2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[NadezhdaNadya]

Yes, Anastasiya Gubanova is probably getting a GP event!!!
I have a question - why Serafima did not get a GP event last year? She was in the reserve team.
So... Last year team was: Alina, Evgenia, Maria Sotskova, Stanislava, Polina, Elizaveta + reserves Anna Pogorilaya, Elena Radionova and Serafima. All of the ladies in the main team got 2 GP events, JGP finalists Daria Panenkova and Sofiya Samodurova got 2 GP events as well.. Anna and Elena were nowhere to be seen.... Leonova got 1 GP event too. And Serafima got no GP events. Why??? And also why Russia got only 17 spots at GP ladies events last year and not 18?

 

[theharleyquinn]

Are you seriously saying that Liza has beautiful lines??? :shocked:

I adore Liza, I do. She is a spectacular jumper (the best in the field, IMO) and she knows how to sell a performance. She does not have beautiful lines. She probably has some of the worst body positions/lines in ladies' skating, other than in her jumps/landings.

Truthfully I don't think her landings are great either. Her jumps can never be taken away from her though.

 

[Mathman]

Are you seriously saying that Liza has beautiful lines???

Lines, schmines. It's the twinkle in her eye.

 

[Jontor]

Yes, Anastasiya Gubanova is probably getting a GP event!!!
I have a question - why Serafima did not get a GP event last year? She was in the reserve team.
So... Last year team was: Alina, Evgenia, Maria Sotskova, Stanislava, Polina, Elizaveta + reserves Anna Pogorilaya, Elena Radionova and Serafima. All of the ladies in the main team got 2 GP events, JGP finalists Daria Panenkova and Sofiya Samodurova got 2 GP events as well.. Anna and Elena were nowhere to be seen.... Leonova got 1 GP event too. And Serafima got no GP events. Why??? And also why Russia got only 17 spots at GP ladies events last year and not 18?

Last year Leonova got 1 spot as a substitute for Radionova who had two. Elena's first wd was announced too late so that spot was wasted. Sakhanovich was behind Leonova in the SB list, 32nd and 30th respectively. So, Leonova was next in line so to speak.

 

[NadezhdaNadya]

I checked. Last year all girls on the main team had 2 GP events. JGP finalist Panenkova got 2 GP events as well. JGP finalist Samodurova got only 1 GP event originally. Radionova got 2 GP events. Pogorilaya and Serafima got no GP events.
Why Leonova was not a reserve?

 

[Vilord]

I think we need to clairify that the teams that was anounced are mainly about funding and dont determine GPs or JGPs. GPs have their own rather complicated rules based on WS and SB and while the main senior team is a good indicator of who they want to get 2 GPs it is in no way a confirmation of it.

As for Leonova being substituted instead of Sima last year the answer is that GP substitution follows the SB list (vaugely in the rules) and since Leonova had a better SB from the previous season she got the spot.


JGP is a whole other game where the fed can do basically what they want so we know nothing about what is going to happen until test skates at least

 

[AlexRus]

Wait, does this mean that we won’t see Usacheva on the jgp?

Usacheva and Khromykh are in part "boys, girls" of national team. This part is also treated as pretenders to JGP.
Past season in this part on national team was Shcherbakova.

Also in main part of "boys, girls" is not age eligible Akatieva, in reserve part Samodelkina and Zhilina. All three ane not age eligible to JGP while they are very talented girls.

 

[moriel]

I think we need to clairify that the teams that was anounced are mainly about funding and dont determine GPs or JGPs. GPs have their own rather complicated rules based on WS and SB and while the main senior team is a good indicator of who they want to get 2 GPs it is in no way a confirmation of it.

As for Leonova being substituted instead of Sima last year the answer is that GP substitution follows the SB list (vaugely in the rules) and since Leonova had a better SB from the previous season she got the spot.


JGP is a whole other game where the fed can do basically what they want so we know nothing about what is going to happen until test skates at least

Im sure everybody understands is.
But as GP assignments are somewhat controlled by fed (who may chose not to submit skaters, or advocate for a specific skater getting 2 spots despite being guaranteed only one, and do all the negotiations), we would expect that fed may make similar decisions.
So if they favour one skater to get funding, they may also favour the same skater to get GPs.

JGPS are decided by fed almost entirely, so again, if they favour a skater, they will favour a skater. But it has a different dynamic as they can replace a skater after a bad first event (which is what they do), so they may favour a skater by giving it a first one, but the second one will only come if JGPF chance.

 

[Reddi]

Does anyone know if the location/venues of the Test Skate will be the same as last year or different?

Different. Test skates are currently planned to be held at Luzhniki Small Arena. The very same arena that has been so well documented in Yuri on Ice.

 

[SarahSynchro]

Lines, schmines. It's the twinkle in her eye.

... and the wiggle and pose!

I love Patrick’s YouTube commentaries.

 

[Amei]

Alina's program are overall more complicated, not just jumps, but more transitions and stuff.

Components, yes Alina's were more difficult but it wasn't much of a program to me; because they packed it so much, she never really connected to the music and the only consistent moment she conveys anything that connects that she's listening to Carmen is a moment when she's not moving, Sofia was far more connected to performing the program and music throughout her skate vs. having so many elements that she's rushing to do them

 

[lopsilceci]

Components, yes Alina's were more difficult but it wasn't much of a program to me; because they packed it so much, she never really connected to the music and the only consistent moment she conveys anything that connects that she's listening to Carmen is a moment when she's not moving, Sofia was far more connected to performing the program and music throughout her skate vs. having so many elements that she's rushing to do them

I disagree. It seems to me that the only time when Sofia didn't just skate through the music was Europeans. There she was "in the zone".
At every other competition, she seemed a bit nervous or disconnected. She still deserves a lot of praise though, because it was her first senior season and she had no falls or big mistakes

 

[moriel]

... and the wiggle and pose!

I love Patrick’s YouTube commentaries.

well, we got to be fair, Liza got some nice soft arms too.

 

[Lipea]

Alina, who won silver at GPF and gold at Worlds, shouldn't be in the team? Wow! If you are talking about Nationals, Alina shouldn't have participated there at all with a terrible burn on her leg, but rusfed didn't allow this to be done. Because they didn't give guarantees about Alina's participation at Euro and Worlds. For them GP is just commercial competitions.

I meant the team into Worlds. If you actually watched the competitions and not just looked at the medal table, you would be ashamed even to mention Europeans. She really did quite bad the entire season except for the very first Senior-B competition. Even her Worlds LP was definitely not the one to re-watch and again GROSSLY overscored. If they sent Tukt instead, with the performances she gave on the team event she would've not only won Gold, but would do it fairly.

 

[Lipea]

I disagree. It seems to me that the only time when Sofia didn't just skate through the music was Europeans. There she was "in the zone".
At every other competition, she seemed a bit nervous or disconnected. She still deserves a lot of praise though, because it was her first senior season and she had no falls or big mistakes

Disagree. Her SA performance was fabulous.

 

[Lipea]

Are you seriously saying that Liza has beautiful lines??? :shocked:

I adore Liza, I do. She is a spectacular jumper (the best in the field, IMO) and she knows how to sell a performance. She does not have beautiful lines. She probably has some of the worst body positions/lines in ladies' skating, other than in her jumps/landings.

Lines compliment rather went to Tsurskaya who truly had the best ones. Due to the visual nature shorter girls generally don't look like they have great lines on ice (Satoko and Kostornaya are, perhaps, exceptions). But Liza has great arms and her face expressions are exquisite. And her positions are great - look at any picture of Liza from her performances - her postures, expressions, - it's meaningful, comparing with, for example, Alina, who is far from good in this department.

 

[Lipea]

Lines, schmines. It's the twinkle in her eye.

Not if you watch live competition

 

[Lipea]

Last year Leonova got 1 spot as a substitute for Radionova who had two. Elena's first wd was announced too late so that spot was wasted. Sakhanovich was behind Leonova in the SB list, 32nd and 30th respectively. So, Leonova was next in line so to speak.

I have a feeling grandma Leonova will get a spot again (gosh, how many years was she on GP IN THE ROW?). As much as it always looks impossible to fit everyone, every year someone withdraws and in a result there is just enough room for Alena

 

[Lipea]

And in fact, Leonova did perform much better cleaner programs at RusNats than Med or Zagi. So, I'd definitely say it's still too early to write her off.

 

[Lipea]

I like Polina, but her programs that year were completely wrong for her. Other skaters get good marks for bad programs, but objectively her PCS scores were about right.

Are you referring to NHK trophy where she was unfairly placed under Med and Karo? First, she had a fabulous SP - probably the best Daniil ever made. Second, even despite so-so LP her programs were better than Med's programs at that moment. And aside from all that, she performed them beautifully and clean, while Med was weak and fell at least once as my memory recalls, and Carolina did her usual, for that season, poor content.