2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Tolstoj]

I don't think you can really compare Trusova with Zhenya, they are at different stages of their careers: it would be more fair to compare Zhenya with Zagitova.

As for where Zhenya is improving what they are working on, clearly they are still trying to fix the issues with the weaker jumps, 2a and lutz edge (cause the jump itself is very consistent), more transitions on jumps (i noticed a new entrance for the 3flip) and apparently quad salchow.

Artistically they are working on the flow, but most importantly on the artistic range because when Evgenia was with Eteri, she was very much skating to the same type of music: usually piano heavy with some violin, and really the mimicking was the only thing that defined if the mood for the program was happy or sad and serious.

That's actually one other criticism you could say about Eteri's group, they tend to give one style for each skater and stick to it, think about Zagitova skating only to warhorses or Evgenia with the pantomime,... They got the memo last season, and i saw improvements on that as well with new styles of music for all their skaters except maybe Trusova.

 

[Edwin]

Could you translate what she said?

There was just a picture with the words:

"Anya, what starts have you planned?
Would very much like to see you."

"At the moment, to none"

 

[andromache]

If I can rely on friends who saw Anna and Sasha on world juniors. According to them from the first moment they stepped on the ice it was clear they are totally above the rest and not because of jumps but because all their movement on the ice, it was (according to them) much more obvious than from the screen.

As for Liza. I liked how she performed on test skates a week ago. But in comparison to that her competition performance in Italy was rather like just an average rehearsal.

I am sure Anna and Sasha were above the rest at Junior Worlds. And they were scored that way! But it is possible that Anna seemed "juniorish" skating so soon after Liza in this particular SP, at least according to the judges. (Also, speed and ice coverage can differ from competition to competition - sometimes a skater can be tired and slow, for example.) We also know that judges like to give higher PCS to ladies with top technical content, and Liza did a 3A and Anna did not. By the LP, Anna had a 4Lz and she received slightly higher PCS than Liza. I think it won't be long until Anna gets higher PCS than Liza by a larger margin, if Anna continues to skate clean. Especially in the LP, which I think will be a signature program for Anna.

 

[Blacknight]

I think Zhenya does a much better job of expressing her music and performing that Trusova does, at least in the LP. I thought Trusova's LP at test skates looked like a jumping drill - I didn't really see her projecting the character of Daenerys (or any character) at all. Trusova is extremely fast though, which is an advantage over Zhenya, and I do think that Trusova will get better at projecting once she gets more used to the program.

To me, Zhenya is the best in the world at expressing/projecting her character or the emotions of the music. She draws you in to feel the emotions of the program through the emotions she expresses throughout. That is part of PCS, but not all of it.

Maybe sometimes zhenya was so but now definitely not. It looks like she have to bite the bullet and skate with only thought in her mind do not fall. And if you speak cant imagine trusova interpretate any character its prejudice or hate on my opinion.

 

[andromache]

Maybe sometimes zhenya was so but now definitely not. It looks like she have to bite the bullet and skate with only thought in her mind do not fall. And if you speak cant imagine trusova interpretate any character its prejudice or hate on my opinion.

I'm sure Trusova is capable of it. I thought her projection in her SP last season was fantastic. In her LP it was good in parts, but not throughout. As for this season, I'm not sold yet, but we have a long way to go.

Please do not react so strongly to someone simply expressing a difference of opinion.

 

[believed]

Maybe sometimes zhenya was so but now definitely not. It looks like she have to bite the bullet and skate with only thought in her mind do not fall. And if you speak cant imagine trusova interpretate any character its prejudice or hate on my opinion.

That seems like an overreaction.

 

[*~RussianBleux~*]

I haven’t had a chance to state my thoughts on the JGP Chelyabinsk yet but I have to say I am ALL in on Kamila. She is like 3A wrapped into one - Sasha’s consistency, Alena’s skating skills, speed, artistry, and expressiveness, Anna’s delicacy and exquisite positions. This is going to make her a force to be reckoned with. Obviously I am an Alysa fan but even I will say that if she loses to Kamila it will be fair. You simply cannot deny her qualities in comparison to others, especially of the same age. I watch skating with my family. We are all American and excited about Alysa but in loooooooove with Kamila!!

Kseniia Sinitsyna has really stepped up since missing a second JGP and the final last year. With every performance it seems that she shows better performance qualities. Her transitions, movements, facial expressions, bringing the audience in. The step sequence!!!! props for level 4 in both short program and free and the highest score on this element in the event! My she is a beautiful skater! While I would agree with the panel that she falls just short of Kamila on the PCS overall, IMO she is right in there with the other Eteri girls that demonstrate similar skating like Usacheva and Kanysheva and I hope that she will receive credit for this. The satisfied look on her face in the KnC, smiling, giving the thumbs up sign and making the heart. She knew she has done what she needed to do. It was adorable! And she is such a beautiful girl. I don’t know what it is but something about her reminds me of a doll. I think it might be her face and skating combined lol. She is precious doll on the ice.I truly love everything about her.

I am beyond proud of Viktoria Vasilieva for coming out of her injury and skating like that in her first assignment. She is another one who has worked on her consistency and really upped her game over the last year and I really dig her style. She may not be the the absolute best in the PCS categories and drawing the audience into her performance, but her skating skills and speed! She just flies across the ice! If I cannot have Anna Tarusina then Viktoria is the next best thing (probably equal at this point - I just love Anna). It was wonderful to see her receive 131 for this same program that was criminally underscored on the JGP last year.

I hope Kseniia and Vika both make the final along with Kamila!

 

[ancientpeas]

I kind of see Alena has the high water mark at this point. She is the full package to me. I'm really hopeful that she has a great career. I'm a little afraid though. Every time I get deeply invested I get my heart squashed a little-especially in ladies. I usually enjoy skating the most when I'm less emotionally involved in the outcome.

But if in 2022 the best lady is not the one I want it to be I hope she wins. In the end I always want the best skater to win. I don't think it benefits the sport to have the wrong person win just because they are my personal emotional favourite. I was hoping for Satoko or Evgenia (for very different reasons in 2018) but I think Alina was the correct winner. If Trusova or Anna S. is the best in 2022 or 2020 then I hops she wins. It will be hard not to root for Alina as a sentimental favourite. I do think 2022 will probably be between 3 Russian ladies and Rika (early prediction).

Right now I'm really enjoying Evgenia's growth and maturity on the ice in her two programs. I definitely prefer these programs to last years programs. I think these ones are a much better fit.

 

[*~RussianBleux~*]

There was just a picture with the words:

"Anya, what starts have you planned?
Would very much like to see you."

"At the moment, to none"

Thank you. At this point I fear the injury is going to hinder her career. She had a real chance to make the final this year after being so solid for all of last year and is now losing ground and reputation by the minute. If she has no starts planned then it sounds like no Cup events, which if I am correct means no nationals so she is likely out for the year.

It will be painfully difficult to get out of Russia moving forward. Her only chance now is to come back and get a quad, which I believe she is capable of because the girls who so far have demonstrated quads have also shown similar consistency on triples. But who knows if the injury will even allow this. I am so sad for her. :-(

 

[SkateSkates]

I kind of see Alena has the high water mark at this point. She is the full package to me. I'm really hopeful that she has a great career. I'm a little afraid though. Every time I get deeply invested I get my heart squashed a little-especially in ladies. I usually enjoy skating the most when I'm less emotionally involved in the outcome.

But if in 2022 the best lady is not the one I want it to be I hope she wins. In the end I always want the best skater to win. I don't think it benefits the sport to have the wrong person win just because they are my personal emotional favourite. I was hoping for Satoko or Evgenia (for very different reasons in 2018) but I think Alina was the correct winner. If Trusova or Anna S. is the best in 2022 or 2020 then I hops she wins. It will be hard not to root for Alina as a sentimental favourite. I do think 2022 will probably be between 3 Russian ladies and Rika (early prediction).

Right now I'm really enjoying Evgenia's growth and maturity on the ice in her two programs. I definitely prefer these programs to last years programs. I think these ones are a much better fit.

I also hope the best lady will win. Not just the big events, but the smaller challengers and senior Bs too. I want consistent scoring. I hope the scoring at Nepela this weekend makes more sense than Lombardia and ACI did last weekend. How can skaters know what to work on when the calls between the SP/LP don’t add up? Or from event to event? This is a larger issue but it needs to be solved for ASAP as the scoring from this weekend didn’t align with the rule book.

 

[ssffww]

Maybe sometimes zhenya was so but now definitely not. It looks like she have to bite the bullet and skate with only thought in her mind do not fall. And if you speak cant imagine trusova interpretate any character its prejudice or hate on my opinion.

So, if someone disagrees or sees a skater in a different light than you do, they must be prejudice and hating? Seriously? It's nasty comments like these that make me avoid Goldenskate forums.

 

[VenusHalley]

I'm sure Trusova is capable of it. I thought her projection in her SP last season was fantastic. In her LP it was good in parts, but not throughout. As for this season, I'm not sold yet, but we have a long way to go.

Please do not react so strongly to someone simply expressing a difference of opinion.

I think for now she does alright portraying strong characters, but her main thing is... quads and cantilevers and amazing athleticism, not really some nuanced character portrayal. But she is just not elegant and at this point i cannot see her doing Cinderella or Memoirs of Geisha. It's okay she is 15, she has time to grow.

 

[voolfee]

It is likely that Alina will receive significantly higher PCS than Kostornaia, even if Kostornaia has better skating skills and speed, because Alina has the reputation and is a veteran.

Is it obligatory to insert Alina everywhere and belittle her? Even if you think that Alena is better than Alina in the SS, which is not so, SS is not all of PCS. Alena still has room to grow and Alina must fairly receive much larger PCS, not only because of her titles.

 

[andromache]

Is it obligatory to insert Alina everywhere and belittle her? Even if you think that Alena is better than Alina in the SS, which is not so, SS is not all of PCS. Alena still has room to grow and Alina must fairly receive much larger PCS, not only because of her titles.

I mentioned Alina to make a veteran versus first year senior comparison using Kostornaia. Alina is Kostornaia's main competitor on the GP series - they compete against each other in both event.

I am aware there are other categories besides skating skills, but I specifically mentioned skating skills because that is Kostornaia's biggest strength.

You do not need to be so defensive.

 

[voolfee]

You do not need to be so defensive.

Because you are not the first and second time to belittle Alina in comparison with Alena.

 

[andromache]

Because you are not the first and second time to belittle Alina in comparison with Alena.

Yes, in my opinion Alina has weaker skating skills than Alena. Some skaters are better at some things than others. It is not belittling to acknowledge that.

 

[macy]

Because you are not the first and second time to belittle Alina in comparison with Alena.

no one belittled Alina. it's not false that Alena has outstanding skating skills, it's not false that Alina has reputation and is a veteran, nor is it false that Alina will most likely score higher PCS than Alena because of this. Heaven forbid someone use Alina's name in the same sentence with another skater

 

[Jontor]

I am worried about Tarusina and Kanysheva. I really hope both of them will get well soon so they can enter the Russian Cup Group stage.

My thoughts on the Russian Nationals this year:
There will be 10 ladies from GP.
Probably one from JGPF (Sinitsyna) - that's 11.
Seven spots left for the Russian Cup. Comparing with last year I would think Gubanova, Guliakova, Vasilieva, Tarakanova, Talalaikina and Nugumanova. That's 17.
One spot left for Tarusina or Kanysheva. That's 18. If both of them recover one of the above will probably not make it.

So compared to last year:
Tuktamysheva, Sakhanovich and Sinitsyna are in.
Leonova, Tsurskaya and Panenkova are out.
Questionmarks: Kanysheva and Tarusina.

 

[voolfee]

no one belittled Alina. it's not false that Alena has outstanding skating skills, it's not false that Alina has reputation and is a veteran, nor is it false that Alina will most likely score higher PCS than Alena because of this. Heaven forbid someone use Alina's name in the same sentence with another skater

You think that Alena is better than Alina in SS, okay. But I don’t think so at all. Do you like it if I will constantly mention in the comments that Alina is better than Alena in SS or in something else? I don’t think so.

 

[Nogagolova]

My opinion. if after surgery on the knee Tarusina returns to the ice, then it will already be very good.