Interview with Angelika Krylova

[Matt K]

Oh, the horror! The horror! Meryl should sue for libel.

Yes, she should sue for libel because someone said she never mastered such skating skills nor had natural talent. The audacity of such folk:disapp:

 

[WeakAnkles]

Yes, she should sue for libel because someone said she never mastered such skating skills nor had natural talent. The audacity of such folk:disapp:

Gosh, and all any lawyer would have to do is, hey--get this, read the quotation in its entirety, not just an excerpt that deliberately distorts its entire meaning, before the case would be dismissed.

 

[Mathman]

Well…Davis and White are retired, so they can't provoke our just outrage any more. Unless they decide to come back and do the same twizzles for four more years!!!!!

But seriously, when the top two teams moved on, I thought that there would be a dip in interest and popularity of ice dance. Instead, I think the opposite happened. With new teams like Ilinykh & Zhiganshin and Papadakis & Cizeron leaping into the breach, we're all set for the next four years. :yes:

 

[Ophelia]

Her comments about dealing with skaters' weight are revolting and she should have her coaching credentials removed.

Whilst fans can stick their heads in the sand and believe that skaters should never be criticized, coaches have to be more realistic.

 

[Ophelia]

No, I think she's able to look at both couples ( actually, at all the couples she mentioned) with an absolutely critical eye (in the sense of discerning). This is a necessary attribute to be a really good coach and good skaters should be able to accept such assessments.(If they hope for the best results.)

It's only the fans who don't want to hear any negatives about skaters they like or for dispassionate, realistic comparisons to be made. That's a luxury only fans can afford.

This.

 

[karne]

Whilst fans can stick their heads in the sand and believe that skaters should never be criticized, coaches have to be more realistic.

There is a huge, massive difference between criticizing a skater and making aggressive and derogatory comments about their weight. Weighing every day and abusing them for any fluctuation is EXACTLY the sort of behavior that put Antipova in the hospital.

 

[Sandpiper]

While I don't think discussion about athletes being in shape (or not) should be banned, the following part does make me concerned:

Q: And how does it look?
A: I begin to weigh him every day, to say unpleasant things, to scold him. It works.

It sounds like she bullies her students into losing weight. That... doesn't sound like a good strategy. (That doesn't sound like a good strategy for anything. Telling someone "you suck at x, you suck at x" every day?)

 

[Mathman]

It sounds like she bullies her students into losing weight. That... doesn't sound like a good strategy. (That doesn't sound like a good strategy for anything. Telling someone "you suck at x, you suck at x" every day?)

She does say that it doesn't work as well on Canadians and Americans as it does on Russians.

 

[Alba]

She does say that it doesn't work as well on Canadians and Americans as it does on Russians.

Actually she said it's more easy to say to a russian, but it does work pretty well with her students.

 

[sowcow]

...I don't think Krylova is saying she got "fat" though.
She is saying that even a small gain, a kilo perhaps, makes a difference with the tech elements.

I tend to agree! Most probably, due to the brevity of her interview response, Krylova is guilty of an (unfortunate) oversimplification of the 'weight' issue.

There is a huge, massive difference between criticizing a skater and making aggressive and derogatory comments about their weight...

That doesn't sound like a good strategy for anything. Telling someone "you suck at x, you suck at x" every day?

Both True ... EXCEPT I think "say[ing] unpleasant things [and] scold[ing]" [translated quote direct from the interview] is much closer to "criticizing" than it is to accusations of Krylova "making aggressive and derogatory comments about their weight", or claims of daily derogation of the type "you suck at x, you suck at x".

...Weighing every day and abusing them for any fluctuation is EXACTLY the sort of behavior that put Antipova in the hospital.

It sounds like she bullies her students into losing weight. That... doesn't sound like a good strategy.

Although admittedly subjective, I also think the use of the terms "abusing" and "bully[ing]" are exaggerations here. Furthermore, the claim that such 'abuse' is delivered upon "any fluctuation" in weight is unsubstantiated.


From the article/interview (translated):

"If a skater is not able to control his condition himself, I resort to tough measures ... I begin to weigh him every day, to say unpleasant things, to scold him. It works."​

So, more accurately, the daily weigh-in is an extreme action taken as a last "resort" when other methods that encourage or support the skater to "control his condition himself" have failed. Also, despite the question being asked in the context of Tessa Virtue (a female), notice how Krylova purposely describes 'whom' these sorts of 'extreme' actions are taken on:

"...to control HIS condition HIMSELF"
"...I begin to weigh HIM every day"
"...to scold HIM"
​

So, not only is this measure NOT applied broadly (rather, it is only used when the more encouraging & supportive methods have been exhausted), but from the evidence available, it is also highly likely that this more extreme method is only ever used on male skaters.

Steve

 

[Sandpiper]

I don't care who it's used on (male or female, Russian or American), or even what it's used for (weight, studying, playing an instrument). I think "Do this because I tell you to, and if you don't listen I'll nag you ever day" is a poor teaching method. Sitting down with someone and explaining things to them is better than repetitive pressure.

Then again, these are athletes. Maybe they care at the end, not the means. Which is fine, I guess. No doubt it works on some people.

 

[humbaba]

Well…Davis and White are retired, so they can't provoke our just outrage any more. Unless they decide to come back and do the same twizzles for four more years!!!!!

Oh, how I wish Marlie would come back and do those same twizzles for four more years. I really miss seeing their atomic twizzles. They were blazing fast and spectacular.

 

[Matt K]

Both True ... EXCEPT I think "say[ing] unpleasant things [and] scold[ing]" [translated quote direct from the interview] is much closer to "criticizing" than it is to accusations of Krylova "making aggressive and derogatory comments about their weight", or claims of daily derogation of the type "you suck at x, you suck at x".
Steve

Exactly. She is not saying "you suck at x, you suck at y...".

 

[skateluvr]

If you look at Tessa in 2010 she was more slender. She developed more muscular legs by 2014. I love both pairs equally. But I am sure I noted that they seemed a tad slower than D/w. Certainly Charlie and
Meryl had the size advantage. Weight is ultra important the more difficult it gets technically. We have three tiny Russian girls at the top and we know small people have the advantage. So why not be honest?

Me I'd rather watch taller girls make lovely lines like Karo. It sure has gone the way of elite gymnastics. Gumby triumphs lovely gliding it seems. Well, they were a great rivalry those two ice teams. It really came down to preference for me. Though I feel no team glided as smoothly as the Canadians.

 

[SkateToronto]

No, I think she's able to look at both couples ( actually, at all the couples she mentioned) with an absolutely critical eye (in the sense of discerning). This is a necessary attribute to be a really good coach and good skaters should be able to accept such assessments.(If they hope for the best results.)

It's only the fans who don't want to hear any negatives about skaters they like or for dispassionate, realistic comparisons to be made. That's a luxury only fans can afford.

Precisely. Her comments about V&M/D&W strike me as quite accurate.

 

[Alba]

I tend to agree! Most probably, due to the brevity of her interview response, Krylova is guilty of an (unfortunate) oversimplification of the 'weight' issue.

She kind of explained why weight is a problem:

What does additional weight mean? It means immediate imbalance of all the elements, loss of ease, loss of levels of difficulty, the lifts. If you want to be first, you have to be impeccable in every way.

But I agree with you. I think she and the interviewer should've developed more on the issue and explain better. What the parameters are and how it should be done properly, for example. She's speaking as a coach and forgets maybe that this is an interview done for the fans, normal people like us, and should be a bit more informative about delicate issues like these.

So, not only is this measure NOT applied broadly (rather, it is only used when the more encouraging & supportive methods have been exhausted), but from the evidence available, it is also highly likely that this more extreme method is only ever used on male skaters.

I admit I didn't notice this, but you're most probably right. I'm saying this because some were complaining that she is calling out females only.

 

[MIM]

She kind of explained why weight is a problem:

What does additional weight mean? It means immediate imbalance of all the elements, loss of ease, loss of levels of difficulty, the lifts. If you want to be first, you have to be impeccable in every way.

But I agree with you. I think she and the interviewer should've developed more on the issue and explain better. What the parameters are and how it should be done properly, for example. She's speaking as a coach and forgets maybe that this is an interview who is done for the fans, normal people, and should be a bit more informative about delicate issues like these.

I appreciate the candid interview by Krylova and enjoyed reading posts here as a newbie fan of ice dance.:
I dare to add my assumption to her rather brief excuses. Ice dance is a sports with a partner. As they practice a lift hundreds times repeatedly to master, a sudden weight change can cause accumulated impacts on the supporting partner's health. I think weigh gain in ice dance/ pair is more complicated and sensitive than in singles. In single skating, if I gained weight, I am responsible to gain more muscle and power accordingly to work with the changes. However with a partner, I have to communicate any changes that will affect my partner directly. In that case, it is right for a coach to step in and arrange the situation for the team. How to handle is up to the coach. Well,,, if my trainer add 1-2 kg to the weight I was lifting without telling me, I would be really pissed and so would my back, shoulder, and ankle. Of course it will be much more complex than that, but it can be as simple as that....

I admit I didn't notice this, but you're most probably right. I'm saying this because some were complaining that she is calling out females only.

When I see I/Z (I am in love with their performances in every event they went), I cannot help but think their bodies are not balanced. Russlan seems too thin next to Elena. I think Elena is gorgeous and it is not her to fix the issue, but him. By gaining muscle, power, and stamina (=weight possibly?), he can match her level of energy and power. So, I guess in ice dancing, weight issues are not just punishing weight gain but also conditioning and finding a balance between the two.

 

[sarama]

Hi everyone! (New poster here
I've always been a fan of Krylova as a skater and as a coach, but I find this interview quite disturbing. Maybe she didn't mean exactly what is written there (misinterpretation by the interviewer or some nuances got lost in translation), but she was just so mean in such a gratuitous way, especially towards Tessa and Meryl, that I really don't get why she had to say those things. She basically said that Tessa didn't work hard after 2012 worlds (how could she actually know that?), Meryl has no talent and Cappellini/Lanotte looked helpless at CoC (they didn't look good for sure, but helpless is a bit harsh). You can think whatever you want but when you are a public figure bashing your previous and current opponents is something you just shouldn't do (and it kind of also make you seem desperate). Anyway due to my love for Weaver/Poje I am willing to forgive her (eventually)

 

[Alba]

When I see I/Z (I am in love with their performances in every event they went), I cannot help but think their bodies are not balanced. Russlan seems too thin next to Elena. I think Elena is gorgeous and it is not her to fix the issue, but him. By gaining muscle, power, and stamina (=weight possibly?), he can match her level of energy and power. So, I guess in ice dancing, weight issues are not just punishing weight gain but also conditioning and finding a balance between the two.

I think he's not that bad as he seems in the muscle department. I've seen some pictures of him which I can't find right now. Power and stamina certainly. I don't know about weight, but I suppose it can't hurt.
Lena has lost weight this summer, but she doesn't look so skinny as in this picture here, after CoR.
http://instagram.com/p/vgXX8SqBk2/?modal=true

 

[Sandpiper]

I think he's not that bad as he seems in the muscle department. I've seen some pictures of him which I can't find right now. Power and stamina certainly. I don't know about weight, but I suppose it can't hurt.
Lena has lost weight this summer, but she doesn't look so skinny as in this picture here, after CoR.
http://instagram.com/p/vgXX8SqBk2/?modal=true

Lena's thin but clearly has a lot of muscle. I think she and Ruslan just need more time to get used to each other, on timing, balance, ect.