From Russia With Love [#40]: Summer 2021 & into the Olympic season

[hanca]

Sinitsina posted in instagram, they aim to be back at Euros, its the same injury recurring throughout the years
its about the tapes will be able to hold for the Olympics, Katsalapov may need another rest and massage, maybe they'll skip Euros too ?

They may aim to be back, but they seem to me injured quite frequently so there is no guarantee that they won’t be injured just before the Olympics.

 

[Karen-W]

They may aim to be back, but they seem to me injured quite frequently so there is no guarantee that they won’t be injured just before the Olympics.

Yeah, I really almost expect Russia to put team gold on the line and let SinKats skip the TE, his back is in such bad shape.

 

[Vash01]

I missed the entire FD. Did they announce WD at the start?

 

[Karen-W]

I missed the entire FD. Did they announce WD at the start?

I think the news dropped while the first group was skating or just as the 2nd warm up group took the ice.

 

[love_skate2011]

Yeah, I really almost expect Russia to put team gold on the line and let SinKats skip the TE, his back is in such bad shape.

D/S skating in Team Event would be goodbye team gold

 

[Karen-W]

D/S skating in Team Event would be goodbye team gold

StepBuk skating in the TE gives it away too. Doesn't matter which team is used. If SinKats aren't available for the TE then Russia is probably going to lose the gold to the US.

 

[love_skate2011]

Who bet on Trusova not landing the triple axel ?

Its becoming her nightmare, A skater defined by someone who cant land a triple axel.
nobody cares about her quads. People keep on dismissing me that she will land the triple axel soon.

NO, She will never land it, its like a "curse" or her "Cryptonite"

I Understand Trusova's obsession now with triple axle even if injuring herself, it must suck somone like Samodelkina can land it.

 

[love_skate2011]

I don't know why Trusova has never, NEVER landed a triple axel
I think its a mental block, To see others like Tuk, Valieva, Samodelkina, Akatieva, Muravyeva landing it.

 

[Cherub721]

S&K clearly aren't a threat for ice dance gold anymore if they ever were. They'd best train as if the TE is the only event they'll do and try to get a gold there. Nikita has the chance to be a double Olympic champion. They and the men had better not screw this up for the pairs and ladies.

 

[love_skate2011]

I may have spoken too soon, Tuk just did her nationals disaster, Trusova "might" still make it.

 

[caseyedwards]

S&K clearly aren't a threat for ice dance gold anymore if they ever were. They'd best train as if the TE is the only event they'll do and try to get a gold there. Nikita has the chance to be a double Olympic champion. They and the men had better not screw this up for the pairs and ladies.

Of course they were. They did defeat p/c

Katsalapov has a possibly career ending injury! That’s way different than the men being mediocre head cases! S/k got to be world champs! Maybe they should have taken the whole fall off instead of competing but one thing is not like the other

 

[thvu]

Based off of what Nikita posted on Instagram, it seems like their withdrawal was mostly precautionary. He could feel tightness in his back, and didn’t want to push himself into aggravating the injury. He was afraid he’d be off the ice for 3 weeks again, so they withdrew.

Not as bad as I initially thought, but still not a great place to be in before the Olympics.

 

[rfisher]

Based off of what Nikita posted on Instagram, it seems like their withdrawal was mostly precautionary. He could feel tightness in his back, and didn’t want to push himself into aggravating the injury. He was afraid he’d be off the ice for 3 weeks again, so they withdrew.

Not as bad as I initially thought, but still not a great place to be in before the Olympics.

Well, they knew they were good for Euros. I'd take the time as well. I do feel sorry for Khuda as she will miss Europeans. I don't blame her anger. Not that it's directed toward SinKats.

 

[Scott512]

S&K clearly aren't a threat for ice dance gold anymore if they ever were. They'd best train as if the TE is the only event they'll do and try to get a gold there. Nikita has the chance to be a double Olympic champion. They and the men had better not screw this up for the pairs and ladies.

I have the same worries. I think there is a good chance it will be screwed up. Injuries change everything and now the damn virus can hit anybody at any time we all know that and that changes everything too.

 

[Vash01]

S&K clearly aren't a threat for ice dance gold anymore if they ever were. They'd best train as if the TE is the only event they'll do and try to get a gold there. Nikita has the chance to be a double Olympic champion. They and the men had better not screw this up for the pairs and ladies.

What if S/K skated only the RD? Russia won't be able to sub in pairs or in ladies. Men are so weak that it won't matter if they sub or not. All are unpredictable. It's going to be a tough choice. I think the US is going to win the TE gold. What if S/B did both RDand FD? No matter how they cut it, Russia is not in a strong position.

 

[Karen-W]

What if S/K skated only the RD? Russia won't be able to sub in pairs or in ladies. Men are so weak that it won't matter if they sub or not. All are unpredictable. It's going to be a tough choice. I think the US is going to win the TE gold. What if S/B did both RDand FD? No matter how they cut it, Russia is not in a strong position.

I think SinKats would be nuts to skate in the TE, even just the RD, if his back is having this many problems because the turnaround time between the TE and the ID event is just a week. If SinKats aren't used in the TE then Russia's chances for team gold are reduced to "neck and neck with the US" and it really will come down to placements of the Russian men vs the US men, and the placements of the US pairs team in both segments. Could go either way, even with StepBuk finishing no better than 3rd in either the RD or FD (possibly 4th in the RD behind the US, GilPoir and GuiFab). And that also opens up the possibility that Italy might earn enough points to sneak into the TE Final, which could also see another 4th at best for whichever Russian team is used in the TE.

 

[Bigbird]

Could depend on which medal they think is most important: team gold or individual gold. He'll just go for broke in the FD whenever he competes from here on. That's their style.

 

[Karen-W]

Could depend on which medal they think is most important: team gold or individual gold. He'll just go for broke in the FD whenever he competes from here on. That's their style.

He already has a team gold from 2014.

 

[mjb52]

He already has a team gold from 2014.

But Vika doesn't. I think Europeans will clarify things a little.

 

[Bigbird]

He already has a team gold from 2014.

Truth. So why risk going to Europeans if the very same thing could happen again? Best to just get a bye to the OGs and give some up-and-coming team the opportunity to show themselves?

 

[Karen-W]

But Vika doesn't. I think Europeans will clarify things a little.

I think an individual medal would be more important than a team medal - and, frankly, gold isn't a guarantee for the TE even if they do compete.

Truth. So why risk going to Europeans if the very same thing could happen again? Best to just get a bye to the OGs and give some up-and-coming team the opportunity to show themselves?

Yup, and the critical WS points.

 

[Bigbird]

I think an individual medal would be more important than a team medal - and, frankly, gold isn't a guarantee for the TE even if they do compete.
Yup, and the critical WS points.

yeah. but hopefully, we'll see.

 

[hanca]

But Vika doesn't. I think Europeans will clarify things a little.

I think that if they compete at the Europeans, he will reinjure himself again and there won’t be any Olympics for them any more. My guess is that they will withdraw from the Europeans at the last minute.

 

[hanca]

Could depend on which medal they think is most important: team gold or individual gold. He'll just go for broke in the FD whenever he competes from here on. That's their style.

Or which medal is more certain. If he skates even only SD in the team events, there are chances that they will have gold medal. If they do individual event, they have to skate two programs, and the medal is not as certain. They could end up with bronze or fourth place, especially because he is injured so their skating may not be at their best.

 

[Bigbird]

Deleted.

 

[Bigbird]

This is where Zhulin's logic was flawed. If Tiff skated yesterday in worse condition they should have skated to know for themselves how to cope with injury. He has a brace right? Vika has skated with hers right? He comes across as a drama queen. With rest and the right meds I am sure they would have been fine. But they were scared does that mean the injury is severe? They would have had time to recover for the games if needed. Why perform in practice and not save yourself for the competition? Now they'll never know and the judges will see them as a cracked porcelain vase.

 

[mjb52]

The issue as I understand it is that if he aggravated the injury, they wouldn't be able to train for three weeks, and they can't afford to lose the time with the Olympics (and Euros) coming up.

 

[hanca]

This is where Zhulin's logic was flawed. If Tiff skated yesterday in worse condition they should have skated to know for themselves how to cope with injury. He has a brace right? Vika has skated with hers right? He comes across as a drama queen. With rest and the right meds I am sure they would have been fine. But they were scared does that mean the injury is severe? They would have had time to recover for the games if needed. Why perform in practice and not save yourself for the competition? Now they'll never know and the judges will see them as a cracked porcelain vase.

I am not an advocate for skaters competing while injured. I understand why they do it, but I am not going to be thinking badly about him for withdrawing from the nationals. If they can afford it and still be sent to the top competitions, that’s fine with me. Maybe they did it as precaution, maybe they ‘didn’t need to’ withdraw but who am I to decide whether his injury is serious enough? He will be the one who lives with the consequences of his decisions, not me. And at least some of the newer/younger teams got their chance to get on the podium at the nationals, so I am happy.

 

[Bigbird]

The issue as I understand it is that if he aggravated the injury, they wouldn't be able to train for three weeks, and they can't afford to lose the time with the Olympics (and Euros) coming up.

I hear you, but it could happen again in two weeks, right?

 

[hanca]

I hear you, but it could happen again in two weeks, right?

Of course it can happen in two weeks. That’s why I don’t really believe they will be competing at the Europeans. They will keep their strength for the Olympics.