and let the results speak for themselves.

Russia will not medal in ice dance for the first time in history, so their best chance of a medal (even gold) is the team event and S&K have no place there whatsoever.

The next goal is to secure 3 spots at the 2018 Worlds, which is doable with some of the top teams missing. I hope B&S will compete in Milan, both to fight for a medal and earn Russia the 3rd spot back.

B/S and S/B were 8th and 10th after SD in 2017. Only through a 2006 Olympic OD level of mistakes did b/s place 5th. There is no way they are getting a medal or getting 3 spots back. Only after the top Russian teams move to North America and are trained by dubreuil or spiliband or zueva or krylova will they get 3 spots back. Most likely is b/s retire immediately after Olympics to try to take advantage of a team medal. If they think they are going to be like denkova and staviski they are insane! If v/m don’t do worlds because they retire and p/c skip because they won Us will likely sweep the podium. Then teams like w/p, c/l, and others block even a top 5 finish.
 

Nightcrawler

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 25, 2014
B/S and S/B were 8th and 10th after SD in 2017. Only through a 2006 Olympic OD level of mistakes did b/s place 5th. There is no way they are getting a medal or getting 3 spots back. Only after the top Russian teams move to North America and are trained by dubreuil or spiliband or zueva or krylova will they get 3 spots back. Most likely is b/s retire immediately after Olympics to try to take advantage of a team medal. If they think they are going to be like denkova and staviski they are insane! If v/m don’t do worlds because they retire and p/c skip because they won Us will likely sweep the podium. Then teams like w/p, c/l, and others block even a top 5 finish.

It's not the SD that determines the spots for next year's Worlds, so with B&S and S&B finishing 5th & 10th respectively in Helsinki, Russia narrowly missed qualifying a 3rd spot for the Olympics. It's not unrealistic to believe the same two teams will sum up 13 placement points with two or more top teams inevitably skipping Worlds.
If B&S retire right after Pyongyang and it's up to S&B and S&K, the task is impossible, I agree.

And a US sweep, though possible, is not very probable as I don't see C&L missing the podium on home turf.
 

Ice Dance

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
L/D seem to be falling a bit behind, and they went to SC but no one saw them competing there, unfortunately.

I saw them there. Loboda & Drozd now have 4 sets of twizzles and skated solidly at SC. Other teams had more recognition and local Canadian connections and also made mistakes, but L&D held up; and by the end of the day finished ahead of every team in the field that hasn't medaled at a GP. It's a distant event and a hard place to compete for a young Russian team. They went to Canada because they were good enough to earn their own places, rather than counting on a host spot.

Their programs aren't very high-quality this season, but their skating is good. Good speed. L&D fill the rink well, have good control, and really dealt with their debut GP event very well. They looked supportive of one another and didn't appear nervous or tentative. It was a solid debut.

Zahorsky and Guerreiro had stronger levels & scores at Cup of China, and Popova & Mozgov had high scores in Russia (though their results outside of Russia are more up & down). So it is possible that those two teams are off to a stronger start this season and I would say that P&M at least have better material.

But I wouldn't say that L&D are "falling behind." They are finding a place to start, getting a very realistic view of the mountain ahead, and beginning the climb.
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
It's not the SD that determines the spots for next year's Worlds, so with B&S and S&B finishing 5th & 10th respectively in Helsinki, Russia narrowly missed qualifying a 3rd spot for the Olympics. It's not unrealistic to believe the same two teams will sum up 13 placement points with two or more top teams inevitably skipping Worlds.
If B&S retire right after Pyongyang and it's up to S&B and S&K, the task is impossible, I agree.

And a US sweep, though possible, is not very probable as I don't see C&L missing the podium on home turf.

I’m just saying without the extraordinary number of mistakes it would have been 8th and 10th. So if that placement repeats with two absences B/s would be 6th and s/b 8th so that still wouldn’t be enough. If more than three teams are absent maybe Russia would have a shot at 3 but what’s the point of Russia having 3? Russia having three means no necessary reforms are made. Even only two spots, no world medal, and no hope of ice dance medal has meant no reforms. That’s why I was so strongly hoping russia qualified only one team to the Olympics. That way I finally think teams with potential will be sent to dubreuil. Its so terrible seeing skaters and ice dance teams with potential be destroyed by kustarova zhulin svinan and zhuk and getting advice from program destroying no talent tarasova. It’s pretty hopeless now the idea that Russia only qualifies one team for 2019 which is so awful. It’d be nice to see the return of Russia to ice dance success!
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
I saw them there. Loboda & Drozd now have 4 sets of twizzles and skated solidly at SC. Other teams had more recognition and local Canadian connections and also made mistakes, but L&D held up; and by the end of the day finished ahead of every team in the field that hasn't medaled at a GP. It's a distant event and a hard place to compete for a young Russian team. They went to Canada because they were good enough to earn their own places, rather than counting on a host spot.

Their programs aren't very high-quality this season, but their skating is good. Good speed. L&D fill the rink well, have good control, and really dealt with their debut GP event very well. They looked supportive of one another and didn't appear nervous or tentative. It was a solid debut.

Zahorsky and Guerreiro had stronger levels & scores at Cup of China, and Popova & Mozgov had high scores in Russia (though their results outside of Russia are more up & down). So it is possible that those two teams are off to a stronger start this season and I would say that P&M at least have better material.

But I wouldn't say that L&D are "falling behind." They are finding a place to start, getting a very realistic view of the mountain ahead, and beginning the climb.

The main part of the mountain is being coached by Ksenia Rumiantseva and Ekaterina Volobueva! Why not people with some success?
 
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