2018-19 Russian Ladies' figure skating

[Fluture]

I guess it depends on their motivations. If they're motivated by results, might as well retire. If they're motivated internally and by competing, they could very well stay around. But the power trio will definitely be big threats to podiums everywhere

Power Trio indeed. I like that name for them.

But I still have to disagree with one of the things you said here.

“If they’re motivated by results might as well retire“

First of all, what are results really? Is it really just a World medal or can’t it be a medal on the GP series as well? And the next thing is: I‘m a bit confused... whom are we talking about here exactly? Medvedeva and Zagitova? Or someone like Carolina Kostner and Kaetlyn Osmond? Because I was referring to the latter. They likely won‘t care which Russians are on top at the momenz because they‘ll keep their spots on the National team anyway and they‘ve always had lots of strong skaters to compete against. So, that‘s whom I meant with when I said “if they‘re going to retire they‘ll not do it out of fear of the Russians but because it’s their choice and they‘d do it anyway“ With Medvedeva and Zagitova... well, that could be a different case. We don‘t know what the future brings and as competitive as they both are... I don‘t see them being content with not going to Worlds and Euros anymore. I think they‘ll both put up a tough fight. Medvedeva wants Beijing. I‘m not sure what Alina wants but for the moment it seems like she intends to stay around for a bit longer. So, yeah, I agree, the Power Trio is really, really, REALLY tough to beat and it will be interesting to see what our current seniors try to stay on top.

 

[Spirals for Miles]

I can finally watch all programs from the test skates, but i found only these available here

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDsMG2V6EJBX81wUn5S5Emw

Does anyone know if there is some other channel with other videos?

Anyway first impressions: i'm so confused. First of all, how Chistakova was there and not Anastasia Kostyuk or Liza Nugumanova? Then i'm not going to judge the jumps cause it's still early in the season, you can clearly see most of the skaters running out of gas at the end of their programs.

Alena Kostornaya -> based on the rumors i was expecting two horrible programs and instead they weren't that bad, SP looks nice based on what i saw, FP maybe too many cuts but it's R&J (safe pick), this time with the VOs similar to Radionova's Titanic because why not?

Anastasia Tarakanova -> Dear Plushenko, i hope you know that being a girl skating for Russia nowadays means that you have to have world champion-level of programs, otherwise you're not competitive. Based on that, how can Imagine Dragons ever be a good choice for a free program? The SP is nice.

Alena Kanysheva -> can't find the SP. The FS is fine, nothing spectacular but at least it's not tacky, she looks in good shape already.

Anna Shcherbakova -> my favourite. (skater and programs) the only thing maybe fix the steps sequence, slow down the music cause i don't know if she can keep up.

Alexandra Trusova -> the SP is perfect, it suits her style. The FP maybe not my cup of tea but the quads are very impressive indeed.

Kostyuk was there
Also, fluture: it was just a hypothetical competitor, I think all of the top ladies are intrinsically motivated anyway. But yeah, I think Medvedeva and Zagitova will not be happy to stay in Russia and will fight harder than they thought they could just to get to the big stages.

 

[Sugar Coated]

Anastasia Tarakanova -> Dear Plushenko, i hope you know that being a girl skating for Russia nowadays means that you have to have world champion-level of programs, otherwise you're not competitive. Based on that, how can Imagine Dragons ever be a good choice for a free program? The SP is nice.

Wakaba’s Skyfall program was the best program of last year in my opinion, so it’s possible for an Imagine Dragons program to be competitive if done right.

 

[Elucidus]

She could win a at Bratislava even with a fall on the quad lutz.

Hm, if I would be betting money - I would bet on Tarusina, honestly speaking Sorry but I just don't believe in her stable 4Lz yet - it requires at least a year of falls to train it enough (as Trusova example shown us). Also Scherbakova is prone to disaster skates after one fall - unfortunately she isn't as cold-blooded as Sasha and it's hard for her to keep skating in public like nothing happened.

 

[Spirals for Miles]

*knocks on wood* I so want Shcherbakova to do well, but we have to remember that she's been injured and it's miraculous that she's even attempting a quad now. And we also have to remember that she's not Sasha, who seems to be more naturally fearless and unreserved (not that Anya is fearful at all but more so than Sasha) so it's easier for her to keep going with the falls and the quads. But I do so want Shcherbakova to do well

 

[BillNeal]

Also, fluture: it was just a hypothetical competitor, I think all of the top ladies are intrinsically motivated anyway. But yeah, I think Medvedeva and Zagitova will not be happy to stay in Russia and will fight harder than they thought they could just to get to the big stages.

You sure you weren't alluding to a certain female competitor here? :think:

I do too
And a lot of GP skipping that turns into full-season skipping

 

[Tolstoj]

Wakaba’s Skyfall program was the best program of last year in my opinion, so it’s possible for an Imagine Dragons program to be competitive if done right.

I don't understand the comparison, Skyfall is orchestrated, it suits soo much better for Figure Skating.

Apart from that, this program looks literally like: "let's put a loud pop music with an extremely simplistic choreography".

I hope i'm wrong.

 

[Amei]

I am totally serious. But I can`t imagine eteri letting destroy the repution of her top senior by her own pupils. so maybe she will only send kostornia because she is the oldest and everything will be fine for alina because she will get the olympic PCS and GOE push.

Who are all of Eteri's senior skaters? From what I know it's only Alina and Elizabet, the latter doesn't skate for Russia so she doesn't really factor into the Russian Nationals equation. Medvedeva isn't Eteri's student anymore. From past behavior, Eteri doesn't seem to have 'loyalty' to a skater; she's gonna put the skaters that are eligible and capable of winning and if one of her up and comers beats what was her shining star she seems okay with that.

And call me naive, but I don't see how it would destroy the reputation of her top senior for Alina to lose to a couple Jr skaters doing quads

 

[Shayuki]

I don't understand the comparison, Skyfall is orchestrated, it suits soo much better for Figure Skating.

Apart from that, this program looks literally like: "let's put a loud pop music with an extremely simplistic choreography".

I hope i'm wrong.

As it was there, the Imagine Dragons program was very very bad in my opinion. Nothing was going on, nothing fit the music. There was nothing, really. And the song itself isn't IMO good for skating. It just doesn't have highlights.

 

[Elucidus]

http://i102.fastpic.ru/big/2018/0810/58/_b697f2d7520b131d2df373bf6119f158.jpg
group photo (HD version)

 

[cohen-esque]

As it was there, the Imagine Dragons program was very very bad in my opinion. Nothing was going on, nothing fit the music. There was nothing, really. And the song itself isn't IMO good for skating. It just doesn't have highlights.

There are a few moments that could serve as highlights but she just skated right through them, and they’re pretty repetitive. As befits a pop song, I guess. I agree that it’s bad, especially compared to what she gave us last season.

But I have hope that she can make it better when she’s totally healthy and recovered based on the step sequence, which I thought was really the best part by far, and her ending spin is also pretty neat. I just hope she gets enough chances to compete with it after her showing here.

To dig into the PCS language for CO a little, her ice coverage wasn’t so bad and her “multidimensional use of space and design of movements” wasn’t awful either. Some positives for her to build on.

 

[Sugar Coated]

I don't understand the comparison, Skyfall is orchestrated, it suits soo much better for Figure Skating.

Apart from that, this program looks literally like: "let's put a loud pop music with an extremely simplistic choreography".

I hope i'm wrong.

I’m not arguing that the program is good as of right now. Just responding to the idea that Imagine Dragons could never be used to make a strongly competitive program. I actually think that the music during the hook has a lot of potential for choreography if done right.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I don't understand the comparison, Skyfall is orchestrated, it suits soo much better for Figure Skating.

Apart from that, this program looks literally like: "let's put a loud pop music with an extremely simplistic choreography".

I hope i'm wrong.

Not much to consider really. She missed a lot of training time resulting in her stamina and conditioning not being where it was last season. This program is only a few weeks old too. . I don’t have high expectations this season but just hope to see a steady improvement back to what we know she’s capable of. I’d be happy just to see that. Injuries happen and don’t always line up with the season in ways that benefit a skater.

I actually like the potential of the program and am pretty confident we’ll see her improve as the season goes on. She’s got a lot of charisma to offer once she hits her full stride. Really though...considering where we were a few weeks ago I’m glad to see she made it and is training even if the layouts are not up to what we’ve come to expect from her.....yet

 

[AshWagsFan]

Can I just say, I’ve watched Sasha’s long multiple times, and I’ve tried to like it but I’m not a fan. There’s way to much pantomiming, and unfortunately, her quads were pre-rotated... hopefully we will see the program improve over the season, but I don’t like it:noshake:

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Can I just say, I’ve watched Sasha’s long multiple times, and I’ve tried to like it but I’m not a fan. There’s way to much pantomiming, and unfortunately, her quads were pre-rotated... hopefully we will see the program improve over the season, but I don’t like it:noshake:

 

[bmcc102]

Can I just say, I’ve watched Sasha’s long multiple times, and I’ve tried to like it but I’m not a fan. There’s way to much pantomiming, and unfortunately, her quads were pre-rotated... hopefully we will see the program improve over the season, but I don’t like it:noshake:

I agree completely. I think the music is awful. I know it's from the 5th Element, but I just really don't think it makes a great piece of music for skating. It goes... no where.

 

[zounger]

Can I just say, I’ve watched Sasha’s long multiple times, and I’ve tried to like it but I’m not a fan. There’s way to much pantomiming, and unfortunately, her quads were pre-rotated... hopefully we will see the program improve over the season, but I don’t like it:noshake:

To say I don't like the program I understand it, but way to much pantomiming? There is actually only one moment of pantomiming in the beginning and I find it very cool. she is 14 after all not 25. If someone 25 years old done that I would have said yes this is more for EX rather than competitive program. Or maybe I have the wrong definition of pantomiming.

 

[moriel]

I agree completely. I think the music is awful. I know it's from the 5th Element, but I just really don't think it makes a great piece of music for skating. It goes... no where.

She will be the first lady to land 3 quads in competition, hopefully, and I dont care lols

 

[alvina9894]

To say I don't like the program I understand it, but way to much pantomiming? There is actually only one moment of pantomiming in the beginning and I find it very cool. she is 14 after all not 25. If someone 25 years old done that I would have said yes this is more for EX rather than competitive program. Or maybe I have the wrong definition of pantomiming.

That was actually my favorite part of the programme aside from the jumps.

 

[moriel]

Who are all of Eteri's senior skaters? From what I know it's only Alina and Elizabet, the latter doesn't skate for Russia so she doesn't really factor into the Russian Nationals equation. Medvedeva isn't Eteri's student anymore. From past behavior, Eteri doesn't seem to have 'loyalty' to a skater; she's gonna put the skaters that are eligible and capable of winning and if one of her up and comers beats what was her shining star she seems okay with that.

And call me naive, but I don't see how it would destroy the reputation of her top senior for Alina to lose to a couple Jr skaters doing quads

Yep, overall Eteri seems to be a lot of a "team" coach, rather than the western concept of a coach. A bit of that oldschool soviet thing where the coach and the athletes were supposed to bring the most medals, rather than fight for individual gold for a specific athlete. Kind of what Viner currently does in rhythmic gymnastics.

I am pretty sure that Eteri will send whoever qualifies, and let fed take care of the reputation of the seniors. Rusfed is more than capable of reputation scoring at their own nationals. I see easily Alina and Zhenya getting 38 and 78 PCs and all +5 GOE, while the juniors will get 30 and 60 PCs and lower GOEs to keep the gap. With the new GOEs, they are more than capable of keeping a clean Trusova behind clean Alina and Zhenya.