Results
1. Bobrova and Soloviev (164.93)
2. Riazanova and Tkachenko (160.45)
3. Ilinykh and Katsalapov (149.72)
4. Khokhlova and Andreev (145.75)
5. Gorshkova and Butikov (142.83)
Leading into this season, many expected an easy transition into the senior ranks for the stylish Ilinykh and Katsalapov. It has not gone as expected. Those who trained with Elena Ilinykh in Michigan note that she is a delightful skater who is unfortunately lacking in power. Tanith Belbin noted the lack of complexity in their transitions and elements, while other ice dance experts note their utter dependence on crossovers. Khokhlova and Andreev are a new team with a partner who has never ice danced before. yet they still defeated them in the free dance and were points ahead on their technical elements score. His mistake on the twizzle sequence cost them the silver medal to a team they should have beaten. It looks like some sort of change might be in order for the young Russians.
Bobrova and Soloviev
Riazanova and Tkachenko
Ilinykh and Katsalapov
Gorshkova and Butikov
Khokhlova and Andreev
I saw it. Don't let the scores tell you anything about K/A's skating - it was huuuge gift. He is stiff as hell, they had absolutely NO transitions, he skates on two feet the entire time, and the step sequences were slow and far apart.
ReplyDeleteThe judging was abysmal, seriously.
I don't get it, because to me I/K are pretty good... yeah, lacking in power, etc... but they seem to have nice lines. Maybe I just don't understand ice dance at all. Admittedly I don't know much about it, but K/A seem to be a mess to me.
ReplyDeleteI'm sad we won't see I/K at Worlds... They are so young, they will have many years to work on things.
ReplyDeleteK/A seem like a mess because they are. Zueva must be paying of the judges in a big way. How can that step sequence be a level four?
ReplyDeleteIt's these kind of results that make you really want to stop watching ice dance.
BTW, Russia always decides Worlds entries based on Europeans. If I/K beat R/T there, which they can, they'll go to Worlds. It has been that way as long as I can remember. I would not say they are not going to Worlds yet. Russian nats only decides the Europeans team. Europeans decides the Worlds team.
ReplyDeleteI liked Khokhlova and Andreev's fd the best.
ReplyDeleteK/A do have potential. They need to figure out their unison with their height difference, but he is actually not horrendous as an ice dancer.
ReplyDeleteI think it's kind of ridiculous for ice dancers to base their program on a jump-happy ballet like Don Quixote - maybe if she wasn't wearing a tutu it wouldn't be so bad.
ReplyDeleteNone of these programs were very impressive tho.
I don't get it... Some people think K/A were acceptable, others are calling them horrendous... Which is it? Ice dance just seems to have no rules.
ReplyDeleteWell, if I/K only lost 2nd because of the messed up twizzle, then there's not necessarily a need to make major changes. Twizzles can be hit or miss, just like a jump would be for a regular skater. I/K are capable of very nice twizzles, as they showed in the short dance. Ilinykh reminds me of Belbin in terms of being extremely tall (or just extremely tall relative to the height of her partner)... They have great matching leg lines, but they won't be able to do lifts like Davis/White do... Or maybe not... Maybe he just needs more time in the weightroom.. At 19, he's still a little guy! Hopefully Euros will go better for them, but at least they got the short dance in order.
ReplyDeleteI'm grateful for the videos, but whoever made them kept cutting off the kiss and cry parts for some reason. Argh, Why.
ReplyDeleteIce Dance actually has a ton of rules. There are also the old-school aesthetics that don't count as much anymore. K/A have some strong lifts and need to work on their twizzles and step sequences. Their size difference is beyond ridiculous, but they do have some things to work on. Ice Dance has become all about the elements and transitions. The Shibutanis have been able to do well because they have perfected their twizzles, lifts, dance spin, etc.
ReplyDeleteDoes Andreev do crossovers for like that entire program? Is it considered a simple program?
ReplyDeleteam i the only one that thinks B/S are extremely ungraceful?
ReplyDelete"There are also the old-school aesthetics that don't count as much anymore."
ReplyDeleteRight. As much as we wish it did, nice lines don't count for much anymore, especially compared to things like edges and speed.
Whoever said it above is right: B/S are completely not graceful. Or interesting. They remind me of Lobacheva/Averbuch - another team I never could see anything in, despite what their placements said. I liked K/A - that program is very well suited and very different for Yana, but I think it works well. They obviously have tons of work to do, but he presents nicely and they can increase difficulty with time. For whoever is wondering, btw, Tarasova LOVED them, as she made clear in her comments after they skated.
ReplyDelete