2019-20 Russian Men's figure skating

[lariko]

I don't understand what's wrong with this interview? The only part I could see being controversial is the one about Chen/Hanyu (at least judging by the comments I read on Twitter acting like Samarin belittles their achievements and who does he think he is anyway...). I don't speak Russian but after trying a couple of translations it sounds like he thinks it's possible for the Russian Men to challenge Chen/Hanyu and honestly, if they didn't believe so there would be no point in trying. No offense, I genuinely don't understand.

Also, petition for next season's thread to be called "Russian gentlemen skating league".

He sounds oddly upbeat, in the landscape where everyone is like, Gentlemen, your goal is not to lose the two spots you still have. If he is saying from the bottom of his competitive heart, that he can just see the quads taking him there, all power to him.

 

[YuBluByMe]

I’m no defender of Samarin, but I don’t find anything controversial about what he said. I even agree with most of it.

We are ramping up, conquering back the lost ground. It’s hard to say why there is this long period without the big victories. There was time when we had a lot of strong boys, but no girls. Then, the situation had changed.

If I were to make a list of the top five things I want most in figure skating, Russian men returning to their former glory would be #2. Plushenko skated much longer than he should have because he had no successor. I would think that following such a man is huge pressure, but then I look at the Japanese and American men and say, “Nah, that can’t be it.” There’s more to it. I don’t know what, but the talent and coaches are there. There must be something fundamentally wrong with the program.

I believe that it’s not so hard to challenge Nathan Chen & Yuzuru Hanyu. Yes, they are a bit ahead of the pack, but I hope that it is only temporary.

What’s wrong with this? He’s not wrong. It IS temporary as what sets Chen apart is not the quads themselves, but his consistency with them. That’s the reason he beats Hanyu. But that wasnt always the case. Russian men need to look on what’s different from two-three years ago (hint: quality of Chen’s jumps) and take it from there. Once everyone else stops falling and popping on their 4s and skate clean, the gap will close. That’s how Chen closed it. If he can close it, someone else can to.

Personally, I am already thinking about strengthening my content for the new season. I don’t want to go into the specifics, but we are talking about new quads and the number of quads, all aspects.

If anything is controversial, it’s this nonsense here. Dude can’t land a 4F, pops his 4Ts and here he is talking about NEW quads. How about you FIX what you already have first? And since you put me to sleep every time you step on the ice, how about working on your charisma! That “long period without victory” is going to get longer!

 

[MintGreen]

...In the 2019/20 season, Alexander Aliyev became the European champion (for the first time for Russia since 2012), ...

or on a composite male skater to challenge Chen.

^
This :rofl2:

 

[lariko]

Next Three Questions from that interview with JWC US team with Russian roots (Part 2)

Your life in the States

Malinin: He lives in America, in Virginia, with his parents and younger sister, Lisa. He gets up before 6 am to skate till 7 am and then go to school. He finishes school earlier, at noon, and skates till 5 pm, then does general physical conditioning.

Question to Malininoes he go to a regular school/did they consider home-schooling

Malinin: Yes, he goes to a regular school part-time and combines it with home studies. They are considering full homeschooling starting next year.

Torgashev: He now lives with his mother and sister in Colorado, they followed him there a couple of months after his move. His mother had just purchased a house for them. His father still lives in Florida and coaches there. His mother still trains him 20 min a day, and works full time as a coach.

Question to Torgashev: What does your mom work with you on in those 20 min?

Torgashev: the skating skills, gliding

Naumov: He finished his studies, graduated from a high school, 12 grades, and he is taking a gap year before going to a university to focus on figure skating, so it’s a bit of a break for him. He gets up about 6:45 am, to make it to the rink on time for training around 8-9am. The first training session is about 90 min, then he rests and sometimes does additional training such as spinners. The second training session starts at 1 pm and goes on for about 1 hour. Every second day he has general conditioning. The other days he rests or does the visualisation to help with the mental preparation.

Question to Naumov: You are growing up in the family of the World Champions. Tell us if it helps you or is it difficult.

Naumov: He couldn't have asked for better in terms of support. This is a unique thing, hard for him to even convey. It is not just in relation to the on-ice time, it is the home life as well, he feels that their family is his team. Without one or another, they could not have worked like that, always together. His parents are knowledgeable, teach him everything, and every day he does the best he could do with his goal being to achieve the same level as his parents did.

Which Language is used at home?

Malinin: Usually they communicate in Russian, sometimes in English. Particularly because his grandparents are visiting, so they always try to speak Russian.

Naumov: Russian. Sometimes they mix in English, but in general it is Russian. His father adds in that he switches to English when he is not happy with Maxim, and Maxim doesn’t like it. He tries to stick to Russian. He is more comfortable with it.

The interviewer suggests as concrit that Naumov expands his vocabulary, Naumov laughs.

Question: Does anyone in the skating rink ever ask you to teach them Russian words?

Naumov: Yes, that happens, and he teaches the essential Russian words like Hi/Bye and whatever else they would ask.

Torgashev: They use their own language, a few words in Russian, a few words in English. He doesn’t know if it is even; he would start in Russian, then would search for a word, and slip into English. Then back to Russian, so, yes, it is mixed.

Question to Torgashev: Which language it is easier for you to think in?

Torgashev: If he is speaking Russian, like now, he thinks in Russian, and vice versa.

Question to Torgashev: Did you teach anyone in America Russian words? Are they interested?

Torgashev: They are only interested in dirty words (he does smile cutely when he says that).

Question to Torgashev: So, did you teach them?

Torgashev: Naturally.

Have You Ever Been to Russia?

Torgashev: Yes, he visited a couple of times. The last time he had been to Russia was when he had a stage in (JGP?) in Saransk. He thinks it had been in 2016-2017. He also stayed in Moscow for a couple of days.

Question to Torgashev: Impressions?

Torgashev: He liked it. It is a different atmosphere than in AMerica, but pleasant. He stayed with his paternal grandfather while visiting with his father. They stayed in a Moscow apartment and he was comfortable, but traffic congestion was bad.

Question to Torgashev: Had you seen something in Russia that you could not find in America (save for the traffic jams).

Torgashev: He can notice a different culture, but he had lived in America all his life, while he only visited Russia for a week. He also did not do a lot of sightseeing, basically it was to the skating rink and back for him, but he felt comfortable, and finds it easy to interact with the Russians because he doesn’t have a language barrier. He thinks he could have lived in Russia.

Malinin: No, not once. He wanted to go, even this year for a Grand Prix stage. To see how it is. But here in Estonia, it feels a lot like what it would have been like.

Question to Malinin: Because everyone speaks Russian? (they refer to the neigborhood in Tallinn where JWC took place, it is predominantly Russian)

Malinin: And because everyone lives in the high rise apartment complexes.

Question to Malinin: What do you think about the apartment complexes?

Malinin: It is weird to him, because he lives in a suburb, and when he trains(?) in the city, the other kids live in the highrises. (I am not sure if he is referring to Russians living in the apartment blocks or his peers in America).

Question to Malinin: Did your parents tell you a lot about Russia?

Malinin: Yes, he was told how Russia looks like and how it is different than America, it’s backward in comparison.

Question to Malinin: In which respects?

Malinin: Technology.

Naumov: Yes, yes, yes, he’d been to Russia. When he was a kid they went a few times, and recently went for New Year holidays. He has grandmothers, a grandfather and cousins still living in Russia. So he has a lot of family in Russia.

Quiestion to Naumov: Impressions?

Naumov: He likes Russia. It is different, a bit more disciplined than America, but he likes that. They stopped by the skating rink to see skaters training, it was a good experience for him. The skating rink was in St.Petersburg. He really likes metro/subway. Everyone drives the cars in the States, but he really loved the subway. And he found the people to be nice, though they do not show it immediately. In America people are always smiling at you. Though he does not want to generalize. He also likes it that in Russia everyone minds their own business.

Question to Naumov: Could you have lived in Russia?

Naumov: He thinks he could have. When he was a kid he stayed for a month with his grandparents, at the summer cottage, he’d been to a banya (Russian steam room/sauna), and loved it.

Next Question: Is it expensive to train in America?

 

[thatbeatingheart]

He sounds oddly upbeat, in the landscape where everyone is like, Gentlemen, your goal is not to lose the two spots you still have. If he is saying from the bottom of his competitive heart, that he can just see the quads taking him there, all power to him.

He's gotta be optimistic I guess. But yeah, I'd also rather see him work on the quality of what he already has (which is a lot!) instead of the sheer number/variety of quads.

 

[lariko]

He's gotta be optimistic I guess. But yeah, I'd also rather see him work on the quality of what he already has (which is a lot!) instead of the sheer number/variety of quads.

I am happy to just see him come out and jump that quad lutz triple combo. (Sighs dreamily).

 

[Sofia]

it sounds like he thinks it's possible for the Russian Men to challenge Chen/Hanyu and honestly, if they didn't believe so there would be no point in trying. No offense, I genuinely don't understand.

The part about Chen/Hanyu is what I'm actually fine with. One reason is what you said, the other being the pressure as a main candidate of Russia No.1, which may have made him feel obligated to say something like that. For years the top Russian men have been saying this regarding themselves vs. world leaders, whether in reality it's "not quite far from it" or "possible, but first there are loads of fundamental work to do", whether they have a practical idea or are clueless about how to make it happen. Has this kind of speech proven to have positive effects? No. But if they still feel there's additional drive to continue in that spirit, then be it.

Meanwhile it's still possible for him to be realistic about other things. It's the overall tone of the article that seems somewhat detached to perceived reality. For me the most dubious part is his quad plans. "I can't cope with my current technical content, so we'll solve this problem by adding more quads"

Confidence can do wonders, but in this case I don't know whether to rejoice or not.

 

[lariko]

And here is the last, 3/3 part of the interview with young and eager Malinin, flushed with success and well adjusted Naumov & intractable and airy Torgashev, team USA at JWC

Is It Expensive to Train in the States

Malinin: It depends on the results. On a certain level of achievement, they receive boots and blades. They pay for the ice time, but since he is coached by his parents, the price is lower. They also have flights and hotels paid for by the Federation

Torgashev: Yes, it is expensive. The Federation helps. The grants are not automatic if you made the team; it is the results that matter. One has to prove to the Federation that you are worth helping. That opens up money for choreography, costumes, skates, coaching. But overall, one has to pay their own way.

Question to Torgashev: What’s your current situation?

Torgashev: The Federation is helping him currently. The better his results, the more funding he could count on.

Naumov: Yes, they receive funding from the Federation for skates and costumes. If you make the national team, you receive a good level of support. He doesn’t think it differs that much from in Russia, though he does not know for sure.

Question to Naumov: Could you eyeball how pricey it is to just go and figure skate in the States? Can many people afford it there?

Naumov: This is a difficult question, he doesn’t even know how to respond to it (looks at his dad). Dad tells him to tell as is.

Naumov: It is expensive, before you make the team, as you are building up. Skates, ice time, coaching. Obviously, he counts himself lucky. It is probably not for everyone.

Figure Skating Doesn’t Seem Popular in the States?

Malinin: It’s too expensive. You need to pay for the ice time etc, when starting out. In Russia, there are many people who skate, so maybe that drives down the prices. Plus, there are a lot of other sports in America, so people are more drawn towards the other sports.

Torgashev: In US, the popular sports are basketball, football and baseball. All these team sports. Not many are aware of figure skating as a sport, had seen a competition or wanted to try it out. They give a ball to their kids, and that’s what they keep doing as sports.

Also the word figure skating does not really attract people. He thinks if more people saw figure skating, maybe they would have liked it. It’s like dancing, some people like watching it, others don’t.

Of course, he would have wanted more fans in the USA, like in Russia or Japan. But he appreciates his American fans who message him about watching his skating and liking it, even if it is just a couple. It’s all that he needs.

Question to Torgashev: Do you have audience during the competitions in the States?

Torgashev: Yes, there are people who come to watch. Sometimes the stadium is half-full.

Naumov: (sighs) Yes, compared to twenty years ago, the popularity of figure skating in America had declined. Back then, many people were watching it, and the TV broadcasted the competitions. They still do, but much less. Sometimes they cherry pick as little as possible. But some people are interested in checking out what Chen is up to, and he gets advertisement. But there is no comparison to Hanyu’s fandom in Japan. He’s like a god there. Back at the time of Kwan and Lipinsky, figure skating was a popular sport. That was the Golden Era of the figure skating, back in his parents’ times.

Question to Naumov: Did the other sports push figure skating to the curb?

Naumov’s dad: The Federation lost its support and a huge TV contract with ABC after the pair scandal. After that contract expired, the TV broadcasts slowly disappeared.

Even the big tours like Stars on Ice/Champions on ICe failed because people stopped attending without the big stars. No more hype, no more drama with Nancy and Tonya, no more interest.

Is the national competition among men steeper in USA or in Russia?

Malinin: He thinks it’s in Russia.

Question to Malinin: Is it because there are more figure skaters?

Malinin: Yes, because it is less expensive to start out.

Naumov (expels a breath): Yes, he thinks it’s hard in Russia. All the boys are on the super-high level, so it’s hard to make it. Like in Tutberidze’s group, she has plenty of students, all in one place, both boys and girls, and one is better than the other. So it is a continuous competition. He is used to the States, where it is more spread out throughout the regions, more of individual space (for each emerging skater?). But don’t imagine it’s easy either. He doesn’t think the difference is that big. But it exists. He thinks it is a bit easier in America.

Torgashev: He is unsure. There are a lot of good athlete approximately on the same level. He saw the results of the Russian Nationals and whoever was in the fifth position (Lariko: that would be Mozalev, sorry, couldn’t resist) could have been the first. So, the competition is who shows himself better on that given day. In USA, they fight it over for the second through the fourth placements. Because the top guy is Nathan, and it is impossible to beat him.

What do you think about the success of the Russian ladies in figure skating?

Torgashev: He sees them doing quads, makes him think he needs to do better than that. When ladies do quads, it motivates gentlemen to work on quads and perform them easily. He would not have wanted to compete against the Russian ladies at the moment. They are too very, very, very, very good in competition.

Naumov: He is impressed, and he agrees it’s a revolution. In the last three years the ladies moved from doing a triple-triple combo as the coolest thing to triple axels and quad, quad, quad… If someone said it would happen three years ago, nobody would have believed it. He thinks it’s excellent progress in the sport. They also have Alicia, who is tiny but super-strong, so the competition is coming their way from USA.

Malinin: He thinks it’s cute that the girls are already jumping quads. A couple of years ago he thought the girls would never jump quads. Now all of them do. Hell bells.

Who are your idols in figure skating?

Malinin: Nathan Chen and before he liked Michail Kolyada, his lutz was great

Torgashev: Patrick Chan, he is the one Torgashev watches to learn from, how he skates, how he won the WC, because of his excellent skating skills and stable jumps. Denis Ten, his skating skills were deluxe.

Naumov: When he was young he watched figure skating all the time. And still watches everyone and learns from everyone. He does not feel he had a single idol. For example, from Yagudin, he is crazy about Yagudin’s vertical take off on the jumps, particularly axel (lariko: I am trying to interpret him talking with his hands here) and Plushenko, he used to watch Plushenko skate non-stop. Jumps and consistency in each competition.

Daisuke Takahashi for his skating skills and blade control. So, yes he watches everyone, learns from everyone.

Chen, Hanyu, what’s his name (remains unnamed) he takes bits of their performances that he admires and studies them. But on the other hand...

Plushenko… yeah. Plushenko. He always rooted for him, 2010 was hard for him with divided loyalties. When the Americain won without a quad, his free was shaky, but he still went for everything and rotated everything, proving himself. But it was just after the change of the system, and that GoE…yeah. On his last jump, the triple lutz, he flew out of it like that (mimics horizontally with his hand) it was impossible to save it, but he did and added a double toeloop to it too. He was overawed.

(lariko: At this point I can safely say that Naumov’s idol is Plushenko, he is all bright-eyed and excited)

Question to Naumov: Do you feel that the result was unfair?

Naumov: It was right, but it wasn’t right. He understands how the scoring worked, but he wanted it to be different. It’s politics.
Question to Naumov: Had he ever met Evan L or Plushenko?

Naumov: No, never, but he wished he did.

Question to Naumov: Had he ever met anyone else he admired as a young skater?

Naumov: He met Chen, and he watched him raise through the ranks and met him at the Nationals, using the same locker room. He talked to him and introduced himself.

How much of you (%) is American, and how much--Russian?

Torgashev: Maybe 65% Americain, 35% Russian

Malinin: I never had been to Russia, so because of that 70% American, 30% Russian

Naumov: A difficult question. Fifty-fifty?

Question to Naumov: Well, I am going to reveal to you that you are the most Russian of the group, Ilya said he was 70/30 and Andrew said he was 65/35. So you win the title of the most Russian on the American team here.

His dad calls Naumov an American with Russian spare parts

Naumov: Russia will always be in my heart, and my family is all Russia. I can’t really say that I am more American than Russian because of my family, grandparents. So, yes, 50:50.

 

[Flying Feijoa]

Thanks so much for the translations Lariko!!

Andrew (skating skills) and Maxim (jump height) do resemble their idols to some extent... Ilia is still in early development, but he has a nice lutz (very neat, minimal upper body movement - actually reminds me of his mother's lutz). Hopefully with time, it will gain height like Kolyada's lutz!

Now that I'm stuck at home all day, maybe it's a good time for me to try learning Russian

Wonder what the vibe between the boys' parents is like at competitions, being not just all Russian but also former world-class skaters whose sons compete in the same discipline

 

[lariko]

The only parent who was distinctively present during the interview was Vadim Naumov, and it is easy to sense the connection, just as Naumov Jr. strikingly resembles his father. I don’t think Naumov exaggerates how tightly knit their family is in the interview. Given how they are all invested in the same field, chances are they have ways to connect with one another, just like the competitors themselves.

 

[RemyRose]

Kunitsa has left Eteri and moved to St. Petersburg. He will try his hand in pairs https://www.instagram.com/p/B-pOvTqpgdJ/?igshid=asdzrym14ct4

 

[lariko]

Kunitsa has left Eteri and moved to St. Petersburg. He will try his hand in pairs https://www.instagram.com/p/B-pOvTqpgdJ/?igshid=asdzrym14ct4

Oh. I didn’t expect that, but good luck to him in pairs!

 

[Edwin]

Not to be left behind, the young Russian skaters also pulled on their official jackets and delivered the Stay at Home, Stay Safe message.

Pyotr Gummenik: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-xaqe1oy4O

Artur Danielyan: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-uua6LI14S

 

[eterislouisvuitton]

Diverting the conversation a little bit, does anyone know what happened to Egor Rukhin in the latter half of the season? He reminded of Skirda at first sight but I heard he was injured, any news??

 

[Tolstoj]

Diverting the conversation a little bit, does anyone know what happened to Egor Rukhin in the latter half of the season? He reminded of Skirda at first sight but I heard he was injured, any news??

He had a really good Cup of Russia event around November after the disappointing JGP season, but then WD everything i guess for an injury.

I'm not super confident he'll stay on Sambo70, it does feel the same trajectory of Skirda a little bit, but at that Cup of Russia event he landed those quads, so hopefully they'll give him another chance since he still can have it, even though for the next JGP season there are certainly more deserving skaters coming in like Semenenko.

 

[RemyRose]

World standings updated

Top 24 WS
Samarin (2)
Aliev (3)
Danielian (16)
Gumennik (20)
Mozalev (24)
............................................
Voronov (29)
Kolyada (33)
Lazukin (34)
Ignatov (41)
Savosin (62)
Murashov (69)
Kovalev (71)
Yablokov (74)
Lutfullin (75)
Samsonov (78)
Kondratiuk (84)
Shulepov (85)

Top 24 SB
Aliev (5)
Samarin (9)
Ignatov (14)
Samsonov (16)
Danielian (20)
Mozalev (22)
............................................
Voronov (29)
Gumennik (31)
Kovalev (37)
Murashov (44)
Shulepov (45)
Yablokov (55)
Lazukin (58)
Lutfullin (59)
Kutovoi (74)
Rukin (77)

Gorshkov said the list for Main and Reserve team members should come out mid May as usual.

 

[lariko]

I guess Mozalev stands a decent chance of making reserve, that’s why he was so eager to move to seniors? I am curious to see what will happen to him, Gumennik and Ignatov in the reshuffle

 

[RemyRose]

I guess Mozalev stands a decent chance of making reserve, that’s why he was so eager to move to seniors? I am curious to see what will happen to him, Gumennik and Ignatov in the reshuffle

Reserve? He, Gumennik, Ignatov, Danielian, Samarin and Aliev should all be on the main team. I expect them all to get 2 GPs if they happen.

 

[Sofia]

Reserve? He, Gumennik, Ignatov, Danielian, Samarin and Aliev should all be on the main team. I expect them all to get 2 GPs if they happen.

...and the number of GP spots occupied by Russian Men per season may reach a new high if we take Voronov and Kolyada into consideration (again, if they happen)...

As for the main team, this should be the list if there are 6 instead of 7 ladies and nobody on the singles side gets in by decision of coaching council. If national team member status is decided purely by sport results, then it's a perfect list.

 

[RemyRose]

...and the number of GP spots occupied by Russian Men per season may reach a new high if we take Voronov and Kolyada into consideration (again, if they happen)...

As for the main team, this should be the list if there are 6 instead of 7 ladies and nobody on the singles side gets in by decision of coaching council. If national team member status is decided purely by sport results, then it's a perfect list.

I don't think the ladies are getting 7 this year...