2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Elucidus]

Everyone did a great job today, but personally, I thought Kamila's score was a bit high. She had some minor jump issues (off-axis on loop, had to save the combo landing), and overall just wasn't as on as she normally is.

Judges put their scores comparing to others. If they reward 30 PCS for pretty mediocre performances - on their background Valieva should get much more than she got. She got scores this high only because others were getting scores they didn't deserve. Judges put themselves in tight position with this constant PCS inflation

I would've had her around 73, Haein around 71-72, and Daria about the same as she got. Kamila and Haein were the only two to go completely clean with no major errors, so I think the gap between them and the rest of the field should be larger.

You know, in figure skating there is much more in scores system than just being clean on elements. Judging by what you said - you can't assess skating skills properly. Both Haein and Liu PCS were overscored through the roof. For example, Shabotova from first flight had much better skating skills and transitions than both of them - yet she got only 22 PCS. Unfortunately, when PCS system works as mere reputational tool and derivative of flight's number first and foremost - it creates many uneducated fans who demands that their favorite should get high PCS and sincerely believing that he/she deserves them fairly. Which in turn makes bad service for figure skating - downplaying any significance and interest in skating skills and other real performance qualities - because they don't matter at all.

 

[Good Vibes Only]

I will repost what I originally posted...sorry I forgot the competition was still happening!!

Good job to Kamila, Maia, and Daria today!! They performed very well and have set themselves up well for the long!! I hope that they all skate their best and are proud of themselves!! They kind of remind me of the 3A in the way that they all have different artistry. Each of their ways of expressing theirselves is different and I love that about them. Good luck in the free!!

 

[brakes]

1. Nobody skated perfect today - VUK can't match 3A's extraordinary competitive toughness.
2. Usacheva should've got additional medal for that combo save...
3. ... while Maya a diploma for not touching ice with her hand.
4. Veeery hesitant and slow entry to that axel combo by Alysa.
5. Kamila and Haein closest to perfect, bravo!
6. Seoyeong should've got +5 for her dress.

Generally, very good competition, but seen better from all girls. I guess World Championships debut got to their nerves a bit.

 

[Alex65]

https://sun9-59.userapi.com/c857220/v857220441/10bb5c/1LnPkF77x9k.jpg

 

[Fluture]

Haein PCS overscored through the roof.

Good one! She‘s barely getting above 30 as it is even though she‘d deserve much more. But yeah, your posts are amusing as always, thanks for that!

 

[Fluture]

https://sun9-59.userapi.com/c857220/v857220441/10bb5c/1LnPkF77x9k.jpg

The Austrian judge knows no limits. 79 for Kamila‘s SP. Wow. But well done to the Russian girls. They all had solid performances today and managed their nerves well.

 

[icybear]

I cannot understand Daniil choreography for Kamila sp. The first music piece is slow and tender yet he has Kamila doing all these frantic moves throughout that fit nowhere into the music. They fit the second music piece well but not the first part. Why not just use the second music throughout? Such a shame because Kamila arms are so beautiful but the first part choreo is just so jarring unmatching with the music. The second part is lovely, just watch the step seq. Its like her arms have a life of their own. She has control of every inch of her fingers.

 

[flanker]

I cannot understand Daniil choreography for Kamila sp. The first music piece is slow and tender yet he has Kamila doing all these frantic moves throughout that fit nowhere into the music. They fit the second music piece well but not the first part. Why not just use the second music throughout? Such a shame because Kamila arms are so beautiful but the first part choreo is just so jarring unmatching with the music. The second part is lovely, just watch the step seq. Its like her arms have a life of their own. She has control of every inch of her fingers.

What can I say to that than it's just individual...

 

[flanker]

The Austrian judge knows no limits. 79 for Kamila‘s SP. Wow. But well done to the Russian girls. They all had solid performances today and managed their nerves well.

She was pretty generous, but equally Still her ranking more or less matches the final placements.

 

[Edwin]

Press conference with the SP 'winners': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MwU8lWhLc0 , Dar'ya, always clever and sincere, tries answering in English very seriously. Seems she is learning and trying to overcome her shyness

Talking in English to the press is harder than skating ....

 

[katymay]

I guess this will be the last time we will see Valieva skate the Picasso program. Sort of sad, but I'm sure she wants to move on to new music. Still, this program feels like an old friend to me, and I'll miss it.

 

[flanker]

Press conference with the SP 'winners': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MwU8lWhLc0 , Dar'ya, always clever and sincere, tries answering in English very seriously. Seems she is learning and trying to overcome her shyness

Talking in English to the press is harder than skating ....

She is so cute but also brave at the same time :luv17: (when I was 13, I was hardly able to talk to a clerk in a shop due to shyness).

 

[flanker]

BTW does anybody know in which country the full ladies SP video is NOT geoblocked? I wonder if that is not a mistake, because the other videos are not blocked for me, just this one, and I used about ten countries via VPN but with no success (incl. Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and I don't know what else ).

 

[macy]

I cannot understand Daniil choreography for Kamila sp. The first music piece is slow and tender yet he has Kamila doing all these frantic moves throughout that fit nowhere into the music. They fit the second music piece well but not the first part. Why not just use the second music throughout? Such a shame because Kamila arms are so beautiful but the first part choreo is just so jarring unmatching with the music. The second part is lovely, just watch the step seq. Its like her arms have a life of their own. She has control of every inch of her fingers.

i agree with you. Kamila has gorgeous use of her arms and upper body (her whole body really) but the opening movements before her first jumping pass are so frantic and rushed. i'm not saying the movements aren't beautiful, they absolutely are, they just need to be slowed down to match the mood and feel of the music and program overall. i hope as she grows up and matures this will improve, she is still only 13 and is doing a fabulous job.

 

[Elucidus]

Good one! She‘s barely getting above 30 as it is even though she‘d deserve much more. But yeah, your posts are amusing as always, thanks for that!

Well, Finnish and Spanish judges - while being real professionals - thinks the same

 

[Elucidus]

I cannot understand Daniil choreography for Kamila sp. The first music piece is slow and tender yet he has Kamila doing all these frantic moves throughout that fit nowhere into the music. They fit the second music piece well but not the first part. Why not just use the second music throughout? Such a shame because Kamila arms are so beautiful but the first part choreo is just so jarring unmatching with the music. The second part is lovely, just watch the step seq. Its like her arms have a life of their own. She has control of every inch of her fingers.

I see it as her trying to show what circus equilibrist is trying to do (Picasso girl is circus equlibrist by the art piece's legend, AFAIK). They can do lots of movements in curcus with slow music accompanement as well.

i agree with you. Kamila has gorgeous use of her arms and upper body (her whole body really) but the opening movements before her first jumping pass are so frantic and rushed. i'm not saying the movements aren't beautiful, they absolutely are, they just need to be slowed down to match the mood and feel of the music and program overall. i hope as she grows up and matures this will improve, she is still only 13 and is doing a fabulous job.

Do you really believe that Eteri and Gleikhengauz - forcing their pupils to learn each movement until auto mode with infinite program run-throughs - would miss that and that is only issue of "maturity", I wonder? IMO it's more logically to think that it was Eteri's vision of that program in first place Juniors are capable to do slow programs perfectly well - it's just not Eteri's style.

 

[colormyworld240]

Kamila is just so special in any field, not just juniors but even compared to the 3A, Alina and Evgenia, Liza, Elena, etc. She has jumps, spins, skating skills, and musicality which is such a rare combination. I wish they had measurements at this comp, I'd love to see how the stats of her 2A compares to Daria's and Alysa's. Quads aside, I think that's her best jump. I thought Daria was just OK; she has more "maturity" than the other girls, probably because she suits this dramatic music more, but the skate wasn't anything more special than we see from the others at junior nationals. As for Maiia, I really don't see what Eteri sees in her, she's a good skater and would be great in any other country but she doesn't stand out in the sea of talent. Among the top juniors in recent years, I think she is one of the weakest. Even going back to when the talent pool was more shallow, I thought Yulia, Elena, Evgenia, and Alina were all more impressive their first international seasons and were more interesting. All I could think of was how unfortunate that Tarakanova never made it to junior worlds. And also Gubanova and Nugumanova. But it goes to show that you have to deliver when it counts.

 

[Happy Skates]

I guess this will be the last time we will see Valieva skate the Picasso program. Sort of sad, but I'm sure she wants to move on to new music. Still, this program feels like an old friend to me, and I'll miss it.

She'll probably still do it at Eteri's show tour, and maybe any other shows she gets invited to over the summer (I wonder if she will be invited to any Japanese shows this summer?) And she has performed this sp so much, two seasons of competition and many shows, including two tours, so there will always be plenty to rewatch . I love this program, but I'm super excited to see what else she comes up with. I can't wait to hear her new music choices!

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

Personally, I felt the Russian trio wasn't particularly impressive today. Daria, as per usual, was mature and emotional, Kamila was touching and Maya was graceful, but their horrible choreography is pulling them back. I thought Seoyeong and Mana were both more impressive, mostly because they had interesting and creative steps and choreography. Hopefully everyone performs their best for the free though!

 

[KOBOT37]

Among the top juniors in recent years, I think she is one of the weakest. Even going back to when the talent pool was more shallow, I thought Yulia, Elena, Evgenia, and Alina were all more impressive their first international seasons and were more interesting.

So you want to say that... Maiia looks less impressive than an Olympic gold medalist,World championship Medalist and multiple times European and GPF medalist, 2 times world champion and 2 times Olympic medalist and career Slam winner ?

Well, I guess she could be doing worse

As for Maiia, I really don't see what Eteri sees in her

Her quad is getting better, even if she fails to land it today, it is obvious from training footage that it is getting better and better, so maybe next season we can see 2 Quad S from her. Also it's her first season and obviously she is nervous, with more experience next year that should get better.

Also, Eteri most likely wants all 3 spots from Olympics. How many girls does she have with Ultra C right now? 5 of them are eligible and one (Kamila) has 'perfect' age. Nobody knows what happens to 3A 2 years from now,how well will Darya learn Axel and what Alina decides to do (Rumors have it she is gaining muscle mass and is serious in her attempt to learn quads but it's extremely uncertain, even if true), so why shouldn't she keep somebody with almost-ready Quad ?

Also has Eteri ever told any 'famous' skater 'you have no future, I don't have time to waste on you?' Almost every 'Eteri Expelled me' story ends with 'I hated it so much that I refused to train and left' in her interview in a movie about Alina Eteri claimed that she likes training skaters who need to be 'saved' more.

P.S Maiia is going to grow tall(she is well past 160 right now, likely will end up being well past 170), If she keeps quads for several years (it's a big If), she will be very exotic skater (Figure Skating version of Isiah Thomas ) Eteri herself had to give up her dreams of being a skater because of height, so maybe she wants to prove even tall people can skate professionally. Considering 'Tallgirl' hashtag she gave to that Video showing Kromykh landing her first Quad, she seems to be very proud of being able to teach her quad.

P.P.S I of course, understand that level of ladies competition has gone up sharply but we aren't at the point that we can call ladies with Quad 'nothing special', at least, yet.