Men FS - 2014 European Championships

[deedee1]

On the other hand, somebody could fall twice but bounce back really well, which would justify a sustained PCS but that's very rare. Most of these skaters have so much pressure on their shoulders, I find it almost impossible for any of the elite skaters to shrug off their errors and move on.

ah, I think I know one skater or two who can do that; keeps going until the very end of the program, even after mistakes, sells it and grabs audience heart like nobody else does, at least for me. Hope Kovtun becomes such skater one day.
When it comes to his skating itself, Kovtun has issues/weakness to be addressed of course, but he is still young. Talented and seems a hard-worker. Means lots of rooms to grow as a skater. And has been progressing every season, actually, since I saw him skate live for the first time at WTT in spring 2012, less than two years ago (where he placed 12th unfortunately: http://www.isuresults.com/results/wtt2012/CAT001RS.HTM) He's got plenty of time and the bright future ahead of him. :yes:

 

[seniorita]

I do believe kovtun has a bright future, and present already but they packaged him like john curry and that was a nono, I found both his programs heavy, and having opposite effect than Julia's , they don't demonstrate his youth at all. If only they did not hype him so early, the boy has nerve issues and not stong stomach for it, he was nervous all days I ve been around and they told me at RN and rostelecom before his skate he was worse. I think RF pressured him too much since last euros.
I forgot to say Liebers was awesome!

 

[bramweld]

Well, Morozov did say he'd like Brian to continue for one more year....

(Note: no, I don't think it's actually going to happen. )

Pity, just when his skating skills have really begun to improve.

 

[LiamForeman]

Geez, what a mess. I don't know how they're going to decide who to send.

Well, to me it looks obvious that Plushenko is heading to his 4th Olympic Games now. At least it won't leave a bad taste in my mouth now. Russian men are a mess. It's a wash anyway, so why not just send the national hero? And I think his body of work is the strongest amongst the others.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

For those who are saying Plushenko has the best body of work, the skater who actually has the best body of work is Kovtun if we take the past two seasons into consideration (as the USFSA did with Wagner).

Plushenko has a 2013 euros withdrawal, a Volvo Cup win (with shaky SP), and Russian nationals silver (with shaky FS). Kovtun had two GP silvers and a Nationals win over Plushenko.

LOL @ those who think Plush's pre-2010 career should have a significant bearing on the decision other than who will generate the most interest.

But by all means, send Plushenko. It might be doing the other countries a favour in the team event and it will generate more buzz. But then the Russian media criticizing Wagner would have been ridiculing her being sent only to have the same thing done with their own men's skater.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Voronov lost nationals to Plushenko, how Plushenko hasn't proved against him? If kovtun beat Plushenko at nationals and a tone of pages have been written about it the last few weeks, so did plush beat Voronov. and while Plushenko had a meltdown of a skate. I have thought a million reasons not to send Plushenko to Sochi but the whole situation is a mess from the beginning.

Bottom lube, send Menshov!!

They must at least consider Voronov and Menshov. Also Voronov was held back and Plush propped up at Nationals. I mean, he lost the FS to Plushenko's 95 PCS points for crying out loud.

I think the question is given his current season should Plushenko go, and if we do get to see his test skate I doubt it will be as technically sound as Voronov and Menshov. It might not even be as good as Kovtun who still landed a quad (with turnout) and two triple axels.

 

[qwertyskates]

Strategically, the Russian Fed will likely send Kovtun, or send Plushenko who will possibly be too "injured" after team event so Kovtun can stepin. Realistically, if all of them are unlikely to get OGM, they need to allocate the slot with an eye towards 2018,that leaves Kovtun. It's the same cold calculation that leaves out Nagasu and rewards Edmunds, unfortunately for workhorses Menshov & Voronov:disapp:. Kovtun did deliver very good quad jumps and performances at a couple of GPs. No one knows which Kovtun will show up at Sochi, but they will likely lower their expectations after this Euro. They will at least podium for Pairs and Ladies, so Russian pride won't get too bruised.

 

[Frenchie]

Strategically, the Russian Fed will likely send Kovtun, or send Plushenko who will possibly be too "injured" after team event so Kovtun can stepin.

The ISU has officially closed that loophole after Plushy's statements:
If the Russian man withdraws after the team event, there will be no Russian man at all allowed in the individual competition.

 

[qwertyskates]

The ISU has officially closed that loophole after Plushy's statements:
If the Russian man withdraws after the team event, there will be no Russian man at all allowed in the individual competition.

Thanks! Missed that. Must have mortified the Russian Fed when Plush let the cat out of the bag. So yeah, most likely Kovtun because of 2018.

 

[deedee1]

If not Evgeni (I mean, if he is not healthy enough by the Games starts), I personally would want the Russian Fed to send Voronov over Kovtun at Sochi. This season, Vonorov under Julia's coach seems to finally find a knack to deliver well under enormous pressure, jump consistency and nerve to calm him down enough. Kudos to him and his coach! I feel the same for Menshov; give him the sole slot for Worlds, since both of them clearly did beat Kovtun at this Euro. He's gonna get HUGE love and cheers from my hubby and me in Tokyo in March.

 

[deedee1]

Pity, just when his skating skills have really begun to improve.

:thumbsup: ITA! Brian, please skate one more year, pretty please.

 

[gmyers]

Thanks! Missed that. Must have mortified the Russian Fed when Plush let the cat out of the bag. So yeah, most likely Kovtun because of 2018.

How about trying for gold in the team event in 2014. Olympics in Sochi is not training for peyongchang. Kovtun could retire in 2016.

 

[Gigi13]

Congrats to Javier :yay: good luck in Sochi!

 

[qwertyskates]

How about trying for gold in the team event in 2014. Olympics in Sochi is not training for peyongchang. Kovtun could retire in 2016.

It's not training, but building, same reason why Edmunds is plucked from Jr to gain Olympic exposure over Nagasu. The others are too old, there're some promising up and coming jr like Pitkeev, but Kovtun is like the Gracie Gold of Russia now. He has an impressive TES layout if he nails his programs. After seeing Javier make a miraculous comeback from his GPs, Kovtun might fare better at Sochi when expectations are drastically lowered, it seems he cannot take that type of pressure. A clean Kovtun is better than any other clean Russian atm....but he is the opposite of Lipnitskaia, he looked terrified even before the music, but I find it more human on his part that he is so transparent, fallible and insecure.

 

[gmyers]

It's not training, but building, same reason why Edmunds is plucked from Jr to gain Olympic exposure over Nagasu. The others are too old, there're some promising up and coming jr like Pitkeev, but Kovtun is like the Gracie Gold of Russia now. He has an impressive TES layout if he nails his programs. After seeing Javier make a miraculous comeback from his GPs, Kovtun might fare better at Sochi when expectations are drastically lowered, it seems he cannot take that type of pressure. A clean Kovtun is better than any other clean Russian atm....but he is the opposite of Lipnitskaia, he looked terrified even before the music, but I find it more human on his part that he is so transparent, fallible and insecure.

If Kovtun is sent it should be totally based on what he can do when he is at his best now. Planning for 2018 is really really inappropriate and wrong. It's a waste. It should not enter this conversation or the talk among Russian officials. Good decision to send Borodulin to Vancouver to prepare for Sochi! That was a great move! LOL. I don't agree with 2018 and yes "training" talk.

 

[Frenchie]

Olympics in Sochi is not training for peyongchang.

Olympics in Sochi is not Gala for Vancouver either.

 

[lavender]

Did Sergei have any transitions in his program. After the first half of skating into a jumping pass and footwork with a arm here and there I changed the channel.

 

[WeakAnkles]

The ISU has officially closed that loophole after Plushy's statements:
If the Russian man withdraws after the team event, there will be no Russian man at all allowed in the individual competition.

 

[gmyers]

Olympics in Sochi is not Gala for Vancouver either.

Yes and why voronov has made a great case.

 

[gmyers]

Did Sergei have any transitions in his program. After the first half of skating into a jumping pass and footwork with a arm here and there I changed the channel.

Theres a brief and small spread eagle move before a triple lutz.