From Russia With Love - Winter 2012/13

[altai_rose]

Even if it wasn't about gold medals skating well or impressively was certainly an expectation of them. Something Gracie Gold like was expected. Or like osmond in the short. Age isnt the issue the talent to do well was thought to be there like it was with Gold or Osmond. I was their first worlds too! They aren't that much older. Zijun li too.

Seriously. Oh my gosh, Adelina and Liza are such failures at age 16!

Get a life. What were *you* doing at age 16?

[caseyedwards]

Age has nothing to do with it. There were other 16 and 17 year olds there

[pinky166]

Even if it wasn't about gold medals skating well or impressively was certainly an expectation of them. Something Gracie Gold like was expected. Or like osmond in the short. Age isnt the issue the talent to do well was thought to be there like it was with Gold or Osmond. I was their first worlds too! They aren't that much older. Zijun li too.

Gracie didn't skate that much better than either of the Russian girls honestly, and Li skated an absolute blinder. Note that the PCS for all these girls - Sot, Tuk, Gold, Osmond, Li is in the same vicinity right now, so it really comes down to who delivers the best jumps on that day. The Russian girls were quite good tonight but it just so happens that others were better, so it's not really all doom and gloom. I know we've had 16 year old champions in the past, but even Mao and Yuna (who is really one for the history books, not just any great skater) were 19 at their first Olympics, and at 16 even Yuna and Mao weren't perfectly oiled machines, yes they were 2nd and 3rd at Worlds that year, but during the GP and such, they made mistakes, didn't win events and had some not-so-huge scores. Adelina and Liza are both very talented and I think they will succeed and medal at Worlds, maybe Olympics in 2018, but it's really quite all right if they aren't there by next season.

[bek]

Age has nothing to do with it. There were other 16 and 17 year olds there

And? They skated still pretty well...Both girls have beaten all of those girls before and I suspect Osmond got a final skate bit of luck with that free score.. Its not like Leonova skated better.

[jlai]

I confess I don't feel too badly re: Russia losing a spot in ladies. The Russian fed pushed the next generation too hard, and I thought without an experienced leader on top of the pack (Leonova struggling this season), there could be trouble if something went amiss.

I would have felt worse if Team Russia had lost a spot in ice dance or pairs, since they actually have talented, experienced and proven skaters in those events.

[Mayra]

Both Adelina and Liza did themselves proud IMO.

A different day, a different time and I think you could see a half a dozen different variations in the standings between Sotnikova, Tukt, Gold, Osmond and Li. The ice is slippery and everyone had their own cross to bear. Some obviously heavier(Adelina, Liza) than others (Li).

Overall, I think everyone showed that the talent and potential is there. A lot can happen in the off season and I'm excited for all these skaters.

Can we fast forward to October yet?

[Vagabond]

I don't think anybody thought those kids would win gold medals next year.

Oh, but they did!

Will Russia bounce back to win at least 1 gold medal at the Sochi 2014 Olympics?

Yup. Sotnikova/Tuktamisheva

I think Russia has a great chance of taking Gold in each of the 4 events with just under 3 years still to go. Sotnikova and Tuktamysheva both have an excellent chance in the ladies.

Very real possibility for gold in ladies and pairs, IMO.

There are still Liza, you know. She has the cleanest jump technique in the World right now and is going to do 3A. I expect (and hope) a good rivalry between her and Adelina

And my personal favorite:

Who do you expect to win gold in Sochi if not Sotnikova. Kim seems bored and not even wanting to compete anymore.

[Vash01]

This has been a disastrous worlds for Russia (and also for Japan- just one medal, bronze), in spite of the gold by V&T and bronze by Bobrova-Solevial (sp?). They were expected to dominate the ladies field. They did not even earn 3 spots for the 2014 Olympics. Liza and Adelina are both talented young ladies, but finishing this low year before the Olympics does not bode well for either one. Mens results were even more dismal. Kovtun did not justify his selection over his older rival who actually finished higher than him at the Russian nationals. So instead of 2 spots, they have just one in Sochi. Their hopes will be pinned on old man Plushenko who may not even be physical shape to compete, considering how many injuries he has had in the last 2-3 years.

I think Russia needs to rebuild for 2018 now.

ETA: For 2014, I think they need to put a lot of value on next year's GP series, for selecting just 2 ladies. Which wonderkid will be left out? It's heart breaking.

[julieann]

This has been a disastrous worlds for Russia..... Liza and Adelina are both talented young ladies, but finishing this low year before the Olympics does not bode well for either one.... I think Russia needs to rebuild for 2018 now.

ETA: For 2014, I think they need to put a lot of value on next year's GP series, for selecting just 2 ladies. Which wonderkid will be left out? It's heart breaking.

It's just one competition. I think it's far too early to count anyone out at the Olympics. It's still 11 months and several competitions away. Every skater has a bad competition now and then and unfortunately sometimes it happens at Worlds.

Russia needs to stop being so shortsighted, they need to look at the young kids and see who their money is best placed on and nurture them from there. Not wait until they are 14 or 16 and expect them to win the Olympics in the first few years then call them failures when they don’t. That is what has got them into trouble the last 5-8 years. Same goes for pairs and dance.

[love_skate2011]

This has been a disastrous worlds for Russia (and also for Japan- just one medal, bronze), in spite of the gold by V&T and bronze by Bobrova-Solevial (sp?). They were expected to dominate the ladies field. They did not even earn 3 spots for the 2014 Olympics. Liza and Adelina are both talented young ladies, but finishing this low year before the Olympics does not bode well for either one. Mens results were even more dismal. Kovtun did not justify his selection over his older rival who actually finished higher than him at the Russian nationals. So instead of 2 spots, they have just one in Sochi. Their hopes will be pinned on old man Plushenko who may not even be physical shape to compete, considering how many injuries he has had in the last 2-3 years.

I think Russia needs to rebuild for 2018 now.

ETA: For 2014, I think they need to put a lot of value on next year's GP series, for selecting just 2 ladies. Which wonderkid will be left out? It's heart breaking.

Leonova wont probably get a GP series ?
I reckon Tuk, Sot and Lipnitskaya will get 2 GPs

[bek]

Why is this worlds so disasterous for Russia. They have two medals, only Canada has more. (and only one more at that)

[love_skate2011]

Why is this worlds so disasterous for Russia. They have two medals, only Canada has more. (and only one more at that)

In singles , 1 men and lost 3 spots for ladies

[bek]

In singles , 1 men and lost 3 spots for ladies

Keeping 3 spots was going to be a tall order... In mens I thought it was a crap shoot.

[love_skate2011]

Keeping 3 spots was going to be a tall order... In mens I thought it was a crap shoot.

Pairs and Ice Dance I don't think was a disaster though
and by Sochi they will have contenders from both

[hanca]

In normal circumstances it is much easier to keep 3 spots than gain 3 spots. Although in both scenarios you need 2 skaters to place together under 13, when you are trying to keep 3 spots you have got there one skater whose placement won't count, so you have a room for error. If one of the three messes up, there is one spare attempt for good placement. Unfortunately, in the case of Russian ladies, Liza and Adelina were placed in position of 'trying to get third spot', rather than keep three spots. They went there with the knowledge that Leonova has been useless the whole season and therefore it was like if she wasn't there. That left them with no room for error; they knew that it will be their placements that need to be under 13. Considering that it was their first worlds, and they knew the consequences of if they don't place well, and the Olympics being in their country next year, I am not surprised that they did not skate to their potential. It is too much burden put on their young shoulders.

[love_skate2011]

In normal circumstances it is much easier to keep 3 spots than gain 3 spots. Although in both scenarios you need 2 skaters to place together under 13, when you are trying to keep 3 spots you have got there one skater whose placement won't count, so you have a room for error. If one of the three messes up, there is one spare attempt for good placement. Unfortunately, in the case of Russian ladies, Liza and Adelina were placed in position of 'trying to get third spot', rather than keep three spots. They went there with the knowledge that Leonova has been useless the whole season and therefore it was like if she wasn't there. That left them with no room for error; they knew that it will be their placements that need to be under 13. Considering that it was their first worlds, and they knew the consequences of if they don't place well, and the Olympics being in their country next year, I am not surprised that they did not skate to their potential. It is too much burden put on their young shoulders.

true and with that Leonova will follow Makarova
Goodbye Leonova

[hanca]

true and with that Leonova will follow Makarova
Goodbye Leonova

Very likely. Now it will be the survival of the toughest. To survive Russian internal competition for those 2 spots will be hard. However, whoever will come on top of that will be very strong not only with their skating, but also very strong mentally. It will need very strong nerves to deliver when they are fighting for the spots in Sochi, so there is a chance that whoever comes on top will not choke at olympics.

[morqet]

http://fsrussia.ru/news/516_nikita-k...poluchitsya--/

Interview with Nikita

- Nikita, what happened to you in this tournament?

- I have no idea what happened, because I trained very well. In training, there was not the slightest nervousness, nothing. I could feel every movement, every finger.

- It seemed that you were struggling in the free program?

- I just couldn't get the connection with Lena. Something is not the same as during the program. I do not know how to explain it. Everything went to inconsistency. Terrible.

- What will you do now?

- We'll take a break and then work again.

- This season you worked with Elena Kustarova?

- Yes, Elena helped us. Not as much as I would like in some moments. But when she could she came to us. It's great to have her try it in the women's part, because we have always had male coaches. She helped Lena with many questions and skated with me too. She's a very good technician. She worked on the polka a lot with us, also she helped with FD, complemented the choreography, adding some emotion. She put very much in us in a short time.

- Are you going to continue working with her?

- I can not say. Where to go, where we train?

- Do you have complaints about the work of your coach Morozov?

- Nikolai worked with us in full. We worked in the USA before the World Championships, everything was perfect. It is true that from time to time in Lena ache a little something in one place, then in another. Sometimes she couldn't practice at full strength. But when Lena was able to train at her best, we have done everything to the maximum. Charges in America have been very good. We skated with with the feeling that we want to fight, compete. Nikolai did nothing wrong.

- You said that you have a problem with the lifts. You have found such a professional?

- We worked with great specialists at the start of the season. As far as I know they are working with Canadians Weaver - Poje. Super specialists. We have so much to do with them, but, unfortunately, only on the floor. The we started to do our programs & didn't work on the new lifts on the ice. We need to do them over & over again. When we went to Novogorsk they were put on the shelf. But we have great ideas and do great lifts on the floor. And I'll be insisting to do it in new programs, because it isn't interesting skating without them.

- So according to you, the coach is good, good training, what is missing?

- I do not know. I spoke to Tatiana Anatolievna after the event & she agreed. Perhaps, in training I gave too much in training, and there was nothing left for the competition. Apparently, we are too inexperienced, green. We need to learn to save our energy and use it more intelligently.

- What are the priorities now?

- We made so many mistakes. We have been through all that we can. We had starts when after 7 place in SD we won medals, we had starts like this. It is necessary to work out all the negatives and clear them away. Do it right, with a cool head. And, of course, we have to be very well prepared physically. Of course our priorities are the lifts and the connection on the ice ... You just have to work day and night, and do it.

[Triple Axel]

This has been a disastrous worlds for Russia (and also for Japan- just one medal, bronze), in spite of the gold by V&T and bronze by Bobrova-Solevial (sp?). They were expected to dominate the ladies field. They did not even earn 3 spots for the 2014 Olympics. Liza and Adelina are both talented young ladies, but finishing this low year before the Olympics does not bode well for either one. Mens results were even more dismal. Kovtun did not justify his selection over his older rival who actually finished higher than him at the Russian nationals. So instead of 2 spots, they have just one in Sochi. Their hopes will be pinned on old man Plushenko who may not even be physical shape to compete, considering how many injuries he has had in the last 2-3 years.

I think Russia needs to rebuild for 2018 now.

ETA: For 2014, I think they need to put a lot of value on next year's GP series, for selecting just 2 ladies. Which wonderkid will be left out? It's heart breaking.

ITA, Vash!!
And they should write NO ONE off just yet. The ladies are very young, and I look for rebounds from Gachinski and Kovtun in hte mens, and you can NEVER count out Plushenko...EVER. He is a warrior. If he can walk, he will be there-but he will NOT unless he feels he can skate his best, which has been good enough in the past..But the team needs to rebuild to secure the future of Russia as a powerhouse. We have the talent and with this crop, the time. I love our ladies chances in 2016, but am NOT ready to write them off for Sochi just yet, either! So very proud of the pairs and ice dancers...

[Triple Axel]

Seriously. Oh my gosh, Adelina and Liza are such failures at age 16!

Get a life. What were *you* doing at age 16?

At 16, I wanted to be either a DJ or an archeaologist!! I think these wonderful girls are just getting started, and will only get better with that mountain of pressure off their shoulders..