Russian Team for 2013 Euros and Worlds

[karne]

Since Menshov podiumed, I really hope he gets sent to the Euro over Kovtun. Kovtun can be sent to the Jr. Worlds instead, where he has a pretty good chance to podium, even to win the comp if he is lucky enough, considering the result of Jr. GPF, doesn't he?

Unfortunately it's all over now. Kovtun is headed to Euros. Menshov is likely reaching the end of the road. He's been told that he and Gachinski will go head to head in the Russian Cup Final for the Worlds spot if Kovtun and Voronov fail to impress at Euros. However, he's also been told that he needed to go to Russian Cup to do this that or the other thing before, and it's never happened. So I'd say at this point the Russian Fed is just telling Menshov that to appease him, which SUCKS, because IMO he's been Russia's best man this year (after Plushenko of course).

Kovtun would certainly have a good chance at medalling, maybe winning: Han Yan (the reigning champion) is being sent back to JWC (stupid move from the Chinese Fed IMO), and Joshua Farris and Jason Brown will almost certainly return, unless both have outstanding Nationals results and get sent on to 4CCs (Farris maybe an outside chance for Worlds). In fact, the Junior Men could be an amazing fight, with quads all over the place (maybe even Brown by then, since he said at JGPF that was his next stop). It certainly would do no harm to Kovtun's ranking or his reputation to be in that fight.

Basically, I think the Russian Fed at the moment, has the skaters ranked in order of preference for the Worlds spot:

1. Voronov
2. Kovtun
3. Gachinski
4. Menshov

And the only reason Gachinski is getting the nod at the moment is because Menshov is so old. I wouldn't send him at this point and IMO the Russian Fed are still punishing Gachinski for the Disaster in Nice - conveniently forgetting that Voronov was there too. But if it's two spots they want, I'd be reversing that order. Menshov's got what's needed. Gachinski has a proven good record (and a bad one, but he seems to be improving again...slowly). Kovtun is young and inexperienced - one JGPF championship does not a Worlds competitor make. And Voronov has done what, exactly, on the world stage?

[AlexRus]

Kovtun would certainly have a good chance at medalling, maybe winning: Han Yan (the reigning champion) is being sent back to JWC (stupid move from the Chinese Fed IMO), and Joshua Farris and Jason Brown will almost certainly return, unless both have outstanding Nationals results and get sent on to 4CCs (Farris maybe an outside chance for Worlds). In fact, the Junior Men could be an amazing fight, with quads all over the place (maybe even Brown by then, since he said at JGPF that was his next stop). It certainly would do no harm to Kovtun's ranking or his reputation to be in that fight.

Btw, just after Nationals Kovtun told

Yes, I had a chance to qualify on the Euro, but, by and large, there is no place to hurry for me. Ahead is Junior Worlds. It is the most important start for me this year.

http://fsrussia.ru/news/372_muzhskoe-katanie/ (Russian)

[gmyers]

Why?

At http://www.team-russia2014.ru/article/figur/ in "Main" only three articles. One of them - Leonova's interview.

At http://rsport.ru/stat/figureskating/...4/profile.html (articles with tag "Leonova") - article http://rsport.ru/figure_skating/20121228/637478293.html "Piseev - Leonova did not lose chance to Worlds"

(all links - Russian language)

Because of the fact Gosviani wasn't really even eligible. If they think they can send Leonova to worlds after searching the world for a compeittion so that Gosviani can qualify over Leonova for Euros that sends a message. I did read the interviews with Leonova and comment from Piseev but not it's all Tuktamisheva, Sotnikova and Gosviani for Euros and Worlds. And only if Gosviani doesn't get the worlds TES minimum in the FS at Euros will she not be sent. But then Leonova is just barely going. It's so embarassing to be dropped for someone inelgible in the first place!

[gmyers]

Btw, just after Nationals Kovtun told

http://fsrussia.ru/news/372_muzhskoe-katanie/ (Russian)

I think he will just follow the direction of the federation. If they say no juniors and train for worlds that is what he will do.

[Ziggy]

Gosviani's pcs will definitely be in the 4's and 5's in the sp.

Well they weren't. :P

She got high 5s and 6s, as I expected (despite doubling the flip).

And in the FS they were in the 6s, even though she didn't skate in the final group and her performance wasn't perfect either.

Gosviani skated two decent programs (even if mistakes) and placed 6th so so much for it having been a mistake to send her. :P

[gmyers]

I was also off on what her start order would be. She was 12! That was amazing. I don't even really know how that was done. Didn't take into account how she could have benefitted by the Russian federations decision dump the world silver medalist for her. Just take an ineligible skater assign them to euros dumping the world silver medalist and then doing everything in their power to send her wherever to get eligibility for euros. What the federation has done for her is remarkable and extraordinary - and she also has an Olympic gold medalist for a coach so I didn't factor in so much.

[Ziggy]

I might be wrong on this but I think that the skaters with the lowest ISU ranking were drawn in the two first groups. So starting order number 12 was the latest she could draw. And then in the FS, she drew the latest starting number again! That did help a bit with the PCS, I guess.

[silverlake22]

I think Nikol should get to go to Worlds. The fed can count on Liza and Adelina to get the 3 spots, and Nikol certainly jumps better than Ksenia these days, and Leonova has been a mess since the beginning of the season. If Nikol can skate well at Worlds like she did at Euros, she could maybe compete on the GP next season. She is a lovely skater and I don't find her jump technique to be too bad, I'm impressed with her ability to do 3f-3t. She also just beautiful, not only physically but also in the way she moves. I'm glad the Fed gave her a chance, and she should be proud of how she did at Euros, and I hope she gets to go to Worlds unless Leonova rocks it at the test skate and shows her last season form, in that case, I'm fine with Leonova going, I'd more be upset if she was sent despite continuing to underperform.

[Ziggy]

I think Nikol should get to go to Worlds. The fed can count on Liza and Adelina to get the 3 spots, and Nikol certainly jumps better than Ksenia these days, and Leonova has been a mess since the beginning of the season. If Nikol can skate well at Worlds like she did at Euros, she could maybe compete on the GP next season. She is a lovely skater and I don't find her jump technique to be too bad, I'm impressed with her ability to do 3f-3t. She also just beautiful, not only physically but also in the way she moves. I'm glad the Fed gave her a chance, and she should be proud of how she did at Euros, and I hope she gets to go to Worlds unless Leonova rocks it at the test skate and shows her last season form, in that case, I'm fine with Leonova going, I'd more be upset if she was sent despite continuing to underperform.

I totally agree.

[hanca]

so do I! Nikol definitely deserves it.

[gmyers]

All you need to know is what the Russian federation did to get gosviani to euros. Really leonovas career is over. What if she fell or doubled something? Lol. They want her to skate like worlds 2012 every single time she skates now and she is not that consistent so her career is over.

[hanca]

All you need to know is what the Russian federation did to get gosviani to euros. Really leonovas career is over. What if she fell or doubled something? Lol. They want her to skate like worlds 2012 every single time she skates now and she is not that consistent so her career is over.

Not sure what you mean by "what the Russian federation did to get gosviani to euros". Gosviani beat all the others age eligible seniors (except of Adelina and Liza) in a fair competition. In fact, I think that Leonova was held up a bit, because she made similar mistakes as Makarova in the SP and while Makarova finished 10th after SP, Leonova finished 5th. I was a bit confused how come their score was so different. Anyway, despite of Leonova being held up, Gosviani managed to beat her.

So all the Russian Federetaion did was arranging for Gosviani a competition to give her a chance to qualify. That was the least they should do for her, considering that they didn't give her any chance this season or the last one to attend international competition to get the qualifying score.

I don't think the Russian Federation expect Leonova to skate all the time as well as she did at Worlds 2012, but her results this season were seriously. If someone is placing 7 and 8th at her GP events (in a very limited competition -out of 10 skaters), how high (or low) do you think she would place at Europeans? My guess would be that she could end up somewhere around 15th place, and that could potentially damage her international reputation. so actually by not sending her they also protected her a bit.

[Ziggy]

If Gosviani managed to skate a clean SP and the same FS she did at Euros, she would probably place top 12 and get two GPs.

[hanca]

If Gosviani managed to skate a clean SP and the same FS she did at Euros, she would probably place top 12 and get two GPs.

Gosviani did not skate clean neither in SP not FS at Euros. In the SP she doubled flip, that's why she finished so low after SP. In the FS it was much cleaner but there still was some (small) mistakes. It was a good effort and excellent result for her, but if she skated as well as she did at Russian nationals (where I think she was completely clean), she would definitely be in the top 12. She has triple-triple in the SP and seven triples in the FS. I do think that when she lands it, she can be in top 10 (second mark tends to increase when a skater lands all their jumps).

[Ziggy]

Yes, she doubled a flip in the SP at Euros. She would need to skate a clean SP at Worlds to contend for top 12. FS at Euros wasn't clean but it was good enough to place top 12 at Worlds, I think.

If she skated two clean programs at Worlds, she would probably end up 6th, if not contending for medals (depending on how other skate).

Gosviani is elegant, has good flow and benefits from the SWP bonus as well. I am sure that once she shows very strong skates, her PCS will shoot up like crazy.