2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Nord Stream 2]

Hi Nord Stream 2 - this is the post of yours from last week that I was referring to:



Don't worry, I wasn't suggesting that you released secret info!

But clearly Aliona was working on the 3A over the summer. Maybe not successfully.

Here's the interview where she said she was told she might have to go back to juniors, which Edwin kindly translated for us in Aliona's fan fest:


So you all could be correct--it's quite possible that Team Tutberidze/RusFed never seriously intended for Aliona to go to Junior Worlds; it could've all been a ruse to make her motivated to do the triple axel. If so, it worked! :yes:

It is nice to deal with an informed person with a good memory. I saw this interview, but did not remember these words.

Next time I will not allow myself to doubt your words.

It's great that Alena has such amazing fans like you, and not just such nervous fools with a bad memory like me. Thank you very much.

 

[Batsuchan]

It is nice to deal with an informed person with a good memory. I saw this interview, but did not remember these words.

Next time I will not allow myself to doubt your words.

It's great that Alena has such amazing fans like you, and not just such nervous fools with a bad memory like me. Thank you very much.

Aww, thanks Nord Stream 2!

Back to the topic at hand...

In case anyone (besides me) was wondering, it seems Aliona and Alina (and the rest of Team Russia) finally got their luggage (including their skates) from Japan:
https://rsport.ria.ru/20191127/1561672409.html
When they arrived in Russia earlier this week, their luggage didn't make it because of a tight connection in Tokyo, but now it was finally delivered.

That's a relief! :yes:

 

[Artemisa]

I'm sure there is going to be a prediction game about RusNats later on, but I just can't hold myself.

This is my prediction for Russian Nationals (for now)

1. Anna Shcherbakova (!)
2. Alena Kostornaia
3. Alexandra Trusova
4. Alina Zagitova
5. Ksenia Sinitsyna
6. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
7. Evgenia Medvedeva
8. Ksenia Tsibinova
9. Viktoria Vasilieva
10. Anastasia Gubanova
11. Sofia Samodurova
12. Elizaveta Nugumanova
13. Anastasia Tarakanova
14. Serafima Sakhanovich
15. Valeria Shulskaya
16. Anna Frolova
17. Stanislava Konstantinova
18. Maria Sotskova

I have mixed logic with wishful thinking, which is probably not the best thing to do...

Maybe we wil need a post to prediction of russian nationals ...

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

If one of 3A were to falter at nationals, thus ending up off euro/world team, do you think Rusfed would send them to junior worlds? As a consolation prize?

I don't think they'd want to. None of them have ever lost at an international senior event (although at least two will at the GPF).

 

[colormyworld240]

If one of 3A were to falter at nationals, thus ending up off euro/world team, do you think Rusfed would send them to junior worlds? As a consolation prize?

I see junior worlds as a career stepping stone; winning a medal is good momentum into seniors (whether it's 1 or 2 years before actually going senior). As the 3A already competed a full senior GP, I don't think they will send them to junior worlds. And Russia has many talented girls in juniors who need the experience and will one day be moving to seniors as well. I think it'd be different if they were lacking talent, but they're not and it makes sense to give the actual juniors the experience and exposure. And the actual juniors Valieva, Sinitsyna, Usacheva, etc. are all capable of medalling. That's the way I see it.

 

[DenissVFan]

Maybe we wil need a post to prediction of russian nationals ...

That would be fun.

 

[Alex65]

Maybe we should talk about sending Alina to the junior worlds, and tomorrow she will also jump something. What problems?

 

[SkateSkates]

Maybe we should talk about sending Alina to the junior worlds, and tomorrow she will also jump something. What problems?

She still has this season and next season of junior eligibility so she can become the first ever 3X world junior ladies champ!

(Sarcasm)

 

[Sugar Coated]

There was plenty of junior talent the year they sent Stasya to both senior and junior worlds. To me that indicates they aren’t opposed to sending senior competitors to also compete in juniors for whatever reasons.

 

[Happy Skates]

I see junior worlds as a career stepping stone; winning a medal is good momentum into seniors (whether it's 1 or 2 years before actually going senior). As the 3A already competed a full senior GP, I don't think they will send them to junior worlds. And Russia has many talented girls in juniors who need the experience and will one day be moving to seniors as well. I think it'd be different if they were lacking talent, but they're not and it makes sense to give the actual juniors the experience and exposure. And the actual juniors Valieva, Sinitsyna, Usacheva, etc. are all capable of medalling. That's the way I see it.

From the sound of Kostornaia's interview, it sounded like they were planning on sending one of them to Junior Worlds again if one of them was left of the Euros/Worlds team. Maybe Youth Olympics too, especially considering Valieva isn't eligible so there won't be a quad girl there to combat Liu (if Liu ends up even going). But that was before Kostornaia reintroduced her 3A, and before they swept the Grand Prix. With both of them having two Grand Prix wins now, Junior Worlds seems a bit ridiculous. They are all leaders of the senior season.

But what if one of them does get left off of the Worlds team? Alina, Evgenia, and Liza with her new quad are all looking pretty good. Lets say Anna Shcherbakova has a bad nationals (not saying this is likely, but its at least possible). Then all it takes for one of the three older girls to beat her is a clean performance by any of them. And with the way things are looking, it's very probably that at least on of the "older trio" will go clean, with a huge score. And honestly, I think they'll just send the top three from Nats to Worlds. Even if someone who medals at the GPF doesn't medal at Nats. Because think about it, would RusFed really politick Evgenia or Alina off of the Worlds team? Maybe they would if it were Liza... but if she lands a quad and goes clean and medals at RusNats, I feel like RusFed would appreciate the excuse not to send three Eteri girls. Anyways, say Anna doesn't make the team. Would it be better for her to just do nothing in the second half of the season? Or would it benefit her to go to the Junior comps, and maybe get a Junior World or Youth Olympic title? It still does seem ridiculous considering she's won two senior Grand Prixs, but it might be better than nothing.

 

[Orlov]

This season so far:

Alena comes out with the 3A
Sasha comes out with the 3A too
Liza comes out with the 4T

What's the next plot twist?

Calm down. Less emotionally. These jumps are not yet in the programs (except Alena). Perhaps Sasha has a "margin of safety" to "walk" her 3A in FGP. As a rule, the first performance of ultra-с jumps in public occurs with falls or other problems. Where exactly will Lisa demonstrate her 4T in first time? On RusNat? To put it mildly, it's risky.

Does anyone know that Tuktamysheva will have any competition before RusNat?

 

[Jontor]

Does ISU take into account the results of the Youth Olympics for entering the GP stages?

The results from the Youth Olympics counts to the Seasons Best List, so yes, it can change the outcome of the GP assignments next year.

 

[Jontor]

Calm down. Less emotionally. These jumps are not yet in the programs (except Alena). Perhaps Sasha has a "margin of safety" to "walk" her 3A in FGP. As a rule, the first performance of ultra-с jumps in public occurs with falls or other problems. Where exactly will Lisa demonstrate her 4T in first time? On RusNat? To put it mildly, it's risky.

Does anyone know that Tuktamysheva will have any competition before RusNat?

Tuktamysheva will be at Golden Spin of Zagreb next week.

 

[Ice Dance]

Does anyone know that Tuktamysheva will have any competition before RusNat?

She is scheduled to compete in a week at Golden Spin. (The statement Mishin released along with the video of the quad says that he is not certain she will perform the quad even this year).

 

[Orlov]

Tuktamysheva will be at Golden Spin of Zagreb next week.

This will be VERY interesting.
In fact, if we ignore all this hype, we do not know the true situation with its 4T - what is the percentage of successful attempts. If they insert 4T into the FP in Zagreb and she can landed it, this will really be an important event.

 

[rollerblade]

If one of 3A were to falter at nationals, thus ending up off euro/world team, do you think Rusfed would send them to junior worlds? As a consolation prize?

Wait. Skaters don't lose "juniors eligibility" once they competed in seniors international competitions?
Blurred lines indeed.

 

[Scott512]

Aww, thanks Nord Stream 2!

Back to the topic at hand...

In case anyone (besides me) was wondering, it seems Aliona and Alina (and the rest of Team Russia) finally got their luggage (including their skates) from Japan:
https://rsport.ria.ru/20191127/1561672409.html
When they arrived in Russia earlier this week, their luggage didn't make it because of a tight connection in Tokyo, but now it was finally delivered.

That's a relief! :yes:

The skater should always carry on their skates with them since they're so valuable. Check in your luggage but not your skates.

This gets me thinking how many pair of skates do you think the average high-level figure skater has? 1 2 or 3? My guess is 2.

 

[Good Vibes Only]

This will be VERY interesting.
In fact, if we ignore all this hype, we do not know the true situation with its 4T - what is the percentage of successful attempts. If they insert 4T into the FP in Zagreb and she can landed it, this will really be an important event.

I feel like if it is somewhat consistent that she should try it at Golden Spin. This way she has one attempt under her belt before Russian Nats. Or if she doesn’t want to try it at an international event then maybe she could do a local competition in St. Petersburg before nationals.

 

[Ice Dance]

Wait. Skaters don't lose "juniors eligibility" once they competed in seniors international competitions?
Blurred lines indeed.

No, of course not. Many athletes compete in both senior & junior level events during the same season. They are just not allowed to compete at both levels on the Grand Prix. However, athletes do have to obtain and maintain TES minimums at both the junior level and the senior level if they wish to compete at both. For athletes that competed only a year ago, their junior TES minimums are still good. For an athlete that moved up two years ago, however, that athlete would need to compete at a junior event prior to Junior Worlds in order to renew his/her/their junior minimum TES scores.

Most top junior singles athletes compete at least one senior level competition during a season. This gives them an opportunity to earn senior minimum scores in case they finish at the top at their respective nationals. It also gives those athletes a bit of senior experience, and it helps juniors gain World Standings points that they can use to try to make the senior Grand Prix. Some junior athletes are among the only athletes their federations have to send to Worlds. So we have juniors from small or less competitive countries that may compete at both Junior and Senior Worlds. And some athletes are competitive enough to earn berths on the senior Grand Prix but have very deep competition at home. Rather than forego any experience late in the season and forfeit all those major international World Standing points to athletes from other countries with less competition, those athletes may drop back down to junior competition after the end of the GP and attend Junior Worlds. (Which can also help countries earn more JGP spots for the following season).

Skaters can compete at the junior level until they pass the maximum age threshold. Super competitive athletes generally do not need to do this or wish to do so as they have berths to Worlds and it is difficult to train & compete both a junior & senior program during the same season. But competing at both levels can be very good for borderline athletes needing just a few more points in order to earn their way onto the GP. Also, it is nice for some countries to be able to send a young representative to Worlds rather than to send no one; but that athlete may be much more competitive at the junior level and have a better shot of qualifying for the free skate or medaling at Junior Worlds.

 

[Mathman]

From the sound of Kostornaia's interview, it sounded like (the Russian Federation was) were planning on sending one of (the 3A) to Junior Worlds again if one of them was left of the Euros/Worlds team.

I second SkateSkates' idea above. They can send Alexandra Trusova to junior worlds so she can set the all-time record of three consecutive junior world titles.

They can still sweep the senior worlds podium with the other two plus Alina Zagitova. :yes: