Pavel Kolobkov

[Jason]

Originally posted by Emfuser
You should've seen him fencing foil... it was atrocious to see that much epeé technique in foil (he got pounded).

Epee fencers never know how to use a foil.

[haggis]

Jason

Epeeists know how to use a foil. It's for bashing dents out of your mask. It's much better because the guard is smaller and fits inside the mask much easier.

Regards

Haggis

[jspierre]

Originally posted by Emfuser
Pavel is a really cool guy. I went to an OSU training camp during the short time he was there. I talked to Pavel every chance I got because he always had good stories to tell.

The man is SICKENINGLY fast and clean clean clean. Watching him fencing was poetry in motion.

You should've seen him fencing foil... it was atrocious to see that much epeé technique in foil (he got pounded).

Is he back in Russia do you know? He's got a ready market for coaching in the US, and could do valuable clinics all over the place. I'm interested in the evolution of his style, somewhere between classical and highly athletic approach, but much closer to the latter. He never appears very combative nor obviously taking total command of the strip. His wide stance provides a lot of flexibility on timing and distance; it buys him time, which is why I figure he picks stops hits out of the air on opponents preparation (at such a high level of competition, it's pretty remarkable to me he can do this consistently, but he always seems to get 3-5 touches that way, more than enough margin to win most DE's at the world class level).

[Emfuser]

Originally posted by jspierre
Is he back in Russia do you know? He's got a ready market for coaching in the US, and could do valuable clinics all over the place. I'm interested in the evolution of his style, somewhere between classical and highly athletic approach, but much closer to the latter. He never appears very combative nor obviously taking total command of the strip. His wide stance provides a lot of flexibility on timing and distance; it buys him time, which is why I figure he picks stops hits out of the air on opponents preparation (at such a high level of competition, it's pretty remarkable to me he can do this consistently, but he always seems to get 3-5 touches that way, more than enough margin to win most DE's at the world class level).

Yeah Pavel's back in Russia. About a year ago, the coaching staff (Vladimir Nazlymov, Ilgar Mamedov, and Pavel) went to Russia for some amount of time and didn't return with Pavel. When I got to talk to Ilgar again during the NCAA season, he indicated that Pavel stayed for reasons pertaining to family and personal life.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him back in the country again, but my guess is that it's likely OSU would have to work on moving his family (wife, kid(s), etc) over with him. He would be the last keystone needed for Nazlymov's current idea of having a national fencing center there in Columbus.