And now the FS. Like I said, this is going to get more critical. I agree with some of the points he raised, with others, I don’t. I do want to say, though, that he overall wasn’t impressed with the free skates as a whole. This is not a bias against the Russian ladies (whom he absolutely loved in the SP anyway), on the contrary, he criticized basically everyone. But here we go:
After Alexia’s FS and before Anna’s:
And now - and I say this without any sarcasm – let us calmly watch the Russian Championships. The first one – Anna Shcherbakova who is in second place
(after the SP). Watch out – she is planning three quads. Can this work out? I am curious indeed. 15 years old, order of jumps: 4Lz, 4F, 2A, 4Lz+3T, 3Lz+3Lo, 3F+Eu+3S, 3Lz, if she can do that, it is going to be a sensation.
(let it be said here: he hasn’t watched the official practices and is judging from the planned program content the girls submitted. We’ll see this with Sasha later on) Her debut at the Europeans.
(lands 4Lz+3T) Incredible.
(lands 4F) woah. Can this even be? This is just insane. 4F.
(after 2A and spirals) Take a look at the technical score on the upper left corner. 42,83 after only three elements. And the first half of free isn’t even over – second 4Lz and the fall.
(costume change) Great change of colours here.
After her FS: I will just say: Bravo, Anna Shcherbakova, despite the fall. What she showed technically in the beginning and what she showed as the program went on, you can literally only marvel and shake your head. 97.45 and that’s because the second quad, the 4F, was being deducted for an underrotation. And of course now we have the discussion again that we already had in the SP. Something like this – and I am specifically talking about the rotational speed now – is only possible with these small bodies. 15 years old, and here you can watch this INSANE 4Lz+3T in slow motion. It does have some good height, no question.
(4F is being shown) Ah, yes, you see it clearly how she underrotated but when attempting 4 revolutions this can easily happen. The same with the 4Lz, by the way, that’s why she fell there.
But in all honestly, even with all this insane technique, she is getting 8s in the interpretation. But I am asking myself here: Where was the interpretation here? Where was it, can you tell me? Other than the costume change? I didn’t see it, I saw fantastic technique but musical interpretation, choreography in the high 8s, I didn’t see that. She is only getting them because of her difficult technique and she too is lacking in this experience, in this devotion to the music and she also doesn’t even have the time in this FS to even interpret the music! And honestly. She is 15. When I walk into the room of my daughter, she won’t be listening to The Firebird by Stravinsky. She will be listening to Ariana Grande or Taylor Swift, that’s something that could work more for the girls, maybe. But okay – you can skate to that but then you have to fill it with life and not only do a costume change. And please, understand my intentions very clearly here: What Anna Shcherbakova did just now was the highest technical difficulty you can possibly show on the ice. But on the other hand, getting almost 9s in interpretation – this doesn’t fit. That she will lead now, however, won’t be a surprise.
And next we have the 15 year old Alexandra Trusova. There is a banner in the rink saying “Dracarys!”. This is referring to the character of the Dragon Queen in the Game of Thrones series who always tells her dragons to spit fire. Now I am curious.
Order of jumps: 4F, 4S, 4Lz, 2A… In total, she is planning five quads.
(she falls from the 4Lz) Well… this wasn’t too surprising after the warm-up.
(Sasha apparently had a bad warm-up. I cannot exactly remember, personally, because I was focusing on and freaking out over Aliona who wasn’t jumping at all, safe for one or two combos and one 3A attempt right at the end of the warm-up)
4T+3T! I think they gave her a new plan and made the free somewhat easier because the warm-up wasn’t too good. I hope they did, for her sake.
(he’s reading from the planned program sheet, so he doesn’t know Sasha’s been skating her FS like this in practice too. He basically thinks they changed her jumping layout on the fly. 
)
Yes. They did indeed simplify it. 3F.
(falls from 4T). Ah. The trainers are devastated behind her in the background..... And still: 3Lz+3Lo!
After her skate:
Alexandra Trusova. 15 years old. And in all honestly, this is not the sport I, as a figure skating fan too and former figure skater, want to see. Because this kind of jumping festival needs to be stopped, at least in my eyes. There was a total of five planned quads, I was watching her during the warm-up, many things went wrong, all three coaches were talking intensely to her. And apparently, they changed the whole free in the locker room, made it easier, and in the end it didn’t work. This will be enough for a medal but honestly… and the musical choice too
(he's asking why they'd choose that, basically). Game of Thrones, for a fifteen year old!
(from someone who is at least closer to Sasha’s age than the commentator: I would prefer skating to GOT over Taylor Swift and I think many 15-year olds would agree with me here. ) Of course she can move well, she has great edges, good spins, great jumping technique but the symbiosis (of art and sport) is more than that. And it can’t be that the girls are planning 5 quads in the FS here. Where should this lead us? And what will be when the young ladies are 18, 19 years old, when they have a body like a woman? They won’t be able to maintain this insane rotational speed and then? They will not be able to show all these jumps and then they will be replaced for other younger skaters - just like that. This is
not a good evolution.
Even with all the joy we had in the SP yesterday – and sometimes in the Free today, too – and it IS insane to watch what they can do… I don’t want to talk too harshly but you saw it yourself. Two falls from the quads. And then ask yourself how many times you will have to fall brutally in training to even land these quads. That’s not just a few sore spots, a few bruises, that’s a lot more. And this for, really, children, who are 14, 13, 15… Insanity. And then the “Dracarys!” doesn’t fit anymore either.
Look at her, the charming little one, it’s not her fault, she just wants to do her best and show everything she can on the ice. But here the ISU really needs to do something.
I know as a commentator you should be objective and hold back but really, in this case, I can’t. And I will stand for it.
But now, she has the Bronze for sure.
The last to skate for this evening. The leader after the SP.
Aliona Kostornaya – the leader
(after the SP) ….. Truly beautiful start – 3A+2T. Second 3A. .... Strong combination – 3F+3T!
(fall from 3Lz) Aaah, such a shame.
After the FS:
Aliona Kostornaya – or I would say our new European Champion, with two brilliant 3A. Such a shame for the fall on the lutz - that did spoil the whole thing a little bit. But here we certainly had the whole package and that’s why it will be enough for the title. In her first attempt, too. She is 16 years old and she also is coached by Eteri Tutberidze like Alexandra Trusova before her. She is getting the highest marks for choreography, interpretation and performance – all above 9 – just like the skating skills. And just because of that she will be the European Champion and – of course – her two 3A will get many, many points. She would need 152.85 for the victory, her personal best is at 162. Yes: 155.89 points are enough for the victory, even though it is only second place in the free. But overall, it is enough and with 240.81 she is our European Champion. Congratulations. We will take a look at the official final result soon. It was the last competition of this European Championship and it left me behind feeling conflicted and thoughtful. As expected, three Russians on the podium and
in the end, more than deserved. Congratulations to Aliona Kostornaia, Anna Shcherbakova and Alexandra Trusova."
___
That’s it. My thoughts on the whole thing: I don’t agree with everything, for example his criticism on Anna’s music choice. 15-year olds aren’t only interested in Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande, that’s a bit superficial. Teenagers can be interested in a wide range of things and I find it absolutely believable that Anna would enjoy reading Perfume and listening to Stravinsky. Also, Game of Thrones is brutal but speaking honestly, I know many 15-year olds who watched it and weren’t shocked by it at all. So, nope, I'm not buying that.
What I do agree on, however, is the criticism of the construction of the programs. Again, I want to go back to the SP and how he talked about Anna there. It isn’t that he has a problem with her, or her interpretation, he praised her explicitly for that in the SP and said her marks were deserved. But in the FS, I do feel like there is a lack of performance and interpretation
in comparison to the SP. Not because Anna isn’t capable of it (I mean, it's Anna we're talking about, if anyone is capable of interpreting music it's her) but because the jumps indeed take so much concentration that in the first half everything is about the quads. This can be exciting too but yes, I get his point in that there wasn't too much in the first half other than quads and then the costume change. I do think he was too harsh, however. He's acting like she didn't interpret anything and only had her jumps and I don't see that at all. Just take a look at her facial expressions in the second half. They're fierce and free and sharp. She's bringing it. If that's not interpretation, I don't know what is.
Also, if I had to make a guess, I think the difference from the FS to the SP isn't only quads but that the FS shows her weakness in skating skills more broadly as the music requires a wider range of movements, sharper turns, quicker blade movements... I wish she had the skating skills of someone like Aliona. If she did, she could become the perfect PCS skater. I get what she's trying to tell me every time in terms of the story of the program. But I feel like her skating skills are holding her back overall a bit, which is a shame. I hope she's working on them because she really has everything else.
Another thing I agree on, and it won’t surprise anyone, is his concern on quads and growth. Again, he explicitly expressed the wish for the 3A to stay for a long time in the sport during the SP, so it’s not like he’s biased against them. (I don’t think anyone could possibly think that after his commentary on the SP but anyway) He also specifically mentioned that many countries were jealous of the Russian success but went on to marvel about the choreography of Aliona’s SP, basically saying that no matter the jealousy, this was a choreographic masterpiece. So, he isn’t biased against Russia either. He is genuinely worried for the girls and the sport as a whole. I agree with that here because I too have seen a pattern over the years and fear it will go on like this and get even worse as the technical demands increase. I am willing to give it time, though. I love the 3A and I will cross my fingers for them to stay in the sport for many more years. If they do and aren’t pushed away in two years because their bodies are ruined and the next generation is taking over – good. If not… well, the Olympics will be over by that point and that’s usually when new rules are being made.
Give me your thoughts on this.
I know many of you won't agree and that's fine.
But let's keep it civil. 
I really appreciate your hard work! 
