2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Baron Vladimir]

When did Sasha do that? I think you're confusing Aliona with Sasha. Aliona is the one that has changed FS 3 times this year.
Sasha on another hand had a program from a mediocre choreographer and happily skated to it the whole season.

Every programme, even the 'same' one, is changing on the course of the season. It starts with the required elements and then the other stuffs are adding on. That's why the scores for the whole programme - PCS are raising with the season going on, because skaters are able to add more and more to the programme going forward. We can't say the programme at the beginning of the season and at the pick of it is the same one, even if the same ideas, music and the choreographer are behind it. Skating to the one programme the whole season doesn't mean the programme is the same one all the time.

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

Which competition is Melkumova taking part in? And does anyone know which particular coach she switched to in CSKA?

 

[Shayuki]

Which competition is Melkumova taking part in? And does anyone know which particular coach she switched to in CSKA?

The competition is called something like "valentines ice" or however it goes.

 

[Scott512]

She's improved when it comes to performing the program, but I still don't think the program's all that great. At nationals it at least made some sense and wasn't completely disconnected like it had been in the past, so that's good. Still I think she needs to improve it quite a bit for it to be nearly as memorable as her girl ball program, for example. Well, I don't think that that's possible in the first place, but we'll see.
Yeah, that sort of natural extrovert / outgoing performing is what I'd associate with Melkumova and she used to go out of her way to perform with the attention to detail, didn't really see much of that in that skate...

And Kamila Valieva, she too seems to perform so... introvertly now, when she used to project more openly. Of course it still is beautiful to watch in its own right but...

I think they should do the girl ball program again in the future.

I expect Kamilas Bolero program to get even better next season. But that close of hers right now is incredible with how she bends backwards and before that she takes her arms and almost disjointesly puts them behind her back as she bends backwards with the dramatic music climaxing. Amazing..

 

[silveruskate]

I'm happy they'll change Valieva's SP. Any FP would be difficult when we know it's going to be filled with quads and 3A. But I could tell her SP wasn't meant to have a 3A as the first jump, and it messed with the choreo imo. SPs are easy to make so I'm sure her Olympic one will be really good.

 

[Dawn825]

Aliona is the one that has changed FS 3 times this year.

While getting multiple brand new FS programs in one season is NOT normal

What are you talking about? She had the Korzeniowski program, and now a new one. That's two programs, one change.

 

[Amei]

As many as required!

What's so wrong about a coach desperately wanting to help his students?
Yes Sasha desperately needs help and her coaches desperately want to help her. Thankfully they realize they don't have the expertise to do that, so they're asking other people to come in and help her.

Well so many changes within such a short timeframe, for 1 skater looks really odd, I mean it takes time to get used to a coach with how quickly she's changing it doesn't seem like the coaches are getting a shot before she boots them for someone else.

When did Sasha do that? I think you're confusing Aliona with Sasha. Aliona is the one that has changed FS 3 times this year.
Sasha on another hand had a program from a mediocre choreographer and happily skated to it the whole season.

I said coach/choreographer because I don't know what Morozov's capacity is with her, he's got a background as both a coach and a choreographer.

I don't understand why are people overreacting to this whole Sasha situation. Calm down people! It's the end of the season and many skaters want to change choreographers.
I'm not a fan of Plushenko or Sasha, but I find it ridiculous how people are going out of their ways to criticize Sasha/Plushenko for something normal that everyone else does!

There is NOTHING out of ordinary if a skater makes some changes to her program during the season, or decides to work with a new choreographer for next season.

If it was only the move to Morozov I wouldn't be wondering what about the rationale, but its like her 3rd or 4th coaching team change since she moved to Plushenko, she's not even been with him a year, like I said in my earlier comment, it seems really odd.

 

[MaggieLin]

Which competition is Melkumova taking part in? And does anyone know which particular coach she switched to in CSKA?

Both Melkumova and Depzka are with Buianova I believe.

 

[brakes]

I don't understand why are people overreacting to this whole Sasha situation. Calm down people! It's the end of the season and many skaters want to change choreographers.
I'm not a fan of Plushenko or Sasha, but I find it ridiculous how people are going out of their ways to criticize Sasha/Plushenko for something normal that everyone else does!

There is NOTHING out of ordinary if a skater makes some changes to her program during the season, or decides to work with a new choreographer for next season.

Posting a pic with Sasha's cute smile, getting dissertations on Morozov's love life in return.

 

[RatedPG]

I just saw the entry list for Russian Cup. The top 11 point getters from the Russian Cup are all there minus Trusova and Anna S. (they made the team already, so, why ruin your reputation by competing here) plus the 3 medalists from Russian Grand Prix who only competed in one event make up the top 12. I’m so sad Ksenia won’t be there.

I expect Kamila to win. The fight for silver should be interesting between Aliona, Elizaveta and Daria. This is the battle I’m most excited for. The battle for the third World spot plus I’d like to see where Daria stands amongst these two athletes. Also, the fight for fifth place between the rest of the field allows some of these talented skaters an opportunity to maybe be noticed and maybe with a strong placement, can end up in the alternate list for Grand Prix circuit next year.

 

[Jontor]

I just saw the entry list for Russian Cup. The top 11 point getters from the Russian Cup are all there minus Trusova and Anna S. (they made the team already, so, why ruin your reputation by competing here) plus the 3 medalists from Russian Grand Prix who only competed in one event make up the top 12. I’m so sad Ksenia won’t be there.

I expect Kamila to win. The fight for silver should be interesting between Aliona, Elizaveta and Daria. This is the battle I’m most excited for. The battle for the third World spot plus I’d like to see where Daria stands amongst these two athletes. Also, the fight for fifth place between the rest of the field allows some of these talented skaters an opportunity to maybe be noticed and maybe with a strong placement, can end up in the alternate list for Grand Prix circuit next year.

I expect Kamila to win and Daria 2nd. Alëna/Liza will probably fight for 3rd place with Maiia, and I wouldn't be surprise if Maiia beats them.

 

[nussnacker]

What are you talking about? She had the Korzeniowski program, and now a new one. That's two programs, one change.

She also learned 2 programs during summer camp, probably talking about those.

I don't understand why are people overreacting to this whole Sasha situation. Calm down people! It's the end of the season and many skaters want to change choreographers.
I'm not a fan of Plushenko or Sasha, but I find it ridiculous how people are going out of their ways to criticize Sasha/Plushenko for something normal that everyone else does!

There is NOTHING out of ordinary if a skater makes some changes to her program during the season, or decides to work with a new choreographer for next season.

I don’t mind any changes, sometimes they are needed, sometimes one wants to experiment, but Morozov (putting it lightly) is still a creep though.

 

[Novalis]

I expect Kamila to win and Daria 2nd. Alëna/Liza will probably fight for 3rd place with Maiia, and I wouldn't be surprise if Maiia beats them.

A triple sweep for 14 year olds

No, I actually have a lot of faith in Alyona and her ability to be skate clean this one. That's why I go with this:
1. Kamila
2. Alyona
3. Dasha
4. Liza
5. Maiia
6. Hopefully Nugu
7-8. Davydov girls
9-11. Rest of St. Petersburg
12. Nastya T. Sadly it's just a very tough competition.

Alyona and Dasha will be very close, but the slightly higher PCS for the former settles it. She most likely won't have her 3A:s, but it makes no difference. Even with them she wouldn't catch Kamila.

And Alyona naturally claims the third spot at Worlds. I'm also hoping for that.

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

It really is a shame that Alyona was robbed of her chance to shine at Worlds last year. However, my sentimental favourite for the CoR final is Liza the Empress, and I will keep my fingers crossed for her to make it to Worlds one more time.

 

[Vilord]

If im getting it right the man posing with Sasha yesturday is named Morosov and he is both a choreographer and a coach? Do we know why he is there? Are they starting to work on new programs for next season? Is he going to help her work on her expression with the current ones? Or is he replacing the blond younger man (sorry I can never remember his name) as sashas main/technical coach?

I agree that there has been a lot of changes in the plushenko camp this season but I think we needs to remember that this is the first season he has had any true top students and probably hasent figured out how to get all different coaches to work together yet. I think the Eteri team is a well functioning machine. Everyone has their role/roles and know what to do but also trusts the others to do their jobs. While plushenkos teams that are all relatively new and include a lot of people probably havent figured this out properly.

 

[Shayuki]

I think they should do the girl ball program again in the future.

I expect Kamilas Bolero program to get even better next season. But that close of hers right now is incredible with how she bends backwards and before that she takes her arms and almost disjointesly puts them behind her back as she bends backwards with the dramatic music climaxing. Amazing..

With Bolero, the closing indeed tends to be amazing with that music, and after the music pumps up the endings of Bolero programs in general tend to work well. The issue with Bolero is that portion after the very opening and until the end, it feels like nothing's really happening and the program itself doesn't help.

The ending's great, as always with a Bolero, but it's pretty challenging making a decent program when the music piece itself is nothing but a slow 15 minute buildup for a climax, with zero variety or dynamic changes to speak of. There's not much to interpret.

Another problem is using Bolero with a frontloaded quad program, or a FS in general I guess. The most impressive athletic feats happen in the beginning, when the music's at its weakest. Then the most impressive music is in the ending when there's some spins. Of course, Kamila's great with spins but it's just backwards in my eyes.

 

[chasingneverland]

A triple sweep for 14 year olds

No, I actually have a lot of faith in Alyona and her ability to be skate clean this one. That's why I go with this:
1. Kamila
2. Alyona
3. Dasha
4. Liza
5. Maiia
6. Hopefully Nugu
7-8. Davydov girls
9-11. Rest of St. Petersburg
12. Nastya T. Sadly it's just a very tough competition.

Alyona and Dasha will be very close, but the slightly higher PCS for the former settles it. She most likely won't have her 3A:s, but it makes no difference. Even with them she wouldn't catch Kamila.

And Alyona naturally claims the third spot at Worlds. I'm also hoping for that.

I mean it wouldn't be the first time - the 3A did that at RusNats in 2019 directly leading to the Liza/Evgenia Rus Cup Final skate off the last worlds spot (Alina placed 4th). (Although I guess Aliona was 15 at the time - she was still a junior internationally though.) It wouldn't be the first time at the (senior) Cup Final either - Aliona, Anastasiia G, and Daria P did it in 2018 while all were juniors. It would just be the first time the RusCup Final has such a competitive field with so much on the line and juniors win it.

I think your ranking is probably accurate. That's kinda how I see it playing out too..

Although...I think it's unlikely but I really hope Anastasia T isn't last - she has the potential to beat Maria T, Anna F, and Kseniia T. (Actually all of Liza N, Anastasia G, Sofia S, Maria T, Anna F, and Kseniia T are all at around the same level. It just depends who actually skates cleanly and whom the judges score better haha.)

Also, I really hope Maiia can land a quad here.

 

[flanker]

Although...I think it's unlikely but I really hope Anastasia T isn't last - she has the potential to beat Maria T, Anna F, and Kseniia T. (Actually all of Liza N, Anastasia G, Sofia S, Maria T, Anna F, and Kseniia T are all at around the same level. It just depends who actually skates cleanly and whom the judges score better haha.)

Nastya T. had pretty solid skates at 5th stage of the cup, with similar skate here I think she should be above Samodurova or Talalaikina.

 

[Dawn825]

(Alina placed 4th).

Not that it really matters but Alina was actually 5th.. Stanislava Konstantinova was 4th.

 

[Novalis]

Was this behind the scenes video of the team event here before (the jump fest one was). Anyway, it's nice quality stuff.

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