From Russia With Love (#36) Spring into Summer 2020

[hanca]

Cross-posting from OES thread:

Speaking of Zhuk, what is Miroshkin doin' these days? Are these Ilinykh/Lipnitskaya/Miroshkin seminars still a thing?

After Zhuk Miroskin was paired (not sure if they skated together or if this was the strategy to pair him up just on paper) with junior skater Labazina. But that didn’t last even one whole season. Labazina is now supposedly skating with some US guy (never heard of him before and so I forgot his name). I guess there wasn’t much motivation from Miroshkin to have a real partnership, if he was so involved with Ilynikh/Lipnitskaya’s skating school. But if Ilynikh now spends time with her boyfriend and their baby, there probably isn’t much going on in Ilynikh/Lipnitskaya’s project, so not sure what Miroshkin is doing now.

 

[rfisher]

I think it's easy to forget many non-North American skaters don't have families who can shell out tens of thousands of dollars a year for coaching and training expenses. Winning literally can change their family's lives. All of them have said this. Many don't skate for fun. It is a means to an end. That's not to say all North American skater's families are wealthy, blah, blah blah, but they pay for training which is very different in Russia and China where if you have talent and the work ethic, the training is paid for by the state and you are expected to win. Zagitova is another in a long line of skaters who was driven to succeed in no small part to help their family and to support themselves. Fun was never their goal. See Trankov, Sotnikova, Plushenko, Volosozhar, Stolbova, Klimov, Shin/Zhou, (well all the Chinese medalists for that matter), etc., etc., etc.

 

[Bellanca]

She is a kid. What's wrong with going out with friends and having fun? Alina, like a lot of young athletes, has sacrificed a lot. Her social life have suffered the most; she doesn't seem to have friends her age. I don't see this as a happy thing. The most important thing in life is balance - including social interactions and making mistakes resulting from such interactions.

You’ve seriously managed to take my happy for what Alina has accomplished on ice - and the thought of her having tea with her Grandmother as a very sweet gesture comment and turn it into this? Some of you people really need to lighten up. There are plenty of threads for and sometimes this thread, but this particular comment of mine? Nah.

 

[mjb52]

Also, some of it is just personality. Even if she wasn't a skater, it's quite possible that she might still prefer to have tea with her grandmother. Not all teenagers are outgoing. I also thought it was a cute comment. And I agreed with Trusova about the "normal childhood" thing - why would she want to give up traveling all over the world doing a sport she loves? I would waaaaay rather have had her childhood than my normal childhood!

 

[morqet]

Cross-posting from OES thread

Speaking of Zhuk, what is Miroshkin doin' these days? Are these Ilinykh/Lipnitskaya/Miroshkin seminars still a thing?

Elena said they are aiming to start up again towards the end of the summer.

 

[Ka3sha]

Not exactly a skating related news, but just saw this post on Instagram.
Aleksandr Ozerov, the head doctor of Russian figure skating team (and Zhulin team in general, as far as I understand) is also fighting against outbreak in on of the Moscow hospitals

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[sk9tingfan]

Not sure of the source interview/article, but an individual who SkatingScores follows posted this statement from Kostornaya this morning, ""While we aren't training everyone will grow. Even if we do the most severe diets, shackle ourselves in chains not to grow, we are still children, and when we train, there is a certain load on the spine and on everything else that prevents it from growing". If I find the source, I'll update this

 

[Ka3sha]

Not sure of the source interview/article, but an individual who SkatingScores follows posted this statement from Kostornaya this morning, ""While we aren't training everyone will grow. Even if we do the most severe diets, shackle ourselves in chains not to grow, we are still children, and when we train, there is a certain load on the spine and on everything else that prevents it from growing". If I find the source, I'll update this

Here’s the full interview

Алена Косторная: я не ангел, эта история совсем не обо мне

Спортсменка рассказала, что образ героини вампирской саги ей подходит гораздо больше

tass.ru

 

[Wyliefan]

Isn't she the one who wants to be a doctor . . . ?

 

[Ka3sha]

Liza, on the other hand, shares her healthy diet tips

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[sk9tingfan]

Here’s the full interview

Алена Косторная: я не ангел, эта история совсем не обо мне

Спортсменка рассказала, что образ героини вампирской саги ей подходит гораздо больше

tass.ru

Sorry, but I don't read Russian. But at least you were able to nail down the source. Thanks!

 

[starrynight]

Alena Kostornaia: I don’t like being called an angel. I’m not an angel, this is not my story!

Interview with Alena Kostornaia. About World Championships cancelation and training during self-isolation.

fs-gossips.com

There is the English translation.

Kostornaia I think is realistic and sensible. She knows that the break off ice will be a challenge but views it as an advantage for her academic goals. She also had some very mature thoughts about why cancelling worlds and not travelling was the right thing to do.

I think Kostornaia is also quite realistic in that she knows childhood bodies and form won’t last forever. On the other hand I do sometimes get the impression that Trusova doesn’t quite realise that.

I do like it when I hear young skaters have a balanced view on the future. It makes me think that they will handle the transition to adulthood well because they are mentally prepared for it.

Seriously I think this break will be the best thing for some of these girls, especially given Kostornaia’s comments on training a full load through pain and injury.

 

[TAHbKA]

An interview with Guliakova - she lands a 3A, Klimkin - her previous coach was the one to recommend she switches to Mishin

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

You’ve seriously managed to take my happy for what Alina has accomplished on ice - and the thought of her having tea with her Grandmother as a very sweet gesture comment and turn it into this? Some of you people really need to lighten up. There are plenty of threads for and sometimes this thread, but this particular comment of mine? Nah.

Don't take it personally. I think tea with the grandmother is adorable. Alina just seems very lonely. It would be nice for her to experience "normal" teen girl things. I know it's not in the cards for a lot of young elite skaters. Some do manage to develop friendships with teammates / competitors. Winning the OGM at 15 probably separated Alina from her peers in many different ways. Her life changed drastically, there was money, contracts, media appearances, etc. It's certainly not a typical 15-16 yo girl life, and for a shy girl like Alina it didn't make peer relationships any easier.

 

[Bellanca]

Don't take it personally.

I never do.

Alina just seems very lonely

Or, as @Michalle said,

Not all teenagers are outgoing.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Whatever Alina is missing socially is true for every elite skater, from novice to senior, and not just elite, but most skaters who are aiming for elite level, and not just a skater but an athlete in many sports. In several russian interviews during this past 6 month Alina said she is starting to make friends and buddies (I'll post the link if i find it quickly).

Radionova still does not have "true friends whom she can trust" except her mother and sister, as per her own comments (in a few interviews, which have been translated).

Elite skaters meet a lot of people, most of their fans want to be "buddies", people at competitions and shows want to get close to them, some try to befriend them for personal gain or status, etc. Does not mean they are "true friends and buddies".

Skaters do have friends often, and what i noticed.... their friends are often skaters too...

Alina just seems very lonely. It would be nice for her to experience "normal" teen girl things.

Most of young elite athletes don't have time or opportunity to experience "normal" teen things. The Mamun sisters (R. Gymns.), who both win gold and silver interchangeably, and lived in the same house, once in an interview said that sometimes for months they don't talk to anyone but parents, each other, coaches and team-mates, and journalists/media occasionally.

"Normal teenage things" are so subjective....... and varies by culture and country... I came to North Am. when i was 13 and never found "typical activities of teenage girls" interesting. Going to a shopping mall, or to a movie theater to watch "Ataque of the Killer Tomatoes" are not the most mind triggering activities for a teenager. I personally rather go to some hole in the wall film house ALONE to watch De Sica or Godar; or read a great book instead of mall-scouting. It is a waist of time to wonder around aimlessly if you don't have a list what to buy. And when you have a list of items to buy, you walk into the store buy them, and get out. Window shopping is a nasty purposeless and mind numbing activity - I personally HATE shopping since the age of 13, and yet that is the most common activity after school proposed to me by girls in high-school who were trying to befriend me. Befriending men especially older guys was so much more rewarding... they have more interesting activities and they think more logically, and most of them HATE shopping too.

I also know young teenager (kids of my friends) who rather engage during free time in their hobby, painting, bike-riding, arts, reading, etc., than spend time with kids their age. I know a lot of such kids....

I wish Alina many many male friends.... and to remain best friends with her Grandmother as a primary friend.

Grandparents in Russia are subjects, historically, of great reverence and symbols of wisdom. Grandmothers are the critical element in raising grand-children when mother/father have to work. Russian fairy tales often have Old Wise Grandfather or Grandmother, who advised the hero. It is true in most Old World/Traditional countries/cultures.

https://i.imgur.com/QNquQKy.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/wter7V2.jpg

Drinking evening tea with "Babushka" is a classic way to spend an evening for a young person.... and to some degree a tradition.

https://cd-m.maminklub.lv/cache/42/b4/42b4621ce40f11641ed44c9bcca457e7.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/HlEUwIt.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Qd5cvbB.jpg

... and not so young ones too

https://i.imgur.com/EdoCGpJ.jpg

 

[Wyliefan]

Everyone needs a bit of balance in their lives, even the introverted. It's sweet that she enjoys tea with her grandmother, but I hope she can make a few friends too. You can have a nice social life without having to hit the bars and the parties.

 

[starrynight]

I think this is why it's a bit sad that many athletes don't get to go to regular school. All kids, no matter how introverted, always end up finding a little posse of like minded friends at school.

 

[Tinami Amori]

You can have a nice social life without having to hit the bars and the parties.

Most athletes in a top rank are more likely to befriend a fellow athlete. Alina is great friends with Anna Shcherbakova. They have been for 5-6 years. When going to camp in Novogorsk back in the 2016/17 and on they always asked to be roomed together. Anna was very young and a bit uncomfortable to be alone without parents. Alina always took her under her wing, and let her sleep in her bed when she was scared and hugged her.

The whole Kristalny rinks has an intricate network of friendships between skaters, young and older, from the Eteri's group and other dance and pairs groups... just as example Pavluchenkova is old time friends with Kostornaya, Trusova is friend with most of the boys, Alina is buddies/on good terms with Tiffany Z., etc... These teenagers are NEVER alone, they are in a group most of the time.

It is wonderful that Alina and "Babushka" have a ritual..... Babushka cooks sweets and Alina makes tea.... here is a photo from a Japanese special about her family.

https://rep.ru/files/ngallery/2018/3/7/f_1520406943_196856/popup/5a9f91a90fadb.jpeg

 

[Tinami Amori]

Japanese show "Prism on Ice/Sailormoon" is officially cancelled. Medvedeva risked this travelling for nothing.

Шоу с Медведевой в образе Сейлор Мун отменили из-за коронавируса

Шоу с участием российской фигуристки Евгении Медведевой «Prism on Ice» перенесено на 2021 год.

nevasport.ru

For the record, there were people earlier referring to Medvedeva's decision to come to Japan as a demand/request from the show producers and/or arranged by them. That is not true. In one of the posts Medvedeva said "it was a decision made by me and my team (mother, coach, agent?)" (link to her statement can be posted in russian if requested).

Reading various chats, in various language and in japanese (with google translator) Medvedeva received very negative reaction from many Japanese fans. I read translated posts where they call her selfish, only thinking about profit from the show, ignoring the safety warnings and putting others at risk for sake of her sole benefit, and some even harsher comments...

I know this will upset some people, but it is also been said on various sources, that show organizers during last week been advising Medvedeva to start planning her return (some said "they wanted her out"), now that the show is cancelled officially they really want Medvedeva to arrange a return.

There are still several flights per week between TYO and Canada, but only to Vancouver, and she would have to take another domestic flight to Toronto. Canada never completely closed the borders. A flight to Russia from TYO is almost impossible, unless she declares herself and mother "stranded citizens" and waits for special evacuation flight as there are other Russians stuck in Japan and need to get home.

 

[I❤️Marina&Sergai]

Japanese show "Prism on Ice/Sailormoon" is officially cancelled. Medvedeva risked this travelling for nothing.

Шоу с Медведевой в образе Сейлор Мун отменили из-за коронавируса

Шоу с участием российской фигуристки Евгении Медведевой «Prism on Ice» перенесено на 2021 год.

nevasport.ru

For the record, there were people earlier referring to Medvedeva's decision to come to Japan as a demand/request from the show producers and/or arranged by them. That is not true. In one of the posts Medvedeva said "it was a decision made by me and my team (mother, coach, agent?)" (link to her statement can be posted in russian if requested).

Reading various chats, in various language and in japanese (with google translator) Medvedeva received very negative reaction from many Japanese fans. I read translated posts where they call her selfish, only thinking about profit from the show, ignoring the safety warnings and putting others at risk for sake of her sole benefit, and some even harsher comments...

I know this will upset some people, but it is also been said on various sources, that show organizers during last week been advising Medvedeva to start planning her return (some said "they wanted her out"), now that the show is cancelled officially they really want Medvedeva to arrange a return.

There are still several flights per week between TYO and Canada, but only to Vancouver, and she would have to take another domestic flight to Toronto. Canada never completely closed the borders. A flight to Russia from TYO is almost impossible, unless she declares herself and mother "stranded citizens" and waits for special evacuation flight as there are other Russians stuck in Japan and need to get home.

Thanks for posting this. I know people won’t like this but it was really misguided to travel from a country going into lock down to another where the virus was hitting and she appears to have no familial ties to. I just hope she and her team keep well.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Thanks for posting this. I know people won’t like this but it was really misguided to travel from a country going into lock down to another where the ***** was hitting and she appears to have no familial ties to. I just hope she and her team keep well.

Medvedeva initiated that trip, contacted the show organizers, asked them to help her with accommodations and to meed her at the airport, used her set of arguments. The show organizers did not expect any foreign skaters to arrive so early, two months in advance, but wanted to be hospitable to Medvedeva and cooperated with her.

Meda was using the preparation for this show as an excuse to gain access to ice in order to practice, while her competition is stuck at home.

She is just full of tricks: rumors about her doing a quad in practice to keep the news on herself, the boot issue story at RN which based on chats and forums (russian) ~80% of fans do not believe, and now going to Japan under pretense of "obligations to the show"..... And again she miscalculated her move...

 

[muffinplus]

Medvedeva isn't a citizen or a PR (well, I don't know but doubt it?) so I don't know how she would be able to get back to Canada.

 

[skatingguy]

Medvedeva isn't a citizen or a PR (well, I don't know but doubt it?) so I don't know how she would be able to get back to Canada.

She can't - probably not before some time this summer at the earliest though no one really knows when.

 

[starrynight]

I think many elite athletes don't have capacity to make sensible decisions about sports participation - this is why it's the coach's job to withdraw when there are injuries and for there to be enforced concussion protocols etc etc.

I wonder how much capacity RusFed, Brian Orser etc had to stop this. The restrictions in Moscow are probably higher than a lot of places.

The best place to be is in a rural area where it possible to go for long runs outside.

I've seen skaters who live in Toronto post photos from outdoor runs and bike rides, so I think it's still possible to exercise outdoors there.

 

[Dobre]

Rural communities would be just as negative about someone traveling there as people from another country. One of the counties where I live has 5 cases. 2 are from people who were only in the county for a "short while" and who are now in out-of-state hospitals. (Most likely because they are actually from out of the state). And 2 of the cases are from a couple that was hosting one of those other people, and most likely caught it from said person as their diagnosis were made later & neither were hospitalized at the time of the diagnosis. Meanwhile, keep in mind that rural communities often have no doctors, no grocery delivery or pick up services, and no self-check out at the grocery store.

 

[starrynight]

@Dobre Oh it was just a passing comment. I wasn’t suggesting Medvedeva go to such a place. Although many Russian skaters have travelled to their holiday houses.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Polina Kostukovich fixed her face and the upper front tooth.. Video of her dancing, and close up of the face towards the end.

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[greenapple]

Medvedeva cannot go anywhere at this time - who knows when she will be able to return to Canada. Not before late June at the earliest.

@Tinami Amori is correct. She went to Japan for exactly the reasons noted in post #322 above, not because she had commitments two months in advance of the show, but because she (and/or her mother) decided to leave Canada when the rink Medvedeva was training at, which was supposed to be closed, was ordered closed by Toronto city officials.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Medvedeva cannot go anywhere at this time - who knows when she will be able to return to Canada. Not before late June at the earliest.

If she and her mother applied for and received Permanent Residence then they can return to Canada. Knowing these two - they probably ran to the immigration office to apply the 2nd day they arrived. These two are always on the look out to grab some benefit. It has nothing to do with sincere and honest "love of Canada and planning to live there", it is simply one more convenience for them.

@Tinami Amori is correct. She went to Japan for exactly the reasons noted in post #322 above, not because she had commitments two months in advance of the show, but because she (and/or her mother) decided to leave Canada when the rink Medvedeva was training at, which was supposed to be closed, was ordered closed by Toronto city officials.

Just in case you have not heard. Russian fans translated this info from Japanese sport newspaper, posted the translation but did not give the Japanese link. It's about the rink situation in Japan and why Medvedeva maybe interested in coming to Japan now, not just for the show but to check if there is something of benefit to her in the new Ice Academy in Japan.

I found similar information on a japanese site for Kinoshita Academy site. Below is english translation of the russian translation.

木下スケートアカデミー

国際大会で活躍ができるフィギュアスケーターの育成をいたします。

kinoshitaacademy.com

"Kinoshita Group developed/created/built their own Figure Skating Academy. The General Director is: Mie Hamada. Head coach will be: Yamato Tamura. Staff local coaches: Satsuki Muramoto, Hiroaki Sato. Invited coaches: Stephane Lambiel, Ghislain Briand. This club will be located in two new ice arenas, which were opened at the end of last year in Kyoto and Osaka. The full list of member skaters, who attend the academy, is not available, but some of the known names are: Vincent Zhou, You Young, Mana Kawabe, and Hana Yoshida. The skaters' training will be financed, so they don't need to be concerned about money. The Academy's intent is to compete with "Sambo-70".

"Компания Киношита создала свою Академию фигурного катания. Генеральный директор: Мие Хамада. Главный тренер: Ямато Тамура. Тренеры: Сацуки Мурамото, Хироаки Сато. Приглашенные тренеры: Стефан Ламбьель, Брайен Гислен. Этот клуб базируется на двух новых катках, открытых в конце прошлого года в Киото и Осаке. Нет полного списка фигуристов, посещающих академию, но упоминаются Винсент Чжоу, Ю Янг, Мана Кавабе и Хана Йошида. Будет финансирование, поэтому фигуристам не нужно беспокоиться о финансах. Академия будет стремиться конкурировать с "Самбо-70"."

What is interesting, is that Ghislain Briand will be there full time, that means he left The Cricket Club for at lease some period of time, and he is Hanyu's jumping coach. Where will Hanyu spend most of the year? seems like not in Canada..

And another - Stephane Lambiel working at that club, does this means Shoma Uno will spend lots of time in Japan? he just moved to Europe to train with Lambiel and was so happy about the environment there.

Also - seems like Vincent Zhou will have to spend most of the year in Japan, how will that affect his University plans?

But since this new arrangement has links to The Cricket Club, certainly Medvedeva and her mother know something about it and probably wondering if there is something there they can use...