Pairs FS Worldwide: The Divine Discipline

[BlissfulSynergy]

Okay. I wasn't sure because you can see their feet in the clip, and that they are wearing roller skates not ice skates, and that they are on a floor, and not on ice. I thought I was missing something, hence the asking about a trick question.

Again, I wasn't looking at their feet. If I had noticed they were wearing roller skates, I would have been better clued into the fact that this IG site posts video clips without a full understanding of what they are posting. The caption indicates "ice dance." Viewing it again and specifically looking at their feet, I can see the roller skates. Previously, I only noticed the boss moves they're performing.

There's still no reason to assume my asking was a 'trick question.' You noticed the roller skates, but moreover, you recognized the couple, which is what I was asking about.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Pairs is sadly not looking so divine right now. The Germans are probably the faves to win the World title. they have done a great job in getting together so fast. But to be objective they are not the best technicians. They are not overly unique? They are not overly charismatic or artistic? They don't have huge amplitude on elements like the Chinese and Russians of yester year. Alexa and Brandon didn't have the levels or artistry of Sui and Han or even Tarasova and Morozov let alone the younger Russians. nothing overly exciting unless yuo are Germany and thrilled they have a team looking for gold. I just don't see the bigger tricks or the amplitude or perfection or artistry of great pairs team with the Germans or the Canadians. Japan maybe but even then they are a huge step down from the greats. This is a wonderful time to steal a gold medal for some mediocre team.

My goodness. Hase/Volodin are a new team in their first season. Why would you expect them to be fully finished and have the kind of artistry of iconic pairs teams at this stage? Not even the top Russian teams are perfect at this point in their trajectory. The Russian teams may have the tradition and legacy advantage, along with SS and technical abilities, but they don't always have great programs or good connection. The top Russian teams are still young and still growing. Plus, doping issues in general are not resolved and the Russian vs Ukrainian war rages on.

In any case, being Russian, Volodin brings great SS, and H/V are one of the teams to watch. That's all we can expect at this point. I wouldn't rush to anoint H/V as World champions just yet. They may have a good chance at Euros, but that's not a given either.

 

[ice_tulip]

Anyone know if Spencer Howe & his partner will be competing at US Nationals this year?

 

[ladyjane]

According to this list, they are (updated on the 18th of December):

https://www.usfigureskating.org/news/press-release/2024-prevagen-us-figure-skating-championships-lineup-announced.

 

[ice_tulip]

According to this list, they are (updated on the 18th of December):

https://www.usfigureskating.org/news/press-release/2024-prevagen-us-figure-skating-championships-lineup-announced.

Wow, that's great! I wonder how they'll do. Out of all the American pairs, they are by far the best. I really hope they win somehow, but have they competed at all this season? I don't think they have. It's wild that their first competition back is US Nationals.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

@ice_tulip, Spencer had to rehab from shoulder surgery. They apparently hoped to be ready for at least one GP event, but that was not possible.

If they are in good form, they should prevail at U.S. Nationals. Probably they have been performing at their home rink in simulated competitions, as part of their training prep.

 

[Sk8swan]

Does anyone recognize this ice dance team?

225K views · 31K likes | SOᑕIᗩᒪᗪᗩᑎᑕIᑎG on Instagram: "Amazing 🔥⭐️🎖️🥇 #icedance #socialdancing #iceskate #worldstar"

32K likes, 92 comments - socialdancing on November 16, 2023: "Amazing 🔥⭐️🎖️🥇 #icedance #socialdancing #iceskate #worldstar"

www.instagram.com

They are multi-world pair champions, probably the best roller pair ever, now retired. That pair spin is often performed in roller skating and I would love to see it on the ice, at least the entry and the reverse camel (without the guillotine ). Search for their performances and you will see unique music choices and coreographies. And if you wonder where the reverse lift and those split positions all ice pairs are performing nowadays come from... Well, they have learnt them from the Italian roller skating coaches, at least the teams now training in Italy under the guidance of Hotarek and Co. Hotarek himself while skating with Marchei had his lift taught by one of the best roller skating coaches Patrick Venerucci.

One of my favorites:
Tarlazzi & Lucaroni 2018 LP coreo inspired to Michelangelo's sculptures

 

[Diana Delafield]

They are multi-world pair champions, probably the best roller pair ever, now retired. That pair spin is often performed in roller skating and I would love to see it on the ice, at least the entry and the reverse camel (without the guillotine ). Search for their performances and you will see unique music choices and coreographies. And if you wonder where the reverse lift and those split positions all ice pairs are performing nowadays come from... Well, they have learnt them from the Italian roller skating coaches, at least the teams now training in Italy under the guidance of Hotarek and Co. Hotarek himself while skating with Marchei had his lift taught by one of the best roller skating coaches Patrick Venerucci.

One of my favorites:
Tarlazzi & Lucaroni 2018 LP coreo inspired to Michelangelo's sculptures

Wonderful. What a pity they had to perform against such a cluttered, tacky background! At first glimpse, I thought the K&C area was a half-built public washroom with a wall missing.

 

[LadyB]

Beautiful interview with Dmitriy Savin, the 'man of the match' at every international pair skating event.He talks about his expertise in working with athletes skating for various countries. Based in Sochi as part of Klimov Team ,he learned the ropes at Mozer Team. He's got his hands on at least one more medal at the current Europeans. Good luck to him and his teams


Google translation

“I didn’t stay in America because I didn’t want to live in Groundhog Day.” Our figure coach prepares European champions​

The European Figure Skating Championships are starting - the second in a row without Russia.

This, of course, does not mean that there are no Russian names on the starting lists - many former Russians will take to the ice at the Zalgiris Arena in Kaunas . Some (especially in pairs and women's skating) will compete for medals, even gold.

However, we will see most familiar faces not on the ice, but behind the boards. A star landing of Russian coaches landed in Lithuania: from Eteri Tutberidze and Pavel Slyusarenko to Maria Butyrskaya and Alexander Svinin.

But the biggest team was brought to Kaunas by Dmitry Savin - perhaps today the main name in European pair skating. His players, the Germans Minerva Fabien-Haese and Nikita Volodin, are the favorites. A month ago they sensationally won the Grand Prix final , and this is their first season together.

In addition to the German duet, three more couples led by Savin will perform in Lithuania - from Poland, Hungary and Holland (and these are not all of his foreign students). By the way, at least half of each duet consists of students from the Russian figure skating school.

Dmitry Savin is the head of pair skating at the skating rink in Sochi. His team includes promising young coaches: 2014 Olympic champion Fedor Klimov and Sofya Evdokimova (former partner of Yegor Bazin, who competes in ice dancing with Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva). There are many Russian figure skaters in their group, but Savin’s success brought him fame in Europe.

At international competitions, Dmitry can be seen behind the scenes of several warm-ups at once - he brings some athletes onto the ice, others he trained in the past. It is also important that in today’s conditions his name does not cause oxidation among foreign fans, as happens with other Russian coaches.





It seems that Savin is perceived as a specialist without Russian registration.

How did this happen? Maya Bagryantseva spoke with Dmitry Savin on the eve of the European Championship.

“Are you going to be a bunny in the show for a long time?” Who was Savin before working as a coach?​

– Let's start with the most successful students. How did the Volodin/Hase pairing come about?

– We have been working with Minerva for 8 years, and I have been following Nikita’s fate for quite a long time. At first I tried to find him a partner in Russia, and then I realized that I had to start searching abroad.

It was clear to me that he and Nikita would be suitable for each other, all that remained was to convince the German federation of this. Thank God, they listen to me - and everything worked out. But Nikita did not need to be convinced; by and large, he was at a dead end.

After the Olympics in Beijing, we sat down to talk with Minerva. Her partner was ready to skate for another season, but did not want to stay in the sport longer. It became clear that she had to go into the new Olympic cycle with someone else. It was then that I remembered Volodin, although I immediately realized that we had to hurry.

I know German laws, Bruno Massot went through the same process when he paired up with Alena Savchenko (Olympic champions in pairs in Pyeongchang 2018 - Sports.ru), so I understood: the sooner we start, the better.

The year that Nolan Seegert (Minerva’s former partner) wanted to skate would have been critical for Volodin’s Olympic prospects, and therefore for the new couple as a whole. I understood that we would have to wait out the quarantine, but according to my calculations, we were on time - which means we could get down to business.

– You think well in general. Hungarian team members Pavlova/Svyatchenko said that they made it to the Grand Prix finals solely due to the depth of your planning.

– I calculate all the layouts very quickly. Already after the short program at the NHK Trophy, I understood that the guys had a chance and should not miss it. If they become the first alternates for the final (and they did), they need to get a Chinese visa - in reserve. So, from Japan, I called the agent who helps us with visas and told us to prepare the documents.

So in the story with Volodin, we also calculated everything at once. His last international start at that time was three years ago, so the ISU quarantine was not scary for him. And with the Russian release, we handled everything as carefully as possible from a legal point of view, we did everything according to the rules. I never try to circumvent the laws, no matter what country it concerns.


– This already turns out to be the work of a sports agent, and not just a coach.

– We also have to understand the legal issues, but how else? I have been moving around in this world for a very long time. Back in America, I was taught one phrase, which is now my motto. Help yourself - help yourself. No one will ever do anything for you.

– Not a very familiar motto for Russian figure skaters.

– Each person must be responsible for himself and his actions. Therefore, first of all, I teach all my children to be independent. It’s not enough to just be a coach on the ice, you also have to be a coach-psychologist in life. They are young, I want to teach them not only how to skate, but also some vital things.

– What did you do in America? Have you trained?

– No, at first I left to earn money on the show. He performed at Disney on ice and on cruise ships. And then I started training.

– Many of our skaters say that shows on ships are quite hard work.

– It all depends on whether you force yourself to do it or whether you like it. I didn’t just ride there, I became a travel agent, and was, to some extent, a sales manager for future cruises. I was interested in how it works, I wanted to understand everything.

– Why didn’t you stay in America? Many of our coaches worked there for many years.

– I didn’t want to live in Groundhog Day, remember that movie? When every day is the same. I woke up at five in the morning, had breakfast, got into the car, went to training, took the child to school, then back to the skating rink. And so on day after day.

If you went with the skaters to the start, you lost money, because you get paid for an hour of work at the skating rink. When you return, you compensate for your absence. I was bored. I have an awl in one place, I can’t do this.

– What’s different in Russia?

– Attitude. Here I could and can study. When I returned to Moscow, no one was waiting for me with open arms, so I started with children's groups at regular skating rinks. And in 2012, friends invited me to stage pairs for an ice show, and there I got to know Tatyana Tarasova better.

And then my childhood friend Kolya Morozov invited me to join a team with Nina Moser. She greeted me with a phrase that is still in my head: “Are you going to be a bunny in the show for a long time? Already finished? Then let's work."

“I’m waiting for the return of Russian figure skaters.” And also about queuing in pairs and how harmful tackles are​

– What do you think is the secret of Volodin/Hase’s success in their first season together?

– It’s always easier to start as a dark horse. Nobody knows you, nobody expects anything from you. Happiness loves silence, do you know this phrase? It’s the same here. Of course, I perfectly understood the couple’s potential and believed in them very much. But trumpeting on every corner “we’ll go out now and tear everyone apart”? No, not my story.

– Italians Sara Conti/Niccolò Macchii admit that they underestimated how difficult it is to enter the season as favorites.

– And Nikita and Minerva will have the same thing next year, you’ll see. I understand this and am already preparing them psychologically for this. You understand what the thing is: you should skate not to win, but to have fun. You need to like what you do. And before you receive something, you have to give something. You have to invest yourself first and then count on something.

– Minerva Haze has really changed a lot – she looks happier.

– So I taught her for 8 years to enjoy the process. If you enjoy your business, you will definitely be rewarded for it.

– Have you already taught Volodin this? Russian school is much more demanding.

– Surprisingly, there were no such difficulties with him. Yes, he is a maximalist, he has a very strong “I must” attitude. And I teach him that in this world he owes nothing to anyone but himself. You need to learn to accept yourself as you are, but the main thing is to enjoy what you do. And then it will be visible both on the ice and over the side.

Sometimes he has to be directed, restrained somewhere. Nikita often tries to kill himself on the ice, to push himself to the limit. This is our Russian school: die, but do it. It's not knockable, but it's probably a good trait. It’s just important to understand at some point that you need to take a break.

If you let go of the situation, everything will work out on its own in the next approach, because you have already invested so much that it will definitely work. It is this combination of persistence and the ability to get high that works best.

“We want to compete with the Russians, they motivate us.” The Figure Grand Prix for Germany was won by... Nikita Volodin​

– Many German couples complain about problems with financing. How did you find money for Volodin and Khaze?

– And here we again return to the thesis that before you count on something, you need to show something. There is no need to ask anyone for anything. Believe me, I have experience working with foreign federations, I know how everything works there. With us, everyone likes to demand first and then promise something - money in the morning, chairs in the evening. But it doesn't work that way. First, show what you are capable of, prove that you are promising. Yes, it is a risk, but any investment is a risk.


The same Volodin - he had no guarantees, he threw himself headlong into the pool. First I rode in a show with Tanya Navka and earned money for the first months in Germany. I actually bought plane tickets for him; he had nothing behind him. Nobody knew whether something would come of this idea or not.

– A very Western approach.

– And this is work for the future. I also have a very positive attitude towards tackles – if it does not interfere with the training process, of course. The athlete begins to hear the coach better and practice differently.

But here it is important that money does not become the main thing for you. This is what I don’t really like about Russia: often tackles become more important than training. But there are few real enthusiasts left, people who are passionate about figure skating. I will emphasize once again: you should skate not for the sake of results, but for the love of figure skating.

And this is also a very important experience, allowing us to better understand each other. I also learn from my skaters – even the youngest ones. And I continue to learn from my colleagues in the workshop - there is always something to improve. I understand perfectly well that I am still nothing compared to the greats.

– I noticed that foreigners always speak about you with great respect, even considering the current situation.

– I don’t have any stones in my bosom, I don’t like conflicts, I will never take an athlete away from another coach. We all revolve in the same cauldron, our world is very small, everyone knows each other. Relationships can be sorted out on the ice - and not in a fight, but in respectful rivalry. Whoever skated better wins.

I have infinite respect for my colleagues and rivals, I will only be glad if they show their best skating. During the 6-minute warm-up in Beijing, I helped the Italians, who are not currently training with me and are formally competing with my pairs. But we have known each other for a long time, I worked with them in Italy - and if I see a mistake, I want to help them.

– How did you get to work in Italy?

– Nina Moser was doing a training camp in Sochi and invited me. There I started working with the Ghillardi/Ambrosini couple, they asked me to put in a twist. And after that I was called to Bergamo to help Valentina Marchei and Ondrej Hotarek. It was with them that my epic work with the Italians began; we were preparing for the Olympics in Korea.


– Valentina had an incredible sporting character.

– I don’t know such a couple anymore, honestly. Now I teach my athletes this - to burn and want to skate like those Italians. I am very sad that we did not start working at least two years earlier - because then we would definitely have achieved completely different results. They were the only couple in Pyeongchang who skated all the programs cleanly - both in the team and individual tournaments.

I really enjoyed working with them. They were always ready to try new things, and this is the best gift for a coach. Before them, I worked exclusively with Russian figure skaters and only understood how it was customary to work here. And Valya and Ondrej... I have always been interested in understanding the mentality of athletes from different countries. And it was this couple that I wanted to bring to Russia to teach our guys.

- To what? What is the difference between the approaches?

– For us, figure skating is like a job. Moreover, work that does not bring pleasure. Why then should she do it?

“We have such competition that you can’t get a kick out of it.” One stress.

– This is how you need to cope with this stress. What is the best way to do this? Don't be afraid of it, open up and love the ice. Don’t hold back, but go where it’s scary. Everyone wants to be first, but how to achieve this? Only through love.

The Hungarians Pavlova/Svyatchenko slowly learned this. I just still don’t really understand why they hold the components back like that. Yes, I know all their pros and cons. But their disadvantages do not seem to me so serious as to lose the second rating.

– Maybe it’s a matter of time, and the judges need to get used to them?

– How long will it take? In our couples, the notorious “queue” has already appeared - like in dancing. For what? If an interesting couple appears, why not mark it, why keep it artificially? There are elements in pairs, everything should be very simple - you did it or didn’t do it, you know how to skate or not. And then some games begin.

– You’ve been in this business for so many years and you’re still surprised?

– And I believe that there should be no politics in sports. In our country, the struggle is for one person to show that at this particular moment he is stronger than the other. All. At the next tournament everything will happen again. But it turns out that everyone has to carve out a place in the sun for themselves.


- On the other hand, if there was a tough queue - would Nikita and Minerva be able to get around the same Italians?

– This is also true, now many people have a chance - the main thing is to be able to take advantage of it. The same Hungarians have been skating together for only a year and are already very close to the podium of the Grand Prix final. At the same time, I’m really looking forward to our skaters returning. It will be even more interesting with them.

- Exactly? It will become more difficult for your foreign couples to get on the podium.

– Yes, it’s more interesting, because I love sports. And you need to compete with the strongest. You have to go out and prove that you are better.

– Do a couple from Germany or Italy have a chance of getting closer to the podium when ours come out?

- Of course I have. Alena Savchenko with Bruno Massot, the Chinese - they somehow won? And today’s guys – they are catching up before our eyes.

“But medals are great motivation. It also means money and attention from the federation.

– No, love motivates much more. If you skate for a medal because you have to, nothing good will come of it.

– You said a couple of years ago that European doubles is dying. Has the situation improved now?

– I’m afraid that positive dynamics only concern adults. But the real problem is with juniors. There is no one to raise, no strong youth.

I have been sounding the alarm for a long time: who will replace the current leaders? It takes 6-7 years to develop a strong greenhouse. Annika Hocke, Niccolo Macchii, Filippo Ambrosini - we started raising them in 2016 at the training camp. And only now the results are coming.

– What do you think about Canadian Deanna Stellato-Dudek? She is 40 years old and breaks all sports molds.

– No, this is all convention and the blinkeredness of our perception. Our body has no limit to its capabilities. Yes, over the years you have to change the training process a little, but your head works completely differently. Ondrej Hotarek skated at 35, Hongbo Zhao became an Olympic champion at 37. And Alena Savchenko? Yes, and the British Zoe Jones can be remembered .

“I love it when people pick me up and throw me around.” The American returned to figure skating after a 15-year break – and she’s beautiful at 39!​

People skate in shows up to 50-60 years old, Belousova/Protopopov performed at 80 years old! What I will agree with is that Deanna is unique in her approach to the sport and I admire her and her awareness. But I repeat: the limit is only in our heads.

– There is a stereotype that those who didn’t succeed in singles go to pair skating.

- Yes, this is stupidity. Pair skating is elite and aerobatics. You must glide like a dancer, jump like a single skater, be able to skate synchronized and be an acrobat on the ice. Four in one.

I don't think this is a look for those who haven't succeeded. You see, creating a pair is also not so easy, this is not a constructor. You need to skate, the skaters must suit each other both physically and in character. This is a very difficult task.

We are discussing the Russian Championship. What is Russian greenhouses missing this season?​

– What are your impressions of the Russian Championship?

– Unfortunately, it was not possible to come to Chelyabinsk this year, but this is just a bomb tournament in terms of level, so, naturally, I watched everything. Probably no one really surprised me - I saw what I expected. The only thing that was disappointing was that many pairs did not succeed in their free program; this is a little alarming.

Ekaterina Chikmareva/Matvey Yanchenkov surprised us on the good side. I saw their potential several years ago, and this year they did not disappoint. Yes, of course, I expected a little more from Osokina/Gritsaenko - but there was an unfortunate mistake in the free program (my partner’s shoelaces broke during the skate - Sports.ru)

– Is it possible to prevent this?

- Certainly. This is the second time I’ve seen this this year – in September at the Lombardia Trophy, the Italian Philippe Ambrosini had the same thing happen after his first jump. This is a feature of some shoe hooks - they can cut laces. So there is only one option - prepare better and watch your skates.

I always advise taking new laces two or three days before the competition - just in case, as they say. But figure skaters are superstitious people; before big competitions they are afraid to change something. Well, they rely on the Russian maybe, but this doesn’t always work.

– Didn’t the gold-silver breakdown surprise you?

– Anastasia Mishina/Alexander Gallyamov once again proved that they know how to approach the most important start at the maximum level of readiness. I followed them throughout the season - it was clear that they were improving from start to start. This means that all the preparation was properly structured.

Of course, it was important for them to beat their eternal competitors Boykova/Kozlovsky, and also to close the gestalt at the same national championship in Chelyabinsk, which they failed three years ago. It’s in every athlete’s head that these things need to be corrected.


– What was Boikova/Kozlovsky missing?

“They were physically and technically ready, so I think psychology played a role. It was the first time they entered such a serious competition with a new headquarters, and the Russian Championship is the most important and difficult tournament for figure skaters, everyone knows this. So it's a purely psychological factor.

Even at the open skates, it seemed to me that they had some kind of new attitude towards skating. The power caught my eye - and I’m not talking about technical aspects, but about the feeling of the pair.

-Have they started to believe in themselves more?

– It seems to me that in their case there were never problems with self-confidence, this was evident from their statements, you must agree.

– Maybe such a large coaching staff benefited them? Doesn't this number of coaches bother athletes?

- Don't think. The athlete chooses the energy point that he needs at the moment. We all feed off each other.

Now Eteri Georgievna has nine people training in pairs - and at the start you can always choose whose eyes to look into before skating, from whom to recharge. The more people on your team, the more opportunities you have to understand who you need now.

– At the last two Russian championships there is no selection for the main competitions. Has the degree of struggle decreased?

– No, I think that nothing has changed for the skaters. Our preparations are always built around the national championship, so it’s still in our minds. Getting into the national team is at stake, and this is your future. Maybe that’s why many people faltered in the free program.

– Yulia Artemyeva and Alexey Bryukhanov did a quadruple twist, but it didn’t bring them a medal. Was it worth the risk?

– I try not to discuss other coaching staffs, because I understand perfectly well what work goes into each performance. But I can say that I am always for a justified risk, and the guys have a great twist, with that wow effect. It’s just that then, apparently, their adrenaline went through the roof, and so the emissions suffered - by the way, wonderful and flying ones.

Ultra-si always require rolling in - we know this from boys and girls. At first, the program may collapse somewhere, but it is still an invaluable experience. It takes time: the more complex the content, the longer it takes to develop it.


– Do you believe in the future of the Kostornaya/Kunitsa couple?

- Everyone has a chance - and everything will depend on how you approach the matter. If you have a love for skating and a desire to achieve something, then you need to continue. Giving up everything, giving up and leaving is unsporting.

Ice dancing and pair skating are similar in many ways. And the point is not in the queue, but in the fact that it is difficult to immediately impress everyone and climb to the top. The content of Kostornaya/Kunitsa is the same as that of Khabibulina/Knyazhuk, for example. But Natasha and Ilya have been working towards this for many years and feel each other with their eyes closed.

I teach my guys that in pair skating everything depends on the rhythm of the movement: if you managed to catch it together with your partner, then this is a success, and then all that remains is to roll it out.

– This year they say that there are few memorable programs in pair skating. Do you agree?

– There are interesting programs, but there are probably no productions with a wow effect. They are high quality, with good finds - but not Olympic.

- Well, it’s not an Olympic season.

- Yes, sure. It's time to try something, take risks and figure out whether some chip will work or not. That is, you are gradually getting closer to what can work in the year of the Games. You try different styles, options.

– That year the couple Ksenia Akhantieva/Vladimir Kolesov came to you, but the duo broke up. Why?

– Yes, they came to Sochi to change the situation and restart their careers. But it didn’t work out; Ksenia’s medical problems got in the way. And we didn’t get the wow effect, but given the Russian level of competition in pair skating, it’s a must.

Stopping in time is also an art. You don’t always have to fight yourself to the last, especially if health issues arise. I don’t see any point in killing girls at all - after all, there’s still a whole life ahead, why bother?

- “I’ve invested so many years in this, is it really in vain?”

– But the world of figure skating is huge. In your youth, this is a hobby for you, and then it can become your profession. Shows, coaching career - if you love it, you will stay in this field. Well, yes, you didn’t win the world championship, so what – life is over?

My task is not only to educate skaters, but also to prepare them for a normal life after sports.

– I often hear this from the Montreal headquarters in ice dancing.


– Of course, because a career in sports is not the whole of life. You are a coach only on the ice, but behind the boards you are a life mentor, whose task is to help everyone find their own path. It doesn’t always work out perfectly, we have to try different approaches, but my team and I always ask the guys – what do they want? We have no despotism, we learn from each other.

They always say if something doesn’t suit them or doesn’t like them – and it’s important to hear them. The biggest mistake coaches make, especially those who were once good athletes, is to treat their students like themselves. You cannot dress athletes in your own clothes. Just because it was good and convenient for you does not mean it will suit them.

– Can Fyodor Klimov, your colleague, do this?

– Fedor learned this very quickly. He is very meticulous, attentive, analyzes everything and can sort it out. Over the years, he has grown incredibly as a specialist.

– Has coaching confidence appeared in him?

- And he always had it. He reasons very calmly before making a decision. Spontaneity is rather the lot of girls. No, wait, look at me like that - there are advantages to this. Because the first decision is often the most correct one.

– That is, you listen to the opinion of Sofia Evdokimova.

- Certainly. She can also suggest technical things; she is not only responsible for the production part. We all learn from each other. This is a constant process, this is the most interesting thing, and not “I said it will be so.” Truth is born in dialogue.

But the main thing, probably, is that we have a real team at the skating rink, we are looking in the same direction. We are also friends in everyday life. Yes, we can argue, but everything is always very constructive and respectful.

– How do you manage to train foreigners if you live in Sochi? So you only meet at competitions?


– Most of the work is done remotely, yes. I finish training, come home, and start consulting via Zoom. Usually I write a plan to foreigners for a week in advance, they work on it, and then we call each other and adjust everything online. If there are any problems, they send me a video. But usually they work independently, according to an agreed scheme.


Maya BagryantsevaAuthor

And in the first half of the season we have tournaments almost every week, so we see each other often and have enough time to personally fix something.

Intensive work is more needed in the summer and autumn, when programs are being staged and rolled in. Plus in the summer we have training camps, this year we held them in Turkey. Logistically, this is a very successful location: it was convenient for everyone to fly there. In Sochi, foreigners cannot come to our skating rink due to obvious circumstances.

– Did any of the parties ask you to stop collaborating?

- No. Everyone decides for themselves whether they are interested in working together or not. I repeat: I believe that politics has no place in sports. I love athletes, I love what they do, and if we have mutual interest, we will work. The federations also understand this very well.

And somehow it immediately turns out that all the barriers disappear, because they are artificially created, let’s face it. There are no hopeless situations.

– You can publish a book with motivational quotes from Dmitry Savin.

– Well, everything is really quite simple. I am who I am, and I don’t try to seem like anyone. If you can’t take a step forward, step back and think, but don’t hit the door with your forehead, spare your head. And before you take a step, think about why you are doing it.

Maya Bagryantseva
Author

 

[Sk8swan]

Wonderful. What a pity they had to perform against such a cluttered, tacky background! At first glimpse, I thought the K&C area was a half-built public washroom with a wall missing.

well that's actually an ice skating rink which in summer time is somehow "adapted" to host roller skating competitions.

 

[Diana Delafield]

well that's actually an ice skating rink which in summer time is somehow "adapted" to host roller skating competitions.

That's fairly common where I live, taking out the ice from rinks in the summer and using them for roller skating and inline hockey. It would have been a messy background for any artistic sport -- they were skating so beautifully they deserved a simpler, less distracting setting, like the ballrooms used for dance competitions.

 

[Sk8swan]

That's fairly common where I live, taking out the ice from rinks in the summer and using them for roller skating and inline hockey. It would have been a messy background for any artistic sport -- they were skating so beautifully they deserved a simpler, less distracting setting, like the ballrooms used for dance competitions.

They also deserved an Olympic stage to show off their incredible skills and talent but unfortunately that never happened or will happen.

 

[Diana Delafield]

They also deserved an Olympic stage to show off their incredible skills and talent but unfortunately that never happened or will happen.

I've never understood why it's not included in the summer Olympics as a counterpart to the same sport on ice that is such an integral part of the winter Games. Perhaps dating back to the era when figures were all-important on ice? (Have roller skaters ever done figures, since they can't leave visible tracings? It never occurred to me to find out.)

 

[Sk8swan]

I've never understood why it's not included in the summer Olympics as a counterpart to the same sport on ice that is such an integral part of the winter Games. Perhaps dating back to the era when figures were all-important on ice? (Have roller skaters ever done figures, since they can't leave visible tracings? It never occurred to me to find out.)

Artistic roller skating isn't and won't be included anytime soon in the summer Olympics because is not spread enough worldwide to match the Olympic sports criteria. There are figures in roller skating, there are separate competitions for that, and you do them following circles drawn on the floor.

 

[Diana Delafield]

Artistic roller skating isn't and won't be included anytime soon in the summer Olympics because is not spread enough worldwide to match the Olympic sports criteria. There are figures in roller skating, there are separate competitions for that, and you do them following circles drawn on the floor.

Thanks, and an interesting two facts I didn't realize/know.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

They are multi-world pair champions, probably the best roller pair ever, now retired. That pair spin is often performed in roller skating and I would love to see it on the ice, at least the entry and the reverse camel (without the guillotine ). Search for their performances and you will see unique music choices and coreographies. And if you wonder where the reverse lift and those split positions all ice pairs are performing nowadays come from... Well, they have learnt them from the Italian roller skating coaches, at least the teams now training in Italy under the guidance of Hotarek and Co. Hotarek himself while skating with Marchei had his lift taught by one of the best roller skating coaches Patrick Venerucci.

One of my favorites:
Tarlazzi & Lucaroni 2018 LP coreo inspired to Michelangelo's sculptures

Yeah, roller skating needs to be made an Olympic sport already. BTW just as figure skating borrows moves from roller skating and ice dance, I'm quite sure the reverse is true as well. Cross-fertilization is a good thing.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

@LadyB, thanks for providing the interview with Dmitry Savin. I have been wanting to know more about him, especially after the posted interviews with Hase/Volodin, where they spoke of their working relationship with him. The Savin interview provides more interesting details of how Hase/Volodin came together. Savin had already been working with Hase and thus he knew her well. And Volodin was stuck without a partner. Cool that they came together and their personalities mesh so well, along with their talent.

I think Savin is incorrect that no one was thinking about H/V. I think a number of fans were very interested to see H/V when we heard they were pairing. So there was a sense of some above average possibility right away. However, yes, it is good Savin and crew quietly minded their business with H/V, and did not get on the over-hype train. Low-key and business-like is the best approach.

I also think Savin is simply advocating for Pavlova/ Sviatchenko when he complains about their components not being high enough. LOL! Pav/Svia are good at going clean and getting the job done. But they do not possess anything special aesthetically right now. They do not connect better than most teams, and they have not yet developed a captivating style. If Beccari/ Guarise go clean, they have much better grace and aesthetic appeal than Pav/ Svia.

In any case, in my opinion, B/G are the best Italian team. I wish I had gone with this personal preference in my predictions. Sigh. Oh well, even Ghilardi/ Ambrosini have more memorable and interesting programs than Pav/Svia, this season (albeit that G/A strategically landed sbs 2-axels which slightly hurt their tech score).

In general, this generation of pairs teams need to improve on challenging themselves with difficult jumps. Instead, there has been a safe, diluted sbs jumps trend in pairs, in recent years.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I find it fascinating too that Savin and Eteri both spent time in the U.S., and learned things that they took back to Russia with them to add to their own methods and approaches to coaching. It is so true that learning from other cultures can expand one's growth. In Savin's case, he's clearly very savvy too and he loves challenges.

I agree with many of his ideas and approaches, for instance being open and doing things the right way in terms of legal issues (and not taking shortcuts). Also, demonstrating his skaters' worth prior to expecting money from different federations.

While I totally get him saying he looks forward to Russian pairs coming back, I take a bit of issue with the endless conceit that only Russian pairs are the absolute best. For a certain number of years, Chinese, German (Ukrainian-German-French background of the two notable teams who repped Germany), and Canadian pairs teams were dominating moreso than Russian teams. The tide only began to turn back to Russian teams with the rise of Boikova/Koslovskii, and Mishina/ Galliamov, along with the hanging in of Tarasova/ Morosov, to finally achieve their promise at 2022 Olympics (albeit still edged by Sui/Han).

As well, James/Cipres made an important impact circa 2017 - 2019 that gets downplayed, disregarded or completely ignored. Their influence though is still being felt in the pairs discipline, regardless of the naysaying by naysayers. Importantly, J/C gained prominence and success after finding a good match with a collaborative coaching team in the U.S. (Florida). Especially, J/C's work with ice dance choreographers began infusing fresh excitement into the pairs discipline. Savchenko/Massot is another team who influenced this trend via benefiting from their work with former ice dancers turned choreographers. I would also say that Savchenko/ Solkowy's impact was huge in pairs beginning in 2005 onward.

This brings me back to Savin's openness and savvy way of working across countries and cultural boundaries. That is the way of the future, in any important endeavor. Collaborative coaching, and drawing from a variety of coaching methodologies and movement styles is btw, the secret to I.AM's huge success. In addition, I.AM taking the approach of working with skaters from many different countries, and directly involving skaters in being responsible for the process and progress of their careers, and of their lives beyond skating, matches Savin's approach. Benoit Richaud has also been quite successful working with skaters from different countries. Of course, this happened too in the 1960s when John Nicks and Carlo Fassi came to the U.S. to help in the aftermath of the tragic Sabena airline crash. But today, the reach and influence of coaches like Savin, Dubreuil/ Lauzon/ Haguenauer, Benoit, and to some degree, Marcotte, is broader and more impactful.

 

[Sk8swan]

Yeah, roller skating needs to be made an Olympic sport already. BTW just as figure skating borrows moves from roller skating and ice dance, I'm quite sure the reverse is true as well. Cross-fertilization is a good thing.

Absolutely. Late coach of the pair I was talking about followed ice pair skating very closely traveling to watch competitions live and building his pair programs just like ice skating programs. He had this plan to make them switch to ice skating to pursue the Olympic dream and I'm sure they would have done wonders with their talent. Sadly the coach passed away too soon in a tragic accident and with him all the plans for the team to switch to ice figure skating faded.

 

[Sk8swan]

I forgot I had their 2016 World programs (SP & LP) on Youtube. The sp was coreographed by an Italian ice dancer. The construction of both programs is different than what you usually see in roller skating and resembles ice skating very much. They were just in a league of their own.
EDIT to add: in the LP they had perfect sbs 3 salchows 3minutes into their programs... Insane!!!