From Russia With Love [#40]: Summer 2021 & into the Olympic season

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Kind of remains to be seen what Sui/Han have but I loved, loved, loved their free program of the last two years. "Rain, in your Black Eyes", Lori Nichol, and those two amazing skaters just combined to make a masterpiece. I hope they have had a better time with injuries and another homerun of a program so the Russians really have to bring it.
Cautiously optimistic regarding all of this, but YES!! But if they do win will the Russian establishment have another meltdown like they did for the Averin sisters in RGs? S/H have got to make this happen man.
 
Cautiously optimistic regarding all of this, but YES!! But if they do win will the Russian establishment have another meltdown like they did for the Averin sisters in RGs? S/H have got to make this happen man.
No, coz pairs isn't that much of a big deal and they know of China's home advantage.
Ladies is the prized discipline.
 
Sui/Han kept Rain in Your Black Eyes for three seasons. As much as I was blown away by it in the first season, it really needs to be retired for good now ;)

Regarding B/K and M/G - M/G are just more natural movers, they have a more excited presence on the ice, and he in particular really came out of a shell last season to help to sell the programs. They were young and fresh, while B/K only really showed emotion at the end of solid programs (and dare I say, snoozers of SPs). There are little things that hold B/K back, and their posture isn't always as nice as I wish it would be.

But B/K were looked at as this team that very well may have won 2020 Worlds, while I never thought they were at S/H's level the entire time they were graced with high scores. I went on little mini-rants here about how I thought the other teams in Russia, as a complete package, were better. If they don't find some kind of spark and/or consistency quickly, I think they are in trouble honestly. M/G getting gold at Worlds probably props them as the team to compete with S/H rather than handing, IMO, outrageous scores to B/K to have made things 'competitive'.
 
I think T/M could top again this season as RUS No.1 it all goes down to consistency which M/G have an advantage.

Its too early yet but if B/K need to worry; if they have a lackluster season is making the Olympics , coz P/K will be hot on their heels.
 
I think T/M could top again this season as RUS No.1 it all goes down to consistency which M/G have an advantage.

Its too early yet but if B/K need to worry; if they have a lackluster season is making the Olympics , coz P/K will be hot on their heels.
Don't forget that M/G placed 4th at the Russian nationals (so I wouldn't say they are consistent) but were given the third spot at worlds, in place of P&K who placed 3rd at the nationals. They brought it when it counted, but they could have missed the opportunity.

In 2022 M/G's Olympic berth is secure. T/M are historically inconsistent, B/K are the world bronze medallists (despite their struggles) and P/K are rising. Anything can happen with the two Olympic spots.
 
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Cautiously optimistic regarding all of this, but YES!! But if they do win will the Russian establishment have another meltdown like they did for the Averin sisters in RGs?

Like they did when no Russian pair medalled in either 2010 or 2018? Huh. Guess not. The Russian pair establishment hasn't been anywhere near something like Russian RG in a long time.
 
Regarding B/K and M/G - M/G are just more natural movers, they have a more excited presence on the ice, and he in particular really came out of a shell last season to help to sell the programs. They were young and fresh, while B/K only really showed emotion at the end of solid programs (and dare I say, snoozers of SPs). There are little things that hold B/K back, and their posture isn't always as nice as I wish it would be.

But B/K were looked at as this team that very well may have won 2020 Worlds, while I never thought they were at S/H's level the entire time they were graced with high scores. I went on little mini-rants here about how I thought the other teams in Russia, as a complete package, were better. If they don't find some kind of spark and/or consistency quickly, I think they are in trouble honestly. M/G getting gold at Worlds probably props them as the team to compete with S/H rather than handing, IMO, outrageous scores to B/K to have made things 'competitive'.
I am team Sui/Han all the way. I vastly prefer B/K to M/G. Despite what you said being largely true (G/M are more natural movers, and are technically superior), I find them extremely generic. To me, they are Valova / Vasilliev. A very nice team that will probably win a lot of competitions. Completely forgettable.
 
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At least he and Efimova are getting a second chance in other countries. Russia obviously didn't want them any more. Hopefully Efimova is officially released to Germany soon (or maybe has been already?).
I am not sure, but that is the bright side of things.
 
I am not sure, but that is the bright side of things.
Why not? If pair skaters had to skate only with someone from their own country, there would not by many pairs around. I like when a country who has plenty of skaters shares some with other countries. As long as they share the decent ones and not the useless ones.
 
Why not? If pair skaters had to skate only with someone from their own country, there would not by many pairs around. I like when a country who has plenty of skaters shares some with other countries. As long as they share the decent ones and not the useless ones.
Word.
 
At least he and Efimova are getting a second chance in other countries. Russia obviously didn't want them any more. Hopefully Efimova is officially released to Germany soon (or maybe has been already?).
Has she found a partner in Germany?
 
Alexei Mishin and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva got vaccinated
 
Channel 1 will show all events live (including test skates) on it’s website and YouTube.

Channel 1 Trophy is scheduled for March, 3-5 this year (and is supposed to be an international one), but no details about the format yet
Ooooo....wasn’t this the competition with the Medvedeva (Time of Firsts) versus Zagitova (Red Machine) teams? If it goes international, could it be Ice Wars - Russia vs the World?
 
Interview with Petr ("Bean") Gumennik:
... in the list of candidates for the national team approved by the Ministry of Sports for the current season, Petr Gumennik appears in the reserve squad. Nevertheless, the student of Veronica Daineko does not lose hope of getting into the main team and performing at the Tokyo Olympics. The St. Petersburg figure skater told RIA Novosti correspondent Boris Khodorovsky about how the training is going, which he combines with military service.
 
Channel 1 will show all events live (including test skates) on it’s website and YouTube.
I was wondering why Alina Pepeleva/Roman Pleshkov were missing from the Senior test skates list in this article yesterday:

They currently are in California (ETA: including sightseeing in Los Angeles, according to his Instagram) and are going to compete at the inaugural John Nicks Pairs Challenge in New York City (part of the annual Middle Atlantics club comp. organized by the SC of NY):
Nina Mozer:
"Alina and Roma are now working in Texas. The guys will perform at the ISU tournament in New York from September 9 to 10. After that they will return to Russia, and in October they will go to Las Vegas for the Grand Prix stage. They have American visas, as well as the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, registered in the United States and giving them the opportunity to train freely on American rinks."
 
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I was wondering why Alina Pepeleva/Roman Pleshkov were missing from the Senior test skates list in this article yesterday:

They currently are in California (ETA: including sightseeing in Los Angeles, according to his Instagram) and are going to compete at the inaugural John Nicks Pairs Challenge in New York City (part of the annual Middle Atlantics club comp. organized by the SC of NY):
Nina Mozer:
"Alina and Roma are now working in Texas. The guys will perform at the ISU tournament in New York from September 9 to 10. After that they will return to Russia, and in October they will go to Las Vegas for the Grand Prix stage. They have American visas, as well as the Johnson & Johnson ******** vaccine, registered in the United States and giving them the opportunity to train freely on American rinks."
Good for them! I wonder if Team Eteri had the same thought with some of her skaters and that might be part of why Tarasova/Morozov came over to compete in Cranberry Cup, and same with Trusova being entered in US Classic. Honestly, it would be smart of any non-EU European skaters to try and get the J&J vaccine while they're in a EU country or the US/Canada (day after they finish a competition, maybe) so that they can show proof of vaccination that will be accepted by most of the countries hosting competitions this season.
 
Cautiously optimistic regarding all of this, but YES!! But if they do win will the Russian establishment have another meltdown like they did for the Averin sisters in RGs? S/H have got to make this happen man.
As far as the Meltdown goes it depends if they're robbed or not in pairs. Speaking of rhythmic gymnastics Alina Zagitovas namesake Alina Kabaeva was in gold medal position for rhythmic gymnastics in 2000 summer games and dropped the ribbon and fell all the way to bronze. From what I understand the Israeli girl dropped the ribbon but did not fall from gold and was awarded the gold medal. Also I think judges in rhythmic gymnastics are tired of seeing Russia dominate they've won like five straight all-around gold medals and something like five straight team gold medals they was no way they were going to win the golds in either of those events unless it was clear-cut. Remember many people like Adam Rippon and others are indignant that Russia is even in the Olympics as ROC. Adam got very upset that the Russians were even complaining about the judging in rhythmic gymnastics. But if you were there even without your flag and even without your Anthem as the Russians were you deserve to be treated fairly. In many peoples opinion they were not in rhythmic gymnastics. Dropping the ribbon always costs the gold medal and I think that's what people were perplexed about. And the Ukrainian judge of course. I'm sorry but because of political unrest between Russia and Ukraine there's every chance this Ukrainian judge had biases against Russia over many things especially Crimea. The hatred of Ukrainians towards Russians is big. Also when a Russian Lady won the high jump gold medal at the Olympics the Ukrainian girl was congratulating her and that upset people in Ukraine because of the political tensions. A male Ukrainian athlete how to tell the politicians to take a hike. It's just ridiculous that young people can get along better between countries than older people do. Sports and politics do not mix.

It's a big figure skating season coming up for the Russians to the Federation it probably does not matter who would win Olympic gold in the lady's discipline as long as it's a Russian. It would be the same in pairs or dance. At this point we don't know what's going to happen we don't know who's going to be healthy or not and we certainly don't know what kind of Havoc coronavirus will play on this season for the Winter Olympics and worlds after that.

Also interesting with Anastasia and Maria now going to skate for Georgia and Italy respectively will this open the floodgates in Russia for high-quality figure skaters to leave to represent other countries? These two would not be allowed to leave if they could regularly score say 220 points or more so I don't think the Federation fears them in anyway. But what about ksenia she has a really big upside? She is super talented and a beautiful skater and I'm sure she has heard the news about nastya and Maria skating for other federations now and I wonder if that's planting a seed in her mind to do the same. Hmmmm. It's very exciting so get your popcorn ready. Sadly coronavirus could ruin everything. The Summer Olympics in Tokyo began with only something like 9% of Japanese citizens having been vaccinated. Let's hope Beijing is a lot better prepared and a high % for of its citizens have been vaccinated.
 
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Good for them! I wonder if Team Eteri had the same thought with some of her skaters and that might be part of why Tarasova/Morozov came over to compete in Cranberry Cup, and same with Trusova being entered in US Classic. Honestly, it would be smart of any non-EU European skaters to try and get the J&J vaccine while they're in a EU country or the US/Canada (day after they finish a competition, maybe) so that they can show proof of vaccination that will be accepted by most of the countries hosting competitions this season.
Isn't Johnson & Johnson shall I say the least effective the three major vaccines at least given in America? But when you're dealing with only wanting to get one shot it's probably the best option right? It will be interesting to see if all winter Olympic athletes have been vaccinated before Beijing. You may be right that the one shot vaccinations option is their only choice.
I have to say in the last year-and-a-halfive I've never been so consistent taking vitamin C and vitamin D3 but I'm getting tired of doing it.

Everybody keep your fingers crossed for Anna this season that she can get through November and December without coronavirus or pneumonia. Some people say she had both last season before Nationals. But it is scary with this Delta variant going all over the world and we're seeing many people who have been fully vaccinated get this variant of Coronavirus. Sad.
 
Isn't Johnson & Johnson shall I say the least effective the three major vaccines at least given in America? But when you're dealing with only wanting to get one shot it's probably the best option right? It will be interesting to see if all winter Olympic athletes have been vaccinated before Beijing. You may be right that the one shot vaccinations option is their only choice.
Yes, it is less effective than Pfizer or Moderna but the upside, as you point out, is that it's a single shot. I'm not sure how easy it is for non-residents of EU countries to get a vaccine in those countries. Here in the US, you only need to show ID for your age - pharmacies and drive-up vaccine clinics aren't asking for your immigration status, so it would be fairly easy to find a pharmacy that is offering J&J and schedule an appointment the day after your competition but before you leave the country. And, then, since it's J&J, it's been approved for use in Europe and removes all of the hassle of needing to quarantine because you haven't received an approved vaccine (ie Sputnik, Sinovac or Sinopharm).
 
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