2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating | Page 626 | Golden Skate

2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

Status
Not open for further replies.
It looks like Nastya Tarakanova is still at least friendly with Tutberidze Team. She follows all their Instagrams (including Eteri + Daniil) and Anna, Daria, Maiia all follow her back too.
Daniil also choreographed her programs this season. Nastya never really left Sambo70 itself in 2018, she left figure skating overall back then and then returned when she changed her mind, so not surprising that she is still on good terms.
 
Would someone kindly let me know ladies top 7 for most recent event? Can't read russian :( Trying to figure out if Anastasia T. will go to nationals. Thank you!
 
If you haven't seen it yet - this is the final results of the Senior Russian Cup

1. Alexandra Trusova 36 - 489.22 (10 bonuses)
2. Anna Shcherbakova 36 - 486.31 (12 bonuses)
3. Kamila Valieva 34 - 488.56 (18 bonuses)
4. Daria Usacheva 30 - 458.39 (9 bonuses)
5. Anna Frolova 28 - 407.93
6. Maya Khromykh 28 - 405.34 (2 bonuses)
7. Sofia Samodurova 24 - 390.24
8. Ksenia Tsibinova 24 - 388.42
9. Anastasia Tarakanova 18 - 380.12
10. Elizaveta Nugumanova 18 - 369.70 (3 bonuses)
11. Maria Talalaikina 18 - 352.45
12. Alena Kostornaia 16 - 226.31 (1 bonus) (only competed once)
13. Valeria Shulskaya 14 - 374.41
14. Stanislava Molchanova 14 - 322.39
15. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva 14 - 213.26 (4 bonuses) (only competed once)
16. Valeria Kostina 13 - 340.14
17. Stanislava Konstantinova 12 - 374.62
18. Arina Onishchenko 10 - 304.73
--------------------------
19. Anastasia Guliakova 10 - 186.44 (only competed once)
20. Kamila Sultanmagomedova 10 - 174.34 (only competed once)

This was a strange season. And the cup results are all over the place. Stage 2 and 4 were the hardest ones, and Shulskaya and Konstantinova were in those two. Had they been in other stages they would have placed higher.

But who will qualify for Nationals? No one really knows.
National Team members are safe people say, that means that Guliakova knocks out Onishchenko.
And then we have Medvedeva and Sinitsyna - they are also National Team members - will they compete at Nationals even though they haven't given us anything this season? It's anyone's guess. If so, then Konstantinova and Kostina are knocked out...

With the pandemic going on, and the usual one or two withdrawals, I would guess that Konstantinova and Kostina are safe.

But overall, my feeling of the Russian Cup this year is that it really didn't give us answers at all. It feels more like it has been a contest with no meaning, and in the end, RusFed will choose who will be at Nationals.
 
Last edited:
Daniil also choreographed her programs this season. Nastya never really left Sambo70 itself in 2018, she left figure skating overall back then and then returned when she changed her mind, so not surprising that she is still on good terms.
I didn't realize Daniil did her programs this season. I keep wishing she would go back to TT as I always felt it was an unfortunate reason that they split with her quitting. I don't think anyone has more potential than Tarakanova to be with the top ladies. She has great skating skills, technique, and speed and Eteri would package her so nicely that her weakness wouldn't be as obvious. It's too bad she left them and with her coach hopping, I was hoping she might make a return once some people left earlier this year. Hard to see someone who could have it all basically be left with nothing, she will always be one of my favorites.
 
Very well said Baron...

I always love Fluture's compassionate posts as well, even though they can turn into novels (if there should be a Fluture book published with all her comments...it will be like ten volumes). I'd buy that book series!

My little thought about this is that the main problem (but it is also its strength!) with figure skating is that you can never get an objective opinion. People always have different tastes and that shows in judging too.

@Fluture, who desperately tries to be objective, fails also every time, because it is obvious what she likes and don't like, and who she likes and don't like... And I am the same too....but isn't that what makes figure skating fascinating? Isn't it fantastic that there are so many different opinions and tastes out there? For me, that is one of the things I love about this sport.
Yes of course. That's why there are more judges on the panel, not just one, or two of us :biggrin:
 
Last edited:
Daniil also choreographed her programs this season. Nastya never really left Sambo70 itself in 2018, she left figure skating overall back then and then returned when she changed her mind, so not surprising that she is still on good terms.
Where did you get that Daniil choreographed her programs this season?

Based on Wikipedia her programs were done by Anna Novichkina and Adian Pitkeev.
 
If you haven't seen it yet - this is the final results of the Senior Russian Cup

1. Alexandra Trusova 36 - 489.22 (10 bonuses)
2. Anna Shcherbakova 36 - 486.31 (12 bonuses)
3. Kamila Valieva 34 - 488.56 (18 bonuses)
4. Daria Usacheva 30 - 458.39 (9 bonuses)
5. Anna Frolova 28 - 407.93
6. Maya Khromykh 28 - 405.34 (2 bonuses)
7. Sofia Samodurova 24 - 390.24
8. Ksenia Tsibinova 24 - 388.42
9. Anastasia Tarakanova 18 - 380.12
10. Elizaveta Nugumanova 18 - 369.70 (3 bonuses)
11. Maria Talalaikina 18 - 352.45
12. Alena Kostornaia 16 - 226.31 (1 bonus) (only competed once)
13. Valeria Shulskaya 14 - 374.41
14. Stanislava Molchanova 14 - 322.39
15. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva 14 - 213.26 (4 bonuses) (only competed once)
16. Valeria Kostina 13 - 340.14
17. Stanislava Konstantinova 12 - 374.62
18. Arina Onishchenko 10 - 304.73
--------------------------
19. Anastasia Guliakova 10 - 186.44 (only competed once)
20. Kamila Sultanmagomedova 10 - 174.34 (only competed once)

This was a strange season. And the cup results are all over the place. Stage 2 and 4 were the hardest ones, and Shulskaya and Konstantinova were in those two. Had they been in other stages they would have placed higher.

But who will qualify for Nationals? No one really knows.
National Team members are safe people say, that means that Guliakova knocks out Onishchenko.
And then we have Medvedeva and Sinitsyna - they are also National Team members - will they compete at Nationals even though they haven't given us anything this season? It's anyone's guess. If so, then Konstantinova and Kostina are knocked out...

With the pandemic going on, and the usual one or two withdrawals, I would guess that Konstantinova and Kostina are safe.

But overall, my feeling of the Russian Cup this year is that it really didn't give us answers at all. It feels more like it has been a contest with no meaning, and in the end, RusFed will choose who will be at Nationals.
Liza and Aliona both only competed once but went 1-2 at Rostelecom. I wonder if they'll do it by season's best score then, instead of combined scores from the two cup events? But then that leaves out Zhenya and Ksenia who don't have any scoring. In the past, qualifying was done through either Grand Prix assignments or Russian Cup qualifying events, so I don't see why it would be all that different here? I had just assumed the Russian Cup was sort of a marketing event this season to keep money and publicity coming in for RusFed and their top skaters without a complete Grand Prix framework to assist.
 
Where did you get that Daniil choreographed her programs this season?

Based on Wikipedia her programs were done by Anna Novichkina and Adian Pitkeev.
I think a number of people may have misinterpreted a recent interview of Tarakanova here: https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/threads/anastasia-tarakanova-interview.87213/#post-2666043

- What then is your favourite program from your own repertoire?
-- The second free program of the last season Lacrimosa, which we took this year as well. The music was chosen at my suggestion, and they played it at an accelerated pace. I also love my new short program "Girl and the Sea" and both programs staged by Daniil Gleikhengauz.
I took this to mean she likes this year's programmes (Lacrymosa, Girl and the Sea) in addition to the two programmes she got while in Tutberidze's group. However, some might have misread it as her stating that both of this year's programmes were staged by Gleikhengauz (in which case it should have been 'and both programs were staged by...'.

Missing 'were' aside, we know Lacrymosa was from her year back with Panova. We also know Daniil is an in-house choreographer, unlike e.g. Averbukh. While it's conceivable that he might have made an exception just for her, the Girl and the Sea stylistically looks a bit more like a programme from Ivanova's group (e.g. Army of Skaters kids) for whom Pitkeev does choreo. Someone (maybe who reads Golden Skate) initially updated her Wiki page with Gleikhengauz as the choreographer, but they must have realised their mistake later.
 
Liza and Aliona both only competed once but went 1-2 at Rostelecom. I wonder if they'll do it by season's best score then, instead of combined scores from the two cup events? But then that leaves out Zhenya and Ksenia who don't have any scoring. In the past, qualifying was done through either Grand Prix assignments or Russian Cup qualifying events, so I don't see why it would be all that different here? I had just assumed the Russian Cup was sort of a marketing event this season to keep money and publicity coming in for RusFed and their top skaters without a complete Grand Prix framework to assist.
Aliona and Liza didn't really matter in terms of Cup points. They qualified anyway with just one competition (Guliakova though didn't). But the Zhenya/Ksenia thing is a big question mark. If they should show up at nationals I would be delighted, but I would also feel that it was a bit unfair to all the other skaters who probably had COVID and didn't have the chance to compete at the Russian Cup.

I still wonder about Gubanova (has she been sick? why didn't she enter the Cup? Why is she competing in S:t Petersburg this week?)
And what about Sultanmagomedova? She had a safe qualifying spot ready if she had shown up at this last stage. But she withdrew...was it because of COVID? Those two would probably never get a bye to Nationals, even though they deserve it.
 
On the talk of spins I honestly take for granted how difficult timing and hitting the accents/musical cues right on the change of position. Zagitova is the queen when it comes to this, she is always right on time.

Petrosyan has uncanny resemblance to Medvedeva both in looks and in how they skate. Medvedeva's skating style is still my favorite among the ladies so it's great to see Petrosyan and Usacheva have continued that tradition. Although I like Anna and Alyona a lot I've seen their styles far too many times in the past. I do think the judges are partial to this type of skating so that's why so many are brought up with this generic lyrical style.
 
On the talk of spins I honestly take for granted how difficult timing and hitting the accents/musical cues right on the change of position. Zagitova is the queen when it comes to this, she is always right on time.

Petrosyan has uncanny resemblance to Medvedeva both in looks and in how they skate. Medvedeva's skating style is still my favorite among the ladies so it's great to see Petrosyan and Usacheva have continued that tradition. Although I like Anna and Alyona a lot I've seen their styles far too many times in the past. I do think the judges are partial to this type of skating so that's why so many are brought up with this generic lyrical style.
I actually find Daria Usacheva more similar to Yulia Lipnitskaya? Their spins are very similar in my opinion (though Yulia's biellman was better), and they have similar jump techniques + ina bauers.
 
Petrosyan has uncanny resemblance to Medvedeva both in looks and in how they skate. Medvedeva's skating style is still my favorite among the ladies so it's great to see Petrosyan and Usacheva have continued that tradition. Although I like Anna and Alyona a lot I've seen their styles far too many times in the past. I do think the judges are partial to this type of skating so that's why so many are brought up with this generic lyrical style.
How exactly would you describe “Medvedeva’s skating style”? I actually completely agree with you, that Daria and Adelia’s skating seem Medvedeva inspired, or they skate with the same “style” but I don’t know how I would define it. Obviously, the younger girls are more advanced than Evgenia was at their age, but it’s something about the way they project outwards. There’s an innate sense of expressiveness within them. That’s just performance quality, though. I do see Anna in Daria, too. It’s probably because they have an extremely similar physique and do similar transitions.

On the other hand, I see so much Zagitova in Kamila’s skating. Upgraded tech and Kamila’s insane flexibility aside, the way they move on the ice is very similar.
 
Berestovskaya is a gorgeous performer, but she definitely needs to improve in skating skills. She lacks the speed that some of the other ladies have, and thus her jump entrances look forced and slow.
This is completely true. Still for some reason, I find her to be the most compelling of the juniors (Osokina is pretty interesting too). She really looks so joyful on the ice. She has charm in spades.
 
Samodelkina beats Akatieva towards the end of last season at both the Moscow Championships (Jan. 27-30, 2020) and the Russian Cup Final (Feb. 18-22, 2020).

Moscow Championships:
Russian Cup Final:

The January competition has the funny third event in addition to the short program and long program: "elements."

Note that Zhilina, though third overall in that January competition, beats Samodelkina in the long program.
 
Everything flows, everything changes...but some things are eternal - like RusFed 😂

Gorshkov, answering a question about Chopozov (the one who advocated for age limit raise, among other things) being replaced as the head of the StPete Fed: "I don't have any information about that".
 
How exactly would you describe “Medvedeva’s skating style”? I actually completely agree with you, that Daria and Adelia’s skating seem Medvedeva inspired, or they skate with the same “style” but I don’t know how I would define it. Obviously, the younger girls are more advanced than Evgenia was at their age, but it’s something about the way they project outwards. There’s an innate sense of expressiveness within them. That’s just performance quality, though. I do see Anna in Daria, too. It’s probably because they have an extremely similar physique and do similar transitions.

On the other hand, I see so much Zagitova in Kamila’s skating. Upgraded tech and Kamila’s insane flexibility aside, the way they move on the ice is very similar.
Projection, emotional quality in skating and the ability to act on ice. I think that's how I would describe Medvedeva's skating. She is a very capable lyrical skater as can be seen in her Chopin SP but her ability really shines through in programs where she embodies characters.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top