A new generation of young, but already very successful sports couples has appeared in Russian figure skating. At three stages of the Grand Prix this season, they won two gold and two silver, while the former leaders of the national team Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov managed to take only one bronze. Why do domestic fans have the right to expect the same breakthrough that a few years ago occurred in the women's single skating, and why it will have to wait a little longer - in the material RT.
As long as Russian figure skating enthusiasts admire the unprecedented success of single skaters this fall, an equally important reason for pride can pass them by. Over the past two years, pair skating in the country has embarked on the same path that women once did. With each season, young people appear, bringing something new to their discipline, and now there are already so many sports couples that we have to announce a competition for a place in the national team.
The fact that soon several strong world-class couples will appear in Russia can already be said now. Confirmation of this appeared back in the 2018/19 season, when two duets that finished competing in juniors managed to immediately declare themselves. Daria Pavlyuchenko and Denis Khodykin immediately won two bronze medals stages of the Grand Prix and qualified for the final, and Alexandra Boykova and Dmitry Kozlovsky won bronze at the European Championship.
This season, the Grand Prix series has just reached the equator, and young Russian couples have already achieved much more significant success. Pavlyuchenko and Khodykin won twice silver awards, Boykova and Kozlovsky won the stage in Canada, and one more gold was chalked up to the reigning world junior champions Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Gallyamov. At the same time, the best results of all three pairs are included in the top 4 both at all tournaments and at the Grand Prix stages.
In addition, one should not forget that other strong couples remain in Russia, who now need to be wary of young rivals. Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov are still the nominal leaders of the national team, but in the summer they changed their coach and place of training. So far, the pair is rebuilding, and this continues to overlap with its usual autumn decline. So far, the students of Marina Zueva have managed to score only bronze at the Grand Prix stage in Canada and will have to try hard to get into the final.
Alisa Efimova and Alexander Korovin have not yet said their word. The champions of the Krasnoyarsk Universiade will perform at the Grand Prix stages in China and Japan and will try to climb the podium, which they have already managed to do in past seasons. Five Russian couples were selected for the finals of the Junior Grand Prix, led by Apollinaria Panfilova and Dmitry Rylov, another future superstar.
Finally, at the Moscow Rostelecom Cup tournament, Ksenia Stolbova is expected to debut with a new partner Andrey Novoselov. So far, they are the biggest mystery in domestic pair skating, but you can give a lot of examples when an experienced partner and a lesser-known partner achieved unprecedented success on ice.
The situation in Russian pair skating resembles the state of affairs in the female figure. Young athletes coming off the assembly line are pushing older ones aside, and those who have to change something in themselves in order to slow down this process. There is only one difference - in pairs, development is still slower than for girls, and no one gets world records with championship titles immediately after reaching the adult level, unlike Evgenia Medvedeva, Alina Zagitova and Alexandra Trusova. But there were no such impressive debuts as the new generation of Russian couples have before.
What else is related to the current state pair skating with the female, so this is the skaters' exit to a new technical level. Boikova and Kozlovsky lead the world in average first marks in both the short program and the free program. They own complex releases, high-quality cascades, and progress in lifts.
The couple has been riding with adults for the second year already, and thanks to this they have gained a certain authority. The bronze medal of the European Championship, won in part due to the refusal of Natalia Zabiyako and Alexander Enbert to go to Minsk, and also thanks to the mistakes of rivals, now works for the students of Tamara Moskvina.
Mishina and Gallyamov can also be attributed to couples who have complete order with equipment. Their feature is perfect parallel jumps, single and in combination. In the short program, they consistently jump triple salchow, and ideally you can expect from them a combination of two jumps with an oiler - they still hold the record for this combination in points scored, set in juniors.
Pavlyuchenko and Khodykin also try to keep up in the jump part and try to perform a triple flip - on this moment the most difficult jump for couples. They also have Level 4 spins in their arsenal. In general, the duet has no weak points, and it only needs to get into the right rhythm in order to fulfill all its developments.
Of course, for the time being, it is impossible to hang gold medals for all Russian couples, as it was with single skaters from the first days of their adult career. Although they stand out as separate elements, in pair skating, lifts are primarily valued. For their perfect performance, you can earn from nine to ten points (for jumps, throws and spins - from six to eight and a half), and you can complete them four times in two rentals. Best of all in Russia they are performed by Panfilova and Rylov, but they do not yet compete with adults. This season, the support trend is set by North American pairs, and largely due to this, they are the closest rivals of the Russians.
Without elite support, Russian duets will not yet be able to compete with last year's world and European champions, who have not yet performed in front of the public this season. We are talking about the Chinese Sui Wenjing - Han Kun and the French Vanessa James - Morgan Sipre. It is they who are still the main reference point for all couples, but Russian skaters are getting closer and closer to them.
And although the leap that domestic duets are taking is not as sharp as that made by the singles, they still have time before the Beijing Olympics. And whether those who are already losing to the young growth will be able to stay in the saddle is another question.
Plushenko gave his wife a nominal ring for 150 thousand euros, and Navka gave her husband an expensive watch
Usually summer is not too rich in high-profile events. And here is the news: Olympic champion Tatyana NAVKA married the father of her second daughter, the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov. And we decided to remember how the marriages of the most famous skaters took place.
This was the case in 2009 when Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko married Yana Rudkovskaya. The details of the celebration and its cost were sucked up for many weeks. Rings for 150 thousand euros, a diadem for the bride for 1.5 million euros (though rented), a dress from Roberto Cavalli and the second, embroidered with semi-precious stones, from an Arab designer Zuhair Murad, a banquet at the Barvikha Hotel & SPA on Rublyovka for a hundred guests and the sale of exclusive photography rights to a glossy magazine. They said the total costs amounted to 1 million euros.
The Olympic champion in pair skating spent no less on a party Anton Sikharulidze and the daughter of an oligarch Leonid Lebedev Yana. In 2011, they quietly signed in the Moscow registry office, and went to Barcelona to celebrate, inviting a narrow circle of relatives and friends. The wedding took place in an old estate, the rings were from Cartier, the bride's dress from Vera Wang cost her dad 70 thousand euros, the tables were bursting with caviar, premium champagne flowed like water - in a word, all the attributes of a luxurious life were present. The marriage, however, broke up after two years. But we had a good walk.
Now compare the photos of those weddings with the celebration of Navka and Peskov. In my female opinion, in the old parties there is much more pathos than fun. And Tatyana and Dmitry have the opposite. Lively faces, sincere emotions, a bride who easily changed fashionable, but narrow shoes for beach slippers. And guests in vests and berets on the second day, which coincided with the celebration of the Day of the Airborne Forces. By the way, the newlyweds asked their friends not to post photos on social networks. But, of course, they didn't hold back. So, the holiday was a success and everyone liked it.
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Everything is like people
American Johnny Weir he was the first of the skaters to openly admit to being blue (there are his “compatriots” among the active athletes, but they don’t show it). And then he got married (or married?). Johnny constantly confessed his love for Russia, our culture and language. So he chose a husband (wife?) for himself of Russian origin. Marriage with a lawyer Viktor Voronov took place on December 31, 2011. "There will be no more life in sin!" - the skater rejoiced. However, in March last year, the publications suddenly became full of reports of a divorce. They were going to share property and even a dog. Weir accused his spouse of assault - apparently, he did not study Russian culture so well and did not know about “hitting means he loves”. And Voronov complained about betrayal, they say, Johnny sent love SMS to another man. But a month later, Johnny and Victor announced: we calmly talked and realized that we really love each other. We are together again!
friendship of Peoples
Our ice skater Denis Petrov, winning with Elena Bechke"silver" of Albertville in 1992, "silver" of two European Championships and "bronze" of the World Championships in 1989, married to a Chinese single skater Chen Liu. Their wedding took place in Russian traditions, and the children's names are Nikita and Anastasia. True, the family lives in China, where Chen Liu Petrova directs the Academy of Figure Skating.
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From the registry office to the skating rink
Lyudmila Pakhomova and Alexander Gorshkov
I found myself a partner. Such a beautiful boy with big sad eyes, - shared somehow Ludmila Pakhomova with my girlfriend Tatyana Tarasova. It was, of course, about sports, but later Alexander Gorshkov became a partner in life. They played a wedding after their winning season in 1970, when they were the first of the Soviet figure skaters to win the “gold” of the European and World Championships in ice dancing. There was a story that Lyudmila herself persistently hinted to Gorshkov, saying that it would be nice to go to the registry office. They lived together for 16 years, despite the fact that Alexander at some point fell in love with another woman. But he was next to Mila, who struggled with a terrible disease, until her death.
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Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev
What are these crowds? Meet astronauts? No, it's 1975, the skaters' wedding. Irina Konstantinovna recalled: - The grandmother fell from the second floor, examining us. She fell, thank God, on the crowd, so nothing happened to her. I have a photograph: the Wedding Palace, I am near the main entrance with my veil. I start walking up the stairs and don't have time to pick up my dress. On the second step I stand on my own hem, on the third step I step on it with the other foot and understand that I will fall now. Baba ... On the wedding cake - decoration in the form of Olympic rings. And they didn’t jinx it: spouses Rodnina And Zaitsev won the "gold" of the Games in 1976 and in 1980.
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Irina Moiseeva and Andrey Minenkov
They got together as teenagers - she was 12, he was 13. Since then, they have not parted either on ice or in life. They got married after the World Championships in Tokyo in 1977, where they won their second world gold. Irina bought her wedding dress there, in Japan, right after the competition. She called for help Tatyana Tarasova, who was then their coach. We spent the whole day, the outfit cost a lot of money, but it was incredible for the bride. After registering at the registry office, we arrived at the Luzhniki ice rink. No wonder he brought them together.
Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev
Their tandem on ice was, perhaps, more successful than in life. Twice European champions, three times world champions, winners of the 1984 Olympics. For the first time in pair skating, they made a triple parallel jump, a todes in the opposite direction, and an element was even named in honor of Elena - somersault Gross, officially registered by the ISU. And the first of our skaters went professional. They got married after winning the Olympics. Their marriage broke up seven years later, in 1992.
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Natalia Bestemyanova and Igor Bobrin
Looking at a flashy champion pair Bestemyanova - Bukin, the country was sure: they are husband and wife. But Natalia's companion was a single skater Igor Bobrin.- I remember that we were just starting to live together, and we weren’t even married. And if they quarreled, Igor collected his bag and left the house. I got so mad every time! Because you know what he took with him? No, not skates. Hairdryer, comb and toothbrush. I think: fir-trees, we quarrel, and you think about combing your hair in the morning or not. And then she said: Igor, we are arguing for some reason, maybe we should get married? She made an offer. And when we got married, we stopped quarreling, - Bestemyanova recalled. In 1983, almost all skaters walked at their wedding in the Prague restaurant. Suits for the newlyweds sewed Vyacheslav Zaitsev. By the way, the main victories for Bestemyanova and Bukin came just after this event.
Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergey Grinkov
Katya and Seryozha lived in neighboring houses, went to the same school and studied in the same section. But they found out about each other only when she was 10, he was 14. They got married, having already left amateur sports and winning two “gold” of the European championships, four of the world and one of the Olympic Games. Sergei was almost late for the wedding: he had an operation in the USA, complications arose and a delay in departure. He managed to go to the registry office, but already there it turned out that he had forgotten his passport at home. Stamps were added to the document later. Their happy tale had a sad ending: in 1995, Sergei's heart stopped right during training.
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Oksana Domnina and Roman Kostomarov
At the first wedding of Roman, Oksana was a witness from the side of the bride - Yulia Lautova. The newlyweds believed that their relationship were tested for strength, but the marriage broke up a year later. This is probably why, having met with Domnina, Kostomarov was in no hurry to formalize the relationship. They lived together, they had a daughter, Oksana pretended that she did not need a stamp in her passport. Her high-profile romance with an actor Vladimir Yaglych, which happened on the "Ice Age", many explained this. Like, the woman is tired of waiting. Was it a PR or an attempt to cause jealousy on the part of Roman, is unknown. Only a few months after the project, Kostomarov and Domnina got married.
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And these are there
This summer in the world of figure skating is just a wedding boom! And all this would be good after the Olympics, when the athletes exhaled and relaxed a little. So no, a new Olympic cycle has already begun, but they are impatient.
* Tied the knot with a longtime girlfriend Sochi Olympic champion in ice dancing Charlie White. His wife is now Tanit Belbin, silver medalist of Turin-2006.
* Italian dancer, world champion Anna Capellini married her fellow countryman Ondrey Hotarek.* Romantic wedding in Bermuda connected Canada Megan Duhamel with their couple's coach Bruno Marcotte.
We are waiting!
August 18 officially formalize the relationship Tatyana Volosozhar And Maxim Trankov. True, apart from the fact that the wedding will take place and will take place in Moscow, nothing else is known.
On February 20, the Russian figure skater won gold medal in women's singles Olympic Games in Sochi. This Olympic victory became the first in history for Russians in this type of figure skating. Sotnikova began figure skating at the age of five. At the end of 2008, Adelina, at the age of 12, became the winner of the adult championship of Russia, after which sports officials began to use the name of the child prodigy as a response to the failures that befell the domestic women's single skating in those times.1 of 19
On February 20, the Russian figure skater won the gold medal in women's singles at the Olympic Games in Sochi. This Olympic victory was the first ever for Russians in this kind of figure skating. Sotnikova began figure skating at the age of five. At the end of 2008, Adelina, at the age of 12, became the winner of the adult championship of Russia, after which sports officials began to use the name of the child prodigy as a response to the failures that befell the domestic women's single skating at that time.
/ On February 9, figure skater Yulia Lipnitskaya won gold in team competition By figure skating, becoming the youngest Russian champion in the history of the Winter Olympics. If Julia had been born 26 days later, she would not have been able to join the Olympic team. According to the regulations, in order to participate in the 2014 Winter Olympics, a figure skater must be 15 years old by July 1, 2013. Julia started figure skating in Yekaterinburg when she was only 4 years old. The design of the costumes in which the figure skater performs is developed by herself together with her mother.
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On February 9, figure skater Yulia Lipnitskaya won gold in the team figure skating competition, becoming the youngest Russian champion in the history of the Winter Olympics. If Julia had been born 26 days later, she would not have been able to join the Olympic team. According to the regulations, in order to participate in the 2014 Winter Olympics, a figure skater must be 15 years old by July 1, 2013. Julia started figure skating in Yekaterinburg when she was only 4 years old. The design of the costumes in which the figure skater performs is developed by herself together with her mother.
/ The sports couple Tatyana Volosozhar and Maxim Maxaim Trankov became the winners of the Games. Tatyana and Maxim won the title of Olympic champions in pair skating on February 12. This medal became the duo's second gold at the Sochi Games after the success of the Russians in the team competition. Volosozhar and Maxaim Trankov went to this award for four years, having teamed up in a couple in the spring after the Olympics in Vancouver. Already in the first joint tournaments, the Russian pair began to demonstrate powerful, confident, and most importantly, creative skating.
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The sports couple Tatyana Volosozhar and Maxim Maxaim Trankov became the winners of the Games. Tatyana and Maxim won the title of Olympic champions in pair skating on February 12. This medal became the duo's second gold at the Sochi Games after the success of the Russians in the team competition. Volosozhar and Maxaim Trankov went to this award for four years, having teamed up in a couple in the spring after the Olympics in Vancouver. Already in the first joint tournaments, the Russian pair began to demonstrate powerful, confident, and most importantly, creative skating.
© Photo: public domain People in Russia have always loved skating. In the 19th century, a skate lover appeared on the Petersburg ice, which had no equal - Nikolai Panin-Kolomenkin. The loudest was his victory at the IV Olympic Games in London in 1908. At the beginning of the 20th century, only the Summer Olympic Games were held, but for the first time the program of the London Olympics included figure skating. The figures proposed by Panin - Kolomenkin amazed everyone with their complexity, and the judges with particular predilection followed the correctness of their execution. But there was nothing to complain about - the Russian figure skater brilliantly fulfilled the declared program. The judges unanimously awarded Panin-Kolomenkin the first place. It was the first Olympic gold medal in history. Russian sports. It is noteworthy that the athlete himself at that time was already 36 years old.
4 out of 19
People in Russia have always loved skating. In the 19th century, a skate lover appeared on the Petersburg ice, which had no equal - Nikolai Panin-Kolomenkin. The loudest was his victory at the IV Olympic Games in London in 1908. At the beginning of the 20th century, only the Summer Olympics were held, but figure skating was included in the program of the London Olympics for the first time. The figures proposed by Panin - Kolomenkin amazed everyone with their complexity, and the judges with particular predilection followed the correctness of their execution. But there was nothing to complain about - the Russian figure skater brilliantly fulfilled the declared program. The judges unanimously awarded Panin-Kolomenkin the first place. It was the first gold Olympic medal in the history of Russian sports. It is noteworthy that the athlete himself at that time was already 36 years old.
/ The first Olympic champions in pair skating were Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov, who won gold medals in 1964 and 1968. It was they who came up with and were the first to perform many elements that later became part of the mandatory competition program for figure skaters around the world. Their performances made such an impression that the world of figure skating did not yet know.
5 out of 19
The first Olympic champions in pair skating were Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov, who won gold medals in 1964 and 1968. It was they who came up with and were the first to perform many elements that later became part of the mandatory competition program for figure skaters around the world. Their performances made such an impression that the world of figure skating did not yet know.
/ By the way, the "golden" couple played a "golden" wedding in 2007. Leaving the big sport, Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov did not part with figure skating, they worked in the Leningrad Ballet on Ice. In 1995 they received Swiss citizenship.
6 out of 19
/ In 1972, Irina Rodnina and Alexei Ulanov became Olympic champions in pair skating. However, the day before the 1972 World Championships, in training, Irina fell from support, ended up in the hospital with a concussion and intracranial hematoma. The couple skated the short program cleanly, having received marks up to 6.0, in the free program Irina felt bad, she completed the program in a semi-conscious state. After the World Cup, the couple broke up.
7 out of 19
In 1972, Irina Rodnina and Alexei Ulanov became Olympic champions in pair skating. However, the day before the 1972 World Championships, in training, Irina fell from support, ended up in the hospital with a concussion and intracranial hematoma. The couple skated the short program cleanly, having received marks up to 6.0, in the free program Irina felt bad, she completed the program in a semi-conscious state. After the World Cup, the couple broke up.
/ Soon Stanislav Zhuk picked up another partner for Rodnina - Alexander Zaitsev. For the first time, Irina Rodnina performed together with Alexander Zaitsev at the 1973 World Championships, where for several minutes they had to skate without musical accompaniment, but they did not interrupt their program and finished it under the applause of the audience.
8 out of 19
Soon Stanislav Zhuk picked up another partner for Rodnina - Alexander Zaitsev. For the first time, Irina Rodnina performed together with Alexander Zaitsev at the 1973 World Championships, where for several minutes they had to skate without musical accompaniment, but they did not interrupt their program and finished it to a standing ovation from the audience.
/ Since 1974, the couple has been training with Tatyana Tarasova. From 1973 to 1978, Rodnina and Zaitsev constantly took first place in the European and World Championships. In 1976 and 1980, the Rodnina/Zaitsev pair won Olympic gold. In 1981, Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev moved to professional sports. Played on tour, coached.
9 out of 19
Since 1974, the couple has been training with Tatyana Tarasova. From 1973 to 1978, Rodnina and Zaitsev constantly took first place in the European and World Championships. In 1976 and 1980, the Rodnina/Zaitsev pair won Olympic gold. In 1981, Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev switched to professional sports. Played on tour, coached.
/ In 1976, a pair of figure skaters Alexander Gorshkov / Lyudmila Pakhomova won gold at the Olympic Games. Together they became six-time world champions. The coach of the "golden pair" was Elena Anatolyevna Chaikovskaya and remained the coach of this pair until they left amateur sports. Pakhomova and Gorshkov changed the style of ice dancing. Before them, strict, academic dances dominated, mainly to classical melodies. They also brought to figure skating a lively, emotional folk dance: "Nightingale", "Along the Piterskaya", "Naughty ditties", "Kumparsita".
10 out of 19
In 1976, a pair of figure skaters Alexander Gorshkov / Lyudmila Pakhomova won gold at the Olympic Games. Together they became six-time world champions. The coach of the "golden pair" was Elena Anatolyevna Chaikovskaya and remained the coach of this pair until they left amateur sports. Pakhomova and Gorshkov changed the style of ice dancing. Before them, strict, academic dances dominated, mainly to classical melodies. They also brought to figure skating a lively, emotional folk dance: "Nightingale", "Along the Piterskaya", "Naughty ditties", "Kumparsita".
/ Olympic champions Natalya Linichuk and Gennady Karponosov won gold in 1980. Linichuk and Karponosov trained with Elena Chaikovskaya and played for the Dynamo Moscow club. Already in 1981 they both graduated sports career and became successful ice dance coaches. In their coaching duet, Gennady is responsible for the compulsory dances, and Natalia is responsible for the original dance and free program. In the 90s they left to train in the USA.
11 out of 19
Olympic champions Natalya Linichuk and Gennady Karponosov won gold in 1980. Linichuk and Karponosov trained with Elena Chaikovskaya and played for the Dynamo Moscow club. Already in 1981, they both ended their sports careers and became successful coaches in ice dancing. In their coaching duet, Gennady is responsible for the compulsory dances, and Natalia is responsible for the original dance and free program. In the 90s they left to train in the USA.
/ A year later, the couple had a daughter, Daria. At this time, they performed a lot at foreign tournaments, took part in in large numbers commercial projects. In 1994, Gordeeva and Grinkov again won gold at the Olympic Games. Exactly one year after the victory, on November 20, 1995, Sergei Grinkov received a massive heart attack during training in Lake Placid and died right on the ice during training. In 1996, Ekaterina Gordeeva returned to the ice. Her first performance was dedicated to her late husband.
13 out of 19
A year later, the couple had a daughter, Daria. At this time, they performed a lot at foreign tournaments, took part in a large number of commercial projects. In 1994, Gordeeva and Grinkov again won gold at the Olympic Games. Exactly one year after the victory, on November 20, 1995, Sergei Grinkov received a massive heart attack during training in Lake Placid and died right on the ice during training. In 1996, Ekaterina Gordeeva returned to the ice. Her first performance was dedicated to her late husband.
/ Figure skaters Oksana Grischuk and Evgeny Platov won Olympic gold in 1994 and 1998. The Nagano Olympics made Grischuk and Platov record holders - they were the first in the world to become two-time Olympic champions in ice dancing (despite the fact that Grischuk had broken her wrist not long before).
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Figure skaters Oksana Grischuk and Evgeny Platov won Olympic gold in 1994 and 1998. The Nagano Olympics made Grischuk and Platov record holders - they were the first in the world to become two-time Olympic champions in ice dancing (despite the fact that Grischuk had broken her wrist not long before).
/ In the summer of 1998, the couple Oksana Grischuk / Evgeny Platov broke up. Grischuk received an invitation to work together from Alexander Zhulin. The collaboration continued throughout the year. Left alone again, Oksana performed solo. Eugene paired up with Maya Usova.
15 out of 19
In the summer of 1998, the couple Oksana Grischuk / Evgeny Platov broke up. Grischuk received an invitation to work together from Alexander Zhulin. The collaboration continued throughout the year. Left alone again, Oksana performed solo. Eugene paired up with Maya Usova.
Moscow and St. Petersburg schools shoulder to shoulder.
- The Grand Prix Final this season will be held on December 5-8
- The competition will be held on the ice of the Palavela arena in Turin
For the second year in a row, the Russian team is represented in the Grand Prix finals by three sports couples, and this is serious - exactly half of the participants. The only difference is that a year ago the team was based on experienced athletes who had passed the world championships and the Olympics - Evgenia Tarasova - Vladimir Morozov and Natalya Zabiyako - Alexander Enbert. In Turin, the oldest participant in the final from Russia is 20 years old.
The repetition of a high result makes it possible to speak not of an accident of what is happening, but of a trend - Russia is flourishing in this type of figure skating. True, against the backdrop of a boom in women's singles, he goes unnoticed.
"Match TV" tells about three young couples who are not afraid of authorities, complex elements and use every chance they have to the maximum.
Without belittling the merits of the athletes, it is worth saying that in many respects the composition of the final was predetermined by rearrangements in the lists of participants in several stages.
First, European champions and bronze medalists of the World Championship refused to participate in the series. Vanessa James - Morgan Sipre. The French were supposed to perform in Grenoble and Sapporo, where they were eventually replaced by Evelyn Walsh - Trent Michaud (Canada) and Alisa Efimova - Alexander Korovin.
Then, immediately before the start of the series, they withdrew from their stages according to medical indications Russians Natalya Zabiyako - Alexander Enbert who were going to come to Las Vegas and Grenoble. Instead, Americans Jessica Kalalang - Brian Johnson and Italians Rebecca Gilordi - Filippo Ambrosini - a pair of the end of the second world ten, came to the start.
The competition in Las Vegas and Sapporo weakened, but this was especially reflected in the tournament in Grenoble - the French stage turned out to be the easiest in terms of rivals. The absence of two leaders at once allowed two Russian couples to decide the issue of victory between themselves, and then Anastasia Mishina - Alexander Gallyamov turned out to be a little more successful. Approximately a point was lost to them by Daria Pavlyuchenko - Denis Khodykin.
Daria Pavlyuchenko - Denis Khodykin, 17 and 20 years old. Moscow
- French Grand Prix - 2nd (206.56)
- American Grand Prix - 2nd (196.98)
- 1st stage of the Russian Cup - 1st place (208.38)
Pavlyuchenko - Khodykin have been training at Medvedkovo Moscow with Sergey Dobroskokov and Sergey Roslyakov since 2016. Their debut in the masters came last season - then, as junior world champions, they received two Grand Prix stages. Daria and Denis not only immediately got into the final, ahead of Boikova-Kozlovsky in terms of total points, but also became fourth in the Russian Championship. As a result, they also took part in the European Championship - as the first substitutes, they replaced Natalya Zabiyako - Alexander Enbert.
The strength of this pair can be attributed to the high technical complexity. They try to jump a parallel triple flip, perform complex flip and loop throws, and also skate programs that are very saturated with combinations. Each entry and exit from the element is an acrobatic trick or a difficult step.
Daria is very fond of Tatyana Anatolyevna Tarasova. She often says that Pavlyuchenko has the character and appearance of a real boyfriend.
Dasha confirms this impression with her attitude to work:
- I have a simple attitude to acrobatics: they told me to do it - I go and do it. Whether it's scary or not, I don't think at all. In the elements you have to constantly control yourself, and in this case there is no time for extraneous thoughts - all attention goes to what you are doing. (RIA News)
From the audience and journalists you can’t hide the fact of friendly relations in a couple. Daria and Denis do not blame and do not break down on each other for mistakes, at least in public - that's what they bribe.
Anastasia Mishina - Alexander Gallyamov, 18 and 20 years old. Saint Petersburg
Results in the season 2019/2020:
- Japanese Grand Prix - 3rd (203.35)
- 4th stage of the Russian Cup - 1st place (211.40)
- French Grand Prix - 1st (207.58)
- Finland Trophy - 1st (210.18)
- 1st stage of St. Petersburg Cup - 1st place (206.54)
Anastasia Mishina - Alexander Gallyamov - another world champion among juniors among the finalists from the Russian team. For them, this season was supposed to be the first adult season, and coaches Lyudmila and Nikolai Velikovs initially assessed it as a sighting season - the athletes needed to plunge into a new environment, feel the atmosphere, show themselves. But partly due to luck, and partly as a result hard work the couple immediately got to the Grand Prix final, winning gold at one of the stages, and bronze at the other.
They started skating together in 2017 and after a year of working together, they became bronze medalists at the junior world championship.
Anastasia and Alexander are also good technically - they have a triple parallel salchow and even a combination of salchow - oiler - salchow in their arsenal. This is one of the most difficult combinations currently performed in pair skating.
The skaters themselves take the nuances of technique as seriously as possible:
- In a jump or throw, the whole scenario is important: the beginning - the execution - the final. It's like a formula in physics: if a failure occurs at some stage, the whole system collapses. Although there are times when, for example, you break away from the ice earlier than expected and save the jump. One must be able to think in a fraction of a second, and together - synchronously. ("Match TV")
In the summer, the couple learned the quadruple throw, but they are not in a hurry to perform it at competitions - according to the current rules, a mistake on ultra-c (especially difficult. - "Match TV") elements is too expensive for athletes.
Alexandra Boykova - Dmitry Kozlovsky, 17 and 19 years old. Saint Petersburg
Results in the season 2019/2020:
- Shanghai Trophy - 2nd (203.16)
- Canadian Grand Prix - 1st - (216.71)
- Moscow Grand Prix - 1st place - (229.48)
The 2019/2020 Grand Prix series Boikova - Kozlovsky finished with the best results in the national team. They got difficult stages, where other pairs were favorites. But Alexandra and Dmitry won both of their stages, ahead of, among other things, the first number of the country, Evgenia Tarasova - Vladimir Morozov.
On the roll before short program in Moscow, Dima fell hard, hitting the side. They did not withdraw from the competition, despite the bruise, and not in vain - with great advantage Boikova - Kozlovsky became the winners of the home stage.
We have yet to understand the secret of the rapid rise of this pair. Perhaps the fact is that Dmitry and Alexandra, before pairing in 2015, were initially good single skaters with a quality jump. On such a base, it is much easier to assemble paired elements.
Another secret of success is the coaching hand. Boikova - Kozlovsky work under the direction of Tamara Moskvina and Artur Minchuk. Moskvina's handwriting is felt in everything, starting with the choice of music for programs. It's always something memorable and solid - for example, "Dark Eyes" and "The Nutcracker" last season, "My way" by Frank Sinatra and James Bond - in this one. Even their demonstrative show is unique: in the Russian style, but adapted to different audiences. The guys perform their "Moscow Nights" to the song in the language of the country in which they perform.
Athletes themselves are well aware of how much coaches give them:
- Our coaching staff gives us a certain confidence in ourselves. We approach each start very calmly and balanced. First of all, we try to conduct a good preparation for the competition. (RIA News)
Alexandra and Dmitry are technically well prepared. In particular, they own a parallel triple salchow, perform lutz and rittberger throws - an expensive set.
This year, the couple gained more adult external confidence - the judges immediately began to evaluate them differently.
Alexandra Boykova and Dmitry Kozlovsky / Photo: © Oleg Bukharev / Match TV
What to expect from the Grand Prix Final
Sports couples will begin competition in the Grand Prix final in a week - from December 5 to 8. World champions will confront young Russians Wengjin Sui - Kong Han (China), vice-champions of the Grand Prix final of last season Peng Chen - Yang Jin (China) and silver medalists of the championship of four continents Kirsten Moore-Towers - Michael Marinaro (Canada).
Russia has reason to count on at least a bronze medal in Turin, but that's not really the main thing. Mishina - Gallyamov, Pavlyuchenko - Khodykin and Boikova - Kozlovsky- hungry for victories, technically armed and driven by great sporting ambitions figure skaters. They represent different schools of pair skating, train with specialists of different styles, but they all show worthy result. Russia has not been so healthy for a long time internal competition in pair skating.
In addition, absolutely fearless girls ride in all these pairs. In many ways, it is Anastasia, Daria and Alexandra who make the face of modern Russian pair skating as we know it - with a slight smile of a partner in the very high point arm support.
Wed, 14 Feb 2018 06:00:39 +0300Remember Victor Ana!
Tatyana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov
The history of their relationship began in 2010, when both skaters were left without partners and decided to play for Russia together. Already six months after the formation of the pair, Volosozhar and Maxaim Trankov won the Russian championship, and at their first world championship they took second place.
For the next three seasons, the skaters constantly progressed: they were the best at the European Championship three times, won the World Championship and the Grand Prix final, set world records in the short and free program. Volosozhar and Trankov approached the 2014 Olympic Games in the status of pair skating leaders and won gold in Sochi, first in the team, and then in the individual championship.
Tatyana and Maxim hid for a long time that they were connected not only by sports. And only after Sochi it turned out that they had been together for about two years. The initiative came from Tatyana. Maxim resisted for some time, believing that this could interfere with the work, but eventually gave up. In February 2015, the couple officially announced their engagement, and six months later the wedding took place.
After Sochi, the skaters missed the season due to Maxim's health problems and returned only in 2015, winning the Grand Prix stage and the Russian Championship. In 2016 they won the European Championship and finished sixth at the World Championship. Volosozhar and Trankov did not officially announce their retirement, but the couple is in no hurry to return to amateur sports.
They are currently performing in various ice shows and are raising their daughter Angelica, who was born in February 2017.
Maria Petrova and Alexey Tikhonov
Another example of how the relationship between skaters acting as a pair turned into a romantic one. Such unions in figure skating are not uncommon: people spend a lot of time with each other, share joy and experiences, and often embody romantic stories in programs.
Skaters started skating together in 1998, all serious achievements in big sport they have joint ones: they won the World Championships, twice became European champions and repeatedly won these tournaments.
In 2010, Maria and Alexei had a daughter, Polina. Interestingly, the couple has not yet formalized their relationship. Skaters admitted that they constantly choose: to have a big wedding or go on a family trip. The second option wins every time.
Alena Zavarzina and Vic Wild
If many were waiting for the successful performance of the Russians in figure skating in Sochi, then four Olympic medals snowboarders have become a real sensation. Three of them were brought to our country by another sports couple - Alena Zavarzina and Vic Wild.
The American and the Russian met in 2009 at a party after the end of the World Cup, but they started dating only two years later. In the spring, Vic came to Moscow for the World Cup without a coach, and Alena, having learned about this, offered him her help. The athlete then walked on crutches after an injury, but for the sake of Vik, she reduced the recovery time from three weeks up to two days and, limping, trained him. After the competition, they went on a trip to Mexico and California, and in the summer they celebrated their wedding in Novosibirsk in the best Russian traditions - with a ransom, contests and a lot of guests.
At the end of that season, Wilde was thinking about retirement due to lack of sponsors, and the national team coach invited him to play for Russia. In 2012 Vic received Russian citizenship and six months later at the first stage of the World Cup showed best result career - won a bronze medal. The following season, Wilde became the first and so far only snowboarder to win two gold medals at the same Olympics.
The bronze medal of Zavarzina is also to some extent Wild's merit. Shortly before the Games, Alena broke her arm and risked not going to Sochi. Friends and family supported her and advised her not to force recovery, but the next day after the operation, her husband asked only one question: when will she start training - tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Then Alena decided to go to the Games with a plate in her hand, which she did not regret in the end.
Wild admitted that every year since he met Alena has been better than the previous one. We hope that this pattern will also spread to the Olympic Games in Korea.
Tatiana Totmyanina and Alexei Yagudin
Another married couple from figure skating, who at one time gave Russian fans a lot of unforgettable moments for two. Tatyana, paired with Maxim Marinin, is a five-time European champion, two-time champion world and Olympic champion of Turin, and Alexey is a three-time European champion, four-time champion world and Olympic champion Salt Lake City.
For the first time, future spouses met as teenagers at the rink of the Yubileiny Sports Palace in St. Petersburg. Then they were not interested in each other - Yagudin was a merry fellow and a joker, and Totmyanina preferred free time be alone and read a book. Only years later, when they began touring together with Ilya Averbukh's show, did the skaters look at each other in a new way.
At first, their relationship was not easy, they broke up several times and started dating again, but it eventually came to the proposal that Alexei made to Tatyana on the night of 2008 to 2009. Since then, they consider themselves husband and wife, despite the fact that the official wedding took place only in 2016.
The couple have two daughters, Lisa and Michelle.
Sophia the Great and Alexei Mishin
One of the most beautiful and titled couples in Russian sports, Sofia Velikaya and Alexei Mishin, do not like to advertise their personal lives.
Velikaya - seven-time world champion and eleven-time European champion, silver medalist 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games and 2016 Olympic champion in fencing. Mishin is a six-time European champion, world champion and 2004 Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling.
The athletes hid their relationship for a long time, but in 2010 they announced that they would get married after the Olympic Games in London.
The couple had a son in 2013 and a daughter in 2017.
Mishin, 38, has yet to officially announce his retirement. Sofia plans to prepare for the 2020 Games and get gold in the individual championship, which she lost in a duel with Yana Yegoryan in Rio de Janeiro.
Katerina Keyru and Ivan Novoseltsev
Katerina is the European basketball champion among girls under 20 years old, Ivan is the defender of the football Zenit.
The athletes met at the Universiade in China in 2011, but began dating only three years later. But then their relationship developed rapidly: in April 2015, Ivan made an offer on the field of the stadium in Rostov-on-Don, where he played at that time, right after the match between Rostov and Torpedo. The wedding took place in October 2015.
After the wedding, the Novoseltsevs made a joint decision to end Katerina's career - the teams for which the athletes played were in different cities, their schedules often did not coincide, and therefore the athletes could not see each other as often as they wanted.
Ivan's career is now in decline: after moving to Zenit from Rostov, he rarely entered the field, and this season he played only one match in the Russian Cup. In the previous team, Novoseltsev was one of the leaders, won the silver of the Russian championship with it and entered the Champions League.
Elena Dementieva and Maxim Afinogenov
Back in 1999, their parents wanted to introduce the famous tennis player and hockey player. Elena and her mother were invited to hockey in Miami, and their seats on the podium were next to the seats of Maxim's parents. Dementieva's mother met them and wanted to invite the whole family to introduce her daughter to the young hockey player. However, Elena at that time had no intentions to meet with athletes, and the acquaintance did not take place.
In 2004, Maxim and his friends came to Roland Garros, where he attended all the matches of Elena. After the end of the tournament at a party in honor of the Russian final (Dementieva then lost to Anastasia Myskina), the athletes were able to get to know each other better. Then their relationship began.
Another example of a married couple of skaters who did not skate together. Oksana competed in ice dancing with Maxim Shabalin, together they became world champions, two-time European champions and won bronze medals at the Olympic Games in Vancouver. Roman also performed in ice dancing, and together with Tatyana Navka won the Turin Games, two world championships and three European championships.
Oksana and Roman competed at the same competitions, so they had known each other for a long time, but they only became interested in each other during the tour of Ilya Averbukh in 2005.
Since then, they lived together for a long time, but were in no hurry to formalize their relationship. In 2011, their daughter Anastasia was born. Two years later, they broke up, and Oksana for some time met with a partner in the show " glacial period» Actor Vladimir Yaglych. However, in 2014, Kostomarov and Domnina began to live together again and after a couple of months they decided not only to get married, but also to get married. In 2016, the couple had another child - son Ilya.
