2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Amei]

Honestly, I'm not even totally on board with letting Anna or Liza perform here. As seen with Zhenya, Covid can have several lasting after effects and it's never safe to jeopardize your health for one competition that may not even matter. While I respect Anna and Liza's attitudes of perseverance, I really wish they could take proper time to train first. Alyona withdrawing if she feels unwell is in no way an invitation for anyone to say she simply wants to avoid being embarrassed, if anything it's a sensible decision made with her health and her future in thought.

I'm sure they along with their coaches and parents in Shcherbakova's case have assessed that they are well enough conditioned to skate, even perhaps a lighter program then what they usually do. Nothing in Shcherbakova's interviews indicates that she is going to rush this season, Eteri has the gold medal favorite, Valieva, and 2 well qualified to get a medal skaters so I dont think her coaches would be rushing her.

 

[chasingneverland]

I am just going to say ‘yes’, though I am not sure when Scherbakova resumed training. Depending on the duration of her illness, she might be in a good shape/recovered state. If, however, she is not, that would be a bad decision by her coaching team.

Agreed. I'm hopeful that they're withdrawal of her from Rostelecom Cup and of Evgenia from both suggests that they are at least taking some precautions with their safety. They were relatively cautious with Kamila last year.

Obviously her health is paramount regardless of the year. However, as a frontrunner for the Olympics and with the importance on next year, and taking into account her resume, this year (and this nationals) is obviously less important than recovering completely, especially considering the other withdrawals and the cancellation of Euros.

 

[Novalis]

I am just going to say ‘yes’, though I am not sure when Scherbakova resumed training. Depending on the duration of her illness, she might be in a good shape/recovered state. If, however, she is not, that would be a bad decision by her coaching team.

Shcherbakova resumed training almost three weeks ago, when Kamila went to Cup of Russia Stage 5 and she was out of practise for about two weeks. My guess is that she's perfectly fine by now.

 

[Edwin]

Oh, gosh, no. But that must have been one of their 3-day tests, so hopefully it is light/asymptomatic. One of my fav ladies since last year....

Forgot to add the quote from the article:

"I really wanted to compete in the Championships, but covid interfered with my plans. I tried to resume the training process, but alas. So now I'm recovering at home"

So Valeriya is now back in Orenburg with her parents. And will probably resume training after New Year/Orthodox Christmas break.

She is in the national junior reserve, so will compete in the Russian Cup finals for sure, when back to full health.

Kamila Sultanmagomedova suddenly disappeared in the one day between finishing 5th Stage of Russian Cup and her Moscow Championships assignment, so she either injured herself of was found infected. Unfortunately no news on her?

 

[nussnacker]

Honestly, I'm not even totally on board with letting Anna or Liza perform here. As seen with Zhenya, Covid can have several lasting after effects and it's never safe to jeopardize your health for one competition that may not even matter. While I respect Anna and Liza's attitudes of perseverance, I really wish they could take proper time to train first. Alyona withdrawing if she feels unwell is in no way an invitation for anyone to say she simply wants to avoid being embarrassed, if anything it's a sensible decision made with her health and her future in thought.

Plushenko said it’s hard for Aliona to skate a program “in terms of breathing”. It is with care to her health, but it also looks like she’s physically unable to skate a program at the moment.
He had no problem sending Veronika to do a 2 quad program for the first time, when she was back on ice only for 1 week after COVID. So I think if Aliona was feeling all right, she would’ve gone.
As much as I value that this decision was met with Aliona, I think it was mainly due to Aliona just not being physically able to skate because of those health complications (evidently they got worse with time, or compared to what was initially reported), not just simply feeling unwell.

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

Shcherbakova resumed training almost three weeks ago, when Kamila went to Cup of Russia Stage 5 and she was out of practise for about two weeks. My guess is that she's perfectly fine by now.

I remember a recent interview where Anya was saying she wasn't doing full runthroughs just individual elements so I assumed she wasn't totally ready. I'm pretty sure if she's truly unable to perform she would withdraw, but I'm just hoping she's healthy and prepared nonetheless.

 

[FelineFairy]

Yes, that must be it. No one else makes posts such yours in this thread, after all.

Exactly. I'd like to stress "personal" in the "culture, upbringing, preferences etc". I do feel embarrassed thinking that many people might feel such posts are part of our ethnic culture. Well, my "personal" culture is definitely totally opposite to that style. I must cringe because it reminds me of the haters' group having fun on sports.ru, something I never thought I would see quoted here.

 

[Scott512]

I remember a recent interview where Anya was saying she wasn't doing full runthroughs just individual elements so I assumed she wasn't totally ready. I'm pretty sure if she's truly unable to perform she would withdraw, but I'm just hoping she's healthy and prepared nonetheless.

I hope she's okay. But what if KV beats Anna and Sasha and wins Russian Nationals? What will it do to their heads?

I guess we can only hope for good performances and that the skaters in all disciplines come out healthy.

 

[Scott512]

Haven't been here for about a year.

I'm honestly APPALLED by the hate skaters are getting just because they dared to leave Eteri.

Awful!

That was a super fast year Misha.

These skaters you speak of are greatly admired and appreciated. The haters you speak of are far and few between.

 

[nussnacker]

I must cringe because it reminds me of the haters' group having fun on sports.ru, something I never thought I would see quoted here.

Ah, so that’s coming from Sports.ru? I was trying to figure out where that bizzare rumor was coming from, and I thought it was TSL, cause they apparently had a whole conversation about coach-student being a thing, with regards to Aliona-Sergej and Alina-Daniil. Some middle aged men have imaginations brighter than those of fangirls writing fan fictions.
Regardless, this is a bit too much to handle. The coach-student “relationship” thing is super gross, y’all.

 

[FelineFairy]

Ah, so that’s coming from Sports.ru? I was trying to figure out where that bizzare rumor was coming from, and I thought it was TSL, cause they apparently had a whole conversation about coach-student being a thing, with regards to Aliona-Sergej and Alina-Daniil. Some middle aged men have imaginations brighter than those of fangirls writing fan fictions.
Regardless, this is a bit too much to handle. The coach-student “relationship” thing is super gross, y’all.

I meant the style was from there, not the rumours. I really didn't follow those rumours, it's just that I felt as if I were reading that very specific "humour".

 

[Philippa8187]

I hope that Anna didn't feel pressured to go because she's reigning champion. And I hope her first full runthrough wont be at a competition. Pneumonia really affects stamina too.

Yes pneumonia does do that and it can take a few months to fully recover.

 

[Amei]

I remember a recent interview where Anya was saying she wasn't doing full runthroughs just individual elements so I assumed she wasn't totally ready. I'm pretty sure if she's truly unable to perform she would withdraw, but I'm just hoping she's healthy and prepared nonetheless.

Well in terms of the interview - it might have been shown on TV or published recently but that doesn't mean that it was conducted that day. I would venture to assume that they at least do a run through or 2 with her for the FS before they go to Nationals so that they can know for sure if she needs to decrease her technical difficulty or WD - though based on what's been said it doesn't seem like withdrawing is an option in Shcherbakova's mind. Perhaps she does like Lipnitskaia did at the 2016 Nationals right after she switched to Urmanov - do both programs to the best of her ability/conditioning and if that means in the FS she goes for doubles then she goes for doubles, and still do what she does best - perform the program and just understand she's not gonna win and might not place that great. Even if that's what she has to do, I think that puts her in a better position going into the Russian Cup Final where she will likely be at full strength and she's have a competition under her belt since her break for illness.

I hope she's okay. But what if KV beats Anna and Sasha and wins Russian Nationals? What will it do to their heads?

Shcherbakova I don't think it would affect, she doesn't get rattled when she makes an error in her skate, and in the case of this year, she knows that she's recovering from illness. Trusova - I think another meltdown skate of falls and mistakes would do worse things for her head than Valieva beating her.

 

[chasingneverland]

I hope she's okay. But what if KV beats Anna and Sasha and wins Russian Nationals? What will it do to their heads?

I guess we can only hope for good performances and that the skaters in all disciplines come out healthy.

Seeing as they've trained with Kamila for awhile (Sasha only left this year and Anna is her training mate), I think they are well aware of what Kamila can do (probably even better than we are). In fact Eteri has her skaters compete against each other in house. I imagine they'll continue as normal. It's not the first time they'll have been beaten by someone they know well and have trained against. It's also not the first time they've gone against someone with the potential to beat them and known they have to be clean - that's been the case for the last 2 years. And it's not the first time someone has upped their tech content to challenge them. (Anna in particular is frequently thought of as the underdog and she just goes out there and skates.) And remember 2 and 3 years ago, they were Kamila. Just as the senior skaters from 2-3 years ago knew they were coming, they've known Kamila is (and better than others who weren't in Eteri's rink) coming for years - I mean she's beaten all their junior records, just as they beat the ones who came before.

Regardless of Kamila's age, her birthday didn't change this year. She (and Daria and Maiia) were always going to be at Russian nationals this year. They've known that for years. That's not new and didn't change with COVID. This isn't a surprise to them. Their job is to do the same thing it is regardless of who else is on the ice - skate clean.

And regardless, they (and Kamila and Liza and Alena) tend to beat themselves more than be beaten. There is always work to do and room to improve, regardless of their competition.

 

[Scott512]

Seeing as they've trained with Kamila for awhile (Sasha only left this year and Anna is her training mate), I think they are well aware of what Kamila can do (probably even better than we are). In fact Eteri has her skaters compete against each other in house. I imagine they'll continue as normal. It's not the first time they'll have been beaten by someone they know well and have trained against. It's also not the first time they've gone against someone with the potential to beat them and known they have to be clean - that's been the case for the last 2 years. And it's not the first time someone has upped their tech content to challenge them. (Anna in particular is frequently thought of as the underdog and she just goes out there and skates.) And remember 2 and 3 years ago, they were Kamila. Just as the senior skaters from 2-3 years ago knew they were coming, they've known Kamila is (and better than others who weren't in Eteri's rink) coming for years - I mean she's beaten all their junior records, just as they beat the ones who came before.

Regardless of Kamila's age, her birthday didn't change this year. She (and Daria and Maiia) were always going to be at Russian nationals this year. They've known that for years. That's not new and didn't change with COVID. This isn't a surprise to them. Their job is to do the same thing it is regardless of who else is on the ice - skate clean.

And regardless, they (and Kamila and Liza and Alena) tend to beat themselves more than be beaten. There is always work to do and room to improve, regardless of their competition.

Excellent points chasing especially about how Anna Sasha and Aliona were KV 2 years ago. Do you remember when 3A came to Russian Nationals and mowed down Alina Stasya and Zhenya? It was unbelievable and unthinkable but it happened.

 

[Edwin]

Live skating today in Moscow for the CSKA " Price of Ded Moroz ":


with Yelizaveta Osokina, Varvara Kisel', Karolina Kogan in KMS, in 1sp Lyubov Rubtsova, Mariya Mazur, Sof'ya Vazhnova, Mariya Paramonova, Irina Manayenkova, Mariya Rebrova, Yelizaveta Kulikova, no Sof'ya Dzepka alas

Live scoring: https://freeskating.info/results/2021/aon/santa_claus_2020/

Live skating in Sankt Peterburg:

with Anastasiya Marasanova

Live scoring: https://freeskating.info/results/2021/peter_cup_2etap/

Live skating in Kazan:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfUaJL0kaMPitebHI0Cib_Q/ ?

Live skating in Salekhard, Yamal region, so very far from Moscow:


Live skating in Surgut:

 

[Edwin]

Valiyeva, Usachova, Khromykh have arrived, wearing their brand new custom Team Tutberidze masks:

Shcherbakova is scheduled to arrive around noon

Only mild winter temperatures in Chelyabinsk, -6 to -10 Celsius are expected during the Championships

 

[Novalis]

Valiyeva, Usachova, Khromykh have arrived:

Shcherbakova is scheduled to arrive around noon

But where is Kami? Is she hiding behind that masked snowman?

 

[Edwin]

Trusova has arrived too:

by train, as Aleksandra isn't fond of flying in airplanes?

 

[Azikin]

Aliona and Zhenya wont be at nationals but it should still be an exciting event.

I'm not sure it's even worth watching at this point. It will be a ridiculous event.