2018-19 Russian Ladies' figure skating

[Fluture]

Her FS today belongs in the RusFed archives filed under “Greatest Performances”

I can’t believe how lucky those fans were to witness that. She went full send :shocked:

Best program and StSeq of the year for me! There is something to be said for a skater throwing caution to the wind and just giving us everything they have and then some. I’m just so proud of her.

Do you think she’ll stay Junior another season?

Her performance was amazing.

I think staying in juniors would be good for her, honestly. Next year, she‘ll be the top lady in juniors probably together with Kanysheva. The new ones coming up are Valieva and Usacheva and unless they pull out a quad in one year, they don‘t seem to have any advantages over Nastya. She‘d be the experienced, older one compared to them and woud likewise be getting higher PCS. And she might finally get that JWC spot that she just keeps missing and might even get a medal there. Whereas in seniors she‘d be overshadowed again by the power prio shaking things up and the drama of Medvedeva and Zagitova trying to stay on top. I want her to have a season where she finally gets the attention she deserves. And I think in juniors she‘d get that.

 

[Alexz]

At the end I'm glad Eteri juniors won. I like them all thou. But just think about this: if they would not allow junior 3A-squad, we would be having Konstantinova as Russian champion. And I'm simply not ready for that. Don't get me wrong, Stasya Konstantinova is a lovely and elegant skater, any country would love her to compete under their flag. But Eteri girls are still slightly better. IMHO.

Congrats to everyone! I love them all.

 

[Alexz]

Anyone keeping track of how many quads Sasha has landed?

It is probably not true at all, but sometimes it feels like she has landed already more quads than any senior ..man. But just for giggles lets pretend it is so.

Girl power in Russia or what?

 

[Alexz]

Tarakanova was robbed!!!

I was waiting for that. Finally we see those never-ending 'wuz robbed' claims.

But yeah, I kinda think her PCS should be a bit higher. Was it the special message from rus fed being not happy with Plyushchenko going independently and opening his own private fs school?

 

[DougDorsey]

Does anyone know which recordings of "Kissing You" and "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet" are used in Alena's FS program? And, while I'm at it, which recording of "Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso" is used in Anna's FS program? (I think it's the Perlman recording?)

 

[thegreendestiny]

Honestly, the likes of Gubanova and Tarakonova should just skate for other countries (e.g. Belarus, Kazakhstan) so they can experience just being able to compete at worlds. The bias of their fed against them is disappointing.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Any video of the press conference with 3a?

 

[NAOTMAA]

So Stanislava is going to Euros. If she bombs there does anyone think the fed. would have second guesses and send Sofia to worlds instead? Or are they going to live and die with Stanislava?

I'm a little worried about the 3 spots for worlds. Stanislava can be top 10 one day and bottom 10 the next. And Alina is going through growing pains at the moment (and didn't they hint at some minor injury at the GPF?) and is suffering from a lot of pressure from outside and from within. That would put more pressure on Liza (who should be going!) to win a medal and hope Alina gets over what's bugging her or that Stanislava is having one of her good days. That makes things too close for comfort to me.

I think when they are on the other three ladies are better then Sofia but Sofia is at this moment much more stable and reliable and they really need that. She's an easy bet for a 6th-10th placement, or maybe a bit better if the chips really fall her way. Unfortunately is seems there are forces against her. I hope it doesn't bite the fed. in the butt and next worlds Russia only has 2 spots


edit: I think the results of the LP currently have me on edge and a bit over dramatic

 

[Scott512]

Honestly, the likes of Gubanova and Tarakonova should just skate for other countries (e.g. Belarus, Kazakhstan) so they can experience just being able to compete at worlds. The bias of their fed against them is disappointing.

I've been saying that for about a year. nastya G did fine at rusnats but she doesnt get the scores or rusfed support needed.

Can they get dual citizenship then compete for another country?

 

[Seruleane]

So Stanislava is going to Euros. If she bombs there does anyone think the fed. would have second guesses and send Sofia to worlds instead? Or are they going to live and die with Stanislava?

I'm a little worried about the 3 spots for worlds. Stanislava can be top 10 one day and bottom 10 the next. And Alina is going through growing pains at the moment (and didn't they hint at some minor injury at the GPF?) and is suffering from a lot of pressure from outside and from within. That would put more pressure on Liza (who should be going!) to win a medal and hope Alina gets over what's bugging her or that Stanislava is having one of her good days. That makes things too close for comfort to me.

I think when they are on the other three ladies are better then Sofia but Sofia is at this moment much more stable and reliable and they really need that. She's an easy bet for a 6th-10th placement, or maybe a bit better if the chips really fall her way. Unfortunately is seems there are forces against her. I hope it doesn't bite the fed. in the butt and next worlds Russia only has 2 spots


edit: I think the results of the LP currently have me on edge and a bit over dramatic

No, I don't think you're being dramatic. I absolutely agree. I think Stasya has more "it factor" but Sofia has been so reliable, even today when she was extremely nervous, she landed all her jumps and did well. I don't think she would implode at Euros or Worlds. I feel she deserves a spot on the team, more so than Stasya.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

What a moment!!



#CostumeGoals

 

[lavoix]

Just judging on the videos of Medvedeva's run throughs now compared to her Olympic run throughs, she isn't attacking elements in the run throughs like before. She does look more tentative and she's stopping while her music is on. Compared to last year when she and Alina were doing 3-3-3 s in the practices. I think the girls under Eteri are very serious about the run throughs and it translates to competitive performance.

My opinion (only JMO) but based on what I see, I think she is finished. She looks really clumsy out there; it's as though she has fallen back to earth. I also think that Brian probably didn't agree with her changing her short on such short notice but went along with her decision to "teach her a lesson." I don't mean to phrase it like this, but she needs to experience the consequences of a bad decision to understand the larger scheme of things.

Ummm she took a new SP to teach Brian a lesson, that her previous SP was a stupid idea, was ugly, and would never fit Zhenya. Zhenya isn't a sexy style type of girl. Her new SP fits her much better. A pity it may be the only time we will ever see it.

 

[GoodMorningGrapeseed]

One good thing about this triple A rivalry is that all 3 girls have a good chance to win this event, and it keeps them at the top of their game. I love their friendship off ice as well. If these 3 girls can maintain their form, then skating discourse over seniors team would end for good. I’d like that.

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

Stasya’s not that bad... this seasons been pretty good for her actually. Silver at Helsinki (overscored but still), and an excellent free skate comeback at France. Yes she’s overscored, but don’t underestimate her!

 

[skatenewbie]

Alina‘s their best bet at a (gold) medal as well as securing three spots. She did well all season long. Now she botched the FS due to reasons we don‘t know and I don‘t want to speculate about but honestly, it can happen. She did well at every competition she entered this season. This was one bad program. She won‘t botch Euros and she‘ll sort out what troubles she had to face today. And that‘s Nationals, what do you expect, this is basically a huge show of promoting the fed‘s favourite featuring insane PCS, uncalled URs and co. And certainly not only Alina.

And to replace her for worlds? :noshake: at that - excuse me - nonsense. She is their top lady this season and to drop her like a hot potato just because she had one bad program would be too ridiculous even for rusfed.

if she botched in Euros? who knows? she's been shaky this season, she did get 238 at her 1st event, a challenger where they overlooked her URs. If she botch in Euros like she did at nats her score would be 120 at best? the overlooked UR will be called, 3Lz<+REP, 3S<, 3F< and lower PCS maybe 68. it might possible for RusFed to take her out imo, she's struggling with puberty and its obvious, also rumour that said she's injured too. Same thing happened last season in Worlds people said she is Russian best hope for 3 spot and look what happened?

 

[skateluvr]

My posts keep flipping out. My question: why are the juniors and seniors competing head to head in Russian Nationals? Is this new? Why the heck do they do this? I feel terrible for the senior ladies. Please anyone explain this whole rationale and history. I’m new to this huge huge thread! ThANKYOU!

 

[lesnar001]

Outside of today, she's been doing pretty darn good for being "shaky this season".

Nebelhorn, Japan Open (LP only), Helsinki, Rostelecom - GOLD
GPF - Silver.

I'll play the "if" game too.
If you take out today's anomoly of an LP and replace it with her "shaky" GPF LP.
Add in just a dash of "home cooking" - not enough to even notice.
Then, the "A" at the top of the leaderboard would have been Alina.

Last year she WAS Russia's best hope for three spots.
Had she finished 6th instead of 5th - there goes that 3rd spot.
But in spite of her LP there, she had a great SP - and 3 spots it is!!!!

So please, don't take it away from her.

updated........
there was a post in between.
This post is in response to skatenewbie, not skateluvr.

 

[zanadude]

My posts keep flipping out. My question: why are the juniors and seniors competing head to head in Russian Nationals? Is this new? Why the heck do they do this? I feel terrible for the senior ladies. Please anyone explain this whole rationale and history. I’m new to this huge huge thread!

It's not unique to Russian Nationals. Most, if not all, national competitions allow qualified juniors to participate.

 

[brens78]

Looked at the results and WOW! Just wow when the juniors slayed the seniors! Oh the lead up to 2022 is gonna be exciting to watch with the Russian Ladies

 

[vesperalvioletta]

My posts keep flipping out. My question: why are the juniors and seniors competing head to head in Russian Nationals? Is this new? Why the heck do they do this? I feel terrible for the senior ladies. Please anyone explain this whole rationale and history. I’m new to this huge huge thread! ThANKYOU!

I can't tell you for certain what the rationale behind it is, but I think it makes more sense now with the age cap at 14 than it did in the past when Liza Tuktamysheva was allowed to compete at age 11. 14 isn't so far off the age cap for rising seniors for the following season, and I imagine having top juniors compete head to head against seniors gives the federation a chance to see how all the skaters stack up and who they should be investing in in the future.

In the US, Alysa Liu could be national champion this year at 13, so Russia isn't unusual in its practices in that regard.