Shabalin Reflects on Zenits Absence in Cup Final: The Desire for Kristensens Grand Exit

Two-time Russian snow volleyball champion **Vitaly Shabalin**, representing «Dynamo-Tatarstan,» shared his thoughts on the men’s Russian Cup final, which concluded with a victory for «Lokomotiv.» Recall that the silver medal went to Moscow’s «Dynamo,» while «Zenit-Kazan» took home the bronze.

**— What did you think of the Russian Cup in its new format?**

— It feels a bit odd that it was held at the end of the year, after the Russian champion has already been determined. I recall when we won in Krasnoyarsk and then had the Cup; it created a mixed feeling. However, everything happens for a reason. It’s great that «Lokomotiv,» which didn’t make it to the final four, managed to win the Russian Cup. At least they accomplished part of their goals. Let’s see how it unfolds next year.

**— While the women’s Cup final mirrored the national championship, the men’s finalists were teams not in the top four. How surprising was the final for the men’s competition?**

— It’s a 50-50 scenario. We could either see Kazan’s «Zenit» in the final, or we could have teams that missed the final four and were not vying for medals. The teams that had more rest and training were clearly in better shape. They displayed excellent performances in both the semifinals and the final.

**— What was the key factor for victory in such a demanding schedule?**

— I believe that character comes to the forefront. Although «Lokomotiv» and «Dynamo» were physically better prepared than the other teams, the outcome was decided by their character since both teams were in excellent physical condition. For me, the decisive moment was Igor Kobzar’s assist in the fifth set during the match. He really stepped up; credit is due to the setter for his performance.

**— Once again, Kazan’s «Zenit» failed to secure the Cup. What do you think went wrong?**

— I think it was an excess of emotions. They really wanted to end on a high note, especially for **Micah Christenson**. That likely played a role. Also, after winning the championship, when we met Oleg Stoyanovsky in the Cup final, it felt different. It was like we had already accomplished our goals. It was tough to get motivated. Of course, we wanted to win, but we ended up in second place, — said Shabalin in an interview with «Championat» correspondent Elena Kovalenko.