2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[flanker]

Something being impolite isn't vulgar though. It sounds quite PC to suggest that. What is unreasonably vulgar is the accusation of saying someone is xenophobic which is what the other poster did. I wouldn't want to defend said poster myself. But whatever you fancy I guess.

So, you are actually mad because I don't condemn the claim that the statement about Krasnoyarsk is "xenofobic"

 

[Albus]

Kostornaya a 4s?
Does anybody else feel like Aliona should not try to strain her body and disrupt her consistency with quads and instead keep polishing what she has and, as bad as it sounds, just wait for Anna and Sasha to grow a bit more and become (more) inconsistent?
Same goes for Anna, does everybody like the idea of her learning more quads (4F etc) ?
I get that they are being pushed by the coaching team and their own minds, but I think every skaters goal are the Olympics, which are in 2 years. Maybe they should think more strategically

Maybe you shouldn't deem yourself to be more strategic adviser than the best coaching team in the world?

 

[Zora]

Kostornaya a 4s?
Does anybody else feel like Aliona should not try to strain her body and disrupt her consistency with quads and instead keep polishing what she has and, as bad as it sounds, just wait for Anna and Sasha to grow a bit more and become (more) inconsistent?
Same goes for Anna, does everybody like the idea of her learning more quads (4F etc) ?
I get that they are being pushed by the coaching team and their own minds, but I think every skaters goal are the Olympics, which are in 2 years. Maybe they should think more strategically

I kind of agree with that. I mean, Aliona herself could struggle because of growing, but then a 4S wouldn't happen anyway. I'm super-impressed by Anna's quads and especially her consistency, but she has a weird technique on her Lutz and Flip, she twists her free leg inwards a lot before even picking and I'm wondering how long this technique will work for her. But then again, who would want to be dependend on mistakes or struggles of other skaters...

 

[macy]

Anna and Sasha may struggle with their quads down the road, but no one can predict that. it may or may not happen, and Aliona needs to be prepared. i don't think she'll need to learn as many quads as what Sasha has because she isn't lacking in any other areas of her skating, but she wants to make sure she doesn't fall behind because it's only a matter of time until Anna and Sasha have consistent 3As and when that happens, her edge in the short is gone. i think they both will have relatively stable 3As by next season.

 

[flakyy]

Skaters of the world would join the queue for such a "meltdown skate" with the tech score 82+

Oh yes; Sasha's BV was 57.70 WITHOUT the first 3 botched elements. BV of Ksenia was 63.54 for all elements - and for her everything worked out today.
And, above all, she was finally able to save her placement after the mistakes and a warmup including a fall on 4T near the end of it.

 

[colormyworld240]

There's no right answer to whether someone should train quads. That depends on the individual skater. I think for skaters like the 3A currently, who have consistent and big triples, a quad is the next step. It's like if you have all your doubles and they have the height/distance/rotation potential for a triple, then you go onto a triple. And we can't even discuss quads overall, as each skaters have stronger and weaker jumps; for some it's easier to do a quad than a different triple.

For example, Liza recently got a 4T and has been doing 3As very consistently, yet she didn't even jump a 3S this season. Anna and Sasha both have quads, but haven't landed a 3A yet. Alena got her 3A before any quads because the 2A was her strongest jump. I think training a 4T is a good step to take; her -3T looks as easy for her as some others' -2Ts. Based on how that jump looks, I don't think she'd be more prone to injury training a 4T than a skater who is trying to go from a 2T to a 3T. Alena's salchow is another one of her strongest jumps, so I see a potential for a 4S too.

On the other hand, I don't think we're ever going to see a 4S from Liza or Anna, or a 4Lo from Alena as those are their weak jumps. It all depends on the individual skater, there's not blanket answer for all skaters.

As for learning quads just for winning, that's impossible to predict. The judges decide who wins and you can't control how others skate or what jumps they will learn. Maybe Alena wants a quad just for herself? If she wants to, is ready for it technically, and can do so in an environment monitored by professionals, she should go for it. Sasha has the right idea - not everything is about winning (and it's not in your control) but if you just learn what you want to (safely) and show what you can do, that will be your passion and motivation. Afterall, when Sasha learned her first quad no one else was doing them and she certainly didn't need them to win. I think that's a far better mindset than just wanting to win, because that's really out of your hands. This goes for not just jumps, but spins, SS, choreography, etc. Everyone has their own favourite elements in the sport.

 

[Elana]

Gosh seeing how upset Sasha and Aliona were about not winning nationals this year makes me wonder how the Olympic year is gonna be. If all these girls stay with Eteri through then, boy is there gonna be a lot of dissapointment. Sasha, Anya, Alina?, Aliona, other Aliona, Kamila, Daria, Maia... maybe Ksenia, seems likes she might change coaches... and only 3 of them can make that Olympic team to even fight for the gold. All I can say is poor Eteri because she is gonna have a lot of sad students and may lose some again after that olympics, it will be hard for her to keep everyone happy and try to be equally supportive. Its difficult to see the 3A, who work so hard and are so deserving at a shot at the Olympics because of how far they, themselves, have developed the sport, but in 2 years who knows where they will be and who else will be around to contend with them. I think we all have a lot of love for all those girls I mentioned and want them all to have their Olympic dreams come true, and just thinking about it now, after seeing the dissapointment over 2nd and 3rd at nats, just breaks my heart a little.

 

[jennapowers]

Oh puh-lease. "Grit" and "courage" and "character" are filler words people throw around when there's nothing else one can say about a meltdown skate.

Calling Sasha's quad filled program a 'meltdown skate' is a pretty bold move. I really don't think falling in quads can be considered a meltdown.

 

[fabienne1996]

Please stop the next Eteri drama in it's roots.
She was clearly having a conversation with the 3A when they penned the camera on her while they were announcing the withdrawal.
And even if she chuckled at that announcement, it is indeed quiet comical that one of the most famous skaters in the world and her equally as prominent coaching team is not prepared for sth like a boot problem at the most important competition of her season.

Apart from that:
I'm an Aliona fan and I much prefer her to Anna but I'm glad she didn't win here. I think it's good for her going into Euros and Worlds, not being painted too heavily as the pressured favorite. I also think it's good that she's very disappointed, second isn't enough for her, she'll stay hungry

I would say that even eteri and her team would not be prepared if the same where to happen to one of the 3a

 

[Mishaminion]

Calling Sasha's quad filled program a 'meltdown skate' is a pretty bold move. I really don't think falling in quads can be considered a meltdown.

Then most mens competitions must be one massive meltdown.

 

[Mathman]

Skaters of the world would join the queue for such a "meltdown skate" with the tech score 82+

That is actually what is so depressing about the state of ladies' skating today. Trusova had a terrible skate, but base value, base value, base value -- it doesn't mater if you fall, under-rotate, or whatever.

Shcherbakova did two quad Lutzes and a quad flip. Good for her. End of story, nothing else to say.

 

[Mishaminion]

That is actually what is so depressing about the state of ladies' skating today. Trusova had a terrible skate, but base value, base value, base value -- it doesn't mater if you fall, under-rotate, or whatever.

Shcherbakova did two quad Lutzes and a quad flip. End of story, nothing else to say.

On the contrary it is impressive that these girls are pushing their division technically but like your opinion that's just mine xD

 

[Ophelia]

Then most mens competitions must be one massive meltdown.

Yes...have you not been following men's for the past years during the era of botched quads and when competitions were termed splatfests?

 

[nussnacker]

Anna and Sasha may struggle with their quads down the road, but no one can predict that. it may or may not happen, and Aliona needs to be prepared. i don't think she'll need to learn as many quads as what Sasha has because she isn't lacking in any other areas of her skating, but she wants to make sure she doesn't fall behind because it's only a matter of time until Anna and Sasha have consistent 3As and when that happens, her edge in the short is gone. i think they both will have relatively stable 3As by next season.

Anna says she plans to get 3A this season. They're probably getting somewhat closer to landing it.

 

[Mishaminion]

Yes...have you not been following men's for the past years during the era of botched quads and when competitions were termed splatfests?

That's the risk with such difficult jumps, it is a transitional period for ladies. Mens is getting better, at least right at the very top anyway.

 

[Figure 8's]

Trusova today is prime example of what happens when you have nothing but jumps and those fail you.

She came in 3rd. Not too shabby for a 15-year-old. At least she tries new things. I enjoyed her program. Too bad you could not see the good side of it.

 

[JazzUp]

Not good when you consider posters bleating on and on about how she's invincible and some messiah of figure skating bc she can jump quads. And her reaction to 3rd place says otherwise than "pretty good".

Actually, the only one bleating here is you. Oh, and Sasha is invincible; everybody can have a bad day/skate.

 

[Mishaminion]

Anna says she plans to get 3A this season. They're probably getting somewhat closer to landing it.

Her 2A is looking stronger, that's usually a good sign. It was Sasha's huge 2A that clued people in that the 3A was a reality. I still think Sasha will land one soon enough but understand why the risk wasn't taken at Nationals.
I think Sasha got her own way for the FS though on risk taking...even throwing in her troublesome loop combo (and landing it!).

 

[Mishaminion]

Actually, the only one bleating here is you. Oh, and Sasha is invincible; everybody can have a bad day/skate.

She isn't and it is unrealistic to expect her to be. She's a 15 year old girl under enormous pressure.

 

[LenaRadiFan]

Then most mens competitions must be one massive meltdown.

I mean, they are but that is another thing