From Russia with Love [#31]: Winter to Spring 2019

[DobrinFan]

Nvm. Lol

 

[rfisher]

Carmen. Must. Die.

No idea what Russia will do about the men's team at worlds apart from Samarin. It's not as if any of them are consistent including Voronov. Samarin may not skate pretty, but he gets the job done. He can land quads that are totally off in the air. He at least keeps his head and fights. If Kovtun, Koylada or Aliev, blow the first jump, it's all over. Voronov doesn't lose concentration, but he only wins if others fail (and I like Sergei a lot). Russian men collectively speaking are a trainwreck in themselves. I can understand the coaches frustration with their skaters. You know they can land the jumps. Sigh.

 

[mjb52]

I wonder if Mishin would be a good coach for Kolyada.

 

[zebraswan]

"He only wins if others fail" - so what??? Isn't that how sport works? If you fail, you don't win at all...a medal is a medal!

I don't know if Sergei is jumping again yet, but he is at least back on ice (his student posted a video of him skating awhile ago). If he is fit enough for the Russian Cup Final, then he certainly deserves as much of a chance as anyone else. I hope Sergei and Dima can go to Worlds.

 

[rfisher]

"He only wins if others fail" - so what??? Isn't that how sport works? If you fail, you don't win at all...a medal is a medal!

I don't know if Sergei is jumping again yet, but he is at least back on ice (his student posted a video of him skating awhile ago). If he is fit enough for the Russian Cup Final, then he certainly deserves as much of a chance as anyone else. I hope Sergei and Dima can go to Worlds.

If Russia uses the Russian cup final to make their decision, I have no problems. In fact, insisting Aliev, Kolyada and Kovtun skate there is an excellent idea. Except, any of them can skate well if the stars align and then totally implode if they don't. If they send Voronov, I have no problems. I'm glad I'm not the one trying to figure the odds on at least getting top 10 placements.

 

[Amantide]

Baby Koly 1st after the short. Here is hoping he can keep it together in the long.

I wonder if Mishin would be a good coach for Kolyada.

Absolutely. Him or Raff.

 

[Bonjour Sherry]

Probably because we are talking about her LP practice run-through that was posted yesterday. Or at least I was. I was sleeping quite peacefully during the Euros ladies LP #Notmyskaters so I have no comments on what went down today.

Ok, I see. How did the interactions between Alina and Eteri go down during the practice?

I wonder if Mishin would be a good coach for Kolyada.

Maybe Mishin should coach Chebotareva on mentally preparing students.

 

[Taso]

Ok, I see. How did the interactions between Alina and Eteri go down during the practice?



Maybe Mishin should coach Chebotareva on mentally preparing students.

But really, something must be done for Kolyada and Konstantinova. They're both capable of so much more - or at least he is in the Lp and she is in the SP. especially for Stasia - to be bombing short program after short program and nauseam is psychological not conditioning or technik.

 

[DobrinFan]

Ok, I see. How did the interactions between Alina and Eteri go down during the practice?

Video is here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1608&v=_-UN55vDWg8

Wow, Eteri was in a foul mood...

I only started with the part before Alina's run-through (I wanted to see the run-through first then the interaction). Alina went to the board @23:00 and it seemed like Eteri chewed her out and she started again with Alina @26:40 then @28:10 and then I stopped watching.

 

[Bonjour Sherry]

But really, something must be done for Kolyada and Konstantinova. They're both capable of so much more - or at least he is in the Lp and she is in the SP. especially for Stasia - to be bombing short program after short program and nauseam is psychological not conditioning or technik.

I had to dig at this because both of Chebotareva's star students are textbook headcases, and it only gets worse with time..

 

[mjb52]

If only they were identical twins then he could skate both their SPs and she could skate both their LPs (this was the plot of a young adult gymnastics book in which twins each did their strong apparatuses twice but were foiled when the heroine of the book "spilled" ink on one of their costumes so they couldn't switch and I have NEVER forgotten it).

 

[Holy Headband]

I wonder if Mishin would be a good coach for Kolyada.

I love Mishin, but God no!

Just send him to Arutyunyan and put them both out of their misery.

BTW, I don’t think Chebotareva is responsible for her students’ weak nerves, but I get the sense she has no idea how to help them and may end up enabling their anxiety/whatever it is instead of managing it.

 

[caseyedwards]

Carmen. Must. Die.

No idea what Russia will do about the men's team at worlds apart from Samarin. It's not as if any of them are consistent including Voronov. Samarin may not skate pretty, but he gets the job done. He can land quads that are totally off in the air. He at least keeps his head and fights. If Kovtun, Koylada or Aliev, blow the first jump, it's all over. Voronov doesn't lose concentration, but he only wins if others fail (and I like Sergei a lot). Russian men collectively speaking are a trainwreck in themselves. I can understand the coaches frustration with their skaters. You know they can land the jumps. Sigh.

Will Russia risk sending samarin? The incredible controversy over his PCs May ruin him. He may not get any PCs over 5 now.

 

[Finsta]

Alina is fighting nerves. Am sure Eteri isn’t sure how to help her with nerves. It’s pressure and nerves and Alina hasn’t had that before

 

[Vash01]

It seems that being Russian national champion is not very lucky title.
Kovtun, Russian champion, completely messed up at the Europeans and ended only 14th, whereas Samarin who placed the lowest at the nationals from those three Russian men competing at the Europeans placed best and got his silver medal.
Similarly, in ladies, the highest placed senior eligible Konstantinova messed up and placed the lowest at the Europeans, whereas the lowest placed Samodurova won the Europeans, despite placing only sixth at the Russian nationals.
Sinitsina and Katsalapov won the Russian nationals and completely bombed their SD at the Europeans. It is as if the highest ranking skaters from nationals really wanted avoid going to worlds!

Interesting observations but only for this season.

It’s not like they didn’t want to go to worlds. I suspect they put too much pressure on themselves.

 

[Amantide]

Carmen. Must. Die.

Amen to that!

 

[barbarafan]

Check out how Rafik went off on Bell after her FS skate at US nationals, just as she got off the ice and in Kiss-n-cry... . Can you please get it into your head, we... "the former soviets" are NOT like you "westerners"..... we get pissed off when people don't do their job.. (because we, or some of us, do ours, rain or shine)..

hi...I don't have a place to watch live so I will be backtracking today to see what I missed. But I do love Raf.....He does call a spade a spade.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Kolyada's meltdown was awful. He's beautiful when he is on. I wish he'd figure it out because he could be a real asset to the sport if he did.

 

[ChelleC]

Carmen. Must. Die.

The Empress has spoken.

https://twitter.com/TuktikLiza/status/1089218688451076096

 

[Katha]

Props to Samarin! He's no great artist, but his jumps are fantastic, he skates powerfully and held it all together under immense pressure.

Also, that SP of his is the way to go for him presentation-wise. The music has drive and power and a bit of an edge, so it emphasizes his strong points as a skater. IMO there's a way for him to become a very strong performer in that vein, as long as he continues to work and improve in that area.

 

[Ka3sha]

Carmen. Must. Die.

Navka not only cursed Russian ice dance, but also Carmen music

 

[DobrinFan]

Navka not only cursed Russian ice dance, but also Carmen music

Sotnikova won OG with Carmen for her Short Or maybe the curse was us having to listen to that god awful rendition.

 

[whiteskates]

Kolyada's meltdown was awful. He's beautiful when he is on. I wish he'd figure it out because he could be a real asset to the sport if he did.

I felt sorry for him today. He skated such a good SP and I was hoping he would hold it together in the free but unfortunately he didn't. He often skates either the SP or LP well but never both. Is it nerves?

 

[hanca]

@Tinami Amori , do you think she is going through treatment for depression?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtGrsBJH0H0/

 

[NAOTMAA]

I felt sorry for him today. He skated such a good SP and I was hoping he would hold it together in the free but unfortunately he didn't. He often skates either the SP or LP well but never both. Is it nerves?

That's pretty much the story of every Russian man since Plushy isn't it? Either the SP or the LP but never both

 

[Wyliefan]

Per Instagram, Sofia and Alina sat together before drug testing watching "It" and playing with that giant teddy bear that Alina got, and for some reason I'm tickled by that mental image.

 

[muffinplus]

Sotnikova won OG with Carmen for her Short Or maybe the curse was us having to listen to that god awful rendition.

Is it worse than the hideous one Daleman used for her short program last season?

 

[DobrinFan]

Is it worse than the hideous one Daleman used for her short program last season?

OMG, NO! The only thing worse than Gabby's "Habanera" is Mako's "Una voce poco fa" Funnily enough, by the exact same god awful singer

 

[Tinami Amori]

@Tinami Amori , do you think she is going through treatment for depression?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtGrsBJH0H0/

If she is not, then she should be... for failing, as a Moscow City Duma Regional Representative, to vote for and to ensure there is a budget for proper street cleaning during winter storms... (instead of posing for the camera, imitating work)...
https://er.ru/media/userdata/news/2016/04/04/6014ac9022502d4bfb0a35e42e9008e1.JPG

 

[Bonjour Sherry]

Is it worse than the hideous one Daleman used for her short program last season?

I think the worst version of Carmen music has got to be Murakami's.