Davis and Smolkin making move to IAM

[yyzskater]

Untenable for whom ? Personally, the day Russians are back, I will stop watching figure skating.

As for D/S, well, I wish these were the Czech teams who'd make the switch to Montréal.

But I understand that IAM needs judges' voices. Not only from Georgia, btw. I am sure Eteri is going along quite well with many Russia-satellite federations.

What makes me sad is that ice dance is going back to the times of queueing and nepotism. I thought it was over when IAM and P/C won that gold in 2015. But no, "He who fights too long against dragons becomes a dragon himself".

It seems many European teams are at Young Goose. I'm not well versed in ice dance enough to really understand the differences in the skaters produced by Iam and Young Goose. Are these two schools comparable? What are the main differences between the skaters coming out of either school?

Also, I know IAm has several European teams in addition to North American and Asian teams. Does Young Goose have any non-European teams?

 

[icewhite]

It does seem like a really odd move - I think it is more likely they are just doing a bootcamp or something there. The TSL is not always right - they were the ones who sparked the rumour the Gleb and Diana were switching countries to represent the USA and that was clearly wrong.

But it has been confirmed.

 

[icewhite]

It seems many European teams are at Young Goose. I'm not well versed in ice dance enough to really understand the differences in the skaters produced by Iam and Young Goose. Are these two schools comparable? What are the main differences between the skaters coming out of either school?

Also, I know IAm has several European teams in addition to North American and Asian teams. Does Young Goose have any non-European teams?

Weren't Young Goose in the process of crumbling?
In any case they are much smaller. Oh, and the thing IAM really excels at (other than fs politics) is choreo and packaging; I have not seen that level coming from Italy.

 

[NanaPat]

But it has been confirmed.

But was the confirmation independent, or just someone copying the original? With the rise of social media, copying (with or without attribution) is rampant.

 

[el henry]

But was the confirmation independent, or just someone copying the original? With the rise of social media, copying (with or without attribution) is rampant.

the confirmation was a quote from Diana and Gleb's former coach, Alexei Kiliakov, to RIA Novosti saying yes they are training in Montreal. A link was provided earlier in the thread but I am too lazy to look for it.

The translation I read was that they had left Kiliakov, not that they were temporarily training, but I read no Russian and relied on Google translate.

 

[4everchan]

I guess they just loved montreal so much when coming to Worlds that they never left. I cannot fault them for that.

 

[el henry]

I guess they just loved montreal so much when coming to Worlds that they never left. I cannot fault them for that.

completely off topic, Jason's Japanese fan club asked him in a video what he liked about Montreal, and he loved the architecture. His video from the Manoir Ronald McDonald is also cute. Maybe he can train at IAM?

Back on target, I was convinced it was a summer visit, but obviously less so now. IAM usually does a big "Welcome" on their IG (at least for the teams I have followed) which I have not seen yet.

Given how Marie-France talked (IMO justifiably) about Eteri, this is a puzzlement. Unless Diana and Gleb are breaking away completely.

 

[4everchan]

completely off topic, Jason's Japanese fan club asked him in a video what he liked about Montreal, and he loved the architecture. His video from the Manoir Ronald McDonald is also cute. Maybe he can train at IAM?

if he wants to do solo dance he certainly can.

Back on target, I was convinced it was a summer visit, but obviously less so now. IAM usually does a big "Welcome" on their IG (at least for the teams I have followed) which I have not seen yet.

Given how Marie-France talked (IMO justifiably) about Eteri, this is a puzzlement. Unless Diana and Gleb are breaking away completely.

Yes. MFD was not mincing words about ET. I am very puzzled. Next thing we know, they represent USA or Canada

 

[Diana Delafield]

if he wants to do solo dance he certainly can.

Yes. MFD was not mincing words about ET. I am very puzzled. Next thing we know, they represent USA or Canada

Couldn't she fairly easily represent the USA (Diana Davis, that is) because she was born there, and presumably her never-mentioned father is American? Or did she give up her dual citizenship at some point? I haven't followed her career closely, so I don't know the details.

 

[skylark]

Couldn't she fairly easily represent the USA (Diana Davis, that is) because she was born there,

yes, that's what fueled TSL's belief that they'd switch to represent USA. But clearly, representing Georgia is a much better del for them. they'll go to the Olympics again.

 

[el henry]

Diana is a US citizen, she was born in the US and that is enough for citizenship.

Dave Lease had a fever dream that Diana and Gleb would represent the US and he kept pushing it. But his one "in" source (Shawn Restatt) is not the entire USFS.

There are clearly many reasons that this would not be a good idea from the USFS' point of view, and Diana and Gleb aren't good enough skaters to overcome those reasons. The US doesn't need another top ten ice dance team, they have plenty of top ten teams. Too much downside, not enough upside.

 

[Diana Delafield]

Diana is a US citizen, she was born in the US and that is enough for citizenship.

Dave Lease had a fever dream that Diana and Gleb would represent the US and he kept pushing it. But his one "in" source (Shawn Restatt) is not the entire USFS.

There are clearly many reasons that this would not be a good idea from the USFS' point of view, and Diana and Gleb aren't good enough skaters to overcome those reasons. The US doesn't need another top ten ice dance team, they have plenty of top ten teams. Too much downside, not enough upside.

Good point, I didn't think of that angle.

 

[saine]

Romain Haguenauer did comment on their move to MatchTV (original source and FS Gossips translation), so there's additional confirmation.

 

[Weathergal]

Romain Haguenauer did comment on their move to MatchTV (original source and FS Gossips translation), so there's additional confirmation.

Thank you -- I thought I read he had confirmed it then I couldn't find it.

 

[lariko]

Next thing we know, they represent USA or Canada

that ship had sailed. I had my theories about US transfer for Davis, involving a change of partner, based on their movements before switch to Georgia, but they didn't and now they are a shoe-in for next Olympics, including serious contention for a team medal with Italy/France given absence of Russians and weak Canadian singles.

 

[4everchan]

that ship had sailed. I had my theories about US transfer for Davis, involving a change of partner, based on their movements before switch to Georgia, but they didn't and now they are a shoe-in for next Olympics, including serious contention for a team medal with Italy, given absence of Russians and weak Canadian singles.

Georgia doesn't have the most stable single skaters either. I think Italy is in better position (with USA and Japan)
Also, my comment was a joke in the sense that i never expected IAM to take them considering what MFD has said about ET... so what's next ? That's why I suggested sarcastically another switch of citizenship, one that is very not likely to happen for a billion factors

 

[Kittosuni]

Georgia doesn't have the most stable single skaters either. I think Italy is in better position (with USA and Japan)
Also, my comment was a joke in the sense that i never expected IAM to take them considering what MFD has said about ET... so what's next ? That's why I suggested sarcastically another switch of citizenship, one that is very not likely to happen for a billion factors

It is true that the top Georgian skaters from singles to pairs are all easily top 10 materials and can contend for medals if they hit but they are indeed inconsistent. On top of that they have zero depth that if one skater gets injured then the whole team is screwed.

I'm curious what exactly did MFD said about Eteri? or is it more like implied and just interpreted by fans?

 

[IceDancingQueen]

But it has been confirmed.

Yes I just saw this! I really am shocked. D/S do come with a lot of baggage - not really through any fault of their own - but I do wonder how the other Montreal teams feel about this.

Diana can’t help but be linked to all the corruption in Russian figure skating because of her mother, unfair as it is. Plus D/S, who I do think are good skaters and not as terrible as ppl make them out to be, were super overscored domestically (and in B competitions where the host countries were close with Russia) when they were still competing for Russia so there is that baggage too as it was clear favourtism as they shot up the ranks so quickly. As soon as they started competing in A international comps they were more properly scored.

So it does feel like an odd move for IAM since the training environment there seems to be quite healthy for teams (I know not everyone will agree with me on that but their skaters do seem very close to one and other and to their coaches). I would have much rather T/V from Finland move to IAM over D/S!

 

[Kittosuni]

Yes I just saw this! I really am shocked. D/S do come with a lot of baggage - not really through any fault of their own - but I do wonder how the other Montreal teams feel about this.

So it does feel like an odd move for IAM since the training environment there seems to be quite healthy for teams (I know not everyone will agree with me on that but their skaters do seem very close to one and other and to their coaches). I would have much rather T/V from Finland move to IAM over D/S!

I mean direct rival teams have trained and thrived in IAM for years like V/M, P/C etc. Moreover, D/S aren't even close to any of those for current teams to be really worried about unless their feelings is due to prejudice, personal or political or what ever it is that prevents them from being professional then it is their issue and not IAM to canoodle them.

 

[Spiralgraph]

Not that I'm expecting this to happen but has IAM ever told a team of theirs to leave? I know a couple teams have left of their own volition,
But have MF and company ever fired a team because things didn't work out?