2015-16 State of Russian Ladies skating

[mrrice]

It's a skill based sport. Sharapova's game plays into Serena's strengths. To trouble Serena, you need to hit with different pace and different spins and expose her weakness like her footwork around the ball. You can't try to outhit her.

Someone who did very well against Serena like that was Justine Henin.

In men's tennis, I could see the use for certain endurance drugs because they play gruelling 5 set matches. But ultimately in tennis, your destiny is determined by skill. Moreso in figure skating imo.

You're completely right about Justine. She was the perfect balance of finesse and strength. Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland is probably the closest to playing like Justine right now and has been as high as #2 in the World. However, She lacks the power that Justine had and though she's won some big tournament's. She's yet to win a Grand Slam.

 

[humbaba]

But it's about risk and reward. Beneficial doesn't mean it's going to make you win medals. It's not like in track and cycling where you can take a drug and cut down your times. Is it worth it to take this risk for what may be a benefit? In a sport like figure skating?

Improved endurance and work capacity can be very beneficial in a high skill sport. A drug that allows an athlete to train harder and longer can lead to better honed skills. Also, skills deteriorate when the body is tired. A drug that effectively combats fatigue could result in more productive practices or even better performance in competition.

 

[solani]

That's weird reasoning. Training can last perhaps two hours, whereas competition program is four minutes. One shouldn't be that thirsty from four minutes program, but one can get very thirsty when exercising for two hours.

Maybe it's weird, but it would explain why the Russian coaches don't allow their students to drink much during training.

 

[hanca]

Maybe it's weird, but it would explain why the Russian coaches don't allow their students to drink much during training.

No, it doesn't explain it. When I used to train, I would drink a litre of water during two hours training. (I obviously didn't drink the whole litre at one go, but very frequent small sips. No more than two or three times to swallow. And yet I never had a problem with feeling thirsty at the competition. If you don't drink, you get dehydrated, you may get cramps, you definitely are not at the top of your performance levels.

 

[solani]

So you also didn't drink much before competing? I wouldn't consider a litre during two hours of training much. Maybe it's a historical thing with the Russian coaches and drinking? I remember when I was a small kid, drinking wasn't considered to be that important. On a hiking day we didn't drink water, only horribly sweet juices and never more than half a litre.

 

[hanca]

No, I didn't drink that much when competing. I had the usual amount of drink for breakfast/lunch/ dinner, and just before going on the ice I would have just a sip or two so that my mouth isn't dry, but I didn't have an urge to drink any bigger amount. When I got off the ice, I drunk but I didn't feel I needed that much before.

 

[concorde]

I have to think that someone some where thinks it is a performance enhancer - why else would trainers be giving to so many athletes? And I thought for medical uses, I thought it was only to be used short term, it was not intended to be a "vitamin supplement."

The more I hear, the more I question - the 1/2 life is typically hours but now some say it would it could be days? That just does not make any sense. Yes - there would be some differences depending on the individual but nothing like that.

Something smells way too fishy. You know what they say, where there is smoke, there is fire.

I watched a video awhile back about the East Germans and their "supplement vitamin program" before the 1980 Olympics. Those poor women; they were never told what they were given and the long term damage to them was horrible.

 

[SarahSynchro]

That's weird reasoning. Training can last perhaps two hours, whereas competition program is four minutes. One shouldn't be that thirsty from four minutes program, but one can get very thirsty when exercising for two hours.

But you have to remember that doing a program run through is the most strenuous part in training, its when the athlete's heart, lungs and muscles are working overtime. That's the skater doing ALL the components of their training - choreography, footwork, spins, jumps - non-stop for 4+ minutes. I speak from my life experience as a figure skater: I was more winded and out of breath after a full run through of my program than I would've been if I was working on double flips with my coach, practicing my spins, or working on small sections of my program. I am asthmatic as well, so a long glup of water and a couple puffs from my inhaler were always a must after a run through. I would always sip water here and there throughout an entire practice, but I found I always needed to re-hydrate and replenish after run throughs.

 

[silverlake22]

Sorry but I just cannot see why a figure skater would risk getting banned by taking meldonium or in fact, any substance. Do you guys honestly think that Tukt had any benefits at all by using meldonium?

Tuk took it last season when it was legal. If it wasn't banned, she probably didn't know it was dangerous.

 

[Tyranid]

Tuk took it last season when it was legal. If it wasn't banned, she probably didn't know it was dangerous.

She should take Medvedonate® with medvedonium.

It cures purberty, gets rid of unneccesary curves, is proven to work in competitions, and is not on WADA's ban list!!! :agree:

We gotta stay in the game now that our meldonium got disctiminantly banned! Get Sot, Rad, and Lip on this stuff! :agree2:

 

[SarahSynchro]

I apologize if this is answered multiple times in other threads, but I haven't had any luck with finding them, so I will ask in here: What happened to Polina and Alisa at junior worlds? They both had to withdraw?

 

[frida80]

I apologize if this is answered multiple times in other threads, but I haven't had any luck with finding them, so I will ask in here: What happened to Polina and Alisa at junior worlds? They both had to withdraw?

Both of the got injured and had to withdraw.

 

[SarahSynchro]

Both of the got injured and had to withdraw.

Thank you. Oh dear, that's too bad. What was the nature of their injuries? I see Alisa at least competed in the short program and placed first, was she injured during her skate? Where and when did Polina get injuries?

 

[frida80]

Thank you. Oh dear, that's too bad. What was the nature of their injuries? I see Alisa at least competed in the short program and placed first, was she injured during her skate? Where and when did Polina get injuries?

I don't know. I know Polina had a sprained ankle just before the competition. No details on Alisa's injuries yet.

 

[Lucky Star]

I don't know. I know Polina had a sprained ankle just before the competition. No details on Alisa's injuries yet.

Alisa has a similar injury, but got it during off-ice warm up before the FS. Such a bad luck

 

[Seruleane]

Are Polina, Alisa, and Maria (Sotskova) all eligible for Sr. World Championships next year, or will it just be Polina? It will be so exciting (and a complete blood bath) when all the Jr. Russians become Sr. I feel like it could be anyone's game at that point. I'm excited, but feel bad for the girls to be under such tough competition. The 2016 Olympics will be so exciting with all the young Russian and Japanese talent! I hope the US will have someone a bit more reliable by then...

 

[Layback11]

Are Polina, Alisa, and Maria (Sotskova) all eligible for Sr. World Championships next year, or will it just be Polina? It will be so exciting (and a complete blood bath) when all the Jr. Russians become Sr. I feel like it could be anyone's game at that point. I'm excited, but feel bad for the girls to be under such tough competition. The 2016 Olympics will be so exciting with all the young Russian and Japanese talent! I hope the US will have someone a bit more reliable by then...

Maria definitely is and did a Senior B earlier this season. I don't think Alisa or Polina are.

 

[winky97]

Are Polina, Alisa, and Maria (Sotskova) all eligible for Sr. World Championships next year, or will it just be Polina? It will be so exciting (and a complete blood bath) when all the Jr. Russians become Sr. I feel like it could be anyone's game at that point. I'm excited, but feel bad for the girls to be under such tough competition. The 2016 Olympics will be so exciting with all the young Russian and Japanese talent! I hope the US will have someone a bit more reliable by then...

Just Maria will be age eligible for Sr. worlds next year. I know she is not considered one of the superstars but I like her. I think it might be the personality. I hope she has a successful skating career.

 

[boskil]

Every single Russian junior lady eligible for international competitions next year, should welcome Maria Sotskova in Moscow airport with flowers, flags and loud cheering.

True hero!

 

[Layback11]

Every single Russian junior lady eligible for international competitions next year, should welcome Maria Sotskova in Moscow airport with flowers, flags and loud cheering.

True hero!

:yes: