Russian Ladies news & discussion

[Vash01]

Evgenia is never going to retire. RSF will keep her on the team just because they make money off of her. Maybe she'll get Finlandia, bomb as expected, and still remain 'active' for the next ten years.

The next Leonova? LOL.
Sorry, I m a big fan of Zhenya Medvedeva. I love watching her mature skating, win lose.

 

[Lilia A]

Will Khromykh be eligible next year? She is just 14, but so is Valieva and she will be eligible.

The Annual Hunger Games in Russian ladies got even tougher.

They're both in their second year in junior, so they'll be senior eligible next season.

 

[Skibean]

Does anyone honestly believe Zagitova is coming back to compete? She better start training soon if this is the case.

 

[love_skate2011]

Does anyone honestly believe Zagitova is coming back to compete? She better start training soon if this is the case.

No Zagitova is out of shape, Med at least if her injury subsides can train again.

 

[Tobbe]

I wounder how the Worlds judges would have scored this fab magnificent Malefiecent dragon program from Maria Talalaikina at RusNats.
She finished 9. I don't think World judges would have scored her much lesser as they did throw out a lot of high high PCS.

Мария Талалайкина. Произвольная программа. Женщины. Чемпионат России по фигурному катанию 2021

Смотрите все видео Первого канала на https://www.1tv.ruСмотрите также прямое вещание Первого канала в Интернете на http://stream.1tv.ru/liveОфициальные ка...

www.youtube.com

Maria had a fall in the short (the Loop) and scored only 64-ish.The free skate score was 133 and total 197.32. Without the mistake in the short it would have been around 202 points.

So that would have been Top 10 at Worlds? Ahead of Bradie at 9th? maybe even Olga at 8th?

 

[Frau Muller]

I wish that Nugumanova could nab a G-P spot. I know that it’s unlikely but...one can wish.

Frolova, too.

 

[Scott512]

I wounder how the Worlds judges would have scored this fab magnificent Malefiecent dragon program from Maria Talalaikina at RusNats.
She finished 9. I don't think World judges would have scored her much lesser as they did throw out a lot of high high PCS.

Мария Талалайкина. Произвольная программа. Женщины. Чемпионат России по фигурному катанию 2021

Смотрите все видео Первого канала на https://www.1tv.ruСмотрите также прямое вещание Первого канала в Интернете на http://stream.1tv.ru/liveОфициальные ка...

www.youtube.com

Maria had a fall in the short (the Loop) and scored only 64-ish.The free skate score was 133 and total 197.32. Without the mistake in the short it would have been around 202 points.

So that would have been Top 10 at Worlds? Ahead of Bradie at 9th? maybe even Olga at 8th?

Absolutely.

Too bad Maria scored only 64 points in the short program at Russian nationals. 64 points? That unfortunately turned out to be Sashas magic number for the short program at worlds.

 

[Scott512]

I think the quad, for the ladies discipline as a whole, is still young enough that the non-quad ladies could get away with without having one for the next 2-3 years. Perhaps if lucky even a little bit longer. Not enough ladies are currently attempting it competitively on a consistent basis and even those who do aren't exactly stone solid on it. I mean we just had a world championships where the 4th place finisher didn't even attempt a single 3-3! When was the last time that happened?

As you know in the ladies the quadsters almost always fall. Only Anna is somewhat consistent with the quad.

Chen finished 4th because girls bombed. Not attempting of 3 3 is bizarre.

 

[Scott512]

I don't think Evgenia is going to retire. She is still skating. Even if she doesn't make the Olympics, she will continue on.

Zhenya will compete if she is fit.

People yell and scream by the millions about how TT girls can't compete after a certain age. well I want to see and Zhenya compete prove the them wrong.

 

[tony]

As you know in the ladies the quadsters almost always fall. Only Anna is somewhat consistent with the quad.

Chen finished 4th because girls bombed. Not attempting of 3 3 is bizarre.

You realize an Axel jump has to be somewhere in the program, correct?

If a skater does a 2A+3T, they are still capable of fitting 7 triples in regardless if they can’t do a 3A. And they are pulling the GOE scale from the 3T on that element, which is obviously worth more than the Axel alone.

If one man does 4S+3T and 4T+3T, he’s getting the same points as the next man that does 4S, 4T, and a 3T+3T combo.

 

[Scott512]

I truly admire Trusova's guts (going for five quads). She was the only skater in this field who landed a clean quad. She won the free skate and landed on the podium!!!

I see improvements in every aspect of her skating. Even with all the quads, she still takes her time to stretch, point (and turn out) her feet, hold positions, and create and sustain line. She listens to her music now (and times her choreography to music) in a way that she never did in the past. I was sure I heard an audience clapping along with her step sequence (because it is so perfectly timed to the music) until I realized that there was no audience and it was only me clapping.

I truly admire Liza's perseverance. In an era of disposable girls, Liza was the woman who proved she could hang with the girls. She has outlasted 4 or 5 cycles of girls (who have come and gone). Her perfect technique (something that most of the girls do not have) has sustained a long and fulfilling skating career. I still believe that coaches should treat their skaters like Mishin has treated Liza (with respect), see their potential, teach them sustainable technique, support them in every way and focus on the long game. Kudos!

Anna comes from the disposable cups school of figure skating and I fear that she may be tossed aside in her camp next year (even after winning here). I don't see strong (jump) technique and she is getting taller. I don't see joy in her skating. I do see tremendous will power...will to overcome...will to succeed (despite the poor technique). I wish she would learn to point her feet and extend her line, but I fear she won't get that kind of attention from her camp before she is tossed aside.

There is a lot to admire about Sasha. But I wish she would be more focused on winning gold than hitting 5 quads. If she had a normal short program and landed 3 out of 4 quads she would have won the gold medal at worlds. She may never be back to a worlds competition and she might not even make the Olympic team.. For scoring 64 in the short program has to worry the federation. They cannot send someone to world who's going to score in the mid sixties with their SP. Sasha going from 12 to 3rd in worlds was only because so many girls bombed. Russia cannot count on that happening again at the Olympics. This foenum can still make the Olympic team of course but I think she should use her short program to score in the mid to upper seventies and then let loose with the free skate with 3 or 4 quads and win gold that way.

She keeps working on quads and her triples suffer. It was unbelievable that she bombed the short program the way she did and threw away the gold medal in the process. Sashas sledgehammer strategy needs to be tweaked going forward. If she remained that TT I have no doubt she would have been world champion.

I'm very happy for Anna she never causes a fuss she never causes any drama she just does her work and wins. And she smiles and she has artistry and interpretation. But she peaked at nationals this year and seem to struggle with her health the last couple months so I don't know what to expect from her in the Olympic season. Pneumonia effects really lingered with Anna. Anna was in the shadow of Sasha and Aliona. But she is better than they are without question because she didn't change coaches and she is mentally stronger.

Annas situation with Kamila reminds me Zhenya and Alina part deux. The parallels are unbelievable!

 

[Scott512]

You realize an Axel jump has to be somewhere in the program, correct?

If a skater does a 2A+3T, they are still capable of fitting 7 triples in regardless if they can’t do a 3A. And they are pulling the GOE scale from the 3T on that element, which is obviously worth more than the Axel alone.

If one man does 4S+3T and 4T+3T, he’s getting the same points as the next man that does 4S, 4T, and a 3T+3T combo.

Yep.

 

[tony]

Yep.

So then why is not attempting a 3+3 'bizarre' if she's getting the same content in anyways?

 

[Scott512]

Watching the performance again I find it interesting that even in distant 12th, with virtually no chance at gold, Trusova really performed no different then what she normally does when she is in gold medal contention, actually maybe a little worse. There was no "well its over so let's just be free, go for it, and do it for myself" type redemption (I thinking Mao 2014 Sochi). Instead she didn't perform at all and just ticked off the elements one by one with indifference. She just refused to let herself skate with any sense of freedom or joy for skating. But I guess she isn't wired that way.

You bring up a key word indifference and I agree. If the Federation sees indifference then Sasha chances to make the Olympic team are reduced.

Many experts and people such as myself thanks Sasha doing so many quads and now learning the triple axel it's taking away from her regular triple jumps.

Sasha's mindset is to set records and to get the wow factor while Anna's mindset is to win gold. And Annas top competitors Rika and Sasha both bombed. Rika the free and Sasha the short. That made things easy for Anna. She won't get the same breaks next season. Anna will have to beat Kamila and a super hungry aliona in addition to all the other top ladies. It will be interesting to see if Anna can get her quads back and develop a triple axel.

It may be quite unpopular opinion, but I think Kostornaya should be in either Backbenchers or in Wildcards. I don’t think that at this time she belongs into A team.

Not going to happen. Eteri will get Aliona
back into shape and make her a threat to at least make the Olympic team where EGs dream is to get all the spots for her girls. I think there's a 75% chance that happens.

 

[Sylvia]

I posted this in Elizabet Tursynbaeva's fan thread yesterday:

From Tursynbaeva's Instagram stories recently - Elizabet filmed Alena Kostornaia, Daria Usacheva and Maiia Khromykh having fun in the dance studio (these 2 clips were reposted on this fan account): https://www.instagram.com/p/CM7u7oiJNe9/

Looks like it was a dress rehearsal for this video that was filmed on the ice :
https://www.instagram.com/p/CM7hPhIoICC/

 

[rfisher]

I posted this in Elizabet Tursynbaeva's fan thread yesterday:

Looks like it was a dress rehearsal for this video that was filmed on the ice :
https://www.instagram.com/p/CM7hPhIoICC/

You bring up a key word indifference and I agree. If the Federation sees indifference then Sasha chances to make the Olympic team are reduced.

Many experts and people such as myself thanks Sasha doing so many quads and now learning the triple axel it's taking away from her regular triple jumps.

Sasha's mindset is to set records and to get the wow factor while Anna's mindset is to win gold. And Annas top competitors Rika and Sasha both bombed. Rika the free and Sasha the short. That made things easy for Anna. She won't get the same breaks next season. Anna will have to beat Kamila and a super hungry aliona in addition to all the other top ladies. It will be interesting to see if Anna can get her quads back and develop a triple axel.

Not going to happen. Eteri will get Aliona
back into shape and make her a threat to at least make the Olympic team where EGs dream is to get all the spots for her girls. I think there's a 75% chance that happens.

The top 3 seniors at Russian nationals will go to the Olympics. If someone is injured or I'll, they might use the Russian cup final to decide, but most likely they go with national results because that is the hardest comp the skaters face. If you medal there, you go to China

 

[hanca]

Not going to happen. Eteri will get Aliona
back into shape and make her a threat to at least make the Olympic team where EGs dream is to get all the spots for her girls. I think there's a 75% chance that happens.

Sure, it is a possibility that Tutberidze gets all the spots, but even in that case there is five(or maybe even six, if Medvedeva is back strong) Tutberidze’s girls who wants the spots, but only three spots. Valieva, Scherbakova and Khromykh all have quads. If Valieva and Scherbakova skate the way they did this year, it is very likely they will get one spot each. So that leaves us with four girls fighting for the last spot (and that’s even not counting non Tutberidze’s girls such as Trusova and Tuktamysheva). Even if Khromykh didn’t get the spot, there is not much Kostornaya can offer that couldn’t be matched by Medvedeva or Usacheva? Sure, she had 3A a year ago, but since then her figure completely changed and no one has seen her to land it for over a year. She also heavily relied on high PCS, which Medvedeva as a past world champion will get too, and on high GOE, which Usacheva will get too because her jumps are huge. I can’t see anything that could make the selection towards Kostornaya rather than any other skater.

 

[love_skate2011]

Ive heard before that Russia has coaching quota, that 3 skaters from a single coach is not possible going to Olympics or Worlds ?
Is this even true, why would sports have a quota ?

 

[tony]

Ive heard before that Russia has coaching quota, that 3 skaters from a single coach is not possible going to Olympics or Worlds ?
Is this even true, why would sports have a quota ?

This is ridiculous.

 

[Scott512]

Sure, it is a possibility that Tutberidze gets all the spots, but even in that case there is five(or maybe even six, if Medvedeva is back strong) Tutberidze’s girls who wants the spots, but only three spots. Valieva, Scherbakova and Khromykh all have quads. If Valieva and Scherbakova skate the way they did this year, it is very likely they will get one spot each. So that leaves us with four girls fighting for the last spot (and that’s even not counting non Tutberidze’s girls such as Trusova and Tuktamysheva). Even if Khromykh didn’t get the spot, there is not much Kostornaya can offer that couldn’t be matched by Medvedeva or Usacheva? Sure, she had 3A a year ago, but since then her figure completely changed and no one has seen her to land it for over a year. She also heavily relied on high PCS, which Medvedeva as a past world champion will get too, and on high GOE, which Usacheva will get too because her jumps are huge. I can’t see anything that could make the selection towards Kostornaya rather than any other skater.

We will have to wait and see.
But if aliona can go back to her form of her last season at TT not only is she in play to make the Olympic team and not only is she the most beautiful skater in the world she can score 240 points like clockwork and as you saw at World's nobody came close to 240 points.

What happens with the Russian ladies next season should be fascinating.

On a side note with all the dominance it's kind of ridiculous that mediocre in certain discipline countries get to send the same amount of ladies that the Russians do in ladies and pairs. Other countries lose spots so Russia should gain some of those spots when you put everybody on the podium at worlds.. I wish figure skating use more of a ranking system like Golf and Tennis all do. Maybe take the top 6 in World standing in all four disciplines and then mix in the rest. If they don't change their format the Russian ladies competition at Nationals will always be better than worlds.

 

[Scott512]

Ive heard before that Russia has coaching quota, that 3 skaters from a single coach is not possible going to Olympics or Worlds ?
Is this even true, why would sports have a quota ?

Interesting. Eteri would officially coach 2 and Dudakov 1.

 

[starrynight]

I wish figure skating use more of a ranking system like Golf and Tennis all do. Maybe take the top 6 in World standing in all four disciplines and then mix in the rest. If they don't change their format the Russian ladies competition at Nationals will always be better than worlds.

Tennis and golf are professional sports though.

As long as figure skating remains an amateur sport on the Olympic format, which secures Olympic spots and rankings, it will need to have broad international representation.

Of course, the sport is always entitled to hold fluff 'professional style' competitions - as Russia has done this season - to compete the girls against each other. Professional comps can invite whoever they want - much like tennis and golf. Provided the athletes turn up fit to these, I really do like these types of competitions - the once off Team Challenge Cup with the red carpet and the broadcasted gala dinner was a hoot. I hope maybe in the future Russia or Japan could hold this again. Once 'rona passes I think there would be a big appetite in Russia and/or Japan for some of these fun, made for TV events.

But success in sports goes in waves, so there's no justification in changing the format of country representation in the Olympic/amateur format for a period of dominance of one nation in a single discipline. It also can't happen if the sport wants the World Champs format to match the Olympic structure - where the whole point is to have athletes from all around the world.

 

[Scott512]

Tennis and golf are professional sports though.

As long as figure skating remains an amateur sport on the Olympic format, which secures Olympic spots and rankings, it will need to have broad international representation.

Of course, the sport is always entitled to hold fluff 'professional style' competitions - as Russia has done this season - to compete the girls against each other. Professional comps can invite whoever they want - much like tennis and golf. Provided the athletes turn up fit to these, I really do like these types of competitions - the once off Team Challenge Cup with the red

Tennis and golf are professional sports though.

As long as figure skating remains an amateur sport on the Olympic format, which secures Olympic spots and rankings, it will need to have broad international representation.

Of course, the sport is always entitled to hold fluff 'professional style' competitions - as Russia has done this season - to compete the girls against each other. Professional comps can invite whoever they want - much like tennis and golf. Provided the athletes turn up fit to these, I really do like these types of competitions - the once off Team Challenge Cup with the red carpet and the broadcasted gala dinner was a hoot. I hope maybe in the future Russia or Japan could hold this again. Once 'rona passes I think there would be a big appetite in Russia and/or Japan for some of these fun, made for TV events.

But success in sports goes in waves, so there's no justification in changing the format of country representation in the Olympic/amateur format for a period of dominance of one nation in a single discipline. It also can't happen if the sport wants the World Champs format to match the Olympic structure - where the whole point is to have athletes from all around the world.

Starry I wish amateur sports existed. I guess you could consider college sports in America amateur sports but I certainly don't consider figure skating or gymnastics amateur sports. Not with all the yen Yuzu banked over the years. Alina is making millions too.

I also don't consider Simone Biles and Aly Raisman amateurs.

I would love to see some Events like Russia had this year but that was only because of the virus.

As for figure skating going in waves that some wave the Russian ladies have. It's a title wave!

 

[Xela M]

Love Alex Ouriashev’s recap of the ladies event on TSL! He’s hilarious and pulls no punches He said the first 4A we’ll see from a 7-year-old Eteri girl

 

[Frau Muller]

From Russia with “Love”...some truly unusual figure skating-related news!

As I was now watching Russian TV “60 Minutes” political-discussion program (on Russia 24 channel), I learned of this:

Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced that, last Friday (26 March), three of its nuclear subs cracked through the Arctic ice in a planned maneuver. They compared this with Russia’s medal-sweeping triumph by its three Ladies skaters on that same day. Patriotic pride.

I found this English-language article about the comparison:

The Foreign Ministry compared the success of Russian figure skaters with the triumph of nuclear submarines

The official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Maria Zakharova appreciated the victory of the Russian figure skaters at the World Championships in Stockhol…

balthazarkorab.com

Here is a short news spot showing the three subs surfacing...on the day when the Ladies finals took place.

Russia: Nuclear subs surface from under Arctic ice in Umka-2021 expedition

Subscribe to our channel! rupt.ly/subscribeThree Russian nuclear submarines surfaced from under Arctic ice simultaneously for the first time in the history o...

m.youtube.com

In other TV skating news, tonight’s “Dok-Tok” entertainment talk show (Channel One) will feature the Russian figure skating team. It comes late here in the US (11pm Eastern) but I’ll try to stay up & watch...and will post link tomorrow, if it makes it onto You Tube.

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

But success in sports goes in waves, so there's no justification in changing the format of country representation in the Olympic/amateur format for a period of dominance of one nation in a single discipline. It also can't happen if the sport wants the World Champs format to match the Olympic structure - where the whole point is to have athletes from all around the world.

Well, kinda. Sorta. The whole point in having a World Championships is to name the best athlete in the WORLD. At least for me it is. I don't care if some kid from India with a waltz jump and creating chaos on formal practices isn't there. I guess that makes me a bitch. I can deal with it.

 

[starrynight]

Well, kinda. Sorta. The whole point in having a World Championships is to name the best athlete in the WORLD. At least for me it is. I don't care if some kid from India with a waltz jump and creating chaos on formal practices isn't there. I guess that makes me a bitch. I can deal with it.

I suppose it would be possible for the World Champs to have a format completely different to the Olympics.

The sport would just need a different qualifying procedure for the Olympics if it was going to exclude small feds out of the regular world champ events.

Although I would say there’s a risk that if a great deal of countries are shut out of the sport, then skating will become even more niche around the world.

I actually find it good that there are a wide range of countries who get to participate in competitions. Otherwise something like dance would just be 6 US teams, 5 Canadian teams and 6 Russian teams - and 80% of the field training in Gadbois with the rest with Zhulin. Doesn’t sound interesting to me.

Competitors from small skating nations do help increase the profile and following of the sport around the world too.

 

[Marco]

I wanna say it is next to impossible to get to Euros / Olympics / Worlds next season unless you have a consistent 3axel or above. So for now, this counts out Medvedeva, Zagitova, Usacheva, Frolova, etc. And I believe the Fed will monitor consistency of the big elements at not only the GPs and Nationals, but also at all those Russian Cups too. The Fed already has had a taste of a podium sweep at Worlds and would expect nothing less next season.

 

[zebraswan]

The State Duma is going after "journalist" ???‍ Dave Lease for accusing the Russian girls of taking hormone blockers. I didn't realize that any idiot with a YouTube channel and a big mouth could be considered a journalist now. Just what he needs to stroke his ego more than ever ?

В Госдуме осудили слова американского журналиста о российских фигуристках

Депутат Госдумы Дмитрий Свищев прокомментировал слова американского журналиста Дейва Лиза о том, что российские фигуристки используют блокаторы гормонов. РИА Новости Спорт, 31.03.2021

rsport.ria.ru

Edit - everyone from TAT to Slutskaya to Rodnina to Alexander Kogan and many, many others have now reacted to the words of the so-called "journalist" on his YouTube channel.TAT wants to write a letter to the USFS ? I am cringing! Frankly, I would love it if they could make Lease stfu and go away, but it won't happen and all this attention is like oxygen to a narcissist like him.

 

[Ananas Astra]

The State Duma is going after "journalist" ???‍ Dave Lease for accusing the Russian girls of taking hormone blockers. I didn't realize that any idiot with a YouTube channel and a big mouth could be considered a journalist now. Just what he needs to stroke his ego more than ever ?

В Госдуме осудили слова американского журналиста о российских фигуристках

Депутат Госдумы Дмитрий Свищев прокомментировал слова американского журналиста Дейва Лиза о том, что российские фигуристки используют блокаторы гормонов. РИА Новости Спорт, 31.03.2021

rsport.ria.ru

Edit - everyone from TAT to Slutskaya to Rodnina to Alexander Kogan and many, many others have now reacted to the words of the so-called "journalist" on his YouTube channel.TAT wants to write a letter to the USFS ? I am cringing! Frankly, I would love it if they could make Lease stfu and go away, but it won't happen and all this attention is like oxygen to a narcissist like him.

You can always rely on the Russians to bring the drama.