2017-18 State of Russian Ladies skating

[Mawwerg]

WOW, some people are actually predicting that Kostornaya will win junior worlds over Trusova. Even Jackie Wong said it’ll happen. Guys, the technical skater always beats the “artistic” skater. Trusova may have weaker spins, but she’s got quads(plural) and is running away with the title this week even if she falls on both of them.

It's not so easy. Kihira plans 3A+3T and 3A in her free program. Trusova has no room for a mistake outside the quad.

 

[Scott512]

That might start once they compete with the Seniors.

True. Sad but true.

 

[Grin]

It's not so easy. Kihira plans 3A+3T and 3A in her free program. Trusova has no room for a mistake outside the quad.

Rika can also finish 3rd if she makes a mistake. And I think clean Alena has pretty good chances to win

 

[Lightstar]

To be honest i can see kostornaya beat trusova! Because she was very close to her always! And now she is the russian nationals bronze medalist! Since then she didn't compete internationally!

 

[Grin]

True. Sad but true.

I remember Canadian commentators praising Alina when she was junior (beautiful jumps, nice tano, high TES, etc.) It has changed to toilet break jokes in less than a year.

 

[Shayuki]

WOW, some people are actually predicting that Kostornaya will win junior worlds over Trusova. Even Jackie Wong said it’ll happen. Guys, the technical skater always beats the “artistic” skater. Trusova may have weaker spins, but she’s got quads(plural) and is running away with the title this week even if she falls on both of them.

Especially at juniors where everyone gets pretty much the same PCS, the most technical skater ALWAYS wins. Only in seniors is it possible that the most artistic skater wins because the PCS range is far higher(Although Zagitova had a different plan).

What?!? What more could you want. Polina’s and Alina’s jumps are awesome, Zhenya and Mary Sot’s Artistry is also. They are all graceful and technically sound performers/athletes. IMO the best group of ladies Russia has produced.

Well, if I'm being honest... I see Trusova and Shcherbakova being the top 2 ladies at this point in time. The rest could fight for the role of being #3. It's just hard to imagine... I mean, Shcherbakova even after returning from injury and without her jumps having recovered at all(They're smaller than anyone but Miyahara's) she still does the same content as Zagitova, while Trusova has a quad and might have two of them and 3A as soon as next season.

On potential puberty issues, Shcherbakova's someone I'm much more confident in(She's thinner than Medvedeva) than Trusova's puberty and she should also be more competitive in a landscape without any of the difficult jumps.

By the way, there's something a little off with Kostornaia and I'm not entirely sure what it is. I think she's a weaker dancer than even Trusova, interestingly enough. Kind of up in the air regarding her potential...

 

[Mawwerg]

Rika can also finish 3rd if she makes a mistake. And I think clean Alena has pretty good chances to win

Certainly. All three girls are superb. I think Trusova is the only one who can make one mistake and win even if other two skate clean.

 

[atsumiri]

I remember Canadian commentators praising Alina when she was junior (beautiful jumps, nice tano, high TES, etc.) It has changed to toilet break jokes in less than a year.

she wasn't a threat for them a year ago)

 

[Shayuki]

Doesn't work! You already did so many tries, Shayuki, to show the people how cool it can be to follow novices and pre-novices skaters, but you know the respond... Nothing.

Not on the majority but if there's one or two who become curious... Well, I'll say that it's much more interesting for me when almost every day there's something interesting to watch. And in fact, the level at some truly random Russian local competition tends to be higher than even around 80% of the world championship skates so it's allowed me to enjoy watching figure skating much more extensively than before. To me, people are truly missing out... Well, in any case. Let's see if something interesting happens on the 11th.

It's not so easy. Kihira plans 3A+3T and 3A in her free program. Trusova has no room for a mistake outside the quad.

Despite planning 3A+3T and a 3A, Kihira's base value is only 68.19. Shcherbakova's is 66.09 and that's of course without any 3As or quads. Trusova without quad would have slightly higher BV, 66.59(assuming she does a 2Lo). Trusova's with a quad - her current layout - is 71.13.

So Kihira with 3A and 3A+3T only adds 1.60 in BV over a quadless Trusova. It's ridiculously ineffective, her layout.


By the way, why don't other skaters do what Trusova does? Flying change foot combination spin, Change foot combination spin, Flying camel spin. She gains so many points over others in spin base value. She does not do a layback, for example - She does a spin that is worth 0.5 points more in BV. Why do others not? She's seen as a weak spinner but no one else has more spin BV than her as far as I know, seniors included.

 

[Grin]

Imagime, suddenly clean Stasya gets 1st place with 37+77 PCS. I'm just kidding (am I?)

 

[Scott512]

I remember Canadian commentators praising Alina when she was junior (beautiful jumps, nice tano, high TES, etc.) It has changed to toilet break jokes in less than a year.

Really? Wow. Sad. I know Canada wants a dynasty in figure skating the way the Russians had for many years. But that may not happen. but it is kind of disappointing to know analysts and announcers love someone as a junior and then create criticism as a senior because they're a threat to the top Canadian women and it's pretty obvious that Alina zagitova and if Evgenia Medvedeva have usurped the top Canadian women.

 

[tars]

Guys are we set for an age of dominance set for the next quad between the most awesome Russian senior ladies around today: Zhenya, Alina, Mary Sot and Polina? I would like to see these four aged 15-18 dominate domestic and international competition for the next four years when they’ll be 19-22. I think it’s doable. What do you guys think? Juniors are fine but these four special.

I doubt any of them will manage to get on the team.
There is a slight chance one or two will still be competing in GP, but even that seems doubtful.
I sincerely want to be wrong about this, but the trend looks obvious.
Tbh, I'm even worried about my fave Shcherbakova, who will be 18 in 2022. :hopelessness:

 

[Shayuki]

I doubt any of them will manage to get on the team.
There is a slight chance one or two will still be competing in GP, but even that seems doubtful.
I sincerely want to be wrong about this, but the trend looks obvious.
Tbh, I'm even worried about my fave Shcherbakova, who will be 18 in 2022. :hopelessness:

Yeah, it's a worry. And for Shcherbakova in specific, the worry's even greater because I always see her as fragile like a tree branch that I really hope will not snap. That's my biggest worry, truly. I'm totally confident in her doing amazingly if she is able to be healthy throughout, but... Well, at least puberty should most likely not be a huge issue for her so the projection for her jumps lasting would be much better than it could for some others.

A positive is that the 05-06s don't look that amazing. Kanysheva just doesn't have the star qualities at all in my opinion, at best she could be the next Sotskova, I feel. The 2006s are curious because while Kamila Valieva struggles mightily right now, she actually does have the potential for great things if she ever figures it out. And she would actually be able to bring some true flexibility back which ladies' skating has missed since Lipnitskaya's retirement. Well, not to that extent of course. I guess we'd have to wait until, eh... right, who is there that's so flexible? Zhilina?

 

[puremagic]

The 2006s are curious because while Kamila Valieva struggles mightily right now, she actually does have the potential for great things if she ever figures it out. And she would actually be able to bring some true flexibility back which ladies' skating has missed since Lipnitskaya's retirement. Well, not to that extent of course. I guess we'd have to wait until, eh... right, who is there that's so flexible? Zhilina?

Anfisa Ryabova also has very good flexibility but somehow only one spin of hers looks good. And, so flexible is maybe only Zhilina, but pretty nice flexibility have Nika Ryabinina, Sofia Muravyova, Sofia Samodelkina and, of course, this little cutie.

 

[SnowWhite]

Yeah, it's a worry. And for Shcherbakova in specific, the worry's even greater because I always see her as fragile like a tree branch that I really hope will not snap. That's my biggest worry, truly. I'm totally confident in her doing amazingly if she is able to be healthy throughout, but... Well, at least puberty should most likely not be a huge issue for her so the projection for her jumps lasting would be much better than it could for some others.

A positive is that the 05-06s don't look that amazing. Kanysheva just doesn't have the star qualities at all in my opinion, at best she could be the next Sotskova, I feel. The 2006s are curious because while Kamila Valieva struggles mightily right now, she actually does have the potential for great things if she ever figures it out. And she would actually be able to bring some true flexibility back which ladies' skating has missed since Lipnitskaya's retirement. Well, not to that extent of course. I guess we'd have to wait until, eh... right, who is there that's so flexible? Zhilina?

Yeah, looking at the prospects list, a couple of the current junior girls might be okay because the group behind them isn't as strong. Of course there are some who could put it together and someone could be like Zagitova and come out of nowhere a bit. But I hope one or two of these girls makes it to the Olympics.

 

[plushyfan]

I remember Canadian commentators praising Alina when she was junior (beautiful jumps, nice tano, high TES, etc.) It has changed to toilet break jokes in less than a year.

Why I'm not surprised?

 

[VenusHalley]

I remember Canadian commentators praising Alina when she was junior (beautiful jumps, nice tano, high TES, etc.) It has changed to toilet break jokes in less than a year.

well, maybe you look for different things in junior and senior skating.

Alina's program fit the childish juniorish theme... "wow, that child is so good". But if she is doing it among women... it looks bit... immature.

 

[Grin]

well, maybe you look for different things in junior and senior skating.

Alina's program fit the childish juniorish theme... "wow, that child is so good". But if she is doing it among women... it looks bit... immature.

It wasn't "wow, that child is so good". It was "the sofistication of body movenent says: I'm more senior than junior". "How do you teach this musical awareness, this sensativity to the blade?"
And my favorite "she really makes each moment of the program a real moment, each thing is just delivered like a little jewel". And yes, they are talking about 1st half of her program (suddenly front-empty at oly)
https://youtu.be/Wi_mKcMomZI

 

[Koatterce]

It wasn't "wow, that child is so good". It was "the sofistication of body movenent says us: I'm more senior than junior". "How do you teach this musical awareness, this sensativity to the blade?"
And my favorite "she really makes each moment of the program a real moment, each thing is just delivered like a little jewel". And yes, they are talking about 1st half of her program (suddenly front-empty at oly)
https://youtu.be/Wi_mKcMomZI

okay I don't know what they used to say, but I went and rewatched the olympic programs and they do compliment her skating (some examples below)

SP:
"to say she had a breakthrough season would be an understatement" and goes on to list her wins
"she's strong in every element"
"incredible skate"
"very fast free leg into extension after her jump"

FS:
"we will see some beautiful skating in the first half"
"impresses you with her skating"
"if they opened up the rules, she would kill" (in a good way, as in her technical abilities are so good that she can't use them all in her program)
gushes about her technical abilities
"it was an honour to be here and see what she can do"

 

[Spirals for Miles]

I really hope that Panenkova can go senior next year, considering that she didn't qualify to elder age nationals (which is the fault of the qualification system...)

oh Dasha