2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[nussnacker]

Shrug. Pogorilaya just about doesnt pick with the tip, she strikes her skate very diagonally and it turns flat almost instantly. Anna's is also pretty bad but not on the same level. Tsibinova on the other hand picks with the toe pick, directly forward until the very end.

Perhaps they have a similar body type but that's not really a picking thing.

You clearly didn’t understand what I meant. Whatever

 

[Skatesocs]

Shrug. Pogorilaya just about doesnt pick with the tip, she strikes her skate very diagonally and it turns flat almost instantly. Anna's is also pretty bad but not on the same level. Tsibinova on the other hand picks with the toe pick, directly forward until the very end.

Perhaps they have a similar body type but that's not really a picking thing.

They just mean the body position... IDK if I see what they're seeing, but that's what they mean, not full blades.

 

[Shayuki]

They just mean the body position... IDK if I see what they're seeing, but that's what they mean, not full blades.

Body position? Interesting, because the way they bring the picking leg up in order to prepare for the picking is also completely different. And they lean different amounts as well. Shrug.

I mean, I don't mean to make a big deal out of this but to me it's genuinely strange to compare Tsibinova, who has some of the best picking technique I've ever seen, to Pogorilaya, who has some of the worst technique of the modern times.

 

[alexocfp]

Yep, especially as Tuktamysheva already is a world champion which I'm sure she knows is the peak for her. But she still continues competing and performing well year after year. Almost all the skaters around her are changing but she's remaining, not quite the best but always competitive.

I’m starting to get the feeling that she may never retire. Liza for 2050 Worlds!

Battling Anna and Kamila’s kids for the spot. Haha

 

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[Ophelia]

Korstornaia is too good of a skater to be coached like this. Oof.

 

[Dawn825]

The real test of Aliona and Sergei as a team will be tomorrow. Either they can find a way to show up tomorrow confident and ready to fight, or they can't. Evgenia was 14th after the SP at 2019 Nationals, then rallied with Brian to get the highest FS score of the senior ladies. That's what it takes to be a champion. I wish Aliona the best tomorrow

 

[Lechat]

Hm, a downgraded 3T

Some doubts about her combos, with that and what she showed in the actual SP...

I didn’t know, it explains why she messed her combo today. I hope she’s not injured.
We will see tomorrow, I’m sure she will do her best. Her Vivaldi was beautiful for a first attempt 🌤

 

[chasingneverland]

My thoughts:
1. Kamila- I really think that placing second at Nationals when she lost both SP and LP to Anna when she was clean except for the step out on a 3A, really lit a competitive fire under her. I recognized that moment in my life when everything just finally "clicked" and I made a giant leap in my performances and there was no looking back. She was born to be the Prima dancer. I really hope she keeps this program. It's never been seen in international competition, it's perfect as is and will get full marks, so why waste time learning a new program when her perfect one right now will be "new" internationally anyway in several months? One thing I would LOVE to see if she keeps this program is a change in her hair/makeup. The dress is nice enough, but I think to represent winter she needs flawless, fierce, and drag-alicious eye makeup. Icy eyes, lashes like icicles, the whole deal. Slicked back hair. She is a STAR, and if she came out looking like one, and not just a talented nice young girl with no makeup and hair up in a boring bun, it could elevate her to another level. Think Kwan in 1995. She would be an international sensation if she brought some more Russian avant gardness to her presentation. Can't wait to see what she does tomorrow.
2. Daria- Continuing to establish herself. I love her skating and programs. I'm hoping she gets an ultra element or two. She's maxed out at this point.
3. Liza- Wow. Even skating before Alena, I was impressed with her strength. I thought "Wow she looks much better and has earned the Worlds spot", and we've seen how Covid affected her and how she continued to get better/improve. She's my pick for Worlds.
6. Alena- It's not that she had a mistake on the combo, it's that EVERYTHING seemed to stop after it, like she either forgot what she was doing or she just wanted to skate off the ice and go home. I realize she's an emotional girl, but come on, it's mistakes and rallying in those performances that make you better. Worlds is way too close, she can't go to Worlds and do this. Liza deserves it, even if Alena is somewhat clean tomorrow. It's Liza's last hurrah at a Worlds, give it to her please.

Kamila isn't representing Winter - Alena is. Kamila is a bird in a cage skating to Storm. And while not used before in comp she had this program as an exhibition last year. And at RusNats, Anna had the highest BV. (She was winning if she could make it through her programs.) AND NO to dressing her like a drag queen.

It is the first time it's looked like Alena was really really rattled after a mistake. Usually she keeps her skate together after - same with Anna.

 

[Scott512]

Lost in all the Alena talk is Kamila going from strength to strength.

Starting to get that unbeatable aura around her now.

Although if I said it once, I’ll say it a billion times: count out Anna at your own risk.

I'm almost there with you man. It's like KaMilla has become this KaMissle of TT!
But Anna ain't flinching. Neither is Sasha

 

[MaggieLin]

As somebody said above - if I were Alena, I'd go for 3A tomorrow. Maybe even two. I don't know where she is rn regarding the 3A training, but she needs to get it all out if she still wants a chance to go to Worlds. Even if she misses them, it's still good practice setting up for next season.

Liza pulled everything she had in the SP. Sure, she wasn't perfect, but taking necessary risks is important and a matter of attitude.

 

[chasingneverland]

As somebody said above - if I were Alena, I'd go for 3A tomorrow. Maybe even two. I don't know where she is rn regarding the 3A training, but she needs to get it all out if she still wants a chance to go to Worlds. Even if she misses them, it's still good practice setting up for next season.

Liza pulled everything she had in the SP. Sure, she wasn't perfect, but taking necessary risks is important and a matter of attitude.

Has she even landed it in practice again? She didn't have it back before catching COVID - it was one of the reasons she left Eteri. After catching COVID has she even been able to train it?

 

[Lechat]

As somebody said above - if I were Alena, I'd go for 3A tomorrow. Maybe even two. I don't know where she is rn regarding the 3A training, but she needs to get it all out if she still wants a chance to go to Worlds. Even if she misses them, it's still good practice setting up for next season.

Liza pulled everything she had in the SP. Sure, she wasn't perfect, but taking necessary risks is important and a matter of attitude.

I think she can’t land it yet. She’s not in top shape and it woulb be risky to try if you are not ready yet. I think she’s still recovering from covid.
She should skate clean but safely tomorrow.

 

[MaggieLin]

Has she even landed it in practice again? She didn't have it back before catching COVID - it was one of the reasons she left Eteri. After catching COVID has she even been able to train it?

Hmm...I think I read it somewhere that she's not feeling stable with it? I'm not sure, but Alena has always been conservative regarding adding difficulty. She would wait till she can land the jump 80~90% in practice in order to put it in. But if I were her now, I'd go for it even there's only 30% of landing it. (Ofc, it's a different story if she hasn't hit it in months...)

 

[MaggieLin]

Also, Daria at SP interview said she's training 4S and it's looking better than 3A at the moment? Didn't know she was training for quad - with her stability this season, she would really put herself into the conversation next season if she can get both, or even just one.

 

[Lunalovesskating]

Hmm...I think I read it somewhere that she's not feeling stable with it? I'm not sure, but Alena has always been conservative regarding adding difficulty. She would wait till she can land the jump 80~90% in practice in order to put it in. But if I were her now, I'd go for it even there's only 30% of landing it. (Ofc, it's a different story if she hasn't hit it in months...)

That was around November. Before she was sick. And in the clips we saw of the 3A it definitley was not ready, so I am sure that after being sick it is even less so. Going for a 3A that is not ready could end in a disaster, especially with her still recovering from being sick. It is best to go with the content she is confident in and not to take risks. A clean program without 3A can still beat Liza potentially. Liza tends to make mistakes especially in the FS. So we will see tomorrow how both will perform

 

[Shayuki]

Has she even landed it in practice again? She didn't have it back before catching COVID - it was one of the reasons she left Eteri. After catching COVID has she even been able to train it?

Well in practice her 2Axel was as high as her 3Axel should be, in theory she should with that air time be able to do it if she just rotates it. And even UR it is better than a 2Axel would be.

But of course, if she doesn't try then she has a 0% chance to land it, naturally.

 

[Amei]

Who did Alena's new SP? Her Billie Eilish one was much better. Maybe the Fed made her change it when Lakernik went to visit?

Choreographically, it's very bland and there's very little choreography. But even more, the music doesn't suit Alena. She's not feeling it at all even before the mistake. Alena does better with pop music or a character and she understands, and she performed her Billie program much better. I'm not talking about the jumps - everyone has falls and off days, but even with mistakes she was much more into it from beginning to the end. She's lost in this new music, and didn't she say in interviews before that she doesn't like classical pieces? Or was that slow music, I forget. For his first piece of choreography as a new coach, Rozanov actually did well with her first SP and chose movements that brought out Alena's performance, especially in the steps.

As for the coaches' reaction, I wouldn't read too much into it. Plushenko, Mishin, and Eteri are often stone-faced but they know their skaters best. Many people don't like to be coddled or fussed over when they make mistakes. Personally, whenever I made mistakes the last thing I wanted was for teachers to reassure me over and over; I just needed to process and move on. Perhaps Alena and other skaters are like this as well.

I believe same as her original - virtual Shae-Lynn Bourne and Rozanov.

Kamila isn't representing Winter - Alena is. Kamila is a bird in a cage skating to Storm. And while not used before in comp she had this program as an exhibition last year. And at RusNats, Anna had the highest BV. (She was winning if she could make it through her programs.) AND NO to dressing her like a drag queen.

It is the first time it's looked like Alena was really really rattled after a mistake. Usually she keeps her skate together after - same with Anna.

Its her first time in a long time, there was a JGP where she had a mistake on the opening jump and the rest of the program she looked like she was near tears.

 

[chasingneverland]

Also, Daria at SP interview said she's training 4S and it's looking better than 3A at the moment? Didn't know she was training for quad - with her stability this season, she would really put herself into the conversation next season if she can get both, or even just one.

The 3A has the advantage of being able to be used in both the short and the free. But yeah they had mentioned before they were working on upgrades and quads/3As for both Daria and Anna. (And Kamila but she's already shown them but another quad in practice.)

 

[Scott512]

Some might hate me for saying it here, but Rika's the "favorite" to win worlds. And by favorite I mean about ~37% chance vs Shcherbakova's ~33% chance and Trusova's ~27% chance of winning. At this point the tech and politics are behind her setting it up for Kamila vs Rika for the Olympics.

Rika may be in the mix at worlds but she doesnt put up the high end scores Anna and Sasha do and if Aliona did not leave TT Rika would be completely boxed out. Not to mention Eteris secret weapon the KaMissle is coming to seniors next season!

Rika is very good of course and she benefits
from not having phenoms coming behind her to push her out of the way so then she gets to take her time and improve and mature. The Russian girls don't have that luxury because phenoms from TT are always coming up year after year.