From Russia With Love (No 32): Spring to Summer 2019

[Dobre]

Barring disaster, I expect Wang/Liu to bump S/F from SB 24. They are CHN #1, and they have politik none of the other do. (Although I haven't looked at the judges list, 8+ points in ID is a huge gap.)

I expect that Wang & Liu may do it. Not because of the reasoning you gave. W&L usually score higher at 4CCs than Worlds/Olympics where they have placed lower than their head-to-heads during the season for at least two out of the last three major internationals. (They didn't even make the FD cut at the Olympics). At least three of the last four years, their SB was at 4CCs.

However, this season, W&L mucked up their twizzles in the RD at 4CCs. Their potential score is higher than what they had there. And for that reason, plus the fact that they have--upon occasion--defeated some of the teams currently on the SB list, they might get there. An invite to World Team Trophy, though, that's a real advantage for them.

Turkkila & Versluis also left points on the table during their free skate at Europeans.
(He missed the twizzles both there & at Universiade if I remember correctly). And Reed & Ambrulevicius bombed their rotational lift at the end of their FD at Euros and may have left even more points on the table. (I wasn't factoring them in, but it's not impossible). There were some really high levels at Europeans. (Level 4 step sequences for teams that have never had one in their lives). Don't know if Worlds will match up to Euros/4CCs or not.

And finally, there is Nazarova & Nikitin, who have been absolutely on Team Trainwreck most of the season; but they did look better at the Ice Mall Cup, and they have brought in the scores before. They also defeated Evdokimova & Bazin in both portions of competition at the Ice Mall Cup, though E&B gave up their own points in the free there. So while I am A. a fan of N&N and B. not optimistic, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they may be back on track for Worlds. They were only a point behind Soucisse & Firus at Worlds last year and above all the teams I've listed previously.

It doesn't matter if someone passes Ushakova & Nekrasov as, per Ka3sha, they are continuing in juniors next season.

 

[Marco]

I just watched the top three Russian Ladies from Junior Worlds and my favorite is Ksenia Sinytsina. She skates with such deep edges and has wonderful speed and flow, plus she actually listens to her music. Very refreshing to see.

I would agree with all observations about her except for her listening to the music. I find her skating through the music and was all around under-expressive.

 

[Tinami Amori]

No news on Elena Ilynikh's future dance plans (with Soloviev), but she is in Mexico, teaching Master-Class.
http://sh.uploads.ru/4OvI9.jpg
===
Last night another important Junior competition took place in Russia "Prize of Moscow".
Top younger girls (from Tutberidze, Panova, Davydov, Buianova groups performed).
If anyone would like to see, the SP, it's in this link, all videos from the Ladies event.
https://www.youtube.com/user/WwwTulupRu/videos

The top 3 are:
Valieva - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4XvEP_NzJE
Khromykh - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRis5LSRuio
Frolova - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaeHFNstRGw

 

[rfisher]

Kamilla Valieva is my early pick for 2022. She is just exquisite.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Kamilla Valieva is my early pick for 2022. She is just exquisite.

i think she has very good chance to reach the 2022 Olympic season, but she does not yet have any 3A or quads and it maybe necessary for a chance at medal.

 

[rfisher]

i think she has very good chance to reach the 2022 Olympic season, but she does not yet have any 3A or quads and it maybe necessary for a chance at medal.

She's young. Let's see what happens over the next 3 years. I love her SP and would like to see her keep it another season.

 

[WillyElliot]

Kamilla Valieva is my early pick for 2022. She is just exquisite.

I love her too, but she might be surpassed by Akatieva or Veronica Zhilina. Or someone who turns 15 at just the right time.

 

[hanca]

I love her too, but she might be surpassed by Akatieva or Veronica Zhilina. Or someone who turns 15 at just the right time.

The last time someone stood out a few years before they were even junior eligible, it was Gubanova and Nugumanova. Much ahead from their peers two years before being able to compete at JGP, and where are they now? While I enjoy watching junior ladies as much as enjoy the senior ladies, I don’t believe too much in forecasting how great they will do at the Olympics that is in 3years time, when the skater hasn’t done a single junior international competition.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Veronika Zhilina is also growing up, now competing in russian competitions on Novice level.

SP - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaFJacAAHUY
FS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0CmBsryjq4

(She is the "white swan ballerina" from few years back)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_H7mSP5KKg

... and with a sister Alena Zhilina who is pre-novice, in the lower group. she is doing a 2A from a spread eagle like a feather..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebPS8lVJDuk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFzD7s9rJgo

 

[Tinami Amori]

The last time someone stood out a few years before they were even junior eligible, it was Gubanova and Nugumanova. Much ahead from their peers two years before being able to compete at JGP, and where are they now? While I enjoy watching junior ladies as much as enjoy the senior ladies, I don’t believe too much in forecasting how great they will do at the Olympics that is in 3years time, when the skater hasn’t done a single junior international competition.

Gubanova is still skating, and has not said her "last word" yet. Many people (many is relative, but i remember quite a few comments) feel that she made a huge mistake leaving her coach Turenko, and transfering to Buianova. She was with Turenko, in 2017 when she was at "her best", with the 2 programmes so many loved.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QqlWgPgqgg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4puV4zzvvk
So it is not the "age that swallowed her" or any major injuries, but a presumably wrong decision to change coaches.

Nugumanova is another story. without details, she made some choices which made her paths cross with Mishin's, and that somewhat derailed her progress, and put her backstage. Again it is not "age", or "growing up", or anything technical.. She was on her way up.. until she made "coach related" choices.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghgkFrOKmhs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZetHqWe7Vg

 

[RoseRed]

I love her too, but she might be surpassed by Akatieva or Veronica Zhilina. Or someone who turns 15 at just the right time.

Kamila would be in the same boat as Zagitova for 2022 - in her first senior season. Neither of the girls you named will be eligible for the next Olympics.

 

[WillyElliot]

Kamila would be in the same boat as Zagitova for 2022 - in her first senior season. Neither of the girls you named will be eligible for the next Olympics.

Oh, I knew that, so confusing and freaky that it IS Valieva who will potentially be the 15 y/o star! I've already looked down to 10 y/o who look like they will be the next greatest thing, how crazy is that..

 

[Tinami Amori]

Oh, I knew that, so confusing and freaky that it IS Valieva who will potentially be the 15 y/o star! I've already looked down to 10 y/o who look like they will be the next greatest thing, how crazy is that..

you need to look at younger than 10, how about 5-8. They had auditions this summer for 5-8..
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmWFpbBD7oA/

... the lines were so long, they had to have 2nd and 3rd sessions. people were writing "my kid is slightly older than 8, can we still try?".
https://www.instagram.com/p/Br8rXdGBUbN/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpPtQ1MgnrK/

 

[Tinami Amori]

Daria Panenkova..... oy...
https://vk.com/dariya_panenkova?z=photo-118857967_456240478/wall-118857967_1600

On her VK page she says:
Тренировка прошла удачно... "training went well (sarcasm)"
А так все хорошо начиналось ... "and in the beginning it all so good..."

 

[cholla]

She did post this, however, and some even "western people" are suggesting she should take it a notch down, telling her she went too far..
https://twitter.com/TuktikLiza/status/1057270705782509568?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1057270705782509568&ref_url=http://www.spletnik.ru/buzz/86737-zvezda-na-ldu-i-v-tvittere-chto-my-znaem-pro-elizavetu-tuktamyshevu.html

Feck "western people" (to which I belong ) it's exactly what's going to happen and I love the irony ! It's so refreshing to see someone expressing herself without the usual politically correct filter permanently in use in the the skating world. Keep it coming Liza !! Be obnoxious !

 

[zebraswan]

Who knew "western people" sometimes have different opinions about things? How do you even know who is a "western person" - just because they write in English?

 

[Jeschke]

Daria Panenkova..... oy...
https://vk.com/dariya_panenkova?z=photo-118857967_456240478/wall-118857967_1600

On her VK page she says:
Тренировка прошла удачно... "training went well (sarcasm)"
А так все хорошо начиналось ... "and in the beginning it all so good..."

What kind of injury did she suffer? Did Daria give specific informations?

 

[Ka3sha]

Maxim Kovtun out of Worlds due to medical reasons, Andrei Lazukin in

 

[alj5]

<sigh> I wish they had sent Voronov.

 

[Deleted member 40371]

<sigh> I wish they had sent Voronov.

Voronov is also injured...

 

[RoseRed]

<sigh> I wish they had sent Voronov.

He hasn't competed at all since his injury.

 

[caseyedwards]

Maxim Kovtun out of Worlds due to medical reasons, Andrei Lazukin in

Too bad about the kovtun problems!!

Hope Lazukin can do respectably!!

 

[Dobre]

Maxim Kovtun out of Worlds due to medical reasons, Andrei Lazukin in

Ahhh! The Russian men. I'm sorry for Kovtun as it was such a great move to come back from last season on his part. Best wishes to Lazukin.

Voronov is also injured...

Voronov was also never added/placed on the sub list on the Worlds entries, contrary to the announcement with him listed earlier. Neither were Zagorski & Guerreiro. I'm not sure what the point of naming both was, since the entry names had aready been sent in. Something to do with funding? Or trying to clarify that they would have been listed if healthy? Or if the Russian fed hadn't taken so long to make up their minds and missed the deadline?

 

[taz'smum]

Voronov was also never added/placed on the sub list on the Worlds entries, contrary to the announcement with him listed earlier. Neither were Zagorski & Guerreiro. I'm not sure what the point of naming both was, since the entry names had aready been sent in. Something to do with funding? Or trying to clarify that they would have been listed if healthy? Or if the Russian fed hadn't taken so long to make up their minds and missed the deadline?

In the case of Z/G, it seems it was a genuine mistake.
The Fed forgot there was one less team for ice dance than at Euros and sent the entry list from Euros as the worlds entry list which had one team too many for worlds. As the entries were submitted alphabetically, Z/G were the last team on the list and so were left off the final ISU subs list.
The Fed probably didn't realise this mistake when they announced the final team for worlds, by which time it was too late to rectify. Z/G had had a good showing at the Russian cup final and were fit to go to Worlds.

 

[rfisher]

<sigh> I wish they had sent Voronov.

Lazukin has as good a chance as the other two. Sometimes he skates brilliantly. Sometimes he doesn't. Kind of like all the Russian men.

But, that is the absolute ultimate irony that Liza will watch on TV from Russia while her little training partner and boyfriend compete.

 

[Dobre]

In the case of Z/G, it seems it was a genuine mistake.
The Fed forgot there was one less team for ice dance than at Euros and sent the entry list from Euros as the worlds entry list which had one team too many for worlds.

 

[Tinami Amori]

What kind of injury did she suffer? Did Daria give specific informations?

On her social media she did not say, and there is no info on chats/forums other than that link above.
From the foto it does looks like she has a solid cast on, just an ortho-brace/sock. Does not look too drastic.
She is getting "get well wishes" from fans/friends, and the "tone" sounds optimistic like "get better/hope it passes soon" (and not "oh, my! how horrible").

Kovtun last week had a documentary out "Return of the Prodigal Son".
He speaks about his ups and downs (skating, financial troubles/debts, physical issues, return to competition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=GnIrQRHuQuY

... missing worlds is not good for him. Skating at Universade a week before Worlds, and Buianova choosing to go to JW with Danielian had my question marks. Kovtun was not scheduled to return to Moscow, but to fly directly from Universade's location (central Russia) to Japan. interesting..

 

[Tinami Amori]

Who knew "western people" sometimes have different opinions about things? How do you even know who is a "western person" - just because they write in English?

- well.... the "Russians" wrote in russian...
- and sure, "western people" have different opinions, until it comes to "humbleness" and "thou shall not covet... "
- so i am not at all surprised to read what the first respondent says to Liza:
"Meanwhile, you barely squeaked out a win at Skate Canada. Someone needs to humble herself."

Feck "western people" (to which I belong ) it's exactly what's going to happen and I love the irony ! It's so refreshing to see someone expressing herself without the usual politically correct filter permanently in use in the the skating world. Keep it coming Liza !! Be obnoxious !

I would not make a big deal of it. But the issues left the "twitter grounds" and now discussed outside, and enough people feel that this is not about "political correctness" or "obnoxiousness" or "something risque". Some feel she is taking a dig at her rivals, unfairly, and putting them down.

Actually it got funnier. Same time as this tweet came out, Medvedeva "unfriended" Tuktamysheva on the account. There was a short explosion of Tuk/Med Fans war. Medvedeva "re-friended" Tuk again, and said "it's an error", then her agent came on, and said "it's a tech error". But Med's fans are still upset (some! not all) at Tuk's tweet, disliking that Tuk presented Med as a "greedy cat pulling a bone".

It is not the "quads/3A" that are bringing down FS..... it's the fingers that skaters have to push the "social media buttons"..

 

[hanca]

Gubanova is still skating, and has not said her "last word" yet. Many people (many is relative, but i remember quite a few comments) feel that she made a huge mistake leaving her coach Turenko, and transfering to Buianova. She was with Turenko, in 2017 when she was at "her best", with the 2 programmes so many loved.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QqlWgPgqgg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4puV4zzvvk
So it is not the "age that swallowed her" or any major injuries, but a presumably wrong decision to change coaches.

Nugumanova is another story. without details, she made some choices which made her paths cross with Mishin's, and that somewhat derailed her progress, and put her backstage. Again it is not "age", or "growing up", or anything technical.. She was on her way up.. until she made "coach related" choices.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghgkFrOKmhs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZetHqWe7Vg

I know that Gubanova and Nugumanova are both still skating and maybe they will make it to one of the top competitions such as Europeans and worlds, but 3-4 years ago Gubanova and Nugumanova were so far ahead from the same age skaters (e.g. Samodurova). Now Samodurova is the European champion and Gubanova and Nugumanova didn’t even get a GP event this season...

 

[Tinami Amori]

I know that Gubanova and Nugumanova are both still skating and maybe they will make it to one of the top competitions such as Europeans and worlds, but 3-4 years ago Gubanova and Nugumanova were so far ahead from the same age skaters (e.g. Samodurova). Now Samodurova is the European champion and Gubanova and Nugumanova didn’t even get a GP event this season...

You right they don't. But following the "line of thought" in the discussion that was taking place. The idea you expressed was "don't get excited about younger girls because a lot can happen as they grow older" which comes with usual list of issues. you gave examples of Gubanova and Nugumanova. my point was that in their case the down-spin was not because of "those typical issues" (puberty, weight, growing, injuries, any physical/mind issues) but because they had "coach issues" and made "miscalculations". no biggie, just clarifying.