2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Nord Stream 2]

It seems to me that Alina left her childhood, but she didn’t reach her destination - “adulthood”. So she lives on the bus.

She is tired of constantly returning to herself. It would be nice for her to go into someone, if only for a while, if not forever.
This time has come.

Love moves the sun and other stars ...
Dante Alighieri

 

[Fluture]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/50710598

Oh dear..

 

[Scott512]

MOST high tech (meaning they can JUMP) skaters peak at 14-16. And most elite skaters only have a few good PEAK years. Even where there are not dramatic physical changes, jumps erode, stamina ebbs, quickness (of rotation) also ebbs with age.
Alina was born under a lucky star. She aged up at just the right time, and won Olympic Gold. Now she can cash in on this, and continue to reap the rewards of her success.
The short life span of skating careers has nothing whatsoever to do with Eteri. This sport in particular does needs some physiological studies. Why is it a 15 year old girl can throw jumps left and right, and, even when there are no post puberty body changes, those jumps can no longer be done (easily) two years later? I think something in the brain chemistry changes as we age through our teens, and changes our ability to rotate.

It's not just brain chemistry it's also booty chemistry because when the booty grows it slows down rotations.

It seems to me that Alina left her childhood, but she didn’t reach her destination - “adulthood”. So she lives on the bus.

She is tired of constantly returning to herself. It would be nice for her to go into someone, if only for a while, if not forever.
This time has come.

Love moves the sun and other stars ...
Dante Alighieri

What are you saying nord?

Oh dear..

I thought I remember reading months ago that Russia was back in the Olympics and the Russian flag was back not the OAR? What the hell happened? Putin should have sent all those involved and the performance-enhancing drug scheme for years to jail. Unless he and his henchmen we're supportive of all of this scheming and scamming and drugging. I am so sorry for their clean athletes. I don't particularly care about the World Cup though.

 

[Scott512]

Yes, however athletes are allowed to participate under a neutral flag. This also applies to the World Championships.

They're going to have athletes leave their country in droves to represent other countries. That should have happened a couple years ago. Again I thought I remember reading months ago that Russia was back in the Olympics with their flag so I don't know what the hell happened. Putin really needs to clean house and maybe put some passports women hero from their country in the leadership roles because Russian men have screwed this thing up for maybe ever. Sad. But we know Russia is clean and figure skating so I hope they still get to skate for their country and themselves. If not then why stay?

 

[macy]

I don't really agree with this. Alina has had ups and downs her entire career. For example she had meltdowns at JGP Slovenia, EYOF, Worlds 2018, and her worse skate internationally was 2017 GP France SP. These were all before her major growth spurt during the offseason of 2018.

She continues to have mental struggles post-puberty, but her technique really isn't going. She's had clean practices at all her GPs and GPF this season. Even her practices last season were almost all clean. It's not like she's losing her jumps like Yulia was, or the jumping issues Evgenia talked about. She can still do all the combos and jumps, she just struggles with putting it together in competition. Alina's career has never been the parabolic dramatic increase then decrease that you describe; it's always been more of a zig-zag. And if you compare this with everyone else, most ladies have careers like this. Even Liza who has some of the best technique.

the thing i find interesting is people are so quick to predict the end of a skater's career and say they are done, after one or even a couple bad outings. cancel culture has always been a thing, but i don't remember it being *this* bad even 10 years ago. skaters are human and they make mistakes, they can't be perfect all the time. bad skates are inevitable...everyone has an off day, has mental struggles (this sport is 90% mental after all), injuries etc. yes, there is a chance that Alina is having problems that may lead to her retirement, but there is also the chance that she just had a bad day and will continue on as she normally does. Alina has very good technique that she's been able to keep through puberty, and i don't think she's losing her jumps. she's had a relatively decent season until this competition- no, she hasn't been perfect, but again, that's not realistic as these girls age. i wish we could all just be encouraging and supportive of these athletes when they have bad skates or any sort of issues, because that's what they deserve. none of them deserve to be written off so easily.

 

[NaVi]

They're going to have athletes leave their country in droves to represent other countries.

Droves? Very few are going to leave... no one in figure skating.

I can't find my old posts about it and google isn't helping(searching for old posts here is pretty bad), but I wrote a lot about the doping issue a few years ago and I frequently mentioned that Mutko should have been fired... and him not being fired says a lot.

The most interesting question for figure skating is will the Rostelecom Cup go to Minsk?

 

[Nord Stream 2]

What are you saying nord?

I’m trying to find some new motivation for Alina. The only strong motivation possible for the Olympic champion and for any Russian woman.
Money, fame, fans and powerful acquaintances already exist. It does not help.
I just suggested one option. Can you suggest something else?

Everyone was tired of her constant problems. The team of Eteri, all of her fans, and above all Alina herself. It’s impossible to live on this sinusoid all the time. Bad, good, bad again, good again. Alina takes everything very close to her heart.
It is clear that it will be very difficult for her to catch up with the three girls in content. But turning into a real adult star is still possible.
It is necessary to let in her mind new bright thoughts, new joy, a new meaning in life, something new.
17 years is a great age. It will be a shame if she spends this period of her life in nerves and tears. Why then does she need all these medals?

Eteri is a wise woman. They helped each other last March, I hope they do it again. If they succeed, we will see a new, more beautiful Alina. Not a girl, but a woman. And women first of all need love. I am not a woman, so I can be wrong )))))))))

 

[elysium]

Previously, the next generation of Russian girls have always been more technical and more consistent than the previous generation. But I think 3A are really quite exceptional, their capabilities and consistencies are better than the current Russian juniors at the same age. Valieva is on par, but I’m not sure that she is as tough mentally as 3A. So some in 3A might last longer on top, depending on how kind puberty turns out to be.

 

[starla16]

I reckon the 3A is the height of russian ladies golden age
they are all different with their own appeals, strengths and weakness.

 

[Scott512]

It seems to me that Alina left her childhood, but she didn’t reach her destination - “adulthood”. So she lives on the bus.

She is tired of constantly returning to herself. It would be nice for her to go into someone, if only for a while, if not forever.
This time has come.

Love moves the sun and other stars ...
Dante Alighieri

I’m trying to find some new motivation for Alina. The only strong motivation possible for the Olympic champion and for any Russian woman.
Money, fame, fans and powerful acquaintances already exist. It does not help.
I just suggested one option. Can you suggest something else?

Everyone was tired of her constant problems. The team of Eteri, all of her fans, and above all Alina herself. It’s impossible to live on this sinusoid all the time. Bad, good, bad again, good again. Alina takes everything very close to her heart.
It is clear that it will be very difficult for her to catch up with the three girls in content. But turning into a real adult star is still possible.
It is necessary to let in her mind new bright thoughts, new joy, a new meaning in life, something new.
17 years is a great age. It will be a shame if she spends this period of her life in nerves and tears. Why then does she need all these medals?

Eteri is a wise woman. They helped each other last March, I hope they do it again. If they succeed, we will see a new, more beautiful Alina. Not a girl, but a woman. And women first of all need love. I am not a woman, so I can be wrong )))))))))

Maybe she needs a coaching change especially if the coach really said something to someone in Italy about Alina does not have her desire anymore. But I don't believe that's the case I don't think EG would do that. It will be a big step if Alina can get two good performances back-to-back at Russian Nationals. She is not going to Europeans and worlds this year unless something unforeseen happens . so Nationals will be her last stand for the season. I think she will make a strong stand and I think her coach will help her. No need for her to retire at 17 she has too much on the table and she can obviously still be competitive.

 

[Nord Stream 2]

Maybe she needs a coaching change especially if the coach really said something to someone in Italy about Alina does not have her desire anymore. But I don't believe that's the case I don't think EG would do that. It will be a big step if Alina can get two good performances back-to-back at Russian Nationals. She is not going to Europeans and worlds this year unless something unforeseen happens . so Nationals will be her last stand for the season. I think she will make a strong stand and I think her coach will help her. No need for her to retire at 17 she has too much on the table and she can obviously still be competitive.

Walking away from your loved ones is suicide.

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

 

[Edwin]

I reckon the 3A is the height of russian ladies golden age
they are all different with their own appeals, strengths and weakness.

They are greater than the sum of their parts, they changed female figure skating forever. And we might never get to see such a strong set of junior and now young senior competitors again. Even with the large number of girls that are in figure skating right now, getting three of them together on one and the same ice is almost impossible.

2005 born girls in Khrustalniy is only Kanysheva, and her condition and future is unknown. Unless there are still some unknown girls skating, Khrustalniy might want to recruit some reinforcements?

There are three 2006 born girls on scene at the moment, Valiyeva, Usachyova, Khromykh, next JPG should be their crown year as juniors, with perhaps 2007 born Petrosyan to complement them. Akat'yeva was born on the wrong side of the age line.

Looking beyond the 2022 Olympics generation is futile now.

 

[Scott512]

Droves? Very few are going to leave... no one in figure skating.

I can't find my old posts about it and google isn't helping(searching for old posts here is pretty bad), but I wrote a lot about the doping issue a few years ago and I frequently mentioned that Mutko should have been fired... and him not being fired says a lot.

The most interesting question for figure skating is will the Rostelecom Cup go to Minsk?

I would leave that's for sure.

You make a good point about Mutko

But the reality is they did not make enough changes in Russia to suit the IOC. I have the image of these old Russian men the ones who forged this cheating for the Sochi Olympic Games. And good ol Vladimir Putin is to blame as well for the Scandal and shame clouding this country's Sports. Russia really should get their top sports women their greatest like Yelena isinbayeva involved in their Sports culture and leadership programs and get rid of these goddamn men who have done so much damage. What have they got to lose?

Are the figure skaters going to have to go under a neutral flag too? It's time for them to speak out against these idiots who have run Russian Sports into the ground.

 

[Sugar Coated]

I’m sincerely amazed at how many people have suddenly became Alina’s fans and sincerely worry for her, by saying she’s spiraling downward and stuff. Wow, so many well wishers, it’s simply amazing, what a kind and caring world we live in!
This girl is not allowed to have one subpar performance, good god.

Alina was the skater that captivated me and got me to be a fan of figure skating. I don’t care that she had an off performance. I suspect it’s mental, that sometimes the pressure gets to her especially after an early mistake.

What concerns me is that she said she was skating this year for fun and to me she does not look like she is having fun. I want her to enjoy skating if that is her goal without concern about mistakes or negative performances.

 

[zounger]

Alina was the skater that captivated me and got me to be a fan of figure skating. I don’t care that she had an off performance. I suspect it’s mental, that sometimes the pressure gets to her especially after an early mistake.

What concerns me is that she said she was skating this year for fun and to me she does not look like she is having fun. I want her to enjoy skating if that is her goal without concern about mistakes or negative performances.

This is not easy to achieve, in a sense they are mutually exclusive. But she really started the season with having fun. The fun was taken away in Grenoble.

 

[VenusHalley]

I think lots of people were hoping sad Alina is thing of the past. Are we supposed to act like her looking devastated is okay? That her puffy eyed speech on Gala was no reason for concern? Did she ever skip Gsla before?

 

[Resa]

I only just realized that Russia loosing Rostelecom means that there will be EVEN LESS SPOTS FOR THE SKATERS!!!! Thats the worst part of all imo

 

[VenusHalley]

This is not easy to achieve, in a sense they are mutually exclusive. But she really started the season with having fun. The fun was taken away in Grenoble.

How was it "taken away"?

She medalled there and was scored generously.

 

[JazzUp]

Maybe she needs a coaching change.

Et tu, Scottus?

 

[Lunalovesskating]

I only just realized that Russia loosing Rostelecom means that there will be EVEN LESS SPOTS FOR THE SKATERS!!!! Thats the worst part of all imo

They can easily replace it with the Finland GP like they did with CoC. But yes, they can lose the host spots