2018-19 Russian Ladies' figure skating

[Fluture]

Radionova left Goncharenko to be coached by Buyanova, clearly hoping that Buyanova's reputation would get her into the team for major competitions.

Overall its a lot of Medvedeva drama, and old stuff including Pushy vs Yagudin and V/T. But the Goncharova part may be interesting.

Oh, my. That‘s pretty sad, actually. I guess I can understand that Goncharenko is sad. It‘s basically been a Evgenia Eteri situation with them. Knowing each other for so long, training together all the time. I wish Radio could have improved. She looks great on the ice but oh well, I guess she‘s pretty much done for now. There‘s just no chance for being Russian #3 with Sotskova, Pogo and Tsurskaya all being hungry for the spot. And as soon as Alena and Sasha turn senior? I guess she knows this. Especially after last season and not making the Olympic Team... Something like this really makes me sad. So many talented skaters and such a tiny amount of spots available. You know, someone like Polina or Elena... they‘d probably be the top leading lady in any other country. They‘d have their whole career ahead of them. But in Russia?

Oh, and besides, isn‘t Buyanova Sotskova‘s and Tsurskaya‘s trainer, too? Because then Buyanova‘s reputation‘s not going to help Radio anyway, because she already has two top ladies fighting for Russian #3... Poor Elena.

 

[vorravorra]

Well, we are basically discussing top coaches =)
For top coaches, medal winning students are an important source of income, i think we agree on this.
Damn, we have been chewing this for so long that I don`t even remember where we started =D

I think it was about how Orser would be less invested in Evgenia winning medals because he doesn't get a commission.

 

[Shayuki]

Radionova left Goncharenko to be coached by Buyanova, clearly hoping that Buyanova's reputation would get her into the team for major competitions.

I'm honestly not even sure why Buianova has any sort of a reputation at this point. Her skaters just come to her and regress. And if it's a CSKA thing, surely they could hire a better coach. Or promote a better one from within. Such a waste of resources and politicking.

 

[Spirals for Miles]

they could promote Davydov...Buyanova honestly really is awful at this point...

 

[xeyra]

- In your opinion, could Etere Tutberidze hold Alina Zagitova in juniors, as Medvedeva wanted?

I see even Russian journalists are running with the idea Zhenya requested Alina to stay in juniors instead of just blurting out something post-FS at the Olympics when she lost. :hopelessness:

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

To be fair...Kostner's been around so long that most of her fanbase is probably part of a generation that doesn't know how to internet...

Well that's what happens when a skater is talented and healthy and motivated enough to have actual longevity in this sport. Not every skater (mentioned in this thread and otherwise) can say that.

 

[Shayuki]

Well that's what happens when a skater is talented and healthy and motivated enough to have actual longevity in this sport. Not every skater (mentioned in this thread and otherwise) can say that.

Well that's what happens when a skater is a part of a federation with zero competition and hence is in no danger of ever missing the grand prix or any major championship participation. Not every skater can say that.

 

[vorravorra]

Oh, my. That‘s pretty sad, actually. I guess I can understand that Goncharenko is sad. It‘s basically been a Evgenia Eteri situation with them. Knowing each other for so long, training together all the time. I wish Radio could have improved. She looks great on the ice but oh well, I guess she‘s pretty much done for now. There‘s just no chance for being Russian #3 with Sotskova, Pogo and Tsurskaya all being hungry for the spot. And as soon as Alena and Sasha turn senior? I guess she knows this. Especially after last season and not making the Olympic Team... Something like this really makes me sad. So many talented skaters and such a tiny amount of spots available. You know, someone like Polina or Elena... they‘d probably be the top leading lady in any other country. They‘d have their whole career ahead of them. But in Russia?

Oh, and besides, isn‘t Buyanova Sotskova‘s and Tsurskaya‘s trainer, too? Because then Buyanova‘s reputation‘s not going to help Radio anyway, because she already has two top ladies fighting for Russian #3... Poor Elena.

There is another side to this story, namely that after Kovtun moved to Goncharenko, she made him her main project, and Lena was simply not getting enough attention. Goncharenko believed in Kovtun's Olympic chances more than in Radionova's. Lena eventually figured this out.

 

[Grin]

There is another side to this story, namely that after Kovtun moved to Goncharenko, she made him her main project, and Lena was simply not getting enough attention. Goncharenko believed in Kovtun's Olympic chances more than in Radionova's. Lena eventually figured this out.

I can't believe she made Kovtun her main project. Kovtun is an example of a skater without motivation who consistently ruins everything. Radio is so much better in every aspect. I won't be surprised if her average score was better than Kovtun's in the last 2 seasons.

 

[vorravorra]

I can't believe she made Kovtun her main project. Kovtun is an example of a skater without motivation who consistently ruins everything. Radio is so much better in every aspect. I won't be surprised if her average score was better than Kovtun's in the last 2 seasons.

Kovtun actually made it to Euros/Worlds in 2017, unlike Lena. And before his injury there was no reason to think he couldn't do it again. He didn't have to be objectively better, it is just there wasn't as much competition in men's skating.

 

[icetug]

Well that's what happens when a skater is a part of a federation with zero competition and hence is in no danger of ever missing the grand prix or any major championship participation. Not every skater can say that.

Well, if zero domestic competition means 14 seasons on top, with multiple medals, I wonder why Russians (and some other federations) bother to train still new skaters

 

[moriel]

Well, if zero domestic competition means 14 seasons on top, with multiple medals, I wonder why Russians (and some other federations) bother to train still new skaters

Because skaters want to skate.

 

[vorravorra]

Well, if zero domestic competition means 14 seasons on top, with multiple medals, I wonder why Russians (and some other federations) bother to train still new skaters

You could say zero domestic competition is a necessary condition but not a sufficient one. You have to actually be good, too. But with competition like in Russia you show a little weakness and you are out. With Zagitova and the pint-sized wonders people think Medvedeva is yesterday's news (for some people even Zagitova is yesterday's news), let alone someone like Radionova. Imagine if any of those were their Fed's only hope.

ETA: it's not just "some people" , it's Lakernik, for whom the current leaders of Russian ladies' skating are Trusova and Co. You win an OGM - thank you and good bye!

 

[tars]

You are talking about different things.
This is how i understand it(can be wrong).
Prize money is one thing, and it seems that coaches are getting 20-30% of that money(so if skater has won a tournament with 10000$ prize and they agreed with coach to pay 20% to them - skater will get 8000$ and coach will get 2000$).
The other thing is government bonus(es) for wins. Let's say, Alina won Olympics and got 4 million rubles for that from government. That means that government also pays 2 millions to the coach(if rate is 50%), but not from the skater's money. That's an additional money from government. So in this example Alina gets 4 millions, and Eteri gets 2 millions. Thats said, having two olympic medalists, Eteri most likely has got more money in total than any of actual medalists(or equal to what skaters have got if rate is 50%).

Oh, I see. Thanks for explanation. :thumbsup:

 

[tars]

I see even Russian journalists are running with the idea Zhenya requested Alina to stay in juniors instead of just blurting out something post-FS at the Olympics when she lost. :hopelessness:

From a moral standpoint, these are two sides of the same coin really.

 

[OswinOswald]

From a moral standpoint, these are two sides of the same coin really.

Assuming she really said that, saying it right after losing the OGM for 1.3 point is understandeable (I'm not pretending it's good, but I guess we can understand the reaction) ; asking it to the coach 6 months before is... not the same thing

 

[russianfan]

Assuming she really said that, saying it right after losing the OGM for 1.3 point is understandeable (I'm not pretending it's good, but I guess we can understand the reaction) ; asking it to the coach 6 months before is... not the same thing

Some people show their true selves when they're being so emotional...

 

[Lily flowers]

Some people show their true selves when they're being so emotional...

Some people sometimes say irrational things they don’t mean when they’re so emotional. You all saw what she was like when she got off the ice, she was literally sobbing!

Seriously people! Life isn’t black and white. Everyone says problematic things they never meant, everyone makes mistakes!

Don’t pretend you guys haven’t.

 

[OswinOswald]

Some people show their true selves when they're being so emotional...

Yeah you're right, but actually we know so little about that situation that I think the opinion literally depends on whether one supports Medvedeva or not I mean, we don't even know if she really said that...
And yet some people will think it's alright, she wasn't in her normal state of mind while others may think she's hypocrite and horrible. And we will never know who's right, so I think we can just agree that she shouldn't have said that (and again, IF she did) but we can't conclude anything about her from that story

 

[Shayuki]

Well, if zero domestic competition means 14 seasons on top, with multiple medals, I wonder why Russians (and some other federations) bother to train still new skaters

Huh? So what do you propose? That they only allow a couple to skate and tell the hundreds, no, thousands of others to give it up and quit? How cruel is that?

Also, Russia's been doing just fine when it comes to medal count lately.

Some people show their true selves when they're being so emotional...

But realize that saying such a thing out of frustration when there's no chance of it happening is a very different thing from actually suggesting it when it could happen.