From Russia with Love [#30]: If There Are Test Skate Videos, It Must Be Fall 2018

[Ka3sha]

Maybe there is a chance she can skate.

I really hope she won’t (and Mishin said that she won’t). Health is the most important thing here, and pneumonia is a quite serious disease.

 

[Tinami Amori]

I really hope she won’t (and Mishin said that she won’t). Health is the most important thing here, and pneumonia is a quite serious disease.

.. but one can hope that maybe Liza is in secret a "super-duper" girl and can pull off the impossible and recover swiftly and skate, and medal.... one can hope, it is not illegal..

 

[npavel]

does it mean she can't be at Euros? I want to see her there

 

[Ka3sha]

Russian Nats Entries
https://fsrussia.ru/files/docs/competitons/1819/rus_nat_1819_training_groups.pdf
http://www.fskate.ru/results/tour/1464.html

Men:
1. Dmitri Aliev
2. Sergei Voronov
3. Petr Gumennik
4. Arthur Dmitriev
5. Vladislav Katichev
6. Artyom Kovalev
7. Maxim Kovtun
8. Mikhail Kolyada
9. Andrei Lazukin
10. Artem Lezheev
11. Konstantin Milyukov
12. Egor Murashov
13. Aleksandr Petrov
14. Egor Rukhin
15. Roman Savosin
16. Aleksandr Samarin
17. Vladimir Samoilov
18. Anton Shulepov

Ladies:
1. Anastasia Gubanova
2. Anastasia Gulyakova
3. Alina Zagitova
4. Stanislava Konstantinova
5. Aliona Kostornaia
6. Aliona Leonova
7. Evgenia Medvedeva
8. Elizaveta Nugumanova
9. Daria Panenkova
10. Sofia Samodurova
11. Maria Sotskova
12. Maria Talalaykina
13. Anastasia Tarakanova
14. Anna Tarusina
15. Aleksandra Trusova
16. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (?)
17. Polina Tsurskaya
18. Anna Scherbakova

Pairs:
1. Ksenia Akhantieva / Valeri Kolesov
2. Aleksandra Boikova / Dmitri Kozlovsky
3. Alisa Efimov / Aleksandr Korovin
4. Natalia Zabiyako / Aleksandr Enbert
5. Polina Kostiyukovic / Dmitri Yalin
6. Lina Kudriavtseva / Ilya Spiridonov
7. Nadezhda Lobazina / Nikita Rakhmanin
8. Anastasia ,ishina / Aleksandr Gallyamov
9. Daria Pavluchenko / Denis Khodykin
10. Apollinaria Panfilova / Dmitri Rylov
11. Anastasia Poluyanova / Dmitri Sopot
12. Evgenia Tarasova / Vladimir Morozov

Ice Dance:
1. Olga Bibikhina / Daniil Zvorykin
2. Valeriya Dementieva / Alexei Novikov
3. Sofia Evdokimova /Egor Bazin
4. Anastasia Zhirnokleeva / Roman Meschankin
5. Tiffani Zahorski / Jonatan Guerreiro
6. Maria Ignatieva / Mikhail Bragin
7. Ekaterina Mironova / Evgeni Ustenko
8. Annabelle Morozoff / Andrei Bragin
9. Betina Popova / Sergei Mozgov
10. Viktoria Sinitsina / Nikita Katsalapov
11. Lyudmila Sosnitskaya / Pavel Golovishnikov
12. Aleksandra Stepanova / Ivan Bukin
13. Anastasia Shakun / Daniil Ragimov
14. Anastasia Shpilevaya / Grigory Smirnov
15. Anastasia Skoptsova / Kirill Aleshin

 

[Ka3sha]

does it mean she can't be at Euros? I want to see her there

She still has a chance, the third spot on Euros/Worlds team will be determined by the coaches council after Nationals

 

[rfisher]

So Nugu is in because Radionova is out. Who's next in line if Tuk is out? Sakhonovich? Surely, it must be her.

 

[Ka3sha]

Who's next in line if Tuk is out? Sakhonovich? Surely, it must be her.

Shilenko, Vasilieva, Gracheva

 

[rfisher]

Shilenko, Vasilieva, Gracheva

((((Sima))))

 

[RoseRed]

No Skoptcova/Aleshin for Nationals?

ETA: Oh, I see they are on the list, just got missed in the post.

 

[Finsta]

I hope for Speedy recovery for Tukt. Was looking forward to nationals, but faith she’ll feel better for Europeans

 

[TAHbKA]

Lina Fedorova talks about various stuff, including the break of her pair:
`Our pair broke up very fast, not quite clear for me why. He was injured and was unable to skate for 1.5 years. After 1.5 years that I waited and and skated alone we had 2-3 practices, I was called to the coaches room and told we are no longer skating together. It was a shock for me - I did not expect that, there was no hint it would happen. A couple of days later I came to the rink and saw Maksim skating with a new girl. Within a moment we became total strangers, we would not even say hello to each other'.
`I think there was an opportunity to find a new partner during those 1.5 years, but there wasn't even a hint I shoudl be looking for a partner, I thought the idea was that am waiting, we get back and skate again'

 

[hanca]

Wow, if the coaches wanted someone better for him, it was really unfair to have her waiting for 1.5 year!

 

[Bigbird]

Wow, if the coaches wanted someone better for him, it was really unfair to have her waiting for 1.5 year!

Maybe they were desperately waiting for her to get her triple jumps and it isn't quite as cut and dry as she makes it sound. Sometimes its best not to discuss these things in public because it's usually a lot more complicated than the athlete even understands.

 

[hanca]

Maybe they were desperately waiting for her to get her triple jumps and it isn't quite as cut and dry as she makes it sound. Sometimes its best not to discuss these things in public because it's usually a lot more complicated than the athlete even understands.

It is fair enough if they wanted her to continue with Miroshkin only if she gets a triple, but she could have been told that before she waited for 1.5 year. Then she would have a choice whether she wants to start searching for a partner immediately, or trying to get the triples, or searching and working on triples at the same time. And after he recovered, she wouldn’t be surprised that she split up, if she still didn’t have the triples yet. Now it seems that they kept her as a back up option and that’s not fair. It would have been better to be open with her.

 

[Mad for Skating]

Now offically: Klimov retired and is coaching in Mozer's group

I knew this was happening for months now, but it still hurts. He was truly one of the best male pair skaters I've ever seen. Hopefully he can pass along his talent to his students. I know it's what will make him happy, and I'm glad he won't be in pain anymore from his shoulder injury, but I miss him desperately.

Fill me in. What is it that Mozer has done to pairs? (This is a genuine question -- just thought I'd clarify in case anyone thinks I'm being passive aggressive )

Mozer is a good technical coach, but a lot of her pairs get slapped with these programs that don't work for them. There have been a few great programs from Mozer pairs, but some are just not up to the level of the talented pairs she's coaching.

 

[Mad for Skating]

You do realize that the entire scoring system was changed in figure skating because of controversy during a pairs event? It can happen in any discipline. And during any quadrennium.

Oh yessssssss. I was still in the womb when that happened, but my mom showed me videos on YouTube. Both Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze and Sale/Pelletier were amazing though.

 

[Bigbird]

It is fair enough if they wanted her to continue with Miroshkin only if she gets a triple, but she could have been told that before she waited for 1.5 year. Then she would have a choice whether she wants to start searching for a partner immediately, or trying to get the triples, or searching and working on triples at the same time. And after he recovered, she wouldn’t be surprised that she split up, if she still didn’t have the triples yet. Now it seems that they kept her as a back up option and that’s not fair. It would have been better to be open with her.

She struggled with triples for a long time and it never dawned on her that with her partners ambitions this could have been a deal breaker? Either way its unfair to say these things publicly in much the same way as Katsalapov ripped Ilinykh in the press only to show that he had similar struggles and he would also need time to become a stable partner. I say this to say that sometimes the truth doesn't lie in one side or the other. Sometimes its best to say nothing and move on.

 

[hanca]

She struggled with triples for a long time and it never dawned on her that with her partners ambitions this could have been a deal breaker? Either way its unfair to say these things publicly in much the same way as Katsalapov ripped Ilinykh in the press only to show that he had similar struggles and he would also need time to become a stable partner. I say this to say that sometimes the truth doesn't lie in one side or the other. Sometimes its best to say nothing and move on.

As you said, she struggled with triples for a long time and he never dumped her, so why would it suddenly change after she has waited for him for 1.5 year? I am not going to get involved in Ilynikh/Katsalapov situation. My view is that if what Fedorova says is true, Miroshkin and his coaches didn’t behave very well and it is completely her business whether she decides to say it publicly or not. If they wanted people not hear about that, maybe they should have been more honest with her in the first place. They get what they deserve.

 

[zebraswan]

She struggled with triples for a long time and it never dawned on her that with her partners ambitions this could have been a deal breaker? Either way its unfair to say these things publicly in much the same way as Katsalapov ripped Ilinykh in the press only to show that he had similar struggles and he would also need time to become a stable partner. I say this to say that sometimes the truth doesn't lie in one side or the other. Sometimes its best to say nothing and move on.

You are ridiculous. She has every right to talk about what happened to her career if someone asks. I think it's more unfair to string someone along all that time and then dump them. If he was thinking of it earlier because she didn't have triples, that's fine, but there is a thing called communication and he could have given her an ultimatum so at least she wouldn't have had the rug pulled out from underneath her.

Nothing prevents Max from telling his side of the story, either, if he wants. This entire forum is full of gossip and speculation (including that from yourself), and much of it is straight up fanfiction - and you think she doesn't have a right to tell her own story?

 

[Bigbird]

You are ridiculous. She has every right to talk about what happened to her career if someone asks. I think it's more unfair to string someone along all that time and then dump them. If he was thinking of it earlier because she didn't have triples, that's fine, but there is a thing called communication and he could have given her an ultimatum so at least she wouldn't have had the rug pulled out from underneath her.

Nothing prevents Max from telling his side of the story, either, if he wants. This entire forum is full of gossip and speculation (including that from yourself), and much of it is straight up fanfiction - and you think she doesn't have a right to tell her own story?

I'll give you that much, he can do as he pleases.

Also, she has every right to tell her own story, it just doesn't leave the right impression for me personally. Didn't they fall apart many years ago?

Anyways, these are simply my personal opinions and not fact, by any stretch of the imagination. Onwards and upwards.

 

[PRlady]

I have a serious question after watching the junior pairs’ press conference.

Not only are the Russian girls talented, they are almost all beautiful. Really. And yes I know about hair and makeup but really, you can’t disguise bone structure. They are really knockouts.

Do Russian coaches weed out the homely ones in the beginning of the process? I can see them rejecting those whose body type isn’t promising, but if a good skater with an unlovely face shows up, do they point her to ice hockey or speedskating?

I really want to know. Without naming names, there have been enough not-so-attractive US lady skaters that I assume we don’t do that here.

 

[Yehudi]

I'll give you that much, he can do as he pleases.

Also, she has every right to tell her own story, it just doesn't leave the right impression for me personally. Didn't they fall apart many years ago?

So what’s the difference between what Miroshkin did vs Katsalapov?

 

[soogar]

I have a serious question after watching the junior pairs’ press conference.

Not only are the Russian girls talented, they are almost all beautiful. Really. And yes I know about hair and makeup but really, you can’t disguise bone structure. They are really knockouts.

Do Russian coaches weed out the homely ones in the beginning of the process? I can see them rejecting those whose body type isn’t promising, but if a good skater with an unlovely face shows up, do they point her to ice hockey or speedskating?

I really want to know. Without naming names, there have been enough not-so-attractive US lady skaters that I assume we don’t do that here.

I think most physically gifted people would have symmetry in both their bodies and their faces. There have been studies that people find the most symmetrical faces attractive. So if one was selecting for the most physically talented people, it would follow that they would choose those who were even on both sides and structurally sound.

In the US, people get into skating for all sorts of reasons and the kids who go the furthest have the financial resources to do so. Most winners have talent as well but I think money is the deciding factor as to who remains in and develops in the sport.

I think you need to look at the hockey and speed skaters, as well as the lugers - but the top athletes are gorgeous. Just because they are bigger than figure skaters doesn't make them less attractive.

 

[Bigbird]

So what’s the difference between what Miroshkin did vs Katsalapov?

I'm coming to realize ever so quickly that these things are the norm, truthfully.

 

[Amantide]

Irina Slutskaya: Athlete should never stop. In no case he can stand still, as well as look back to the past

 

[Tinami Amori]

Do Russian coaches weed out the homely ones in the beginning of the process? I can see them rejecting those whose body type isn’t promising, but if a good skater with an unlovely face shows up, do they point her to ice hockey or speedskating?

I really want to know. Without naming names, there have been enough not-so-attractive US lady skaters that I assume we don’t do that here.

I know from my own experience (evaluated, along with many other kids, for various sports in the 60's/70's in USSR) that "body type" plays a role in selection, some coaches even look at parents' body types to predict what the child will be like when he/she grows up (if a particular body type plays a critical role in a given sport).

"Weeding out homely ones" has not been a set practice as far as i know... . However, when kids are younger, in early teens, and they get paired up, "attractiveness" and liking each other may play a role in how tolerant they are towards each other and how they get alone. Since there are more girls interested in skating pairs than boys, it is likely that boys have more choices. When athletes get older and seek partners with big plans in mind, the skating abilities become the main criteria.

Also, i am not sure if all russian pairs ladies are beauties.. Rodnina, Petrova, Tatmianina, and today Mishina, Boykova are fairly average looking.

But... good looks always help to one degree or another to get ahead.

 

[lala]

I have a serious question after watching the junior pairs’ press conference.

Not only are the Russian girls talented, they are almost all beautiful. Really. And yes I know about hair and makeup but really, you can’t disguise bone structure. They are really knockouts.

Do Russian coaches weed out the homely ones in the beginning of the process? I can see them rejecting those whose body type isn’t promising, but if a good skater with an unlovely face shows up, do they point her to ice hockey or speedskating?

I really want to know. Without naming names, there have been enough not-so-attractive US lady skaters that I assume we don’t do that here.

Have you seen this video ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEvnu5oxx0Y&t=7m12s - Dance of the Little Swans Extended version 48 min. Vaganova Ballet Academy Auditions Young Dancers

 

[taz'smum]

[QUOTE="Tinami Amori, post: 5484917, member: 4328" some coaches even look at parents' body types to predict what the child will be like when he/she grows up (if a particular body type plays a critical role in a giv]en sport).

[/QUOTE]

Not just in Russia! Tiff's Lyon coaches had Tiff get her predicted height checked to find out how tall she would end up, as they were worried she'd be too tall for Alexis judging by my height of 174cm.
The accuracy of the medical height measurements was exact, as she was predicted to be just short of 175cm, which is exactly what she is now. They make the calculations using measurements from bone x-rays, which show how much is left in the growth plates in the bones.
(Tiff's ex-partner, Alexis was told to do the same, but he lied and said he was predicted to be 183cm, when in reality he is only around 177 now )

 

[Vash01]

I have a serious question after watching the junior pairs’ press conference.

Not only are the Russian girls talented, they are almost all beautiful. Really. And yes I know about hair and makeup but really, you can’t disguise bone structure. They are really knockouts.

Do Russian coaches weed out the homely ones in the beginning of the process? I can see them rejecting those whose body type isn’t promising, but if a good skater with an unlovely face shows up, do they point her to ice hockey or speedskating?

I really want to know. Without naming names, there have been enough not-so-attractive US lady skaters that I assume we don’t do that here.

From what I read, in the USSR (and may be in the current Russia too) they look for talented kids at a very young age, and decide what sport is right for the child. I remember Katia taking Daria to Russia to make an assessment. I think they look for talent rather than looks.

I agree with you though that many of the Russian lady skaters are very beautiful.

 

[TAHbKA]

From what I read, in the USSR (and may be in the current Russia too) they look for talented kids at a very young age, and decide what sport is right for the child. I remember Katia taking Daria to Russia to make an assessment. I think they look for talent rather than looks.

I agree with you though that many of the Russian lady skaters are very beautiful.

Yep. I was picked for figure skating, gymnastics and diving. Would be stupid attempting, say, swimming or basketball with my body type.
But you are wrong about the talent - it's not something to be just seen. I was called talenless only after two years (really they could had figured after 10mins on the ice ). They do make sure the 4y.o can tell right from left or up from down, but that's about it