2017-18 State of Russian Ladies skating | Page 227 | Golden Skate

2017-18 State of Russian Ladies skating

I agree BUT this assumes Evgenia is in shape and healed enough to skate - she has a broken foot. I am now leery of reports unless it is from the horse's mouth. I think Maria has earned her spot;she has been consistent, uninspiring, but she gets the job done. She was a bit lucky she edged the Japanese ladies at the GPF. Will thishappen again; I am not so sure. Satoko has gained a lot of momentum.

Not sure about Satoko. She kinda showed she still has UR issues and could be called any day
 
Polina nearly retired this summer and her LP had to be slapped together quickly. Also it may be all she can successfully manage at the moment. Give her some time to come back.

Kostornaya is mesmerising but I've been won over by Tarakanova's whirlwind of emotion on ice. But emotional whirlwinds do not tend to make the most reliable skaters. She's already had a bit of a boom and bust and I am afraid she might not be the safest skater to be a fan of. But then 100% consistent skaters are kind of boring in this regard, where is the fun if you always know what to expect?
 
Polina nearly retired this summer and her LP had to be slapped together quickly. Also it may be all she can successfully manage at the moment. Give her some time to come back.

Kostornaya is mesmerising but I've been won over by Tarakanova's whirlwind of emotion on ice. But emotional whirlwinds do not tend to make the most reliable skaters. She's already had a bit of a boom and bust and I am afraid she might not be the safest skater to be a fan of. But then 100% consistent skaters are kind of boring in this regard, where is the fun if you always know what to expect?

It's funny that you said Kostornaya is mesmerizing. I totally AGREE! Where did she come from? Eteri, obviously, but I thought this would just be a Trusova show, and yet I've replayed Kostornaya's programs and not Trusova's!! I hope Polina Tsurskaya recovers from all her injuries and gets a program that lives up to her, because she is amazing. Also Shcher---ova.
 
It's funny that you said Kostornaya is mesmerizing. I totally AGREE! Where did she come from? Eteri, obviously, but I thought this would just be a Trusova show, and yet I've replayed Kostornaya's programs and not Trusova's!! I hope Polina Tsurskaya recovers from all her injuries and gets a program that lives up to her, because she is amazing. Also Shcher---ova.
Kostornaya is one of the girls who haven't been with Eteri long, it's her second season with her, I think. She was injured last season and didn't show any halfway decent results, that's why she wasn't at the junior test skates and was only noticed at the Moscow Junior Championship.
 
I have a challenge for you guys....if the tech caller were ultra strict at the Olys for URs, which skater will lose more points, Med or Zagi? :biggrin:

The Question is: Do Pre-rotations count when it comes to underrotation? For example: A skater does a Lutz, but 3/4 of the first rotation is still on the toepick instead of in the air, and then the skater does 2 1/4 rotaions in the air and lands. If judges would be strict would that count a UR/downgrade or would it just bring negative GOE but counted as triple?Because if that is part of an UR, both Zagi and Med would be HEAVILY SCREWED and would loose like 20 points each. :rofl:
I've noticed them doing this prerotation on every single jump. For example Zagitova's 3-2-2 in her free program is really just a 2 1/2 - 1 1/2 - 1.
BTW, her FP is very well choreographed I think because even though she puts all her jumps in the second half, I never feel/notice the absence of jumps in the first part. Only when the commentator mentioned it I noticed it
 
You're right, it becomes clearer when viewed together. Anna Shcherbakova truly feels the music, the rhythm, the meaning of each movement, but Trusova is going through the motions, though doing it very well. Yes, it's almost an innate quality. ;)

I would prefer to watch Anna Shcherbakova, but I saw a video clip of her skate and it's the same irritating miming/acting choreography nonsense to give feeeelllliiiinnngggssss......:(

At least Trusova's 4 Seasons isn't as bad, though I'm sssooo uncomfortable with a 13 year old skating to the lyrics of Big Spender...:unsure:
There is a video with Evgenia and Alina dancing at the same time. I have to say the difference is visible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUbDtK7YZ3g
 
I’d grant them unlimited spots if I could :devil:

Soon in the future we're going to see the grand prix final being the strongest international event in ladies' figure skating because that can have up to 6 Russian ladies while the world championships for instance can only have 3.

It'll be very strange at that point. I really think they need to reconsider the 3 slots.
 
Kostornaya is one of the girls who haven't been with Eteri long, it's her second season with her, I think. She was injured last season and didn't show any halfway decent results, that's why she wasn't at the junior test skates and was only noticed at the Moscow Junior Championship.

Wrong. It's her first season with Eteri. Before injury Alena also was showing very good results. She was jumping amazing axel's combos. She had to compete at Junior Russian Nationals 2016, but got injured. After that she lost her consistency. But destiny repaying her for all her struggles. I hope Scherbakova will get repayments for her sufferings as well.

Open Cup FFKKM 2015
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suWHmk2XPBs
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5QrvxdJ9rk

The Question is: Do Pre-rotations count when it comes to underrotation?

Of course not. This is Eteri's and Dudakov's technique (part of Kudryavtsev's technique). They are teaching all their students to do pre-rotations. And it works very-well.

The correct question will be:

What's better? Have a good technique as Tuktamysheva or Chen, but have only 35-40% success on it, or have a pre-rotated technique, which give to skaters 90%-95% success?

For average eye it might be the first option. But objectively for competitions and for career success it's the second. Their results speaking for themselves.

It'll be very strange at that point. I really think they need to reconsider the 3 slots.

Never will happen. It could be even reduced to two spots, like it was with Rhythmic Gymnastics, because nobody wants all Russians at the podium. Soldatova could fight for the bronze medal in Rio, but just couldn't get to there because of quota.

As I said many times before, Russia should organize NFSL - National Figure Skating League. Only for the girls. Many stages, scout bureau, etc. People love figure skating, all arenas will be filled. Big money for organizations and big joy for public. But never will happen as well. Sigh.
 
Soon in the future we're going to see the grand prix final being the strongest international event in ladies' figure skating because that can have up to 6 Russian ladies while the world championships for instance can only have 3.

It'll be very strange at that point. I really think they need to reconsider the 3 slots.

I do think that while they should leave the 3 slots, they could do some extra slots - for example, the top 6 WS or maybe 6 Season WR are automatically invited "outside" the slot system. That is just one extra warm-up group.

For instance this year, based on WS, the changes would be:
RUS: Medvedeva, Sotskova, Pogorilaya + 3slots
Can: Osmond + 3slots
USA: Mirai + 3 slots
JPN: Miyahara + 2 slots

And based on season rankings, we would have:
RUS: Zagitova, Sotskova, Medvedeva + 3 slots
ITA: Kostner + 2 slots
CAN: Osmond + 3 slots
JPN: Wakaba + 2 slots
 
Wrong. It's her first season with Eteri. Before injury Alena also was showing very good results. She was jumping amazing axel's combos. She had to compete at Junior Russian Nationals 2016, but got injured. After that she lost her consistency. But destiny repaying her for all her struggles. I hope Scherbakova will get repayments for her sufferings as well
Yes, I know she showed good results before she was injured.

Of course not. This is Eteri's and Dudakov's technique (part of Kudryavtsev's technique ). They are teaching all their students to do pre-rotations. And it works very-well.

The correct question will be:

What's better? Have a good technique as Tuktamysheva or Chen, but have only 35-40% success on it, or have a pre-rotated technique, which give to skaters 90%-95% success?

For average eye it might be the first option. But objectively for competitions and for career success it's the second. Their results speaking for themselves.
Aren't they planning to change the rules and finally value quality? Or maybe only for quads (well, iet's at least start with quads...).
 
Aren't they planning to change the rules and finally value quality? Or maybe only for quads (well, iet's at least start with quads...).

I've heard something about quads, which will be really pity if they will do so, but didn't hear anything about pre-rotations.

But what will be, I'm pretty sure, ISU FS council will remove bonuses for every jump in the second half of the program, will leave bonuses probably for only 4-5 jumps. Same with bullets for tanos/rippons. Too many hype from people and commentators about that. And I'm kind of agree. But they think it will end supremacy of Eteri's girls, but nope, it only will make their programs look much better, and with their amazing stamina they will continue to beat everyone.
 
Never will happen. It could be even reduced to two spots, like it was with Rhythmic Gymnastics, because nobody wants all Russians at the podium. Soldatova could fight for the bronze medal in Rio, but just couldn't get to there because of quota.
It's not just about hating on Russians. If you allow Russians to have 5-6 skaters, on the theory that numbers 4 and 5 are better than many other countries' #1s, you probably also have to allow the Japanese to have 4-5, skaters, and the U.S. and Canada to have 3-4 (because their worst are each better than a lot of other country's best). And then you could very plausibly have a situation where 85-100% the top 1-15 come from just two or three countries. At that point it is not really a "world" championship IMO.
 
It's not just about hating on Russians. If you allow Russians to have 5-6 skaters, on the theory that numbers 4 and 5 are better than many other countries' #1s, you probably also have to allow the Japanese to have 4-5, skaters, and the U.S. and Canada to have 3-4 (because their worst are each better than a lot of other country's best). And then you could very plausibly have a situation where 85-100% the top 1-15 come from just two or three countries. At that point it is not really a "world" championship IMO.

That's right. But I meant not specifically Russia, but any country that dominates any other sport. And that's why I insist for creating NFSL for the ladies. Look at boring World Hockey Championships, at many Europeans Leagues, KHL and compare all of them with NHL. A huge difference. Amazing shows almost everyday. Many fans, ads, promotion of healthy lifestyles, charity.

NHL even don't allow their players compete at Olympics 2018. They have big money, many talented players from different countries are competing there. And yes, there are mostly Canadian, American and Russian, Swedish, Finnish players, but also there are present many other players from different countries. Creating a league - it's a better way for overloaded field of talents. From the beginning there will be mostly Russians and Japanese, also ladies from USA, Canada and South Korea. And then further - then better.

And also, actually, World Championship of Figure Skating is already Championship of Russia, Japan, Canada and USA. Well, and Carolina from Italy as an exception. So only four countries. Almost all of them will be in the top 10.
 
I would prefer to watch Anna Shcherbakova, but I saw a video clip of her skate and it's the same irritating miming/acting choreography nonsense to give feeeelllliiiinnngggssss......:(
Hey, try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdzxpAGprHQ

No miming - No triples, not even a 2A. 10 and half years old. Yet this should tell you everything. I don't think I've ever managed to get through that step sequence without tearing up.
 
Hey, try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdzxpAGprHQ

No miming - No triples, not even a 2A. 10 and half years old. Yet this should tell you everything. I don't think I've ever managed to get through that step sequence without tearing up.

I love this much more than the other program!:luv17:

It reminds me a little of Alina but without the maturity, but that natural expressiveness that comes from all movements emanating from a really strong, stable core down to the finger tips is there, and a rare quality among dancers or skaters.

They both have that same body language consciousness that feels, reacts and interpretes spontaneously to the music - tempo, nuances, rhythm, emotions.

This is why I prefer this type of performances more than miming or acting with the face and dramatic gestures. Eg. One of the themes in DQ pas de deux is the flirtation between Kitri and Basilio. Alina flirts outrageously in DQ but not in the same way as those who convey it with "sexy" looks and hands caressing cheeks or necks..., which is perfectly great for real life but not so much as a performance "language".

Say, moving your arms down from the 5th position to 2nd position - some will drop their arms, but others will visibly use their muscles to lower the arms. There is a difference.

It is difficult to explain, I think only certain types of sensibility, exposure or training (eg. dance) will bring that understanding.

So if we have a spectrum of this interpretation ability, with eg. Max Aaron (he is a great guy and a powerful skater, I like him but...) and Jin Boyang towards one end, and Jason Brown or John Curry at the other, we can see where skaters fall along this spectrum, eg Nathan would be in the middle. Kostner, Alina and Shcherbakova would be closer to one extreme, Midori Ito and Osmond at the other, Satoko and Sotskova in the middle.

It makes it mesmerizing to watch, like Anna's skate here, even without the maturity. I hope she will try a similar skate when she is older!

Of course Interpretation is only one aspect of PCS, there's SS, Ch, etc.

However, I think this quality is key to the overall impression of the program and is almost a natural signature.
 
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