Obertas and Slavnov

[Breakdown787]

So recently I was able to finally see this time and was I IMPRESSED!!! Obertas has always been one of the best female pair's skaters however just never finding the right couple. But with Slavnov, I think she has found the right pair. He holds his weight and in time both will be top contenders. The thing that impressed me the most, besides the T.flip, is the AMAZING lifts that they have. If you see the FP you probably know the low gliding lift as well as the amazing lift combination at the end. And they have a unique and fresh presence on the ice with intresting programs. Just simply amazing and so much potential! And their both such a great looking couple as well! Moskvina will do well for these two.

[Roma]

My thoughts exactly. I was so impressed with them after seeing them this morning's telecast of Cup of Russia that I intended to start a new thread about them, only to find one already started! I also like the other new Russian pair very much (I forget their names -- the ones in which the man is 6'6", who are also coached by Moskvina).

I think that Peter Carruthers was right on the mark when he said that Tamara Moskvina has the ability to highlight each pair's unique strengths.

I think pairs is becoming very exciting, and Oberats and Slavnov are particularly promising.

[Trillian]

Originally posted by Roma
I also like the other new Russian pair very much (I forget their names -- the ones in which the man is 6'6", who are also coached by Moskvina).

Would this be Borzenkova & Chuvilaev? (I didn't see the event.) They've actually been together at least four or five years, but had a kind of slow climb up the ranks. They did compete (and finished 15th) at the 2002 Worlds. Given their recent improvement in results is it safe to assume the move to Moskvina happened within the last year or two?

[Roma]

Originally posted by Trillian
Would this be Borzenkova & Chuvilaev? (I didn't see the event.) They've actually been together at least four or five years, but had a kind of slow climb up the ranks. They did compete (and finished 15th) at the 2002 Worlds. Given their recent improvement in results is it safe to assume the move to Moskvina happened within the last year or two?

Yes, Trillian, they would be the ones. I first saw them at one of the earlier Grand Prix Telecasts this fall. I missed the first few seconds of their skate at that time, and when Peter was talking about their coach having put them together, evidently I misunderstood, thinking that they were a rather new pair.

If they have been together 4-5 years, that would better explain their good unison, especially on their side-by-side illusions. Any way, after seeing them a second time today, as well as seeing Obertas/Slavnov for the first time, I was quite 'wowed' by the depth of pairs skating.

[Aussie Willy]

I have not seen Obertas' new partner, but I from last season I definately agree that she is one of the most exciting female pairs skaters. I hope I can get a tape of the new partnership.

I wonder where she would be now in skating if she had not changed partners a few times over the last few years. But then she is still young enough to make an impact if she can continue with a strong partner. I hope it lasts because I really want to see her full potential.

BTW - what happened to the guy she skated with last season?

[Trillian]

Originally posted by Aussie Willy
I wonder where she would be now in skating if she had not changed partners a few times over the last few years.

Probably nowhere. Her first partner in the long term did not prove to be anywhere near her level of talent, so she wouldn't have been able to achieve much with him. People always talk about "changing partners" as if it's a bad thing, but it's often a good choice for skaters--and definitely was in her case (though I think her first partner actually instigated the split). I wasn't all that impressed with Sokolov either, but hopefully this partnership will be "the one." They're a very young team, so they have a long time to develop. Obertas is definitely one of the most talented female pairs skaters I've ever seen, so hopefully one way or another she finds herself in a partnership that allows that talent to fully develop. It would be great if that happens with Slavnov.