Russian Ladies news & discussion

[her grace]

Copying @Tobbe's list of entrants and marking skaters who are too young for worlds with stars

*Kamila Valieva
*Daria Usacheva
*Maiia Khromykh
Elizaveta Nugumanova
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
Ksenia Tsibinova
Maria Talalaikina
Sofia Samodurova
*Anna Frolova
Anastasia Gulyakova
Anastasia Tarakanova
Alëna Kostornaia

 

[Natanielle825]

Yes, I know she got back Medvedeva, but I don’t think many people expected Medvedeva doing that great this season, after seeing her at the test skates.

Idk if I was the only one not really discouraged by Medvedeva's test skate, but I thought she looked better than I was expecting. Considering all the missed training time and her coach being in another country, I was impressed that she was doing credible triple triples. I thought she would be fine if she was able to go back to Canada, but obviously that didn't happen. Only once she re-injured her back did I start worrying about her.

 

[Tinami Amori]

ISU remembers the 3 years since Alina Zagitova won the 2018 Olympics

https://twitter.com/Olympics/status/1364129567133343745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1364129567133343745%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sports.ru%2Ffigure-skating%2F1094232147-mok-opublikoval-prokat-proizvolnoj-programmy-zagitovoj-na-olimpiade-v-.html

 

[Scott512]

ISU remembers the 3 years since Alina Zagitova won the 2018 Olympics

https://twitter.com/Olympics/status/1364129567133343745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1364129567133343745%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sports.ru%2Ffigure-skating%2F1094232147-mok-opublikoval-prokat-proizvolnoj-programmy-zagitovoj-na-olimpiade-v-.html

And it's Eteris birthday too'

 

[Ka3sha]

Russia’s Elizaveta Nugumanova stays motivated despite heavy field

Russia's Elizaveta Nugumanova stays motivated despite heavy field

Elizaveta Nugumanova is just 18 years old, but she is nearly considered a veteran given the quick turnaround in Russian Ladies’ skating. The skater from

www.goldenskate.com

 

[Frau Muller]

Russia’s Elizaveta Nugumanova stays motivated despite heavy field

Russia's Elizaveta Nugumanova stays motivated despite heavy field

Elizaveta Nugumanova is just 18 years old, but she is nearly considered a veteran given the quick turnaround in Russian Ladies’ skating. The skater from

www.goldenskate.com

Nugumanova is my secret wish to make top 3 at Russia Cup Finals...smooth skating to beautiful instrumental music, especially her SP to Fledermaus. No Billie Eilish whining or her ilk! No gimmicky witch!

 

[Scott512]

Nugumanova is my secret wish to make top 3 at Russia Cup Finals...smooth skating to beautiful instrumental music, especially her SP to Fledermaus. No Billie Eilish whining or her ilk! No gimmicky witch!

It's nice to see a Russian girl maturing at the age of 18 like Littlle Liza. If only she got treated with the same respect from the judges in Russia that fourteen-year-old Dasha gets.

Great Point how Liza is using beautiful music and not that dreadful music by Billie English. I've noticed the Saint Petersburg girls from Rukavicin skate to lovely music.

On a side note Mariah Bell improved a lot at age 23 or 24 and Bradie Tennell at age 21 or 22 why can't the Russian girls do that? I guess the obvious answer is there's too much talent in Russia and many of the girls are retired by their early twenties.

 

[alchemy void]

Billie English

Ok boomer.

 

[Scott512]

Ok boomer.

No boomer. I just don't like her voice and look. Billie is no Adele or Joss.. I want someone who can sing and project a great voice whether they're young or old to be the music for figure skaters. But I've been out voted.

But ifsome of these brilliant figure skaters love her what can I do? LOL. I know some people will say well at least they won't be another R and J.

 

[Natanielle825]

Who's Joss? Anyway, I get your point. If you don't like someone's voice, you don't want to listen to it (tho idk why her look is relevant when you can only hear the song). It's a big arena, and while I personally like some BE songs, you're right that they're low-key and mumbly, not very powerful or driving or climactic.

 

[tony]

No boomer. I just don't like her voice and look. Billie is no Adele or Joss.. I want someone who can sing and project a great voice whether they're young or old to be the music for figure skaters. But I've been out voted.

But ifsome of these brilliant figure skaters love her what can I do? LOL. I know some people will say well at least they won't be another R and J.

I think the point here was that her name isn't 'English'..

 

[Scott512]

I think the point here was that her name isn't 'English'..

Exactly!

 

[Scott512]

Who's Joss? Anyway, I get your point. If you don't like someone's voice, you don't want to listen to it (tho idk why her look is relevant when you can only hear the song). It's a big arena, and while I personally like some BE songs, you're right that they're low-key and mumbly, not very powerful or driving or climactic.

Joss Stone. A British singer.

 

[Tobbe]

YouTube links to Russian Cup Final seniors:

Saturday 15:00 Moscow time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjmZrcq7gSg&feature=emb_err_woyt

Sunday 14:00 Moscow time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nSVKuh5T7I&feature=emb_err_woyt

They start with Men, then Pairs, Ladies, Ice Dance

 

[Tinami Amori]

Day 1 - SP's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjmZrcq7gSg&feature=emb_err_woyt

Day 2 - FS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nSVKuh5T7I&feature=emb_err_woyt

Day 3 - SP Juniors

Финал Кубка России по фигурному катанию, юниоры: короткие программы

Первый канал представляет трансляции с Финала Кубка России по фигурному катанию, который пройдет в Москве c 27 февраля по 2 марта и после которого окончатель...

www.youtube.com

Day 4 - FS Juniors

Финал Кубка России по фигурному катанию, юниоры: произвольные программы

Первый канал представляет трансляции с Финала Кубка России по фигурному катанию, который пройдет в Москве c 27 февраля по 2 марта и после которого окончатель...

www.youtube.com

Schedule, by days, hours and venues. In Russian someone pls translate, my computer having glitches.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/581372832546816001/814678512950706216/Screenshot_20210226_050112.jpg

PS - Score board and order.

Финал Кубка Рoccии - Ростелеком 2020-2021

 

[Scott512]

At the Russian Cup final today Liza put a stranglehold on the world spot. Aliona struggled and barely scored 70 points and was emotionally crushed in kiss n cry. Eteris secret weapon The KaMissle scored almost 90! My God how good is she going to be next season at 15? Can Anna and Sasha stay with her? Will we have the evgenia and Alina situation all over again with Anna and Kamila? It's all so draining and I can't believe it.

Aliona needs 140 points in the free skate to have any chance at worlds and that's if Liza falters.

 

[Lemonade20]

At the Russian Cup final today Liza put a stranglehold on the world spot. Aliona struggled and barely scored 70 points and was emotionally crushed in kiss n cry. Eteris secret weapon The KaMissle scored almost 90! My God how good is she going to be next season at 15? Can Anna and Sasha stay with her? Will we have the evgenia and Alina situation all over again with Anna and Kamila? It's all so draining and I can't believe it.

Aliona needs 140 points in the free skate to have any chance at worlds and that's if Liza falters.

What happened with Aliona?!

 

[Karen-W]

What happened with Aliona?!

Double axel, wonky landing on the first part of the combo with 3-turns out of it before she managed a 2t.

 

[Scott512]

What happened with Aliona?!

She had a bed warm up before her skate and that affected her. Some people think she was still over scored. Alliona did not skate cleanly and confidently like we are used to.

Putting her controversial coaching change aside which shocked millions of figure skating fans catching Corona virus and the after affects of that hurt her tremendously as far as her making the world's team this year.

Keep your fingers crossed for her tomorrow.

Also having to new programs this late in the season is nothing of ever recalled seeing before from a world class caliber skater.

Seeing her in the kiss n cry was very upsetting.

Aliona knows her only chance tomorrow is to score about a 140 points in the free skate and then hope Liza falters. But there is a very small chance that happens..

 

[Holy Headband]

Did anyone see the interview with Plushenko's child (I know, the fact it exists in the first place is weird, poor kid) on the Olympic Channel's Twitter account? It's so obvious Plushenko is a terrible coach and favours Trusova over Kostornaia massively.

I hope Kostornaia leaves this trash fire in the off-season and finally lands somewhere where her unique talents will be nurtured and appreciated.

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

Also having to new programs this late in the season is nothing of ever recalled seeing before from a world class caliber skater.

Seeing her in the kiss n cry was very upsetting.

Tonya Harding showed up to 1992 Worlds just a couple weeks after Olympics with two entirely different programs. I loved her SP to Moonriver, much better than People Are Still Having Sex.... If I think about it, I'm sure I can think of others who scrapped their programs either right before Nationals or Worlds and skated new programs.

Alena's K/C was hard to watch. She's practically an adult and she's CRYING over a missed combo??? Come on, Alena, lighten up. If you actually want to become a neurosurgeon you need to keep things in perspective and not be so erratic and emotional. I wouldn't be surprised if she withdraws. She really looked like she was over it all after that missed combo, and didn't even try. No fighting spirit? Time to go home and rebuild for next season if she has the emotional capacity.

 

[Lilia A]

Did anyone see the interview with Plushenko's child (I know, the fact it exists in the first place is weird, poor kid) on the Olympic Channel's Twitter account? It's so obvious Plushenko is a terrible coach and favours Trusova over Kostornaia massively.

I hope Kostornaia leaves this trash fire in the off-season and finally lands somewhere where her unique talents will be nurtured and appreciated.

Or, maybe the young child just happens to like one girl better than the other? He's 8 years old for crying out loud. Not old enough to know diplomacy, but old enough to decide by himself who he gets along with.

 

[Frau Muller]

At the Russian Cup final today Liza put a stranglehold on the world spot. Aliona struggled and barely scored 70 points and was emotionally crushed in kiss n cry. Eteris secret weapon The KaMissle scored almost 90! My God how good is she going to be next season at 15? Can Anna and Sasha stay with her? Will we have the evgenia and Alina situation all over again with Anna and Kamila? It's all so draining and I can't believe it.

Aliona needs 140 points in the free skate to have any chance at worlds and that's if Liza falters.

Excellently put, Scott512!

This circles back to what I’ve been stating all along, that the lucky “Rockets” and “KaMissles” are born to be 15.5-16.5 during an Olympic Winter Games, in addition to having the necessary physical attributes. Somewhere in Russia (or beyond?), the next perfect little “specimen” resides, of the perfect age and attributes to peak in Feb 2026.

My guess is that the star of 2026 is Russian because only Russia has the national system and interest (widespread passion) in the sport to allow combing through 11 time zones to identify talent. They don’t depend on private capital/ free market/ “democratic PC” rules. Any other country/federation have that? Maybe China, in time, if the interest in the ladies discipline grows?

I don’t like it; just stating a realization.

 

[Frau Muller]

Double axel, wonky landing on the first part of the combo with 3-turns out of it before she managed a 2t.

And wonky spins, struggling to hike leg up into Biellman position (twice)...which is done to add points, I realize...I’d drop that position but what can Aliona substitute to gain the desired level on spins?

The irony is that the new Vivaldi SP is miles above the Billie Eilish!!! The music of Yellow Moon, her new LP, is also spot on...just as her abilities diminish & age goes up. And Liza, who is blessed with incredible abilities for an older female skater, switches to....BILLIE EILISH!!!!!! SP only, thank goodness.

 

[Scott512]

Tonya Harding showed up to 1992 Worlds just a couple weeks after Olympics with two entirely different programs. I loved her SP to Moonriver, much better than People Are Still Having Sex.... If I think about it, I'm sure I can think of others who scrapped their programs either right before Nationals or Worlds and skated new programs.

Alena's K/C was hard to watch. She's practically an adult and she's CRYING over a missed combo??? Come on, Alena, lighten up. If you actually want to become a neurosurgeon you need to keep things in perspective and not be so erratic and emotional. I wouldn't be surprised if she withdraws. She really looked like she was over it all after that missed combo, and didn't even try. No fighting spirit? Time to go home and rebuild for next season if she has the emotional capacity.

I forgot or did not know about Tonya Harding doing that right before worlds but she was cray cray. I try not to think about her. Alyona is not crazy because she wants to be a neurosurgeon and she's already was a great figure skater last year the number one lady and the most beautiful skater in the world. And the coaching change and Corona virus both were great setbacks with the virus being even a bigger setback because she could not train.

You know Erik I think the tears in Kiss n Cry yesterday from Aliona were about more than missing that combo. She's had a brutal season and not skating close to her greatness of last season and you add everything together and you get tears yesterday.

I think if alliona has a really badd warm up like yesterday before the SPI think maybe she should withdraw before the free skate. But part of me hopes she so some toughness today and goes out there and skates no matter the result. World is pretty much gone now it's building for next season the Olympic season.

 

[Scott512]

Excellently put, Scott512!

This circles back to what I’ve been stating all along, that the lucky “Rockets” and “KaMissles” are born to be 15.5-16.5 during an Olympic Winter Games, in addition to having the necessary physical attributes. Somewhere in Russia (or beyond?), the next perfect little “specimen” resides, of the perfect age and attributes to peak in Feb 2026.

My guess is that the star of 2026 is Russian because only Russia has the national system and interest (widespread passion) in the sport to allow combing through 11 time zones to identify talent. They don’t depend on private capital/ free market/ “democratic PC” rules. Any other country/federation have that? Maybe China, in time, if the interest in the ladies discipline grows?

I don’t like it; just stating a realization.

It's unbelievable Frau. Next TT phenom Sofia Akatieva will be 18 for the 2026 winter olympics.
Crazy to wonder this super talent will be too old to be the gold medal favorite? Sofia Samodelkina will turn 19 during the 2026 Olympics. You already has quads and a triple Axel but it's possible she was born at the wrong time just like the other Sofia. Alina was much more fotunate.

You astutely pointed out Russia has 11 time zones in their massive country to procure talent.
Interests in girls figures gaining in a Russia has grown so much in the last 10 years and probably a lot more in the next 10 years. Bake really need to start of ranking system and figure skating and let the best skaters and along with trying to keep some small countries getting some challenge in competitions because I would like to see the ISU go a little bit more to the golf or tennis world rankings or standings for the competitors. Obviously the Russian girls and Russian ladies deserve more than 3 spots for worlds and Olympics and Europeanns.

Kamila will be 15 for Bejiing. Sasha will be 17. Anna will be 17. There may be something to your theory of 15.5 years old to 16.5 years old
Hard work matters a lot talent matters alot the best coaching matters a lot but the most important thing is the birthdate.

 

[Japanfan]

Obviously the Russian girls and Russian ladies deserve more than 3 spots for worlds and Olympics and Europeanns.

No, they don't because the maximum skaters from one country allowed is three.

Worlds is not intended to be a repeat of Russian Nationals.

 

[Scott512]

No, they don't because the maximum skaters from one country allowed is three.

Worlds is not intended to be a repeat of Russian Nationals.

Oh I know that I'm just saying they need to make the sport better for those that produce at the high level like other sports like tennis and golf do. They need to find ways to reward countries that dominate disciplines better than they do. In tennis you get into an event by your ranking. Golf to in I'm good with it.

Thanks to the ISU being in the dark ages figure skating is still a niche sport for the most part.
It's the athletes pushing this sport forward not the brain trust.

I mean Russia could have 8 of the top 10 in the world games in a lady's discipline and still only get 3 spot at a worlds or Olympics and that's laughable.

 

[svea]

Ouch... from an PCS point of view, Usacheva seems to be growing into her program, so at least I begin to sense that someday in the future she could be earning those PCS she´s attributed with, to be diplomatic.
But: 3LZ+...+3S combo: hand on the ice and still positive GOE
Stepsequence: almost fell over while leaning backwards +1.... GOE
that´s anything but fair!

 

[Coco]

Of course AK was crying about more than the missed combo. She was poised to realize one of her life's ambitions last March and then BLAM-KABLOOIE-KAPOW. Her life has completely changed in every way.