2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Vemvane]

What a terrible and disrespectful audience today. While Aliona was in the KnC they shouted to her "Liza was better, Liza first. Liza Liza Liza".

Oh, that's not very kind. She really did well to keep a smile on her face, even if it was strained.

 

[Fluture]

Her triples are still mostly good rotated, especially if you compare it with the other skaters here (see their protocols). It's not like she got 'too many' calls as some other Russian skaters got. Basically, that combo in the second half was the 'only' problem. So, it may also be due to the stamina/not enough training process and it can get better during the course of the season.

Imo, her lutz yesterday and the first one today were questionable, too. She did well to keep it together, no question, but I can't help but be worried. I just feel like there has to be a more efficient way for her to snap more quickly into rotation but I'm not sure how exactly you tackle something like this.

 

[Scott512]

What a terrible and disrespectful audience today. While Aliona was in the KnC they shouted to her "Liza was better, Liza first. Liza Liza Liza".

Such spoiled fans are the Russian figure skating fans for them to act like that is outrageous and embarrassing. There are so many great and good Russian ladies it's just unbelievable. To treat Aliona like that is classless. And I doubt her former training mates and coaches at TT would approve of such behavior.

it's a nice win for Liza she hasn't won anything in a long time but did she win because Aliona doesn't have her triple axel Sasha messed up and Anna and KV we're not there?

Nationals should be a field day of fun for the Russian ladies. Hopefully the health will be there for everybody.

 

[Amei]

Anyone who knows about jumping technique: I wonder what Aliona can do to fix her leg wrap and delay of rotation? It used to be fine in juniors and last year when she could rotate faster but now that she's grown, she obviously can't and keeps URing her toe jumps. I don't want to see her end up like Tsurskaya, who had gorgeous height but so many URs. So... what does she have to do to fix it? And how quickly can such a change be made?

(and I'd appreciate serious, technical answers, not something like: go back to Eteri) Thanks in advance.

Good luck to you, last time I brought up Kostornaia's leg wrap, I got hit with don't you realize that makes the jump more difficult.

 

[Fluture]

Good luck to you, last time I brought up Kostornaia's leg wrap, I got hit with don't you realize that makes the jump more difficult.

It does make the jump more difficult... which is why it's less effective technique. I kinda liked the leg wrap in juniors (and still like it on her floaty 2A) and delay in rotation can be beautiful (always loved Polina's jumps even though she was hammered with URs) but it's become a problem now and it's better to address it before it gets worse. I'm just not sure how you go about that. I'm an Aliona fan - kinda obvious judging by my avatar lol - so nothing malicious there. So, I'm hoping for some objective answers.

 

[Lunalovesskating]

Anyone who knows about jumping technique: I wonder what Aliona can do to fix her leg wrap and delay of rotation? It used to be fine in juniors and last year when she could rotate faster but now that she's grown, she obviously can't and keeps URing her toe jumps. I don't want to see her end up like Tsurskaya, who had gorgeous height but so many URs. So... what does she have to do to fix it? And how quickly can such a change be made?

(and I'd appreciate serious, technical answers, not something like: go back to Eteri) Thanks in advance.

It is hard to fix a leg wrap and delayed rotation, especially if someone has done so for years and it is ingrained in their technique. Karen Chen has the same issues with delayed rotations on her jumps, which is the cause of her underrotations. To this day she was not able to fix it.

 

[sclloyd]

I more meant there's nothing wrong with liking it haha - and if she likes it she's probably more likely to sell it haha.

Hmm, oooh Harry Potter one could be super cool! Hunger Games maybe not..I like Hunger Games haha I would just probably prefer that the competition didn't feel like the hunger games arena hahah

A compilation of the music from the films might actually be brilliant:

Safe & Sound, then the Kanye West rework of Yellow Flicker Beat, then Lorde’s rendition of Everybody Wants to Rule the World.

I’d totally nominate Anya for that program.

ALSO LIZA!! I’m not a fan of her FS but credit where it’s due, I’m happy for her. Also I’m so sad for Sasha, the pressure of an international stage really gets to her doesn’t it ):

 

[nussnacker]

What's the feature she's repeating?

It’s the entrance into the spins. I’d say the stamina is probably the issue for 8 rotations and for StSq. The StSq from what I can tell with my non-expert knowledge is level4, she probably lost it because of her Choctaws and twizzles, I could also tell she was already quite tired when she was doing her StSq in the free (at Stage4), so I would think it’s the reason.

 

[Thrashergurl]

What a terrible and disrespectful audience today. While Aliona was in the KnC they shouted to her "Liza was better, Liza first. Liza Liza Liza".

This is very disrespectful. I’m actually shocked to see this type of behavior from skating fans.

 

[NAOTMAA]

Umm, except this isn't 1 bad competition or a strange off-day for Trusova, this was just another occurrence to be added to her list of poor performances along with the GPF last year as well Europeans and Nationals, she wasn't exactly fantastic at her cup event a few weeks ago either....

I'm not going to say she's done that's dumb to say, but it seems clear after today that her issues with performing cleanly have not gone away, when the lights come on competition time she's struggling to deliver. That could be a problem for her especially if it repeats at Nationals and/or the Cup final, and if there is no Europeans or Worlds this year for her to possibly show up big and perform well, that means she'll go into next year having to fight and prove that she doesn't falter under pressure because the coaches council is likely to have plenty of quality skaters with quads and/or triple axels to replace her with for Europeans/Worlds/Olympics teams even if she finishes the 2022 Nationals on the podium.

It's going to be hard to fight through it and prove oneself when all the major competitions are being cancelled. The window is closing and getting very tight to slip through so these skaters are in a very difficult position now. No amount of practice can replace actual competition experience especially when the problem is nerves. I feel sorry for all the athletes competing. It's like the Olympics are much closer then they actually are because of this

 

[brakes]

And out there, in some austere rink south of Moscow, tall, charismatic Georgian woman smirked...

 

[Baron Vladimir]

Imo, her lutz yesterday and the first one today were questionable, too. She did well to keep it together, no question, but I can't help but be worried. I just feel like there has to be a more efficient way for her to snap more quickly into rotation but I'm not sure how exactly you tackle something like this.

Well, i don't see any 'big' problems on her rotation/landings for now. But i've never thought it is smart to learn to jump with delayed rotation, unless you are jumping a double axel. Minimal 'prerotation' is always better in order to not be called on the landing, especially now with the 'q' sign implementation from the rules. We will see how the things will go, to come up with the 'big conclusion' after just one or two competitions is never a good thing

 

[McBibus]

Will Plushenko and her wife condemn the blatant PCS overscoring here? Even if the recipient is his own skater?

Why would someone manipulate a score that won't change the outcome of a standalone event?

I don't feel a problem personally with the score, but considering recent Plushy's outraged "fight for justice" I say this is why the coach has to remain silent, because sooner or later his own words will inevitably turn against him.

We know (too bad) that politic is played between federations and between clubs, but I agree with you that coaches should not publicy talk about over/underscoring.
The most important thing to me is to leave the skaters out of it. They go out, do their best and get judged.
They play no part in it and it's always sad when somebody cross the line from saying "I think XXX should have been called for </!" to call him/her a cheater.

not referring to the two of you of course

 

[silveruskate]

Unpopular opinion: I like Aliona's long program dress.

I'm surprised by how well she pulled off the blonde hair, the whole look is so good. When I first saw the photos of her with her extremely bottle blonde hair I wasn't as much of a fan. So much better now.

 

[yume]

What's the feature s6he's repeating?

Out of memory maybe she used a flying entry twice.
Nussnacker probably knows the answer since he/she's the one who talked about it.

 

[McBibus]

Kostornaya: " I am upset, but I got what I skated for. I am very happy for Tuktamysheva "

Very good My Lady.
Wanting to win, assuming responsibility for the loss, kind and respectful to the winner.
Well done

 

[elbkup]

....that's not how it works. She's a 17 year old going through puberty she will INEVITABLY gain weight. That's just how it is, she's never going to look like she's 15 again simply because she's not a child anymore! Look at her arms, she's still very thin, what weight should she lose?

She has to adjust her technique so that it works for her current body shape. Her problem is the delayed rotation that she's ALWAYS had. It was always problematic technique (because less efficient) but before this season, she was small enough to rotate faster and jump higher to make up for it.

Looking back deja vu ... didn’t Liza have similar issues, working thru the physical changes with altered technique.. I think it is a testament to determination, revising training strategy, solving problems... the strategy works looking at Liza’s longevity and success in the sport today. It can be done folks!! I will repeat: Age is Just A Number

 

[Vlad Karigov]

What a terrible and disrespectful audience today. While Aliona was in the KnC they shouted to her "Liza was better, Liza first. Liza Liza Liza".

When Plushenko raised his hands and urged the public to support his skater to the detriment of the Tutberidze skaters (as if was in a soccer game) I did not read a single "terrible, disrespectful or disgusting" around here ... In the end the only person responsible for all this is Plushenko himself, he was the promoter that people took the side of the girls who put ultra elements in their skating, Liza landed 3 times 3A... You can not complain that the same public that he incited now asks the judges to win Liza

 

[sclloyd]

oh my god these are the comments i was just waiting for. ONE bad skate. Sasha had bad skates under Eteri right? And Eteri isn't a magical wizard, she can't just whisk away q's and edge calls. We really need to stop looking at one bad competition and using at as precedence for a skater's entire career.

Zagitova’s Euros competition never mentioned when people say things like this.

 

[mrrice]

When Plushenko raised his hands and urged the public to support his skater to the detriment of the Tutberidze skaters (as if was in a soccer game) I did not read a single "terrible, disrespectful or disgusting" around here ... In the end the only person responsible for all this is Plushenko himself, he was the promoter that people took the side of the girls who put ultra elements in their skating, Liza landed 3 times 3A... You can not complain that the same public that he incited now asks the judges to win Liza

So much respect for Tuk! This woman has been though so many ups and downs during her career and it always makes me happy to see her do well.