It's strange that Sotskova is assigned over Gubanova and Tarusina. At the end of last season I got an impression that Anna and Anastasia were leading CSKA skaters.
2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating
- Thread starter Spirals for Miles
- Start date
It's strange that Sotskova is assigned over Gubanova and Tarusina. At the end of last season I got an impression that Anna and Anastasia were leading CSKA skaters.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2017
The distribution is interesting though. They paired Medvedeva with Trusova (and Kihira), so I don't see how she could make it to the GPF at all. Then they paired Zagitova with Kostornaia, ensuring spot for Zagi if she's up to her game. Bad news to Alena because even with big PCS she is weaker on the TES. And then there's Anna Scherbakova with Tuktamysheva and Tursynbaeva who are kind of on the same level, speaking about TES. Anna has definitely the edge on the PCS, but if Elizabeth adds a 3A to her quad, it's getting close.
I find it funny that they paired the skaters (Tuktik + Shcherbakova, Med + Trusova, Zagi + Kostornaia). Imho thats not a good decision.
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You mean Tutberidze's 3A will skin and eat alive other skaters?
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2017
Who made the distribution then? I know Alina and Evgenia could choose on their own because they were Worlds medalists. And as such they are not allowed to meet on the GP? How about the 3A? Could they express preferations?
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2018
Zagitova has the easiest route, she only meets Kostornaya of the 3A who has the least challenging layout and who she can easily beat on PCS. She should beat Sofia and Masha without a problem unless she herself messes up. Only Rika at NHK can and will be a threat. Followed by Shcherbakova who, as National Champ, has got great assignments as well. These two should make GPF easily barring disaster. Surprised at Trusova meeting Kihira before the final but other than that her chances are obviously great as well.
For Medvedeva, it will depend on how well she performs and on the state of her jumps/combos. She‘ll meet Trusova twice and Kihira once, so it will definitely be tough for her. She’ll skate at Skate Canada which looks to be the ultimate bloodbath. I will need to see her at test skates/challenger to really judge. She has chances to medal but in this field, I don‘t think that a silver and a bronze will be enough this year like it was last for example. So...
I‘m glad Kostornaya has two assignments but I‘m not sure about her chances for GPF. She‘ll skate against Zagitova twice and will likely be held down in PCS in comparison. The Japanese ladies at her events also shouldn‘t be underestimated. If she stays as consistent as she‘s been this past season and maybe ups her technical content a bit, she could have a chance. A lot will depend on how fair PCS judging is going to be, though. And of course on the state of her injury and whether it will allow her to increase her difficulty. I‘m not talking about 3A exclusively, but also combos in the FS.
Tuktamysheva has a reasonable chance, depending on the state of her 3A. She really needs better programs, though, because her technical ability won‘t be enough to overcome those mediocre PCS.
Not confident about Konstantinova and Samodurova but then again, there were surprises last season and if Sofia stays as consistent, gets better programs and others mess up a bit, she can very well sneak her way on both podiums. I don‘t think Konstantinova is all that likely to make the GPF but then again, some crazy things have happened before.
As for Sakhanovich and Sotskova... I‘m utterly surprised they each got one. I‘m happy for Sima and really hope she uses this chance. Her GP is the toughest so chances at a medal are slim but if she pulls of that 4S and has a respectable outing in general, that could really increase her possibilities in the future. Same for Masha. She doesn‘t need to medal but she needs to build confidence.
As happy as I am for Masha and Sima, though, I‘m very confused Gubanova got NO entry at all. I thought she was likely to end up with two! She‘s on the national team, Buyanova‘s only senior ladies student and here we are. It‘s unfair and shocking. What does that girl have about her that she‘s constantly overlooked by the fed?
- I disagree that they sacrificed Medvedeva to Trusova. While Sasha should beat Zhenya, Rostelecom is known for home cooking. If Medvedeva doesn't bomb, she will have a silver there, or even gold (see all the home judging of her so far, including the russian cup final). This is somewhat unfair, I would rather have Alina at Rostelecom, and Zhenya in Japan, as that would give Alina better chances for GPF.
- Zagi and Kostornaia are sort of equal - Zagi has better TES and somewhat better PCs, Alena has better consistency and potential to reach the top skaters in PCs quite fast. I suppose they just let them fend for themselves, and let the strongest win. Rusfed also clearly chose not to prop Zagitova (else, she would have Rostelecom and homecooking, ensuring her 1 gold medal) above everybody else.
- Shcherbakova and Tuktik (and Tursynbaeva) are sort of same level, again, rusfed let them fend for themselves and let the strongest win.
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2018
No only place 1-3 are allowed to choose or rather first place chooses two then second place and third place gets the rest.
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2018
I agree with you guys, I would have liked more diversity in the pairing, to see how different skaters can score one against the other.
I think that there is no easy assignment this season, it will be very close and it will depend a lot on the physical state and consistency with which our ladies will come back after this off-season. Both Alina and Evgenia are competing against Rika, all the 3As are coming in strong, and it's impossible to know now their tech content after this summer (besides the fact that they will try to improve in all the other areas)
I am still amazed thinking that Dasha Panenkova was winning against Rika two seasons ago, and last season was so dissapointing for her. Ice is very slippery.
Also, heartbroken for Nastya Gubanova :sad21:
I think that there is no easy assignment this season, it will be very close and it will depend a lot on the physical state and consistency with which our ladies will come back after this off-season. Both Alina and Evgenia are competing against Rika, all the 3As are coming in strong, and it's impossible to know now their tech content after this summer (besides the fact that they will try to improve in all the other areas)
I am still amazed thinking that Dasha Panenkova was winning against Rika two seasons ago, and last season was so dissapointing for her. Ice is very slippery.
Also, heartbroken for Nastya Gubanova :sad21:
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
I'm daring to say that I'm not very confident that we'll see more than one skater winning both of her events
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2018
Who's your one skater? I can guess but I can't even be sure because of how crowded the GP is.
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2005
It looks to me like they are trying to maximize the number of top Russian girls who get spots by keeping Gubanova and Tarusina on the JGP. This way there are assignments for them and girls like Sotskova and Sakhanovich can have a chance in seniors.
This was actually the scenario I was hoping for regarding both Anna and Nastya. I think they both have a decent chance of making the JGPF and JW this year and that would be a better overall season for them than a one and done senior Grand Prix assignment.
This was actually the scenario I was hoping for regarding both Anna and Nastya. I think they both have a decent chance of making the JGPF and JW this year and that would be a better overall season for them than a one and done senior Grand Prix assignment.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2017
I get the thing with the homecooking..and I know that Med is proped by the Federation but still I don't see how they could make it for her to get gold against clean or even semi-clean Trusova at Rostelecom. It's true that her silver medal there is pretty much secure if she doesn't bomb though. But would a silver medal + probably bronze from Skate Canada (me being optimistic) will be enough for the GFP? In this competitive field?
On the other side, there's maybe a logical explanation behind this pairing and not just politicking. Trusova, Scherbakova and Zagitova are the Russian ladies with both the highest TES and PCS and all 3 of them have very good chances for winning the GPF, so it's understandable to separate them on the GP circuit.
I think that the proping of Zagi was to pair her with Aliona. Although facing Tuktamysheva would have been easier maybe, but she has 3As. I do think that if Alina is on the top of her game, her gold in France is secure. It will be interesting to see how NHK goes. I think she chosed that one on her own because it's in Japan? It will be tough to beat Rika but not impossible.
Well, I wish every girl all the best. It will be a difficult season for everybody.
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2018
How is homecooking supposed to help Medvedeva against 3 Quads from Sasha if they are landed? No PC or TES boost will help against that
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2018
Zagitova choose her assignments herself as the winner of the WC always does. This was not Rusfeds doing. Also the only big competition Zagitova has is against Rika at NHK otherwise she has it easy to reach the GPF
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Alina for sure.
I would not be shocked if Liza ends up beating Anna at one of their events. There is a legitimate possibility that Zhenya could beat Sasha at Rostelecom and a more than legitimate possibility that Rika could beat Sasha at Skate Canada (all things considered, Skate Canada is hands down the hardest event). Alina has a clear path to gold at IdF and could probably even make a few mistakes as she did last year on the GP and be fine, unless Kaori and Wakaba really come out swinging. Alena and Alina would really have to force the judges' hands to put Alena ahead. NHK will not be easy on Rika's home turf, but it's not impossible for Alina by any means. There's also just first-year-as-senior jitters, which are a real factor here, and having your first senior season be this high-pressured will add a lot of unpredictability.
Also not irrelevant: will Eteri attend everyone's GPs?
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2018
I‘m not sure they sacrificed anyone (excluding poor Gubanova, of course, but that‘s another story altogether) imo, that would be stupid since they want as many girls in the GPF as possible. But Alina literally has two of the easiest GPs. This season no GPs are easy but they did pair her with Kostornaya, Samodurova and Sotskova. Kostornaya is definitely the one she can beat the easiest out of the 3A because her technical scores aren‘t that high and Alina has reputation PCS on her side. Samodurova and Sotskova are no treat at all, unless she performs like she did at Euros but that would be bad news at any GP anyway. So, I do think they made sure that her chances are high, by separating her from both Trusova as well as Shcherbakova. Which is understandable. This doesn’t mean that it’s going to be easy, though. She’ll have to fight like anybody else.
I also don‘t see how Rostelecom is homecooking for Zhenya exclusively. Sasha is Russian as well and imo, has a better chance at beating Kihira. So, if there’s homecooking, they will make sure to build up Sasha‘s PCS accordingly.
Sasha will probably have a layout including at least two quads and a 3A. There‘s no way they can or would ever overscore Zhenya that much to have her beat that. That’s ridiculous to even suggest. And why would they? Sasha is their best bet at a GPF, Worlds gold this season. And even if Zhenya gets silver in Russia, she‘ll be against BOTH Rika and Sasha in Canada, so even with a bronze and a silver, it‘s not that likely she‘ll make GPF anyway. This season there are just too many girls who can get such a result, it will probably be like in juniors, where two silvers are barely enough.
So, I don‘t see how they treated Alina unfairly here. She can get silver in Japan but should win IdF. That will put her easily in GPF. I wouldn‘t even get as far as suggesting Zhenya was treated unfairly even though she clearly has the tougher assignments of the two. It is what it is. This season the GP is probably the most competitive it has ever been and we knew that. All the girls will have to fight.
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2018
And again alina has it the easiest , and zhenya the hardest .
