2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[NadezhdaNadya]

Dont count Aliona out. This season is a wash but if she gets through puberty and your favorite coach helps her get the best 3A ever back watch out!

You mean Alyona's favourite coach. My favourite coach is Brian Orser. And no Eteri, thank you very much. (So many of TT skaters have horrific technique.)
It will be great if Alyona gets her 3A back!

 

[Scott512]

You mean Alyona's favourite coach. My favourite coach is Brian Orser. And no Eteri, thank you very much. (So many of TT skaters have horrific technique.)
It will be great if Alyona gets her 3A back!

Your favorite coach is Sergei Rozanov.

 

[Jontor]

I would argue, that this is even very much the beauty of it.

Yes it is. And it's up to ourselves to decide if we want to watch or not.

Personally, I have quit Pairs in Figure Skating. It looks too dangerous to me so I don't watch anymore.

I still follow Downhill in Alpine skiing, but every time there is a terrible accident I am considering to quit that as well.

 

[kirauza343]

I think it’s important to remember that Anna is a minor. She’s a child! It’s one thing for an adult to push themselves past when they should (though I would still argue that there’s a point where they shouldn’t) but it’s another for a child to insist on competing when doing so could damage her health. Yes she put out a lovely free skate but was it worth potentially damaging her lungs (which could force her into an early retirement)? I hope it doesn’t have any ill effects but frankly it wasn’t worth the risk to have her compete (and same goes for Sasha and her injury). Especially in a season that’s already a wash.

 

[NadezhdaNadya]

Your favorite coach is Sergei Rozanov.

He is the most handsome figure skating coach ever. This is something different. And just like you I think Alyona is the most beautiful ladies skater ever. Just look at this picture:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJQZpG1Jf2Y/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

[Scott512]

I think it’s important to remember that Anna is a minor. She’s a child! It’s one thing for an adult to push themselves past when they should (though I would still argue that there’s a point where they shouldn’t) but it’s another for a child to insist on competing when doing so could damage her health. Yes she put out a lovely free skate but was it worth potentially damaging her lungs (which could force her into an early retirement)? I hope it doesn’t have any ill effects but frankly it wasn’t worth the risk to have her compete (and same goes for Sasha and her injury). Especially in a season that’s already a wash.

They tried to convince her to withdraw. Anna said hell no.

Boy Anna has sure come a long way in 2 years since she bombed the junior Grand Prix final in Vancouver.

 

[Amei]

I think it’s important to remember that Anna is a minor. She’s a child! It’s one thing for an adult to push themselves past when they should (though I would still argue that there’s a point where they shouldn’t) but it’s another for a child to insist on competing when doing so could damage her health. Yes she put out a lovely free skate but was it worth potentially damaging her lungs (which could force her into an early retirement)? I hope it doesn’t have any ill effects but frankly it wasn’t worth the risk to have her compete (and same goes for Sasha and her injury). Especially in a season that’s already a wash.

Her parents were there, they've always given really level-headed interviews, but they were comfortable with her making the decision to still skate. They know more about her health than us.

 

[Scott512]

He is the most handsome figure skating coach ever. This is something different. And just like you I think Alyona is the most beautiful ladies skater ever. Just look at this picture:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJQZpG1Jf2Y/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Awww the evil angel strikes again! But we need her back in top figure skating form
so she can offer challenges to Anna Sasha and KV.

 

[Novalis]

I think it’s important to remember that Anna is a minor. She’s a child! It’s one thing for an adult to push themselves past when they should (though I would still argue that there’s a point where they shouldn’t) but it’s another for a child to insist on competing when doing so could damage her health. Yes she put out a lovely free skate but was it worth potentially damaging her lungs (which could force her into an early retirement)? I hope it doesn’t have any ill effects but frankly it wasn’t worth the risk to have her compete (and same goes for Sasha and her injury). Especially in a season that’s already a wash.

Yes, this is the expected and usual argument, and to me, as boring as the "health comes always first" absolutists. I am not a part of the strange cult of "the magic 18". A smart 16 year old is more mature to make decisions than a dumb 30-year-old.

Anna can make that decision for herself. The coaches and parents were correct in this. Anna does have smart parents too, as we all know.

 

[chasingneverland]

The woman we saw yesterday was not the real Liza, like we did not see the real Aliona this season.
Both are just exiting from sickness.

Same with Anna, same with Sasha, same with quite literally the entire Russian national team.

 

[Jontor]

I think it’s important to remember that Anna is a minor. She’s a child! It’s one thing for an adult to push themselves past when they should (though I would still argue that there’s a point where they shouldn’t) but it’s another for a child to insist on competing when doing so could damage her health. Yes she put out a lovely free skate but was it worth potentially damaging her lungs (which could force her into an early retirement)? I hope it doesn’t have any ill effects but frankly it wasn’t worth the risk to have her compete (and same goes for Sasha and her injury). Especially in a season that’s already a wash.

And every top athlete in every sport has been a minor at some point. If they didn't push in their younger days they wouldn't be top athletes later. Maybe it's more obvious in Ladies Figure Skating as there is so many teenagers at the top level. But every sport is like this, we mustn't forget that. And as I said before, if we don't like it we have the choice to not follow these sports.

 

[chasingneverland]

You are obviously wrong. Without exception, Sasha took part in all competitions that were intended for selection and achieved the highest number of points. And she started with an injury at the Nationals because the tournament was considered a selection for the worlds. And what does the FFKR do? Following the competition, she decides that all but the gold medalists must go to competitive for the selection.

The Russian Fed announced BEFORE Russian Nats even started that Russian Nats would NOT determine the World's team and would be merely a "motivational camp" with other competitions being taken into consideration. Or did you miss everyone talking about wanting Anna, Liza, Sasha to withdraw from Rus Nats because it was "motivational"?? They said nothing new here in fact it's EXACTLY what the Fed announced BEFORE the competition event started.

Regarding all other competitions, due to so many withdrawls from the Cup of Russia stages, they announced that that would no longer be the sole requirement for RusNats.

So no, they said all of this BEFORE.

 

[Supernovaimplosion]

But @Fluture, this is how it works in every sport at the highest level. I follow most winter sports and this happens all the time. People competing with injures, having a cold, having a fever.

Is it crazy? Yes. Do they do it anyway? Yes.

As an Austrian I'm sure you know all about Alpine skiing. The sport has become so dangerous that EVERY competitor sometime in their careers have fractures, knee surgeries etc. And don't get me started on the Downhill discipline where you more or less risk your life just by participating.

It's a crazy atmosphere in all these sports. I'm not saying we have to accept it, but as a sports fan you have to realize this is inevitable. Athletes pushes themselves all the time and take more risks all the time - because they want to be the best. That's the reality in sports. And if they don't push, someone else will gladly take their place, and they know it.

Except for the fact that there's going to be other qualifying rounds so she would have other chances to earn her place.
Its especially bad that she skated with a fever due to you-know-what. This isn't anything against Anna, but imo she should have been automatically withdrawn as a precautionary measure. No one with a fever should be allowed to skate because of it.

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

But @Fluture, this is how it works in every sport at the highest level. I follow most winter sports and this happens all the time. People competing with injures, having a cold, having a fever.

Is it crazy? Yes. Do they do it anyway? Yes.

As an Austrian I'm sure you know all about Alpine skiing. The sport has become so dangerous that EVERY competitor sometime in their careers have fractures, knee surgeries etc. And don't get me started on the Downhill discipline where you more or less risk your life just by participating.

It's a crazy atmosphere in all these sports. I'm not saying we have to accept it, but as a sports fan you have to realize this is inevitable. Athletes pushes themselves all the time and take more risks all the time - because they want to be the best. That's the reality in sports. And if they don't push, someone else will gladly take their place, and they know it.

I know it's probably the "norm" in a lot of sports but with a sport like figure skating, where so many of the top ladies are fifteen or sixteen, I do not want to see it become common for them to push through a competition with a horrible injury or serious symptoms from illnesses. It worked for Anna here, but it won't work for everyone.

 

[Thrashergurl]

There are reports Anna had a fever. I hope this isn’t true. It wild be extremely irresponsible of her, her parents and her team to allow this. Especially with it being a Covid symptom. Would she knowingly put other competitors at possible risk because she wanted a third title?
I hope the reports are false.

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

There are reports Anna had a fever. I hope this isn’t true. It wild be extremely irresponsible of her, her parents and her team to allow this. Especially with it being a Covid symptom. Would she knowingly put other competitors at possible risk because she wanted a third title?
I hope the reports are false.

I mean she already might have had Covid (they say it's pneumonia but lots of people are certain that it was Covid) so she can't really get it again. I believe there are reports that she had 38 degrees temperature or something though.

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

I think Anna 100% deserved this title (I mean if Kamila or Sasha won too, I'd say the same). But I have no idea why she was 18 points above Sasha. I think the difference between gold and bronze should have been like 2 points at maximum.

 

[chasingneverland]

And I mean do we need to see the injured and previously covid or pneumonia skaters skate again when they need to rest and still recover because covid and pneumnia stay in your body aa long time? Nope.

Little Liza is improving the normal way in sports. Gradually and fighting for everything. Undescored again this event. Anyone really think Daria was 26 points better than Nugumanova? Nope. Another Evgeni (Rukavicin) needs to talk to the fed head about his ladies lower than deserved scores.

PS - Not that Dasha wasnt marginally better than Nugumanova. A case could be made she was. But by 26 points? Nyet to that! That EG bounce is real folks and Sasha and Aliona are finding that out the hard way.

Daria's BV is something like 10 points higher that Liza N's. Should Daria have gotten all of her edges marked clean? No. But Liza isn't clean either. She does have URs. Either way when you're working out of a 10 point deficit on BV alone that's hard to make up. Especially as it's not like Daria isn't expressive and interpretive on the ice.

I don't think Daria was 26 points higher but I think 10-15 is probably right. Also Daria is the reigning world junior silver medalist and even internationally skaters are marked by their reputation.

 

[Amei]

There are reports Anna had a fever. I hope this isn’t true. It wild be extremely irresponsible of her, her parents and her team to allow this. Especially with it being a Covid symptom. Would she knowingly put other competitors at possible risk because she wanted a third title?
I hope the reports are false.

I believe the Fed required multiple negative Covid tests in order for skaters to compete.

 

[Scott512]

It's also for the benefit of Dmitri Aliev , Artur Danielian (ankle injury), Sinitsina/Katsalapov, and others (Evgenia, Ksenia, Savosin, to increasingly lesser extents) as well as some underperformances here. I mean 3/4 Euros 2020 champions got COVID and weren't able to be here. Also, Anna (pneumonia) , Sasha (serious injury), Liza (COVID), Mikhail (COVID), etc also got sick/injured and while they were here were still recovering and weren't at full strength. Same with Tarasova/Morozov (getting pnemonia/COVID), Boikova/Kozlovskii (cold/COVID), Khodykin (respiratory infection), Galliamov (COVID), Stepanova/Bukin (COVID), and Zahorski (COVID) who had COVID earlier in the season and had to withdraw from earlier events.

That means their entire 2020 world champion team were either sick or injured and had to miss either RusNats completely or other events before (Cup of Russia stages/Rostelecom Cup) and weren't completely recovered at RusNats. Same a lot of their alternates and top "B" skaters: Samarin (back injury), Liza (COVID), Galliamov (COVID), as well as Anastasiia G (had to withdraw from the 5th stage earlier due to Liza getting COVID), Pepeleva/Pleshkov (had to withdraw from Rostelecom Cup due to coach getting COVID), Sofia (fever during test skates earlier in the season), and Kolesov (injury and had to withdraw from RusNats).

This isn't a personal vendetta against Liza, in fact, she benefits from this. This is quite frankly gross irresponsibility/recklessness from the Russian Federation resulting in their entire Euros/Worlds team (and most of their alternates/top "B" skaters) withdrawing from/skating injured/ill/not fully recovered at (at least) one Russian Cup stage event, Rostelecom, Russian Nationals. IT'S ABSURD.

So not, it's not just for the benefit of Aliona and to punish Liza, it's because they (the Fed) f**ked up and EVERYONE suffered for it. Now they have to try to "save" their skaters. So no they're not "pointless contests" it's the only way to try to make it fair as everyone was injured/ill at one big event or another.

You brought the hammer down on everybody and I love it! You made all fair but firm points chasing.

When you go through the super skaters and the 2nd tier Russian skaters that we're all sick it's just unbelievable.. I hope they learn from this.

I also hope the Russian federation somehow can build a bubble in Saint Petersburg Moscow or Sochi so they can have a events in the future International events not just domestic events no matter what's going on with Coronavirus or this new strain that came from England.