2018-19 Russian Ladies' figure skating

[Fluture]

Of course, yeah. I don't think it's an impossible win for her. I just don't think it'll be a gimme either.

Liza on the other hand though :hopelessness: Our Empress is going to need every ounce of TES that she can possibly muster to eke out a win. Unless she ups her free skate technical content, it's going to be a very tall order.

But Liza doesn‘t need a win. If she gets on the podium it will be more than enough with a gold and a bronze/silver. I think she‘s totally able to do that!

And also, I think I saw her do a 3F during one of the training sessions (it might have been 3T too didn‘t quite see the takeoff but why would she do a single 3T?) so I think with a bit of time now she‘ll add it back. At the moment she‘s relying a bit too much on those 3As for my liking. They‘re gorgeous of course when landed but risky nonetheless. She needs a 3-3 combo in the Free and attempt all jumps. But I think she‘s totally capable of doing that.

not sure if it was france, but there was a gp that had pidgeons, the birds, flying around the rink.
I mean, you watching the replays and all you can pay attention to is a slowmo bird

Hahaha what. It‘s actually pretty sad to have a GP in this condition (I remember people complaining about the medals and ice quality before) Imagine trying to go into your jump combo and suddenly there‘s a freaking bird flying around the rink. Must be quite a distraction.

(I still can‘t help but find this funny somehow lol)

 

[moriel]

Very true. I'm sure she'd like to win again, but she doesn't exactly need it.

Yep. So while people are OMG NHK is stacked, on the other hand she doesnt need a top 2 finish there. A bronze will be just fine, and a 4th place may be enough.

 

[Spirals for Miles]

Yep. So while people are OMG NHK is stacked, on the other hand she doesnt need a top 2 finish there. A bronze will be just fine, and a 4th place may be enough.

Versus France. Medvedeva needs a gold there pretty much, so I will root for whatever scenario it takes to make it happen.

 

[Fluture]

Versus France. Medvedeva needs a gold there pretty much, so I will root for whatever scenario it takes to make it happen.

She knows that. She said it in her latest interview that she‘ll need to win gold in France and she hopes/thinks she can do it. So, I hope her team will be smart about it and do whatever it takes to ensure her a great chance at winning there.

 

[moriel]

Versus France. Medvedeva needs a gold there pretty much, so I will root for whatever scenario it takes to make it happen.

Well, Zhenya does not *need* a gold.
Historically, 24 points is the cut for the ladies - in the last years, all ladies with 24 points or more made the GPF. Which means that bronze + silver = GPF.
I mean yeah there are sceneries where this not happens, but it seems very unlikely not to happen.

UPD: Last time a lady with 24 points was out of GPF was in 2013

 

[moriel]

Versus France. Medvedeva needs a gold there pretty much, so I will root for whatever scenario it takes to make it happen.

Im biased.
If it was Satoko or Kaori, id root for Med. But Rika... 3As... So many 3As...

 

[sweetice]

Leonova for Radionova ?

Sometimes happen (cit.)

 

[andromache]

Versus France. Medvedeva needs a gold there pretty much, so I will root for whatever scenario it takes to make it happen.

Honestly, SAME. Rika Kihira has really grown on me though. And I'm a bit of a Bradie defender now too. But since Bradie has no real shot at GPF after her 4th at Skate America, Evgenia needs the win more than she does, in my brain.

My early predictions for who will make GPF:

Alina
Liza
Evgenia
Satoko
Kaori
Rika/Mako/Sofia

Rika/Mako/Sofia are the most obvious wild cards. If two of them make it, then it means that probably Liza or Evgenia is staying home. Kaori is lucky to be competing in Finland this week, which is probably the weakest ladies' field of the GP series and where she's very, very likely to get another silver. We'll see. I'm very nervous!

 

[Fluture]

After seeing the field at GP Finland: Why would they send Alina out of all girls to the easiest GP? Alina is pretty much unbeatable at the moment, they could have sent her even to NHK or France to ensure a win there and keep some of the strong Japanese ladies out of the final. I just don‘t get why they would send their strongest lady to the easiest field. Alina is in the GPF anyway, after the scores she got at Nebelhorn she can comfortably win even with some mistakes.

 

[IceBallerina]

After seeing the field at GP Finland: Why would they send Alina out of all girls to the easiest GP? Alina is pretty much unbeatable at the moment, they could have sent her even to NHK or France to ensure a win there and keep some of the strong Japanese ladies out of the final. I just don‘t get why they would send their strongest lady to the easiest field. Alina is in the GPF anyway, after the scores she got at Nebelhorn she can comfortably win even with some mistakes.

I agree with this actually. At the same time, they assigned the spots over the summer when no one knew what form Alina was in. We can all see she’s very strong and could easily win at NHK or any other GP.

Edit: I’ve just learned that the senior GPs don’t work like the juniors where the federation assigns who goes

Medvedeva and Liza have some difficult 2nd GPs coming up. Liza can not afford anything lower than 4th which should be easy enough but she should aim for the podium. Evgenia needs to aim for gold and at the very least silver if Rika gets some consistency.

 

[andromache]

After seeing the field at GP Finland: Why would they send Alina out of all girls to the easiest GP? Alina is pretty much unbeatable at the moment, they could have sent her even to NHK or France to ensure a win there and keep some of the strong Japanese ladies out of the final. I just don‘t get why they would send their strongest lady to the easiest field. Alina is in the GPF anyway, after the scores she got at Nebelhorn she can comfortably win even with some mistakes.

I don't know enough about GP assignments to know how strategic federations can be about sending certain skaters to certain events, other than doing their best to ensure a relatively "easy" field at a home event for their top skaters.

 

[lavenderblossom]

After seeing the field at GP Finland: Why would they send Alina out of all girls to the easiest GP? Alina is pretty much unbeatable at the moment, they could have sent her even to NHK or France to ensure a win there and keep some of the strong Japanese ladies out of the final. I just don‘t get why they would send their strongest lady to the easiest field. Alina is in the GPF anyway, after the scores she got at Nebelhorn she can comfortably win even with some mistakes.

The federations don't assign skaters to GPs, the skaters are invited by the feds hosting the GPs. Alina was probably invited because she's the Olympic Champion, so it would make it easier for them to sell tickets and make their money back after having to host the GP on short notice.

 

[Fluture]

The federations don't assign skaters to GPs, the skaters are invited by the feds hosting the GPs. Alina was probably invited because she's the Olympic Champion, so it would make it easier for them to sell tickets and make their money back after having to host the GP on short notice.

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The federations don't assign skaters to GPs, the skaters are invited by the feds hosting the GPs. Alina was probably invited because she's the Olympic Champion, so it would make it easier for them to sell tickets and make their money back after having to host the GP on short notice.

Okay, that makes sense. I was just wondering because I know in juniors the fed assigns them to their events. And they could have made it easier for skaters like Sofia, Evgenia and Liza and ensure that they get more Russian skaters into the final. But I didn‘t know they couldn‘t choose.

 

[moriel]

After seeing the field at GP Finland: Why would they send Alina out of all girls to the easiest GP? Alina is pretty much unbeatable at the moment, they could have sent her even to NHK or France to ensure a win there and keep some of the strong Japanese ladies out of the final. I just don‘t get why they would send their strongest lady to the easiest field. Alina is in the GPF anyway, after the scores she got at Nebelhorn she can comfortably win even with some mistakes.

Id say that there was not much choice - they wanted the OGM at Rostelecom, and then it was wherever she was invited.

 

[Sugar Coated]

Behold. https://youtu.be/Ly2f-0LL8qM?t=335

To be fair to the French, a few weeks ago, there was a bird flying around the rink during the pairs at Finlandia.

Is there a protocol for getting hit by a bird during a skate? Like half joking but now really wondering what they’d do.

 

[moriel]

Is there a protocol for getting hit by a bird during a skate? Like half joking but now really wondering what they’d do.

not sure but it must hurt. skaters go pretty fast, then a bird flying =S
ouch

 

[IndiaP12]

Rostelecom will be an especially hard GP as well. Lots of contenders for the top spots. It also contains many of my favourites so I’ll be dying from a nervous overload that weekend (Alina, Sofia, Elizabet, Eunsoo) there is also Polina, Mako, Gracie who will be interesting to see
Without many huge mistakes Alina could win this one as well as Finland despite Rostelecom being harder competition - like at Internationaux De France last year she was 5th in the short program and rebounded in the free skate & won the competition [emoji23]

 

[Mawwerg]

This year 2+3 is not enough for GPF could happen. A lot of contenders for medals have already withdrawn so others have better chances for high placement. It's still not even close to JGP where 2+2 was not enough to qualify however it'll be tougher than usual.

 

[Hello from Brazil]

At the NHK trophy, Satoko, Liza, Mai and Rika will face each other, will be very interesting.

 

[rikaquegira]

You know what I’m thinking? There are so many great skaters and so few GPF and Worlds spots! That’s kind of heartbreaking, considering there are only three medals. Wow!

Funny how Rika’s name keeps coming up in this thread! [emoji23] I don’t usually come here but lately I’ve been lurking, reading what you guys have to say about my fave. Just my input: we can’t say yet if she’s a strong contender for top lady, given her inconsistency and the fact this is her first senior season and her PCS won’t rise astronomically, I’m pretty sure. Ladies like Evgenia, Zagitova, Satoko will have the PCS advantage this season. Rika has the highest BV, even more so than Alina with her 3lz3lo combos, but Rika’s GOE is very low compared to Alina’s, even in non jump elements. So, let’s say that, surprisingly, Rika skates clean and gets a major PCS boost, she’ll still lose to a clean Alina with high GOE and PCS marks imo. Still, it would make for a much more interesting season if Rika becomes somewhat of a threat, you know, if she skates clean consistently and others don’t, than I don’t see how she could lose. But as always, Rika skating two clean programs is a huge IF.
But at IdF, as said by someone here, I don’t think Evgenia can win with mistakes, she will need to put up two clean programs and expect Rika to make mistakes. I believe she can do it! And after Skate Canada, she’ll be more experienced and focused. That was a tough event for her but it made her stronger for sure!

NHK will be incredibly exciting! So many great skaters! Liza will need to be careful there or she’ll be off the podium imo. But I have to say, from all the skaters, Liza is the one just exuding so much confidence that I never ever think she will make a mistake and even when she does I still believe she’ll get to the Final and rock there too! That’s why I’m not worried about her at all, to me it’s like, I’m already seeing her at the Final and even at Worlds! Am I crazy? [emoji23]