Russian ladies skating news

[Marco]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SkateFans/message/95255?threaded=1

This is a translation of a recent interview of Piseev, and I found it in Skatefans.

The jist is:

*Slute may take this year off for family reasons and she plans to retire after Worlds in Moscow in 2005;
*B/S & Yags will skip GPF, Nationals, Euros and Worlds but will compete in GPs;
*Abt trains with Zhulin now;
*Tarasova sorta accepted to consult on Klimkin;
*Volchkova is now with Vasiliev, Oblasova with Kurdriatsev, and Nelidina with Chaikovskaya;
*Mishin is dumping Sokolova :(:(:(:( (now I know why she is only getting 1 GP this season)

[Orable]

I wonder who's gonna coach Sokolova now? (wasnt' she Mishin's first female student? maybe he just couldn't deal...)

~Orable~

[Marco]

Mishin couldn't fix Lena's nerve problems, nor her stroking and extension
:(:(:( I wonder what going to Mishin had done for Lena...her 3/3s are only consistent in practices...

[mikey]

[quote:19f16bee92="Marco"]*B/S & Yags will skip GPF, Nationals, Euros and Worlds but will compete in GPs[/quote:19f16bee92]

This may be a disturbing trend that I don't think will last long... Wasn't the entire point of the Grand Prix series to provide a venue for eligible skaters to earn money and thereby remain eligible and not turn pro? What's the point, if skaters like these don't plan on competing in other eligible competitions, such as Nationals, Europeans, 4CC, and Worlds?? If they are allowed to just hang out and make big money without competing in the "real" (ie. traditional) competitions, it just further confuses the distinction between "eligible" and "professional", and I don't think the ISU will allow this loophole to exist for long...

[Marney]

It seems a little odd that Irina would plan to retire a year BEFORE the Olympics, even if they are in Moscow. If you're going to stay eligible that long, why not stay until the Olympics...

[quote="Marco"]http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SkateFans/message/95255?threaded=1

This is a translation of a recent interview of Piseev, and I found it in Skatefans.

The jist is:

*Slute may take this year off for family reasons and she plans to retire after Worlds in Moscow in 2005;

[blue111moon]

The Olympics aren't in Moscow, are they? I thought it was Worlds in Moscow that she was staying in for to compete in her home country one last time.

[Anya]

Surely, but it's sort of weird what she plans to skate nearly full Olympic circle and then retire just before OOOOOs.

Anyway I think this decision is far from set in stone.

Anna.

[icenut84]

[quote:be46f3a0b7="Marco"]*Slute may take this year off for family reasons and she plans to retire after Worlds in Moscow in 2005;
*B/S & Yags will skip GPF, Nationals, Euros and Worlds but will compete in GPs;[/quote:be46f3a0b7]

Thanks for the info. :( Is [i:be46f3a0b7]everyone[/i:be46f3a0b7] taking next year off? I mean, skipping nationals/euros/worlds? I don't get to see the GP series, it'll be really pants if so many people don't compete in Euros or Worlds next year. I also think it's a little strange for Irina to retire just before the next Olympics, even if the Worlds are in Moscow. Maybe she'll change her mind depending on what happens up to then. I sure hope so.

[loveskating]

[quote:6b0e56389b="mikey"][quote:6b0e56389b="Marco"]*B/S & Yags will skip GPF, Nationals, Euros and Worlds but will compete in GPs[/quote:6b0e56389b]

This may be a disturbing trend that I don't think will last long... Wasn't the entire point of the Grand Prix series to provide a venue for eligible skaters to earn money and thereby remain eligible and not turn pro? What's the point, if skaters like these don't plan on competing in other eligible competitions, such as Nationals, Europeans, 4CC, and Worlds?? If they are allowed to just hang out and make big money without competing in the "real" (ie. traditional) competitions, it just further confuses the distinction between "eligible" and "professional", and I don't think the ISU will allow this loophole to exist for long...[/quote:6b0e56389b]

I guess this enables them to skate in the Pro Ams? Isn't this pretty much what Todd Eldredge did -- which really pleased his fans?

Its all so confusing to me right now...I'm thinking that part of the reason might be that the pros now offer only SOI or COI, and no real competitions on television, which is where the big money is. Skaters do need to make a lot of money to keep skating, so you can't fault them too much.

To me, the problem is the ISU pro ams, which as they have developed, I don't much appreciate...they've been kind of the amateurs doing their programs with only 4 jumps...and you see the same skaters at a GP competition on Thursday night and then at a Pro Am on Saturday.

I just wish some well respected pros like Boitano/ Browning/Hamilton/ Witte etc. would form a joint venture and sponsor some REAL professional competitions that were fair and where the rules were clear.

One can do a lot in the pros that one cannot do as an amateur, IMHO, and I miss that...

[Blue Ridge]

Irina has previously said that she wants to take a year off to have a baby at some point. Is there any reason to think this article is referring to anything different? I doubt it, and I think it is very unlikely she would take this year! She is really up for defending her World title from all accounts.

Check out the following article which has this quote from Irina: "It's my life — I love skating, I love competing with the other girls," she says. "I can't do anything else — I can just skate! It's a way of life."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/134499540_irina25.html

[CMc]

Thanks for the article Blue Ridge!
Geez, is it just going to be Sarah & Sasha next year?? :?

[hydro]

well, Irina has said that the World Title is more important to her than the Olympic Gold. so perhaps she wants to try and win what she thinks is the most important title in her home country, and then retire. A lot of people put too much emphasis on the Olympic year, and maybe Irina wants to avoid that year altogether...too much pressure. If she wins Worlds in Moscow, what better way to retire for her then?

[olivia]

[quote:c12ebf82cf="hydro"]well, Irina has said that the World Title is more important to her than the Olympic Gold. so perhaps she wants to try and win what she thinks is the most important title in her home country, and then retire. A lot of people put too much emphasis on the Olympic year, and maybe Irina wants to avoid that year altogether...too much pressure. If she wins Worlds in Moscow, what better way to retire for her then?[/quote:c12ebf82cf]

Yes, hydro, that would be a really amazing way for Irina to end her eligible career! Winning Worlds in her hometown. Wow!

It wouldn't surprise me if the ISU enacted some more rules relative to the GP Series (like they did 1998-2000) to prevent skaters from only doing the GP at the expense of their biggest event, Worlds. You know how they hate when skaters find and take advantage of loopholes!! :twisted:

O-

[RoseAugust]

I'm not surprised that Irina may take this year off. Not only did Irina put an enormous amount of energy (physically and emotionally) into last season, she's done the full COI tour except for a short break due to an injury. It seems she may go the same route as Michelle this year, and I think that's a good idea. I'm sure going to miss them though.

[Blue Ridge]

Read the article from the Seattle Times (see the link above), which tells you what Irina is saying RIGHT NOW. Unless Piseev knows something that Irina doesn't know 8O , I think that the quote that she wants to take a year off is what we've already heard, isn't new, and doesn't refer to this season.

[Orable]

AFAIK, B/S want to take one year off from competetive skating (who can blame them!), so they're only doing one GP to retain their eligibility. They have no intention of participating in GPF or any other major comp (Nat's, Euros, Worlds). They do want to come back next year and prepare themselves for Turino.

~Orable~

[quote:6fe1179407="mikey"][quote:6fe1179407="Marco"]*B/S & Yags will skip GPF, Nationals, Euros and Worlds but will compete in GPs[/quote:6fe1179407]

This may be a disturbing trend that I don't think will last long... Wasn't the entire point of the Grand Prix series to provide a venue for eligible skaters to earn money and thereby remain eligible and not turn pro? What's the point, if skaters like these don't plan on competing in other eligible competitions, such as Nationals, Europeans, 4CC, and Worlds?? If they are allowed to just hang out and make big money without competing in the "real" (ie. traditional) competitions, it just further confuses the distinction between "eligible" and "professional", and I don't think the ISU will allow this loophole to exist for long...[/quote:6fe1179407]

[Scate-Cat]

[quote:1ce3c37a44="RoseAugust"]I'm not surprised that Irina may take this year off. Not only did Irina put an enormous amount of energy (physically and emotionally) into last season, she's done the full COI tour except for a short break due to an injury. It seems she may go the same route as Michelle this year, and I think that's a good idea. I'm sure going to miss them though.[/quote:1ce3c37a44]

Is Michelle also planning to take a year off ?

[nits]

Wow...first Michelle and now possibly Irina? This will make things WAY too easy for Sarah and Sasha! I guess it'll be an interesting season. I guess we'll have to wait and see!!!!!!!

[Dustin]

Even without Michelle and Irina, it will still be interesting. Sasha and Sarah still have Fumie to contend with - maybe Angela, AP, and Jenny depending on how well the summer went for them.

I hope Irina does what will make her happy. If she wants to take off a year to have a baby or just take a much needed break, I think she definately should. Who knows, she could come back even better than before.

[gracefulswan]

i haven't heard yet that kwan is taking off completely next season....i do believe she'll go to worlds as they are in the states and she already expressed a desire to attend them... until i hear otherwise, i'll assume she'll compete to some extent.