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Blah Russian team

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
Didn't think it was possible but the 2009 team was far far superior to this 2012 one. Why are they at the WTT this year?
 

koatcue

Medalist
Joined
Aug 31, 2011
Country
Russia
I'm disappointed with Adelina - she ain't have a champ's mindset..Gracie is really better. And the men field was....:disagree:
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
Sotnikova doesn't have a champion mindset. Where is her passion? I don't know what Russia was thinking sending Kovtun and Bush! All teams will get some money and Russia is only doing this for the money they will get for participating - which is going to be whatever the last place team gets.
 

Li'Kitsu

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2011
koatcue said:
I'm disappointed with Adelina - she ain't have a champ's mindset..Gracie is really better. And the men field was....

Could people just give Adelina a break? :disapp:

She's 15 for god's sake, has a lot of pressure on her shoulders and difficulties to adjust to her changing body - nothing that's happening here or that happened throughout the season is a reason to write her off.

And even if I'm absolutly glad for Gold and enjoy seeing her skate like this (and living up to the pressure that's put on her - poor girl!), that comparison is just way off.
Where was Gold again the seasons when she seemed to have trouble with puberty? Oh, right, she didn't even make it out of the sectionals... while Adelina still won her 3rd national title this year.

I really hope next season Adelina is going to live up to her potential again and kick all the naysayers butts!! :love:
 

RemyRose

YOLO
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2005
Country
United-States
^ so true. this is why I rarely watch juniors unless the skaters have already hit puberty. people put a lot of expectation on these young skaters and when they don't live up to their potential, the witch hunt starts. give it time and we will see if she can bounce back from this.
 

tulosai

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 21, 2011
Could people just give Adelina a break? :disapp:

She's 15 for god's sake, has a lot of pressure on her shoulders and difficulties to adjust to her changing body - nothing that's happening here or that happened throughout the season is a reason to write her off.

And even if I'm absolutly glad for Gold and enjoy seeing her skate like this (and living up to the pressure that's put on her - poor girl!), that comparison is just way off.
Where was Gold again the seasons when she seemed to have trouble with puberty? Oh, right, she didn't even make it out of the sectionals... while Adelina still won her 3rd national title this year.

I really hope next season Adelina is going to live up to her potential again and kick all the naysayers butts!! :love:

Just another voice chiming in to agree. Adelina may survive puberty; she may not but as you point out when Gracie was struggling with it she couldn't do anything.

In addition, Adelina never gives up on the performance or on the jumps no matter how many mistakes she has made and I appreciate that. I found it interesting that when Julia L was asked what skaters are her idols she said Adelina and when asked why she said because even though she has been struggling with the jumps she never gives up and that is the right attitude to have.

Time will tell what's going to happen but I'm not ready to gang up on Adelina yet.
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
She is having struggles and that is not the issue as much as her skating like it is all misery and torture.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Just another voice chiming in to agree. Adelina may survive puberty; she may not but as you point out when Gracie was struggling with it she couldn't do anything.

In addition, Adelina never gives up on the performance or on the jumps no matter how many mistakes she has made and I appreciate that. I found it interesting that when Julia L was asked what skaters are her idols she said Adelina and when asked why she said because even though she has been struggling with the jumps she never gives up and that is the right attitude to have.

Time will tell what's going to happen but I'm not ready to gang up on Adelina yet.

Agreed! If there's one thing skating fans should have learned by now, it's "don't write anyone off."
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Seriously. Gracie was a complete disaster at 15. She's amazing now. Adelina has already accomplished a lot and certainly has the ability to come back from a horrible season where she will have medaled in only 6 of her 7 events, winning 2.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
I hope to see Adelina rebound next year!

But if Kovtun and Bush are the best men's team Russia can field, I hope old man Plushenko can bionic his way to Worlds next year.

And I&K do not at this moment look like a medal in Sochi...they need to put in some serious work this summer.
 

blue dog

Trixie Schuba's biggest fan!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 16, 2006
My worry with Adelina's struggles is that the Russian federation will suddenly decide she needs to switch to Morozov! I like what Elena Vodorezova has done with her.
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
There have been a lot of moments where I/K haven't looked like a medal in Sochi. Worlds 2011, Worlds 2012, some grand prix events - I think their tech placed them below a Chinese team once and COR 2010 where they only medaled because of three withdrawls, Russian nationals 2011 - lost to Khokhlova/Andreev in Free dance - many many moments.
 
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RemyRose

YOLO
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2005
Country
United-States
But if Kovtun and Bush are the best men's team Russia can field, I hope old man Plushenko can bionic his way to Worlds next year.

They're not, which is why I don't know why Russia was so keen in sending them. Good experience to be skating with the big boys but still. Menshov just posted a 221 at his senior B this past weekend and even Bariev has a 210 from his senior B from earlier. But all of them are just inconsistent and they really need to start working on their PCS.

Plushenko gonna have to go to worlds next year otherwise this could be a disaster if Russia has to send Gachinski and he can't manage a top 10 placement....their other men, forget about it. They wont be placing in the top 10 for a while if ever.
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
I just hope Russia has a spot for men is Sochi! I think they are guaranteed one as host.
 

RemyRose

YOLO
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2005
Country
United-States
Yes they are guaranteed one. But could you image Plushenko having to do both the team event and singles because Russia has one men's spot. Cause we all know if there is one spot it's going to Plushenko. Oh his knees :no:
 

silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Could people just give Adelina a break? :disapp:

She's 15 for god's sake, has a lot of pressure on her shoulders and difficulties to adjust to her changing body - nothing that's happening here or that happened throughout the season is a reason to write her off.

I'm not convinced Adelina's struggles are physical. Next to the other skaters, she still looks very small, I don't think she's really grown much if at all since the end of last season, maybe a few centimeters max, and her weight looks the same as before, the only difference I notice is that her face is a lot fuller. Plus we see her land her monster 3lz-3lo combo regularly and then botch her easier jumping passes. I think her issue is more mental/psychological to be honest, the pressure probably has something to do with it, and then maybe she's also suffering from lack of confidence do to the wild success her younger teammates Tuktamysheva and Lipnitskaya had this season. I'm sure she can bounce back, but it might be hard, and consistency/competition nerves could be something she always struggles with and she could end up having a Abbott-like career. Idk.

Also, I don't think it's all doom and gloom in regards to the men. Gatchinski is very strong and capable of getting big scores when he's "on", he's just not particularly consistent at this point, but considering his age, this can likely be improved over time. Also, Kovtun has a lot of promise. His 3a is a rock and his 4t is pretty solid/consistent for a 16 year old boy. He's still growing into his body and is therefore a little bit awkward, but a few years down the road he could probably be quite a respectable skater on the World stage, could maybe even be winning European medals. He has all the goods he just needs more time in the oven.
 
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NMURA

Medalist
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
The reason of sending Kovtun and Bush is simple. Give them the chances to gain some SB on the top 24 list. There's no GP worthy Russian senior men besides Plushenko and Gachinski now. The prospects of Voronov and Menshov are pretty dim.
 

RemyRose

YOLO
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2005
Country
United-States
Well yeah I figured that much but they have a long way to go for those SB. I don't think the future of russian men are bright with any of their guys besides the obvious two. But that's JHMO.
 
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