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You are right of course! So does this mean Liza N. (and Aliev, and Gummenik, and the substitute pairs and dancers) are also all there with their respective coaches and all of them are travelling to Stockholm?
2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating
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- Dec 31, 2019
Ksenia is actually not an unrealistic contender.
First of all, as a junior she was on the same level as Daria and Maiia, and actually has a higher personal best then either of them. So if they're contenders so is she. (She's scored 215 internationally as a junior.) And while she wasn't overly consistent last year, neither was Daria last year. In fact Maiia still isn't.
Second of all, she was injured this year but Anna and Liza T had COVID/pneumonia, Sasha was injured, and Alena was both ill and injured so that's not a limiting factor and we all know that the Olympic team will be about what happens next year anyway.
Finally, you might be saying that she doesn't have an "ultra-c" element. But neither do Daria or Alena currently. And Maiia just landed her quads for the first time ever. And furthermore you would be wrong. Ksenia does have a 4T and 3A. She's landed both in practice and attempted her 4T in competition. She didn't land it but neither did Anna, Sasha, Kamila, or Maiia the first time. (And it took much longer to get consistent - Sasha's 4S and 4F still aren't consistent, Kamila's 4S still isn't consistent, Maiia's quads still aren't consistent, Liza still hasn't landed her quad in competition - I could go on.) Plus she has a 3Lz+3Lo combo which while not consistent either neither are Sasha's and Anna's - they've both struggled with that this year (and did last year as well). Plus none of the other contenders have a 3Lz+3Lo combo at all - and we've seen the advantages of the +3Lo combo when it comes to layouts and BV.
So no, she's not a tier 1 contender. But neither are Alena, Liza T, Daria, or Maiia. And no, it wouldn't take them regressing at all or having a serious injury for her to have a shot at all. She's already at their level (and actually already has a higher BV than Alena and Daria.)
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- Dec 31, 2019
They're still just in Novogorsk, Russia at the training camp though. Are the alternates traveling?You are right of course! So does this mean Liza N. (and Aliev, and Gummenik, and the substitute pairs and dancers) are also all there with their respective coaches and all of them are travelling to Stockholm?
They can't be stopped. 
I've had my delusions few years ago with the influx of great Japanese seniors and Korean juniors, but Russian ladies will just outnumber, outwork and crush any opposing troops standing in their way.
It's also a self-propelling machine: have you noticed dozens of instagram photos of young "Crystal's" skaters next to Alina's huge flower baskets, embracing them with awe, asking parents why Alina received them, what they need to do to get such gift, etc...?
I was wondering at first why she didn't take them home, but after watching those posts, I'm pretty sure they left them in the entry hall deliberately. Having skaters of Alina's format training under the same roof boosts the motivation of these kids to an obsessive level. Same with Sasha at Plushenko's Angels and to some extent the whole Russia: role models inspire new generations to become ones and so on...
I've had my delusions few years ago with the influx of great Japanese seniors and Korean juniors, but Russian ladies will just outnumber, outwork and crush any opposing troops standing in their way.
It's also a self-propelling machine: have you noticed dozens of instagram photos of young "Crystal's" skaters next to Alina's huge flower baskets, embracing them with awe, asking parents why Alina received them, what they need to do to get such gift, etc...?
I was wondering at first why she didn't take them home, but after watching those posts, I'm pretty sure they left them in the entry hall deliberately. Having skaters of Alina's format training under the same roof boosts the motivation of these kids to an obsessive level. Same with Sasha at Plushenko's Angels and to some extent the whole Russia: role models inspire new generations to become ones and so on...
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On a different note, I am curious what Daria Panenkova will once achieve as a coach:
(just some recent posts.)
(just some recent posts.)
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I didn’t mean to imply that just Sasha has to be perfect here, I just meant that she really needs to skate well to get the scores, whereas others (or I guess particularly Anna) can afford a mistake or two and still *potentially* place ahead (depends on the mistakes) because of the sometimes inflated GOE and PCS.
In terms of being perfect for the Olympics, I just meant that Sasha has to skate well and stand out against all the Eteri seniors. Because as you mentioned they are all working on some type of ultra-c element and when they hit them, the judges will probably put them ahead of Sasha (At the channel one cup Daria wasn’t too far behind Sasha — I know Sasha’s quad lutzes were iffy that day, but Daria didn’t have any quads or triple axels and her flutz wasn’t called).
And about the scores, I do hope Sasha’s PCS are higher because she actually has improved. Last year, her PCS were way too high imo, especially for the short. Internationally, she will get the scores, but domestically it feels like (to me) that they are willing to really hammer down on her errors and let others go away call free (her lip jump edge isn’t more obvious than Daria’s or Anna’s, yet their’s rarely got called this year and her’s did almost every time). I’m not going to argue that her flip is on the right edge... because it’s not, I just begin to have a problem when only her error is called (within the top 5).
There are multiple bonuses within the Russian system, just the Eteri one seems more prominent to me. Aliona was a little over scored at the one competition and I do think that’s where reputation bonus saved the day (still loved the short though). For Eteri bonus (domestically) it kind of feels like skaters don’t have to thoroughly prove themselves (as consistent) before the inflation comes rolling in. At times it feels like the judges see the coaches name and all of a sudden jumps that would get a +2 or +3 from someone else get a +4 or +5, same goes for step sequences and such *sometimes*.
Also, yeah I agree that Liza was showered way too much with PCS at RCF (I don’t remember the channel one scores off the top of my had). These are two of the better programs shes ever head imo, but I don’t think she should get 36 for the short and 73 (or something) for the free, iirc. Sometimes I get confused with how RusFed views Liza, sometimes they really favor her (not often at all though) and sometimes they just toss her away (or maybe that’s just TAT haha).
(wow that’s the longest thing I’ve written on here
)
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I agree based on how its looking now I would say the potential for an olympics team is:
Tier 1: Anna, Kamilla, Sasha
Tier 2: Daria, Aliona
Tier 3: Maiia, Liza, Ksenia
Tier 4: Skaters like Nastya G/T/G/N, Frolova, Samodurove, Talalaikina etc
I think that Tier 1 is who would be chosen if they had to coose today. Tier 2 can move up to tier 1 if they bring the upgrades we expect for next season and challenge the current Tier 1 skaters. (Assuming all other elements are top quality and they get good PCS). Tier 3 would need serious upgrade or for Tier 1 and 2 to falter to be able to replace them.
Tier 4 has no chance unless they show us something we dont expect or the top 3 tiers seriously falters.
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- Nov 19, 2020
Our colleague Alex posted this in Guliakova's fan fest: she landed a 3A apparently. Has anyone seen the video?
Анастасия Гулякова исполнила на тренировке тройной аксель
Российская фигуристка Анастасия Гулякова исполнила тройной аксель во время одной из тренировок.
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Girl who has 4S and 4T is 'Tier 3'? I don't think so.
She lands this 3A<< since many years ago.
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Anastasia Guliakova 3A in training: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMkGOKIpa4j/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_linkOur colleague Alex posted this in Guliakova's fan fest: she landed a 3A apparently. Has anyone seen the video?
Анастасия Гулякова исполнила на тренировке тройной аксель
Российская фигуристка Анастасия Гулякова исполнила тройной аксель во время одной из тренировок.
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- Jan 15, 2018
Girl who has only landed quads once in 8-10 tries is in tier three I think yes
Our colleague Alex posted this in Guliakova's fan fest: she landed a 3A apparently. Has anyone seen the video?
Анастасия Гулякова исполнила на тренировке тройной аксель
Российская фигуристка Анастасия Гулякова исполнила тройной аксель во время одной из тренировок.
I believe she's trained a triple axel for a couple of years, in my opinion - it doesn't mean squat till you are sticking it in competition programs.
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- Jun 14, 2014
I appreciate your effort to write this post and your investment in her. I will also happily note that she is a great athlete.
However, I stand by my opinion: she is no realistic contender for one of the Olympic spots.
Too many ladies who are better than her, more established than her and, very importantly, who the fed and fans are more invested or interested in, would have to falter. It won't happen for her, as it won't happen for so many other "second class" Russian ladies who would be National Champs in any other country. It is sad, unfair, and all the other things we've all said to describe the Russian Ladies Field's depth, but it's the reality.
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- Nov 19, 2020
Wow, everyone is so harsh today about ultra jumps in practice! [Smiley face.] By the way, I just landed a quad lutz in my living room. I swear I had video of it but something seems to be wrong with my phone, can't get it to upload.
I think maybe we all just want to see a big, wide open competitive field -- sort of like how on the smaller scale of the competition you want to watch competitions that aren't basically already decided ahead of time. There is such a thing as the joy of close competing; it brings a certain passion with it. But yes, there is also such a thing as reality, which I reluctantly accept.
I think maybe we all just want to see a big, wide open competitive field -- sort of like how on the smaller scale of the competition you want to watch competitions that aren't basically already decided ahead of time. There is such a thing as the joy of close competing; it brings a certain passion with it. But yes, there is also such a thing as reality, which I reluctantly accept.
Based on how its looking now, I don't get how Maia with two quads and Liza with two 3As need serious upgrade to replace Daria and Alyona?
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Especially when both Maia and Liza beat Alyona by a significant margin the last time they competed (Alyona at her best is at a higher level than both but when the criteria is how they look right now she has a lot of ground to make up)Based on how its looking now, I don't get how Maia with two quads and Liza with two 3As need serious upgrade to replace Daria and Alyona?
Well. My opinion was that Aliona and Daria could realisticly replace Tier 1 skaters if they bring the 3A succesfully based on their other qualities. While Maiia even if she hits 1-2 quads dont have the other qualities to replace any of the Tier 1 skater at their current point. Same with Liza. Either the Tier 1 need to have issues or they need to upgrade to reach that level. Not that they need to upgrade to replace tier 2. Because I dont think they do. Tier 2 and 3 score similairly now but I see more potential in tier 2. You are free to disagree with that but I dont see Maiia with 2 quads replacing Sasha with 3 or Anna/Kamilla with 2 while I think Aliona proved last season that 3 3A and overall high quality skating can.Based on how its looking now, I don't get how Maia with two quads and Liza with two 3As need serious upgrade to replace Daria and Alyona?
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