State of Russian Men's Figure Skating 2015-2016

[karne]

Artur G. has a bye to Nationals because he was the host pick for Rostelecom Cup. However, I haven't heard that he is back to training after his injury. It doesn't seem to make sense for him to compete, unless there is some really compelling reason (like if his funding for next season depends on it).

Artur is the Joshua of Russian skating. He doesn't always make public his plans. There is every reason for him to compete. I am sure he will be fine. He will come back, and he will show them. He will. He will!

I BELIEVE I CAN FLLLLLY! I BELIEVE I CAN TOUCH THE-

WHAT IS LOVE! BABY DON'T HURT ME! BABY DON'T HURT ME, NO MORE!

The first time I heard that cut it was stupid o'clock in the morning and I thought I'd accidentally reloaded or something. It took about ten minutes to sink in that no, that was actually his music cut.

 

[Sugarpova]

btw I forgot the film that the commentator mentioned in the Golden Spin broadcast

Need to watch that
Moris' programm might make more sense then
Its one of my favs being a Eurodance 90' fan

 

[silverfoxes]

Artur is the Joshua of Russian skating. He doesn't always make public his plans. There is every reason for him to compete. I am sure he will be fine. He will come back, and he will show them. He will. He will!

Well, I would hate to see him have a performance like Kevin Reynolds did last year at Canadian Nats. Artur hasn't competed at all this season & there is a real possibility he wouldn't even make the top 10, if he wasn't able to train for so long. Would you be ok with that?

 

[daniiltimin]

It's going to be an interesting Nationals this year. I think Menshov and Voronov should let go after this season, because the younger guys already stepping on their backs. Russia finally got some talented guys who can jump and skate and for the first time in many years it seems like the situation will get better. Kolyada, Pitkeev, Petrov and Aliev - this guys will fight for spots in 2018 Olympic team. I don't think Kovtun will make it to Korea, he is already started suffering with the injuries.

 

[silverfoxes]

It's going to be an interesting Nationals this year. I think Menshov and Voronov should let go after this season, because the younger guys already stepping on their backs. Russia finally got some talented guys who can jump and skate and for the first time in many years it seems like the situation will get better. Kolyada, Pitkeev, Petrov and Aliev - this guys will fight for spots in 2018 Olympic team. I don't think Kovtun will make it to Korea, he is already started suffering with the injuries.

Well, I don't agree with you. They can still compete, they still want to compete & the younger skaters have not overtaken them. Right now they all have roughly the same scoring potential (actually Petrov & Aliev have a way to go to catch up, and Adian is inconsistent). "Finally got some talented guys?" Oh, please...

 

[daniiltimin]

Well, I don't agree with you. They can still compete, they still want to compete & the younger skaters have not overtaken them. Right now they all have roughly the same scoring potential (actually Petrov & Aliev have a way to go to catch up, and Adian is inconsistent). "Finally got some talented guys?" Oh, please...

I think it going to be up to the Russian skating federation and if, lets say, Pitkeev and Voronov will skate on the equal level at the Nationals I think they'll pick the younger one to go to Europeans. It would makes sense...

 

[karne]

Well, I would hate to see him have a performance like Kevin Reynolds did last year at Canadian Nats. Artur hasn't competed at all this season & there is a real possibility he wouldn't even make the top 10, if he wasn't able to train for so long. Would you be ok with that?

We don't know that he's still not training. We know he had to withdraw from CoR but he seemed to be back on the ice before then, just not ready for CoR.

I would fear even more for him if he didn't compete. With the RuFed the way it is...

 

[Sweet Dream]

It's going to be an interesting Nationals this year. I think Menshov and Voronov should let go after this season, because the younger guys already stepping on their backs. Russia finally got some talented guys who can jump and skate and for the first time in many years it seems like the situation will get better. Kolyada, Pitkeev, Petrov and Aliev - this guys will fight for spots in 2018 Olympic team. I don't think Kovtun will make it to Korea, he is already started suffering with the injuries.

Kovtun is a big headache for the Federation, and his way too fragile psychology seems abnormal for a sportsman. IMHO, his only strength in skating is jumps, but his jump technique is really weird to me. Talented as all these young men you mentioned, they can never compete like Plushenko, so that is a big problem. Among them I appreciate Kolyada the most, who is a very well-balanced skater with beautiful posture, spins, presentation and perfect jump technique, which is rare to see nowadays.

 

[Perdita]

Among them I appreciate Kolyada the most, who is a very well-balanced skater with beautiful posture, spins, presentation and perfect jump technique, which is rare to see nowadays.

To think that Mikhail was the one TSL dissed for hiding bad posture... (This is something I've wanted to say and I said it so it's over now )

I don't want to get involved in a thorny discussion, but as much as I appreciate Mikhail and Adian, I still think Maxim has better SS and TR when he's on the top form. And his new programmes are upping other three sections too. At Mordovian Ornament, he got 85.40 PCS... while the other Russian men can barely make it to 80. I believe his FS this season has that much of a potential (I hope not to hear some 'he's overscored' statement as this is what he got and what it is...). Although I believe it will be improved, I feel that Mikhail and Adian skates quite cautious at this point probably since Mikhail is concerned with 4T/StSq and Adian with jumping consistency, so that's holding back their PCS. They both needs more experience in competing at the higher level. But, if they can skate comfortably at the Nationals, their PCS might go up instantly.

As to the Worlds, what concerns me is the lack of experience in competing in a remote country. I think Mikhail has no experience of competing outside Europe (does he?). Adian had meltdown in US this year and last year and that worries me. Maxim and Seryoja at least have more experience of skating internationally, so the fed might prefer to include at least one of them in the World team. Just my guess.

ETA: I thought again and probably what TSL literary said was 'hiding a hunched back'... but oh well doesn't really matter. If one can hide a hunched back, does he not have a good posture then...?

Also, while I did write Adian needs more experience, he already competed at 4 GP events by now, so he should have an enough experience actually.

 

[Sweet Dream]

To think that Mikhail was the one TSL dissed for hiding bad posture... (This is something I've wanted to say and I said it so it's over now )

I don't want to get involved in a thorny discussion, but as much as I appreciate Mikhail and Adian, I still think Maxim has better SS and TR when he's on the top form. And his new programmes are upping other three sections too. At Mordovian Ornament, he got 85.40 PCS... his FS this season has that much of a potential (I'm not going to listen to some he's overscored statement since this is what it is). Although I believe it will be improved, I feel that Mikhail and Adian skates quite cautious at this point probably since Mikhail is concerned with 4T/StSq and Adian with jumping consistency. They both needs more experience in competing at the higher level. But, if they can skate comfortably at the Nationals, their PCS might go up instantly.

As to the Worlds, what concerns me is the lack of experience in competing at a remote country. I think Mikhail has no experience of competing outside Europe (does he?) and Adian had meltdown in US this year and last year. Maxim and Seryoja at least have more experience of skating internationally, so the fed might prefer to include at least one of them in the World team. Just my guess.

Hiding bad posture? Oh my...

Kovtun's SP this season is good and it suits him very well, but his LP just does not make any sense to me and his disastrous showing at NHK made it look even worse. :noshake: Because of the favor from the Federation, the ISU judges really treat him well when assessing his programs in competitions, but unfortunately he usually could not deliver under huge pressure. With the appearance of new talents in Russia, His position as Russian number one men's singles is being strongly challenged. You are right that Kolyada has little experience of competing outside Europe, and lack of competing experience at big events will surely put him at a disadvantage when facing big stars at Worlds. I don't know whether Kolyada has the so-called "nerves of steel" for the competitions, but if he can prove his abilities at the Nationals and finally make the Worlds team, I will be thrilled with joy!

 

[Interspectator]

Poor Kovtun, he finally has programs I like but I completely forgot about the way he bombs when under pressure. Maybe if he loses the Russian Title this year, he will be able to skate with something to prove, to be aggressive rather than defensive.
Who would take the crown at Nationals? Kolyada? Voronov? Menshov? Adian?

 

[Wanted girl]

To think that Mikhail was the one TSL dissed for hiding bad posture... (This is something I've wanted to say and I said it so it's over now )

I don't want to get involved in a thorny discussion, but as much as I appreciate Mikhail and Adian, I still think Maxim has better SS and TR when he's on the top form. And his new programmes are upping other three sections too. At Mordovian Ornament, he got 85.40 PCS... while the other Russian men can barely make it to 80.

I quite like Kovtun and his programs this season and I pretty much agree with you about everything you'ha said
Maybe he has better TR than other Russian guys, but SS - really? Especially in comparison with Masha and Adian (both of them have the best SS among Russians in my opinion).

 

[karne]

Artur is still my Prince, the only true heir to the King's throne.

But I would be happy for Mikhail, or Adian. I dare not hope the RuFed would allow Sergei or Konstantin to win. :sarcasm:

 

[Perdita]

I quite like Kovtun and his programs this season and I pretty much agree with you about everything you'ha said
Maybe he has better TR than other Russian guys, but SS - really? Especially in comparison with Masha and Adian (both of them have the best SS among Russians in my opinion).

I mean generally not but when he can nail jumps, he seems to have a very good speed going into the jumps and he's got plenty of transitions right after them, too. I think that's why his PCS drops dramatically when he has a meltdown. But I agree with you in that Adian and Mika seem to have good SS, and I believe they will get better and better. Mika's skating seems quite funny to me though - he has good SS but you can see he's so cautious not to stumble during his steps. I've watched almost all of his videos from junior till now and I've never known any other top skaters who stumble that often... I thought he had more speed and deeper edge at CoR Gala than in competition but then he fell :hopelessness: But I can see he's improving so I believe he'll get better. As to Adian, I really like how he bends his knees. But I'm not an expert so we'll see how they'll be scored at the Nationals!

 

[Weathergal]

I think it going to be up to the Russian skating federation and if, lets say, Pitkeev and Voronov will skate on the equal level at the Nationals I think they'll pick the younger one to go to Europeans. It would makes sense...

Voronov has a good track record at Euros so I don't neccessarily think that is the case.

 

[mrrice]

You know what I find sad........The Russian Ladies have 70 pages and the Men.........7 :sad21: I honestly don't know who the top Russian Man is at this time. Who ARE the top 3 Russian Men at this time? I know the top 6 Russian Ladies but, the Men......Not so much.

 

[MsLiinaLii]

I adore the younger generation - Pitkeev, Kolyada, Petrov and Aliev. I don't like Kovtun though...
Out of them Pitkeev is my first pick this season, though Kolyada won me at CoR as well...

 

[mrrice]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS22yOdk7Mo

This is a Clip of Adelina and Maxim. Can someone give us the "Gist" of what they're saying.

 

[silverfoxes]

You know what I find sad........The Russian Ladies have 70 pages and the Men.........7 :sad21: I honestly don't know who the top Russian Man is at this time. Who ARE the top 3 Russian Men at this time? I know the top 6 Russian Ladies but, the Men......Not so much.

I would say the top 3 right now are Voronov, Kovtun, & Pitkeev - based on the past couple seasons. Kolyada's making a strong case for himself, though.

There is a lot of bias on this forum against the older Russian guys because they aren't the sort of lyrical skaters who are in fashion (especially in the US), they are more power skaters than "artists" and their jumps are stronger than their skating skills - but frankly, I don't care. I appreciate different styles & they all are exciting to me in their own way.

It is sad. And even in the fan thread for "promising young Russian skaters," 95% of the posts are about the girls, even though there are some really talented young boys too.

 

[mrrice]

I would say the top 3 right now are Voronov, Kovtun, & Pitkeev - based on the past couple seasons. Kolyada's making a strong case for himself though.

There is a lot of bias on this forum against the older Russian guys because they aren't the sort of lyrical skaters who are in fashion (especially in the US), they are more power skaters than "artists" and their jumps are stronger than their skating skills - but frankly, I don't care. I appreciate different styles & they all are exciting to me in their own way.

You know, I'd love to say there's NO bias in skating but, I'd be lying. I love skaters who find a way to be unique and competitive at the same time. Hence my love for Misha Ge. I don't know why the skaters I like have all had problems but, I think it's because I can relate to them as they seem less "Princess" like to me. Of course, I love Gracie and she's kind of a Princess, isn't she. Oh well...I guess I'll have to wait for Nationals before I see another Russian or American Man in competition.