World Championships results

1. Isabel Delobel/Olivier Schoenfelder FRA
2. Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir CAN
3. Jana Khokhlova/Sergei Novitski RUS

Complete results>>

26 March 2008

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Domnina & Shabalin withdraw from Worlds

News got out today that Oksana and Maxim are not going to participate in the World Championships in Gothenburg next week. In practice on Thursday the 6th of March Maxim injured his knee yet again, and doctors have prescribed at least two weeks of off-ice recovery. The president of the Russian Skating Federation, Valentin Piseev has officially confirmed Domnina and Shabalin's withdrawl, which he describes as a lost chance on a medal for Russia. Oksana and Maxim have been replaced by 2007 Junior World Champions Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev.

We hope for a full recovery from this repeated injury, and wish both Maxim and Oksana much strength and fortune for the coming period.

12 March 2008
from: allsport.ru

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Report from Zagreb

I had the honour to attend the European Championships of Figure Skating in Zagreb this year and so see Oksana and Maxim win their first European title live. What follows is a short report of my experiences.

Compulsory Dance
The dance competition, as always, started with the compulsory dance. This year's compulsory dance was the Yankee Polka, which I find more exciting to watch than Waltzes, so watching 26 of them was actually quite interesting. In the draw it was decided that Oksana and Maxim had to skate in the first group, while their most important competitors Isabel Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder from France skated as 18th, so the suspense about who would end up in first place after the dance was held up until the very end. Oksana and Maxim skated the dance very well and kept a good high speed throughout the dance, which resulted in a new personal best score of 40.25 (20.29/20.06). This was not enough to gain first place though, as the French couple scored a point higher and won the compulsory dance.

Compulsory dance results>>

Original Dance
On thursday morning I watched the dance practice at the main rink in which Oksana and Maxim did a dress rehearsal of their Cossack Original Dance. They had again drawn to skate earlier than their opponents who all skated in the last group. The practice looked promising for the competition later that afternoon and Maxim did not seem to be troubled much by his knee. He had also stated in the press conference that the knee did not bother him. I that's really true I don't know, but what I do know is that Maxim looked a bit hesitant throughout the Original Dance in the step sequences and twizzles, and the lifts too looked slower than usual. It could well be that this was caused by the interuption of their practice schedule late December. Maxim's mistake on the twizzles - he could not catch his foot and had to let go to save him from falling - cost them some points as they were downgraded to a level 2. It was interesting to see so many different interpretations of the folk/country theme and next to Oksana and Maxim's cossack dance I expecially enjoyed the Cuckoo Jodlers Polka by Austrians Silna and Matsjuk, the Scottish dance by the Kerrs and the Italian dance by Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali. Delobel and Schoenfelder did not make any mistakes, in fact they skated very well, and deservedly remained in first place.

Original dance results>>

Free Dance
As the Free Dance was skated on Maxim's 26th birthday I had made a Happy Birthday banner for him and brought a birthday card and a present to throw onto the ice after the performance. What was fun was that the banner was shown on tv and on the bog screen in the rink, so that everybody then knew it was his birthday. Not many people at the rink seemed to know this beforehand. This time Oksana and Maxim had drawn to skate after Delobel and Schoenfelder, which added much to the excitement for me. Isabel and Olivier skated their dance to music from the Piano without mistakes, but they seemed to lack some sparkle, they skated very good but they did not have that extra something that Oksana and Maxim has this night. I spoke to many people at the rink about it and most of them agreed that Delobel and Schoenfelder had seemed somewhat tired and did not communicate the emotion of their dance as well as they could have done. Oksana and Maxim on the other hand skated with a lot of passion which sparked over to the audience, to the non-French part that is, which previously had booed the low presentation scores of Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski.
After Faiella and Scali had skated their dance, which I could not really concentrate on because I was so excited about Oksana and Maxim's win, they did an interview with Oksana and Maxim in Russian. In this they spoke about Maxim's birthday (they showed by banner again on the big screen) and Maxim said that he could not think of a better birthday present than this gold medal. During the medal ceremony they both seemed very emotional and Oksana patted Maxim's back several times as if to say "well done and I am so proud of you". She said similar things at the press conference afterwards: “I don’t have any words right now. And no emotions either, as I left them all on the ice. I am just happy that we survived this competition.
I want to congratulate Maxim to his birthday today and I thank him for his courage and strength” And Maxim explained that it had been a tough competition for them:
“It was a very difficult competition. We knew this from the beginning, because of my surgery (meniscus/left knee) one month ago” “It was a risky decision to come and to compete, but it was the right decision. I decided to come here on the 9th of January when I went out on the ice and knew that I’d be able to do some run throughs and can prepare (for Europeans). The doctors, however, warned me and said I’d should swim for two weeks and ride a bicycle and watch Europeans on TV. It was the hardest competition of my career.”

Free dance results>>

All in all it was an exciting week in Zagreb for me, which ended with a lovely gala in which Oksana and Maxim skated their Tango Oblivion program and an encore of part of their free dance. They now have nearly two months to fully recover from the surgery and the excitement of winning their first European gold medal, and then come back strong against the French, American, and Canadian couples in Gothenburg, Sweden for the World Championships.

I have uploaded some of my pictures so be sure to check them out!

29 January 2008

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European Championships results

1. Oksana Domnina/Maxim Shabalin RUS
2. Isabel Delobel/Olivier Schoenfelder FRA
3. Jana Khokhlova/Sergei Novitski RUS

Complete results>>

29 January 2008

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Another knee surgery for Maxim

Maxim Shabalin has undergone a second knee surgery in December. He had knee surgery in May 2007 as well. This second operation was needed to keep the injury from getting worse, but it caused Oksana and Maxim to miss Russian Nationals which were held this weekend and they also had to withdraw from a show in St Petersburg. It is as yet unclear whether the couple will be able to compete at the European Championships, less than three weeks from now. According to posts on www.fsuniverse.net the doctors have good hope that they will.

6 January 2008

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Grand Prix Final results

1. Oksana Domnina/Maxim Shabalin RUS
2. Tanith Belbin/Benjamin Agosto USA
3. Isabel Delobel/Olivier Schoenfelder FRA

Complete results>>

15 December 2007

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Grand Prix Final FD results

Oksana and Maxim came back strong in the Free Dance today. With Oksana in a new dress they skated to victory in the Olympic Palavela in Torino. A personal and seasonal best score of 103.26 (53.50/49.76) won them the FD and the competition, edging Belbin and Agosto who placed second and Delobel and Schoenfelder, who dropped to third.

It will be interesting to see if Oksana and Maxim can place ahead of Delobel and Schoenfelder at the European Championships in Zagreb too, but first they will face Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski again at Russian Nationals the first weekend of January.

Complete results>>

15 December 2007

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Grand Prix Final OD results

A difficult start for Oksana and Maxim at the Grand Prix Final in Torino Italy, as they scored nearly one point below their seasonal best score from Cup of Russia in the Original Dance. They had some difficulty with the twizzles in the straight-line step sequence and therefore scored 62.31 (32.20/30.11), leaving them in third place behind Belbin/Agosto and Delobel/Schoenfelder.

Their third place in the OD will allow them to skate in the final group for the FD tomorrow. As the top 4 is less than 3 points apart from each other, nothing is decided yet.

Complete results>>

14 December 2007

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Grand Prix Final entries

1. Isabel Delobel/Olivier Schoenfelder FRA
2. Tanith Belbin/Benjamin Agosto USA
3. Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir CAN
4. Oksana Domnina/Maxim Shabalin RUS
5. Nathalie Pechalat/Fabien Bourzat FRA
6. Jana Khokhlova/Sergei Novitski RUS

The ISU Grand Prix final will take place in Torino's Palavela, from the 13th until the 16th of December.

Complete results>>

7 December 2007

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NHK Trophy results

1. Isabel Delobel/Olivier Schoenfelder FRA
2. Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir CAN
3. Jana Khokhlova/Sergei Novitski RUS

Complete results>>

7 December 2007

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Cup of Russia results

1. Oksana Domnina/Maxim Shabalin RUS
2. Nathalie Pechalat/Fabian Bourzat FRA
3. Anna Zadorozhniuk/Sergei Verbillo UKR

Complete results>>

25 November 2007

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Cup of Russia FD results

Another new personal best for Oksana and Maxim. Their Free Dance to Waltz Masquerade was awarded 101.99 (52.30/49.69) an improvement of almost 20 points to their Cup of China score. They received a level 4 for all the elements except for the straightline lift which received level 3.

Nathalie Pechalat/Fabian Bourzat of France ended the competition in second place, Russians Ekaterina Bobrova/Dmitri Soloviev dropped to fourth place because they placed sixth in the free dance. Anna Zadorozhniuk/Sergei Verbillo from Ukraine finished third.

Complete results>>

25 November 2007

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Cup of Russia OD results

Oksana and Maxim strengthened their lead in the Cup of Russia by scoring 63.20 points (32.70/30.50) which is a new seasonal and personal best. They were able to upgrade their circular step sequence to a level 4. This element scored only a level 3 in China. All other elements were rewarded level 4 as they did in China.

Nathalie Pechalat/Fabian Bourzat of France are still in second place followed by Russians Ekaterina Bobrova/Dmitri Soloviev who are in third.

Complete results>>

24 November 2007

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Cup of Russia CD results

Cup of Russia started today in Moscow with the Yankee Polka, a lively and bouncy compulsory dance. Oksana and Maxim improved their CD score of Cup of China with more than 1 point and thereby also improved their seasonal best. They scored 40.05 (20.78/19.27), which is not only a seasonal best but also a personal best score.

Nathalie Pechalat/Fabian Bourzat of France are currently in second place and Russians Ekaterina Bobrova/Dmitri Soloviev are in third.

Complete results>>

23 November 2007

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Cup of China results

1. Tanith Belbin/Benjamin Agosto USA
2. Oksana Domnina/Maxim Shabalin RUS
3. Federica Faiella/Massimo Scali ITA

10 November 2007

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Cup of China FD results

Lack of training time has caught up with Oksana and Maxim in the Free Dance in which they placed only third, behind Tanith Belbin/ Benjamin Agosto and Federica Faiella/Massimo Scali. Their dance to Waltz Masquerade by Aram Katchaturian still looked rough and unfinished in some places, especially in the lifts and step sequences. Both step sequences were graded a level 2 only, and they did not receive credit for their final rotational lift, which was considered an extra element.

Oksana and Maxim scored 87.69 points (41.40/47.29), against Belbin and Agosto's 98.41 (51.90/46.51) and Faiella and Scali's 90.62 (47.80/42.82). This third place finish in the FD caused that Oksana and Maxim dropped to second place overall.

Their next competition will be Cup of Russia in Moscow, from the 22th until the 25th of November.

10 November 2007

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Cup of China OD results

The Original Dance was skated this morning, and showed many different types of folk dances. Oksana and Maxim skated their dance to the well-known Cossack song Lads, Unsaddle Your Horses, their rivals Belbin and Agosto, and Faiella and Scali had chosen an Apallachian Hoedown and an Italian folk song respectively.

Oksana and Maxim scored 62.20 points (32.30/29.90), which is a personal and a seasonal best for them. Belbin/Agosto scored 60.81, and Faiella/Scali 56.94, so nothing has changed in the standings since the CD and Oksana and Maxim are still in first place.

The Free Dance will be skated tomorrow at 6:10PM local time

9 November 2007

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Cup of China CD pics

Some pictures of the CD have been added to the Domnina-Shabalin photobucket page. All new pictures will be posted on photobucket until the pictures pages are back online.

8 November 2007

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Cup of China CD results

In their first competition of the year, Oksana and Maxim have taken a strong lead over Tanith Belbin/Benjamin Agosto and Federica Faiella/Massimo Scali after the Argentine Tango. They scored 38.77 (19.88/18.89), which is just under their PB, and are now three points ahead of Belbin and Agosto who scored 35.89. Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali scored 33.54.

The Original Dance is tomorrow at 4pm local time

Complete results>>

8 November 2007
from: isu.org

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Skate America and Skate Canada results

Skate America October 25/28

1. Tanith Belbin/Benjamin Agosto USA 192.95
2. Nathalie Pechalat/Fabien Bourzat FRA 181.84
3. Federica Faiella/Massimo Scali ITA 172.28

Skate Canada November 2/4

1. Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir CAN 197.07
2. Anna Cappellini/Luca Lanotte ITA 171.57
3. Pernelle Carron/Mathieu Jost FRA 167.83

Complete results>>

4 November 2007
from: isu.org

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Maxim Shabalin had appendicitis surgery

According to goldskate.ru, Maxim Shabalin had an appendicitis surgery late in September.
He is expected to resume training mid October.

8 October 2007

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Picture pages down

Due to problems with hosting the picture pages will remain down for the next couple of weeks.
You can still view a selection of pictures here.

8 October 2007

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Junior Grand Prix results

Results of the 2007/2008 Junior Grand Prix events in Vienna, Tallin, Zagreb and Sofia:

Vienna, Austria September 13/16

1. Emily Samuelson/Evan Bates USA
2. Maria Monko/Ilia Tkachenko RUS
3. Isabella Pajardi/Stefano Caruso ITA

Tallinn, Estonia September 20/23

1. Madison Chock/Greg Zuerlin USA
2. Elisa Agafonova/Dmitri Dun UKR
3. Joanna Lenko/Mitchell Islam CAN

Zagreb, Croatia September 27/30

1. Vanessa Crone/Paul Poirer CAN
2. Kristina Gorshkova/Vitali Butikov RUS
3. Ksenia Monko/Kirill Khaliavin RUS

Sofia Bulgaria October 4/7

1. Isabella Pajardi/Stefano Caruso ITA
2. Shannon Wingle/Ryan Devereaux USA
3. Anastasia Vykhodtseva/Alexei Shumski UKR

from: isu.org
8 October 2007

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Junior Grand Prix results

The first two Junior Grand Prix of the 2007/2008 season have produced the following ice dance results:

Lake Placid August 30/September 2

1. Emily Samuelson/Evan Bates USA
2. Joanna Lenko/Mitchell Islam CAN
3. Pilar Bosley/John Corona USA

Harghita Cup Romania September 6/9

1. Vanessa Crone/Paul Poirer CAN
2. Ekaterina Riazanova/John Guerreiro RUS
3. Ksenia Monko/Kirill Khaliavin RUS

from: isu.org
9 September 2007

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Music for Free Dance

In addition to their Original Dance music, Domnina and Shabalin have now made public their Free Dance music too. They will use music from "Masquerade" by Armenian composer Katchaturian, according to an interview with Sportcom.

9 September 2007

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Music for Original Dance

Oksana and Maxim have announced the music they will use for the Original Dance in an interview with Russian newspaper Trud. They have chosen the well-known cossack song "Распрягайте, хлопцы, кони": (Raspryagajte Khloptsy Koni/Guys, Unsaddle Your Horses).

No announcements have been made yet about the Free Dance.

30 July 2007

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New pictures

Over a hundred new pictures have been posted on the message board! Including pictures from the recent Russian Stars On Ice Tour and the 2007 European Championships. Check them out here. These pictures are also available through the domnina-shabalin photobucket page.

Some new pictures have been added to this site as well. Thanks to Antony Konstantinov, who kindly gave permission to use his pictures here.

25 July 2007

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Grand Prix Dates

Oksana and Maxim are scheduled to skate at Cup of China in Beijing from November 8 until the 11th and at Cup of Russia in Moscow from November 22 until the 25th.

Other entries are listed here

18 June 2007

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MySpace Group

There is now a MySpace Group for fans of Oksana and Maxim. Its address is:

http://groups.myspace.com/domninashabalin

So join now and add this page to your favourites!

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