R.I.P. Oleg Kanaev!

More sad news!  I can't believe this!!  Zhenya and Egor's father, Oleg Kanaev, unexpectedly passed away on the 7th. 

You can read a translation of a news article on Zhenya Kanaeva Gymnasium.  Apparently he had a heart attack while flying back to Moscow from Turkey.  How tragic!

My deepest condolences to Zhenya and Egor and the rest of Zhenya's family.  In a way, it is lucky that he did get to see both of his children get married before he passed away...may he rest in peace!

Even more photos from Yulia & Egor's wedding!

I think this is the final round-up of photos!  (The other sets of photos are here and here.)
Looks like Egor has some of his sister's split leap talents! ;)  Makar is so impressed!

Makar, ?, Blizia and Egor jumping

Speaking of Zhenya, here she is with the newlyweds (and her husband).

Igor (Zhenya's husband), Egor, Yulia, Zhenya

 And here are the group girls with the newlyweds...

Blizia, Yulia, Egor

Blizia, Yulia, Egor, Makar, Ksyu

Yulia, Egor, Blizia, Ksyu

Group photo!

Standing: Ksyu, ?, Egor.  Sitting: ?, Alexander Tikhonov, ?, Oleg Kanaev (maybe?), Igor, Zhenya, Makar

There was dancing...

Makar, ?, Blizia

...and a bouquet toss.

?, ?, Makar in the back, Dasha D, Anna Shumilova, Ksyu, Blizia

Makar and Blizia are just kind of standing there and watching, but Dasha and Anna and the girl on the left look like they really want to catch it, and Ksyu just looks like she's trying to spoil their chances. :P LOL!

And here are some photos of the girls at the wedding.

Laima Lipkina & Makar

Ksyu!

Our cutie pie!

I guess there was a couch that they all took photos on...

Dasha D

Blizia

Makar (see the tattoo on her leg!)

Ksyu

Makar & Ksyu

Nazar's baby sister is sooo cute!!

So Nazar has a little sister, Taisiya (Thiais?), who was born last year on September 17--about a month after the Olympics!  She's sooo adorable!

And I'm guessing this photo is of her as well.  So cute!!!

(I see a Kazan Universiade pillow there in the background!)

Viner & son

Just in case you were wondering what Madame V's son (Anton Viner) looks like...

Irina Viner in another amazing outfit, Anton Viner

Like mother, like son: look, they even have similar taste in sunglasses!

Here he is with his wife Julia...

...and his sons (Viner's grandsons!!)

Remember, this is the son from her first marriage; he is not Alisher Usmanov's son.
Anton Viner is some kind of businessman...I found this article to be particularly hilarious.

Hooters of America Inc., the restaurant chain best known for its tank top-clad waitresses, plans to expand into Russia, Kommersant reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter. The company is seeking a local partner and has approached Anton Viner, the step-son of billionaire Alisher Usmanov who owns Uzbek restaurants in Moscow and other Russian cities, the newspaper said.

I have to admit, my first thought after reading this was, "Welllll, if the girls retire and they can't find jobs as coaches or models or find a rich dude to marry, then I guess Madame V can get them a job at Hooters!" ROFL!!!!!

Seeing double: the RG twins

It might just be me, but I feel like there's an absurdly high number of twins involved in RG!!  Off the top of my head, I can name four sets.

1) Elena & Olga Romanchenko

I can't tell who is who here..can you??

Elena (I think) and Olga

I'm not sure what Olga is up to now, but Elena has been competing and training with the senior group recently.

Olga & Elena (I think?  This is hard!)

2) Anastasia & Anna Kadochnikova

Nastia & Anna

Nastia & Anna (I think)

I think these girls from Omsk (Zhenya and Ksyu's hometown!!) are super adorable.

Nastia & Anna

Nastia & Anna

I'm not sure about Anna, but Anastasia is being trained by Vera Efremovna! (She gets her ears pinched just like Zhenya!)

And they get to wear Zhenya's leos!

Anna wearing Zhenya 2012 Olympics ball leo on the left

3) Dina & Arina Averina
These young girls (born 1998) train at Novogorsk.

With Nazar (and Anna Trubnikova) in the back left

With Zhenya

4) Daria & Alexandra (Dasha & Sasha) Kukushkina

Yeah, I just can't tell them apart at all...

On their Instagram profiles, they say they are gymnasts, but I couldn't actually find proof of them training or competing in RG anywhere, except for this..

Sasha

...but I'm guessing that is how they are such good friends with Donechka and the other RG girls.
They like to dress identically which makes it even more difficult to tell them apart.

The Bliznyuk family!

Like Zhenya's mom, Blizia's mom was a rhythmic gymnast in her youth, and she is still TOTALLY GORGEOUS!!

Blizia & Mama

Mama & Blizia

I guess she must model still!

Blizia's dad, Ilya Bliznyuk, is a famous football (soccer) player who played for the Ukrainian national team. Now he is the head coach of the FC Zirka Kirovograd.

Blizia's brother, dad, Blizia

Blizia has an older sister (Alexandra/Sasha) and a younger brother (Vladimir/Volodya), and here are some adorable pictures of them!

Nastia & Sasha

Sasha, Volodya & Nastia

Sasha, Volodya, Nastia

When they were little...

...i.e. more disgustingly cute photos!

Since Dasha D just posted a bunch of adorable ones.  My my, her hair used to be so light!

Dasha D with her brother

Dasha D with her brother--already the spoiled baby sister, I see!

Yana totally looks like a musketeer here!

Little Zhenya had those soulful eyes from the very beginning...

...and her brother Egor was super cute!

And look at this blondie moppet--Ksyu!

Baby Ksyu with her mama