2016-17 State of Russian Ladies skating

[Ares]

Zagitova is now ahead of Tsurskaya in many ways. I think she has more change to make the team over Pogorilaya.

I think Tuktamysheva is done after her appalling display at Universiade.

That Tuktamysheva's Long Program at Universiade was so depressing to watch. After first fall she just looked so dejected like already lost and it only went downhill from that point. At Nationals despite errors she kept fighting and gave energetic performance with usual speed & charisma, whereas in Almaty everything was miserable :-(

 

[FlattFan]

The main problem is these girls are not consistent or have good technique to begin with. The way they skated, they wouldn't make it out of Italy national either. Former world medalists or not.

Lip - well documented technique problem. No longer consistent.
Leonova - never consistent, lutz/flip problem.
Rad - technique problem. Wrong packaging for many many years. Not consistent.
Tuk - not consistent after turning senior. Wrong packaging.

In a sense, they are H&M type of skaters. Worn a few times and getting replaced.

 

[moriel]

Maybe they should consider that indeed. In track & fields if you have reigning World Champion then you can
send 4 athletes if they fulfilled minimums next year, in Olympics max 3 nevertheless. I can't imagine though Spain with 4 competitors in Men right now. They have one great skater, two decentish and after that huge gap and after that skater with no tech minimum probably.

I think there should be an option to accomodate depth.
For example, take the top 10 by world standings, and then award the spots outside that.
So lets say a country has 3 spots - it can send all the top 10 athletes + more 3 people.
Maybe set a max to some number, like 5.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I think there should be an option to accomodate depth.
For example, take the top 10 by world standings, and then award the spots outside that.
So lets say a country has 3 spots - it can send all the top 10 athletes + more 3 people.
Maybe set a max to some number, like 5.

Russia just needs its own pro circuit. It wouldn't be hard to attract an audience and it would be even easier to fix the stupid scoring system. If they incorporated even just a few behind the scenes look at the skaters you could have a really interesting TV show.

Aren't there any millionaire investors who have kids who skate?

 

[vorravorra]

The main problem is these girls are not consistent or have good technique to begin with. The way they skated, they wouldn't make it out of Italy national either. Former world medalists or not.

Lip - well documented technique problem. No longer consistent.
Leonova - never consistent, lutz/flip problem.
Rad - technique problem. Wrong packaging for many many years. Not consistent.
Tuk - not consistent after turning senior. Wrong packaging.

In a sense, they are H&M type of skaters. Worn a few times and getting replaced.

Can you elaborate on the "wrong packaging" comment?

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

So the tough choice for RusFed next year is likely to be whether to deny Leonova a 2nd GP spot in order to give the Rostelecom host pick to Yulia (despite a 20+ point SB gap), or live with having no GP for Yulia due to maxing out their 18 GP spots. Sima seems to have even less chances at qualifying for GP since the case can be made that Yulia would have performed better had she not been injured. Sigh - it is getting crowded up there, though the attrition really isn't as bad as hyped if there is still room for 3 new seniors next season.

I don't see the point of giving Leonova two spots. She can do senior B's if she wants to compete more. Realistically, she has no shot at the GPF or the Euro/World/Olympic teams. I think RSF would want to focus on getting Evgenia, Anna, Polina, Alina, Maria S, Elena, and Liza in front of international panels to see how well their programs are received. I don't see anyone outside that group getting an Olympic spot. There are other skaters I like, including Adelina and Julia, but I don't think they can compete with the top Russians anymore.

 

[[email protected]]

Aren't there any millionaire investors who have kids who skate?

Millionaire is not enough - need a billionaire like the one who invested $100M to build a school for bright kids - I am going to this school presentation next week.

https://www.facebook.com/letovoschool/

 

[sallycinnamon]

Next to Anna Pogorilaya, Polina Tsurskaya is my favourite Russian lady. I really hope she will be 100% healthy in the next twelve months and that she will have very successful competitions. She's been struggling with injuries a lot (last year at Junior Worlds I was there and was very sad that she withdrew :sad21, but if she can stay healthy she will be a top contender anywhere. She's got a very classy style and a star quality about her, something I haven't seen for a long time amongst the Russians.

 

[koatcue]

I miss Yulia skating

 

[Li'Kitsu]

Next to Anna Pogorilaya, Polina Tsurskaya is my favourite Russian lady. I really hope she will be 100% healthy in the next twelve months and that she will have very successful competitions. She's been struggling with injuries a lot (last year at Junior Worlds I was there and was very sad that she withdrew :sad21, but if she can stay healthy she will be a top contender anywhere. She's got a very classy style and a star quality about her, something I haven't seen for a long time amongst the Russians.

I think it is something you don't see that often, not to Polinas extent at least, with any nationality :yes:

 

[FlattFan]

Can you elaborate on the "wrong packaging" comment?

Do you like any of Tuk's programs? Her batwing old lady mumu costumes don't help either.
Do you like any of Rad's programs? The amount of cheap cheese in those programs is staggering.

Both have not progressed since the time they won a medal at the World stage. Both actually got worse and worse and worse. Between the two, maybe Tuk can mount a come back because at least her technique is ok. She just have to find the right programs and hope to skate clean. Rad's jumps will never be better and her GOE and PCS are sliding to no end. She's also very sloppy and have horrific posture.

 

[venx]

Made small video breakdown of the topic. :think:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I5uixqOpH0

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

la da da da da...

 

[just wondering]

Made small video breakdown of the topic. :think:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I5uixqOpH0

Strong! Too awesome.

 

[Naya]

I kind of feel bad for the Russian Fumie Suguri - Alena Leonova. We will never see her again at a top level competition. She could be like Yulia, Liza and Elena R - all washed up world medallists. Or unlikely to go to worlds/olympics. How sad so much talent. There are like so many promising and already good Russian females. They should share the wealth. lol

Well, at least Alena took part in 2010 Olympics and got a silver medal in 2012 worlds. I feel bad for Tuk because at this point only a miracle would make her go to the next Olympics. Maybe Liza can do like Shizuka Arakawa and, who knows, make the team in 2022. I think Radionova still has a chance.

 

[sabinfire]

Made small video breakdown of the topic. :think:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I5uixqOpH0

The skating world needs more of this!

 

[kalee]

Not sure how much freedom the Fed has (vs. ISU and being tied to allocate spots according to season's best) to allocate the remaining GP spots after all the skaters who qualified for guaranteed spots are taken care of. One other extreme scenario is -- what if RusFed gave 2 spots to only the skaters who qualified for 2 guaranteed spots from Worlds + Polina and Zagitova, and gave only one spot max to all other skaters? 8 spots for 8 skaters would likely result in 1 each for Lena, Liza, Stasya, Alena Leonova, Yulia, Sima, Alisa Fedichkina, and either Natalia Ogoreltseva or Alisa Lozko. Which would be great for Yulia / Sima / Kitty fans, but wonder if it's fair to Lena & Liza to have to give up a second GP spot that they fully deserved?

 

[Kittosuni]

I have the feeling Rusfed will not even submit Sima or Leonova's name in the GP circuit next season to accommodate the 3 upcoming ladies. That's gonna be brutal but I think that will be a right call.

 

[Lana05]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQLgJL2AYAL/ 3A without stepout)

 

[RemyRose]

Not sure how much freedom the Fed has (vs. ISU and being tied to allocate spots according to season's best) to allocate the remaining GP spots after all the skaters who qualified for guaranteed spots are taken care of. One other extreme scenario is -- what if RusFed gave 2 spots to only the skaters who qualified for 2 guaranteed spots from Worlds + Polina and Zagitova, and gave only one spot max to all other skaters? 8 spots for 8 skaters would likely result in 1 each for Lena, Liza, Stasya, Alena Leonova, Yulia, Sima, Alisa Fedichkina, and either Natalia Ogoreltseva or Alisa Lozko. Which would be great for Yulia / Sima / Kitty fans, but wonder if it's fair to Lena & Liza to have to give up a second GP spot that they fully deserved?

I don't think they have that much freedom. The other feds can invite who they want within reason and don't even have to take 3 Russian ladies (look at SA). The higher you are on that list, the more likely you will get 2. So Elena will definitely get 2 so will Liza and maybe Stanislava depending on how JW goes. I don't think the Russian Fed will sacrafice those 3 ladies for Serafima/Fedichkina/Ogoreltseva/Lozko.

Leonova may get 1 if the fed submit her name, the rest are screwed without a host pick cause at this point there's only 1 spot left (2 if they drop Leonova). I don't even think Fedichkina/Ogoreltseva/Lozko are moving up to the Senior GP, they are low on the SB list I mean, Julia is low too but she has a Olympic/World medal, World Junior champ, etc so I will be shocked if she doesn't get that host pick at Rostelecom vs Serafima/Fedichkina/Ogoreltseva/Lozko. And that's assuming all 6 feds will have 3 Russian ladies.