From Russia With Love [#38]: Fall/Winter 2020

[Tinami Amori]

Alena's skating skills are still very good but the music is sooo irrelevant I barely even noticed it before the step sequence, a huge disservice to her, but I believe the long will be better.

This music is relevant to her in her mind. She wanted to skate to Billie Eilish for some time now and here it is.

Trusova with a 3A/step out lost SP to Kostonaya with 2 mistakes. I wonder what she is thinking now since both ladies have the same coach and Trusova can't complain.

 

[Bigbird]

I like Trusova's SP (and LOVE her costume), and I think she's made some progress with learning to move gracefully. She just needs to work on keeping her head up and on her facial expression. She just looks businesslike when she's out there.

That is it. She looks like she's thinking about it. Like she's on the job. The boys are starting to look more interesting.

 

[NAOTMAA]

That is it. She looks like she's thinking about it. Like she's on the job. The boys are starting to look more interesting.

The young boys coming up look really good. Many of them look like they transferred to skating from ballet or at least it was a very important part of their training.

And they're all going for the most difficult elements. I hope they start gaining more consistency because I feel they got the potential to be the complete package and become future podium threats

 

[Ananas Astra]

The young boys coming up look really good. Many of them look like they transferred to skating from ballet or at least it was a very important part of their training.

And they're all going for the most difficult elements. I hope they start gaining more consistency because I feel they got the potential to be the complete package and become future podium threats

Kolyada and Aliev have to be VERY careful. We haven't seen Danielian this season so far, but, he, too, has to watch out for these kids.

 

[Bigbird]

Kolyada and Aliev have to be VERY careful. We haven't seen Danielian this season so far, but, he, too, has to watch out for these kids.

Yup. But it's about time.

EDIT: Why such a dress on Kostornaia it adds bulk rather than lengthen her figure? Those for all the other girls are much better. Sigh.

 

[lurkz2]

Yup. But it's about time.

EDIT: Why such a dress on Kostornaia it adds bulk rather than lengthen her figure? Those for all the other girls are much better. Sigh.

I thought she looked very womanly

 

[million$momma]

Yup. But it's about time.

EDIT: Why such a dress on Kostornaia it adds bulk rather than lengthen her figure? Those for all the other girls are much better. Sigh.

I liked her dress the best. I thought some of the other girls looked like they were wearing dance length dresses.

 

[haribobo]

Russia Cup Placements- Senior Ladies

These 8 are definitely in for Nationals:

Kostornaia 2
Trusova 1 1
Scherbakova 1 1
Usacheva 2 3
Valieva 2
Tuktamysheva 3
Frolova 4 2
Khromykh 3 3
--------------
These 3 are also very likely in, or definitely in:
Samodurova 4 4
Nugumanova 6 5
Talalykina 7 4
---------------
Then there are 7 more spots among these skaters-
Sultanmagomedova 5
Gulyakova 5
Konstantinova 5 9
Shulskaya 6 7
Molchanova 7 6
Onischenko 8 7
Tsibinova 6
Tarakanova 8 (this skate would've placed much higher in other events)
Andreeva 8
Sarnovskaya 8
Possible chance of bye for Medvedeva or Sinitsina?

 

[haribobo]

Senior Men- Russia Cup Standings

These 9 are looking definite for Nationals:

Kovalev 1 1
Mozalev 2 2
Ignatov 3 3
Semenenko 4 1
Kolyada 1
Samarin 2
Aliev 3
Gumennik 3
Savosin 2 6
-------
These 2 also look very likely or definite:
Yablokov 4 4
Lezheev 5 5
---------
And then 7 of:
Shulepov 4 7
Varakin 6 6
Erokhov 5
Rukhin 5
Murashov 5
Kondratyuk 8 7
M Petrov 7 11
Murzin 8
Danielian bye?

 

[Natanielle825]

Sasha is really a marvel. The quad salchow and lutz were sooo good. The toe loop seemed like a fluke error with her toe pick. Idk what happened on that combo.
Alena looked very lovely, even without the triple axel almost everything else was at its best, minus that stumble after the flip-salchow combo. And yes, she's physically grown and looks older because she is.
Side note: Eteri's girls used to be known for almost perfect consistency, this season they (I'm including Sasha and Alena here) are all having weird errors on easier combos and choreographic steps, Idk what to make of it.
Other side note: I wish I never heard the rumor that Rozanov and Alena are somehow together cuz now I can't help but sense a creepy intense vibe between them. She clearly doesn't care about Plushenko one bit.

 

[NAOTMAA]

Side note: Eteri's girls used to be known for almost perfect consistency, this season they (I'm including Sasha and Alena here) are all having weird errors on easier combos and choreographic steps, Idk what to make of it.

Well Anna is going through "the change", Alena is recovering from injury, Aleksandra wasn't exactly consistent last year and Kamila's feeling for the first time the burden of big expectations. Daria isn't doing too bad though.

They all got their individual things they got to face right now so it's not exactly normal and regular season (beyond the pandemic)

 

[Tinami Amori]

Kolyada and Aliev have to be VERY careful. We haven't seen Danielian this season so far, but, he, too, has to watch out for these kids.

Danielian just had his cast and sutures removed, and has his leg in a brace now, trying to walk on it...

 

[Tinami Amori]

Yup. But it's about time.

EDIT: Why such a dress on Kostornaia it adds bulk rather than lengthen her figure? Those for all the other girls are much better. Sigh.

Not only it adds bulk, it is not fitted properly and bulges in places.

imgur.com

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imgur.com

Her SP dress is now well made either, and the "idea" is a copy of her last years FS dress.

Other side note: I wish I never heard the rumor that Rozanov and Alena are somehow together cuz now I can't help but sense a creepy intense vibe between them. She clearly doesn't care about Plushenko one bit.

They are not together. He is not an idiot. But yes, Aleona has a crush on him, for a while now and does seek out his company, there are photos (i posted a couple of them before).

 

[Tinami Amori]

The russian feed did not show medal ceremony for the Ladies. Here is another recording. Kostornaya forgets to congratulate Trusova, until Maya's hugs remind her......

Александра ТРУСОВА/КОСТОРНАЯ/ХРОМЫХ Medal celemony 09.11.2020 IV этап Кубок России(Казань)

1st Александра ТРУСОВА 248.63B6 = 77.42(2) + 171.21B6(1) 2nd Алёна КОСТОРНАЯ 226.31B1= 78.15B1(1) + 148.16(2) 3rd Майя ХРОМЫХ 212.72B1= 76.89B1(3) +135.83(3)...

www.youtube.com

 

[all_empty]

Kostornaya is one of my favorites by I actually prefer last year's FS to this year's.

Jackie Wong was saying it was an improvement but I don't think so at all -- it's a bit of a Frankenstein program and must all the Russian ladies use that "Romeo and Juliet" (2013) theme?

Jumping-wise I thought she looked pretty strong and hopefully she can work the 3A back in.

 

[Sylvia]

Top 4 free skates earlier today:

Trusova: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVOyCTa0kZc
Kostornaia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa0r7u_xjko
Khromykh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meEqynKDeH4
Samodurova: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1FHfEqIwf0

 

[Eislauffan]

Interview with Mikhail Kolyada
in English at International Figure Skating Magazine
in Russian at figureskating-online.com (has different photos)

 

[mjb52]

I know it's terribly selfish but it's so heartbreaking to me that we never got one Worlds with Trusova, Kostornaia, and Shcherbakova as a team before everything blew apart. I haven't watched the program yet but her dress is beautiful imo, so I've established an opinion on the important thing... I don't know about the fit and I take the point about the sequins on the side resembling the ones from last year, but it's such a great shade of pink that I don't care. Also pleased to see Maya plugging away, I have a huge soft spot for her.

wow that picture in the Kolyada article is PEAK MISHIN!

 

[Tinami Amori]

Kostornaya is one of my favorites by I actually prefer last year's FS to this year's.

You're not alone. Her "rabbid" russian fans are not liking this year's FS and costume either, nor the execution of the FS. They say "Aleona lost magic, she is still good but now she is average". I tend to agree but will say lets wait and see if anything improves by next and last Cup of Russia and the Rostelecom Grand-Prix.

And the dress from FS needs to go..... https://imgur.com/a/kmIm9dE

I thought she was designing a different dress for FS, she even posted a drawing.

 

[Wyliefan]

Nice!

https://twitter.com/ifsmagazine/status/1325952429377150976?s=19

 

[dinakt]

Trusova is amazing. That's all.

 

[Jeschke]

Any update on Konkina/Drozd?
Are they done?

 

[layman]

I was deeply impressed with Trusova's guts going for all those quads. Some of them looked really spectacular, with soaring height and great flow on the landings...in fact some of her quads look better than the triples (in terms of spring and flow).

I do see artistic improvements. She seems to be listening to her music now and making much more of an effort with her positions. She's on the right track.

I love Kostornaia's new programs. They seem far more personal than any of her previous programs. I love the way she dances and emotes through the programs. She clearly has the strongest technique of the Russian ladies...listen to her blades...there is nothing to hear...her blades are silent. I love the incredible spring that she gets in her jumps. She has so much hang time in the air that there is plenty of time for her to get all the rotations (plus decorative touches like the hands over the head). She could even add some rotations (she certainly has the height and spring to do it, she just needs to pull in a little tighter to get the quads). I find her overall skating sensational!

 

[Tobbe]

What a fantastic competition it was. Almost like RusNats. The top 9 was all great (well, not perhaps Konstantinova in 9th who had a rough long) but there are so much to enjoy with Russian ladies skating. I also enjoyed very much Nugumanova, Tsibinova and Shulskaya. Three skaters that would be national champions in any other country. They need to get some recognition too.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Valieva and Zagitova will perform their exhibition numbers at the upcoming Rustelecom Grand-Prix Gala.

Загитова и Валиева выступят с показательными номерами на этапе Гран-при в Москве

Загитова и Валиева выступят с показательными номерами на этапе Гран-при в Москве

www.championat.com

Zagitova's new Ice Age dress, an improvement again.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHaj_twJXEi/

 

[hanca]

Valieva and Zagitova will perform their exhibition numbers at the upcoming Rustelecom Grand-Prix Gala.

Загитова и Валиева выступят с показательными номерами на этапе Гран-при в Москве

Загитова и Валиева выступят с показательными номерами на этапе Гран-при в Москве

www.championat.com

Zagitova's new Ice Age dress, an improvement again.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHaj_twJXEi/

Is it? Not quite sure about the puffy sleeves!

 

[Tinami Amori]

Is it? Not quite sure about the puffy sleeves!

Puffy sleeves don't make her body in the central section look bigger than it is (like other dresses did). But yes, i would not put those sleeves there, even if they are the latest trend... .

The puffed-sleeve trend isn't going anywhere next season, so here are 27 pieces that will add some drama to your post-lockdown look

Looking for some comfortable but fun outfits?

www.glamourmagazine.co.uk

 

[hanca]

Puffy sleeves don't make her body in the central section look bigger than it is (like other dresses did). But yes, i would not put those sleeves there, even if they are the latest trend...

It may not make her body in the central section look bigger, but my aesthetic feeling is still screaming that this was not a good idea!

 

[muffinplus]

I hate Zagitova's dress. The white one they had her in was very nice though

 

[BittyBug]

Was this posted already? Boikova and Kozlovski's SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snSoVYC8aNw