2018-19 Russian Ladies' figure skating

[moriel]

nevermind, seen post.

 

[moriel]

Several voices outside Russia ask Medvedeva to end the season and not show up to the Russians, and to skate only in the 2019-2020 season. Because with their problems and technique is very likely to increase their errors. I think it's good advice, to force oneself now will only frustrate her more, the pressure is already too much, much more than during the GPF classification. And I add, what is the controversy with the coach?

It is debatable.
Considering current state of russian senior skaters, Zhenya has a nearly 100% sure spot for Euros and Worlds.
Zagitova and Tuktik are clearly stronger this season, and if Zhenya skates like she skated on GP circuit, she will compete with Samodurova and Konstantinova for the 3rd spot. But this being rusnats, guess who will get 35+ and 75+ PCs and the 3rd spot out of those 3?

So it depends a lot of Zhenya's intentions. If she wants to skip Euros and Worlds, yes, she should skip rusnats and get ready for the next season. Else, she should go because rusfed will give her a spot.

Also, I would think that there is a financial aspect of all this. While pretty much anybody would love to sponsor Zhenya last year, nobody likes a loser. In the beginning of the year, Zhenya stated her plans for this season: "First or Second places at the Challenger and Grand Prix events [two top2 finishes at GP means making the GPF], first or second place at Russian Nationals and European Championships, and a Worlds medal". She expected to win, and to make GPF. And such achievements mean prize money. So far this season, she won less than she expected back in the beginning of the season, and, as a consequence, made less money.
Now, there is a question - during summer, who will be getting more show invites? Euros, Worlds and GPF medalists and top finishers, or Zhenya, if she decides to end the season early after not making the GPF?
Considering that training abroad is expensive, I would say such considerations may also have some weight.

By the way, if she ends season early, it will be second year she skips worlds. Considering she didn't make GPF, and euros, regardless of how she skates, would be a free medal for her, she may drop quite a bit in WS too. Ofc not out of top 24, but still not nice.

Overall, due to potential reputation iprovements (aka skate clean at major comps to get higher PCs next season against 3A), rusfed support and money, i highly doubt that Zhenya will skip rusnats and end season early.

 

[Shayuki]

I simply think there ought to be more spots at Nationals. Figure skating is so popular in Russia, would it really be that much of a problem? It just doesn’t seem to make any sense to keep out skaters like Sima who performed exceptionally well in events this season but didn‘t qualify through Cup Events. Why not just add another spot?

I agree, there should be 6 more spots for ladies. That's what people would mostly be there to see. The extra hot dogs they sell should make up for it.

Zagitova and Tuktik are clearly stronger this season, and if Zhenya skates like she skated on GP circuit, she will compete with Samodurova and Konstantinova for the 3rd spot. But this being rusnats, guess who will get 35+ and 75+ PCs and the 3rd spot out of those 3?

Konstantinova?

Overall, due to potential reputation iprovements (aka skate clean at major comps to get higher PCs next season against 3A), rusfed support and money, i highly doubt that Zhenya will skip rusnats and end season early.

It is a double-edged sword. In the best case scenario it indeed would be a reputation improvement. But the current trajectory is actually that she's hurt her reputation - At this point, it's looking like it would have been better for her reputation to skip this season's competitions entirely. It's perfectly normal after an Olympic season, anyway. It remains to be seen what the right course of action was.

 

[malya]

Sadly, I don't think Sofia will be a contender at RusNats. Her scores last year were 'not very generous' to put it nicely - and imho she skated well. She also didn't score above 200 internationally so far, so I doubt gpf will change her national scoring that much...

Liza also hasn't been a favourite of the judges, but her sucess this season and 3As should get her through. Hopefully

 

[moriel]

Konstantinova?

Zhenya is scoring near the same as Stasya so far.

Based on the scores this season, i would divide russian seniors in following groups:
1st Tier: 200+
Alina Zagitova: 238, 215, 222
Liza Tuktamysheva: 206, 202, 203, 219

2nd Tier: folks who score 185-200 or so
Stasya Konstantinova: 180, 187, 197, 189
Sonia Samodurova: 184, 198, 198
Zhenya Medvedeva: 204, 197, 192

3rd Tier: less than 180, wildly inconsistent, not supported by fed and so on
Alena Leonova: 194
Dasha Panenkova: 168, 161, 173
Masha Sotskova: 176, 177
Polina Tsurskaya: 154, 159, 149
those 4 and other folks

 

[[email protected]]

Hey, guys,

I bought tickets, I booked the hotel - I shall see it all - short and long. I will write a profound report on what I will see in Saransk and I shall post it as soon as gks8 creates a thread on Nationals' aftermath.

 

[hippomoomin]

After watching Sima's videos, I think her jumps have definitely improved a lot. But I am surprised to see that her skating skills and speed regressed. She used to be fast with good edge when she was a junior. Even her upper body movement looks very stiff and old now. Except for her 3-3, she does not have any flow going into jumps. It feels she is jumping on a floor, yet she managed to jump all her triples. She has the oddest jump technique probably from her coach before Eteri and it is still affecting her.

 

[moriel]

After watching Sima's videos, I think her jumps have definitely improved a lot. But I am surprised to see that her skating skills and speed regressed. She used to be fast with good edge when she was a junior. Even her upper body movement looks very stiff and old now. Except for her 3-3, she does not have any flow going into jumps. It feels she is jumping on a floor, yet she managed to jump all her triples. She has the oddest jump technique probably from her coach before Eteri and it is still affecting her.

she has quite some rough years.
right now, she is on path of improvement, and chances are she may improve quite a lot (after all, Turenko coached Gubanova, so we may expect she knows how to do skating skills).
unlike lots of people, i am fine with Sakhanovich not making nationals - its unlikely that she will get to euros or worlds, and its debatable if she will make the team ahead of lets say Buianova's skaters. She ensured her a GP or two for next season, and she has lots of work ahead of her - she can take off the rest of the season to work on her jump and skating skills. She looks happy, in great shape and motivated, and has all to slay next season - maybe not as a top competitor (i mean, at least some of 3A will turn senior, top is taken), but as a contender for the 3rd spot for sure.

 

[j00mla]

Zhenya is scoring near the same as Stasya so far.

Based on the scores this season, i would divide russian seniors in following groups:
1st Tier: 200+
Alina Zagitova: 238, 215, 222
Liza Tuktamysheva: 206, 202, 203, 219

2nd Tier: folks who score 185-200 or so
Stasya Konstantinova: 180, 187, 197, 189
Sonia Samodurova: 184, 198, 198
Zhenya Medvedeva: 204, 197, 192

2nd Tier
+ Masha Talalaikina 181, 194, 198, 194, 202
+ Anastasia Gubanova 190, 194, 211

 

[Sam L]

Hey, guys,

I bought tickets, I booked the hotel - I shall see it all - short and long. I will write a profound report on what I will see in Saransk and I shall post it as soon as gks8 creates a thread on Nationals' aftermath.

Amazing! I cannot wait to read it. I hope you’re well.

 

[Skater Boy]

2nd Tier
+ Masha Talalaikina 181, 194, 198, 194, 202
+ Anastasia Gubanova 190, 194, 211

Looking at these tiers it looks like there might be a lot of tears. Japan has more competitive skaters right now. They are more consistent and less problems plus they tend to be refined With the fall from grace so to speak of Evgenia, Pogo, Masha, Radinova, Tsurskaya, lack of development with Gubanova; Sima they will have to wait a year and hope puberty doesn't hit too strong. Of course with Alina they still have a threat. I feel for Evgenia. She is on the cusp of being dropped from the World team. I wonder what the strategy is now for her? Does she quit all together or take this year off? Does she simplify her jump layout and try to skate clean with high pcs? Does she go on a crash diet to try to regain her youth? Regardless I think the Russian ladies will "rebound" (most of us would love to have their problems.

 

[[email protected]]

Looking at these tiers it looks like there might be a lot of tears. Japan has more competitive skaters right now. They are more consistent and less problems plus they tend to be refined With the fall from grace so to speak of Evgenia, Pogo, Masha, Radinova, Tsurskaya, lack of development with Gubanova; Sima they will have to wait a year and hope puberty doesn't hit too strong. Of course with Alina they still have a threat. I feel for Evgenia. She is on the cusp of being dropped from the World team. I wonder what the strategy is now for her? Does she quit all together or take this year off? Does she simplify her jump layout and try to skate clean with high pcs? Does she go on a crash diet to try to regain her youth? Regardless I think the Russian ladies will "rebound" (most of us would love to have their problems.

As long as I can remember (several years for sure) you speak doom and gloom regarding Russian ladies. And they keep winning. Even when they are losing big competitions (last WC) they are not losing to the Japanese. I will be very surprised (and even worried) if you say something radically different.

 

[Miller]

I would add Anna Tarusina and Anastasia Gulyakova to the '2nd Tier' also, both have domestic scores round 210 and Anna's International SB is now 198.76, 0.06 higher than Sofia's - shows the effect of skating a senior competition, and getting higher PCS's, plus the extra Choreo Seq - this could be a big problem for Anastasia Tarakanova as she's only got the JGFP for sure, and may get stuck in Juniors next year as a result, even though she's just as good, if not a bit better than the other 2nd Tier skaters.

I'd also keep a little eye on Elizaveta Nugumanova at Nationals - she seems in a really good place at the moment - the Turenko effect again, and may just surprise even though her best domestic score this year is a little lower at 202/203 (am still not totally sure she'll skate though, it still may be Elena, all depends on exact rules and whether Elena really is ready to give it a go).

 

[katymay]

Looking at these tiers it looks like there might be a lot of tears. Japan has more competitive skaters right now. They are more consistent and less problems plus they tend to be refined With the fall from grace so to speak of Evgenia, Pogo, Masha, Radinova, Tsurskaya, lack of development with Gubanova; Sima they will have to wait a year and hope puberty doesn't hit too strong. Of course with Alina they still have a threat. I feel for Evgenia. She is on the cusp of being dropped from the World team. I wonder what the strategy is now for her? Does she quit all together or take this year off? Does she simplify her jump layout and try to skate clean with high pcs? Does she go on a crash diet to try to regain her youth? Regardless I think the Russian ladies will "rebound" (most of us would love to have their problems.

I think this is a rare bad year for Russian seniors. And the Japanese seniors have the edge this year. Next year, of course, is another story. As far as Zhenya, if she works on regaining, rebuilding her muscle core, she might be back with a vengeance. And she needs a great choreographer-a Shae Lyn Bourne-to craft better programs for her next year.

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

I really hope that somehow, both Nugumanova and Radionova can make it to Nationals.

 

[Spirals for Miles]

I think this is a rare bad year for Russian seniors. And the Japanese seniors have the edge this year. Next year, of course, is another story. As far as Zhenya, if she works on regaining, rebuilding her muscle core, she might be back with a vengeance. And she needs a great choreographer-a Shae Lyn Bourne-to craft better programs for her next year.

Interesting when a bad year can still produce so many great skaters though...
Alina's SB is 238
Liza's SB is 219
Zhenya's SB is 204
Sima's SB is 202
Anya Tarusina's SB is 198
Sonya's SB is 198
Stasya's SB is 197
Leonova's SB is 194

And Gulyakova and Gubanova might go shooting up there next week at Golden Spin.
This doesn't even take into account the 3A, with SBs of 221, 205, and 203 currently, all of which might improve next week at the JGPF, along with Nastya Tarakanova who needs to get back up there as she's now been knocked out.

 

[moriel]

And we are not even talking about juniors, with Kostornaia being her beautiful self and Trusova and Shcherbakova jumping 4Lz+3T better than some other ladies jump 3Lz+3T.

 

[melgirl25]

Hey, guys,

I bought tickets, I booked the hotel - I shall see it all - short and long. I will write a profound report on what I will see in Saransk and I shall post it as soon as gks8 creates a thread on Nationals' aftermath.

When is the ladies short and ladies long? I see the dates are Dec 19 - 23.

 

[Alexz]

Radionova didn‘t participate in either of her GP events, though and withdrew from her Russian Cup assignment after SP. Is she still allowed to skate at Nationals?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

TAT+CSKA lobby. :scratch3:

 

[[email protected]]

When is the ladies short and ladies long? I see the dates are Dec 19 - 23.

The short starts at 14-00 on 21st and the free at 18-00 on the 22nd.