2018-19 Russian Ladies' figure skating

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The sad question is if not when Sasha gets them right. Honestly I am scared for her and Anna. At some point it could very well be that their body's can't take another bad fall. Anna already broke her leg once. How many times can she fall on that leg and have luck, sadly most times luck ends at some point.

We are all scared and not only for Anna and Sasha. Wasn't Rika injured half of the last season? Her falls sometimes look quite scary, like today's one. That's the price to pay to be the best now. "Mature skating" is no longer the rules of the game. The judges today showed it quite clearly.

I like Rika and since the last season I have been saying that she is Japanese best hope but.... She, who is fresh from juniors and who never won anything big in juniors had today the same pcs as the OGM winner: 72. Last year at GPF Zagitova had 70 and there was an outcry. With all due respect are Rika's components really 3 points higher than Satoko's or 5 points higher than Alena Kostornaya's? I don't think so. She is good but not that good. Without 3As she would not get those components staying at the level of Kaori, may be a bit higher.

It pays well to have those elements and be able to deliver them. They won't be for everyone - just for those who aim at gold at GPF, worlds, or Olympics. Starting next season it will be at least 2 skaters who can do them (I think more than that). Yes, they will risk more and sometimes they will get injured. But once again, today's GPF showed that there is no alternative to those who aim high. 2A and 7 triples is no longer enough to win.

 

[alpaca]

I'm not happy that some folks are saying Alena won solely because her rivals fell today. Sure, they didn't score as high because of those mistakes but that is not the reason why Alena won. She won because she skated beautiful programs cleanly and with heartfelt purpose which clearly showed through today. In FS, every competition there is someone that makes mistakes and falls, but that is not the reason why the winner wins. Can't we just acknowledge the hard work of all the girls, and be happy for Alena today? Today was her day and it's only right that we celebrate her achievement with positivity and recognition and not negativity.

 

[Sam L]

2A and 7 triples is no longer enough to win.

But Alena did win today! And Alina is our Olympic champion with 2A and 7 triples. I know what you're saying but I'm just not sold on ladies doing quads. But maybe because my favourites (Alina, Alena) don't do it.

 

[moriel]

We are all scared and not only for Anna and Sasha. Wasn't Rika injured half of the last season? Her falls sometimes look quite scary, like today's one. That's the price to pay to be the best now. "Mature skating" is no longer the rules of the game. The judges today showed it quite clearly.

I like Rika and since the last season I have been saying that she is Japanese best hope but.... She, who is fresh from juniors and who never won anything big in juniors had today the same pcs as the OGM winner: 72. Last year at GPF Zagitova had 70 and there was an outcry. With all due respect are Rika's components really 3 points higher than Satoko's or 5 points higher than Alena Kostornaya's? I don't think so. She is good but not that good. Without 3As she would not get those components staying at the level of Kaori, may be a bit higher.

It pays well to have those elements and be able to deliver them. They won't be for everyone - just for those who aim at gold at GPF, worlds, or Olympics. Starting next season it will be at least 2 skaters who can do them (I think more than that). Yes, they will risk more and sometimes they will get injured. But once again, today's GPF showed that there is no alternative to those who aim high. 2A and 7 triples is no longer enough to win.

Worlds are in Japan this year.
Overall, I think it is the same logic behind Alina's PCs last year, and Trusova's PCs - judges love to reward high TES. What i think is funny is that nobody complains of it once it is not a russian lady, but then it is an issue with fans.

 

[moriel]

As a side note, Sonia Samodurova, with her 200+ today climbed quite a bit up the SB list
Which means that she is likely to remain on top even if she doesn't go to Euros and Worlds, and will have 2 GPs next season.

 

[[email protected]]

But Alena did win today! And Alina is our Olympic champion with 2A and 7 triples. I know what you're saying but I'm just not sold on ladies doing quads. But maybe because my favourites (Alina, Alena) don't do it.

Alena was clean and Sasha had 2 mistakes. With just 1 mistake Sasha would have won against clean Alena. If Alina made 3Lz-3T and Rika fell on both 3As, Alina would have won. That's my point: with the previous content if you are as good as Alina or Alena you will win against Rika or Sasha respectively with 2 mistakes on their big elements. With just 1 mistake that won't be enough. This is similar to men in a way. Jason won over Kolyada who had a meltdown. If Mikha was not that hopeless with just 1 quad and 5 triples Jason would have stood no chances. Ladies go in the same direction, no doubt.

 

[Alexz]

team Eter, good to see Anna smiling too: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dt8RhjgWsAAwfm6?format=jpg&name=large

 

[skatenewbie]

Alexandra and Anna should focus landing the 4T consistent and super clean, not the more difficult 4Lz in combo, though 4lz might be the easiest quad for Anna. Both are so fearless and tried a 2nd 4Lz after an unsuccessful first one. I have to admire their guts. I think Alexandra has grown taller his season.

Agree. Anna's 4Lz is mostly 4Lz< and the success rate is small, she's yet to attempt 4T but i think she could have it rotated better. While for Trusova her 4T is almost always fully rotated and she's quite consistent even though she has pop it in competition and practices few times. Her 4Lz now is almost always fully rotated too but she tend to stepout of it like she did today. I hope she tried 3A again though, she can do it beautifully off ice, now its time to tried it on ice!

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Oh man...I thought the Sasha negativity would show up here after a win but not like this when she finally showed errors.

 

[Bluediamonds09]

Sofia, Alina, and Elizaveta for the European team!!!!! Aaaahhhhhh I cannot wait until Russian nationals!!!!!!

 

[Alexz]

team Eter, good to see Anna smiling too: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dt8RhjgWsAAwfm6?format=jpg&name=large

Well. If you think about it.. Eteri is still leaving FGP with 1 gold and 2 silvers hanging around the necks of her ladies.

 

[Ophelia]

I like Rika and since the last season I have been saying that she is Japanese best hope but.... She, who is fresh from juniors and who never won anything big in juniors had today the same pcs as the OGM winner: 72. Last year at GPF Zagitova had 70 and there was an outcry. With all due respect are Rika's components really 3 points higher than Satoko's or 5 points higher than Alena Kostornaya's? I don't think so. She is good but not that good. Without 3As she would not get those components staying at the level of Kaori, may be a bit higher.

Zero point to try comparing PCS across two different competitions at two different levels.

Kihira doesn't deserve PCS near Miyahara's, but Miyahara is vastly underscored when it comes to PCS and Zagitova is wayyyy overscored. Kihara def. deserves close to, if not higher PCS than Zagitova.

 

[Giltedge]

Lovely Eteri-Group portrait

https://pp.userapi.com/c846123/v846123021/14afbc/QdZ9oKjt8uU.jpg

 

[lanceupper1114]

Lovely Eteri-Group portrait

https://pp.userapi.com/c846123/v846123021/14afbc/QdZ9oKjt8uU.jpg

Alena Kostornaia is just beaming with satisfaction!

 

[Globetrotter]

I don't understand how Kostornaia is SO GOOD. WHERE did she learn her basics? The musicality must be something she's born with.

Not just her musicality but she has inherently better SS than any of the other Eteri girls and I suspect she must have trained in ballet to develop such beautiful posture. Her SS is good, better than her peers but clearly still take time to polish further but her innate awareness and posture I suspect is what create that illusion of flow and smoothness that gives her that floaty quality. That is something reminiscent of the old days of Yuka Sato and MKwan.

 

[tokoyami]

I like Rika and since the last season I have been saying that she is Japanese best hope but.... She, who is fresh from juniors and who never won anything big in juniors had today the same pcs as the OGM winner: 72. Last year at GPF Zagitova had 70 and there was an outcry. With all due respect are Rika's components really 3 points higher than Satoko's or 5 points higher than Alena Kostornaya's? I don't think so. She is good but not that good. Without 3As she would not get those components staying at the level of Kaori, may be a bit higher.

Worlds are in Japan this year.
Overall, I think it is the same logic behind Alina's PCs last year, and Trusova's PCs - judges love to reward high TES. What i think is funny is that nobody complains of it once it is not a russian lady, but then it is an issue with fans.

well the thing is, with all due respect, is that if Zagi deserves 72 PCS then Rika deserves 75 and Kosto & Satoko would deserve a perfect 80 lol

(and for the record I think Zagi is more of a 67/68 PCS skater and Rika a sub 70 PCS skater)

point is is that you can't start crying about overscoring now that it's finally a nonrussian skater receiving the candy

 

[Ziotic]

well the thing is, with all due respect, is that if Zagi deserves 72 PCS then Rika deserves 75

(and for the record I think Zagi is more of a 67/68 PCS skater and Rika a sub 70 PCS skater)

point is is that you can't start crying about overscoring now that it's finally a nonrussian skater receiving the candy

I couldn’t agree more!

Just because Zagi received 72 doesn’t mean it was deserved, especially for the performance she put out today, which may be partially due to injury.

It’s laughable that people can’t see how much more refined Kihira, Satoko, and even Kaori’s SS are in comparison. I’m not sure why it’s been decided that Russian skating deserve these high component scores when most girls can’t do crossovers properly. Thankfully the tides are starting to shift!

Even more thankfully, the lovely skating of Kostornia was recognized today.

I truly hope this is the trend that we continue to see in this new quad.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

 

[esteticlove]

They should make the flower crowns a tradition. All the ladies are looking stunningly on the photos. :luv17:

 

[neusw]

well the thing is, with all due respect, is that if Zagi deserves 72 PCS then Rika deserves 75 and Kosto & Satoko would deserve a perfect 80 lol

(and for the record I think Zagi is more of a 67/68 PCS skater and Rika a sub 70 PCS skater)

point is is that you can't start crying about overscoring now that it's finally a nonrussian skater receiving the candy

Watching it in person, Rika’s PCS is definitely deserved. She has very good flow and edges, while Alina has more complex transitions and steps, so it’s absolutely right for them to be scores similarly, or Rika slightly ahead, in a fair PCS world. Of course in a real fair world, Satoko would be at 75-77 regardless of how the jumps go, and today actually seemed relatively good watching it live. Certainly in the arena everyone was captivated by her performance and were disappointed to see the low score.

Alina has nothing to be disappointed about. She did very well, was beaten by a better skate, and that is perfectly fine. This is the first time in several years where she has actually been *beaten* vs. making many mistakes and *losing*. It’s an important distinction, and I think she can sleep soundly knowing she did well and was unlikely to win even with a perfect skate.

Btw, this is entirely off topic, but I feel like I MUST rave about the incredible skating skills of the Russian silver medal junior pairs (K/I). I was sitting right by the ice and was absolutely shocked at how smooth and silent their blades were. Their flow is amazing. I’ll go so far as to say they have smoother edges than many of the senior ice dancers.