2018-19 Russian Ladies' figure skating

[Sam-Skwantch]

Next year's big junior eligible names: Kamila Valieva, Daria Usacheva, Maya Kromykh (all Eteri's girls born in early 2006)
More juniors who can score huge: Alena Kanysheva, Ksenia Sinitsyna (her FS today almost made me cry, it was so good), and Viktoria Vasilieva if she stops being so underscored
More names who could've been sent but weren't that can score well: Viktoria Safonova, Anastasia Kostyuk (bad day for her but yesterday was sooo good)

They can always send the members of 3a who are left off of the national team to JWC too. It won’t do much for them at that point because they’ll already have the scores and reputation on the GP but I guess that might be the best option. It’s better than them not skating from December until next Test Skates.

I’ve seen most of the skaters above in at least one event but haven’t yet put them up there as unbeatable but I don’t follow skaters before the JGP closely enough to know. That’s why I have to ask

 

[EdRoz]

The best phrases of the season related to Russia are — "highly likely" and “she is done (add the name)"

 

[DeeDee18]

No one is done yet until they officially retire. Anyways, the juniors need to prove themselves at senior competitions first cause there are lots of examples of unsuccessful ones.

 

[Spirals for Miles]

Introducing your nationals qualifiers!
Note: I didn't use the points - I listed the placements, but did it according to their rules: first tiebreaker is total points, not highest placement

Juniors:
1. Trusova
2. Shcherbakova
3. Kostornaya
4. Tarakanova
5. Kanysheva
6. Tarusina
7. Sinitsyna
8. Vasilieva

9. Usacheva (1+2)
10. Valieva (1+3)
11. Shabotova (1+3)
12. Safonova (2+3)
13. Frolova (4+2)
14. Kostyuk (2+5)
15. Pavlova (3+6)
16. Vaitkus (4+5)
17. Smirnova (4+5)
18. Starodubtseva (5+8) - higher scores for 18th spot than Baranova with (6+7)

*they can put in Kromykh via coaches' council, and possibly Muravyeva as well*

Seniors:
1. Zagitova
2. Tuktamysheva
3. Medvedeva
4. Samodurova
5. Konstantinova
6. Tsurskaya
7. Sotskova
8. Radionova
9. Leonova
10. Panenkova

11. Trusova
12. Kostornaya
13. Shcherbakova
14. Tarakanova

15. Gulyakova (1+1)
16. Tarusina (2+2)
17. Gubanova (3+3)
18. Talalaikina (3+4 with highest score)

If Radionova WD, which seems likely at this point, Elizaveta Nugumanova (2+5) is in.

Alternates:
1. Nugumanova (2+5)
2. Shilenko (3+4)
3. Vasilieva (2+6)
4. Gracheva (4+4)
5. Sinitsyna (3+6)
6. Solovieva (4+5)

 

[Crazy27]

Tiny Boss 4Lz+3Lo
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqkV1ijCQUc/

 

[DanseMacabre]

Tiny Boss 4Lz+3Lo
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqkV1ijCQUc/

This girl is unreal. Guess no one told her that she, like every other female Russian skater if you believe the dreck in this thread, is done.

 

[Fluture]

Tiny Boss 4Lz+3Lo
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqkV1ijCQUc/

Sasha is so done. Honestly, can‘t you see it? Casually landing 4Lz-3Lo as if it was nothing, she definitely HAS to be done.

Nah, this is bananas. Sasha, are you even human or more of a tiny terminator?

 

[tinybluemoon]

The thing is - RusFed will have zero reason to keep old seniors next season - no matter how honored they are. Considering relative domination of japanese skaters this season - it would be too dangerous and foolish for them to try to hold own powerful juniors next season unless they want to turn that domination from relative to absolute. Also considering lack of season best scores high enough to guarantee GP spots next season for most current russian seniors - trying to rely mostly on them again next season would mean just abandoning most GP tournaments to foreign skaters - which would be suicidal for RusFed reputation.
Considering the above and the fact that current age rule is still allowing it - the most expected thing they would do is to try to upgrade to seniors as much juniors as their seasons best scores are allowing (to guarantee for them seniors GP spots). So all 3A Eteri girls going to seniors next season is a settled case already. As well as Tarusina. And all Tarakanova needs to go there as well - is to get that high enough SB score at GPF too. In case she would manage it - I am sure RusFed won't try to hold her next season even if it means 5 extra juniors going up. Because at least 5 seniors is dropping out from big game already (Radionova, Pogorilaya, Sotskova, Panenkova, Tsurskaya) and replacement is needed.

I'm not even going to read your response because I know what it says and it doesn't change the reality of the situation. It's RusFeds choice. Not Eteri's, not Anna's, not skate America, not the ISU (technically, it's their rules that allows it). To quote the ISU rules - Consequently, even if a skater has a high season's best, he or she may not be sent to any event if their country decides it already has enough skaters in a discipline. Now I love Anna and want to see her with Sasha and Alena - as I say all the time there are 3 medals, one for each of them, there's no reason all three can't succeed and no reason we can't support all three equally - but for reasons we have gone over time and time again, removing all emotion from the situation, logistically I can't see them putting Anna up next year. I hope they do, she absolutely deserves to, but looking at it from a business perspective it's more trouble than it's worth for all three girls to go up next year, let alone Tarakanova etc, and when you mix the business logistics with the political fallout of one girl jumping quads let alone two, it makes the most sense for Anna to be the one to leave back. Really unless they make some serious cuts even two girls will be hard to juggle with what they already have to deal with. This is Rusfeds fault, not any of the girls, but it will be the girls (all of them not just 3A) who will suffer the consequence and I suspect their will be some very broken hearts in the next couple of years as tough decisions have to be made.

And so what if Anna stays back? What happens if she stays back another season? It's 2019. It's the quiet bridging season which means pretty much nothing when it comes to working towards the next Olympics. The way I see it there is actually a lot of benefit to her staying back another year. She can hopefully get gold at jnr nationals, jnr worlds and jgpf, focus on what's best for her without worrying about having to keep up with what Sasha is doing (a.k.a Stabilize that quad combo without having to chuck the second one on just to try and beat someone) and she can be the rising star going into the 2020 season rather than getting lost in what will certainly be the Sasha show next season. I actually would be happy if Alena also stayed back for those reasons but I think she actually needs to be at senior level just because of how reliant she is on her PC score and doesn't have much room left to grow there as a junior.

 

[Elucidus]

I sometimes honestly don't get how people can say that a skater is done after 2 senior seasons ���� even the ones that are doing not that good now(Sotskova, Tsurskaya) or the ones that are not competing this season(Radionova, Pogorilaya), we don't know what will happen next season, we can predict but not know. Also if (russian) skaters are done from basically the moment they turn senior bc there are better juniors(which is why I think that juniors and seniors shouldn't be scored the same anyway) why don't we just eradicate the senior category all together ����

I wasn't talking about retiring btw. They all can be active skaters many years from now - it's their call, not mine. What I said is the fact that with their current SB score they wouldn't be able to participate in next season's GP - that's all. They can participate in challengers, trying their luck n nationals or skipping season to try to return GP spots later - who knows? My point was that with current state of affairs - there will be strong deficit of senior ladies next season in GP events - which is neccessary to replenish urgently.

However I disagree with this idea that “at least five” seniors are dropping out. Tuktamysheva has demonstrated that you can’t discount a skater who has a had a couple challenging seasons. She looks like Russia’s clear number 2 and could very well earn a medal at Worlds if she keeps her consistency (and may even up her TES based on her instagram). I’m also not sure we should count Sotskova out yet. I think she may have taken a lot of time off after the Olympics and starting school but she’s looking much improved. Today’s performance will be important but if she does well and continues to improve before nationals she could still be Russia’s number three.

See the above.

I'm not even going to read your response because I know what it says and it doesn't change the reality of the situation. It's RusFeds choice. Not Eteri's, not Anna's, not skate America, not the ISU (technically, it's their rules that allows it). To quote the ISU rules - Consequently, even if a skater has a high season's best, he or she may not be sent to any event if their country decides it already has enough skaters in a discipline. Now I love Anna and want to see her with Sasha and Alena - as I say all the time there are 3 medals, one for each of them, there's no reason all three can't succeed and no reason we can't support all three equally - but for reasons we have gone over time and time again, removing all emotion from the situation, logistically I can't see them putting Anna up next year. I hope they do, she absolutely deserves to, but looking at it from a business perspective it's more trouble than it's worth for all three girls to go up next year, let alone Tarakanova etc, and when you mix the business logistics with the political fallout of one girl jumping quads let alone two, it makes the most sense for Anna to be the one to leave back. Really unless they make some serious cuts even two girls will be hard to juggle with what they already have to deal with. This is Rusfeds fault, not any of the girls, but it will be the girls (all of them not just 3A) who will suffer the consequence and I suspect their will be some very broken hearts in the next couple of years as tough decisions have to be made.

See the above. Also again - you are just too pessimistic. There is zero profit in holding capable junior back when there are so much vacant spots in GP events needed to be filled by russian ladies. Holding Anna back would mean presenting the spot to foreign skaters instead - meaning less participating russian skaters per event - meaning less medals, rating and interest for TV coverage - meaning less money and sponsorship for RusFed. What benefit you can see for RusFed to hold her back that they are ready to pay for it by degrading their own presence in world fs scene?

 

[Arbitrary]

She's not done yet. Broken skates and a new pair is not enough. She may overcome it, yet not easy.

Sasha is so done. Honestly, can‘t you see it? Casually landing 4Lz-3Lo as if it was nothing, she definitely HAS to be done. [emoji23]

Nah, this is bananas. Sasha, are you even human or more of a tiny terminator? [emoji3]

 

[Fluture]

She's not done yet. Broken skates and a new pair is not enough. She may overcome it, yet not easy.

I have a bit of difficulty figuring out whether you are joking or not. In case you aren‘t, I wasn‘t being serious at all.

 

[neusw]

Sasha is so done. Honestly, can‘t you see it? Casually landing 4Lz-3Lo as if it was nothing, she definitely HAS to be done.

Nah, this is bananas. Sasha, are you even human or more of a tiny terminator?

Look like Sasha is the one who is so done with the 3lz-3Lo.

 

[Elucidus]

She's not done yet. Broken skates and a new pair is not enough. She may overcome it, yet not easy.

Broken skates? 0_0 Where you got this info?

 

[Arbitrary]

Discussed in her own thread. Also her YT channel states so.

Broken skates? 0_0 Where you got this info?

 

[Elucidus]

Look like Sasha is the one who is so done with the 3lz-3Lo.

It's perfect exercise to fight URs on a 4Lz - being the most expensive combination to boot :agree: On other hand one can only imagine how much stress her leg can receive when jumping it It should be insanely difficult :eeking:

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I wasn't talking about retiring btw. They all can be active skaters many years from now - it's their call, not mine. What I said is the fact that with their current SB score they wouldn't be able to participate in next season's GP - that's all. They can participate in challengers, trying their luck n nationals or skipping season to try to return GP spots later - who knows? My point was that with current state of affairs - there will be strong deficit of senior ladies next season in GP events - which is neccessary to replenish urgently.

That’s not how it works though is it? You don’t get assignments based on SB. You become eligible based on SB to get one spot but not guaranteed anything beyond that to my understanding. Only top 6 at WC are guaranteed two as seeded skaters and max of three spots per country per event (18 GP Spots) No matter whether RusFed sends up a single junior or not you can rest assured the depth and politicking is there to fill up each event with three skaters just like they have been doing. Maybe it is unlikely and unpopular to hold juniors back but I wouldn’t say it’s without any upside when seen from the federations point of view.

It’s an interesting angle to this season but also consider this...neither Anna or Anastasia have been to JWC and it’s likley one of them won’t go this year. I would expect to see them each at at least one JWC before becoming senior just like the rest of the juniors usually do.

See the above. Also again - you are just too pessimistic. There is zero profit in holding capable junior back when there are so much vacant spots in GP events needed to be filled by russian ladies. Holding Anna back would mean presenting the spot to foreign skaters instead - meaning less participating russian skaters per event - meaning less medals, rating and interest for TV coverage - meaning less money and sponsorship for RusFed. What benefit you can see for RusFed to hold her back that they are ready to pay for it by degrading their own presence in world fs scene?

I agree on a personal level that all of the juniors whooping on the feild could successfully transfer up without problem. I am a fan and I’ve seen and suppprted their success. But don’t understesimate the value of the JGP to the RusFed. Controlling that and especially the JGPF certainly improves the perception of Russian skating on the world FS scene. I’m not convinced anything is set in stone without seeing the whole season unfold but I don’t think keeping Anna and Anastasia back as insurance cards to lead and mentor the next wave of juniors is a fruitless endeavor. A lot will be depending on how that next wave is perceived as successors and the confidence in them to continue the dominance. Yet another interesting angle we gain from RusNats and JrNats not to mention Russian Cup final.

I seriously don’t know what will happen but don’t think anything is off the table at this point. Only time will tell.

ETA: I’d be fine with Sasha being held back. I primarily watch JGP now so it would be a huge convenience for me

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Tiny Boss 4Lz+3Lo
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqkV1ijCQUc/

She gives me life

 

[Sugar Coated]

I wasn't talking about retiring btw. They all can be active skaters many years from now - it's their call, not mine. What I said is the fact that with their current SB score they wouldn't be able to participate in next season's GP - that's all. They can participate in challengers, trying their luck n nationals or skipping season to try to return GP spots later - who knows? My point was that with current state of affairs - there will be strong deficit of senior ladies next season in GP events - which is neccessary to replenish urgently.


See the above.



See the above. Also again - you are just too pessimistic. There is zero profit in holding capable junior back when there are so much vacant spots in GP events needed to be filled by russian ladies. Holding Anna back would mean presenting the spot to foreign skaters instead - meaning less participating russian skaters per event - meaning less medals, rating and interest for TV coverage - meaning less money and sponsorship for RusFed. What benefit you can see for RusFed to hold her back that they are ready to pay for it by degrading their own presence in world fs scene?

I agree with all that now that I understand your points. To me its ridiculous to hold back the juniors given that 15-16 seems to be the age of their recent champions.

 

[pororocheburashka]

Anastasia Gulyakova won at her international debut (Warsaw Cup). Clapclap

 

[Lightstar]

Anastasia Gulyakova won at her international debut (Warsaw Cup). Clapclap

Does it count to the sb?