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Right! You reminded me of Leonova. However, for some reason, Leonova gives me the impression that shes more serious about competing and trying to stay relevant as compared to Adelina
2016-17 State of Russian Ladies skating
- Thread starter moriel
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Right! You reminded me of Leonova. However, for some reason, Leonova gives me the impression that shes more serious about competing and trying to stay relevant as compared to Adelina
I agree that Leonova indeed gives the impression that she is trying, but the results are not much different from Adelina's. And Leonova is only worlds medalist, whereas Adelina is still reigning Olympic champion, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were giving Adelina the benefits of doubt for at least another two years (till the next Olympics).Right! You reminded me of Leonova. However, for some reason, Leonova gives me the impression that shes more serious about competing and trying to stay relevant as compared to Adelina
Even the music is horrible, sorry.
She should change the coach as soon as possible: Buyanova has Sotskova and Pitkeev now, Adelina is like Julia last year at Sambo70.
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Adelina doesn't seem like she is fully committed to continuing as an amateur. I don't think she entered the GP, which would be fine if she were from a country without a lot of competition but when potentially 3 or 4 skaters from Russia can make the GPF, she enters her nationals far behind the field. She is a great performer but her jumps are so far from where they need to be to make a world team that it's kind of pointless.
But wasn't Leonova still on the main team when the majority of the Russian stars weren't fully age-eligible for the senior ranks? Big difference from where Russia is now.
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You should watch how she performed the program in Japan during the summer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27jVjeHgGxY
It is very original and I can watch it again and again even without jumps.
It is very original and I can watch it again and again even without jumps.
Even the music is horrible, sorry.
She should change the coach as soon as possible: Buyanova has Sotskova and Pitkeev now, Adelina is like Julia last year at Sambo70.
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Why would Adelina change coaches when she isn't 100% committed to competing seriously anyway? I like the program she's doing, but she looks slow. She has some of the best skating skills in the current field but her trademark speed is lacking and she looks somewhat labored. Lack of fitness is why she isn't landing any jumps, I'm guessing.
What a heartbreaker for me. I'd love to see her at the top of her game and playing spoiler among the younger ladies. People can complain about the Sochi result all they want, but IMO the only terrible thing about Adelina's win is that it means we aren't getting a chance to see a mature Adelina with all her jumps. She's really developed artistically since 2014.
What a heartbreaker for me. I'd love to see her at the top of her game and playing spoiler among the younger ladies. People can complain about the Sochi result all they want, but IMO the only terrible thing about Adelina's win is that it means we aren't getting a chance to see a mature Adelina with all her jumps. She's really developed artistically since 2014.
Her program is AWFUL!! My eardrums are still ringing. Anyway, it's an exhibition program with mostly spins and very few jumps, so it's not a competition program. She looks out of shape---even in a black costume, she is rather er---hippy.
Leonova always has at least one program that's a crowd pleaser. She knows how to sell herself. Can't say the same for Sot.
Leonova always has at least one program that's a crowd pleaser. She knows how to sell herself. Can't say the same for Sot.
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The program still looked labored in parts during the Japan show, and its a little depressing that she has been skating this program in shows and it looks as labored as it did in the training camp. At least before we knew that we she skated this program in show(s) we could suggest that it looked labored because she was trying to remember the choreography or was still unfamiliar with it.
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- Jun 27, 2012
Thank you first of all for starting this, a most compelling topic!
However, I'd like to add a couple of caveats to look out for in discussing topics here, since we are just a season away from the next Olympics (already?!?!). Some factors to consider in the last 2010-14 cycle:
1. Adelina was considered a challenger to the title, not a favourite, and she took it all home when it counted on those two nights in February 2014. The stars aligned.
2. Yulia was not considered to even make the team when the quadrennial started, she was still in the novice / junior stages but was a superstar by the time worlds ended in March 2014.
3. Liza was considered a challenger along with Adel, winning GP medals and making podium at Euros early on. By Dec 2013 the dream of going to Sochi was put on (hypothetical) ice, and she then staged that staggeringly good comeback a year later. She delivered all throughout and bombed out when it was time for the Olympic trials.
4. Leonova was the next star, making top 10 in Vancouver 2010 but reduced to an alternate in Sochi, even though less than two years prior she was 2nd in the entire world.
5. Makarova was also pegged as a next star, national champ heading into 2010, all but vanished by spring 2013.
The general discourse at the time was uncertainty over whether Russian ladies could send two or three good candidates to Sochi, and they ended up with two gold medalists. But no one would have seen or even predicted that in Vancouver. Now there is a mad crush for the podium. We can speculate all we like, but until the ladies take the ice and post results things are unsettled. Heck, Anna P went from those dismal falls at NHK to world bronze within four months, so anything is possible!
I look forward to checking in on this thread.
However, I'd like to add a couple of caveats to look out for in discussing topics here, since we are just a season away from the next Olympics (already?!?!). Some factors to consider in the last 2010-14 cycle:
1. Adelina was considered a challenger to the title, not a favourite, and she took it all home when it counted on those two nights in February 2014. The stars aligned.
2. Yulia was not considered to even make the team when the quadrennial started, she was still in the novice / junior stages but was a superstar by the time worlds ended in March 2014.
3. Liza was considered a challenger along with Adel, winning GP medals and making podium at Euros early on. By Dec 2013 the dream of going to Sochi was put on (hypothetical) ice, and she then staged that staggeringly good comeback a year later. She delivered all throughout and bombed out when it was time for the Olympic trials.
4. Leonova was the next star, making top 10 in Vancouver 2010 but reduced to an alternate in Sochi, even though less than two years prior she was 2nd in the entire world.
5. Makarova was also pegged as a next star, national champ heading into 2010, all but vanished by spring 2013.
The general discourse at the time was uncertainty over whether Russian ladies could send two or three good candidates to Sochi, and they ended up with two gold medalists. But no one would have seen or even predicted that in Vancouver. Now there is a mad crush for the podium. We can speculate all we like, but until the ladies take the ice and post results things are unsettled. Heck, Anna P went from those dismal falls at NHK to world bronze within four months, so anything is possible!
I look forward to checking in on this thread.
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Given their less-than-friendly history (if you believe all the rumors) and Yulia leaving Eteri mid-season, this would add extra ongoing intrigue to the competition!
Buyanova remains very much committed to Adelina. It's just that at this point in her career, Adelina has different priorities.Even the music is horrible, sorry.
She should change the coach as soon as possible: Buyanova has Sotskova and Pitkeev now, Adelina is like Julia last year at Sambo70.
I actually disagree on the music and costumes. I think it would be a good fit for someone who can really sell the program. This is for Lambiel, Mao, Ashley, someone who really brings the element of dark, dramatic performance. Here it just looks laboured and she's not enjoying herself. Adelina needs not just power but a sense of playfulness and joy, it's what sold her two skates well in Sochi. Nice to branch out, but this was just a failed experiment. This is too heavy and dramatic for her. As for her black costume, it's cut the wrong way. She's in incredible shape but the costume is so terrible that they should burn it.
Adelina's "Latin" program doesn't suit her at all. She's much more effortless in this lighter number (with a stunning costume!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdFaZpLtgCc
Is there a rule that says a skater HAS to start the season with the GP's?
The important comps are nationals, euros, worlds and olympics
There's no rule, but I think what a skater might miss out on is if a program isn't great, they don't receive that early feedback to make changes and modify as needed to make the programs work well. Then they end up at the big competitions and it's there when the deficiencies showed. An example was (let's not hijack the thread) Sochi, when Adelina had a terrible GPF in Dec but made up for it in nationals and Euros before OG. Yuna was injured and had to miss the GP series unfortunately, it's not her fault but she did miss an opportunity to test her programs on the GP series / GPF and maybe modify her jump layout and elements so that she could maximize her points. The deficiency (despite the beautiful, error-free skate) showed up in Sochi. Judging aside, it's that early opportunity to "test run" programs that suffers.
Anyhow, Adelina has said her skating is her job and she does it to support her family, especially her sister's health, so if she is obliged or would like to cash in her on her celebrity by performing, then more power to her. She will always be a star in the skating world (or at the very least in Russia). It's just a matter of priorities and competition just isn't as big an incentive when you've already won the ultimate prize.
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