2021-22 Russian Women's Figure Skating

[florin]

Now it became a little clearer. It turns out that then Eteri was talking about StSq

Eteri is not happy with Alyona
Eteri "Why... (something, I didn't understand) ?"
Alyona: "I forgot! I forgot!"
Eteri : "And why did you look at us so childishly (at this moment)? Are we a teleprompter to you?"

Alyona said: "Probably it is more correct to say that coaches were not shocked, but laughed when I forgot how to perform my StSq. I wanted to fix it, but it just got worse."

I suggest not to evaluate the program itself yet, because Alyona simply did not perform it properly, forgetting it at one of the key moments for choreography - StSq.

P.S. You can even see the moment when this happens. Here, when Alyona suddenly has a crying expression on her face.

 

[nussnacker]

Now it became a little clearer. It turns out that then Eteri was talking about StSq


Alyona said: "Probably it is more correct to say that coaches were not shocked, but laughed when I forgot how to perform my StSq. I wanted to fix it, but it just got worse."

I suggest not to evaluate the program itself yet, because Alyona simply did not perform it properly, forgetting it at one of the key moments for choreography - StSq.

P.S. You can even see the moment when this happens. Here, when Alyona suddenly has a crying expression on her face.

I think Eteri was also expecting that if Aliona lands 1 3A, she’ll try a second one. Kind of like they did in 19-20 initially: go for the first 3A, if it’s ok and she adds 2T to it, she’ll try a second one. Eteri was sort of scolding Aliona for forgetting to go for the second 3A.

 

[LiamV426]

Now it became a little clearer. It turns out that then Eteri was talking about StSq


Alyona said: "Probably it is more correct to say that coaches were not shocked, but laughed when I forgot how to perform my StSq. I wanted to fix it, but it just got worse."

I suggest not to evaluate the program itself yet, because Alyona simply did not perform it properly, forgetting it at one of the key moments for choreography - StSq.

P.S. You can even see the moment when this happens. Here, when Alyona suddenly has a crying expression on her face.

Okay so I wasn't imagining things! During that part I got really worried cause it looked like she was crying and I thought she had hurt herself or something. Sometimes I wish we had someone like Johnny Weir commentating cause he knows Russian and can translate as things take place, I was dying to know what Eteri said to her afterwards! She must've been thinking to herself "Girl, I can't save you!"

Honestly it's kind of a relief to hear she just forgot the steps, explains why the step sequence seemed so empty, she recovered really well to do the next 3 jumping passes.

TBH I'm glad she didn't go for a second 3A since she didn't warm it up. Just getting one out feels like such a victory after not having it at all last season.

 

[RatedPG]

Just a quick observation. If all Eteri girls score over 220 this season and Elizavata does, as well. Doesn’t that mean these girls will preserve their two spots in Grand Prix for next season. Therefore, 14 spots gone. How does a junior girl breakthrough into the Senior Circuit with only three spots remaining. I was thinking about this because had Evgenia and Alina not given up their spots, there would be no Sofia, Maia and possibly even Daria or Ksenia this year. Maybe, Daria and Ksenia would have gotten one spot each. Maia, maybe, as well. That is brutal. This is why I’m a bit upset about Anna Frolova. She finished 7th in the Grand Prix junior standings, ahead of Maia; and then comes in 5th in the Russian Cup, ahead of Aliona. She skates perfect at Junior Test Skate with a potential score of 200+ and now is in limbo land. Stuck between both categories with no international event. I ask this because Adeliya, Sofia M and Sofia S, are all eligible the following year. But, can they breakthrough or are they stuck in Juniors?

I remember when Anna Tarusina and Anastasia Gubanova were top 24 in the Seasonal best list and they didn’t get a spot. This, no doubt accelerated Anna’s retirement and this is probably what prompted Gubanova to switch nationality. The following year, Vasilieva switched to Pairs, despite being in 23rd (ahead of Maia); wish she stuck it out for one more year just to add variety. Also, Tarakanova, despite skating cleanly in her 2nd event, finished 25th with no Grand Prix spot prompting retirement.

 

[lariko]

She's looked like this for over a year. I think she's seriously underweight. And yeah, very difficult to look at. She's not naturally like this at all, but for whatever reason she lost a ton of weight quickly some time ago.

I think it coincided with her being sick. She came back after illness in this shape last year, and didn’t regain weight. I hope they will find a stable form for her.

 

[florin]

I think Eteri was also expecting that if Aliona lands 1 3A, she’ll try a second one. Kind of like they did in 19-20 initially: go for the first 3A, if it’s ok and she adds 2T to it, she’ll try a second one. Eteri was sort of scolding Aliona for forgetting to go for the second 3A.

Yes, the conversation ends with this - Eteri: "Alyona, with such an axel you needs to go into the second axel, and you didn't even plan this." And Alyona also answers about this with her universal answer "Well, I forgot". But at the beginning they talk about a ruined sequence, after all, this is the most important thing because it finally destroyed the impression about the program.

 

[nussnacker]

I ask this because Adeliya, Sofia M and Sofia S, are all eligible the following year. But, can they breakthrough or are they stuck in Juniors?

Zinina is also senior eligible along with them.
Their only option is to get a medal at Jr Worlds and/or show a massive SB score. With several quads and 3A should be doable.
However, they also have to show scores better than at least a few Russian seniors to be able to get there. I think for Sofia S it is doable if she skates her best. But she really has to deliver. Perhaps Zinina can also have a shot. For others probably not so much.
New juniors surely will have a hard time passing though current Eteri 6.

 

[RatedPG]

Zinina is also senior eligible along with them.
Their only option is to get a medal at Jr Worlds and/or show a massive SB score. With several quads and 3A should be doable.
However, they also have to show scores better than at least a few Russian seniors to be able to get there. I think for Sofia S it is doable if she skates her best. But she really has to deliver. Perhaps Zinina can also have a shot. For others probably not so much.
New juniors surely will have a hard time passing though current Eteri 6.

I forgot about Zinina too. Don’t forget it is harder for a Junior girl to score higher than a Senior girl. So, if Zinina and Sofia have a bad performance in their debut event, they are screwed. As they won’t get a second event and therefore, no other potential score other than qualifying for a spot in Junior Worlds and delivering there. Glad Sofia M and Adeliya did well enough. But, I don’t think their scores will not top any of those 7 Senior Russian ladies. But, I guess they get a second shot, if they get a second event.

 

[macy]

My thoughts on today-

Daria is such a lovely skater to watch, however with this free program today I realized she is a very one tone skater. Team Tut gives her the same type of programs year after year and she has started to become a bit boring to me. I want to see passion, intensity, for her to pull me into the performance, not just the grace.

Kseniia has such poise and posture. Good attempt on the quad, its coming. Too bad about the rest of the jumps, possibly confidence issues since she hasn't competed regularly in a long time. She also needs a bit more speed in areas, I'm sure all this will come as she gets back in the groove of things.

Not a fan of the first half of maiias music. Overall I think she looks more confident and like she's owning her skating. Glad she is finally getting the quads in there.

Kostornaias program has a lot of potential. You could tell she forgot some things in the program, but with the two triple axels this weekend and the shape she's in, she's looking a lot better than last season and is on the right track. If she adds in that 3rd 3A and gets in a bit better shape, watch out.

Annas interpretation and musicality is really something. She gives her all to the performance and becomes absorbed in it. Wonder how her quads are coming, she looks in much better shape than the end of last season.

I like tuks program, but a shame about the jumps. The audience loves her. She's really going to have to find consistency and hold her own if she wants to be on the Olympic team since Daria and Maiia have moved up and Aliona has her 3A back. It's going to be harder for her this season. I really wish they'd work on her upper body extension, it would really transform her skating. Her arms are constantly bent.

I will forever be confused why they kept bolero for kamila. This is just not the right program to showcase her many special talents. They really could have done so much better for her. I'm at least hoping for a new dress. The quads will come, not too concerned as it's so early. But I was reminded a lot of trusova with the little choreography and skating back and forth until the quads are done...it just takes so much away from the program.

Sasha was incredible. It does still seem like choreography is a bit of an afterthought for her and the music is a very questionable choice...it probably would have been more fitting when she was a junior. its just not senior woman Olympic season worthy at all. But man those jumps...two 4Lz in the second half and they were gorgeous. I'm glad she kept her quad technique from plushenko. hope this isn't just another example of what she can do outside of competition. If she skates like that all season she will be an olympian.

Sadly it seems Nugumanova and samodurova just aren't competitive anymore. There is something missing for both of them.

 

[macy]

Just a quick observation. If all Eteri girls score over 220 this season and Elizavata does, as well. Doesn’t that mean these girls will preserve their two spots in Grand Prix for next season. Therefore, 14 spots gone. How does a junior girl breakthrough into the Senior Circuit with only three spots remaining. I was thinking about this because had Evgenia and Alina not given up their spots, there would be no Sofia, Maia and possibly even Daria or Ksenia this year. Maybe, Daria and Ksenia would have gotten one spot each. Maia, maybe, as well. That is brutal. This is why I’m a bit upset about Anna Frolova. She finished 7th in the Grand Prix junior standings, ahead of Maia; and then comes in 5th in the Russian Cup, ahead of Aliona. She skates perfect at Junior Test Skate with a potential score of 200+ and now is in limbo land. Stuck between both categories with no international event. I ask this because Adeliya, Sofia M and Sofia S, are all eligible the following year. But, can they breakthrough or are they stuck in Juniors?

I remember when Anna Tarusina and Anastasia Gubanova were top 24 in the Seasonal best list and they didn’t get a spot. This, no doubt accelerated Anna’s retirement and this is probably what prompted Gubanova to switch nationality. The following year, Vasilieva switched to Pairs, despite being in 23rd (ahead of Maia); wish she stuck it out for one more year just to add variety. Also, Tarakanova, despite skating cleanly in her 2nd event, finished 25th with no Grand Prix spot prompting retirement.

I wouldn't worry about this. Some retirements will be expected after this season and spots will be freed up. I'd be surprised if Tuk, Samodurova, nugumanova and at least a couple of Eteris girls did not take a break or retire.

 

[florin]

Sasha was incredible. <...> I'm glad she kept her quad technique from plushenko.

Could you explain what you mean? I don't remember about the flip, but 4S, 4T and 4Lz she jumped for the first time under the guidance of TT. What does Plushenko have to do with it? It wasn't some sudden breakthrough, it was a long planned road - all season 17-18 she tried to jump at least one quad, then in the 18th she jumped two quads, in season 18-19 she jumped three quads, at the beginning of season 19-20 she jumped four quads on JO.

 

[Skatesocs]

I don't remember about the flip, but 4S, 4T and 4Lz she jumped for the first time under the guidance of TT. What does Plushenko have to do with it?

The posture she enters the jumps with, the speed in and out, the way she achieves the vault, so on.

 

[Amei]

I'm in deep doubt Kamilla's FP with 3 quads will prevail over Sasha's 5 quads. At the same quality level, of cause.
3 quads and 3Ax will not help much. The BV is still heavily handicapped.

Five quads with two Qultzes backlogged is a difficult task even for a male skater.

And the whole skating world's praying for Sasha not closing her 3Ax gap. Otherwise the game's over.

But I still want to believe the 3Ax will be hers...

Well I think we have all pretty much said if she lands the 5 quad program there's not going to be really anything that anyone else can do, but at this point (and I swear I'm not being Debbie Downer) that's a big if, she's done the program once at Test skates something that's not even a competition.

But it looks like my thoughts from last season are going to happen with her - it looks like they are going to let her throw that 5 quad program the whole season vs. not pulling it out till a big competition. Hopefully she can keep it together and hopefully increase her interpretation a little bit; what's unique about figure skating is its a combination of athletic ability and performance art - Trusova completely bails on the second part.

 

[florin]

I just now looked at Sasha's skate. Well, it turned out that it was not as perfect as they write everywhere - unfortunately as there was a flip from the wrong edge, so it remained, and of course a serious UR on salchow - all the old problems are in place. But damn - it's five quads, without falls and downgrades!

The posture she enters the jumps with, the speed in and out, the way she achieves the vault, so on.

Are you serious? It is impossible to change this in one season, even if we are talking about triples, when in general the skater is in the comfort zone, and here we are talking about quads - when everything is on the verge of possibilities. Look, flip and salchow were both problematic for her, and they remained so. "posture", "enters" - this is just fan speculation, usual thing.

 

[Skatesocs]

Are you serious? It is impossible to change this in one season, even if we are talking about triples, when in general the skater is in the comfort zone, and here we are talking about quads - when everything is on the verge of possibilities. Look, flip and salchow were both problematic for her, and they remained so. "posture", "enters" - this is just fan speculation, usual thing.

Okay.

 

[Amei]

Wow, Valieva's test skate SP I think may have been the most impressive I've ever seen. I haven't seen all of the others' from this year, and I don't know how test skates work. Were they scored, and if so, did anyone score higher than her? It's impossible for me to imagine.

There's no official scoring at least that gets released to the public; from what I know they do get feedback though so there is some level of scoring involved probably.

I don't mind Aliona's music choice, if that's what she wants to skate to. But she sleepwalks in her program from the first spin to the step sequence, and even the step sequence could use more energy and expression. If she wants this program to work for her, she needs to really engage the audience, like Yuzuru Hanyu would do.

Well it is only test skates...

True, but that's not limited to Aliona. Almost everyone struggled in places with their new programs - they are new after all. Remember, it's test skates. Also, I would argue in Aliona's case some of that was affected by her struggling with the 3A.

Kamila has shown last season she is capable of performing Bolero but this piece needs to be done right on the beat and when she is off the mark like she did today because off the jumps then it looks bad.

I'm gonna toot the horn for Ms. Shcherbakova here - 1 thing that she excels at is even if the jumps don't work she doesn't let it affect everything else (less shortening a spin or speeding up footwork to makeup time due to a fall).

Even though she was quite diplomatic about it, I get the feeling that Anna was definitely not happy about Eteri taking back Sasha and Aliona.

Well I'm sure on some level there is unhappiness from everyone else's standpoint - for starters there was some ugly rumors around those 2 leaving Crystal that didn't paint a rosy picture of what was going on around the rink, so who knows what was said behind closed doors. Additionally and maybe the main point behind any feelings towards the return of Kostornaia and Trusova - they added 2 more Olympic hopeful skaters to an already crowded rink that are taking up time for what is likely all of those skater's only shot at going to the Olympics.

 

[P44]

It all reminds me of Japan Open where she did extremely well at the start of her first senior season. Everyone said at the time that she was unbeatable and then she had several quite disappointing performances. I hope things won't turn out the same this year.

 

[Jontor]

Just a quick observation. If all Eteri girls score over 220 this season and Elizavata does, as well. Doesn’t that mean these girls will preserve their two spots in Grand Prix for next season. Therefore, 14 spots gone. How does a junior girl breakthrough into the Senior Circuit with only three spots remaining. I was thinking about this because had Evgenia and Alina not given up their spots, there would be no Sofia, Maia and possibly even Daria or Ksenia this year. Maybe, Daria and Ksenia would have gotten one spot each. Maia, maybe, as well. That is brutal. This is why I’m a bit upset about Anna Frolova. She finished 7th in the Grand Prix junior standings, ahead of Maia; and then comes in 5th in the Russian Cup, ahead of Aliona. She skates perfect at Junior Test Skate with a potential score of 200+ and now is in limbo land. Stuck between both categories with no international event. I ask this because Adeliya, Sofia M and Sofia S, are all eligible the following year. But, can they breakthrough or are they stuck in Juniors?

I remember when Anna Tarusina and Anastasia Gubanova were top 24 in the Seasonal best list and they didn’t get a spot. This, no doubt accelerated Anna’s retirement and this is probably what prompted Gubanova to switch nationality. The following year, Vasilieva switched to Pairs, despite being in 23rd (ahead of Maia); wish she stuck it out for one more year just to add variety. Also, Tarakanova, despite skating cleanly in her 2nd event, finished 25th with no Grand Prix spot prompting retirement.

Very interesting point. I think that RusFed want to avoid the situation they had two years ago when Tarusina and Gubanova lost their "guaranteed" spots. But it is going to be hard.
So if we think ahead, as you say the six Eteri girls + Tukt will probably be in the SB top 24 this year. That is 7 girls with two spots, that means 4 more spots, and preferably to two women.
Muravieva and Petrosian (both senior eligible next year) has already scored over 200 and will probably end up in the top 24. So those 4 spots are already gone.
Add to that Samodellkina and Zinina, who hasn't competed yet but are capable of a +200 score.
Add also Sinitsyna, she has the chance to score +200 in her GP events, we know she can do it.

So that you are upset over Frolova is understandable. For now, it seems she is stuck in Gubanova/Tarusina/Talalaikina/Gulyakova-land. No international competitions means no GP spots. Gubanova has fixed that now, we'll see if Talalaikina can get that Italian transfer recognised.

But for the upcoming juniors it is going to be hard, I feel that a lot of promising girls like Gorbacheva, Berestovskaya, Ovchinnikova, Sviridenko (and others) are all already destined for Frolova's no mans land.

All that said, we mustn't forget that the Top 24 in the Seasons Best List and in the World Standings List are only guaranteed ONE spot. The only ones that are guaranteed two spots at GP are the top 12 at Worlds. But looking at this year's assignments, all the women in the SB top 24 got two spots, so that seems to be a priority. Not all of the WS Top 24 got two spots.

 

[Jontor]

Honestly it's kind of a relief to hear she just forgot the steps, explains why the step sequence seemed so empty, she recovered really well to do the next 3 jumping passes.

Hmm...to me it is not a relief. It is a sign of someone who isn't committed enough and has given up already.

 

[Jontor]

Sadly it seems Nugumanova and samodurova just aren't competitive anymore. There is something missing for both of them.

Well, tech is missing them. Both of them can hardly do a 3Lutz.