2021-22 Russian Women's Figure Skating

[Scott512]

Looks like Gubanova can actually be a key player here and win the gold for Russia if she has a good short skate.

How ironic would that be for Nastya after all her disappointments with the Russian figure skating federation? If she hits her triple triple she could finish in the top 3 with KV and Kaori. But the main thing for her at these Olympics is to establish her name on an International level. It's an opportunity of a lifetime for her.

Will Karen do a 3 - 3? If she doesn't and Nastya hits hers it would look awfully suspicious if they put Karen ahead of her since there other qualities and skills are very close.

Will Nathan skate the free skate or will they save him for the men's individual competition where he has a good chance for his 1st Olympic championship? Why burn him out when it's going to take all his energy to win the men's competition against Yuzu?

Team Russia will need to get a 3 point win in the ladies short program over the United States. Winning the short program by 2 points might not be enough.

 

[Scott512]

Practice videos are showing up again, right now I just see 1 for Shcherbakova, 4F+3T and 4Lz. Valieva Triple axel

What music is that for Anna? Nice.

Thank you for the videos Amei and I wish you were there.

 

[brakes]

Something surprisingly good has been happening to Anna in Beijing and I like it.

 

[RatedPG]

It is offtopic, but here how things look for team event now (and it seems like lots of people here overreact to scores and placing after day 1) -

USA - 28, ROC - 26 - this is now
USA - 36, ROC - 36 - this is after women SP where USA take 3rd, and ROC 1st (here USA can underperform)
USA - 46, ROC - 44 - this is after men FP where USA take 1st, and ROC 3rd (here both USA (if they change Nathan) and ROC can underperform)
USA - 54, ROC - 53 - this is after pairs FP where USA take 3rd, and ROC take 2nd (i assuming China will not change their team here) (here USA can underperform, also here ROC have good chance to overperform)
USA - 63, ROC - 63 - this is after dance FP where USA take 2nd, and ROC take 1st
USA - 71, ROC - 73 - this is after women FP where USA take 3rd, and ROC take 1st

All in all, ROC still heavy favorite for gold, and returning to topic - ROC can easily change women for FP.

I would love for this to happen. For Anna to take the gold at the end for Russia.

 

[flanker]

Looks like Gubanova can actually be a key player here and win the gold for Russia if she has a good short skate.

Yeah. Nastya is capable of defeating Karen in the SP, but now her team depends on her performance whether they get to the free, so there will be probably a pressure on her. The possible standings can be Kami, japanese lady (but we still don't know who that will be, japanese fed is even more secretive than the FFKKR and while Kaori would be probably given silver, the other two can make a great result as well as big failure), Nastya Gubanova and Karen, but that's let's say "ideal" situation for Russia, because they would go into the lead, but in reality things usually go different. Though as @Pereiro has posted even in less than ideal situation the Russians should still make in in the free barring complete meltdowns.

 

[flanker]

Davai girls!

 

[flanker]

And something more quiet:

 

[Dawn825]

I am also afraid that Kami will fail the 3A, for this event I think I should play it safe, with a 2A it would be enough to win the SP

Have you seen Kamila's scores? Falling on the axel wont cost her anything other than perhaps some confidence. She doesn't need to go "safe" bec she's in 0 danger.

That depends - who is doing the SP for Japan will they be doing a triple axel and how stable is the jump?

I heard Wakaba is doing the short. I predict she will be the one to skip the triple axel. If she misses it the judges will bury her, and Japan might be screwed. She also said after the practice session that she is very nervous

 

[Jontor]

Yeah. Nastya is capable of defeating Karen in the SP, but now her team depends on her performance whether they get to the free, so there will be probably a pressure on her. The possible standings can be Kami, japanese lady (but we still don't know who that will be, japanese fed is even more secretive than the FFKKR and while Kaori would be probably given silver, the other two can make a great result as well as big failure), Nastya Gubanova and Karen, but that's let's say "ideal" situation for Russia, because they would go into the lead, but in reality things usually go different. Though as @Pereiro has posted even in less than ideal situation the Russians should still make in in the free barring complete meltdowns.

Yes. Gubanova also has a disadvantage going in the first group. The WS list ranks Gutmann, Schizas and Scott higher than her so Nastya will skate before them.

 

[Jontor]

It is official now. Higuchi and Chen will do the short. I wonder if Wakaba will try the 3A??

 

[Amei]

It is official now. Higuchi and Chen will do the short. I wonder if Wakaba will try the 3A??

Wakaba hasn't been trying it in the SP, only the FS. Japan is only 4 points to the good of making it to the FS segment, it might not be worth the risk to try it because if she falls and ends up lower than Canada and Italy then Japan doesn't advance to the FS though she goes after Canada and Italy so she will know how they placed before her skate.

 

[McBibus]

I think Kami will skate both programs for the team event to give Anna and Sasha more time for the single.
The girls just recovered and they don’t want them to risk more injuries before the single knowing Sasha is aiming for 5 quads and Anna just restored her quads

so why Valieva should sacriface herself if skating team event is so bad?

 

[McBibus]

So if KV gets 10 points and Karen 7 in the SP
and Anna 10 points and Bell 7in the free isn't that plus 6 points for Russia against the US?

The question is when Anna does her free skate will Russia even be within two or three points of the United States for it make a difference? Maybe the world champion dance team from Russia will make up for their lost point to the USA Today in the free skate. They will need to.

Don't be too nervous I'm not sure the team event will be in the Olympics long term. It should be after the individual competitions it almost takes something away from looking forward to the individual competition having the team event to start off with.

Team event after individual would be good for the skaters and the show.
Before is just stupid as noone with an individual gold chance would really want to spend so much mental energy, but the fed will push them anyway because they don't really care for the skaters

 

[Kittosuni]

It is official now. Higuchi and Chen will do the short. I wonder if Wakaba will try the 3A??

Honestly this is not a good news for ROC. Obviously also not so great for Japan

Wakaba can easily be beaten by Chen.

Lets just hope Gubanova comes thru and surprise everyone

 

[Scott512]

Team event after individual would be good for the skaters and the show.
Before is just stupid as noone with an individual gold chance would really want to spend so much mental energy, but the fed will push them anyway because they don't really care for the skaters

I guess it could happen but I would think it would be better for Nathan if he did not skate the free skate in the team of that and saved himself for the men's individual event because this is his chance to become an Olympic champion. The Americans are in with a very good chance for the team gold so maybe that will play a decision if Nathan skates in the team event free skate for the men. But I was under the impression that Nathan would rest up for the individual competition which will be Titanic.

You make an interesting point about how the federation's don't really care about skaters. I think we will find out my who skates the free skates in the team event.

I don't know what discipline skates first tomorrow but if it's KV she needs to win by at least two points preferably three over the American.

Is this team competition really great without Loena and Young You two fabulous skaters?
I wish there was a way they could be involved short programs and it's hard to believe that South Korea is not on the level of Georgia. But I guess that's the situation.

Yes the team event after the individual competition even to close out the Olympic games like the gold medal hockey game does would create a better excitement and more of a team atmosphere for everybody because the hard work would have been done already in the individual competitions. I just don't think the skaters need to deal with such pressure in the team of act before the most important Skates of their careers. Another factor is Coronavirus and there's a greater chance somebody test positive during the team event nullifying them from the individual competitions that's another reason why the individual competition should take place first they are far more important.

 

[Scott512]

Honestly this is not a good news for ROC. Obviously also not so great for Japan

Wakaba can easily be beaten by Chen.

Lets just hope Gubanova comes thru and surprise everyone

I thought it would be Kaori. Shocking. Hopefully she can skate the free skate and finish second making the American third with a two point differential in favor of the Russians and that could make a tie or one-point win for Russia. Nastya may not even be in the final five with Georgia so that will make the free skate even weaker. Nastya who has often struggled under pressure now has massive pressure on her tiny shoulders to produce well enough in the short program so Georgia gets to be in the final competition and then to try to finish ahead of Karen with no Russian or Georgia judges but American and Canadian judges.

To create the most drama let's hope when the team competition ends with the ladies free skate that Russia still has a chance to tie or win. But the way things are going it may be a repeat of 2018 when in the last event of the team competition the ladies free skate Russia was out of gold chances. Russia needs to win both ladies skates by a combined 3 points. Preferably 4.

 

[flanker]

Words of support by Anna's sisters. In english! While Inna is studying abroad so her level of english is natural, Yana's english is really outstanding for her age.

 

[starlight97]

Words of support by Anna's sisters. In english! While Inna is studying abroad so her level of english is natural, Yana's english is really outstanding for her age.

Anna's family really seem to be well off and with a passion for education, seeing her two sisters just confirms that. No wonder she comes across as so erudite. Beautiful video and heads off to her parents for raising three so well spoken daughters.

 

[Skatelife]

I have been watching Yagudin's stories, the three girls look very strong, it seems Anna is peaking in the right moment. It's going to be very excited FS, I hope they can be the last 3 and have 3 clean programs.

 

[snowflake]

Haha at how this thread became a team event topic... it's really tempting to stay or wake up for the women's short... so much can happen.

But watching it at a more decent time is also exciting as long as I don't know the results. Like who would tell me with media and friends mostly talking ski sports, curling and men's speed skating