Russia's Mishina and Galliamov eager to show improvements

[gsk8]

Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Galliamov are part of the squad of young and strong pair teams from Russia that are conquering the figure skating world. The 2019 World Junior Champions left their mark in their senior debut season last year, qualifying for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final where they claimed bronze and were the highest ranked Russian team. However, uncharacteristic errors in the short program at Nationals kept them off the podium and they did not make the Russian team for the 2020 ISU European Figure Skating Championships.

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The skaters left a strong impression at the test skates in September and were scheduled to compete at the second Russian Cup series in Moscow in mid-October, but Galliamov tested positive on Covid-19 shortly before the event, forcing the team to withdraw.

“Everything is okay. I am now at home in self-quarantine,” Galliamov said. “Obviously, it is upsetting that we prepared for the competition and then this mess happened that I didn’t expect at all. I still don’t know how I caught it (the virus). I hope to return on to the ice soon so that we can make the fans happy with our performances.”

Here's hoping for a quick recovery and that they can compete at Rostelecom Cup next month!

What are your thoughts their change? Current programs?

 

[flanker]

Pity we won't see them during the weekend, I was looking forward to them. I recommend their recent videochat with Ted Barton:

 

[lariko]

Speedy recovery to Galliamov

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

The chat is nice and Ted asked good questions. M/G were forthcoming but obviously have a bit of trouble trying to talk freely in a non-native language. It's nice to hear them speaking though, when it's hard to get to know them purely through their competitive performances.

I was impressed by their new look and new programs under Moskvina at the Russian test skates. They were not my favorite of the Russian pairs to watch last season. They are clearly strong technically, but unemotional on the ice. Strangely, a lack of projection and emotional connection has often been a feature of Russian pairs skating (with a few exceptions of course, such as Gordeeva/Grinkov; the great Belousova/Protopopov; Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze, Artur Dmitriev & his partners, et al).

Even the other current young Russian team, Pavliuchenko/Khodykin, display technical brilliance without emotional connection. However, the recent growth and changes M/G have displayed, and even the new programs of P/K as well, bode a promising future for both teams and for giving Boikova/Koslovskii and T/M a run for their championship medals.

 

[skylark]

More evidence of Moskvina's genius, as if any more were needed:

"Before, we just did what the coaches told us. Now before we do something, Tamara Nikolaevna has us to think about it and to think about all possible options to do it better.” --Mishina

And this quote makes me fall in love with Galliamov a little: "I hope to return on to the ice soon so that we can make the fans happy with our performances.”

When I saw their test skates, I was absolutely amazed at their progress since last year. They've deepened in beauty, and their programs really show them off well.