Med injured, possibly out of GPF

[Meoima]

Of course Med and Yuzu will be missed at GPF but I would not call GPF a "dud in singles"

There are other very talented skaters who will be there to cheer for.

I would say pair and ice dance will be much more interesting to me this time though.
But seriously what’s the hell with this Olympic season...

 

[SmallFairy]

@Japanfan I agree, and if it was OG of course Med would take the painkilling shots and skate. Zhen did to win worlds. But I just think it's unwise to skate injured in a not very important GP in the Olympic season. That I wouldn't have risked myself.

 

[sjs5572]

I would say pair and ice dance will be much more interesting to me this time though.
But seriously what’s the hell with this Olympic season...

It's quadmania for the men and, in the case of Med, we have seen her train four triple combos. I hope Mirai can stay healthy with her 3 axel training.

 

[annie_mg]

Damn, I'm not used to awfully-timed injuries in figure skating. Gymnastics is heartbreaking enough! There's nothing worse than missing an important competition because of an injury. We mustn't forget that it's better this is happening now rather than the month before the Olympics.

But I agree with however said that Eteri doesn't seem very compassionate. I'm just scared she will now concentrate on her other stars and leave Med behind. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Vash01]

@Japanfan I agree, and if it was OG of course Med would take the painkilling shots and skate. Zhen did to win worlds. But I just think it's unwise to skate injured in a not very important GP in the Olympic season. That I wouldn't have risked myself.

I am drawing a blank here. Who is Zhen?

 

[kittyjake5]

I am drawing a blank here. Who is Zhen?

Shen of S/Z

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

The timing of Medvedeva's injury could not be worse. Especially so close to the Olympics, six weeks spent recovering is an eternity for a skater.

Jumps and spins don't happen just like that. At the elite level, they need to be practiced daily in order to keep and maintain consistency. Being able to produce results when it counts, everything has to feel automatic.

Further, for anyone that has been in a cast, there is a loss of muscle mass, and movement is often stiff, sharp and sore for weeks afterwards.

 

[Ka3sha]

Evgenia at the Procter&Gamble press conference today
http://sport-express.ru/figure-skating/news/foto-dnya-medvedeva-poyavilas-na-press-konferencii-v-gipse-1338802/

 

[Carolla5501]

The timing of Medvedeva's injury could not be worse. Especially so close to the Olympics, six weeks is an eternity for a skater.

Jumps and spins don't happen just like that. At the elite level, they need to be practiced daily in order to keep and maintain consistency. Being able to produce results when it counts, everything has to feel automatic.

Further, for anyone that has been in a cast, there is a loss of muscle mass, and movement is often stiff, sharp and sore for weeks afterwards.

This will give her time to work on her miming skills.

Sadly I am actually afraid her team will do that. The programs they design for her actually distract from her skating by using the miming and voice overs... given 6 weeks where they can't work on technical they could get really creative! YIKES!

 

[RD]

It's quadmania for the men and, in the case of Med, we have seen her train four triple combos. I hope Mirai can stay healthy with her 3 axel training.

I share the same concerns over Nagasu, although it’s somewhat OT here.

Medvedeva was doing 3-3-3 (!!) combos during practices last year at Boston Worlds. Amazing yes, but at the same time it’s crazy how quickly all that jumping can catch up to you...

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

This will give her time to work on her miming skills.

http://i.imgur.com/mDvhiMT.gif

 

[SmallFairy]

Shen of S/Z

Sorry for the misspelling Yup, Shen, referring to japanfan's post.

 

[barbarafan]

Bummer. Hope she allows herself to heal fully and is in top shape for the Olympics.

I agree. I think it is really dangerous to skate with a numbed foot at the level Med is. She is a marvelous technician but if she does not know exactly how it is placed she could have have a bad landing and snap the ankle.I just hope it is the doctors who have the last word...not the coaches. Med only has 2 feet..The coaches have many.
On the other hand...I really feel for Med...I have never not done anything because I felt I was not up to it irregardless of how bad it was for me. More will than brains I think. But that is my makeup. Hope she heals fast and well.

 

[chattila]

Med will be fine and I bet we'll see her in all of her splendor at Russian Nationals. Now is the time for Zagitova to shine...perhaps with new tutu-less costumes.

If Med withdraws from the GP Finals, I'm wondering who will be bumped up to the sixth spot & a place at the finals? Of course, we won't know the official six spots until the end of Skate America this weekend. Still, it would be interesting to see who, in the end, ends up going to the finals, if Med cannot compete. Either Ashley or one of the Japanese ladies might gain entry.

 

[snoopy]

I think there is zero chance her team will allow an injured Med to skate.

 

[Scrufflet]

I think there is zero chance her team will allow an injured Med to skate.

Oh I hope you're right! I'm afraid that so much pressure will be put on her and her team and/or they will put pressure on themselves to risk it. Consequences down the road could be serious.

 

[Clutz]

Med will be fine and I bet we'll see her in all of her splendor at Russian Nationals. Now is the time for Zagitova to shine...perhaps with new tutu-less costumes.

If Med withdraws from the GP Finals, I'm wondering who will be bumped up to the sixth spot & a place at the finals? Of course, we won't know the official six spots until the end of Skate America this weekend. Still, it would be interesting to see who, in the end, ends up going to the finals, if Med cannot compete. Either Ashley or one of the Japanese ladies might gain entry.

The only skaters from this coming weekend who can mathematically make the final are Tsurskaya and Wagner. Even if one of the Japanese skaters from this weekend wins, they will not have enough points to move ahead of Higuchi. If either Tsurskaya or Wagner wins, that winner will make the final. If she comes in second, she will be tied with Higuchi and it will go to the second tie breaker on which both Wagner and Tsurskaya have already beaten Higuchi on the tie breaker. Most likely, if Med withdraws, it will be Higuchi who is the first alternate who gets bumped up.

UPDATED: I guess I had already counted Med out. If Tsurskaya or Wagner wins, she will rank 4th ahead of Kostner. If one of them comes in second, she cannot move ahead of Sotskova and therefore would be 6th. If they go 1-2, the one in 2nd will be first alternate, and Higuchi will then to be second alternate.

 

[briancoogaert]

The timing of Medvedeva's injury could not be worse. Especially so close to the Olympics, six weeks spent recovering is an eternity for a skater.

Jumps and spins don't happen just like that. At the elite level, they need to be practiced daily in order to keep and maintain consistency. Being able to produce results when it counts, everything has to feel automatic.

Further, for anyone that has been in a cast, there is a loss of muscle mass, and movement is often stiff, sharp and sore for weeks afterwards.

Don't be so afraid. We are talking about Medvedeva. She is such a hard worker and is so consistent. Her body will have the memory when she'll be back healthy.

 

[attyfan]

I hope that Med recovers quickly and completely. Does anyone know when the final decision (on any withdrawal) must be made?

 

[tony]

I hope that Med recovers quickly and completely. Does anyone know when the final decision (on any withdrawal) must be made?

There isn’t a specific point. If she goes to the event and doesn’t feel right, she can withdraw in the SP warm-up if she chooses. But she will likely know before taking the trip whether she will be able to compete. And since Higuchi is 90% likely to be the one on the bubble, it helps that the event is in her home country.

 

[Clutz]

There isn’t a specific point. If she goes to the event and doesn’t feel right, she can withdraw in the SP warm-up if she chooses. But she will likely know before taking the trip whether she will be able to compete. And since Higuchi is 90% likely to be the one on the bubble, it helps that the event is in her home country.

But once the draw is made, the alternate cannot be entered.

 

[tony]

But once the draw is made, the alternate cannot be entered.

Right. And since the draw is automatic once again this season (reverse world standings), I’m not sure when they actually make it ‘official’. Possibly 24 hours before the start of the segment.

 

[haribobo]

This timing did not have to be so awful if she addressed it initially... Rather shocking that an athlete of her caliber and a coach of Eteri's caliber could be so lax about dealing with an injury...oh well. Her loss. Live and learn girl... Someone else's gain...

 

[Frida80]

The only skaters from this coming weekend who can mathematically make the final are Tsurskaya and Wagner. Even if one of the Japanese skaters from this weekend wins, they will not have enough points to move ahead of Higuchi. If either Tsurskaya or Wagner wins, that winner will make the final. If she comes in second, she will be tied with Higuchi and it will go to the second tie breaker on which both Wagner and Tsurskaya have already beaten Higuchi on the tie breaker. Most likely, if Med withdraws, it will be Higuchi who is the first alternate who gets bumped up.

UPDATED: I guess I had already counted Med out. If Tsurskaya or Wagner wins, she will rank 4th ahead of Kostner. If one of them comes in second, she cannot move ahead of Sotskova and therefore would be 6th. If they go 1-2, the one in 2nd will be first alternate, and Higuchi will then to be second alternate.

Actually, if Ashley is second she will lose the tie breaker. She needs a score of around 235 to beat Wakaba in the tie breaker. If Polina is 2nd she just needs a score of 209 to win the tie breaker, so that’s possible.

 

[MRani]

The only skaters from this coming weekend who can mathematically make the final are Tsurskaya and Wagner. Even if one of the Japanese skaters from this weekend wins, they will not have enough points to move ahead of Higuchi. If either Tsurskaya or Wagner wins, that winner will make the final. If she comes in second, she will be tied with Higuchi and it will go to the second tie breaker on which both Wagner and Tsurskaya have already beaten Higuchi on the tie breaker. Most likely, if Med withdraws, it will be Higuchi who is the first alternate who gets bumped up.

UPDATED: I guess I had already counted Med out. If Tsurskaya or Wagner wins, she will rank 4th ahead of Kostner. If one of them comes in second, she cannot move ahead of Sotskova and therefore would be 6th. If they go 1-2, the one in 2nd will be first alternate, and Higuchi will then to be second alternate.

One correction, if Ashley comes in second at SA she won’t beat Wakaba on the second tiebreaker. She would need a score around 235 to do so which is a Medvedeva level score. Polina only needs 209 to beat Wakaba on the second tiebreaker.

 

[peibeck]

I don't think it's even mathematically possible for Ashley to score 235 points given her tech and jump layout.

Med should look at what happened with Shabalin when he came back too soon from injury - and that was in dance, so without the pounding of the jumps. He just was never the same. (Yes, I know his was a knee injury and hers is a foot injury). I don't think the skating world is "suddenly" going to forget the 2 time (and reigning) World Champion if she misses the GPF or her own nationals. If she got the cast right after NHK, she's already almost 2 weeks into recovery.

 

[pinky166]

Poor Evgenia! Hope she is healthy in time for the Olympics! It would be such a shame if she has to miss it or isn’t at her best there. Get well soon girl!

 

[tony]

I don't think it's even mathematically possible for Ashley to score 235 points given her tech and jump layout.

Put it this way: Medvedeva has only been over 235 once (she's the ONLY one), and that was at the +3/10.00-happy World Team Trophy at the end of last season. It's not happening

 

[kwanatic]

Actually, if Ashley is second she will lose the tie breaker. She needs a score of around 235 to beat Wakaba in the tie breaker. If Polina is 2nd she just needs a score of 209 to win the tie breaker, so that’s possible.

One correction, if Ashley comes in second at SA she won’t beat Wakaba on the second tiebreaker. She would need a score around 235 to do so which is a Medvedeva level score. Polina only needs 209 to beat Wakaba on the second tiebreaker.

You guys beat me to it. I was going to say Ashley needs to win in order to make it to the Final. Wakaba scored quite high at her two events (207 and 212) which will make her tough to beat in a tiebreaker, and impossible for Ashley to beat. Polina scored 210 in her first event so as long as she skates cleanly, she could beat Wakaba. Personally, I hope Wakaba gets to go to the Final. She's been amazing this year and deserves it.


Sad news about Evgenia. Hopefully she'll heal up quickly. The GPF really isn't that important in the grand scheme of things...for her. For anyone else it'd be a major blow but not for Evgenia. Honestly, I'd tell her to skip the Final, get a bye and skip nationals, and go to Euros and use that as her warm up before Pyeongchang. She's won everything there is to win at this point except Olympic gold. No need to jeopardize that for a title she's already won twice (GPF & nationals).

Side note: I wonder if her injury is an overuse injury or if it's something specific she did? I mean we see her doing 3-3-3 combos and adding a 3T to the end of every jump in practice. It's impressive and entertaining but I wonder if all of that excessive jumping has contributed to her injury?

 

[barbarafan]

I think there is zero chance her team will allow an injured Med to skate.

Sorry...she was injured prior to her last competition and competed with pain injections