2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[fabienne1996]

Alina and Evgenia finally got the programs they deserved. What they showed today wasn't skating but art and mastery of their skill. I can finally watch them and enjoy their skating without thinking about results/mistakes.

I loved zhenyas programm even with the fall, but the musicality she showed was amazing, I think this may be her best short programm in her career yet. I also really liked alinas program, ok the music is not that much my cup of tea, but the programm looks really good, I also loved alenas and Anne's programm, both alena and anna also look much more grown up then last year. Stasyas sp I also surprisingly like this year. Sofia looks like she is having fun skating which is also refreshing, lizas 3a looks great and her 3lutz is perfect as always. For me while sashes 2a was huge and her combo is amazing her so isn't my cup of tea but I think I will hopefully like her free much more

 

[theharleyquinn]

Alina and Evgenia finally got the programs they deserved. What they showed today wasn't skating but art and mastery of their skill. I can finally watch them and enjoy their skating without thinking about results/mistakes.

Agreed. Some of Daniil's best work ever imo is in Alina's SP. I really enjoyed the step sequence. And seeing Zhenya back with a choreographer who *gets* her was a breath of fresh air. Great spins and responsiveness to music down to the fingertips.

 

[cell]

On 1tv.ru are fresh from the ice interviews, with the skaters still panting and flushed Alina's was lovely. They'll appear on YouTube soon most likely, where you can switch subtitles on.

Do you have a direct link to the interviews? Would like to watch it with VPN.. can't find them on the website

 

[JazzUp]

Do you have a direct link to the interviews? Would like to watch it with VPN.. can't find them on the website

Alina's interview after TS

Other's are available too - just scroll below the frame.


Anya's interview after TS

 

[esteticlove]

Anna was brilliant as well. I very much liked her program, although the leg-grabbing (2-3 times shortly one after another) ruined a little bit the overall composition for me. Still, there were some new movements and I like the darkness and the heavy mood of the music, hopefully her official dress will be also black or some other dark colour. And she herself showed what a great natural actress she is. Some people have to train and train and train to get better in performance, and others like Anna are born performers.

Sasha showed great spirit, as always. She just kills you with her eyes! I don't like the music but I enjoyed her program. Is she the only one who backloads the combo? It was a great 3Lutz-3Lo!

I am concerned for Alena though. She has great chances to have good/very good placings this season but I feel like she's the only one from the group who doesn't really show any obvious improvement in comparison to previous years. Is it possible that she's already maxed out?

 

[Edwin]

Anna's: https://www.1tv.ru/-/guytl Anna worked hard during summer training camp, consider's today' SP in order. She readily awaits the senior season and wants to show what she has learned and can do. She likes her new image and music very much (genuinely smiles with pleasure and pride). She takes Test Skates serious, a test for the next serious competition which will come very soon. Bergamo worries her just a tiny bit, but the Test Skates help in getting ready.
Alina's: https://www.1tv.ru/-/ymlap Alina evaluates her SP today 'normal, but not that good' She prepared herself for the Test Skates like for a competitions, which is the typical #TeamTutberidzeForProgress approach.
Zhenya's: https://www.1tv.ru/-/dsadg
Liza's: https://www.1tv.ru/-/vbclg

The interviewer must be Olga, I think I recognise her voice, and have spotted her in the entrance.

 

[ruga]

Short (?) impressions:
Sofia: not too good. Her main strength is her consistency, but jumps were not great today at all. Spins were wonky as well. Program also not very inspiring, similar to last year. But she tried her best to perform.

Liza: 3A!!! Too bad about the combo, but no need to jump into conclusions. The program is nice overall, may seem a bit dull at times. But she looks improved.

Evgenia: the program is quite nice, moves match the music, her expression is nice as well. I still don't think she should do the lutz. One can see inside edge with no slo-mo or close-ups.

Alina: much, much better program than last season. Interesting transitions, good step sequence. Jumps are quite the same as last season. Fast, strong spins, I wish she could add new positions though.

Anna: I love the vibe! Dark, mysterious and feminine. Nice spiral in the beginning. Gutsy to jump -Lo combo at the end and with a difficult entrance. Anna missed a few accents, but looked quite into her music.

Stasya: a nice surprise. Very good interpreter, beautiful music and program. If only she could be more consistent.

Aliona: jumps solid as always. Program not new, but fits her and will make good impression on the judges. I hope that 2A turns into 3A at the end of the season.

Alexandra: her music was the only kept secret. Peer Gynt is not the first piece you would choose for her, but she did a good job with that. Classical and very innovative at the same time. Her lutz loop was the highlight of course, so fast, effortless and musical.

For everyone who is not in Russia and hasn't found a reliable VPN (does anyone know a free one that works on mobile?), this channel (Music_)has all videos of the ladies:
https://youtu.be/HTpv8dJbzpA

 

[Jontor]

For me, Team Tut was clearly above the rest today. They were all amazing. I would put Alina on top and then maybe Anna even though she was a bit off the music. But there is not much between them and I think 4A will rule this season. For now, I would say that Alina and Sasha are probably a lock for the world team, who will be 3rd?

Konstantinova was fantastic today. She seems so much stronger this year and her ss are beautiful. I think Stanislava can be a nice surprise at the GP this season. Maybe even make the GPF.

Medvedeva was a bit meh for me I'm afraid. I don't know what it is but to me she seems a bit heavy on the ice. She will need to be superclean this season or I can easily see she might be beaten by e.g. Konstantinova at Rostelecom. It will be interesting to see how much the judges will hold her up with PCS though.

Team Mishin. For me, Liza and Sofia were the odd couple out today. Liza's 3A looks stable and the Lutz was fab, but the rest? And Sofia did nothing for me I'm afraid.

What time does the FS start tomorrow?

 

[MissBeeFarm]

Anna was brilliant as well. I very much liked her program, although the leg-grabbing (2-3 times shortly one after another) ruined a little bit the overall composition for me. Still, there were some new movements and I like the darkness and the heavy mood of the music, hopefully her official dress will be also black or some other dark colour. And she herself showed what a great natural actress she is. Some people have to train and train and train to get better in performance, and others like Anna are born performers.

Sasha showed great spirit, as always. She just kills you with her eyes! I don't like the music but I enjoyed her program. Is she the only one who backloads the combo? It was a great 3Lutz-3Lo!

I am concerned for Alena though. She has great chances to have good/very good placings this season but I feel like she's the only one from the group who doesn't really show any obvious improvement in comparison to previous years. Is it possible that she's already maxed out?

Both Anna and Alena backloaded their combos as well.

 

[Vandevska]

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2HfD8inO8Q/

The seasoned competitors

 

[Katie0906]

I love zhenyas music and choreo but sad to say the flutz is so obvious, for me i enjoy Alina & Stanislava's SP more. Anyway Kudos to all the girls they were all amazing too.

 

[nussnacker]

Sasha's 2A looked very big, as if she popped 3A into 2A.
Per her interview, she plans to land 3A in competition this season Dracarys!

 

[fabienne1996]

I love zhenyas music and choreo but sad to say the flutz is so obvious, for me i enjoy Alina & Stanislava's SP more. Anyway Kudos to all the girls they were all amazing too.

She already said she has to monitor like every second of her lutz to get it right which is hard in competitions, but she can not always hide her lutz or flutz by not putting it into a programm, ma he she can get it right in training but she also needs to learn to do that in competitions and while that may take years, she will only get to this point if she includes it into her programme, and repeating and repeating it

 

[mathlike]

Have been watching Shcherbakova's short for the five time already, it's so hypnotizing and different!
Every single move is performed with innate grace and precision, I think any less talented skater would have made a snoozefest out of this music, but Anna and Daniil created a masterpiece.

 

[Edwin]

Have been watching Shcherbakova's short for the five time already, it's so hypnotizing and different.
Every single move is performed with innate grace and precision, I think any less talented skater would have made a snoozefest out of this music, but Anna and Daniil created a masterpiece.

Fully agree! What will the costume be? This routine is so aethereal, strange music made liquid, grace made tangible, emotion made palpable, Olga Ryabina must have created something equally outstanding to dress Anna for her first senior season.

And Anna will already start next week in Bergamo, fully prepared, tested and confirmed in her excellence.

She is so lanky yet so powerful, quite deceptive, but also trained very well, no stroke is wasted, every movement is functional. Quite astonishing.

 

[halulupu]

She already said she has to monitor like every second of her lutz to get it right which is hard in competitions, but she can not always hide her lutz or flutz by not putting it into a programm, ma he she can get it right in training but she also needs to learn to do that in competitions and while that may take years, she will only get to this point if she includes it into her programme, and repeating and repeating it

of course she can put in her programmes. but she must be ready to get an (e) for it and the -goe which comes with it.

 

[Canadianskatingfan]

4A impressed me the most at this test skates. If I’d have to rank everyone’s skates today it would be
Alyona
Alina
Anna
Alexandra
Liza
Zhenya
Stanislava
Sofia

 

[Canadianskatingfan]

Also did anybody notice kostornaya correct lutz edge? <3

 

[mathlike]

Alina was super impressive compared to last year, 3-3 as good as ever. Mad respect for a 'girl who won it all' to keep finding motivation for hardest work and showcasing skate like this.
Alena amazing as usual, although would like to see new program by the skater of such artisticism. Sasha improved much in my opinion - the upper body movement is class better than last year. The spins seem to be bothering her a bit.

 

[nussnacker]

Also did anybody notice kostornaya correct lutz edge? <3

I didn’t review it in slow mo, so I can’t really tell.
I only noticed her feet were very close together on the lutz, so there are improvements on her lutz for sure.
Imo flip was bigger and a lot better in execution. It was a flawless jump last year too, but now it somehow looks so much more powerful. A lot of work has been done over the summer.