Russian nationals re-cap
Dance
Russian Nationals wishes
-S/K over S/B. Edges before O-faces!
Check.
I didn't actually watch S/K or S/B's performances
-Team nepotism (M/B) nowhere near top three
but I did watch the lower-ranked teams to see if M/B's meteoric rise is in any way justified. #priorities And I am pleased with Morozov/Bagin's improvement. They do look like they fit into the middle group of dancers. Still think they should have lost to Skoptcova/Aleshin and Shevchenko/Eremenko, but they do look competent now. So not highway robbery, maybe a mere unoccupied residential burglary.
Pleased that Z/G had a redemption performance and are back in the post-season where they belong.
Men
-Our boy makes the Euros team
Check.
Another event I'm not going to watch. I don't know what it says about the level of Russian skating that Aliev can Aliev and still win.
I enjoyed Ignatov becoming more of a contender this season and hope he can continue to raise that standard.
Glad that Danielan's great skate got rewarded with Euros and sad to hear that Mozalev struggled in the FS after being a much more consistent skater this season.
Pairs
They did it!
Also appreciated Tarasova/Morozov's short program. Well skated and lovely to watch.
Ladies
-Kostornaia for national champ
-Gubanova gets great marks and lays claim to a COR host spot
Nope and nope.
-Shcherbakova: convincing win. Tech panel might want to look more closely at her entrance edges, though
-Kostornaia: Amazing SP, too many nervy landings in LP
-Trusova: Loved her fight on that late-in-the-program quad combo. She needs to work on her PCS, projection, and performance so she'll have more of a cushion if some of the jumps go awry
-Tuk: went for it, but didn't get it. Better luck next year
-Sinitsyna: Command performance of the LP.
Now nail it at junior nationals and secure the fed's good will to get on the GP next season
-Frolova: needs more time to grow into a performer
-Guliakova: great skates from someone who has been languishing in Senior C world. Hope this at least gets her a Challenger next season
-Shulskaia: needs a jr B or something to celebrate those great skates
-Samodurova: #still here Inflated PCS marks means the judges don't hate her. WS should keep her on the GP next season
-Gubanova: all the love #justice4nastia
-Tsibinova: another discovery, great skater
-Sakhanovich: not a great competition for her and she'll likely have to earn her way through Russian cups next season
-Konstantinova: choppy skating, weak landings. Next
-Nugumanova: one of the most enjoyable performances, fantastic carriage and arm movement, scores be damned
.
. She has perspective. (As opposed to certain trainwreck members who 
at one measly disastrous Nationals outing or a mere GPF bronze medal or some such).
I certainly had sadder moments over the past week.
Nationals roster got updated:
