Alisa Efimova & Misha Mitrofanov | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Alisa Efimova & Misha Mitrofanov

I wish Alisa (and Misha) ALL THE BEST in their quest for Alisa's citizenship.

I think they're being brave in they way they're doing is, and I also think they're wise to be keeping mum, simply saying it's out of their hands at this point, they've done everything they can. I'll continue to hope for legislators to see their potential, and to cooperate with each other.
I think it is not likely. There are other realistic goals this season to work towards - GPF, a medal at 4CC, a better placement or possibly even a medal at Worlds. I hope they are realistic and won't be too upset. Can't wait for Thursday!
 
Just found this new short video:

Goodness me, if Alisa’s lines are not perfect in this DS I don’t know what is… 😍
 
I think it is not likely. There are other realistic goals this season to work towards - GPF, a medal at 4CC, a better placement or possibly even a medal at Worlds. I hope they are realistic and won't be too upset. Can't wait for Thursday!
Actually, since I wrote my previous post (which, being of an optimistic nature, I still regard as possible but not likely), I've come to look forward most to all the things you listed. From their remarks, I also feel they're focusing on skating well for their audiences and working for excellence, which are things they can control. I think they have their motivation aiming for the best. And they keep saying the Olympic and citizenship travails are out of their hands. So I'm good with that too.

I guess I can't help reacting to all the fans who post that citizenship for Alisa is impossible. Nothing's impossible. Highly improbable, yes, I'll agree to that. :)
 
Actually, since I wrote my previous post (which, being of an optimistic nature, I still regard as possible but not likely), I've come to look forward most to all the things you listed. From their remarks, I also feel they're focusing on skating well for their audiences and working for excellence, which are things they can control. I think they have their motivation aiming for the best. And they keep saying the Olympic and citizenship travails are out of their hands. So I'm good with that too.

I guess I can't help reacting to all the fans who post that citizenship for Alisa is impossible. Nothing's impossible. Highly improbable, yes, I'll agree to that. :)
I forgot to mention another goal which is very doable-achieving 70 +SP and 200 + (total ) scores! Look forward to seeing this.
 
Actually, since I wrote my previous post (which, being of an optimistic nature, I still regard as possible but not likely), I've come to look forward most to all the things you listed. From their remarks, I also feel they're focusing on skating well for their audiences and working for excellence, which are things they can control. I think they have their motivation aiming for the best. And they keep saying the Olympic and citizenship travails are out of their hands. So I'm good with that too.

I guess I can't help reacting to all the fans who post that citizenship for Alisa is impossible. Nothing's impossible. Highly improbable, yes, I'll agree to that. :)
Post Nebelhorn thoughts:
SP - amazing program, love it, I thank whoever it was responsible for Riverdance disappearance into 'sunset'! The intensity in their skating matches music perfectly - just breathtaking.
FS - it was somewhat tired performance and was less impressive than at John Nicks's.
On the plus side, the judges seem to be showing a newly found appreciation (yes, the trial period is over!) level 4 twist, decent GOE. I loved the incredulous expression on Alisa face when she saw the SP marks - thats what they got at 4CC for a clean skate.
BUT the jumps ... I am beginning to worry - is it an injury we know nothing about or pressure of the expectations is getting to Alisa (I hope the fall by Misha was a fluke) but in 3 outings so far we haven't seen one triple of ok-ish quality from Alisa.
Hoping they will figure out before Japan, they have a month.
 
Post Nebelhorn thoughts:
SP - amazing program, love it, I thank whoever it was responsible for Riverdance disappearance into 'sunset'! The intensity in their skating matches music perfectly - just breathtaking.
FS - it was somewhat tired performance and was less impressive than at John Nicks's.
On the plus side, the judges seem to be showing a newly found appreciation (yes, the trial period is over!) level 4 twist, decent GOE. I loved the incredulous expression on Alisa face when she saw the SP marks - thats what they got at 4CC for a clean skate.
BUT the jumps ... I am beginning to worry - is it an injury we know nothing about or pressure of the expectations is getting to Alisa (I hope the fall by Misha was a fluke) but in 3 outings so far we haven't seen one triple of ok-ish quality from Alisa.
Hoping they will figure out before Japan, they have a month.
I'm also a fan of their SP! I also loved their SP from last year and was hoping they'd keep it and get new costumes.
I believe their SP scores are higher this year because the lift required for pairs this year has a higher base value that last year's lift.
Also, they've just had two competitions, right? John Nicks and Nebelhorn. Without the SBS jumps I'd guess they'd stay somewhere in the 180-200 range for this season, not enough to challenge for the top spots, but well enough to challenge for US title again.
 
I want to share a no-commentary video I found of their LP at Nebelhorn - much more pleasant to watch:


The more I watch the program the more I love it - so much subtlety and beauty. The song, strangely, does not irritate me anymore and I find some sort of solace in its 'old world' sound.
The costumes stood the test of close scrutiny - the pink generally would be one of my least favourite colours but this old rose pink of Alisa dress is exquisite and so are the pearl embellishment matching earrings, and I like colour of Misha costume in the same colour scheme but darker. Everything is so classy.
Looking again at the scores I can't figure out:

2 3S<<+SEQ+A* <<,* Base value 1.30 with negative GOE it earned them 0.68 (!) I think it was harsh,

I can see that Alisa underrotated 3S so downgrade is fair but I thought she did 2A though had a stumble, can anyone explain what A* is? Sorry if its a silly question!
 
I can see that Alisa underrotated 3S so downgrade is fair but I thought she did 2A though had a stumble, can anyone explain what A* is? Sorry if its a silly question!
She had a foot down, and it was weight-bearing, therefore anything after that gets invalidated.
 
There you go
Alisa Efimova, a Finnish citizen, is seeking an exception to the U.S. Government’s stipulated waiting period of three years to obtain a U.S. passport. Alisa is a member of U.S. Figure Skating, and along with her skating partner, Misha Mitrofanov (a U.S. citizen), they are the reigning U.S. Pair Champions. They are looking to win the U.S. title for a second time at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis, MO in early January 2026, and with that, join the U.S. Figure Skating Olympic Team for Milano Cortina in February 2026. Alisa and Misha are also a couple off the ice, and they were married February 1, 2024. Alisa obtained her United States Green Card approval on July 27, 2024. She is now seeking a waiver of the full-three year waiting period for a U.S. passport so as to be eligible for the 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Olympic Team. According to the U.S. Figure Skating leadership, Alisa and Misha would be the final winning element of the U.S. Olympic Team to afford it the best possible opportunity of winning the gold medal in the Figure Skating Team event at the 2026 Winter Games. This was proven with their performance at April’s World Team Trophy event in Tokyo, Japan.
 
I want to share a no-commentary video I found of their LP at Nebelhorn - much more pleasant to watch:


The more I watch the program the more I love it - so much subtlety and beauty. The song, strangely, does not irritate me anymore and I find some sort of solace in its 'old world' sound.
The costumes stood the test of close scrutiny - the pink generally would be one of my least favourite colours but this old rose pink of Alisa dress is exquisite and so are the pearl embellishment matching earrings, and I like colour of Misha costume in the same colour scheme but darker. Everything is so classy.
Looking again at the scores I can't figure out:

2 3S<<+SEQ+A* <<,* Base value 1.30 with negative GOE it earned them 0.68 (!) I think it was harsh,

I can see that Alisa underrotated 3S so downgrade is fair but I thought she did 2A though had a stumble, can anyone explain what A* is? Sorry if its a silly question!
thanks so much for this. I'm gonna be coming back to watch this version. It's so great without any commentary during it.
 
Interview with Alisa & Misha ahead of the NHK
 
It was sad to see Alisa struggling with the jumps. The uneasy feeling I had at the start of the season is proving right, unfortunately.
I wonder if there is an injury we do not know about? But good throw landings don't support that.
More likely the pressure is getting to Alisa.
There are several factors I think:
  • A season after the breakthrough season is always difficult one
  • Uncertainty with US citizenship
  • Pressure to prove themselves as to be worthy of a waiver
  • The tribute program (I did not like the idea from the start!) puts an extra pressure to skate clean
  • Alisa is a perfectionist, all the above is much harder for her to deal with than for Misha

There is another thing I have seen happening with inconsistent skaters again and again. They make a move to a new coach, they get a boost of confidence they do better for a season or two and then ... they are back to the usual themselves and even worse because their own expectations of a new coach fixing their problem crashed once again (quite predictably) -why? Because the root of the problem is in their own heads.

And of course her technique is not good, jumps are doomed from a take-off. Even in the warm-ups I did not see her do a triple this season.
I just wish I could give her a hug, honestly. At least, she has Misha, the way he smiled at her after they finished SP was heart warming!

Maybe now that a chance of GPF gone, Alisa will feel less pressure? Even with flawed technique she managed to get some triples done last season or at least was fighting for them. Now it is like the fight left her.
Sending all the good vibes....:pray:
 
It was sad to see Alisa struggling with the jumps. The uneasy feeling I had at the start of the season is proving right, unfortunately.
I wonder if there is an injury we do not know about? But good throw landings don't support that.
More likely the pressure is getting to Alisa.
There are several factors I think:
  • A season after the breakthrough season is always difficult one
  • Uncertainty with US citizenship
  • Pressure to prove themselves as to be worthy of a waiver
  • The tribute program (I did not like the idea from the start!) puts an extra pressure to skate clean
  • Alisa is a perfectionist, all the above is much harder for her to deal with than for Misha

There is another thing I have seen happening with inconsistent skaters again and again. They make a move to a new coach, they get a boost of confidence they do better for a season or two and then ... they are back to the usual themselves and even worse because their own expectations of a new coach fixing their problem crashed once again (quite predictably) -why? Because the root of the problem is in their own heads.

And of course her technique is not good, jumps are doomed from a take-off. Even in the warm-ups I did not see her do a triple this season.
I just wish I could give her a hug, honestly. At least, she has Misha, the way he smiled at her after they finished SP was heart warming!

Maybe now that a chance of GPF gone, Alisa will feel less pressure? Even with flawed technique she managed to get some triples done last season or at least was fighting for them. Now it is like the fight left her.
Sending all the good vibes....:pray:

Not sure about injuries but Misha had mentioned that Alisa was having boot issues. I’ve noticed that she used to wear Edea Ice Fly but not this season so perhaps that’s contributing? Breaking in new boots is hard enough, breaking in new boots that aren’t the model you’ve been wearing for years has to be even worse.

But it should be noted that:
1) Her jumps were pretty shaky last season at their GPs. I don’t think I saw her land a clean triple until nationals and for their SP, not until 4cc
2) they’re only doing one 2A in their sequence, like the first half of last season
3) NHK had 4 pairs score 200+. Meanwhile last week Ellie and Danny got bronze at Skate Canada with a 199

Alisa did seem particularly out of sorts at NHK. I also hope she didn’t see any of the discussion about their marriage (but also, the way Misha hugged her after the end of their free… yeah that man loves her lol)

In any case, since they’re staying in Finland until their next GP I hope time with her family will help with some of the nerves
 
Last edited:
And of course her technique is not good, jumps are doomed from a take-off. Even in the warm-ups I did not see her do a triple this season.
I've also heard from an expert that it's technique. Their throw jumps on the other hand are dependable. Maybe a journalist can address the question in an interview.

I think she does read the forums as she once mentioned in an Instagram post about people speculating on things that don't concern them, or something to that point. It was around the time of the first wave of curiosity regarding her citizenship process after she declared she was aiming for the 2026 Olympics. But whether a skater wants to read about themselves is totally their choice.

I do hope E/M continue skating in the next quad, jumps or no jumps!
 
I've also heard from an expert that it's technique. Their throw jumps on the other hand are dependable. Maybe a journalist can address the question in an interview.

I think she does read the forums as she once mentioned in an Instagram post about people speculating on things that don't concern them, or something to that point. It was around the time of the first wave of curiosity regarding her citizenship process after she declared she was aiming for the 2026 Olympics. But whether a skater wants to read about themselves is totally their choice.

I do hope E/M continue skating in the next quad, jumps or no jumps!
I hope they continue
 
I am scratching my head at how the USA Federation has handled GP assignments. No top pair at Skate America where either Alisa/Misha or Ellie/Danny would medal. Now they both stuck against each other at Finlandia Trophy. The third spot for Olympics for which the same pairs fought so hard in Boston, lost, again through mismanagement. :drama:
 
Congratulations to them on their silver. Happy for her that they were able to deliver when she had family in the audience.
‘Home’ events seem to go well for them! While so many skaters get crushed under pressure of competing at home
Super happy for them !!!!!!!
Clean jumps in FS , new PBs , over 70 and over 200 for the first time - honestly its almost too much of happiness for my ❤️
Congratulations Alisa & Misha!!!!!!!!!
 
Back
Top