Well in Russia figure skating (based on what I can tell) is quite popular and thriving with fans, and the skaters are advancing the ladies discipline technically, the same can't be said for a country like the US, lots of empty seats (pre-pandemic) at arenas, dreadful time spots on TV (which is indicative of no draw to the program) and skaters who have far more stability and longevity in their place at the top of the country aren't exactly doing anything risky to try and advance the sport technically - they are trailing the Russian athletes.
Who can defeat the Russian Women in 2021-22?
- Thread starter silveruskate
- Start date
Well in Russia figure skating (based on what I can tell) is quite popular and thriving with fans, and the skaters are advancing the ladies discipline technically, the same can't be said for a country like the US, lots of empty seats (pre-pandemic) at arenas, dreadful time spots on TV (which is indicative of no draw to the program) and skaters who have far more stability and longevity in their place at the top of the country aren't exactly doing anything risky to try and advance the sport technically - they are trailing the Russian athletes.
TLDR2: Non-Russian Tier 1 is roughly Russian Tier 2.5. You get a chance if they have a bad day and you are at your very best.
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2017
Are there indications that Alysa is restoring after her terrible season?
Normally I would say there is ~50% chance that at least one of the Russian ladies bombs her performance and one of the challengers skates perfectly. But at Olympics everyone tends to perform more consistently, so I'd say it's ~30%.
Normally I would say there is ~50% chance that at least one of the Russian ladies bombs her performance and one of the challengers skates perfectly. But at Olympics everyone tends to perform more consistently, so I'd say it's ~30%.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2012
I still have confidence in Rika. I am not so sure about Liu unless she starts doing really well in the GP. Her pcs will take time. It is sad that Liza has fought so hard and yet she may be lucky to be in the final group come Russian Nationals. I guess we are assuming Alina and Evgenia are done. Besides they can't compete. Evgenia appears injured.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2018
My guess is that if Alina tries to return, she will focus on the post-olympic season.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2018
Eteri once said she is not much interested in coaching foreigners, after all Lilbet, Morisi or Nika are foreigners only formally. Though this might not be absolute. It seems hungarian lady Júlia Láng enjoyed her recent three weeks practise in Khrustalnyi pretty much. I can see it the way that if there will be more practises like this one and there will be mutual satisfaction, Eteri can think about taking more foreigners and there will be more foreigners interested in joining Eteri's group.
I don't know if Eteri herself is interested or if RusFed will be happy about it (like Flanker said, her current ones are a special case), but it might be a good opportunity for her more English fluent students like Medvedeva, Shcherbakova & Tursynbayeva to go that way in the future, especially if they did it under her mentorship.
Besides, Eteri probably already has more Russian students that she knows what to do with as it is.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2017
Evgenia is regaining her strength, so I would not rule her out yet. Liza had 3 seasons that she was not at her peak, I say Evgenia and Alina have earned the right to skip a season or three to get back in the game.
They seem super willing to take Shoma Uno when he joined them for training but Im guessing it is different for the ladies?
Maybe its a situation of not particularly interested but if a opportunity she'd be willing to consider it depending on the skater?
Outside of the the top 7 Russians, they still have 2 to 4 Grand Prix spots left.
Nugumanova, Samodurova, Guliakova etc would be Tier 4 battling it out with Tier 3 non Russians but Medvedeva, Zagitova and Sinitsyna (please let her have a GP) would be with Usacheva and Tuktamysheva who pose a challenge to Tennell, Bell and Sakamoto.
The Russians could possibly sweep all gold and silvers on the Grand Prix but ice is slippery and imo sweeping bronze is unlikely.
Domestically in the US or Russia? If its Russia i don't think they need any additional incentive to up their competition in ladies
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2011
for the US, assuming she would improve drastically under Eteri. it would make everyone else really step it up.
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2019
Don't sleep on Amber Glenn. Her rotation on those jumps is no joke - watch out.
- Joined
- May 19, 2011
While your point about competitive environments is a fair one, it doesn't make what I said any less true. Eteri's skaters have a fraction of the shelf life of most other skaters, i.e. no longevity. By the time they hit 18 years old they've either been eclipsed by someone younger, are injured or struggling to maintain their technique. Regardless of the reason the result is the same--they leave. Thus, no longevity.
A resounding YES. To me, watching someone in their 20s struggle yet continue to work on jump issues, try improve their skating, and grow as an athlete and a person is oh so great and very admirable. Being the best and winning all the time isn't everything. If you think a person experiencing lows in their skating and trying to work through it isn't admirable, I feel sorry for you. Some of the most amazing, inspiring and touching performances I can think of have come from skaters who previously struggled with their technique, consistency or some other issue and yet continued to fight and improve and finally had their moment:
Irina Slutskaya's 2005 world title
Carolina Kostner winning bronze in Sochi in 2014 at her 3rd Olympics
Ashley Wagner winning world silver in 2016
Shizuka Arakawa winning the gold in Torino in 2006
Liza T winning worlds in 2015
Kaetlyn Osmond's 2017 world silver and 2018 Oly bronze and world title
Mao Asada's Sochi Olys FS and 2014 worlds SP
Mirai Nagasu winning silver at nationals in 2018 and her FS from the team event at the Olys
Akiko Suzuki finally winning nationals in 2014
Mariah Bell's 2020 nationals FS
Liza T winning silver at worlds this year
FYI, with the exception of Liza T's world title in 2015 (18 yrs old), everyone else on this list were in their 20s when they achieved these accomplishments...
Last edited:
Amber needs to show some consistency to be considered a real threat to the top skaters.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2011
absolutely. i love Amber and I want her success, but the triple axel won't matter if she can't put the rest together in competition.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2018
One of the reasons why I wanted Amber to be sent to worlds instead of Karen was that I wanted to see how her 3A would pass the test at the international competition.
