hanca
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Probably not, but it is like a closed circle without a way in. One can’t get the results without decent funding, but one can’t get the funding without earning it at the nationals. But one can’t compete at the nationals because one doesn’t have a GP event and getting in through Russian cup is close to a miracle/lucky accident. The system is very much supporting established skaters, including weaker skaters such as Leonova in the past few years, and yet it makes it hard for new skaters to get through (unless you are Konstantinova and Tarasova just fell in love with you; then anything is possible).That's how it is in practically every top skating federation. Is there any other way?....
If most of places at seniors nationals are already taken by those who have a GP event and by juniors who managed to get to JGPF, that means that the rest of skaters - over 60 seniors ladies are fighting for roughly 5 spots. That’s not much. One wonders why bother having five Russian events if getting the spot at the nationals through the events not very likely. One needs to hope that they will qualify for a GP event otherwise they may not be able to compete at the nationals (e.g. Sakhanovich last year) even though when they do compete, they finish quite alright. Serafima was ninth last year, with nine more skaters finishing below her which should prove that she did belong there, and yet she would not have qualified if she didn’t get last minute the GP spot! Another issue to consider, at the Russian cup events one can compete against those who already qualified through having GP events, which pushes the results of the skaters who need to qualify down. For example, last year at fourth Russian cup the skaters had to compete against Kostornaya, Samodurova and Panenkova, who all qualified through getting into JGPF, whereas in another Russian cup there were no skaters who already qualified. So it is quite a lot about being lucky about who is at your event. Because they count placement rather than score, one can be unlucky and have two or three very strong skaters and goodbye nationals. There are ways how they could improve it, for example open 24 spots instead of 18 qnd therefore giving more skaters chance to qualify through the Russian cups. Also, the skaters who already qualified, I would let them compete if they want to, but I wouldn’t count their placements into the qualifying ranking because it makes the events very unequal.
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