2021-22 Russian Women's Figure Skating

[NaVi]

I thought Russia with the help of China is planning to stage their own version of Grand prix? I would think that if these events push thru, ISU will take it as a direct threat to them.

This is a really, really, really stupid idea that just won't work. I think the head of the Russian Fed proposed then quickly walked it back.... and then the head of either the sports ministry or olympic committee mentioned something it again.

Russia already has the Cup of Russia Series. Inviting outsiders is not going to raise the stature of the event... not even Chinese in Pairs. The Chinese won't want to do it... and the problem is that even if the best pairs skaters are there that pairs in itself is not a big draw.

THe best thing Russia could do right now is just continue the Cup of Russia series in an elevated format... but also have their best skaters perform in competitions that have a kind of pro-am feel to it... something like Ice Age but more elite.

I would also like to see them experiment in new forms of competition with new rule changes. Only in Russia could you have a man and a women do side by side quad jumps. There is room for a new discipline that sits between singles and pairs skating where it's two people skating but they have more of a singles skillset.

Nina Mozer has talked about how pairs skating has become stale. So let her come up with a new and fresh ruleset and have all the Russian pairs compete according to that.

There is a lot Russia could do that's new and interesting and thus valuable for developing figure skating into the future that would be far more fulfilling than sulking about how they can't compete internationally.

 

[Amei]

So are they going to ban somebody if they compete in a competition in Russia open to the world and then want to compete in a challenger for the isu? They would look really bad and bush league if they did that. It should be just like free enterprise just like soccer players move from one league to another nonstop.

They could certainly ban someone from competing in ISU competitions if they were to compete in a metaphorical alternative competition league. And its not so much that they would be banned from Challengers but from the Olympics as well. So attracting athletes that are from a non-ISU banned nation will probably be next to impossible, additionally it would probably be something that some Russians would be opposed to unless it was either someone like Tuktamysheva or Shcherbakova who have won most of the big titles that the ISU has to offer because they might not have any ability to go back to the ISU competitions. I think only if the ban goes past next season could you see people like the promising juniors and younger senior skaters who haven't won many ISU titles/competitions be interested in competing in an alternative league that could cost them ISU eligibility (though whether Russia would give them a choice is another factor).

And figure skating is not like soccer/football (depending on what country you are from), figure skating has issues getting TV viewership and competition attendance as it is with just the ISU events - could it really get the numbers to support a second league? Russia's best bet would be if enough fans stopped watching/attending ISU events to pressure them to rescind the Russian/Belarussian ban from ISU competitions without having to create an alternative league (does anyone know what the Worlds viewership was?). Having an 'alternative' league would really be more secondary ratchet pressure to rescind the ban if Russia and whoever they get to come along with them pulls decent numbers and does it with their events directly competing against the ISU events time-wise - then theoretically they could muscle the ISU to allow any athletes back into ISU events if they 'dissolve' this new alternative league.

In theory I'm not opposed to an alternative league being built to challenge the ISU, I think a lack of resolution to a lot of the problems people have with the ISU is due to the fact they know they have no competition. But I doubt this situation is one that would end favorably for the alternative league.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

So are they going to ban somebody if they compete in a competition in Russia open to the world and then want to compete in a challenger for the isu? They would look really bad and bush league if they did that. It should be just like free enterprise just like soccer players move from one league to another nonstop.

I linked to the rule book a few pages ago, but if you need it again: Rule 102 (Page 87 and following)

These rules clearly state that skaters cannot skate in international competitions not sanctioned by the ISU. In the past, skaters weren't even allowed to skate in professional shows during their time as active competitors and skaters definitely lost their eligibility due to that rule. (For example, Lambiel lost his eligibility in 2010 for competing in a figure skating TV show after announcing his retirement from ISU competitions.).

The ISU wouldn't "look really bad" for revoking the eligibility of skaters, in fact, they would look really bad and inconsistent for not doing it.
As these rules are available to everyone and federations, coaches and athletes have the responsibility to educate themselves on all ISU rules, if they were to choose to break them, then that would be on them and that should have appropriate consequences.

 

[Scott512]

I linked to the rule book a few pages ago, but if you need it again: Rule 102 (Page 87 and following)

These rules clearly state that skaters cannot skate in international competitions not sanctioned by the ISU. In the past, skaters weren't even allowed to skate in professional shows during their time as active competitors and skaters definitely lost their eligibility due to that rule. (For example, Lambiel lost his eligibility in 2010 for competing in a figure skating TV show after announcing his retirement from ISU competitions.).

The ISU wouldn't "look really bad" for revoking the eligibility of skaters, in fact, they would look really bad and inconsistent for not doing it.
As these rules are available to everyone and federations, coaches and athletes have the responsibility to educate themselves on all ISU rules, if they were to choose to break them, then that would be on them and that should have appropriate consequences.

The ISU looks really bad Bean. It's time to test the resolve of the ISU. If they ban the Russians again this time for next season it would be a golden opportunity for the Russians to start their own super league and invite world class talent from around the world to skate in all 4 disciplines and have there own version of euros and worlds! World class skaters like Eunsoo Lim and Marin Honda have no future with the ISU so why compete for them?

 

[Scott512]

They could certainly ban someone from competing in ISU competitions if they were to compete in a metaphorical alternative competition league. And its not so much that they would be banned from Challengers but from the Olympics as well. So attracting athletes that are from a non-ISU banned nation will probably be next to impossible, additionally it would probably be something that some Russians would be opposed to unless it was either someone like Tuktamysheva or Shcherbakova who have won most of the big titles that the ISU has to offer because they might not have any ability to go back to the ISU competitions. I think only if the ban goes past next season could you see people like the promising juniors and younger senior skaters who haven't won many ISU titles/competitions be interested in competing in an alternative league that could cost them ISU eligibility (though whether Russia would give them a choice is another factor).

And figure skating is not like soccer/football (depending on what country you are from), figure skating has issues getting TV viewership and competition attendance as it is with just the ISU events - could it really get the numbers to support a second league? Russia's best bet would be if enough fans stopped watching/attending ISU events to pressure them to rescind the Russian/Belarussian ban from ISU competitions without having to create an alternative league (does anyone know what the Worlds viewership was?). Having an 'alternative' league would really be more secondary ratchet pressure to rescind the ban if Russia and whoever they get to come along with them pulls decent numbers and does it with their events directly competing against the ISU events time-wise - then theoretically they could muscle the ISU to allow any athletes back into ISU events if they 'dissolve' this new alternative league.

In theory I'm not opposed to an alternative league being built to challenge the ISU, I think a lack of resolution to a lot of the problems people have with the ISU is due to the fact they know they have no competition. But I doubt this situation is one that would end favorably for the alternative league.

That's an interesting post. I agree with pretty much everything. But if you're going to ban the Russians from International competitions and there's talk of banning them from the upcoming Olympics and cancelling their GP event why not start their own league called the ISA a league that involves countries where ISU competitions are not held?

I wouldn't even look at this as something to hurt the International skating Union I think an additional league or organization could help figure skaters skate longer which is what everybody seems to want.

It doesn't have to be held in the same time frame as the ISU season. It doesn't necessarily have to conflict.
It could be a figure skating organization in addition to the ISU.

The most pertinent point you made was that the ISU has no competition so they're not getting better. This happens in all aspects of life when you have no one to compete with.
Like you said the ISU needs some pressure put on they're put on them whether it's to move the ban of Russia or to get their product better. But right now there aren't just enough competitions for the world class skaters and most people here only talk about the very top of figure skating.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

The ISU looks really bad Bean. It's time to test the resolve of the ISU. If they ban the Russians again this time for next season it would be a golden opportunity for the Russians to start their own super league and invite world class talent from around the world to skate in all 4 disciplines and have there own version of euros and worlds! World class skaters like Eunsoo Lim and Marin Honda have no future with the ISU so why compete for them?

The ISU might look bad - But not for having rules surrounding the eligibility of skaters. And definitely not for actually enforcing them.

And world-class skaters? Marin Honda is a great talent, but she barely scored into the 150s this season and barely into the 160s last season - There are literally 17 novice skaters that scored in the 170s today at Older Age Novice Nationals in Russia. Eunsoo? She competed in two GP events this season and finished Nationals in 9th, around 18 points off of the podium. For comparison, the difference from 9th to 3rd at Russian Nationals was almost 35 points - and that is with an injured Anna. At Japanese Nationals, it was 22 points. At US Nationals it was almost 38 points. - Seems like she actually is in a much better situation than some other skaters that you likely wouldn't call world-class skaters... like Starr Andrews, for example, who still gets international assignments. Why? Because her federation cares and gives lower-ranked skaters Senior B-assignments and Challengers, just like the Japanese federation does with their lower-ranked skaters. This allows them to score personal bests, minimums for (Jr) Worlds and Europeans/4CC and gain World standing points. Eunsoo is literally missing 50 points in World standing to secure herself a GP spot - A 5th place finish at a Senior B-event or an 8th place finish at a Challenger would be more than enough to squarely put her into the top 24 in World standing.

I guess you now know which two federations don't commonly send their lower-ranking skaters to international competitions? Yes, that's right, it's the Russian Skating Federation and the Korean Skating Federation. Do you also know who gets assignments from these two federations if they assign anyone at all? Skaters that already have other international assignments. So even if you place in the top 6 at Russian Nationals, chances are you won't even be able to go to a Senior B-competition if you don't have a GP or JGP assignment.

That is not the fault of the ISU, that's on the federations themselves - Especially because "weaker" skating nations like Great Britain, Germany and Bulgaria take full advantage of Challengers and Senior B-competitions and send someone to almost every competition, often even more than one female skater.

 

[Scott512]

The ISU might look bad - But not for having rules surrounding the eligibility of skaters. And definitely not for actually enforcing them.

And world-class skaters? Marin Honda is a great talent, but she barely scored into the 150s this season and barely into the 160s last season - There are literally 17 novice skaters that scored in the 170s today at Older Age Novice Nationals in Russia. Eunsoo? She competed in two GP events this season and finished Nationals in 9th, around 18 points off of the podium. For comparison, the difference from 9th to 3rd at Russian Nationals was almost 35 points - and that is with an injured Anna. At Japanese Nationals, it was 22 points. At US Nationals it was almost 38 points. - Seems like she actually is in a much better situation than some other skaters that you likely wouldn't call world-class skaters... like Starr Andrews, for example, who still gets international assignments. Why? Because her federation cares and gives lower-ranked skaters Senior B-assignments and Challengers, just like the Japanese federation does with their lower-ranked skaters. This allows them to score personal bests, minimums for (Jr) Worlds and Europeans/4CC and gain World standing points. Eunsoo is literally missing 50 points in World standing to secure herself a GP spot - A 5th place finish at a Senior B-event or an 8th place finish at a Challenger would be more than enough to squarely put her into the top 24 in World standing.

I guess you now know which two federations don't commonly send their lower-ranking skaters to international competitions? Yes, that's right, it's the Russian Skating Federation and the Korean Skating Federation. Do you also know who gets assignments from these two federations if they assign anyone at all? Skaters that already have other international assignments. So even if you place in the top 6 at Russian Nationals, chances are you won't even be able to go to a Senior B-competition if you don't have a GP or JGP assignment.

That is not the fault of the ISU, that's on the federations themselves - Especially because "weaker" skating nations like Great Britain, Germany and Bulgaria take full advantage of Challengers and Senior B-competitions and send someone to almost every competition, often even more than one female skater.

None of my favorites ever do senior bs I keep hearing about them but never see them. I sure wish there were more of them. A lot of this comes back to there are just not enough events for all the talent in the world. Which is why it always comes back to we need another Federation for figure skating even if it upsets the ISU which currently has no incentive to be better than they are.

Eunsoo and Honda are struggling I hope they get the opportunities to come out of their struggles and be really good again. But if they don't feel like they can they won't stay motivated. The life of athletes is very rough unless you are the very elite.

Things are actually going to get tougher and crazier for the Russian ladies next season because they have a few girls coming up from Juniors or going to be seniors which will make any potential International competition even more difficult to qualify for than they already are. And it's possible a few of the ladies won't even make it back to Nationals unless they expand the field.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

None of my favorites ever do senior bs I keep hearing about them but never see them. I sure wish there were more of them. A lot of this comes back to there are just not enough events for all the talent in the world. Which is why it always comes back to we need another Federation for figure skating even if it upsets the ISU which currently has no incentive to be better than they are.

There are around 50 Senior B events for Single skaters every season. With absolutely no entry requirements or restrictions other than:
1. representing an ISU member
2. being eligible based on rule 102
3. being age-eligible (so having turned 15 by July of the same year)

You could enter 10 women into one competition - Not smart as only the top 5 receive World standing points, but you could if you wanted to.

Additionally, there were 10 Challenger events planned for this season, but only 8 were held. Like GPs, Worlds, Euros/4CC, a maximum of 3 skaters per country per discipline can be entered in each event, so that would be an additional 24-30 entries.

Senior skaters are fine, there are plenty of opportunities, if you want to worry about someone, then worry about the juniors. Juniors can only gain Worlds standing points at JGPs (max. 2 per person, max. 14-15 entries per country per JGP circuit), JGPF (max. 6 people can qualify) and JWCh (max. 3 entries per country). They don't even have continental championships (though there are efforts to change that). And at the same time, juniors are those least likely to risk eligibility, because of how unpredictable juniors are. There were literally skaters that went to Junior Worlds in the past that only received a single JGP assignment and weren't seen as serious competitors but improved a lot while some other skaters suffered from injuries and thus managed to place on the podium at (Jr) Nationals over the strongest competitors at the beginning of the season. (For example Minchae Kim - She had the highest JGP score of the Korean juniors, but suffered from a back injury and was passed over for Jr Worlds in favour of Seoyeong Wi, who competed as a senior the whole season and scored significantly lower, but placed higher at Korean Nats.)

 

[Scott512]

There are around 50 Senior B events for Single skaters every season. With absolutely no entry requirements or restrictions other than:
1. representing an ISU member
2. being eligible based on rule 102
3. being age-eligible (so having turned 15 by July of the same year)

You could enter 10 women into one competition - Not smart as only the top 5 receive World standing points, but you could if you wanted to.

Additionally, there were 10 Challenger events planned for this season, but only 8 were held. Like GPs, Worlds, Euros/4CC, a maximum of 3 skaters per country per discipline can be entered in each event, so that would be an additional 24-30 entries.

Senior skaters are fine, there are plenty of opportunities, if you want to worry about someone, then worry about the juniors. Juniors can only gain Worlds standing points at JGPs (max. 2 per person, max. 14-15 entries per country per JGP circuit), JGPF (max. 6 people can qualify) and JWCh (max. 3 entries per country). They don't even have continental championships (though there are efforts to change that). And at the same time, juniors are those least likely to risk eligibility, because of how unpredictable juniors are. There were literally skaters that went to Junior Worlds in the past that only received a single JGP assignment and weren't seen as serious competitors but improved a lot while some other skaters suffered from injuries and thus managed to place on the podium at (Jr) Nationals over the strongest competitors at the beginning of the season. (For example Minchae Kim - She had the highest JGP score of the Korean juniors, but suffered from a back injury and was passed over for Jr Worlds in favour of Seoyeong Wi, who competed as a senior the whole season and scored significantly lower, but placed higher at Korean Nats.)

50? Why don't the Russian ladies with their incredible depth use those for there 2nd and 3rd tier skaters? How can there be no senior bs in Russia? Stasya, Guliakova, Nugumanova
skated in no senior B competitions this year from what I know and with 3 or 4 prize juniors coming up to senior next year they will need to do some of these competitions or so I would think.. If they are banned for the whole season as many expect them to be then there will really be a scarcity of competitions for all that talent. That talent will start to be wasted and some skaters will never fully develop into what they could have been. In Russia there are too many religious skaters for the ladies and too few events for them to skate in.

My favorite Nastya G did not have an International competition for 3 freaking seasons not even a senior B and lost her entire world standing. That killed her this season skating for Georgia where she was always skating in the 1st or 2nd group in the short program. Her skating in a couple senior B competitions every year for 3 years would have saved her ranking and she wouldn't have fallen completely off the map. Now many other Russian girls look like they're going to fall completely off a map like Stanislava Little Liza who's actually on the national team this season and didn't skate anywhere outside of Russia and Guliakova. Many others as well.
It looks like senior B events could be a great way for any skaters to keep their careers going.

 

[Azikin]

But there's no way sasha would have missed worlds. Missing the channel one cup it's due to frustration I seriously doubt she would have missed a world championship since she's only been to one.

She stopped skating completely after Olympics, as far as I know. At least for some time. I doubt she would have been prepared for the Worlds, also mentally, but it doesn't matter now of course...

 

[Jumping_Bean]

50? Why don't the Russian ladies with their incredible depth use those for there 2nd and 3rd tier skaters? How can there be no senior bs in Russia? Stasya, Guliakova, Nugumanova
skated in no senior B competitions this year from what I know and with 3 or 4 prize juniors coming up to senior next year they will need to do some of these competitions or so I would think.. If they are banned for the whole season as many expect them to be then there will really be a scarcity of competitions for all that talent. That talent will start to be wasted and some skaters will never fully develop into what they could have been. In Russia there are too many religious skaters for the ladies and too few events for them to skate in.

My favorite Nastya G did not have an International competition for 3 freaking seasons not even a senior B and lost her entire world standing. That killed her this season skating for Georgia where she was always skating in the 1st or 2nd group in the short program. Her skating in a couple senior B competitions every year for 3 years would have saved her ranking and she wouldn't have fallen completely off the map. Now many other Russian girls look like they're going to fall completely off a map like Stanislava Little Liza who's actually on the national team this season and didn't skate anywhere outside of Russia and Guliakova. Many others as well.
It looks like senior B events could be a great way for any skaters to keep their careers going.

I really don't know why they don't send more of their female skaters to Senior Bs or Challengers. They send more of their men, but even then, not as much as other federations.

I understand that funds are limited, but I doubt that other federations that send their skaters to more competitions have more funding than the Russian Skating Federation. Of their 24 hypothetical spots at Challengers this season, Russia used 4 (same as South Korea). The US used 14, Estonia 13 and even notoriously underfunded Skating Feds like Germany and Great Britain used more of their spots (each had 8 entries in Challengers). The only major fed that sent even fewer female skaters was Japan (only 2), but that's likely more due to the Challengers being in the first half of the season and Covid-restrictions still being very strict in Japan at the time, as they've since sent many skaters to Senior B-events.

Generally, it makes the most sense to send skaters to two non-GP international competitions per season as only two are counted for World standing, but of course, unless you have two 1st place finishes, you can improve your world standing points by improving your highest finish. And of course, the prize money and gain of experience is also an argument for competing in more competitions than "needed".

Dasa Grm (Slovenia), for example, competed in 3 Challengers and 6 Senior B-events this season - For World standing points and technical minimums for Worlds.

 

[DougDorsey]

Does anyone know the coaching situation right now with Milana Goritskova...?

Milana Goritskova | Горицкова Милана Дмитриевна

А Б В Г Д Е Ё Ж З И Й К Л М Н О П Р С Т У Ф Х Ц Ч Ш Щ Э Ю Я Команды синхронного катания Дата рождения: 6 ноября 2011 Регион: Нижний Новгород (Нижегородская область) Вид: Одиночное катание Клуб: СШОР по ЛВС (Нижний Новгород) Тренер: Ангелина Нестеркина […]

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https://www.instagram.com/mila_go11/

She appeared at Novice Nationals with both Angelina Nesterkina, as well as Dmitrii Mikhailov from Angels of Plushenko. And I believe she's appeared in some Angels of Plushenko posts, too.

Is she now part of Angels of Plushenko? If so, did Angelina Nesterkina also join Angels of Plushenko as a coach? Confused.

 

[katymay]

She stopped skating completely after Olympics, as far as I know. At least for some time. I doubt she would have been prepared for the Worlds, also mentally, but it doesn't matter now of course...

She made it very clear at the Olympics-or right after- that she would not be going to Worlds. Liza would have taken her place I assume. She was just 'done,' and she might still be 'done.'-as far as competing- ever again. Maybe time with change her mind. I hope so, as long as she is not injured.

As far as the ban-what is the level of interest for Junior Worlds, or the Junior Grand Prix without the Russian skaters? Then as far as the seniors, I wonder what the level of interest is? I am back to following the men only, much as I really love Kaori, the competition was pathetic. Watching the pairs at the Channel 1 cup made me want to cry. The Russian skaters force the rest of the skaters in the World to be better, without them we have taken a giant step backward. It seems to me that in the future they could be included, but be ineligible for the prize money, or some sort of arrangement.

 

[Scott512]

I really don't know why they don't send more of their female skaters to Senior Bs or Challengers. They send more of their men, but even then, not as much as other federations.

I understand that funds are limited, but I doubt that other federations that send their skaters to more competitions have more funding than the Russian Skating Federation. Of their 24 hypothetical spots at Challengers this season, Russia used 4 (same as South Korea). The US used 14, Estonia 13 and even notoriously underfunded Skating Feds like Germany and Great Britain used more of their spots (each had 8 entries in Challengers). The only major fed that sent even fewer female skaters was Japan (only 2), but that's likely more due to the Challengers being in the first half of the season and Covid-restrictions still being very strict in Japan at the time, as they've since sent many skaters to Senior B-events.

Generally, it makes the most sense to send skaters to two non-GP international competitions per season as only two are counted for World standing, but of course, unless you have two 1st place finishes, you can improve your world standing points by improving your highest finish. And of course, the prize money and gain of experience is also an argument for competing in more competitions than "needed".

Dasa Grm (Slovenia), for example, competed in 3 Challengers and 6 Senior B-events this season - For World standing points and technical minimums for Worlds.

Look at what the US figure skating did with send move sending their talent to challengers compared to Russia. Funding is an issue but it's a joke that Russia only used four opportunities at challengers.

I guess what they are doing is focusing on the top of the ladies not those on the 2nd and 3rd tier. They skate in the Russian cup series hope to skate nationals and the Russian cup final.. The Russian federation focuses on the top ladies so much so hes so much so up for the 2nd time in recent memory a skater on the national team as a reserve did not even get a challenger. This time it was Nugumanova. She finished 3rd at the nationals before the last one she finished 3rd among seniors and didn't get anything out of it. I Not even a challenger or a senior B.. It's no wonder so many of these ladies retire before they reach 20.

 

[Amei]

Look at what the US figure skating did with send move sending their talent to challengers compared to Russia. Funding is an issue but it's a joke that Russia only used four opportunities at challengers.

I guess what they are doing is focusing on the top of the ladies not those on the 2nd and 3rd tier. They skate in the Russian cup series hope to skate nationals and the Russian cup final.. The Russian federation focuses on the top ladies so much so hes so much so up for the 2nd time in recent memory a skater on the national team as a reserve did not even get a challenger. This time it was Nugumanova. She finished 3rd at the nationals before the last one she finished 3rd among seniors and didn't get anything out of it. I Not even a challenger or a senior B.. It's no wonder so many of these ladies retire before they reach 20.

I think its more related to what an athlete or their local fed in the case of Russia can affordor are willing to pay. Starr Andrews does multiple Senior B's and Mishins ladies skaters do a lot of Senior Bs or smaller competitions, Tuktamysheva at 1 point it was typical for her to do 3 challenger or smaller competitions in addition to Senior GPs, nationals etc.

 

[Scott512]

I think its more related to what an athlete or their local fed in the case of Russia can affordor are willing to pay. Starr Andrews does multiple Senior B's and Mishins ladies skaters do a lot of Senior Bs or smaller competitions, Tuktamysheva at 1 point it was typical for her to do 3 challenger or smaller competitions in addition to Senior GPs, nationals etc.

Yes Starr Andrews gets a lot of lower level competitions but competitions none the less that a lot of the Russian ladies who were at a much higher level than her do not get. As usual with life it's all about the money.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

I think its more related to what an athlete or their local fed in the case of Russia can affordor are willing to pay. Starr Andrews does multiple Senior B's and Mishins ladies skaters do a lot of Senior Bs or smaller competitions, Tuktamysheva at 1 point it was typical for her to do 3 challenger or smaller competitions in addition to Senior GPs, nationals etc.

Tbh, I don't think that's the full story. I'm sure that if any of the Russian skaters, including those that are not at the top of the sport in Russia, were to ask for donations to fund their skating that a lot of people would be more than happy to help. Skaters from much smaller federations and with much less popularity have successfully used crowdfunding to pay for a lot of skating-related expenses, so why shouldn't it work for the Russians?

And even Mishin's girls didn't compete much internationally this season. Liza had 2 GPs and one Challenger, Sofia Samodurova 1 GP and one Senior B and Anastasia Gulyakova just one Senior B-event. That's uncharacteristically little for his skaters.

 

[Amei]

Tbh, I don't think that's the full story. I'm sure that if any of the Russian skaters, including those that are not at the top of the sport in Russia, were to ask for donations to fund their skating that a lot of people would be more than happy to help. Skaters from much smaller federations and with much less popularity have successfully used crowdfunding to pay for a lot of skating-related expenses, so why shouldn't it work for the Russians?

And even Mishin's girls didn't compete much internationally this season. Liza had 2 GPs and one Challenger, Sofia Samodurova 1 GP and one Senior B and Anastasia Gulyakova just one Senior B-event. That's uncharacteristically little for his skaters.

Well the last 2 seasons I think it should be disclaimers by covid, 2020 obviously but last season there were some strict rules regarding travel with quarantines and vaccination requirements that might've impacted travel for competitions

 

[Scott512]

Tbh, I don't think that's the full story. I'm sure that if any of the Russian skaters, including those that are not at the top of the sport in Russia, were to ask for donations to fund their skating that a lot of people would be more than happy to help. Skaters from much smaller federations and with much less popularity have successfully used crowdfunding to pay for a lot of skating-related expenses, so why shouldn't it work for the Russians?

And even Mishin's girls didn't compete much internationally this season. Liza had 2 GPs and one Challenger, Sofia Samodurova 1 GP and one Senior B and Anastasia Gulyakova just one Senior B-event. That's uncharacteristically little for his skaters.

That is terrible that world class skaters skates so little. And they will be skating even less if they are banned for the upcoming season. It's a bizarre how many opportunities they wasted to get these ladies challengers and senior B events. It's no wonder Anastasia and Maria have changed federations.

 

[Jontor]

Yes Starr Andrews gets a lot of lower level competitions but competitions none the less that a lot of the Russian ladies who were at a much higher level than her do not get. As usual with life it's all about the money.

Yes, and that is why Andrews has constantly been in the World Standings List top 24 these last seasons. Basically, these competitions award you if you only show up. And those senior B's with no tough competition give you a lot of WS points. The system is very flawed, it guarantees that if you do a lot of competitions you will get high WS ranking.

I think Mishin is the only Russian coach that understands this. He has always sent out his skaters to a lot of competitons, and it helps a lot ranking wise. Tuktamysheva, in her struggling years still managed to get high ranking, and Samodurova too.