2018-19 Russian Men's figure skating

ankifeather said:

Just realised that the top placing Russian male since the Olympics changes for every competition:

Olympics - Dima
Worlds - Kolyada
Grand Prix - Voronov
Nationals - Kovtun
European - Samarin

There is a real Russian roulette going on...

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I don't envy the people who have to make the final call on the world team. I wouldn't want to be in that position with a hand full of skilled but unpredictable wildcards. You never know which one of them is going to shine and which is going to crumble.

ankifeather said:

Just realised that the top placing Russian male since the Olympics changes for every competition:

Olympics - Dima
Worlds - Kolyada
Grand Prix - Voronov
Nationals - Kovtun
European - Samarin

There is a real Russian roulette going on...

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Lazukin for Worlds

malya said:

Lazukin for Worlds

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In all seriousness, he'd probably be as good a choice as any (except Sergei of course). Waxel aside

What positions do the men have to finish to keep two spots?

ankifeather said:

Just realised that the top placing Russian male since the Olympics changes for every competition:

Olympics - Dima
Worlds - Kolyada
Grand Prix - Voronov
Nationals - Kovtun
European - Samarin

There is a real Russian roulette going on...

Click to expand...

Nevermind, Gumennik era is coming.

Plushy suggested to send himself & Yags to worlds!!:agree:

https://rsport.ria.ru/20190126/1549968447.html

Sugarpova said:

Plushy suggested to send himself & Yags to worlds!!:agree:

https://rsport.ria.ru/20190126/1549968447.html

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Oh my, Plushenko must be really upset about the state of things to say something positive about Yagudin

Sugarpova said:

Plushy suggested to send himself & Yags to worlds!!:agree:

https://rsport.ria.ru/20190126/1549968447.html

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Well ... at this point ... not a bad idea... if they faill no one will be surprise and they have a good excuse ...

For me the WT:
_ Voronov
_ Samarin
_ well ... I don't know ... some skater that just know how to land their jumps even without Quads .. or some junior like .. Petr Gumennik

Watch said:

Oh my, Plushenko must be really upset about the state of things to say something positive about Yagudin

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Really?Or vica versa...If you would know their story... Plushenko was the patient and he praised Yagudin for many years. He invited Yagudin in his birthday show, etc.

Sugarpova said:

Plushy suggested to send himself & Yags to worlds!!:agree:

https://rsport.ria.ru/20190126/1549968447.html

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This is hilarious and sad at the same time...ah, the golden age of Russian men's skating.

gmyers said:

I meant to have more of a distinction! Kolayda was destroyed for not winning and Samarin is destroyed for having no artistry. So Kolyada has no career now and Samarin will likely have a bad worlds because he’s human! He’s hearing he has no talent.

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Samarin has tons of talent, you don’t jump like that without it. He just needs time to become a better performer.

The more people hate on him the more I’m determined to like him.

DSQ said:

Samarin has tons of talent, you don’t jump like that without it. He just needs time to become a better performer.

The more people hate on him the more I’m determined to like him.

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Samarin is very awkward in his skating, but he gets so much flak for something only time and hard work can make better that I have a soft spot for him too. Don't see much of a reason to hate skaters anyway.

coldblueeyes said:

Samarin is very awkward in his skating, but he gets so much flak for something only time and hard work can make better that I have a soft spot for him too. Don't see much of a reason to hate skaters anyway.

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i think he's kinda improving, his SP performance is not bad at all imo, like in IdF his step sequence is beautifully performed, but his FS is still meh though.

If I have to choose Samarin will be my first choice, who no matter the lack of any artistry is stable this season. If Sergei is fine and in a good shape they should send him as second. If I have to choose between Misha and Max for the third spot, I will give it to Misha mainly because I like his skating a lot and because even if he decides instead of quads to do just triples with his levels and geo on anything else, he will make a very good placement , but he tends to bomb triples as well so he should make a risk and see what will happen on the day. But we should not forget that behind every choice of RU fed there is interest, so if Boyanova is with better connections Max will go no matter the bombing, because you know they also have official reason to send him by him winning the RU nationals.

RemyRose said:

National Qualifiers

Junior Men (18 spots)

Selection through JGP (automatic entry)
1. Danielian
2. Rukhin
3. Savosin
4. Kovalev
5. Murashov
6. Iakovlev
7. Mozalev
8. Vetlugin
9. Gumennik

Selection through Cups events, in order of qualification
1. Samsonov
2. Yablokov
3. Sviridenko
4. Dikidzhi
5. Lutfullin
6. Kunitsa
7. Polianskii
8. Golubev
9. Kutovoi

*Require selection through coaching council (not selected through GP, JGPF or Cup events)
1. Erokhov

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Turns out, the Russian fed did not replace anyone here for Erokhov. He was added as the 19th competitor! No one else was added/substituted out.
https://www.fsrussia.ru/files/docs/competitons/1819/junnat1819_training_groups.pdf

This account will have live streams https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7IvcuUJ4AH19WO4Om-44JA

Individual videos should post here
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVG9wCWOS6NbuRrQxMvAnzA

Sam L said:

Nevermind, Gumennik era is coming.

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When he doesn’t win his first GP event he’ll be labeled a “horrible loser” by all in Russian Federation

DSQ said:

Samarin has tons of talent, you don’t jump like that without it. He just needs time to become a better performer.

The more people hate on him the more I’m determined to like him.

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For most people in Skating commentary jumps are completely passé! That’s why no one is impressed until artistry is established! So Samarin is not congratulated by anyone for his jumps but relentlessly destroyed by all for lack of artistry. No one cares about his jumps

Anyone know what's happened to Makar Ignatov? albeit some stamina issues last year he showed a lot of promise

Step Sequence4 said:

Anyone know what's happened to Makar Ignatov? albeit some stamina issues last year he showed a lot of promise

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I post all his updates in his fan thread.

The president of the Russian Figure Skating Federation, Alexander Gorshkov, told Russian media that they will name their World team following the Russian Cup Final (February 18-22). It is safe to assume that they will look at their substitutes and check on the form of the others.
Alexander Samarin I think has earned his spot on the team. I also think Mikhail Kolyada should be selected, at least he showed his potential in the short program and he still finished fifth, which is obviously below expectations, but not as bad as it could have been. He sprained his wrist badly, but he nevertheless finished his performance (BTW, if he had stopped and withdrawn from the competition, Russia would have lost the third spot in the Men's with Maxim Kovtun dropping as far as he did).
I guess the Federation will look closely at Maxim and depending on how he looks and how the potential substitutes look, they might exchange him. However, Viktor Kudriavtsev said in an interview that the three men from Europeans should go to Worlds, but should prove their readiness at the Cup Final. Mikhail actually planned to attend another competition in Tallinn at the same time, don't know now if he will be sent to the Cup Final instead or if it doesn't matter where he competes as long as he competes somewhere.

Basically it is as others have said - none of the Russian men are consistent. With good performances, Mikhail Kolyada and Dmitri Aliev will be the highest scoring. I don't think it would make sense to send Andrei Lazukin to Worlds - because of low world standings, he'll skate early and he has no experience. If he makes mistakes, he might not even make the free skating, because he cannot rely on high components to save him. The juniors - also very risky. In my opinion, in addition to Kolyada, Samarin and Kovtun it only makes sense to look at Aliev and Voronov for Worlds. But I don't know how Sergei Voronov has recovered from his injury, if he is back training etc.

starla16 said:

so will they sub Kovtun for Aliev or Lazukin ?
hes hitting the 198-220 range again in international, talk about all the hype.

If they want to keep 3 spots they have to gamble with Aliev maybe.
Kolyada is a headcase too, anyways Kolyada will be of no use once Gumennik and Samsonov hit seniors.

Gumennik will be senior next year then maybe Samsonov before 2022 Olympics.

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Gumennik missed Nationals this season, I am not sure if they plan Seniors next season. If they are wise they should let him develop before throwing him in the meat grinder that is Russian senior men's skating. He also needs to add more quads - or, rather, they will make him add more quads if they decide he is promising enough, it's Russia after all. And the number of things that can happen to Samsonov till he turns senior... I think it's way too early to talk about him.

On the subject of more quads, I have found people seriously saying "Why didn't the Fed tell Samarin's coach not to put 4F into the SP, Kolyada's not to put 4S into the LP, Kovtun's to do fewer quads etc." Do people think men's coaches in Russia are just all inveterate gamblers by nature and poor Fed is desperately looking for a way to keep their impulses in check? :confused2: