2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[starla16]

Trusova has risked the most followed by Shcherbakova
for now she knows its an experiment and she knows she does not win always with her mistakes.

the presssure will be on Kostornaia whom the judges are rewarding already with huge PCS even without a quad

 

[Mathman]

About all the angst regarding Alina Zagitova's place in the hierarchy, it just seems like business as usual to me.

In 2013-14 15-year-old Julia Lipnitskaia was the rising star shouldering Mao Asada and Yuna Kim Asada aside.

In 2015-16 and 2016-17 Evgenia Medvedeva dominated the world figure skating scene. In 2017-18 and 2019 it was Alina. Now it is 2019-2020, and new challengers arise to chip away at the pedestals of the reigning icons.

On the other hand, you never know. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva grabbed the crown in the 2014-15 season. . (But on the third hand, even in that season Medvedeva was champing at the bit while winning everything in juniors.)

The world turns.

 

[NaVi]

One thing I'm looking for at Russian nationals is if Sinitsyna tries a triple axel. In her preview video for the JGPF, Sinitsyna said(if the autotranslate was right) she wanted to put her triple axel in then. They also showed a very close up view of it and she had a heavy forward lean when she landed it.

 

[Greengemmonster]

If I'm to bet on who from Russia will be Olympic champion in 2022 my money is on Kamila.

She will be 15 and with quads. She moves beautifully and is so fast she looks like the camera was on fast forward.

I was also impressed at how she handled herself knowing she was going into a quadless program against someone with a bunch of hard jumps.

She's not my favorite but if I'm to make a logical assessment my money will be on her.

 

[macy]

I just went back and watched Trusovas big spender and IMO she showed more personality in that program than she has in any program since. She really looked like she was enjoying herself and having a lot of fun. That genre of music may be a good vehicle for her to go back to next year to try and get higher PCS. I think it would be a great move.

 

[NaVi]

I just went back and watched Trusovas big spender and IMO she showed more personality in that program than she has in any program since. She really looked like she was enjoying herself and having a lot of fun. That genre of music may be a good vehicle for her to go back to next year to try and get higher PCS. I think it would be a great move.

The programs they're picking for her are pigeonholing her in a bad way IMO. It's somewhat understandable for the FS, but it makes little sense for the short program. They also set up her step sequences better in her first year.

 

[Amei]

I'd like to see her change coaches, mostly because I think it is affecting her morale and confidence to be training alongside the very talented trio. I don't think any coach could get her to a level to compete for gold at Russian Nationals or beyond, but there is a joy that is lacking now that wasn't missing before. Last season she was lackluster for much of the year due to pressure from being the OGMist, but she pulled it together in time for Worlds. This season feels different because there's nothing she can do, besides learning a quad, to remain near the top.

This season and the foreseeable future is different because last year even though she had fairly lackluster performances including at Nationals - there was a safety net that she was still Russia's best bet for a medal of any color at Worlds because even though Russia has a lot of very talented ladies last season they were not exactly performing as desired - this year there are 3 skaters who are better options than any of the seniors last year.

At this point of the season, is there anything that can happen at Russian Nationals to prevent the GPF medalists from being the Euros/Worlds team? A Zagitova/Medvedeva/Liza win (as unlikely as that is)? Alena/Anna/Sasha finishing 4th or lower, or withdrawing due to illness?

I doubt Kostornaia/Shcherbakova/Trusova all mess up badly enough that gets a flawless Zagitova/Medvedeva/Liza as national champion which I believe is the only Nationals finisher that's guaranteed a spot for Euros/Worlds. And given the strong technical points difference between the 3 new seniors to the 3 seasoned seniors it would probably require not only a flawless performance 1 of the seasoned seniors (which didn't happen on the GP circuit) but also a very flawed program by 1 of the new seniors for 1 of the seasoned seniors to make it on the podium. Even then, given that the 3 new seniors swept the GPF and solidly beat the skater most capable of beating them at Worlds, I could envision that even if something happens that takes 1 of the 3 new seniors off the podium at Nationals that they still get the nod to go to at least Worlds if not Europeans to.

 

[taylor1]

The programs they're picking for her are pigeonholing her in a bad way IMO. It's somewhat understandable for the FS, but it makes little sense for the short program. They also set up her step sequences better in her first year.

Sasha's step sequences are atrocioius IMO

 

[taylor1]

Her highest FS score this season is 151 with an UR. She would have needed 153 to beat Trusova for Bronze at the GPF. Her PCS in her FS were as high as Rika‘s who only fell on a quad attempt. Whatever it is, it‘s working just fine for her PCS.

That is true. If Alina skated clean she would have beat Sasha and gotten 3rd here.

 

[Ophelia]

Of course this is the case. The very definition of losing means somebody else beat you. So yes, when a skater loses, another skater beats them. This is not a new phenomenon, and certainly not exclusive to Eteri skaters, Russian skaters, or even female skaters. Alina has also lost to Rika in the past, and non-Eteri non-Russian. And also once by Kaetlyn, Wakaba, and Satoko. Shocker, how did that happen? Maybe there's some conspiracy that Eteri trained those skaters too.

There is losing and then there is being replaced. I am arguing the latter, while you are arguing the former.

 

[SkateSkates]

The programs they're picking for her are pigeonholing her in a bad way IMO. It's somewhat understandable for the FS, but it makes little sense for the short program. They also set up her step sequences better in her first year.

I also miss her StSq from her 2017-18 LP. That one was well executed and matched the music and overall theme of the program really well.

 

[AshWagsFan]

Does anybody think if Liza does the quad toe at nationals that she has a shot at making the team? It doesn’t all come down to GPF placement to decide the Euros/Worlds team either. If that was the case, Liza could’ve made the world team instead of Zhenya last year, without having the skate off

 

[ancientpeas]

I think I'm going to need an airsickness bag to make it through Russian Nationals.
And probably a big box of tissues. I like most of the young ladies and not all of them will make it to worlds. There will be sadness and tears.

Also.. I'm making a croquembouche for Christmas with 3 different fillings. Mint chocolate, creme pat. and some kind of fruity filling (citrus probably) Fellow maker of the croquembouche is trying to exnay the mint chocolate but this is a hill I am prepared to die on! If Aliona doesn't skate well the croquembouche might met a dreadful end as I hurl it across the room in a fit of the vapours.

 

[Anya00]

I also miss her StSq from her 2017-18 LP. That one was well executed and matched the music and overall theme of the program really well.

Definitely agree, and she keeps getting level 3 on her StSq this year (is that also more subjective like PCS, or is she just really not performing her steps well?). I really wanted to love her programs this year but I still prefer her 2017-2018 programs. She doesn't have to set up for multiple quads in the short, so I'm wondering why there's such a huge difference between the program from two seasons ago and the one now?

 

[Skater Boy]

This weekend may have let us get a clue as to what will or is happening in Russia.

First, Russia has some marvelous skaters.

Second, They have mahy great skaters, who appear vulnerablle to puberty. They have huge guns/tech content. They need to w ork in general on pcs - skating skilsl,choreography, spins but they are very competitive.

Third, not all of them to go to worlds. |it seems the 3A's have shown they willbe the world team. Kostornaia shows she has solid triple axels and because of her pcs/style and huge GOEs on her jumps she can compete with the quad ladies. Trusova may lack skating skills but she is fearless and is trying to up the tech content - if she gets the triple axel she will be a formidble challenge. Anna if she deals with the UR's on the quad lutz the sky is the limit.

But sadly it seems like Alina and Evgenia are casualties looking like yesterday's news. These are young ladies/girls and I just feel for them. They are wonderful skaters and fighters but the talent in Russia leaves these girls seemingly on the sidelines.

Liza with a quad doesn't have enough probably. She could do two triple axels and a quad and I don't think it would be enough. These six ladies should be very proud of themselves. Other than maybe Rika, they can compete with all the best. Sofia's off podium placement this weekend suggests she is done too And with Maria's fall from grace so to speak it is kind of sad to see good skaters left off their national teams.

I applaud them all; such talent, heart and fierceness I hope those ladies in Russia who are left flooundering or off the team realize they still are winners in my books.

 

[NaVi]

Does anybody think if Liza does the quad toe at nationals that she has a shot at making the team? It doesn’t all come down to GPF placement to decide the Euros/Worlds team either. If that was the case, Liza could’ve made the world team instead of Zhenya last year, without having the skate off

I doubt it, but perhaps there may be a better chance for that happening this year since they could send Tukt to Europeans and the skater that doesn't make it to the Youth Olympics and then they could compare them at a distance.

The problem Tukt faces with her quad is that Eteri's skaters are using their quads to replace doubles while she doesn't have that flexibility. For instance, Shcherbakova replaced a 2A with a 4F and there's little risk in doing that if you rotate it. Tukt has two 2T and two 2A and if she puts a quad in then it's probably to replace a 3Lo. These things add up.

 

[Azikin]

the presssure will be on Kostornaia whom the judges are rewarding already with huge PCS even without a quad

No, the pressure is on others who know they need to jump multiple quads to beat her..

 

[KOBOT37]

New episode of never ending drama "X Skater needs to leave Eteri" is heating up, topic of this episode is comments of Eteri's sister about Alina, Stay tunned for more news

 

[nussnacker]

New episode of never ending drama "X Skater needs to leave Eteri" is heating up, topic of this episode is comments of Eteri's sister about Alina, Stay tunned for more news

Her sister was always problematic, ignore her.

 

[dunffvanstorn]

I’ll say it again, and I know I’ll get hate for it. I think a change for Rafael would be really refreshing for Alina. She would be able to be at an environment where she’s the best, alongside skaters that are not necessarily skating for the medals. She would have Adam’s choreo, Natha’s quad experience, Mariah. Come with the hate now. However, I highly doubt Alina would switch coaches. She doesn’t seem very comfortable with English and seems to be too attached to Russia and to her parents. Evgenia only had her and her mother to move to Canada. Alina has a whole family in Russia, it’d be much harder.