2018-19 Russian Ladies' figure skating

[Mathman]

As I understand it, the top twelve from worlds are not invited but randomly drawn where their assignments will be, and in seeded order, so 1-3 can't meet each other, then 4-6 etc.

I might be wrong, but I don't think so. I think the procedure goes something like this. First each host country chooses the skaters from their own country that they want to invite (including any top 3 or 4-6 that they might have and including "to be decided" placeholders. Then there is a draw among the six host countries as to the order they will go in to chose which of the top three to invite. Then they go in the same order to choose which of 4-6 to invite. Then they start choosing who they wan to invite from the remaining top twelve, following the rules in case the host who picked just before you nabbed the skater you were hoping for.

I believe also that the top skaters themselves are allowed some non-binding input as to which event they want to be invited to.

Something like that?

I aslo think that host federations take into consideration which international skaters will put on the best show for the audience. For instant, if the host doesn't have a top level contender in a discipline anyway, they might want to invite the world champion just to have a stronger competition with the most popular competitors. (At least I hope they think like this.)

 

[Alexz]

Who is “we”? Are you speaking for yourself or for others?

I can’t speak for any other relatively “new” Zhenya fans, but speaking only for myself, I never disliked Zhenya when she was winning everything. I simply never followed ladies’ skating very closely. I’m a fan now because I loved her FS at the Olympics. Beyond that, I think it took a lot of courage for her to take a leap into the unknown, and I really admire her for that.

I don’t think everyone has to love Zhenya, nor do I think it’s wrong to point out that she’s struggling right now. But quite a few comments here and elsewhere are extremely negative and go well beyond simply saying she’s struggling. And just a minor point: anyone who has ever made a huge change - technical or otherwise - knows that 6 months is not a long time when you’re trying to master something new and difficult. So I find it kind of silly that so many people seem to “know” that she made a huge mistake in leaving Eteri and going to Brian, and that she will never improve or be competitive again. JMO.

Basically, a lot of people here love Zhenya (and Alina, equally), but we like to look at things realistically. Evaluating what is happening and discussing where things are going is a fair game. That's what forums are for. We see they both are struggling. We all hope they get better. We discussing the reasons and hypothetically entertaining their future potentials. I think it is a reasonable and honest evaluation. We know the changes Zhenya made and we discussing it. We know Alina is struggling with growth spurt, we discussing her as well. We are not sure if Eteri girls 3.0 (aka 3A squad) is going to keep theirs quads and 3As, we discussing them here too. Fair game.

We are not a new fans, some of us have been following FS for over a decade(s).
FS is always a drama. That's partially why we love this sport so much. Welcome aboard and keep watching FS and reading this forum. You going to learn the sport and it's history and fall in love with it even more. :

 

[Mathman]

...between selecting who your top skaters face off against in combination with inviting the eligible judges the federations certainly can increase the odds in their skaters favors...

To me, this thing about the judges is the only thing worth worrying about. As for feds making deals, I'll invite your ice dancers if you'll invite my man-- I am not too alarmed about deals like this. (It occupies the feds' brain trusts and deflects them from worse shenanigans. )

As for the judges, I just looked at the list of countries represented at the six Grand Prix events and I did not notice anything untoward. There is a tendency to invite more judges from nearby and fewer form the opposite ends of the earth. There are more Asian countries (plus USA, Canada and Australia) at NHK and more European countries represented at Rostelcom Russia Cup. I don't know anything about the individual judges.

There is always a slight lean toward the home country regardless. (Home court advantage.)

 

[Mrs. P]

We are not a new fans, some of us have been following FS for over a decade(s).
FS is always a drama. That's partially why we love this sport so much. Welcome aboard and keep watching FS and reading this forum. You going to learn the sport and it's history and fall in love with it even more. :

Just because someone is a new fan of somebody, i.e. Zhenya, doesn't mean that person's opinion on said skater is less valid. Or that they're a new fan of figure skating.

I been following figure skating off and on for 20+ years, but I am a new fan of lots of skaters. Sometimes it takes a while to warm up to a certain skater. God knows I couldn't stand Boyang Jin when he first came on he scene as a junior. But I came to like him and he's one of my faves. WeakAnkles will kill me but I have to say I really enjoy Maxim Kovtun's skating this season -- this is after pretty much disliking his skating since HE was a junior. (Though I kinda liked his I Can't Dance SP a few years back)

My current new faves among the Russian ladies is Alyona K. and Sofia.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Here is a little #tbt 2017 jr nats

https://youtu.be/uGgMAFKMET8

Kind of interesting to see how much they’ve grown in just a few short years. Definitely some familiar faces in this one

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

I think it’s actually a pretty good idea to keep Tarakanova in juniors. I really want her to make a senior debut and all but I think it’s more beneficial for everyone if she stays in juniors. Correct me if I’m wrong but Alysa Liu is coming to juniors next year and she’s got the 3A and 4Lz under her belt. Nastya has a 4T and 4Lo, but none of the other junior eligible ladies (besides the 3A who will most likely all go to senior) has a quad or 3A. So basically only Nastya can challenge Alysa. Besides if Tarakanova moved up to seniors she would probably only get one GP, and someone else would get one less GP.

 

[alvina9894]

I think it’s actually a pretty good idea to keep Tarakanova in juniors. I really want her to make a senior debut and all but I think it’s more beneficial for everyone if she stays in juniors. Correct me if I’m wrong but Alysa Liu is coming to juniors next year and she’s got the 3A and 4Lz under her belt. Nastya has a 4T and 4Lo, but none of the other junior eligible ladies (besides the 3A who will most likely all go to senior) has a quad or 3A. So basically only Nastya can challenge Alysa. Besides if Tarakanova moved up to seniors she would probably only get one GP, and someone else would get one less GP.

“It's more beneficial for everyone" except for Nastya What a wonderful reason for a sudden 9-point decrease in domestic PCs in Nationals. Poor girl, she's doesn't have to get the GOEs and PCs she deserve, because she's better off staying in juniors to battle the upcoming Alysa Liu!

It's all for the greater good!

 

[Amei]

“It's more beneficial for everyone" except for Nastya What a wonderful reason for a sudden 9-point domestic PCs in Nationals. Poor girl, she's doesn't have to get the GOEs and PCs she deserve, because she's better off staying in juniors to battle the upcoming Alysa Liu!

It's all for the greater good!

If she stays in Juniors she is pretty much a lock for getting all possible assignments; whereas if she goes Senior she'd get 1 GP and then only senior B's and based on how everything looks right now she'd be unlikely to get Europeans/worlds on the Senior level.

Plus doesn't the Russian Fed put skaters on like an A Team and a B Team for the 'National Team' where it affects their funding which team they fall on, that might also play a contributing factor in her staying in Juniors.

 

[rachno2]

“It's more beneficial for everyone" except for Nastya What a wonderful reason for a sudden 9-point domestic PCs in Nationals. Poor girl, she's doesn't have to get the GOEs and PCs she deserve, because she's better off staying in juniors to battle the upcoming Alysa Liu!

It's all for the greater good!

I doubt she would start getting the GOEs and PCS she deserves as a first-year senior, either, especially if she is moving up with 3A (senior national medalists) and Gubanova (who has been competing as a quasi-senior this season and seems to have positioned herself as Buyanova #1). But staying in juniors another season, winning everything or mostly everything in sight, possibly culminating in a Junior World title, and moving up to seniors with all that momentum? I think that would be pretty good for Nastya. Sure, she would be competing with Alysa Liu internationally, but as a senior she would be competing with 3A and all the other seniors domestically.

But it all depends on what she and her coaching team think is best, of course I can understand not wanting to do another junior season when she already has a JGPF medal from last year.

 

[skatenewbie]

Tarakanova is out of top 24 SB and likely won't get any GP if she turn to senior, she will get senior B probably next season while stay doing JGP. i hope she'll not be buried though like because 3A she is 4th girl right now. Next season there is Kanysheva, Usacheva, Valieva, surely she can be top 3 gainst them. Next in the team would be Vasilieva, Sinitsyna, Kromykh.. who else gonna make the JGP Team? Kostyuk? Frolova/Shabotova? Also what will happened with Guliakova? She's not in top 24 SB and with so many girls in top 24 i doubt she'll get host pick for CoR. im guessing no JGP/GP just senior B like this season? she might want to go to JWC though but it won't be easy too.

it's gonna be hard season for Tsurskaya and Panenkova, they will only do senior B next season, need to do qualifying for nats, etc.

 

[neud]

But staying in juniors another season, winning everything or mostly everything in sight, possibly culminating in a Junior World title, and moving up to seniors with all that momentum? I think that would be pretty good for Nastya. Sure, she would be competing with Alysa Liu internationally, but as a senior she would be competing with 3A and all the other seniors domestically.

Come on. To stay in Juniors to compete with Liu, Valieva, Kanysheva, Vasilieva, Usacheva? Not an easy way.

 

[skatenewbie]

Come on. To stay in Juniors to compete with Liu, Valieva, Kanysheva, Vasilieva, Usacheva? Not an easy way.

she has proven us she can beat Kanysheva, she just need to skate consistently clean. she scored 190/191 with messy SP and her FS is clean but could be better. she got better GOE on jumps but Kanysheva get higher PCS because she's consistenly clean/semi clean while Tarakanova is not. with right programs and consistency she easily get 200+

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Come on. To stay in Juniors to compete with Liu, Valieva, Kanysheva, Vasilieva, Usacheva? Not an easy way.

A lot easier than Trusova and Rika :scard7:

 

[alvina9894]

she has proven us she can beat Kanysheva, she just need to skate consistently clean. she scored 190/191 with messy SP and her FS is clean but could be better. she got better GOE on jumps but Kanysheva get higher PCS because she's consistenly clean/semi clean while Tarakanova is not. with right programs and consistency she easily get 200+

Well, that's not going to happen if she's getting 58PCS for a superb skate :noshake:

 

[LRK]

First off, let me say that my personal wish would be to see Nastya skate senior as soon as may be - I think she absolutely deserves it. However, seeing what happened at Nationals, that is clearly not going to happen.

I never get into discussions about PCS (even though I of course have my own personal opinions, as, I dare say, has everyone else), but I will make an exception here. Her free skate PCS were utterly incomprehensible, and clearly bore no relation whatever to what actually happened on the ice, and can only be seen in the light of a "message": You are not Favoured. In light of which, it is now a virtual certainty that she will remain in juniors next year.

Seeing that is the case, I can only wish her the best of luck, and that she may have a successful season, and that she may make a reputation for herself, and that the judges finally can see what some of us already do.

And I hope to goodness they give her a few Senior B:s at least. It would make no sense not to.

 

[neud]

A lot easier than Trusova and Rika :scard7:

Who knows, who knows

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

Also, think about it this way...

Tarakanova can probably beat Kanysheva, Sinitsyna, Valieva, Usacheva etc, and magbe even Liu if she can get a consistent quad. So a world Jr medal and JGPF medal is definitely possible. Even a silver at both those events can basically guarantee two assignments for her debut senior season. Besides, it’ll be 20-21 that she goes to senior in that case, and she still has a season to build up PCS for the Olympics.

I want Nastya to be getting the PCS she deserves too, but let’s face it, that’s got going to happen this season for sure. I think RusFed has some kind of agenda against her or something. This year they’ve got the 3A to take to Jr. Worlds, but next year... Kanysheva, Valieva and Usacheva? That seems like a relatively weak field in comparison to the competition that they’ll get from Liu. So they basically HAVE to send Nastya unless she’s injured or something. And Nastya is consistent enough to get on that podium.

 

[Step Sequence4]

hasn't Tarakanova also been working on a quad toe? Should she get one consistent shed be competition for Liu and surely one of the top juniors next season, or she could try to make a splash in senior also. But with 3A making it out of Russia is going to be difficult even for someone like Zagitova, unless of course they only move up 2A.

 

[atsumiri]

Nastya has a 4T and 4Lo,

but she doesn't have it.

and I wouldn't call Kanysheva, Valieva, Usacheva ... weak...

 

[skatenewbie]

but she doesn't have it.

and I wouldn't call Kanysheva, Valieva, Usacheva ... weak...

they are good, but their jump content is same with everyone, unlike Anya and Sasha who has quads, also Alena jump is considerably better than them. So for Tarakanova competition they are easier to beat compare to 3A. Tarakanova have huge jumps too which can get good GOE, and certainly quad potential as she is learning 4T and even have attempt it in competition.