Russian figure skating news in 2023

[Belsornia]

MOSCOW, September 12 - RIA Novosti. The dancing couple Elizaveta Pasechnik/Maxim Nekrasov stopped performing together by mutual decision of the partners, according to the official website of the Russian Figure Skating Federation (FFKKR).
The dancing couple will not take part in the test skates, which will take place on September 16-17 at the Moscow Megasport Arena.
Pasechnik/Nekrasov are bronze medalists at the Russian Championship and have been medalists at the national Grand Prix stages three times.

They might as well start drawing lots for who is going to skate with whom at the start of every season.

 

[Lara111]

They might as well start drawing lots for who is going to skate with whom at the start of every season.

Great now Nekrasov can skate with Vasilisa and it is a win win for both

 

[Karen-W]

Great now Nekrasov can skate with Vasilisa and it is a win win for both

That appears to be the rumors going around per FS Gossips.

 

[Lara111]

That appears to be the rumors going around per FS Gossips.

Well it makes sense

 

[Frau Muller]

FS Artemov (channel) is uploading Sr Russian Test Skate programs. I found several on my TV’s YouTube (Valieva, Petrosian, Akateva). Just FYI, for whoever cares.

 

[rfisher]

Sr test skate thoughts: I missed most of dance, but Stepanova is ridiculously fit after having a baby just months ago. The women all look fantastic. Very polished for this early. Tuk has gone in a very different direction this season. Very dramatic. Pairs are looking good. The coaching switch for Boi/Koz seems to be working very well for them. Both seem happy and relaxed. Kostornaia and her hubby look not bad for not just a new team, but new to pairs. Great twist, she 2-footed the 3F and then 2-footed the throw. The throw is forgivable. The flip she can land in her sleep. But, she really needs a costume intervention.

Boi/Koz look really strong. Apparently, the coaching change has been very positive for them.

 

[Frau Muller]

Saw only Women & Pairs longs. Pairs - So superior to rest of the globe! M/G and B/K spectacular. I also love Khabibulina & Kniazhuk.
Women: Petrosian gorgeous (despite one fall)…moves like a stream in her blue watery dress. Mystery Gal Gorbachyova also fabulous - totally clean…interesting long white shirt over pants. Liza lovely in a surprisingly lyrical routine. Black Panther Valieva didn’t move me. Akateva weak.

Can see live in Pto Rico (with most single performances lined up beneath the screen):

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www.1tv.ru

 

[rfisher]

Kostonaria/Kunitsa's FS was actually good especially given how new to pairs both are. Give them a couple of years together and they'll be competitive. Her posture and carriage have always been excellent and it really transforms to pair skating. He's only been skating pairs a couple of years, but he's a strong partner.

All the skaters videos are available if you have a VPN (USA as Channel 1 is now geoblocked. I'm using a Canadian VPN and it's fine). If you like pair skating, I'd definitely watch B/K and M/G. They are without doubt the best pair teams skating. I've always preferred M/G, but I think B/K have the stronger programs this season. Once again, I'm puzzled by Moskvina's music choices, but that's nothing new.

There are some strong ladies skates as well. Petrosyn is looking good as is Veronica Zhilina. I like Valieva's mature performance, Muravieva and Sinitisina are looking good. Sinitisina injured herself in practice today, but she skated well. Gorbacheva has a real future. Hopefully.

 

[Frau Muller]

Sometimes it’s good to see the truth of “our own” pairs vs Russia. Deanna & Maxim (Canada), for ex, could hold their own.

Japan & Korea so chock full of talent, for Women & Men. It’s no longer a free-for-all for Russian women, should they return but there are some possibilities among those of competitive age.

 

[Frau Muller]

Saw main Men. Some quite good, if not technically perfect:

Samarin - perfect FP as…a robot! Best big-tech guy, although Atyom Kovalyov as Tron cast a similar spell.

Aliev - elegant as Caruso.

Then my Russian artiste forever: Mark Kondratyuk with Beethoven’s Ode to Joy! I was screaming happily, despite little sloppiness.

I don’t really see them as ready to be the best at the ISU events, although the recent emphasis on PCS makes me think that Mark is on the right track.

Not to pardon today’s situation. Just thinking about future possibilities, should the world change (when the heck).

 

[Lilia A]

I don’t really see them as ready to be the best at the ISU events, although the recent emphasis on PCS makes me think that Mark is on the right track.

Except that if the ISU cares in the slightest about the IOC's recommendations for allowing "neutral" athletes in international competitions, he'll be the last person to be allowed to compete internationally.

 

[hanca]

Kostonaria/Kunitsa's FS was actually good especially given how new to pairs both are. Give them a couple of years together and they'll be competitive

If she manages to stick to it.

Gorbacheva has a real future. Hopefully.

If she skates for another country. In Russia, I doubt it.

 

[Wyliefan]

I can't help but find it amusing that, after all the slamming of her work ethic, Kostornaia currently appears to be the last one standing out of the "3 A's." (Not that I'm blaming anyone for retiring young from that hellish pressure cooker, mind you.)

 

[On My Own]

If she manages to stick to it.

I mean are you expecting her to divorce Kunitsa or just quit Pairs

 

[Amy L]

How many times has Kostornaia broken bones in her hands/arms? It may be a health thing more than a personality thing.

Although teenagers (?) getting married at the same time they partner up can be a disaster waiting to happen as well.

 

[MorganaLefay]

Totally second rfisher's impressions: BK's coaching change is working etc. I especially appreciated Tukt short to my favorite Belorussian band, now semi-defunct and residing in Israel, not my fav song (it's about a suicide) but she did the song justice It is somewhat hard for me to watch anything from Russia these days, though.

 

[hanca]

I mean are you expecting her to divorce Kunitsa or just quit Pairs

Quit pairs as soon as things get tough. And things will get tough because Russia has far too many pretty good pairs. Getting through to top six (to get themselves on the main team) will be extremely difficult. Well, even qualifying for nationals will be hard because there are more than 12 decent pairs and only 12 will be competing at the nationals.

But there may also be health reasons for quitting - with her history of injuries, I am not convinced that pairs discipline is the best path for her from the health point of view.

 

[rfisher]

How many times has Kostornaia broken bones in her hands/arms? It may be a health thing more than a personality thing.

Although teenagers (?) getting married at the same time they partner up can be a disaster waiting to happen as well.

Which makes her choosing to skate pairs interesting given the high risk that women pair skaters face. You've got to be fearless to skate pairs and that is not a trait I'd ever assign to Kostornaia. Trusova or Scherbakova, yes, but not her, yet there she is. But, I suspect she would still like a chance at the Olympics and it won't happen in singles. It might happen in pairs assuming Russia earns 3 spots in the future, which I suspect they will when they are allowed to return. Getting invited to the test skate implies that the fed is impressed with their progress. She's still struggling with landing the throw jumps, but that's to be expected. I was impressed with the triple twist. It's not comparable to B/K or M/G by any means, but she did a reasonable split triple. It took Vale Marchai two years to learn to do a split triple twist. It was actually funny that she had trouble with the 3F in the SP given how strong her jumps are and he was clean. I'd put that down to nerves. Her lift positions are very nice since posture and arm position have always been a strength of hers. I wouldn't call them Bazarova worthy yet, but certainly Stolbova. But, her SP dress is awful. They really need to fix that. She's in a one piece in the FS and it's much better.

Denis Khodykin and his new partner looked good for another new pairing. Daria is now coaching.

 

[Willin]

How many times has Kostornaia broken bones in her hands/arms? It may be a health thing more than a personality thing.

Although teenagers (?) getting married at the same time they partner up can be a disaster waiting to happen as well.

It could also be a falling technique thing.

In the US we teach falling as a very very basic day one skill to skaters as young as three. You're taught to just fall to the side or back - let your butt or hip take the impact and don't try to stop yourself with your arm. Of course at higher speeds and forces this can get hard, hence concussions. As a result you'll see that many falls from skaters all over the world look similar even on those high force skills where falls are harder to control. I've noticed that while some Russian skaters (including some Eteri girls) follow this falling technique, some clearly didn't learn it from the get go leading to dramatic and dangerous looking falls. It's quite possible that Alina's original non-Eteri coach didn't teach her to fall, so sometimes out of habit she tries to stop her falls with her arms or falls more forward.

ETA: Forgot to add - even though most breaks heal with no long term noticeable structural damage, breaks can still weaken the bone and lead them to be more fragile for further breaks even when fully healed. Even other soft tissue injuries can belie new injuries due to less support. Especially with Eteri not letting her stay away long enough for full healing, it's possible old fractures or injuries are making her get new ones more easily.

 

[Amy L]

The Figurnoe Katanie YoutTube channel just uploaded the Test Skates.

https://www.youtube.com/@ice_skating/videos

 

[Cachoo]

I did watch Valieva's short program and the question I have, after seeing the very end of the program: Is Tatiana Tarasova in poor health?

 

[zoe111]

Which makes her choosing to skate pairs interesting given the high risk that women pair skaters face. You've got to be fearless to skate pairs and that is not a trait I'd ever assign to Kostornaia. Trusova or Scherbakova, yes, but not her, yet there she is. But, I suspect she would still like a chance at the Olympics and it won't happen in singles. It might happen in pairs assuming Russia earns 3 spots in the future, which I suspect they will when they are allowed to return. Getting invited to the test skate implies that the fed is impressed with their progress. She's still struggling with landing the throw jumps, but that's to be expected. I was impressed with the triple twist. It's not comparable to B/K or M/G by any means, but she did a reasonable split triple. It took Vale Marchai two years to learn to do a split triple twist. It was actually funny that she had trouble with the 3F in the SP given how strong her jumps are and he was clean. I'd put that down to nerves. Her lift positions are very nice since posture and arm position have always been a strength of hers. I wouldn't call them Bazarova worthy yet, but certainly Stolbova. But, her SP dress is awful. They really need to fix that. She's in a one piece in the FS and it's much better.

Denis Khodykin and his new partner looked good for another new pairing. Daria is now coaching.

To be honest I was more impressed than I expected to be. Sure, long way to go but she seems to be getting the fundamentals pretty fast- the twist was really decent for the time she’s had and the death spiral in the short wasn’t bad either. I do think the solo jump issue was just nerves.
I may be in the minority but wouldn’t count her out. It won’t have been easy just to get things like the twist and she’s on her way there. I’ve always felt her issues were outside pressure and nerves related so maybe skating with someone will be the change that helps her- who knows

 

[Sylvia]

Andrei Lazukin has retired, according to Mishin told RIA Novosti's Anastasia Panina today:

Российский фигурист Лазукин завершил карьеру и уехал в Казахстан

Победитель Финала Кубка России 2019 года по фигурному катанию Андрей Лазукин завершил спортивную карьеру и работает тренером в Казахстане, заявил РИА Новости... РИА Новости Спорт, 25.09.2023

rsport.ria.ru

Machine translation:

The winner of the 2019 Russian Cup Final in figure skating, Andrei Lazukin, has completed his sports career and is working as a coach in Kazakhstan, Honored Coach of Russia Alexey Mishin told RIA Novosti.
“Andrey Lazukin has completed his career, now he works as a coach in Uralsk (Kazakhstan). This summer he went with me to a master class in Mexico. I must say that I have never seen such an excellent demonstrator. He is able to teach young skaters the same purity and the refinement of movements that he himself possesses. I am very proud that Andrei was my student,” said Mishin.
The coach noted that he would be happy to cooperate with a school in Kazakhstan to train skaters.

 

[TAHbKA]

Samodelkina svitched from Sokolovskaya to Pluschenko. Beats me why. Probably to participate the shows. Assume that ends Sokolovskaya's ladies department with Trusova not being around and Samodelkina leaving

I did watch Valieva's short program and the question I have, after seeing the very end of the program: Is Tatiana Tarasova in poor health?

Yes, for years. I saw her the last time in Graz 2020, she could hardly walk. In the last 2 years all her TV appearances were on a wheel chair.

 

[airgelaal]

Samodelkina svitched from Sokolovskaya to Pluschenko. Beats me why. Probably to participate the shows.

Or because Rakhat Bralin from Kazakhstan is training there.

 

[TAHbKA]

Or because Rakhat Bralin from Kazakhstan is training there.

is he Samodelkina's current boyfriend?

 

[airgelaal]

is he Samodelkina's current boyfriend?

Oh dear. I don’t even really know who Samodelkina is And I definitely don’t know about her personal life

 

[TAHbKA]

Oh dear. I don’t even really know who Samodelkina is And I definitely don’t know about her personal life

Then am slightly lost - how is her switching to Pluschenko related to that Kaz junior skater???

 

[airgelaal]

Then am slightly lost - how is her switching to Pluschenko related to that Kaz junior skater???

Did Samodelkina change her mind about competing for Kazakhstan?

 

[TAHbKA]

Did Samodelkina change her mind about competing for Kazakhstan?

Oh, right, thanks! I completely forgot she was switching.