From Russia with love [#28]: Autumn to Winter 2017

[Ka3sha]

Weren't they supposed to publish the list of the nationals competitors yesterday?

They were, but no entries yet


Moscow Entries from December, 11
http://www.sportvokrug.ru/competitions/2949/
Ladies: Gulyakova, Zagitova, Kostornaya, Medvedeva, Mikhailova, Panenkova, Pogorilaya, Radionova, Sotskova, Tarusina, Tsurskaya, Istomina (1st altennative), Gracheva (2nd alternative).
Men: Voronov, Dmitriev, Erokhov, Kovtun, Kurbanov, Murashov, Savosin, Samarin, Samoilov
Pairs: Astakhova/Rogonov, Pavluchenko/Khodykin, Stolbova/Klimov, Tarasova/Morozov
Ice Dance: Bobrova/Soloviev, Zahorski/Guerreiro, Ilinykh/Shibnev, Loboda/Drozd, Morozov/Bagin, Popova/Mozgov, Snitsiga/Katsalapov, Solovieva/Vlasenko, Sosnitskaya/Golovishnikov, Stepanovna/Bukin

 

[MarieM]

I am in total denial here. I want my Pogo back

 

[rfisher]

How did Ilinykh manage? I thought they didn't do enough Russian cup series to qualify. Good for her if they pull it off.

 

[lala]

you can like kovtun or not, but he's been to the last 5 worlds/euros (3 medals at euros), could not skate at '14 olympics due to plushy's farewell. It sucks seeing a skater falling apart/ not able to deliver (due to injury or whatever) in the olympic season after such a record into it
#comeback

I'm saying again if Plushy wouldn't have gone to the Olympic Games then Voronov goes. Voronov was the first reserve. Kovtun became Russian Champion 2014 but before the nat championships the Rus Fed cleared they will make decision after the ECH. Maxim bombed his FS ( I was in the arena ) and he was out off the podium. He had chance to confirm his place in the team, but he couldn't.
But I agree with your other words.

 

[SmallFairy]

But 2018 Voronov goes!!! I'm not jinxing!! I'm not!!!! #silverfoxforever

 

[pinky166]

I’m not a huge Kovtun fan or anything but I do really feel bad for him. He deserved to go to the Olympics in 2014 and may have had a shot at going this year if healthy. But now it looks very unlikely. If he winds up retiring that’s a rough way to go out. Hopefully he continues for another season or two at least if his injuries can heal fully.

 

[kwanfan1818]

If you look at Kovtun's two senior seasons leading up to Sochi, he was 5th at 2013 and 2014 Euros, and European Men haven't been nearly as strong as 4C's Men at Worlds overall. After Voronov and Gachinski together lost a spot at 2012 Worlds, Voronov, Kovtun, with the pressure of being the sole Russian man in London in 2013 placed 17th, lower than either Voronov or Gachinski the year before, with a slightly lower total score than either of those two (~207 vs. ~210). Voronov was 2nd at 2014 Euros, scoring 252+, higher than any of Kovtun's championship scores until 2017 Euros.

While it wouldn't have been a shoo-in for Kovtun to be Top Ten at 2012 Worlds, a few more points than his 2012 Euros score would have put him into 10th place over Brezina, and then he likely would have gone to Sochi outright. He might not have gotten the Team Event slot, but he would have competed in the individual event. Plushenko's comeback was not a surprise, even if it was a surprise that he managed to pull it off, given the back surgeries he continued to have: this wasn't 2010 where Plushenko decided six months before the Olympics, and had to lose double-digit kilos while getting back to full-scale training.

Even Kovtun's record post-Sochi at Euros isn't that indicative: he only beat Vornov by ~ 2 points at 2015 Euros -- Voronov didn't go to 2015 Worlds -- and 4th place Bychenko was 17th at Worlds; he and Bychenko were within a point at 2016 Euros, and Bychenko was 13th at 2016 Worlds and Amodio and Brezina, just behind him at Euros, were 9th and 15th, respectively, and only Kolyada, in 5th at 2016 Euros and 4th at 2016 Worlds and 3rd at 2017 Euros and 8th at 2017 Worlds was formidable European opposition.

While he clearly has talent of a kind -- I think his PCS were overmarked consistently -- he didn't have the kind of record or opposition in Europe for his Euros results to mean much against the full international field, and his mental strength had already been found wanting when the pressure was on.

 

[lala]

@kwanfan1818 As you said Kovtun was 17th at WCH 2013. And he went to the WCH instead of Menshov because of TAT's influence.

 

[Vash01]

I feel bad for Kovtun, even though I am not his fan. He was very disappointed in 2014 to not go to the Olympics, despite winning the nationals (I agreed with the decision to send Plush though). Now he is plagued by injuries. He can land quads, do he would have at least had a chance of making the team. He is still young. I hope he won't give up. Voronov is a good example for anyone who considers an early retirement.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I feel bad for Kovtun, because it didn't help him to be pushed politically before he was ready to deliver. The preternatural mental strength of a Plushenko or Witt is the exception, not the rule.

 

[Sasha is DIVINE]

Let's go Zhenya!!!

 

[coppertop1]

I feel for Pogorilaya. In 2014, she missed the Olympic Team because there were only two berths, otherwise she would have gone. Now, there are three spots and she’s injured so she won’t make the team. Timing is everything and sometimes it isn’t meant to be.

 

[SamuraiK]

I feel for Pogorilaya. In 2014, she missed the Olympic Team because there were only two berths, otherwise she would have gone. Now, there are three spots and she’s injured so she won’t make the team. Timing is everything and sometimes it isn’t meant to be.

In 2014 the 3 ladies sent to Euros were Sot+Lip+Leonova. Alena placed 4th. if there were 3 spots im sure Leonova would have been chosen instead.

 

[Wyliefan]

How did Ilinykh manage? I thought they didn't do enough Russian cup series to qualify. Good for her if they pull it off.

That's my girl!!

 

[Kasey]

I feel bad for Pogorilaya, and hope she heals both physically and emotionally from a rough year or so. I feel less sympathy for Kovtun.

 

[Dobre]

How did Ilinykh manage? I thought they didn't do enough Russian cup series to qualify.

I doubt they did. Last year Popova & Mozgov only did one Russian Cup event, and pulling out of the second meant they did not receive an invite to Nationals--even though they went to Golden Spin & bested Evdokimova & Bazin by 12 points and 4 placements there. (Evdokimova & Bazin finished 6th at Russian Nationals last season).

This year Ilinykh & Shibnev only went to one Russian Cup event as well. They did win it (though not the FD), which Popova & Mozgov did not do at their event last season. But I&S withdrew from their only Challenger and never did a second Russian Cup event as far as I recall.

My guess is that if Ilinykh & Shibnev are competing at Nationals it is due to a special invitation outside the normal requirements. But that's only a hypothesis. Could be wrong. Perhaps @Ka3sha can tell us for certain what is required results-wise.

Also, is the dance field being expanded this season at Russian Nationals?

I know there has been discussion of it, but I don't know if it is happening this year or in the future. If it is being expanded this season, then the criteria might have changed for qualifying since last season.

 

[pinky166]

In 2014 the 3 ladies sent to Euros were Sot+Lip+Leonova. Alena placed 4th. if there were 3 spots im sure Leonova would have been chosen instead.

Pogo might have made it, she made the GPF that year. She was sent to Worlds after Adelina pulled out instead of Leonova so who knows.

 

[SamuraiK]

Pogo might have made it, she made the GPF that year. She was sent to Worlds after Adelina pulled out instead of Leonova so who knows.

Alena was the official alternate for the Sochi olympics. Pogo finished a dissapointing 8th at nationals but her early goog results managed her the worlds spot but i remembered that decission surprised many.

 

[Ka3sha]

How did Ilinykh manage? I thought they didn't do enough Russian cup series to qualify. Good for her if they pull it off.

They have withdrawn anyway (according to that Moscow entries list)

Alena was the official alternate for the Sochi olympics. Pogo finished a dissapointing 8th at nationals but her early goog results managed her the worlds spot but i remembered that decission surprised many.

Anna went to Worlds because she placed ahead of Alena at Russian Cup Final that year

 

[Ka3sha]

Training groups for Nationals, still no official entries lists, but
http://fsrussia.ru/files/docs/competitons/1718/rusnat1718_training_groups.pdf

Ladies:
Group 1
Yakovleva
Sotskova
Radionova
Mikhailova
Tarusina
Gulyakova
Group 2
Leonova
Sakhanovich
Fedichkina
Konstantinova
Tuktamysheva
Samodurova
Group 3
Gubanova
Kostornaia
Medvedeva
Panenkova
Zagitova
Tsurskaya

Men:
Group 1
Lezheev
Lazukin
Kolyada
Shulepov
Aliev
Ignatov
Group 2
Erokhov
Samoilov
Savosin
Zuber
Petrov
Dmitriev
Group 3
Murashov
Milyukov
Samarin
Kovtun
Voronov
Kurbanov

Pairs:
Group 1
Poluyanova/Sopot
Lukashevich/Stepanov
Liyrova/Selkin
Panfilova/Rylov
Group 2
Mishina/Gallyamov
Zabiyako/Enbert
Stolbova/Klimov
Tarasova/Morozov
Group 3
Efimova/Korovin
Boikova/Kozlovsky
Astakhova/Rogonov
Pavluchenko/Khodykin

Ice Dance:
Group 1
Evdokimova/Bazin
Bobrova/Soloviev
Sinitsina/Katsalapov
Stepanova/Bukin
Group 2
Popova/Mozgov
Loboda/Drozd
Morozov/Bagin
Solovieva/Vlasenko
Group 3
Luchina/Bragin
Sosnitskaya/Golovishnikov
Zahorski/Guerreiro
Safronova/Zimin
Shestakova/Ugryumov

 

[pinky166]

So wait Alisa Fedichkina is competing at Nationals? I thought she didn’t qualify?

 

[Taso]

Medvedeva is really going to be there? I wish she wouldn't push it and wait til Euros to come back

 

[binbinwinwin]

So wait Alisa Fedichkina is competing at Nationals? I thought she didn’t qualify?

I believe Trusova and Tarakanova were deemed too young to compete as seniors and didn't get the clearance to go so Fedichkina and Tarusina both got spots based on that. Also Anna Pogorilaya withdrew so another senior ladies spot opened up.

 

[SamuraiK]

I believe Trusova and Tarakanova were deemed too young to compete as seniors and didn't get the clearance to go so Fedichkina and Tarusina both got spots based on that. Also Anna Pogorilaya withdrew so another senior ladies spot opened up.

The problem is Ustomina was still above Fedichkina in the alternate list.

 

[Vash01]

Medvedeva is really going to be there? I wish she wouldn't push it and wait til Euros to come back

I am really worried about her health.

 

[TAHbKA]

Ilinykh/Shibnev out of RusNat and no comment

 

[Ka3sha]

Ilinykh/Shibnev out of RusNat and no comment

Rumors say that she will take part at Peter Tchernyshev’s shows this winter (from Russian boards, no official info).

She is also giving a master class in Krasnoyarsk this weekend

 

[Kasey]

Please don't let Soloviev ever team up with Ilinykh the flake after this season.

 

[Areski]

The problem is Ustomina was still above Fedichkina in the alternate list.

So why they pushed Fedichkina in?

 

[caseyedwards]

Ilinykh/Shibnev out of RusNat and no comment

I guess he is going to be in jail in New Jersey