2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Vandevska]

Shouldn’t Serafima and Maria also attend as they have GP? Or just the national team is invited?

I don't really know, that's why I'm asking.

 

[Scott512]

Correct me if I'm wrong, these are the participants on test skates:

Alina Zagitova
Evgenia Medvedeva
Sofia Samodurova
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
Alexandra Trusova
Anna Shcherbakova
Aliona Kostornaya
Stanislava Konstantinova
Anastasia Gubanova


So 9 people. Wish they would invite 3 more girls. So many more are so good, I wanna see all.

Nastya probably wont be there maybe Serafima and or Masha will replace her. After all after terrible seasons last seasons these girls need to show their stuff and show the fed where they are at after being given GP events when few thought they would get them

They should have 15 plus at open skates. Only 9 is dubious.

 

[neud]

So it is kind of strange to see Kamila rapidly whacking her leg up and down multiple times to notes that are barely audible.

She shows her extention with high leg movement 2 times in Spiegel part (1:09, 1:16), and you call it 'multiple times'? Or do I miss something?

 

[Skater Boy]

Nastya probably wont be there maybe Serafima and or Masha will replace her. After all after terrible seasons last seasons these girls need to show their stuff and show the fed where they are at after being given GP events when few thought they would get them

They should have 15 plus at open skates. Only 9 is dubious.

Does that mean Leonova is also out of the GP too? Poor Maria - two years ago she was the rising darling and now she is yesterday's news.

 

[VenusHalley]

She shows her extention with high leg movement 2 times in Spiegel part (1:09, 1:16), and you call it 'multiple times'? Or do I miss something?

I counted about 13 leg kicks in the program (some of them not all the way up, but just on the waist level... but kicks nonetheless).

 

[colormyworld240]

I think everyone has their own definition of leg kicks. But kicks to me are then she kicks or raises her leg up. The rest is just moving her legs. All skaters do this in their choreography, she just extends it fully while others don't; I think that's better (everyones always talking about finishing movements anyways). It's strange to me that those are counted, would it then not count if she just does it more sloppily ie. doesn't fully extend? Those are like arm movements -does everyone count how many times a skater moves their arms?

 

[Baron Vladimir]

Absolutely. When skaters are doing hands or head movements, its fine. But when somebody is doing leg movements, its a problem. Why? Just because someone dares to do them and because is not something all the other skaters are doing. B**** please!

 

[neud]

I counted about 13 leg kicks in the program (some of them not all the way up, but just on the waist level... but kicks nonetheless).

Probably you consider any leg movement as 'kick'. Not any leg movement shows extention.

 

[Scott512]

Does that mean Leonova is also out of the GP too? Poor Maria - two years ago she was the rising darling and now she is yesterday's news.

Oh I don't know. But I do know they should all be there but won't be.

 

[Jontor]

Shouldn’t Serafima and Maria also attend as they have GP? Or just the national team is invited?

I would guess that it is just the national team so no Konstantinova and Gubanova.

 

[Georgya]

Absolutely. When skaters are doing hands or head movements, its fine. But when somebody is doing leg movements, its a problem. Why? Just because someone dares to do them and because is not something all the other skaters are doing. B**** please!

Some people not only can't think outside the box with all the clichés and stereotypical models, but they also are outraged when somebody comes up with something actually new, that wasn't done before. God forbid you lift up your leg on the ice more than they consider "normal" but never mind the 25373 unnecessary arm liftings that are not expressing anything and aren't done to mark the musical notes in 90% of the programs. It reminds me of the outrage caused by two legends when they decided to do opening balletics for 28 seconds so their blades didn't hit the ice... and all because they didn't want to change their music arrangement

 

[nussnacker]

Sadly, as long as quantity instead of quality of transitions is rewarded, we will see lots of random leg kicks and arms flailing. It often looks like they are kicking something or chasing flies away.

To me the random horsey leg kicks ruin the program for me. It interrupts the flow. It often feels not even part of choreography, but as trying to shake off a cramp or something...

Your choice of words never ceases to amaze me.
Keep it up.

 

[Amei]

[Emphasis added.] This two-word comment receives more "thumbs-up" than any other comment in the previously 120 / 8 pages.
This is really the issue that most anguishes/intrigues/entertains some, Kamila's SP leg-extensions?
Shockingly, this comment receives even more endorsements than the lengthy, interesting interview Edwin provided, from which it was abstracted.

To me, there's something reminiscent in the Kamila leg-extension comments reminiscent of ill-considered "Anna's tiny jumps" that we heard the last two seasons, or Sasha's frequent accusations of "childish" skating. (Look where those led.)

Perhaps it escaped some people's attention, but Kamila's SP had a unmistakeable reworking at the time of the Khrystalnii birthday festival, presumably in anticipation of this season's challenges, which actually included less of the leg thing that still now so bothers some, and a generally busier programme with less time for holding positions, another thing that is drawing criticism, even though the Eteri team has proven their mastery at constructing winning busy programmes.

I will never say that Eteri's team does not construct winning programs, that's their job and they do very well at it...that doesn't mean viewers have to like the program.

 

[Georgya]

Your choice of words never ceases to amaze me.
Keep it up.

Stronger words are often used to compensate for the small numbers on that side. There is a saying "The weaker you are the louder you bark" I got the impression based on comments on video platforms, social media and the news outlets that Kamilla's SP was/is very well received by a majority of people. Including Diana Picasso was impressed with it. Those who frown upon it or the leg lifting are a minority. It's their opinion, I find it elegant and I embrace everything that is original or sets apart a certain skater from the rest of the crowd. It's not against the rules to lift your leg as much as you want on the ice. Other skaters are welcome to do it if they manage to look as gracefull as Kamilla.

There are two kinds of figure skating fans: the Purists, who value the patterns, "traditions" and believe that all programs should be strictly after a random, arbitrary model, either is about the placement or the order of the jumps, either is about the number of time a skater lifts her leg. And the Nonconformists, who appreciate the unconventional ideas, programs, choreos and enjoy eccentric approaches and rebellious ways.

 

[Georgya]

I will never say that Eteri's team does not construct winning programs, that's their job and they do very well at it...that doesn't mean viewers have to like the program.

"I will never say that Eteri's team does not construct winning programs, that's their job and they do very well at it...that doesn't mean v̶i̶e̶w̶e̶r̶s I have to like the program." Fix that for you Generally viewers seem to like Eteri style programs based on the number of views and the type of reactions skaters like yulia lipnitskaya, evgenia medvedeva and alina zagitova have on youtube for example. The numbers are close to the ones Yuzuru has

 

[mathlike]

Sofia Akatieva has a interesting SP, that show helped her to perform better, she grew up a lot and is already becoming well-known for someone who isn’t even an international junior. Well deserved as she’s a skilled skater. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL2OyIdAVgc

Elizaveta Berestovskaia looked less "natural", maybe she was nervous in the first part- oh, man she also matured a lot, looks taller https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHuW5-e_m2o

Ksenia Tsibinova was brillant, she skates with so much maturity for her age https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-wv-ygIKGA

Sofia Samodelkina looked a bit nervous too, good SP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksK3lr-fH6I&t

Anna Frolova is also lovely and delicate, but I don't quite like this program https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgtCDy0y4B0

I'm starting to like better Davydov's skaters than Panova's. Better jumps and packaging, more like Eteri's. He is coming after her )

Tsibinova is 15y8m, Frolova 14. You could see how their maturity stood out from other girls.

 

[mathlike]

[Emphasis added.] This two-word comment receives more "thumbs-up" than any other comment in the previously 120 / 8 pages.
This is really the issue that most anguishes/intrigues/entertains some, Kamila's SP leg-extensions?
Shockingly, this comment receives even more endorsements than the lengthy, interesting interview Edwin provided, from which it was abstracted.

Vaits multiple accounts?

 

[Happy Skates]

So Trusova has said in her new interview that she "has worked on her 3A and continues to do so". I wonder if this means she has landed it already or if she has just worked on it? I am super excited to see the new programs though.

 

[mathlike]

This user's compilations are a bit crazy but fun, and there are many rare moments caught on camera:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3on71yy4Zc

 

[TallyT]

To me the random horsey leg kicks ruin the program for me. It interrupts the flow. It often feels not even part of choreography, but as trying to shake off a cramp or
something...

I'm sorry, but this made me laugh like crazy, as it immediately brought to mind a quote from one of my favourite Georgette Heyer books...

"Yes, indeed, but you have quite misunderstood the matter! I meant a particularly well-bred horse!"
"You mean, as I am perfectly aware, to belittle Miss Wraxton!"
"No, no! I am very fond of horses!" Sophy said earnestly.