2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Alexz]

I was gonna post about how mildly annoyed and disappointed by the recent post of Tarakanova and interview of Gubanova. But we had this backout for 5 hours here in San Diego, 3-4 areas had a lengthy power outage. Gubanova and Tarakanova, girlies, what you have been thinking.... Oh man, cant really say much at this point. Just ouch...

 

[nussnacker]

I would think Russian parents would be more on top of these things than they are. But they arent or so it seems. I only say to then be more involved in their kids careers. Dont interfere with the coaching in any way. But protect them at all costs and who they may be exposed to like this Rodina character. When I found out Nastyas interview was with her I thought oh no. I sensed trouble.

I think they usually are, they travel with kids and attend training sessions. But Nastya moved to Moscow all alone, since at 16 I presume they thought she was old enough for that, so I guess she was given the opportunity to make those decisions all by herself and wrong people used it for their own benefit.

 

[colormyworld240]

I just saw the Gubanova's interview, and it's terrible. She says many negatives of so many skaters, all those with better results. I'm sure it doesn't matter to Alina, Evgenia, Liza, 3A, etc. as they have way more going for them. I can't tell from the interview - but was it more like she was lured into saying those things, or is that her mentality? Because if that's what she really thinks is at fault for her lack of success, that is problematic for her career. It would make sense if she thought one or two things weren't fair, but to point out that everyone else is just lucky (if I understand correctly) pretty much explains why she isn't as successful as they are. Everyone is jealous and envious sometimes - I'm sure the 3A and the senior girls wish it was them who'd won olympics/worlds/junior worlds. But not everyone is entitled - what the other girls have in common is that they take responsibilities for their shortcomings and work to improve them, rather than blaming it on the luck of their compatriots. If this is truly her mentality, I'm surprised her parents/coaches haven't explained that to be successful, you have to see what others are doing better than you an work to improve.

Plus, I think Gubanova's "unfair treatment" comes from being scored lower than Konstantinova a few times, but she isn't even mentioned unlike the other very successful girls. And of course, the whole "Olympics should be for older competitors" but also "had I been born a few months earlier I would've done well at the olympics" is very telling. This is what I understood from from the interview but I don't understand the language so it could be interpreted incorrectly.

 

[BossT]

TeamTUTBERIDZE - NEW FPs 2019-20 (07/2019)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRvYdWLyHKg

 

[Scott512]

I was gonna post about how mildly annoyed and disappointed by the recent post of Tarakanova and interview of Gubanova. But we had this backout for 5 hours here in San Diego, 3-4 areas had a lengthy power outage. Gubanova and Tarakanova, girlies, what you have been thinking.... Oh man, cant really say much at this point. Just ouch...

My nephew and his fiance just moved to San Diego two days ago. Right before two earthquakes recently and his big black out you had today. I hope things go smoothly for them and such a beautiful city.

I don't know what Nastya T said. Fill me in. Nastya G said some unflattering things a few months ago to that Rodina woman. Someone needs to explain to her why she shouldn't have done that. But the reality is they are 16 year old kids and they are very frustrated with their careers. If we here feel they both should have done alot better to this point in their careers than they have what do you think they feel? Major frustration no doubt. Hence the frustration that they have that is starting to come out. Bad timing for sure but a very good learning experience for both. It's time to move on and see if both Nastyas can have good seasons and make a push for the Russian top 5 at some point. but it won't be easy because the field is so crowded and will only get deeper in the next year or two.

 

[Scott512]

I think they usually are, they travel with kids and attend training sessions. But Nastya moved to Moscow all alone, since at 16 I presume they thought she was old enough for that, so I guess she was given the opportunity to make those decisions all by herself and wrong people used it for their own benefit.

No doubt.

 

[Scott512]

TeamTUTRBERIDZE - NEW FPs 2019-20 (07/2019)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRvYdWLyHKg

Thank you Boss T. The Sambo-70 girls should have an incredible season.

 

[katymay]

What do you mean? This is one of those times I wish I understood Russian so I could figure out what the questions and answers were. But I only speak fluent English and a little French oui oui and Spanish si si.

Did you understand what they were saying? If so I commend you Katy.

No no, I don't understand a word of Russian. But, how do I put this? I understand why the coach was unhappy. She has changed a great deal from the last time I saw her-which was Russian Nationals I think. I happen to agree with her on a few things-I think she has been ripped off -specifically at Russian Nationals. But she wasn't the only one ripped off in my mind. (or at least in my opinion) And she does have a very unfortunate birthday, and I think she would have been on the Olympic team.

 

[Tolstoj]

Is Yasmina Kadyrova coached full time by Alexei Mishin? We don't have news about her.

She was such a surprise at the Children of Asia Games last season.

One of the most interesting layback spins i've seen in a while

https://gfycat.com/melodicconfusedboa

 

[Scott512]

No no, I don't understand a word of Russian. But, how do I put this? I understand why the coach was unhappy. She has changed a great deal from the last time I saw her-which was Russian Nationals I think. I happen to agree with her on a few things-I think she has been ripped off -specifically at Russian Nationals. But she wasn't the only one ripped off in my mind. (or at least in my opinion) And she does have a very unfortunate birthday, and I think she would have been on the Olympic team.

I agree on your points. She has to get it together now.

All the top Russian girls are in stable situations with coaching and training. They go hand-in-hand. It's hard to be a top girl when you changing coaches every year.

 

[LiamForeman]

Your comments about Alina and how she handled the Ashley Wagner situation and Evgenias comments about it's normal for girls to be jealous makes total sense. I think when Alina handle that Wagner situation so well is when I knew she had "it"off the ice too.

My memory is failing me. What was the Wagner situation?

 

[Scott512]

My memory is failing me. What was the Wagner situation?

Wagner tweeted megatives about Alinas backloaded program that won olympic gold and Alina replied that she couldnt do it.

 

[Fluture]

Wagner tweeted megatives about Alinas backloaded program that won olympic gold and Alina replied that she couldnt do it.

Nah, she didn‘t just say, ”Ashley probably can‘t do it.“ It was more clever, diplomatic and subtle than that. I don‘t remember the exact quote, so I googled it:

Wagner’s outbursts “only spurred me on to be stronger and made me want to prove that this is not true,” Zagitova said, adding that she was ‘above this.’ “But there's no proving anything to such people,” the 15-year-old Olympic champion said. “She could try skating such a program at the Olympics and I'll be happy to watch her do it and I won't give the same reaction.”

Asked if she would agree that Wagner – who missed the Olympics – was not really in a position to criticize, Zagitova said: “I think everyone can express their opinion. But perhaps not so rudely.”

I thought it was really impressive, especially considering that she was in her first senior season and at her first Olympics. Some girls might have more innate talent handling public speaking and press conferences and all that while others need to practice more. And if someone like Nastya isn‘t advised and warned about the possibility of interviewers asking specific, dangerous questions, then we get an interview like hers as a result.

 

[Edwin]

Google translation was fine in general. The only thing is the last but one item: "постановка программ" is wider than just choreography. It is overall program planning and development starting with music selection and cutting.

As for transportation, the Fed pays for competition logistics and official camps. But any special requests are out of consideration. Nastya says that she wanted to go for a summer camp with Raf but parents could not raise necessary financing. That was one particular reason why she is looking for sponsors.

Summer Camp with Raf, abroad? That seems to me a nice but unnecessary luxury when you have to pay for the larger part of your basic training. No doubt the Tarakanov's knew what losing the Plyushchenko's Angels sponsorship meant.

Ideally, Tarakanova would have been invited free of charge as a 'special instructor' of some kind. Not many commercial summer camps will have Russian national team members and JGPF finalists in their entourage.

But it was good to see Anastasiya working with younger kids at the Volgograd ice rink over the summer.

Hopefully she will be restored to the core group at Snow Leopards when she has proven herself worthy.

 

[AsadaFanBoy]

No no, I don't understand a word of Russian. But, how do I put this? I understand why the coach was unhappy. She has changed a great deal from the last time I saw her-which was Russian Nationals I think. I happen to agree with her on a few things-I think she has been ripped off -specifically at Russian Nationals. But she wasn't the only one ripped off in my mind. (or at least in my opinion) And she does have a very unfortunate birthday, and I think she would have been on the Olympic team.

Well, while I think this is true (re: ripped off), it's really hard to know for certain. That season her technique was better than Masha's, that's true.

But if her birthday was earlier, and she was Olympics eligible, we don't know how that would have affected Masha, Zhenya, and Alina, and the other eligible girls.

Nastya knew that she'd be eligible for Beijing, so her focus should be on the build-up to that. It's not like she doesn't have time.

You do bring up a good point though about the coach having substantial reasons to be unhappy. Hopefully Nastya can get a sympathetic coach...one who will help her realize that she needs to prove herself in competition because from here on out, she needs to let the skating do the talking. Maybe Lipnitskaya can take her on?

side note I'm so excited for Anna's programs. <3 Anya

 

[Anastassia]

No no, I don't understand a word of Russian. But, how do I put this? I understand why the coach was unhappy. She has changed a great deal from the last time I saw her-which was Russian Nationals I think. I happen to agree with her on a few things-I think she has been ripped off -specifically at Russian Nationals. But she wasn't the only one ripped off in my mind. (or at least in my opinion) And she does have a very unfortunate birthday, and I think she would have been on the Olympic team.

No she wouldn’t. Where were she at RusNats 2017 when Olympic team was chosen? She was 6th. And lost not only to Zagitova, but also to Kostornaya who also is “unfortunate” to be born several months later to move to seniors last year. And what Alena did? She won GPF 2018. What Nastya did? Well, nothing.

 

[Fluture]

No she wouldn’t. Where were she at RusNats 2017 when Olympic team was chosen? She was 6th. And lost not only to Zagitova, but also to Kostornaya who also is “unfortunate” to be born several months later to move to seniors last year. And what Alena did? She won GPF 2018. What Nastya did? Well, nothing.

I don‘t remember exactly but judging from the protocols, she skated reasonably well at Russian Nationals 2017. I‘m not sure whether that’s the case for Gubanova because I honestly don’t remember her skates from then but there was quite some strange judging at these Nationals too... (like, I still think Aliona should have been 2nd) Maybe this affected Nastya too and she got lower GOE/PCS/scores, than she felt she should have. I agree, though, that she probably wouldn‘t have been on the Olympic team anyway but who knows. The thing I found rather ironic was that she said only skaters who have been in seniors for quite some time should skate at the Olympics and then went on to add that she would absolutely have done well had she been age eligible. If this is really what she said and I didn‘t misunderstand it, it doesn‘t really make sense at all.

 

[Fluture]

Summer Camp with Raf, abroad? That seems to me a nice but unnecessary luxury when you have to pay for the larger part of your basic training. No doubt the Tarakanov's knew what losing the Plyushchenko's Angels sponsorship meant.

I wonder how Kanysheva, Sinitsyna and Kuzmenko could pay for all this? Kanysheva hadn‘t even debuted in juniors yet when she went on a summer camp to work with Raf... Maybe the French federation pays for Kuzmenko but the others?

I think the reasons Tarakanova listed are a little strange as at least some of those expenses should be covered by what she gets for being on the National team. But I can understand that her parents can‘t pay anymore for this as they already spent a lot of money on her career. And it seems like Plushenko‘s rink just isn‘t suitable yet for a skater like Nastya, there are mainly small kids there. Hopefully she will still be able to train fully for the upcoming season.

 

[nussnacker]

I wonder how Kanysheva, Sinitsyna and Kuzmenko could pay for all this? Kanysheva hadn‘t even debuted in juniors yet when she went on a summer camp to work with Raf... Maybe the French federation pays for Kuzmenko but the others?

I think the reasons Tarakanova listed are a little strange as at least some of those expenses should be covered by what she gets for being on the National team. But I can understand that her parents can‘t pay anymore for this as they already spent a lot of money on her career. And it seems like Plushenko‘s rink just isn‘t suitable yet for a skater like Nastya, there are mainly small kids there. Hopefully she will still be able to train fully for the upcoming season.

Plushenko has a big rink already.

But I was sure their basic needs are covered with funding either by being on Russian team or Moscow team.
Serafima Sakhanovich got things like choreo (usually done by the coach or team choreographer), skates, boots and dresses, as well as one summer camp abroad covered by Saint Petersburg federation (every single year as well).
So maybe Nastya wants an expensive choreo, a more expensive dress and additional summer camp with Raf, since her basic needs should be covered by the fed.
Not sure about practices on the rod, does Panova have male assistants or do skaters pay for them out of pocket every time? Panova is a slight woman, so i don’t think she can work with the rod by herself, but I thought there’s gotta be someone in her team.

 

[Watch]

To add a few things about Tarakanova's situation, yesterday she appeared on a Russian fs forum where people were also questioning her estimated expenses and answered some questions:

She gets basic training in all the aspects she mentions in her group, it's all about paying for additional courses on the side, which is something most skaters who mean business take as well (Eteri's kids are an exception - she doesn't want them to do anything on the side). And of course things like going to Artunian with her group (she had to stay home when they all went). Or hiring more expensive choreographers. Or comissioning additional costumes that go over the fed's budget. There were also some figure skating parents on the forum as well, who confirmed that the sum she estimates sounds fairly accurate for today's standards in Moscow. So there's that.

She notes that for most skaters, it's the parents who carry the costs. Sounds like her family can't provide her with sufficient financial support anymore, so I wish her good luck finding a sponsor of some kind.