2018-19 Russian Ladies' figure skating

[DenissVFan]

Only if Radionova also WD though. She is still qualified.

I don't think this was officially confirmed, it was only some speculation, right?

 

[Fluture]

I think Liza will be the one added by Coaches' council to the team. So they will send the top two senior finishers regardless of who it is

Article about Liza: Liza is out: https://tass.ru/sport/5904869
She has pneumonia and will be in the hospital for 2 weeks

Liza Tuktamysheva??? Oh no, that‘s unfortunate... Speedy recovery!! Pneumonia is dangerous, I hope she will be fine.

But she‘ll still get the bypass to Worlds and Euros, right? Based on what she‘s achieved this season, she‘s clearly Russian #2 regardless of whether she competes at Nationals or not. If she can compete, she should be allowed to be there.

I do wonder if EVgenia will go to nats? Has she h ad enough time to get it together even somewhat? I also wonder how Evgenia's skating compares right now to Gracie's. A lot of people are giving Evgenia some grace or hope as to her situation but that is nothing compared to Gracie. Some made it sound like Gracie can do all the elements was an off day or she just needs more competition experience right now.

It will be interesting.

With all respect to Gracie, comparing her situation to Evgenia‘s right now is going way too far. Evgenia showed that she can do all the elements, including a 2A-3Lo combo. Yes, she did that only in practice but Gracie didn‘t even jump most triples or 2A during practice, she only marked them. She doesn‘t seem to be in competitive shape right now, neither mentally nor physically. That can come of course but at the moment it’s just not there. Evgenia has shown troubles lately but it‘s not like she‘s been away more than a year. She did win two Olympic medals not even a year ago after all. I don‘t know what her issues exactly are and probably nobody does right now but her and Gracie just aren‘t comparable at the moment because they are at totally different stages of their career/recovery.

That being said, I of course wish Gracie all the best for her comeback and I still think it‘s brave she went out there and did her best at her GP event. But I just don‘t see how we can compare a skater who unfortunately had to sit out a season to someone who‘s competed multiple times this year already, successfully or not.

 

[moriel]

Damn, poor Liza =(
Wonder if rusfed will still send her to worlds and euros

 

[moriel]

As a side note, Tuktik is active on the social networks.
I suppose that she wouldnt be displeased if people leave nice comments

 

[DenissVFan]

Damn, poor Liza =(
Wonder if rusfed will still send her to worlds and euros

I think yes. Her scores and placements this season would really justify that. Even with mistakes her lowest scores are around the highest scores of Sofia and Zhenya.

I think this would also mean they wouldn't add Zhenya to the team if she loses to Sofia or somebody else.

 

[Tolstoj]

1. Panenkova is not under CSKA
2. 2/3 in that group are injusred(e.g. Tsurskaya and Radionova, both back injuries which is always iffy) also I do not understant why you are so harshly criticizing them. For Sotskova it's a season where's she's not in russias top three, both Tsurskaya and Radionova could've been in that top three last season as well. Also it's not RusFeds decision for the GP assigments. People tend to forget that Elena isn't that bad of a skater, she was struggling with growth and performed quite well last year. This year she has a back injury, so of course she won't threaten her health, resulting that she may never skate again.

Because if judges overcores CSKA skaters for one clean program (giving a pass to many underrotations) as they usually do, then Sotskova or Tsurskaya will take the spots of other maybe more deserving skaters who have been skating better all season (like Nugumanova, Guliakova, Tarakanova,...). No senior GPs also means less funding for those other coaches, less chances to merge, while for Russia keep showing weak skaters mean less medals and higher chances to lose the three spots at World.

We all know some CSKA skaters can be really good, but since they joined that group most of them regressed, showing up clearly undertrained with issues everywhere from jumps, spins, steps sequence, lack of stamina,... We know Buyanova's mindset is soo 6.0 era ("who cares about level or underrotations if the elements are still nice to watch?"), so i don't see them addressing all these issues, if results don't come, they will say "the skater is not motivated enough", they will discard him/her and go shopping finding someone else.

It seems fishy that suddenly all their skaters are injured: that's totally possible but still if that is true then there is something wrong with their training, or otherwise it's just an excuse to hide the fact they are unprepared.

The only reason no one from the Federation is concerned right now about that is because they can still rely on Eteri for winning medals, but they can have bad days too (especially when you do difficult elements like quads)

 

[moriel]

I think yes. Her scores and placements this season would really justify that. Even with mistakes her lowest scores are around the highest scores of Sofia and Zhenya.

I think this would also mean they wouldn't add Zhenya to the team if she loses to Sofia or somebody else.

I am actually worried that they will rather add Zhenya and simply dump Liza =(
Liza is not Alina, she is not the clear #1

 

[Spirals for Miles]

I am actually worried that they will rather add Zhenya and simply dump Liza =(
Liza is not Alina, she is not the clear #1

I think that would be not too smart. I don't think they will dump Liza, who has a 3A and a gold on the GP, a bronze on the GP, and a bronze from the FINAL, in favor of Zhenya who needs some time to be worlds ready. As a Zhenya fan, I obviously believe in her but at this point, I think Liza definitely deserves a spot.

 

[Fluture]

I am actually worried that they will rather add Zhenya and simply dump Liza =(
Liza is not Alina, she is not the clear #1

If they add Zhenya there‘s still space for another skater alongside Alina, though. Liza is the clear second Russian lady this season, if she can medal at GPF, she can medal at Worlds too. This would be the chance for them to have two Russian ladies on the Worlds podium. If she is ready and healthy of course, she should definitely be sent. Everything else would be simply stupid.

I‘m quite worried, though... Pneumonia isn‘t something to take easy and it takes a long period of recovering. I hope she is ready but she absolutely shouldn‘t force anything. Health is the most important, more important than any medal will ever be. It‘s a shame that this has to happen now...

 

[zounger]

Ahh Liza get well soon...

They will send Alina, Evgenia, Sofia to Europeans and Alina, Evgenia, Liza at worlds. Win win situation...

 

[lesnar001]

I am actually worried that they will rather add Zhenya and simply dump Liza =(
Liza is not Alina, she is not the clear #1

I don't understand why they would even consider not sending Liza T to Europeans and Worlds.
She has proven herself the entire GP season and was on the podium in a World Championship caliber GPF.
And she has been extremely consistent too.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't the very few problems she's had only been with the 3A?

 

[DenissVFan]

I am actually worried that they will rather add Zhenya and simply dump Liza =(
Liza is not Alina, she is not the clear #1

I hope not. I like both Zhenya and Liza but it'd be unfair. Last season Zhenya deserved to be added to the team, this year it's Liza. While Liza isn't Russia's #1 at the moment, she has 5 medals and some of the highest scores to her name this season and will be a medal contender at both Euros and Worlds. After Russia almost lost its 3rd spot last season, maybe they won't gamble again.

If Zhenya is the 1st or 2nd senior at RusNats, the problem will be solved, although I'm also torn between her and Sonya, who has had a really good season and who is also deserving of that team spot.

My predictions:

1) Alina
2) Liza (added by the council)
3) Sonya / Zhenya – depending on RusNats.

I definitely don't think BOTH Liza and Sonya will be passed over for Zhenya if she's only the third senior at RusNats.

 

[lesnar001]

Ahh Liza get well soon...

They will send Alina, Evgenia, Sofia to Europeans and Alina, Evgenia, Liza at worlds. Win win situation...

That could work too.
It would also give Liza T more recovery time from her illness and any lost training.
And it would be great for Sofia who has had an exceptional senior debut.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Liza has been too steady this season not to be on the World team. She is solidly the third best senior skater in the world right now. After almost losing three spots last year, Russia needs to send at least two very reliable competitors.

 

[melgirl25]

Poor Liza, she has completely earned that Worlds teams spot IMO.

Damn germy planes and hotels!

 

[sweetice]

I am actually worried that they will rather add Zhenya and simply dump Liza =(
Liza is not Alina, she is not the clear #1

They can't dump her for Samodurova, even Mishin can't allow that.

Liza's scores were consistently over 200, all the season, from the Lombardia Trophy to the GPF.

Even Zagitova look way more unstable then her.

Unless something badly happen at nationals, it's all a question about if they want to give Evgenia credit regardless of results or not, as Samodurova is growing step by step, while Evgenia's results are regressing.

To me, if they want more chances to be on the podium at worlds, they still need to push Evgenia as their third bet, at least this season.

 

[moriel]

They can't dump her for Samodurova, even Mishin can't allow that.

Liza's scores were consistently over 200, all the season, from the Lombardia Trophy to the GPF.

Even Zagitova look way more unstable then her.

Unless something badly happen at nationals, it's all a question about if they want to give Evgenia credit regardless of results or not, as Samodurova is growing step by step, while Evgenia's results are regressing.

To me, if they want more chances to be on the podium at worlds, they still need to push Evgenia as their third bet, at least this season.

They will not dump her for Samodurova, but I am afraid that they can dump her for Zhenya.
If the choice will be between Liza and Sonia, Liza will be the chosen, and rightfully so. But if the choice will be between Liza and Zhenya, I'm not so sure.

Also, I am not convinced about the chances at worlds.
Zhenya has same SB as Sonia at this point, but has been steadily regressing. Also, Worlds will be in Japan.
My guess is that medals will be disputed between Zagitova and Tuktamysheva and Kihira, Miyahara and maybe Sakamoto.

 

[evhambeey]

1) You keep sending weak skaters at the most important competitions. I don't want to discuss who's to blame for that but Tsurskaya, Sotskova, Radionova, Panenkova's GP season has been a trainwreck, unacceptable given the level of russian ladies, it made the entire group look weak. So even if they skate well at nationals rewarding them with insanely inflated scores is damaging. It's time to give someone else like Tarakanova a chance to make a statement, it worked for Samodurova (who also was in danger of not getting any GP spot this season)

2) How's Radionova allowed to compete at Nationals despite looking a mess at the Test Skates and then WD every single event this season? and last year she finished 10th at Nationals.

Sofia finished 11th at Nationals.
And she won't get a score 205+ even if she skates full clean, so podium is not possible for her. She doesn't have a high potential, she was just so lucky that she got the easiest GP events and she qualified to the GPF. Last season she qualified to the JGPF too, she finished last.
Radionova got 207 last season (before the system change) Also she was 8th after GP results last season, and her GP events were the hardest ones. So a podium is not possible for a fortune skater like Sofia, but it is for a full clean Radionova. And we don't know Radionova is healed from injury or not, she will WD if she is not healed anyway. She still has a spot because of her potential and past achievements.

 

[Ziotic]

I think this gives RusFed an opportunity to send Alina, Sofia, and Evgenia to Euro. That gives Liza time to heal. Then send Alina, Liza and whoever does better at euros to worlds

 

[LenaRadiFan]

Sofia finished 11th at Nationals.
And she won't get a score 205+ even if she skates full clean, so podium is not possible for her. She doesn't have a high potential, she was just so lucky that she got the easiest GP events and she qualified to the GPF. Last season she qualified to the JGPF too, she finished last.
Radionova got 207 last season (before the system change) Also she was 8th after GP results last season, and her GP events were the hardest ones. So a podium is not possible for a fortune skater like Sofia, but it is for a full clean Radionova. And we don't know Radionova is healed from injury or not, she will WD if she is not healed anyway. She still has a spot because of her potential and past achievements.

I think at this point both Medvedeva and Radionova have this big IF over their heads, or at least this season(Radi a bit longer) bc both, IF they perform clean and at their best have a potential and quite a good shot at the team, the thing is it's IF. So it's funny to me that with Medvedeva this if is always getting brought up bc IF she performs at her best she's good and I agree. Usually the same people though, have the attitude with Radi that this IF basically means she isn't able to. It's funny if you think about it.