State of Russian Ladies in skating: 2014-15 Season

[Ophelia]

I wonder if this is just the Russian federation applying some fire to the other Russian girls, especially Julia and Anna P. since they had some struggles lately. I think sending Adelina to either Europeans or Worlds is just setting her up to fail. I'm not saying that she does not have the motivation, talent, or skills to compete. She is coming off an overwhelming Olympic experience (win + dealing with controversy), an injury, and zero competitions since February. Look at how Yuna, who has more experience dealing with pressures that come with being a top skater than Adelina, struggled during Worlds 2011 and she was not even recovering from injury.

Well...Kim didn't want to compete in Worlds 2011 and was forced into doing so by her Fed, whilst Sotnikova presumably wants to compete, so that is an apples-to-oranges comparison.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I'm not saying Adelina is more deserving of the spot, I'm saying that not one of Adelina, Julia, or Anna has earned it so the Russian Fed should choose who they think will best represent the team.

Well to an extent Anna and Yulia did accomplish what their Russian teammates failed to do in the years preceding. Get a 3rd spot for worlds. So in a way if that 3rd spot goes to one of them it will have been earned to some degree.

 

[kiara_bleu]

You're right, and motivation can make all the difference. However, I just hope that she feels motivated for the right reasons (feeling good about her conditioning, excited about her new programs, miss competing) and not because she feels she has to prove something. People may ***** and moan about her Olympic win (full disclosure: including me) but it is her accomplishment and nobody can take that away from her no matter what happens from here on. I actually really like that "je suis malade" program and want to see her perform it at full strength. But if she does not get chosen to go to Europeans/Worlds or decide she's not ready, it could be a blessing in disguise. She can rest and take her time getting back into shape, and compete at full strength next season. I know they are strong but I often feel bad that athletes feel compelled to come back quickly from an injury since they risk further problems down the road.

 

[Amei]

I wonder if this is just the Russian federation applying some fire to the other Russian girls, especially Julia and Anna P. since they had some struggles lately.

That would be the dumbest decision - look at Anna P. after GPF FS, did that look like a skater that needs somebody putting pressure on top of her?

 

[BounceAround]

I'm not sure what to make of all these comments to the press.

I agree with kiara_bleu. I think it would be nice if we could see Adelina compete at a smaller event towards the end of the season, when she'll have had more time to prepare. I'd like to see her programs skated cleanly. I have a soft spot for classical crossover and Lara Fabian . Somewhere along the way I moved from enjoying them ironically to enjoying them sincerely.

 

[Sandpiper]

Competing all season =/= proving yourself all season. Only two Russian girls did the latter.

There's nothing scandalous about picking Adelina over Yulia/Anna if Yulia/Anna skate badly at Nationals. Will Adelina do well? I dunno. Will Yulia or Anna do any better? Well, if they have their fourth and third bad LP in a row, respectively, the Russian Fed will be thinking, "Not likely." The Federation--not just the Russian one, but the American and Japanese ones too--picks the skater that will likely do the best. If Yulia or Anna do not skate lights-out at Nationals, Adelina is an understandable choice.

 

[starlight97]

You know, I blame the fed, I do, that's their fault!
I mean, now they turn Russian supporters against Adelina, like it was not enough that she's almost despised (which is hella wrong) by lots of people from the rest of the world because of Sochi.

This sums it up pretty well.
And I feel very sorry for Adelina, with all of this going on, the light in which she appears gets more and more negative.
She will lose one way or another.

a) Takes an other girl's spot for Euros and skates relatively well: You stole that medal! It should have been xxxx's! Russian fed helping you out again huh?.... etc

b) Doesn't get the spot: You're too scared to skate outside of Russia again, you fake in injury etc ( which is so ridiculous)

c) Gets the spot and skates badly (which I think is probable):
Everyone will use it as a prove that she didn't deserve to be sent, and while they're at it, of course also as a prove that she didn't deserve the OGM

I hope she doesn't think about this kind of stuff.
Adelina is not to blame for anything but for being a skater wanting to skate.
But it almost appears like the Fed, starting with Tarasova's comments after Sochi up to now, is constantly trying to make it worse for her PR-wise ?!


@lilahozi Of course! I'm not saying that they can make a program with 3 falls worth 145 points or sth, but having influential coaches like Tarasova or Elena Buyanova... Surely doesnt hurt imo.

 

[NaVi]

This post with have much to irk everyone(I've held back many thoughts for weeks..)... but....

Neither Yulia or Adelina have any prestige to gain from going to Euros unless they actually win Gold. If Yulia can't show that she's a Gold medal contender then I'm not sure you should send her. But people forget that Adelina actually has skated this season at her Russia Cup event... it was ok as a test skate but she was no where near Liza, Elena, or Pogorilaya's Skate Canada level... high 170s at best if graded as a real skate (they gave her a nonsensical 194 IIRC). Adelina was not really ready for the Rostelecom Cup.(some will hate me for saying it, but yes I'm skeptical... she showed her foot around a lot but the time frame was always kept vague... she pulled out just hours after Yulia skated 69 in her SP and a week after Pogorialaya did 190+... don't think it's entirely faked but embellished... and yes, I'm skeptical about Gracie too).

If Yulia gets passed over then only Yulia and Tutberidze have themselves to blame. Outside looking in, the way they prepared for this season seems a little absurd. For instance, they showed up at the first event without a new dress even though they used not having a dress as part of their excuse to not go to the Japan Open a month and half earlier. Yulia has complained about being fatigued yet on average has logged off her vk at about 12:30-1am Moscow Time this past month(she's homeschooled and sunrise is at 9am in Moscow, but still...)... some reason this changed yesterday and today. Staying up that late usually implies caffeine which leads to cardio issues and daytime foggy mind(unless you get more caffeine which leads to cardio problems). People who stay up late tend to have wondering(creative) minds that get bored with drudgery.

At the same time, I don't think skaters be rewarded by sitting out events. Even if Adelina and Gracie's issues are real, future skaters will think it's logical to sit out via "injury" if you're not ready or if preparations won't be good.

I personally hope Pogorilaya goes to Euros(I've said this before Sotnikova indicated she wished to skate at Euros). I had hoped that Yulia would go to Worlds, but Sotnikova should have an opportunity to earn a World's spot if she wants... somewhere besides Euros... like the Russia Cup event at the end of February(not sure how that event is organize)..

 

[stryke]

Competing all season =/= proving yourself all season. Only two Russian girls did the latter.

There's nothing scandalous about picking Adelina over Yulia/Anna if Yulia/Anna skate badly at Nationals. Will Adelina do well? I dunno. Will Yulia or Anna do any better? Well, if they have their fourth and third bad LP in a row, respectively, the Russian Fed will be thinking, "Not likely." The Federation--not just the Russian one, but the American and Japanese ones too--picks the skater that will likely do the best. If Yulia or Anna do not skate lights-out at Nationals, Adelina is an understandable choice.

Not competing all season + injury that she just got off of is more of a "Not Likely" than anything else I can think of. I don't recall Adeline's cup event being anything that would warrant sending her to Euros. Sending Adelina is about the most random shot in the dark they could ever do.

 

[uhh]

If Adelina's warm up Russian Cup event where she was still coming back from an ankle injury (different to her later ligament problem) and yet scored 66 & 129 doesn't make a case for Euros, why does Julia's three free skates this season where she scored 104, 118 and 111? Eteri should stop complaining to the press and focus on her own skaters issues. The fed has been clear that if the top three at RN skate well, Adelina won't be considered. It seems like Eteri has no confidence that Julia actually will make her case onthe merits of her skating this season so she is kicking off in advance.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I'm going to wait for Russian Nationals to take place and await the announcements of who is going to what international championships before I get all worked. Even then I don't think I'll get too worked up anyway

 

[Ayeshoo]

I think the Russian fed really needs to set up a clear criteria/qualification/screening to determine which would be sent to which competition. There really has to be a clearly defined system instead of an if-then-else... Otherwise, it could really spark some internal conflict within the members of the federation (skaters, coaches, etc will be affected). Also, if they don't, it will also negatively affect the skaters who will be chosen over the others. Fans might think she's not deserving etc.

I think this issue as to who is deserving or will be sent to where will happen every season, given that more and more talented girls are coming out in Russia with very limited spots to fill.

Crazy how having too many talents in one country can also be a problem...

 

[uhh]

There is a clear criteria - top 2 finishers get Euros, then the 3rd spot is up to the coaches council to debate. It's clear & has always been this way, that a 3rd place finish at nats doesn't guarantee a place on the team, but will be weighed against a bigger consideration of past performance.

 

[NaVi]

If Adelina's warm up Russian Cup event where she was still coming back from an ankle injury (different to her later ligament problem) and yet scored 66 & 129 doesn't make a case for Euros,

Those scores were ridiculous.

 

[stryke]

If Adelina's warm up Russian Cup event where she was still coming back from an ankle injury (different to her later ligament problem) and yet scored 66 & 129 doesn't make a case for Euros, why does Julia's three free skates this season where she scored 104, 118 and 111? Eteri should stop complaining to the press and focus on her own skaters issues. The fed has been clear that if the top three at RN skate well, Adelina won't be considered. It seems like Eteri has no confidence that Julia actually will make her case onthe merits of her skating this season so she is kicking off in advance.

Why are you taking a Russian cup score into consideration? You do realize scores on home ice are boosted especially for what she put out there.

 

[Ayeshoo]

There is a clear criteria - top 2 finishers get Euros, then the 3rd spot is up to the coaches council to debate. It's clear & has always been this way, that a 3rd place finish at nats doesn't guarantee a place on the team, but will be weighed against a bigger consideration of past performance.

Oh, thanks for that info. I got confused with what Eteri's stand was.
Hmm, so this means that if Adelina recovers and does well on B competitions, it might be justifiable for her to be chosen for Euros...?

 

[Crossover]

If Adelina's warm up Russian Cup event where she was still coming back from an ankle injury (different to her later ligament problem) and yet scored 66 & 129 doesn't make a case for Euros, why does Julia's three free skates this season where she scored 104, 118 and 111? Eteri should stop complaining to the press and focus on her own skaters issues. The fed has been clear that if the top three at RN skate well, Adelina won't be considered. It seems like Eteri has no confidence that Julia actually will make her case onthe merits of her skating this season so she is kicking off in advance.

That's a small national event in Russia with the majority of the participants being juniors. Thus, the above listed scores that Sotnikova got do not have the same weight as Lipnitskaya's scores from the last three competitions which are top international events other than Euro and World after the Olympics is over. We all know that many national competitions give away heavily inflated scores to their proud skaters these days.

Although Yulia has been struggling in this season, she has not walked away from the battlefields. On the other hand, Sotnikova has been skipped off the major competitions so far with the excuse of her injury, so it would be less scandalous for her to sit out from the whole season and focus on her recovery. At this point, none can't be sure of Sotnikova's winning chance of the upcoming Euro and World championships, unless she's shown a practical proof to quell her critics. Besides, she is not known for a high consistency that her contender like Elena has when competing. In that vein, the coach can outspeak for her student's sake since she might've made every possible efforts for her trainee to shape up for competitions.

 

[Alba]

For instance, they showed up at the first event without a new dress even though they used not having a dress as part of their excuse to not go to the Japan Open a month and half earlier.

A part from the fact that I don't know what the dress got to do with all this, but no you are wrong. They skipped JO because they had to change the LP by the end of August, based on the request of Russian FED. So, I don't see how they could've had the dress ready for Juliet when she was supposed to skate to Mulan, and even cut her hair for it.

Yulia has complained about being fatigued yet on average has logged off her vk at about 12:30-1am Moscow Time this past month(she's homeschooled and sunrise is at 9am in Moscow, but still...)... some reason this changed yesterday and today. Staying up that late usually implies caffeine which leads to cardio issues and daytime foggy mind(unless you get more caffeine which leads to cardio problems). People who stay up late tend to have wondering(creative) minds that get bored with drudgery.

I really do think we should not make assumptions based on when they do log in, when do they log off etc. Unless you know them personally, and are with them physically in that particular moment.
I think it's a bit freaky to check their timing and make judgments.

Q: You want to graduate early so that nothing distracts you from your favorite sport.
A: From my resting time, more like it. You see, we are now in the middle of renovation of our apartment, and we live very far from the rink. I have to get up very early and return late at night. I spend all day at the rink. Thankfully, they made a room for me at the rink, and I can get some rest and some sleep there. But as soon as the renovation is finished, it'll get a little easier.
http://fsrussia.ru/intervyu/578-yuliya-lipnitskaya-luchshe-ya-sejchas-navalyayus.html

As you can see she may very well log in/off while she is in the car, on the way home.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Although Yulia has been struggling in this season, she has not walked away from the battlefields. On the other hand, Sotnikova has been skipped off the major competitions so far with the excuse of her injury, so it would be less scandalous for her to sit out from the whole season and focus on her recovery. At this point, none can't be sure of Sotnikova's winning chance of the upcoming Euro and World championships, unless she's shown a practical proof to quell her critics.

OK, but Julia has skated multiple poor long programs this season, and in fact the one LP that Adelina skated was better than any of the three Julia skated. (I'm not basing this on the score but just by watching the programs.) I don't agree with rewarding Julia for what she has put out there so far this season merely because she competed and Adelina was hurt.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

OK, but Julia has skated multiple poor long programs this season, and in fact the one LP that Adelina skated was better than any of the three Julia skated. (I'm not basing this on the score but just by watching the programs.) I don't agree with rewarding Julia for what she has put out there so far this season merely because she competed and Adelina was hurt.

I don't disagree that Yulia has skated poorly in her FS but at least she has been skating. And reports are she too wanted to skip GP but the fed urged her to skate anyway. That should count for something. This has been going on since the Olympics too with Adelina. Yulia and Anna earned a third spot at Worlds while Adelina was perfectly healthy in the announcers booth. Shouldn't that count for something? We should wait until Russian Nationals to worry about this stuff. :yes: