“Victory through overcoming”: in Russia they appreciated the character of Sinitsina and Katsalapov, as well as the progress of Stepanova and Bukin

Sinitsyna and Katsalapov felt confident

Russian dance couples expectedly won the first two places at the European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn.

Victoria Sinitsyna and Nikita Katsalapov defended the title, climbing to the top step of the podium for the second time in a row.

The duo earned 217.96 points in the sum of free and short programs.

Two-time Olympic medalist and coach of athletes Alexander Zhulin noted that this victory was important for his wards, primarily from a psychological point of view, since the couple had previously withdrawn from the Russian Championship due to a partner injury.

“You had to feel confident.

This start was very important for us.

Am I satisfied with the performance?

You can never be happy with everything.

Of course, I saw the little things that need to be corrected, but in general I am satisfied.

At the moment, plans to return to Moscow, and on the 23rd we fly to Krasnoyarsk, ”said the specialist in an interview with Sport Express.

The coach also added that the couple continues to get in shape, and Katsalapov should have fully recovered from the injury by the Olympic Games in Beijing. 

The athletes themselves were quite critical of their performance.

According to Nikita Katsalapov, there are still points in the free program that need to be finalized.

“Slightly mixed feelings about the free skate.

There were several micro-moments.

They most likely did not affect the levels, but we need to have time to clean it up.

It is very important to roll out this program before the Olympics so that we are like a fish in water.

To live the program, and not work out, as Vika correctly tells me, ”Sport24 quotes the skater as saying.

According to the European champion Sergei Novitsky, Sinitsyna and Katsalapov still have a chance to win gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, since no one knows what condition the leaders of the season, Gabriela Papadakis and Guillaume Sizeron, are now in.

The French missed the European Championship due to fear of contracting the coronavirus.

“For the Russian couple, the season initially turned out to be quite difficult. That is why this victory through overcoming on the eve of the Olympics is very significant. It is important that they go there with the title of champions and with a good start. In any case, Sinitsina and Katsalapov still have a chance to win gold at the Games. Yes, Papadakis and Sizeron laid down everything for him, including not going to the European Championship. A face-to-face confrontation with them in Tallinn would only benefit our guys. As a result, everyone looked at the Russians, but no one saw the French. We do not know what form they are in. And the big question arises: will they be able to show championship skating in China? You can sit somewhere and talk about gold, which goes into your hands on its own, but this is not done either. And our skaters in Estonia were seen, among other things, by judges who will also work at the Olympics.Therefore, I would not call Papadakis and Sizeron the number one favorites in advance. Our guys are able to fight and I’m sure they will do it, ”Novitsky said in an interview with RT.

At the same time, the champion and silver medalist of the Olympic Games Natalya Bestemyanova noted that one should not compare Sinitsyna and Katsalapov with the French duo in absentia. They must perform at the same tournament under the same psychological pressure.

“Thank God that Nikita came out and skated. Good luck that everything turned out the way it should. Let many say that they played at the European Championships in the absence of their main rivals Gabriela Papadakis and Guillaume Sizeron, but this does not affect the final result. The guys won the championship of the continent, and Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin took second place. A huge success and our congratulations. In absentia, trying to compare Sinitsina / Katsalapov and Papadakis / Sizeron in points is wrong. This approach doesn't work at all. People have to physically go out and skate under the pressure and stress that will be at the Olympics. And there we will already see the real result, ”said RT Bestemyanova.

According to the two-time Olympic champion in figure skating Tatyana Volosozhar, Sinitsyna and Katsalapov were able to show a good test run before the Olympics.

“Well done guys, even with a partner’s injury, they were able to prove to everyone that they are the best.

Arrange a good test run before the main start of the season - the Olympics, ”said RT Volosozhar.

As the former figure skater noted, Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin will also compete for the medals of the 2022 Games in ice dancing.

The Russian duo took second place at the European Championship.

At the same time, two judges at once - from France and Great Britain - put them in first place.

“The Olympic tournament is very unpredictable.

Anything can happen there.

Let's hope for the best.

All of our guys are strong,” added Volosozhar.

Stepanova and Bukin took a step forward

The coach of Stepanova and Bukin, Irina Zhuk, noted the progress of her wards from start to start. At the European Championship, the Russians lost 4.76 points to the winners and showed the third result of the season in the world. The specialist also noted the desire of the duet to participate in the team tournament in Beijing.

“We are satisfied with the rental of the guys, we are very glad that they are progressing from competition to competition - and this is the most important thing now.

There is no limit to perfection, of course.

We already see what else we can work on, so we’ll go back and get on with it right away.

It is clear that we need peak form at the Olympic Games.

Are we thinking about a team tournament?

Yes, we would very much like to participate in it, but, of course, it is up to the federations to decide.

But we are ready - with any dance, at least two dances, at least one, but we would really like to perform there, because it's great, it's the Olympic spirit, all the more so, it's also a team one, ”Sports.ru quotes a specialist

She drew attention to the progress of the skaters and Bestemyanov.

In her opinion, now they are already able to join the fight for Olympic medals.

“I am very happy for how Stepanova and Bukin spent the European Championship. They literally add from start to start. I'm sure they can also get involved in the fight for medals in Beijing. I would even say that all the couples in the top 6 claim to get on the podium. Someone can pass positive tests. Now it is difficult to predict, but everyone is ready and working. And it is clear that Papadakis and Sizeron did not come to Tallinn only because they would not be able to return to Canada later, since quarantine is in effect there upon their return. It would be too expensive for the French to lose training ahead of the Olympics. I also really hope that by performing at the championship of the continent, Stepanova and Bukin deserved to get into the team tournament of the Olympics, ”added the specialist.

Novitsky believes that Stepanova and Bukin are capable of competing for Olympic gold, as they have already gained enough experience over the years of performances at the highest level.

“Stepanova and Bukin, in my opinion, can not only rise to the podium in Beijing, but also win. It's great that we have two such wonderful couples. If suddenly something happens to one, the other can shoot. And this replacement will be quite equivalent. Also, the European Championship clearly demonstrated that Alexandra and Ivan deserve to play in the Olympic team tournament. If not them, then who? Stepanova and Bukin really improve from competition to competition, but look at how many years they have been performing at a high level. The guys gain experience, and their skating becomes well seasoned. Now they know their own worth and perfectly understand what they can do and how. And everyone around you feels it too. And the insanely difficult work of both the guys themselves and their coaches, choreographers, and attendants led to such progress.Well-coordinated teamwork is visible, and due to this, the result is achieved, ”said the European champion.

The winner of the Universiade in ice dancing, Betina Popova, noted the uniqueness of Stepanova and Bukin's free dance.

“He is very innovative, unusual, the choreography stands out among other couples ... Probably, it is possible to change dance duets in team competitions (at the Olympic Games. - 

), but not necessary.

Now we see that Sasha and Vanya can also be at the level of world leaders, ”TASS quotes Popova.

The skaters themselves were satisfied with their performance at the European Championships.

According to Stepanova, they managed to take a step forward compared to the European Championship.

“We are extremely happy that for the second time we became the silver medalists of the European Championship.

It is very important for us to achieve such a result in the Olympic season.

We managed to take that very step forward compared to the Russian championship.

We are pleased with ourselves.

Many thanks to the coaches and everyone who supported us, ”Sport24 quotes Stepanova as saying.

Honored coach of the USSR in figure skating Tatyana Tarasova, in turn, was glad that Russia currently has two such strong dance duets.

Her words leads "SE".

“I am proud that we have such two wonderful couples in our country.

I got great pleasure, looking at our guys!

It's a little pity, of course, that not the whole pedestal is behind us, but that's okay.

How will the guys perform at the Olympics?

I don't want to look into the future, anything can be there.

But I know for sure that they will perform with dignity and show our country from the best side.

They don’t take skill!”

Tarasova said.

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Davis and Smolkin showed the best performance of the season 

Another Russian duet, Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin, remained seventh at the European Championships, having received 186.61 points from the judges, which can also be considered a success for the debutants of the competition.

Figure skaters' coach Igor Shpilband highly appreciated the performance of his wards and admitted that they are progressing with each start.

“Certainly, competing with athletes of this level is a great experience.

With the acquisition of this experience, skaters progress.

The guys will rest for a few days, they need to recover, serious starts are coming.

I fly back to America for a week and return to the training camp in Krasnoyarsk, ”said the specialist.

The skaters themselves were satisfied with their performance.

According to Smolkin, the couple showed the best free dance performance of the season.

Although in other tournaments she received higher scores.

“We are very pleased with the rental, perhaps it was our best free dance rental of the season - it is precisely according to our feelings that we will have to watch the video later, of course.

But we are pleased that we were able to improve the quality of the rental from the Russian Championship.

Although in St. Petersburg our levels were slightly higher than what we got here.

We were able to add in the end, although there were no more forces left than three weeks ago.

We will improve the rental for the Olympics, of course, ”said Smolkin. 

Tarasova, in turn, noted that the duet received eight points more at the Russian Championship.

This, according to the expert, indicates the wrong refereeing of the national championship.

“We must judge correctly.

No need to put too much when it is undeserved.

The guys are great.

There are no complaints against them, ”Tarasova said in an interview with the Championship portal.