2018-19 Russian Ladies' figure skating

[LenaRadiFan]

Radionova is almost done with FS unless she proves she is not: her last outing was a mess (like all jumps don't look good) and then the injury and WD. Even if she does recover don't expect clean programs to come out of nowhere. On top of that there is also the fact that she kept bringing for years many issues no one at CSKA seems to address: some of her jumps (like the 3lo or the 2a) need to be completely reworked, and even her spins gotten worse each season.

I mean, personally I would love to see Elena make a comeback, however, at this point I think what she needs is a coach that can put all their attention on her and rework everything with her, because the potential is there.

 

[pearly]

So far, there is no confirmation that either Sofia or Liza will participate. In fact, it is pretty unlikely that both of them will be at Euros.

Is Sofia not on the list for Nationals? Or is she injured?

 

[moriel]

Is Sofia not on the list for Nationals? Or is she injured?

the original poster was talking about Euros and the possibility of seeing Liza, Sonia and Caro there.
Dunno about Caro, but other two at same time at Euros sounds extremely remote.

 

[madison]

I think your problem is more in terms of the choreography itself and not really that Alina's presentation is bad, and that has nothing to do with the skater. I guess you have a taste similar to mine because Zhenya is my favourite skater too and I do look for some emotion and lightness in figure skating, even for some melancholy. However, Alina isn't made for such performances. It took me a while to appreciate this fact. Her programs are not based on to showing those emotions, they're not in the state of mind where I would imagine that the skater is sad, takes on the ice and pours his soul. But this doesn't mean that she's a bad performer. In my eyes Alina is all about transmitting the contrary emotions - action, excitement and fire, despite her fear of competition. This is actually very well integrated in her Carmen program, it's POTO that's problematic but as I said it's more on the choreography. She's doing the best she can with what they gave her.

And on the topic of skating skills Alina vs Alena - one thing most people don't consider is actually whether they have made any improvement. Compare competitions from last season with the current ones and you would see that Alina has come quite far from what she had shown in the past. Alena, on the contrary, hasn't shown any improvements. I know she's good but soon she won't be the only one with great skating skills.

I think that both Alena and Alina progressed since last year when it comes to actual skating, interpretation and performance ( not necessarily jumping).
Alina's performance in the free is more problematic than in the short, although the free program is better constructed. For example, in the first part of the free, she has to be fierce, even arrogant, to fill the ice. She is rarely like this. At the GPF she was smiling during this part. In the short, the role Christine suits her better and doesn t have to make efforts to play it. It comes quite naturally.

 

[pearly]

the original poster was talking about Euros and the possibility of seeing Liza, Sonia and Caro there.
Dunno about Caro, but other two at same time at Euros sounds extremely remote.

Ok, gotcha.

 

[moriel]

I think that both Alena and Alina progressed since last year when it comes to actual skating, interpretation and performance ( not necessarily jumping).
Alina's performance in the free is more problematic than in the short, although the free program is better constructed. For example, in the first part of the free, she has to be fierce, even arrogant, to fill the ice. She is rarely like this. At the GPF she was smiling during this part. In the short, the role Christine suits her better and doesn t have to make efforts to play it. It comes quite naturally.

Also, when people bash Alina on her lack of progress, they seem to forget that last year was an Olympic year (and unlike many skaters she didn't take a break), then she has an OGM (and unlike many skaters who won oly gold, she seems to have found motivation to continue), and finally she is going through puberty and dealing with consequences of a growth spurt.
I mean, ofc she should be training 3A and quads this year, and she is entirely in condition to do so.

 

[Scott512]

2017-2018 season:
Lombardia Trophy: 1
Cup of China: 1
Trophee de France: 1
Grand Prix Final: 1
Russian Nationals: 1
European Championships: 1
Olympics: 1
Olympic team event: 2
Worlds: 5

That's a lot more than 1 to me. Out of the big 3 - worlds, Olympics, Grand Prix Final, she won 2. She also won the Russian Nationals, which is probably the fiercest competition around.

I assume it’s because the GP events and GPF itself are easier for a skater to compete at, in theory (and WDs can make a huge difference as well). Look at Leona. I adore her, but it’s clear RusFed isn’t exactly backing her as a skater who can make the GPF, let alone as one of their top skaters. But every national fed controls the rules about who makes Euros and Worlds, minus those pesky TES minimums, and berths are much smaller: each nation has the spot they have, end of story. The GP is mostly fed politicking — for host nations, no fed wants their skater in the host spot to have to go head to head with their strongest competitor, etc.

Can anyone help me out?

I’m feeling nostalgic with the approaching event and would like to rewatch a video of Yulia’s 2014 FS at RusNats. Why can’t I find a video of it? Anybody have a link?

Challenge accepted

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x18vvuc :dance:

I have found the overall SP competition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o6Ggb6VniY , but for some reason the FS is nowhere

Also, when people bash Alina on her lack of progress, they seem to forget that last year was an Olympic year (and unlike many skaters she didn't take a break), then she has an OGM (and unlike many skaters who won oly gold, she seems to have found motivation to continue), and finally she is going through puberty and dealing with consequences of a growth spurt.
I mean, ofc she should be training 3A and quads this year, and she is entirely in condition to do so.

I can see Alina doing 3a in a year or 2. I don't think she will do quads especially considering her growth spiurt.

 

[vorravorra]

If you followed the discussion, some here believed that Euros were more prestigious than other comps. that involved skaters from all continents and nations. For me, the GP Final, the Worlds and the OGs were much more inclusive in terms of competitors and are known as being the Big 3 events of skating.

Euros, with all due respect, in particular the ladies event...not so much.

In Russia, Euros/Worlds are referred to as the main competitions, the entire first half of the season is preparation for them. There is no way GPF is going to be seen as more important.

 

[Canadianskatingfan]

I can see Alina doing 3a in a year or 2. I don't think she will do quads especially considering her growth spiurt.

In my opinion her 2A does not have enough air time or quick enough rotation speed to even get close to a double axel. Her takeoff is cautious and the jump is very small in comparison to many other great 2A like Mirai, Mao, Wakaba, Tuktik, Gulyakova etc. Rika's 3A may not be super high but she has incredible twitch and a lot of distance on this jump. Alina's 2A just can't compare.

 

[andromache]

In Russia, Euros/Worlds are referred to as the main competitions, the entire first half of the season is preparation for them. There is no way GPF is going to be seen as more important.

As a non-Russian, this is so odd to me, I will admit. I realize Europeans has a lot of history and prestige to it, but the level of competition at the very top is overall much lower than at GPF in all of the disciplines. From a competitive standpoint, a GPF medal is a much more difficult achievement than a Europeans medal.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

As a non-Russian, this is so odd to me, I will admit. I realize Europeans has a lot of history and prestige to it, but the level of competition at the very top is overall much lower than at GPF in all of the disciplines. From a competitive standpoint, a GPF medal is a much more difficult achievement than a Europeans medal.

It’s just as difficult for Russian ladies to get a chance to go and compete at Euros due to the level of domestic competition. Julia went to GPF several times and got one silver. She was granted one chance at Euros where she won gold. I bet it means more to her than any Grand Prix medal including the GPF silver.

Sofya made it to GPF but getting to Euros might be more of a challenge.

 

[Mathman]

As a non-Russian, this is so odd to me, I will admit. I realize Europeans has a lot of history and prestige to it, but the level of competition at the very top is overall much lower than at GPF in all of the disciplines. From a competitive standpoint, a GPF medal is a much more difficult achievement than a Europeans medal.

IMHO these things take time. Europeans was already the grandaddy of all figure skating competitions a century before the Grand Prix appeared on the scene. The Grand Prix Final (or Championship Series Final, as it was called before the ISU got the rights to the name "Grand Prix") was originally just a one-off gala among winners of a hodge-podge of invitationals like Skate Canada and NHK.

In fact, I think the ISU has done a commendable job of building up up the idea of the fall season Grand Prix as some sort of "regular season," to be followed by the "playoffs" (4 Continents, Europeans and Worlds). Even the Senior B's have grown in prestige in recent years.

As for Four Continents, I would say that this unwanted step-child of a competition got it's big shot in the arm in 2008 when Japan started sending their top ladies. The 2008 podium was Mao Asada, Joannie Rochette and Miki Ando, and the 2009 podium was Yuna Kim, Rochette and Asada.

Although, if you look at the men's winners, even from the early days you see names of future and current champions like Stojko, Buttle, Lysacek, Takahashi, Chan and Chen. In ice dance, four times the gold and silver medalists were Virtue & Moir and Davis & White in one order or the other, and the four events were held in Korea, Canada, USA and Japan.

And that is my contribution to the "Russian Ladies'" thread.

 

[Sugar Coated]

In my opinion her 2A does not have enough air time or quick enough rotation speed to even get close to a double axel. Her takeoff is cautious and the jump is very small in comparison to many other great 2A like Mirai, Mao, Wakaba, Tuktik, Gulyakova etc. Rika's 3A may not be super high but she has incredible twitch and a lot of distance on this jump. Alina's 2A just can't compare.

I disagree. I’m new to the sport, but her doesn’t she have a very difficult entry and exit to the 2A in her FS? It’s not what I’d call cautious and I assume that’s due to being extremely secure with this jump. Her 2a may look small but I assume that’s due to not needing to jump high or rotate fast for successful execution. In the recent chart about ladies jumps, Rika had something like a 20 cm difference for height in her 2a and 3a. I suspect Alina is also able to jump much higher for her axel. But she currently hasn’t needed to and would need time to learn the rotation speed adjustment and muscle memory to make it successful and consistent.

 

[DenissVFan]

I think Alina jumped a 3A on the floor. (I don't have a link to this video at the moment.)

 

[Canadianskatingfan]

I think Alina jumped a 3A on the floor. (I don't have a link to this video at the moment.)

Floor is very different than on ice though. I think she has the determination to learn 3A but her technique would need to be severely reworked and improved.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

But she currently hasn’t needed to and would need time to learn the rotation speed adjustment and muscle memory to make it successful and consistent.

I can't see Alina adding a 3A anytime soon. I think she will have to work hard just to keep her current jumps in the next year as she continues to grow taller.

 

[zounger]

About Alina's (and generally) prospects for 3A and quads, how I see it briefly: There is high risk to attempt and try them now, since there are not jumps that she was doing before and needs to keep, but something new. (I mean here that the required height needed for the jump is trained by "try" so far, using your own weight). Plus the factor that she is continuously competing ... If she wants to continue for more years, it will be better if she waits a bit, until her body changes stabilizes, bone, muscles reach their final size.

Then she can start strengthen them by gym, weight lifting etc. jump exercises. Usually this kind of training is postponed until the teenager reaches a certain age. At least that was the case when I was doing athletics in high school.

Even if you do the above it is not guarantied that you succeed, but at some point you will have to...

 

[moriel]

Actually, Alina's team made quite a few statements about this, including "Alina has tried some", "Alina will not train those things during the competitive season", "Alina will work on them off-season".
I find it weird all the speculation.

grab this quote by Daniil: https://www.instagram.com/p/BqPYMbFBunt/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1fvd47cw91a44
"Actually we tried quad jump recently, with a help of Sergei Dudakov (with harness), we tried quad loop and lutz, but of course seriously we can talk about it in the end of the season, it’s not time to risk now. "

 

[zenskate]

For anyone not following Ted Barton on Twitter :agree:

https://twitter.com/TedBarton7/status/1073407409979154433

I did an interview with Eteri Tuberidze at the GPF. I found it very interesting, revealing, emotional and mysterious. I believe Eteri is very focused on success for her skaters but also very honest and caring. Coming soon to JGP YouTube. Stay tuned!

Ted is such a Team Tutberidze fan. I hope he spells Eteri's last name correctly in the future though.

 

[moriel]

For anyone not following Ted Barton on Twitter :agree:

https://twitter.com/TedBarton7/status/1073407409979154433


Ted is such a Team Tutberidze fan. I hope he spells Eteri's last name correctly in the future though.

but the comments are cringeworthy.

Actually, it is somewhat hilarious. Only 1 in 5 promising juniors wins medals at major comps (including GPs) as senior. And only half of those win medals when 18 or older.
But of course, Eteri is the evil one.