Can Sotnikova overcome the pressure?

[AlexRus]

For me, growth spurt means more than just height. She's definitely filling out as well -- she looks a lot different than she did when she won the 2011 World Junior title.

Yes. People whom I know and who sees her often tell that she is now much bigger than at 2010/11 season.

A little story. When I was outside the hotel bar on Sunday night, I got a chance to get Adelina's autograph, she was quite friendly. But after all the fans got photos and autographs, she walked quickly away with her hoodie over her head. I don't think it's because she didn't want to deal with her fans, but more that she was your typical teenager who didn't want to be seen publicly. Sometimes we forget that these skaters are still teenagers and still dealing with their own issues with their bodies and what not.

She is quite friendly with much younger than she, unknown for her skaters who want to talk with her.

It may be forgotten how young are skaters if seeing them only on ice. I know that even 8-years-old skater on ice may look as serious, almost senior skater (only with lower technical level). Not on the ice this skater is a child whose interests and behaviour are typical for his/her age.

[gmyers]

Well yes I never meant to imply I think Miki should be the 2006 Olympic Champion had she skated her best there, LOL! I dont even think she was a contender at the 06 Games, and it was having much improved her spins and artistry in 2007, jumping better than ever, and having the competition of her life at Worlds in 07 that she was able to win (much more impressive than her 2011 win which was more entirely based on the really low level of skating that season). My only point was that Asada and Kim losing to her there doesnt mean one couldnt have won the 2006 Olympics had they been there. I dont think they would have been a lock, but would have been contenders, Asada moreso than Kim IMO.

Personally I hate the stupid age rules all around. I wish we had gotten to see all the best Russians at the past 2 Worlds. They would have added a great deal to rather lackluster events. I guess the ISU was mortified when Baiul and Lipinski won their gold medals and left so quickly though, but with the pro side of the sport dead the ISU doesnt have to worry about that nearly as much as they would have when they put the new age rules in place.

Interesting points about age restrictions and the pro side of skating! I wonder how much this is accurate. Like if Lipinski won and did do pro longer but because she grew after she won and saw no point to continue because she already had all the success. Is that bad for pro. So after they go through the growth spurts and during they still try to do well and compete and win but if that has already happened if you look at Lipinski they just stop. Lipinski also had all the hip issues as well. But also look at Baiul - I think it was the same with her but baiul lasted longer I think that Lipinski. Post figures the age went way down for olympic victory twice but went up with 2006. 1998 to 2002 was I think 14 to 16.

Look at Adelina. It's not that growth has made flips impossible they are just so inconsistent. single flip in sp, split in free skate with landed and rotated and fell. But if that incosistency is because of mental issues related to growth maybe it will improve or she is just inconsistent.

[drivingmissdaisy]

Look at Adelina. It's not that growth has made flips impossible they are just so inconsistent. single flip in sp, split in free skate with landed and rotated and fell. But if that incosistency is because of mental issues related to growth maybe it will improve or she is just inconsistent.

Her flip really is so tentative, I think it is going to be an inconsistent jump for her unless she can carry more speed into it. Her other jumps look much better, aside from maybe the edge on the lutz. But I supposed the flip must be relatively consistent in practice because it's the jump she chose as her solo jump in the SP, and does it twice in the LP.

[Jammers]

Adelina's time might be in 2018. She will only be 21 and might have developed into the skater everyone seems to think she can be. Just looked at Wagner at 16,17 she was nowhere near the top skaters in the world but hit her peak at a later age. Each skater peaks at different times so just because she might be not be a strong favorite going into Sochi doesn't mean she will never be a great skater.

[Ginask8s]

Interesting points about age restrictions and the pro side of skating! I wonder how much this is accurate. Like if Lipinski won and did do pro longer but because she grew after she won and saw no point to continue because she already had all the success. Is that bad for pro. So after they go through the growth spurts and during they still try to do well and compete and win but if that has already happened if you look at Lipinski they just stop. Lipinski also had all the hip issues as well. But also look at Baiul - I think it was the same with her but baiul lasted longer I think that Lipinski. Post figures the age went way down for olympic victory twice but went up with 2006. 1998 to 2002 was I think 14 to 16.

Look at Adelina. It's not that growth has made flips impossible they are just so inconsistent. single flip in sp, split in free skate with landed and rotated and fell. But if that incosistency is because of mental issues related to growth maybe it will improve or she is just inconsistent.

I think the flip is problematic because of a bit of a mule kick I don't know if that has always been her technique ,or if it is a new thing related to growth.

[russell30]

Just seen Adelina compete at Skate America, I think she performed really well, there is some inconsistency probably due to nerves but Adelina is getting better and better and if she sticks with Tats and Elena she will be a leading contender going into Sochi or even the leading lady from Russia - she is the complete package, her difficult camel spin is a joy to watch. Adelina's programs are very nice this year especially Burlesque.

[AlexRus]

^Adelina is 3-times Champion of Russia. So she is leading lady in Russia.

[gmyers]

Single flip in a sp again. She needs to stop with the flip already. There are other jumps. If it's a physical thing. Or a mental thing she just needs to stop it for a while. Enough single flips. It's quite ridiculous.

[Mao88]

Sotnikova has not skated a clean program in any competition in 18 months. I think therefore that we can say conclusively that she is someone who simply cannot handle pressure at the senior level. I cannot see her being a factor at world or Olympic level as she will invariably choke when the pressure is on and in the crunch moments. Gracie Gold showed today what differentiates champions from the rest - guts, determination, courage, fight, and an ability to come back from adversity. Gold was in terrible form at Skate Canada, but within a couple weeks she has managed to turn it all around. Many congratulations to her.

[Cherryy]

Sotnikova has not skated a clean program in any competition in 18 months. I think therefore that we can say conclusively that she is someone who simply cannot handle pressure at the senior level. I cannot see her ever being a factor at world or Olympic level, because she always choke when the pressure is on and in the crunch moments.

And how many times did Yuna skate cleanly apart from Vancouver?

[tulosai]

Sotnikova has not skated a clean program in any competition in 18 months. I think therefore that we can say conclusively that she is someone who simply cannot handle pressure at the senior level. I cannot see her being a factor at world or Olympic level as she will invariably choke when the pressure is on and in the crunch moments. Gracie Gold showed today what differentiates champions from the rest - guts, determination, courage, fight, and an ability to come back from adversity. Gold was in terrible form at Skate Canada, but within a couple weeks she has managed to turn it all around. Many congratulations to her.

Yes, wow. Gracie has managed to skate one entirely clean short program. What a total turnaround. How totally obvious that she will now skate clean forever and ever.

I want to be clear that I like Gracie lots and nothing would make me happier than if she now is as consistent as anyone has ever been. But one clean program does not 'turning ti all around' make. Nor was she really in SUCH dire straights before this one program that I would call this 'turning it all around.

[drivingmissdaisy]

Adelina is a bit perplexing. The flip is obviously one of the jumps she does well in practice because she plans 1 in the SP and 2 in the LP. I haven't seen her COR SP but I've noticed she enters the jump quite tentatively in her programs. I still think she will sort herself out towards the end of the season because, aside from the hiccups on the jumps, everything she does is world class. Her difficulty and execution of elements (when clean) is as good as anyone.

[Mao88]

But one clean program does not 'turning ti all around' make.

Its 1 more than Sotnikova has managed in the last 18 months. And Gracie has skated quite a few other clean programs during that period as well.

Sotnikova has so much talent. It really is so frustrating that she cannot pull it all together. If she ever does, I will be ecstatic!

[sky_fly20]

Sotnikova has not skated a clean program in any competition in 18 months. I think therefore that we can say conclusively that she is someone who simply cannot handle pressure at the senior level. I cannot see her being a factor at world or Olympic level as she will invariably choke when the pressure is on and in the crunch moments. Gracie Gold showed today what differentiates champions from the rest - guts, determination, courage, fight, and an ability to come back from adversity. Gold was in terrible form at Skate Canada, but within a couple weeks she has managed to turn it all around. Many congratulations to her.

This. I made this conclusion at SA, Adelina as I like to call her The Maria Butyrskaya 2.0, Skaters that cannot skate 2 clean programs
Gracie has fighting spirit even Liza who had low SP score was fighting back in the LP, I'm not saying Adelina will not be a champion but for me she is a late bloomer type,
she has nerve issues and needs a Psychologist, She might not even make the Olympic team, It could be Julia and Liza/Alena and No Adelina.

[Mrs. P]

I will continue to stand on my view that Adelina's errors are not mental, but physical. She does not look nervous. She skates confidently in practice. I really think her body has not caught up to the fact that it needs to do triple jumps. When she pops the jump or falls on one, she kind of has a "Why did I do that?" look. Not as in "oh that was so stupid, why did I make that mistake?" but "I don't get why I made that mistake..."