2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Vilord]

OMG YESSSSS!! THIS!! That's what I've been trying to say. Also pushback on the idea that "genius" is somehow denied or decried because her skaters are "one hit wonders and only last until they are 18."

First of all, they're not "one hit wonders" at all. Every one of them has won everything at the junior or senior level, only losing to each other.
Second of all, why should they continue when they've reached the pinnacle of their sport? When you're at the top there is only one way to go still - that's down, unfortunately. When you're at the top, you're the one to beat.
Third of all, I think some skaters like Liza who have remained in skating are still skating because they HAVEN'T reached their goals and have more to give. What exactly is Alina supposed to still work towards?
Lastly, most skaters have won and gone on to retire either immediately or soon after, such as Tara (after the Olympics), Katelyn (after Worlds), etc, while others continued because they hadn't reached their goals/had more to give, such as Michelle. The difference is that you used to have to "pay your dues" but now, if you're the best, you can ascend to dazzling heights and win everything major international titles at 16 years old
Skating isn't everything - contrary to popular belief - and these girls don't owe us anything more than that. If they still love it afterwards and have the passion, then yes, continue. But they don't anyone continued seasons.

I think something that plays in to wheter you choose to continue after a big win followed by a relative decline is what you love about the sport. If yoru love for skating has nothing to do with competing but more with skating itself and performig you probably enjoy shows and other more relaxed forms of skating more. Alina has at least to me allways appeared to be in this category probably also Aliona (who has allready stated she will probably retire after the olympics). The thing here is winning a big title gives you opportunities to do a lot of other skating than just competing and if thats what the skaters prefer who are we to shame them for it.

Other skaters like Medvedeva seems to love competing. I think Sasha does as well and probably also Liza and that is what drives them. Someone like that will push through growth spurts and hard times and hopefully come out as strong once again. And this is often wonderful (and sometimes a bit painful to watch). But the problem in Russia is that there are just to many good skaters and making it back on the team is really difficult because the every new "generation" of skaters seem to be better than the next. Skaters like Liza or Zenya have been skating as good as they ever did in many ways challenging themselvs with new jumps or combinations to compete with the newcomers and I admire them for that.

But I do belive that the first route to retire after a big win and monetize on you success but doing shows etc and then establishing a carrer wherever you want to go is the "smarter" (or at least more prudent) option. That is why I belive that everyone who is not a true lover of competing will retire when they feel they start to falter. Traing for competitions is after all much harder than training for shows and if you feel like you get less reward for more work why would you choose that option.

The skaters owe us nothing and should choose the path that they feel will make them the happiest. Wheter or not that includes skating in shows, competing or doing something completely different.

 

[anonymoose_au]

Third of all, I think some skaters like Liza who have remained in skating are still skating because they HAVEN'T reached their goals and have more to give.

Or maybe they just love to compete.

You're right and I only hope people can also respect the skaters who continue even when they're not the best. For example Maria Sotskova who was endlessly ridiculed and accused of "wasting" a GP spot that she rightly earned. Was she going to win or even podium? No, but she worked hard and was in the top 24 at the time, why should she have to step aside?

 

[Jontor]

I hope you will catch it. I'd love to have a Butyrskaya vs today's skaters discussion with you later on!

My biased subjective tips for tomorrow...

Check out the first skater Nugumanova. She will do a very cool 3Lo+3Lo combo and her spins are fantastic. Her jumps will probably be judged UR, but who cares!, she's a lovely skater.

Then Safonova (for Belarus) has something, I can't put my finger on it, but I like her!

But all skaters will be fantastic, I'm sure, including my personal favourite Shcherbakova skating last.

 

[Jontor]

Or maybe they just love to compete.

You're right and I only hope people can also respect the skaters who continue even when they're not the best. For example Maria Sotskova who was endlessly ridiculed and accused of "wasting" a GP spot that she rightly earned. Was she going to win or even podium? No, but she worked hard and was in the top 24 at the time, why should she have to step aside?

I love Sotskova, but dear Moosey, we all know it was a mistake to send her to that GP last season. She earned it , yes, but so did Gubanova who didn't get the place because of Sotskova. Maria ended up last, of course, but Gubanova, I'm sure, would have placed top 5 probably 4th.

RusFed had two skaters that earned it, and they had to pick one, and they made a mistake.

Frankly, I think this was the nail in the coffin for Sotskova. Had she not been there, she might have had time to regroup and come back later (like Tuktamysheva have done!). Instead, I think the humiliation of that last place made her resign from RusNats, and later she just resigned period.

As I said, this is not about hate, I loved Sotskova, I love ALL Russian ladies, but the RusFed made a mistake that year...

 

[anonymoose_au]

I love Sotskova, but dear Moosey, we all know it was a mistake to send her to that GP last season.

I guess, but it was so weird, Maria did so well the season before and then suddenly it was under-rotations left and right. Did she always under-rotate? And if so why did the Tech Panel not see it?

I haven't got an answer to this question yet, but can skaters tell they're under-rotating? Sometimes I wonder if they can because why would they not start trying to fix it ASAP?

 

[icybear]

I wonder if Alena has a new ex. Considering how hastily they had made to make up a fs I wonder if they even made her a new ex. And she probably cant use her old ex cause they're from eteri camp.

 

[anonymoose_au]

I wonder if Alena has a new ex. Considering how hastily they had made to make up a fs I wonder if they even made her a new ex. And she probably cant use her old ex cause they're from eteri camp.

Maybe she'll improvise something? Didn't Zhenya Med do that once? Or did she at least have time to get some choreo down?

 

[Jontor]

I guess, but it was so weird, Maria did so well the season before and then suddenly it was under-rotations left and right. Did she always under-rotate? And if so why did the Tech Panel not see it?

I haven't got an answer to this question yet, but can skaters tell they're under-rotating? Sometimes I wonder if they can because why would they not start trying to fix it ASAP?

The truth is, Sotskova didn't do well at all the season before. She had a terrible season.

In 2019 Sotskova was 43rd on the Season's Best List with a highest score of 179.72 points. And that after competing at five events internationally!

Gubanova, on the other hand was 21st on the Season's Best List, scored 198.65 points with only two international events.

At RusNats Gubanova came 9th with 204 points, Sotskova 16th with 180 points. Gubanova then went on to Russian Cup final where she scored 206 poiints, Sotskova didn't compete there.

The signs were all there, Gubanova was the better skater, at the time, but she didn't get the chance.

In a way, I think that RusFed ruined both Sotskova and Gubanova's careers with this mistake. Sotskova for having to compete when she was clearly not up for it, and Gubanova for not getting the chance.

As for Sotskova's URs, they started coming IIRC already in the 2018 season. And then they were there the whole 2019 season, and it got worse. It's nothing you can fix easily IMO, it's all about power, if you don't have the power to do the jump - you underrotate. This is the classic Ladies skating scenario, when you hit puberty you grow, and the jumps just isn't there anymore. What you need to do is to completely learn new techniques to handle the new body, and that's hard work and it takes time.

 

[silveruskate]

Tarakanova has a good head on her shoulders. She did well to suck up to both of her past coaches in that interview. It isn't good for opportunities to make enemies of them in Russia, no matter what they say about you. Similar to TAT in the past. Wishing her all the best, her speed on the ice is wonderful.

 

[Skatesocs]

What is this supposed to mean? https://twitter.com/FSIgstories/status/1329564597943234565?s=19

 

[Jontor]

What is this supposed to mean? https://twitter.com/FSIgstories/status/1329564597943234565?s=19

It's supposed to mean that she's awesome...

 

[Jontor]

Good luck tomorrow to everyone. I hope they all have a clean skate.

Go Shcherbakova and Nugumanova and Trusova and Tuktamysheva and Kostornaia and Safonova and Samodurova and Ryabova and Guliakova and Kiibus and Urushadze and Galustyan!!!!!

 

[Dogo]

Good luck tomorrow to everyone. I hope they all have a clean skate.

Go Shcherbakova and Nugumanova and Trusova and Tuktamysheva and Kostornaia and Safonova and Samodurova and Ryabova and Guliakova and Kiibus and Urushadze and Galustyan!!!!!

Cheers to this. I'm also very grateful to see prime performances delivered by amazing skaters tomorrow.

May the odds be in everyone's favor!!

 

[colormyworld240]

I guess, but it was so weird, Maria did so well the season before and then suddenly it was under-rotations left and right. Did she always under-rotate? And if so why did the Tech Panel not see it?

I haven't got an answer to this question yet, but can skaters tell they're under-rotating? Sometimes I wonder if they can because why would they not start trying to fix it ASAP?

She did and they did. She didn't UR every competition, but the panel did give her calls before, during, and after the Olympic season. At Skate Canada, she lost to Kaetlyn despite having less falls due to URs. I believe on some of her GPs (and JGPs?) as well. And at Shanghai Trophy, the URs caused her to lose the title to Elena. However, at GPF her jumps were very rotated and since they're big, she got good GOE and scored I believe her personal best, at least in the FS. Skaters don't UR in every competition they take part in. Tsurskaya's 3Lz was a great example. When it was clean, it was the best ladies jump. But she did UR it enough that there was a pattern and she scored lower than many smaller 3Lzs and her scores varied greatly between competitions depending on the URs.

 

[plushyfan]

Good luck tomorrow to everyone. I hope they all have a clean skate.

Go Shcherbakova and Nugumanova and Trusova and Tuktamysheva and Kostornaia and Safonova and Samodurova and Ryabova and Guliakova and Kiibus and Urushadze and Galustyan!!!!!

Yessss!

 

[anonymoose_au]

Skaters don't UR in every competition they take part in.

As someone who hates uncertainty that would bother me no end if I was a competitive skater! I'd be wondering all the time if this would be the competition where URs will come and get me

Good thing I'm not a competitive skater

 

[Edwin]

Anna Shcherbakova has withdrawn from Rostelekom due to health reasons

Анна Щербакова снялась с этапа Гран-при в Москве

Призер чемпионата Европы, чемпионка России Анна Щербакова не сможет выступить на московском этапе Гран-при "Кубок Ростелекома". Фигуристка вынуждена сняться с соревнований из--за болезни,

fsrussia.ru

According to TASS, it is a cold.

Щербакова пропускает этап Гран-при по фигурному катанию из-за простуды - ТАСС

По словам источника, спортсменка не заразилась коронавирусом и не получала травм

tass.ru

According to RIA is it pneumonia?

Источник: у фигуристки Анны Щербаковой диагностирована пневмония

У двукратной чемпионки России по фигурному катанию Анны Щербаковой диагностирована пневмония, сообщил РИА Новости источник, знакомый с ситуацией. РИА Новости Спорт, 20.11.2020

rsport.ria.ru

Both agencies rely on 'sources', so we should better wait for an official announcement from Anna's family or her coaching team.

But didn't Anna spoke about being unwell before the Sizran stage?

 

[Idiote]

Man, that's sad ! I hope she's okay :/

 

[Lunalovesskating]

Get well, Anna!

 

[plushyfan]

OMG! Get well soon, Anya! This is not a good news for some reasons! I'm worried about her plus we all would like to see her first battle with Sasha....I hope she is OK..Yesterday I didn't understand why she is not on the TV news, they showed Kamila.. Maybe this was the reason