2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Tolstoj]

Have people tried Opera?

I would purchase a VPN though. It's got many privacy benefits.

NordVPN works great, it often goes on sale.

If you do it just for privacy and not to access geoblocked contents, and you are a little nerdy (have some time to spend), building a VPN at home with a Raspberry Pi and Open VPN is also great.

I used Opera for a while and worked fine (initially it was even completely free which was a little sus), but i'm not in love with their policies on data collection, it all changed since the chinese acquired it.

 

[Skatesocs]

Professor agrees:

I like how his mask was either below his mouth or like in that picture, but never properly covering both his mouth and nose. Amazing.

 

[ali0125]

invite the two most popular ladies' skaters in their respective categories in Russia

you should add "IMO" in front of "the most popular" to be precise

 

[JazzUp]

you should add "IMO" in front of "the most popular" to be precise

No, I shouldn't:

Alina was voted the most popular female ATHLETE in Russia three years in a row (2018/19/20).

As for Kamila, you just need to compare the views of her programmes to the ones of other juniors, and the reactions to her performances by the live audiences vs the other juniors.

 

[Lunalovesskating]

New 'Champions on Ice' promo photo for April

 

[Gabby30]

No, I shouldn't:

Alina was voted the most popular female ATHLETE in Russia three years in a row (2018/19/20).

As for Kamila, you just need to compare the views of her programmes to the ones of other juniors, and the reactions to her performances by the live audiences vs the other juniors.

Number of views has literally nothing to do with how popular someone is...

 

[JazzUp]

Number of views has literally nothing to do with how popular someone is...

just don't hurt your face facepalming too much, you master of marketing, you!

 

[chasingneverland]

I will take that from two opposite point of view.

1st in the merit.
On one side we have Kostornaia that won't put an unstable ultra-c element and on the other Trusova that make unstable ultra-c raining.
Thath's not consistent if we look at it from a coaching point of view, but we also have the skater's attitute (that can't be any more different) into consideration.
The is no doubt tha Aliona and Sasha are skaters of interest for the federation and that, at the moment, their result are under expectations.
Si it's right for the fed to state they want more.
It should be conceded that Sasha's trend is not new, but that was her worst senior perfomance in an important event.
Aliona's problem seems more accountable to her body more than her coach imo but his an inexperienced coach the best to help in such a moment?
(not that her past coach proved to be good at that: Julya, Zenya and Alina moved or stopped competing when it was time but she surely dealt with lot of situations. Maybe Mishin is the one that proved the most in that aspect)

In the end the fed don't care about who trains who, but expect their best prospect to skate at the top of their potential, so (rightly so I may add) the current coach of a non performing skater goes under scrutiny


On the other side (remember I think fed feds have just the merit to finance skating but I consider them a cancer for the sport with their grip on ISU to keep skating built around federations and not around skaters so take my position lightly and with a critical eye).

Anna and Sasha have the right to do what they want. The fed could select them or not for the team but that's it.
If the russian (or any other fed) loose some medal because some of his best skater make bad choices about their career I don't care at all.
I care if Sasha and Aliona as individuals end up losing opportunities because of their choices but what is really important is that it's an individual sport and their choices are theirs and theirs alone.
We as fans, the press, the fed, etc. have the right to an opinion but not to interfere.

This is where the bias come: the federation is only interested in the medal count, the skater are a mere mean to max it but there is no care for the skaters well being. If the two thing align (very possible since skaters want medals too) it's purely incidental.

V well thought out. Although, I would argue that while Julia, Zhenya, and Alina retired or moved all of them did it after medalling/winning at almost everything and came under scrutiny after ascending to dizzying heights.

While not their fault at all, Alena, Anna, and Sasha haven't even been to Worlds yet. While COVID changed that, it - so far - hasn't changed the year of the Olympics which is when the hope was that all 3 (and Kamila, etc) would peak and that hasn't changed. While there has been a lot of hand-wringing over whether Kamila is being overhyped and the attention the fed is placing on her, I would argue it's partially BECAUSE of Sasha and Alena (and Alina not skating and Evgenia being hurt, etc) and Anna is sick that it's happening.

Because, yes, ultimately the fed's priority is medals (and keeping their spots). Although, sometimes I don't think that's just the fed that cares - I worry that sometimes it feels like it's all that matters to the coaches - and general public - as well.

 

[Fluture]

RusFed basically issues an ultimatum to the 'newbie coach':

The Russian Figure Skating Federation (FFKR) appraised the FS performances of Alexandra Trusova and Alyona Kostornaya at the Russian Grand Prix.

“At the Grand Prix in Moscow, like at the National Cup in Kazan, Kostornaya skated the programme without ultra-с elements, jumping a 2A with a margin, which allows us to hope for the return of the triple axel.

The free skate at Megasport turned out to be cleaner than at the first tournament of the athlete, but it was not engaging enough, as in previous seasons. It is clear that the programme needs some work, but there is not much time left before the Russian championship.

And one would just want to forget about the FS of Alexandra Trusova. The figure skater took third place after the short programme and hoped to correct the situation in the free, as it had already happened at previous starts. But the quads did not go that evening - neither salchow, nor lutz, nor toe loop ... There were a lot of mistakes in her skating - the final protocol contains 6 deductions.

However, it is worth noting that Trusova announced the most difficult content in the free programme, among all of the participants of the Moscow stage. Nobody dared to skate four quads, including the leaders of men's competitions. But to declare is one thing, and to make a competent decision, based on the readiness of the athlete, how many and what jumps are needed, is another story,” the FFKR said in a statement.

So, effectively, what does this mean? Have they done something similar before? And why is it an “ultimatum” and in which way even? If Sasha and Aliona don‘t “perform“, they will do what exactly? Take them back to Sambo? Throw them off the team?

Reality is, if there‘s any of the big international competitions THIS seaon, they don‘t have much choice other than to take at least one of Aliona and Sasha. Evgenia‘s ill and injured, Alina‘s not competing (unless she reconsiders - but I haven‘t heard anything of that), Kamila/Daria/Maiia aren‘t old enough. So, all you‘ve left is Liza and Anna and you‘ll still need to fill one spot. Sure, you could send Guliakova or or Samodurova or Nugumanova but honestly - Aliona beats those two even without ultra-c and without an “engaging enough program“ unless she bombs completely. (which is possible, of course) And Sasha had FOUR falls and only lost to Guliakova by less than a point and beat both Sofia and Nugumanova. So, really, for this season, I don‘t see much RusFed can do with their silly ultimatum.

Next year, however, they can and probably will. I hope Sasha and Aliona get back to their 100% soon because apparently, RusFed has zero tolerance for athletes struggling during a freaking pandemic. What‘s new.

 

[elbkup]

In response to the Russian Fed:

Well, if the current competitors are the best on offer, then so be it; live with it.

Try being more encouraging, supportive, helpful toward team development rather than demanding “better” performances or resorting to ridicule.. so counterproductive .. that road results in dissolution, disorientation rather like the serpent that eats its own tail..

 

[Fluture]

In response to the Russian Fed:

Well, if the current competitors are the best on offer, then so be it; live with it.

Try being more encouraging, supportive, helpful toward team development rather than demanding “better” performances or resorting to ridicule.. so counterproductive .. that road results in dissolution, disorientation rather like the serpent that eats its own tail..

Yeah, it‘s almost like these athletes are *gasp* human beings, who will not always be perfect.

That they have the nerve to call out their skaters for not performing well enough after their horrendously stupid qualification rules injured half of their national team, is simply mindblowing.

Also, I have nothing against constructive criticism. Informing Sasha and her coaches that trying 4 quads while not ready and injured is dangerous and reckless, is a good idea. But do that in private, not by calling her out publicly and ridiculing her. And what they said about Aliona is just not helpful in any shape or form.

 

[nussnacker]

Yeah, it‘s almost like these athletes are *gasp* human beings, who will not always be perfect.

That they have the nerve to call out their skaters for not performing well enough after their horrendously stupid qualification rules injured half of their national team, is simply mindblowing.

It's nothing new, really. In the field as deep, and the environment as competitive, Rusfed will not be meddling to hold someone upcoming back in order to let someone, who used to perform well, struggle without consequences.
Liza struggled in 15-18, you bet Rusfed cared very little about her those years, and no they were not going to give her a break, a help, a support or special treatment. They were busy with Medvedeva, Radionova, Pogorilaya and so on. Despite Liza landing 3A in her star season post Olympics, and knowing she's capable of it, Rusfed cared very little. Then they cared very little when Pogorilaya and Radionova started having issues, because Sotskova and Zagitova were on the rise.
It also makes sense, because there's already A LOT of support given to all of those athletes financially, they have a system built up, that doesn't exist in other countries, very good conditions for which a lot of them don't pay anything, and on contrary get salaries as members of Team Russia and they are pretty well set to do their jobs.
If they don't, Rusfed as an employer will not take it for very long.

That being said, I don't think it really is an issue for Sasha and Aliona, what that PR person of Rusfed writes sometimes is different from their official position, she's like another press person more so. Rusfed still counts on them to run for Olympics, I have no doubt about that, same as they will expect consistency and improving technical content from others like Anna, Kamila, Liza, Alina and Zhenya.

 

[Skatesocs]

It did look like a press release, I agree, and in that context I think I'm fine with what they said. But then, I wonder if there's more to the press release? Seems strange to only talk about Kostornaia and Trusova, but not the winner or the bronze medalist?

 

[macy]

seems i haven't missed anything out of the ordinary for the RLT the last couple days.

i only have 2 things to share after Rostelecom-

i need Aliona to skate to Adele next season.

Kamila performed the best quad toe i have ever seen done by a lady.

 

[chasingneverland]

RusFed has zero tolerance for athletes struggling during a freaking pandemic. What‘s new.

I mean..RusFed has zero tolerance of athletes struggling in general, unfortunately. Remember Liza when she struggled after winning Worlds, same with Elena, Yulia and Adelina after the Olympics, Alina and Evgenia after the Olympics, Sofia after Euros, etc. haha.

I do think they were wrong to call Sasha and Alena out publicly though. They actually seem vaguely optimistic about Alena. Although, I do agree with their point re: Sasha. They do need to make better decisions about her doing so many quads before she's ready even though we know she can do it in practice. But she's struggled in competition and I worry about her mental health. Although, I'm soo happy Plushy was able to make her laugh after .

 

[kolyadafan2002]

seems i haven't missed anything out of the ordinary for the RLT the last couple days.

i only have 2 things to share after Rostelecom-

i need Aliona to skate to Adele next season.

Kamila performed the best quad toe i have ever seen done by a lady.

I'd say that with the arms up Kamilas 4T was even more secure than without the rippon (not to bring up an extensive discussion that came about after her 3A). Not that I'm a particular fan of rippon variation anymore done on a tonne up jumps (like it on one or two jumps but not every jump).

I still prefer Tuktamyshevas 4T technique due to aesthetics but Kamilas looks pretty impressive.

Maybe now Kamila is doing it more stable Russian federation might push to allow quads in the ladies sp. That will shake things up.

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

I freaking swear Sasha had one bad competition, coming off an injury no less, and suddenly everyone (including RusFed) is like, okay yes so she's done for. Did she not beat Anna in overall scores for the Russian Cup? Did she not just perform a three-quad program two weeks ago? Did she not just win two Russian Cup events? Did she not just beat Kamila and Daria a month ago? The talk about Sasha in recent days is making her out to be someone who hasn't landed a quad in like two years, not someone who hasn't landed one in one program (she even landed one in the six-minute warmup that day).

 

[macy]

I freaking swear Sasha had one bad competition, coming off an injury no less, and suddenly everyone (including RusFed) is like, okay yes so she's done for. Did she not beat Anna in overall scores for the Russian Cup? Did she not just perform a three-quad program two weeks ago? Did she not just win two Russian Cup events? Did she not just beat Kamila and Daria a month ago? The talk about Sasha in recent days is making her out to be someone who hasn't landed a quad in like two years, not someone who hasn't landed one in one program (she even landed one in the six-minute warmup that day).

sad, isn't it? same with Aliona.

 

[nussnacker]

I freaking swear Sasha had one bad competition, coming off an injury no less, and suddenly everyone (including RusFed) is like, okay yes so she's done for. Did she not beat Anna in overall scores for the Russian Cup? Did she not just perform a three-quad program two weeks ago? Did she not just win two Russian Cup events? Did she not just beat Kamila and Daria a month ago? The talk about Sasha in recent days is making her out to be someone who hasn't landed a quad in like two years, not someone who hasn't landed one in one program (she even landed one in the six-minute warmup that day).

No one said she’s done, not even Rusfed (I am legitimately struggling to find even a single comment on this thread indicating that she or Aliona are done). On contrary, everyone says that it was just one bad competition, it happens.
Though, had she been with Eteri atm, we would a 100% hear that she’s done for good from all the usuals like Besti, Rodnina, Vaits and so on.

 

[lariko]

I will give them benefit of the doubt and read it as ‘restructure her program to be more conservative’. Nobody can doubt Trusova’s exceptional jumping ability, but I can see how the federation would rather have a more assured third place finish than a boom or bust programming.