2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Giltedge]

[snip]

Ksenia!!! Her programs and Ss are just stunning. Aliona and Ksenia my favorite Russian ladies didn't compete at Russian nationals this year.

Yes, it's a shame that the Snowleopards have unravelled somewhat, even if some have gone on to better things, Kseniia Ts and Anna F to Davydov, Аlёnа K to ID (Nastya K to ID too?), One hopes that Panova is building up a new cohort. And that Kseniia is still active and will grace the ice in the new season.

Edit: Of course, Nastya Sh is still technically with Panova, so who knows, Panova may well have a skater at OG.

 

[FelineFairy]

This is the way.
Only with constant physical pain and stress overcoming you can achieve something in a competitive sport. It is not enough but it is required.
Fortunately or unfortunately, but this how it is right now, results speak for themselves.
And because this is against behavior that was successful for human evolution (eat as much as you can, *uck as many as you can (for males), sleep and rest as much as you can) - it is so hard to follow this "new" (on evolution timescale) behavior.

So yes, you have to skate (and train) with illness. Because if you don't and stop on the first drop from the nose or any weakness feeling - others who do will have better results and you lose.

And because obvious disadvantage of such tactic (long lasting damage to health) is also against the final goal of everybody (to win) - the more medicine advance, the better doctors/coaches/sportshumans know which pain/illness/stress is ok to overcome and which is not.
But due to how human body is evolved, best border line here WILL include pain/stress/illness overcome. Our body does not like to train, it wants to eat and have sex.

Actually, this isn't even about sport only. It's about driving oneself hard (or too hard depending on the perspective) vs. relaxing and being content. Today's narrative is more about relaxing and having a happier life. That's why competitive sports stand out and are criticized for ruthlessness.
However, a straight A student aiming for a first-class degree in some fields where just talent isn't enough has to drive him/herself hard. Sometimes overworking, doing harm to the body. A young lawyer in a firm has to work maybe 80 hours a week. Getting sometimes severe health problems. It's all about two approaches to life.
And sport is just one of the more visible examples.
I would distinguish between what really is unacceptable from all points of view (criminal like sexual or physical abuse, real bribery, dangerous drugs, etc) and what is questionable but belongs to that driving oneself hard "overcoming" lifestyle. I have chosen a more relaxed lifestyle, but I don't think that I have the right to decide for everyone that it's better.

 

[readernick]

And Nugumanova.

Nugumanova' s SP was the skate of the event for me. I appreciated a lot of the freeskates from a technical and competitive prospective, but Nugumanova's SP was the only program that I appreciated from an artistic prospective.

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

A little off-topic, but I was just thinking that Sasha should really use either her Game of Survival or Unstoppable as a SP next season. Packaging is really quite important in an Olympic season, and both those programs really suit her and show off her personality well (her Unstoppable EX has 17 million views on YouTube!) And I also think that, while Kamila's Bolero is improving, it still fails to connect to the music whatsoever (choreography's fault) and given she's a favorite for Olympic Gold, I'd hope they give her something that helps shows her musicality and performance baility more.

 

[Amei]

No question what Anna and Sasha saw what Evgenia went through 3 years ago had an impact on them. In a way it's understandable.

Coaches are flawed chasing. They are human. Eteri not wanting to withdraw Anna what is risky business no matter what happened. But Anna is now seen In a Different Light kind of in a hero role at least for this event of Nationals and I'm sure she's pumped up by that. Anna rolled the dice and won big. So did EG and TT. but if Anna withdrew then kamila would have won nationals and I wonder what she's thinking about all this.

I believe that Eteri (or her coaches) did ask Shcherbakova to withdraw but they along with her parents allowed her to make the final decision. Which we need to remember 1 of the reasons why Trusova left Eteri was because Eteri overruled Trusova and limited her quads, so I can understand and not vilify a coach for letting a skater and their parents make the withdraw decision.

 

[Giltedge]

[snip...] I also love Dr. Seuss )
[...snop]

I like this: You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.

And this: So the writer who breeds more words than she needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.
Some here could take this admonishment to heart

 

[nussnacker]

Any news on Ksenia? I'm still in the dark with her

The only thing I could find, she was congratulating her fan group on winning something in IG.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHPlsXNKH60/

She sounded a bit tired to me, but I hope there’s nothing to worry about. Glad to see her regardless.

 

[nussnacker]

A little off-topic, but I was just thinking that Sasha should really use either her Game of Survival or Unstoppable as a SP next season. Packaging is really quite important in an Olympic season, and both those programs really suit her and show off her personality well (her Unstoppable EX has 17 million views on YouTube!) And I also think that, while Kamila's Bolero is improving, it still fails to connect to the music whatsoever (choreography's fault) and given she's a favorite for Olympic Gold, I'd hope they give her something that helps shows her musicality and performance baility more.

Agree!
I really liked the costume and make up for Game of survival, the packaging was really good. I’m of an opinion that bodysuits work very well for Sasha.
And Unstoppable is one my favorite programs ever, the costume and hair would need to go though, not going to work for competition.

Sasha has certain aura and presence on the ice, I feel like these kinds of programs/music with emotion and power help to accentuate that even more.

 

[Novalis]

A little off-topic, but I was just thinking that Sasha should really use either her Game of Survival or Unstoppable as a SP next season. Packaging is really quite important in an Olympic season, and both those programs really suit her and show off her personality well (her Unstoppable EX has 17 million views on YouTube!) And I also think that, while Kamila's Bolero is improving, it still fails to connect to the music whatsoever (choreography's fault) and given she's a favorite for Olympic Gold, I'd hope they give her something that helps shows her musicality and performance baility more.

The "Unstoppable" video was prompted by Youtube somehow. It was offered as a recommendation to a lot of people who never even watch figure skating, as one can see from the comments (or could at least).

But yes, I don't really disagree with you. I like both EX's

 

[Jeanie19]

Guys, there were at least 2 ladies like Evgenia and Liza, who actually tested positive for COVID quite recently, experienced symptoms (in Evgenia’s case quite complicated ones) , and they went on to compete and perform here, hug and interact with everyone around them. That’s just the ladies, not talking about men, ice dancers and pairs. Gulyakova withdrew from 5th stage along with Kolyada because of the cold.
Tarasova was down with lung inflammation before 5th stage. Those are the cases that happened a lot later than Anna’s sickness.
But the whole fuss here is only about the one who didn’t test positive.
I don’t want to cut any of them slack, but making Anna the centerpiece of irresponsibility is a bit much. She’s likely going to experience some post-effects of pneumonia for quite some time, it’s not something that would be gone in a month.
None of the people I mentioned should’ve come here, I’m in agreement with critics on that one. I just feel like there’s something not right in this massive reaction and singling out Anna in particular.

Evgenia tested positive the beginning of November. She had been in quarantine for close to a month. I think everyone at the rink should have worn masks. And the final gala pose, again masks.

 

[Jontor]

I've watched that three-in-a-row-show so many times now...

And Nugumanova.

I also love the little detail of "The Final Countdown" playing in the backround when the top group begins warm-up. A nice touch by the organizers

Me too...plus Talalaykina.

 

[NadezhdaNadya]

Actually, this isn't even about sport only. It's about driving oneself hard (or too hard depending on the perspective) vs. relaxing and being content. Today's narrative is more about relaxing and having a happier life. That's why competitive sports stand out and are criticized for ruthlessness.
However, a straight A student aiming for a first-class degree in some fields where just talent isn't enough has to drive him/herself hard. Sometimes overworking, doing harm to the body. A young lawyer in a firm has to work maybe 80 hours a week. Getting sometimes severe health problems. It's all about two approaches to life.
And sport is just one of the more visible examples.
I would distinguish between what really is unacceptable from all points of view (criminal like sexual or physical abuse, real bribery, dangerous drugs, etc) and what is questionable but belongs to that driving oneself hard "overcoming" lifestyle. I have chosen a more relaxed lifestyle, but I don't think that I have the right to decide for everyone that it's better.

And I have always hated students who cheat on exams. Still do. Maybe that is why I hate pre-rotation so much. It is not OK to have bad technique and at the same time to feel worthy of a gold medal. Poor skatings skills is also a big no no no.
To me... If you think you are a skater who is worthy of a gold medal - then show it through jumps with amazing technique, small pre-rotation, great skating skills. Otherwise... leave the sport to the really talented skaters with the necessary qualities.
People like Alexia Paganini deserve so much more. She has flip and lutz with minimal pre-rotation(so rare!), she is elegant, artistic.
Alyona probably has the best ladies skating skills of all time and her jump technique is very good.
Yuna Kim - simply the best ladies skater of all time.
It should be about all that and not about excessively pre-rotated flips and lutzes (with flat edges), right?

 

[Scott512]

What is she going to think?
Of course she wanted to win but second is a great achievement and "good enough" at her current level. She knows that.
She was visibly gutted when Anna ended her program and had gone clean (they panned the camera on her face, like good Russian drama) but when she realized she was on camera she quickly put on a smile and clapped.
I don't think there are any thoughts going on that go beyond what would be logical.

And if you think about it, if she just can maintain her current content and go clean in both programs with 3A in short and two 4T in the long, having the spins and steps that she has, plus the component boost she will get next season to put her on par with Anna & Alena (no matter if that's correct or not) and clearly above Sasha... let's say she has all reason to view Beijing in an optimistic light.

Definitely something to build on for kamila.
And yes she has to learn how to react when the camera is on her. I noticed that too that the camera went to her after Anna finished her skate. Kamila was probably not expecting that.

 

[Scott512]

I believe that Eteri (or her coaches) did ask Shcherbakova to withdraw but they along with her parents allowed her to make the final decision. Which we need to remember 1 of the reasons why Trusova left Eteri was because Eteri overruled Trusova and limited her quads, so I can understand and not vilify a coach for letting a skater and their parents make the withdraw decision.

Interesting take. I do agree that EG and her parents asked Anna to withdraw but they let her make the final decision we all know what that was.

 

[Novalis]

Definitely something to build on for kamila.
And yes she has to learn how to react when the camera is on her. I noticed that too that the camera went to her after Anna finished her skate. Kamila was probably not expecting that.

I'm not entirely sure that you two are even correct here. You might be. But Kamila's resting face is quite serious, even sad. This is why your (starlight) "visibly gutted" might be the wrong interpretation.

 

[Decoder]

What is she going to think?
Of course she wanted to win but second is a great achievement and "good enough" at her current level. She knows that.
She was visibly gutted when Anna ended her program and had gone clean (they panned the camera on her face, like good Russian drama) but when she realized she was on camera she quickly put on a smile and clapped.
I don't think there are any thoughts going on that go beyond what would be logical.

And if you think about it, if she just can maintain her current content and go clean in both programs with 3A in short and two 4T in the long, having the spins and steps that she has, plus the component boost she will get next season to put her on par with Anna & Alena (no matter if that's correct or not) and clearly above Sasha... let's say she has all reason to view Beijing in an optimistic light.

Agree 99%. Just one small thing: I'd say Kamila's face expression was actually normal comparing to what she showed in most competitions. She usually smiled whenever she realized that the camera was on her. She probably could show some upset after the score was announced, if there is any clip of that.

 

[Scott512]

I'm not entirely sure that you two are even correct here. You might be. But Kamila's resting face is quite serious, even sad. This is why your (starlight) "visibly gutted" might be the wrong interpretation.

Good point about her resting face is serious. I do think KV was shocked that sickly girl skated so great and beat her by over 10 points. I think we were all like wow Anna was awesome after kamila was awesome after Sasha was awesome. Then Daria followed all that up by being very very good. It was amazing to see.

 

[trkvy]

 

[Draculus]

It should be about all that and not about excessively pre-rotated flips and lutzes (with flat edges), right?

I personally do not care about pre-rotation. Much more important thing is consistent judging.
Hope we will have at some moment all technical judges replaced by AI.
And what angle between blade line and velocity vector is required - for me not matter much as long as it is the same for all.

 

[Amei]

That was an interesting gala, could be made into a SP but I doubt they do that with next year being the Olympics, usually that's when most teams go with safe choices