2021-22 Russian Women's Figure Skating

[McBibus]

They are in a bubble for god sakes let's pull back on the testing unless someone has obvious symptoms like vomiting severe headaches or high temperature.

I can't see China (as the organization not the country) easing off on the testing procedure.
They established a protocol long before the olympics started and they will enforce it.

 

[Lechat]

Very true. But an individual gold will mean much more than a team gold in figure skating.

Hmmmmm it maybe the most prestigious title but you are still an olympic champion for Winning the team event.
Like I said, nobody would want to skate at the team event (why waste so much energy an effort) if you can’t have the chance to be an olympic champion.

 

[Lechat]

Please I want Anna or Estella (sorry Cruella, sorry Sasha lol) to take that Olympic title. I love Kami too (heck, they're all my sentimental favorites), but it would be a great Olympic moment if someone could beat her. I don't understand why RusFed didn't put Anna and Sasha in the team event and they all would have gotten a gold medal. So sad!

Because they want a showdown between Anna and Sasha.
Kamila is already an olympic champion.

To be honest, I would like to see kami winning another gold but both kami and Anna already won a major title so it would be good if Sasha could land her 5 quads and win this time.
whatever the result, I would be happy because, if there’s no major mistakes, the three girls will medal next week

 

[Scott512]

I can't see China (as the organization not the country) easing off on the testing procedure.
They established a protocol long before the olympics started and they will enforce it.

You are probably right but the virus has changed over 2 years and now less deadly than the previous variants.

I was hoping being in a bubble 24 hours A-day for up to 2 weeks for these figures would give them an opportunity is an opportunity to stay negative with testing. Is there a been a couple positive tests right from the figure skaters?

 

[Amei]

You are probably right but the virus has changed over 2 years and now less deadly than the previous variants.

I was hoping being in a bubble 24 hours A-day for up to 2 weeks for these figures would give them an opportunity is an opportunity to stay negative with testing. Is there a been a couple positive tests right from the figure skaters?

The only positive test for figure skaters that didn't happen at arrival is Vincent (that I'm aware of). Given the positive test from him, I hope they tell the girls to stop going to events and stream them in their rooms, all 3 of the ladies were at the men's SP yesterday

 

[Scott512]

The only positive test for figure skaters that didn't happen at arrival is Vincent (that I'm aware of). Given the positive test from him, I hope they tell the girls to stop going to events and stream them in their rooms, all 3 of the ladies were at the men's SP yesterday

It's absolutely ridiculous they are playing with fire. I saw a video of sasha and Anna there. In normal times absolutely but these are anything but normal times and this is the Olympics not a world championship which is supposed to take place every year and not a Europeans it's the Olympics the only one any of those 3 girls will probably ever go to. But we're just fans Amei. It's their coaches and parents that need to tell them to stay in their room when they're not on the ice. .

 

[Alex Fedorov]

Plushenko's comment about the team tournament:

Плющенко о составе на командный турнир: «Если бы решение зависело от меня, пару заменили бы Бойкова и Козловский, а из одиночниц выпустил бы Трусову»

Двукратный олимпийский чемпион, тренер Евгений Плющенко высказался о результатах командного турнира на Олимпиаде-2022 в Пекине, где сборная России завоевала золото.

www.sports.ru

The team competition was amazing. Without excesses and surprises. Eight years later, the Russian team is out of competition again!

However, I was initially sure of victory, which I wrote about in the previous column. At the same time, I suggested that both in the short and in the free program, we would have the first numbers on the ice. Now I’ll reveal a secret - I had an insider that, in any case, no replacements in the line-up are expected.

The leaders of the federation acted wisely. We relied on those who are now better prepared. And throughout the season did not give reason to doubt himself.

On the other hand, already on Sunday it became clear that the Americans could not catch up with us. So, in two disciplines, you can safely castling. Why not? The more Olympic champions in Russia, the better!

If the decision depended on me, I would save Valieva and Mishina with Gallyamov. A couple would have been painlessly replaced by Boikova and Kozlovsky. And from the single skaters would performe Trusova.

Of course, Shcherbakova also deserved gold. But all this time she skated more stable. And Trusova has unique content. She dreams of jumping five quads at official competitions.

A title in team tournament would give Sasha additional confidence. She would have felt this ice, the Olympic atmosphere - and liberated herself.

In general, in my opinion, there are changes need in the team tournament. Firstly, it is better to conduct it after individual competitions. Secondly, I would expand the number of participants. Let three skaters compete in each discipline! And then no one will be offended.

At the same time, other countries will have an incentive to actively develop all types of programs. I think that sooner or later the Olympic Games will come to this format. It will add entertainment and intrigue

It is remarkable how quickly he changed his mind about Anna. After the Russian championship, he spoke about her in a completely different way. But the most interesting thing is that according to Plushenko, he knew in advance that there would be no replacements.

 

[flanker]

Plushenko's comment about the team tournament:

It is remarkable how quickly he changed his mind about Anna. After the Russian championship, he spoke about her in a completely different way. But the most interesting thing is that according to Plushenko, he knew in advance that there would be no replacements.

He may be retired, but still very flexible...

 

[Alex Fedorov]

He may be retired, but still very flexible...

But this time, he's basically right. Although, of course, I would prefer Anna to get the gold medal in the team competition, but Sasha is also a good option. Anyway, it's much better than none.

 

[lesnar001]

Don't murder me Flanker....
But I really liked what he said here

In general, in my opinion, there are changes need in the team tournament. Firstly, it is better to conduct it after individual competitions. Secondly, I would expand the number of participants. Let three skaters compete in each discipline! And then no one will be offended.

 

[Greengemmonster]

I thought that was a very reasonable comment from Plushenko. I personally can't pick between the girls (cuz I'm a wuss) and would have made Anna and Sasha draw lots but I thought he articulated his reasoning well.

Anything would have been better than making Kamila do the free. I'm fretting about her now! Hoping she's had a good rest.

 

[silveruskate]

Just look at the newspapers. Valieva the first woman to land a quad at the Olympics. It's everywhere. Valieva matters and nobody else does for the Russian Olympic Committee. They didn't want any OTHER woman to have that title. She will be the only women's skater with a Gold is what they expect. She will have 2 golds and become a figure skating superstar, the others can make do with a forgettable in comparison silver and bronze. You can like it or loathe it.

Also don't kid yourselves, Valieva will 99% win Gold. Her having that 1 fall is even helpful as she didn't "peak". And I wouldn't bet against her winning the next Olympics, pushed by everyone. Figure skating wants (some may say needs) its new Yuna.

 

[flanker]

I've also proposed to extend the team competition with more participants. On the other hand it will be difficult, because many countries do not have more than one internationally competitive pair/dance team or sometimes even a single skater.

Sometimes I wonder if for a competition like WTT could be created international teams, something like the team competition at the youth olympics.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Also don't kid yourselves, Valieva will 99% win Gold. Her having that 1 fall is even helpful as she didn't "peak". And I wouldn't bet against her winning the next Olympics, pushed by everyone. Figure skating wants (some may say needs) its new Yuna.

I don't think she'll be around in four years. It will be grueling to maintain that level until 2026, and there will be a steady stream of young up-and-comers who will do everything a little bit better than Kamila does now. A clean Alina was untouchable four years ago, and now the Russian Olympic team members are all doing jumps Zagitova could never imagine landing.

 

[Greengemmonster]

If Kamila wins the gold she may not be around in 4 years but not for the negative reasons haters are hoping for.

I don't think she's going to lose jumps or be uncompetitive. Unless people start doing quints, she's got all the weapons. However she's a gorgeous, media friendly girl. Why on earth does she need to hang around if she manages to win it all? She might want to move onto something more lucrative and as much as I love her skating (and want her in a full ballet routine) I'd wish her all the best.

I would say the same for Anna who is SO impressive on social media and extremely well spoken. If she gets the gold her fame will sky rocket and I bet she's brilliant enough to capitalize on it. I would want her to. Or keep skating if she wishes. Live her best life whatever that is. But yeah if they quit it ain't because of "lost jumps."

 

[Dawn825]

If all the winners of curling, an activity that as far as I can tell requires zero athletic ability, can call themselves Olympic champions, every Russian skater who performed in the team event can too. No question.

 

[Amei]

Per Jackie Wong this morning's practice. No notes from him on Valieva, when looking at the jumps its worth noting that practice was at 6am, Shcherbakova posted from IG at 3am to get to training - probably to go do the necessary daily testing.

Shcherbakova: 3F, 4F(ur,fall), 4F3T, 4F, 3Lz(e?), 3Lz, 4Lz, 4F(q,fall), 4Lz(e?), 3F, 4F, 2A, 3Lz3T, 3F3Lo, 3Lz(e?)3T, runthru (2A, 3F3Lo, 3Lz3T), 3Lz3T, 3Lz3T3T(q,step), 3Lz3T3T

Trusova: 2A, 2A, 1A, 1A, 3A(step), 1A, 1A, 3A(step), 3A(turn), 3Lz, 1Lz(step), 4Lz3T, 4Lz1Eu3S, 4Lz, 3F, 4T(turn), 4T(turn), 2S, 3S, 4S, 2T, 4F, 4S(fall), 4F, 4S(ftdwn), 4T, 4Lz3T, 4Lz1Eu3S, 3Lz

 

[Lzbee]

I saw a headline today that said "Russian skater, 15, pulls off never-before-seen move twice at the Olympics" The erasure of so many skaters... Apparently, men's don't exist.... The counting of 4S and 4T as the same thing (or maybe just bad grammar)... The fact that it could've been Anna or Sasha... The fact they don't even put Kamila's name in the headline.....

 

[Seruleane]

I saw a headline today that said "Russian skater, 15, pulls off never-before-seen move twice at the Olympics" The erasure of so many skaters... Apparently, men's don't exist.... The counting of 4S and 4T as the same thing (or maybe just bad grammar)... The fact that it could've been Anna or Sasha... The fact they don't even put Kamila's name in the headline.....

Was this a headline in a US paper? I have found that US news doesn't really care about a skater if they are not from the US, or maybe they just don't care about figure skating in general. In fact, I would not be surprised if some of the articles get Nathan Chen and Vincent Zhou mixed up.

 

[Seruleane]

I'm hoping Anna and Sasha both have redemption skates for the individual competition, since they were excluded from the team competition. Having said that, I want Kamila to skate clean and have her individual Olympic moment as well. There is no way a team gold is the same as the individual gold. This ladies competition is so bittersweet for me, and it's hard for me to get as excited as I typically would, because I want so badly for all 3 to get the gold medals they deserve. I guess the next best thing is for them all to podium, but knowing these ladies, whoever gets silver and bronze is bound to have some disappointment.