- Trankov himself said there will be no more experiments.
- They, of course, know better. But I know Maxim, he says one thing today, tomorrow will say another, and it will sound just as convincing. I believe that this is exactly what they think today - that the current version of the program will be enough for them. But when the new season starts and it's time to count points, even decimal - they can make some changes. I think that they will still try to move two or three elements in the second half of the program.
- How do you evaluate the performances of Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov and Yuko Kawaguchi / Alexander Smirnov in Canada? Do you see progress in their skating?
- I'll start with Bazarova and Larionov. They didn't have a progress at these championships, but there were reasons: injuries, broken shoes, change of a coach. They had no physical opportunity to step forward. They skated adequately to the conditions, but they were not competitive compared to Canadians, Germans, and even the French. But next year, if they make the right conclusions from this season, they can make even a few steps forward. They have a potential. The pair looks good, well trained, perhaps with the exception of jumps, but it's not the biggest problem. Yuko and Sasha's progress is obvious, but mainly in terms of choreography. Technically, they have remained at the same level, except that the twist was a little better.
- Was the decision to send to the World Cup the pairs that have struggled recently with injuries, instead of healthy and ready for battle Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov, correct, in your opinion?
- I think that the federation executives spent more than five or ten minutes, considering this issue. If they decided so, it means that there were good reasons for this. At a time when the decision was made, Sasha and Yuko had skated elegant, dignified and strong in Novogorsk. It was, I think, the main factor in making a choice in their favor. Bazarova and Larionov were number two team from the start of the season, so it was clear that if they are able to stand up and skate until the end of the program, they would be sent here.
- Recently, it was announced that Bazarova and Larionov will start training in Nina Moser's group, where Volosozhar and Trankov also train. In your opinion, will these teams benefit from training in the same group?
- I do not think there is anything beneficial in it for Volosozhar and Trankov. These are the pairs of different styles (both in skating and working), and so they should be trained separately, in different time slots… As a result, there will be no "mutual feeding" or working competition. And no competition means no progress ... As for Bazarova and Larionov, for them, this switch is more useful. They will continue to - or, at least, be able to continue to work with Victor Kudryavtsev and their choreographer, and they will receive better funding (compared to the previous one) and better administrative resources. Whether it will help them - time will tell ...
