Ksenia Makarova

[skateluvr]

Any fans here? I'm one. I liked her Oly program/performance quite well. Do you think she made a mistake leaving US and skating for Russia? I wonder if she regrets it now? How do you think she'd do if she skated at US Nationals, assuming everyone skated their best with all jumps certified? Where would Kesenia rank?

 

[Mrs. P]

Any fans here? I'm one. I liked her Oly program/performance quite well. Do you think she made a mistake leaving US and skating for Russia? I wonder if she regrets it now? How do you think she'd do if she skated at US Nationals, assuming everyone skated their best with all jumps certified? Where would Kesenia rank?

Her move to Russia was well timed. There's no way she would have gotten to the Olympics from the U.S. With no solid lutz or flip, she would have finished top 5 at best with peaking Rachael Flatt, a solid Mirai Nagasu and even a flawed — but still strong — Ashley Wagner.

And even now, I'd still think she wouldn't finish much higher now. She's established in Russia. She did get 4th in Russia despite that sub-par skate.

 

[chuckm]

Makarova landed only two triples in her RN free skate. Two of her triples were downgraded and she got UR on two more. She attempts only one 3F in the program and she lands it only 50% of the time. She doesn't always go for the 3t+3t either, and when she does, it can get downgraded to a 3/2 as it did at RN.

With that jump content and the number of downgrades and URs, I doubt she could finish even top 10 at US Nationals. She certainly wouldn't get PCS scores in the 8s as she did in Russia.

I believe that the only reason she finished 4th in Russia with that FS is the Russian federation had to send her to Euros because she is one of only 5 age-eligible skaters (Leonova, Makarova, Korobeynikova, Biryukova, Shelepen) and she finished ahead of three of them on the strength of her fine SP. It wouldn't have looked good to send her if she finished way back in the pack, especially since Ksenia and Alena Leonova are the only skaters who have a strong senior competition record, with good finishes at previous Euros, Worlds and Olympics.

 

[TelmoFe]

I loved everthing in her, but she has to get her jumps and do better performances, like her short program at last worlds! In Russia is the best place for her now! But with the new russian stars I think she has to rock or... no euros and worlds for her!

 

[chuckm]

Yes, unless Makarova can upgrade her technical repertoire, I think this may be her last year at Euros and Worlds. Next year, Sotnikova and Tuktamysheva will be age-eligible and the Russian Federation won't be as generous with Ksenia's PCS scores as they will have no need to prop her up.

 

[Irishflip]

I have to admit I saw her for the first time at last year's worlds and I thought she was crap with her stiff landings and tiny jumps but this year when I saw her short program at the cup of china I thought "Ok, jumps are all over the place but the expressions speed and transitions are amazing." She blew me away artistically but i agree with what's been said about her technical ability although it looks like and I hope she's changing her jumping technique for the better as that would explain her lousy jumps and it would give her a fighting chance next year. Does anyone agree?

 

[chuckm]

Ksenia has never had a lutz and she lands her 3F only about 50% of the time; if she doesn't land the flip she URs and falls. She used to have a pretty consistent 3T+3T, but not any more. I got the feeling she was rushing through her jumps in the FS and that caused her to UR them.

 

[brightphoton]

I've seen her skate a few times. She's all right. I recall Johnny Weir proclaiming her the future Olympic champion or something.

 

[Pepe Nero]

I think she's pretty awesome. I hope she regains her consistency. She's beautiful. I just wish that Marilyn Monroe program had more of a Madonna Material Girl edge. Ksenia looks more like Madonna than Marilyn. I so don't want her to be the new Kira Korpii.

 

[chuckm]

I agree! She looks far more like Madonna than Marilyn, and the program might have been a lot better. But Ksenia said to one of her friends on Twitter that she thinks she (Ksenia) looks like Marilyn Monroe and that's why she wanted to do the program.

 

[macy]

i had no idea she used to skate for the US, how long ago was that? i LOVE her sp this year, but she can ditch her lp anytime, i don't like it at all. the music is so choppy and not put together right. her sp at RN was SO beautiful though!

 

[chuckm]

I've seen her skate a few times. She's all right. I recall Johnny Weir proclaiming her the future Olympic champion or something.

I think Johnny has a far better shot at being a future Olympic champion than Ksenia does.

 

[skateluvr]

Well, the Russian babies will all face puberty and becoming a woman for years more. Russia knows what they have in Leonova as a woman who jumps and is accomplished. Makarova's Oly programs made me take notice. I agree her sp is nice. LP could be changed. She seems like a sweet person. Everything is about Sotnikova, and Liza. I prefer Julia of the babies. They will all change and that usually means triple jumps leave. I expect Asian dominance to continue, though it is fun to see what these kids in Russia can throw.

 

[tulosai]

Well, the Russian babies will all face puberty and becoming a woman for years more. Russia knows what they have in Leonova as a woman who jumps and is accomplished. Makarova's Oly programs made me take notice. I agree her sp is nice. LP could be changed. She seems like a sweet person. Everything is about Sotnikova, and Liza. I prefer Julia of the babies. They will all change and that usually means triple jumps leave. I expect Asian dominance to continue, though it is fun to see what these kids in Russia can throw.

I agree with all of this except I do think Sotnikova has gone through puberty now. It's possible more is to come, but her body is much different than a year ago and she has endured two growth spurts. She's 5' 5" now and I do think she has a woman's body to the extent she's going to if she continues to skate at a high level.

I hope Julia survives puberty because she's my favorite of the babies as well.

As for Makarova, I enjoy her but I think she hasn't got much chance of going to Worlds or Olys after this year even if the babies falter somewhat. She is inconsistent and does not have a lutz as others have noted. Leonova I think has a better chance of hanging in there. We will see. I do enjoy Ksenia's skating though and hope she proves me wrong and is able to become more consistent. Her short program this year is truly a joy when skated well.

 

[sky_fly20]

Well, the Russian babies will all face puberty and becoming a woman for years more. Russia knows what they have in Leonova as a woman who jumps and is accomplished. Makarova's Oly programs made me take notice. I agree her sp is nice. LP could be changed. She seems like a sweet person. Everything is about Sotnikova, and Liza. I prefer Julia of the babies. They will all change and that usually means triple jumps leave. I expect Asian dominance to continue, though it is fun to see what these kids in Russia can throw.

I dont think Adelina will grow already, she has now survived all her growth spurts, and is getting back all her Lutz combo, Adelina will be fine
although she doesnt have yet a full womans body but I notice Adelina lost weight. Liza wont grow as she is just naturally petite
Im more concerned if she'll gain more weight, as for Julia, she already started growing, so we'll see how she will progress

well for Makarova, she was always a big girl but with horrible jumping, she was promising at the start of her juniors I'll give u that
but this Girl cant be consistent and get 2 clean programs at all. sad, and she needs to step it up in the coming years
if she still wants to be send to internatonal competitions, the room is getting full
even with Shelepen, Biryukova and Korobeynikova and there will be moring seniors moving up

 

[chuckm]

It isn't just height the Russian ladies have to deal with---there's also physical development: bust and hips where all was straight before. That type of development has a much greater effect on jumps than height. Many young skaters hit a wall and never get their jumps back, and some struggle for a year or more and have some discouraging seasons.

Miki Ando used to to 3A and 4S but once she filled out, she lost those jumps and later struggled with all her jumps for an entire season (2005-2006).

Kimmie Meissner grew and filled out after her World Championship, and never did get her jump consistency back.

Mirai Nagasu and Caroline Zhang have been dealing with this problem for the past two seasons.

Sarah Hughes filled out the year after her OGM, gained a lot of weight and never again skated anywhere near as well as she did in SLC. She had only 1A and 2S when she skated in SOI and today, she does exhibition skating and doesn't jump at all.

Irina Slutskaya also hit a slump at 18-19, and had lots of jump problems, but eventally regained her jumps and went on to a highly successful career.

Cynthia Phaneuf grew very tall and filled out and has never achieved the same success she had as a 16-year-old.

The thing with Russian ladies is that they tend to mature physically later than ladies from North America or Southern Europe. So they may 'hit the wall' two or three years from now.

 

[sky_fly20]

^

exactly, but I mean with the height skaters like Adelina are done with their growing
and that was what I mean by other womanly changes, we may have to wait 2 or 3 years to have full max
if their hips and busts get filled or any other changes. Liza has been developing her other bodily changes
but not her height for some reason

and weird, because I always thought Growth spurts hit early for eatsern europeans
isn't that why models get scouted like 15 even 14 and fake their age like in eastern europe
like the scandal that happened last fashion week

 

[chuckm]

Most model agencies go for the younger women (and that is true worldwide) because they prefer slimmer bodies for modeling. Modeling is very much a young woman's career. Except for the few superstar models, many careers start waning after 25 or so.

Think Oksana Baiul. She won the OGM at 16 when she was 5'1" and 95 lbs. By the time she was 18, she was 5'5" inches and 25-30 lbs heavier and struggled with her jumps. She never did get them back consistently.

 

[skateluvr]

Sarah looks slender and toned, surely she could be doing double jumps and even a triple or two if she cared. She obviously does not want to put in the work. She relies on her spiral and layback. She is the type of person who says "been there done that." I am surprised she skates at all. She seems to be stalled in her career. Sarah , I thought would be going to law school. She graduated college like 4 years ago? What does she do beside a few skating appearances? For such a driven teen, she seems to be in no hurry to establish a career or more goals.

 

[chuckm]

I am surprised, too. If Yuka Sato and Nancy Kerrigan can do a 2A at their ages, and Nicole Bobek can still manage to do a few jumps after years of lowlife, what is with Sarah Hughes? She talked of med school and law school when she left the eligible ranks and went to college, but seems to be making a career of red carpet events and occasional ice appearances. She makes Tara Lipinski look industrious by comparison.

I can understand why Sarah hasn't been asked to do TV commentary, though. She has a whiny voice. Tara at least speaks clearly after years of acting training.