2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[DenissVFan]

I wanted to post this here: "Is there any way to watch RusNats without commentary? I'd rather focus on the competition than the inevitable airing of grievances etc." but then I saw that Ted will also commentate RusNats. My wish came true!

 

[Edwin]

I wanted to post this here: "Is there any way to watch RusNats without commentary? I'd rather focus on the competition than the inevitable airing of grievances etc." but then I saw that Ted will also commentate RusNats. My wish came true!

Ted must have made quite an impression at the Open Test Skates, and this is indeed wonderful news FFKKR wants the international broadcast/livestream of their most exciting and important national championships in years to be successful and appreciated the world over.

I have nothing against Grishin or even Averbukh's commentating, but can do without TAT.

Her emotional reaction to Govorit Movska shows she is 'touched', to put it mildly. Still, I hope all parties leave it right here and now, no further escalation. It is turning into a scandal now, with people losing control of their emotions and more parties rushing to make a statement, show support or throw some fuel into the fire.
TAT's exclamation would make for an awesome audio meme no doubt, has the radio station broadcasted it?

This ability (to discern and appreciate artistry, musicality, virtuosity of performance etc.) can be trained. IMHO, the reason some judges do not "see" it is not because they are tone-deaf or blind, but because they are corrupt.

This is exactly my opinion, PE and IN are too open to bartering.

 

[skatingfan200]

Eteri fears about her reputation - "Junior-Coach" was mentioned very often in the last days.

First she says on channel one that Alina said "give me a pause, just a pause, I want to come to the decision myself that I want to compete.
Therefore, with all our coaching staff, the federation we tried to convince, persuade again to continue."

Basically supports the words of her sister about lack of motivation and laziness. She should have said something if she cares about Alina (the comments were much more insulting towards Alina than the comments from TAT or Plush) but did not. Why? She was quiet after GPF, Alina cries just because she can not skate at the Gala?... tv commentators started to talk about Alina´s retirement :think:


After the big majoriy was against her and blamed her for Alina´s "break from figure skating competition", she decided to go after TAT and Plush...which is looking like a strategic move. It does not help when on the ig post she speaks about the "greatest Athlete" but only a day before, the athlete was someone who needed to be persuade to compete for the last 1,5 years.

 

[Fluture]

Eteri posted... a poem?

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6GSUM9icHT/?igshid=1niqtz3yg7b5l

Can anyone translate? The Russian to German automatic version from Instagram doesn‘t make sense.

 

[LenaRadiFan]

The grand preseason should count for something important and to say Anna was a lot better than Liza in the Grand Prix season would be an understatement. if Liza somehow finishes in third place at Nationals she still should not go to Euros because you shouldn't make the rest of the season meaningless.

4A are such class acts they never have a miss step. The same cannot be said of Liza.

I wonder what's going to happen to Sofia and Stanislava at Nationals. Will they bounce back or will there seasons continue to crumble?

Yeah, because the pre-national season counted so much last season for worlds & euros(partly), right? ;-)

No but all in all I agree with you that excelling at Grand Prix should count for national team selection, but please fairly and consistently, not just pick and choose in some seasons

 

[Artemisa]

I' sad for alina ... ... I think she didn't have a choice except to quit ... when I think of her I think of Margarita Mamun ... she is the kind of girl who works hard everyday and the winning is the consequence of that ... not the wish of winning ... or a fire to become the first ... the fire of the batle ....I think she doesn't have that ... not like trusova or medvedeva or Tuk ... and I think that why she quit ... even working hard she was loosing and without that fire is difficult go to train every day and not quit when you already won everything ...

I think if her had got a change of coach or not have lost to the 3A maybe she could have survive ... but probably eteri would never let her change coach's ( she is the reigning olympic and world champion) and I think alina would never have the courage to change or the motivaton ... she looks a very faithful person

 

[klena]

Eteri posted... a poem?

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6GSUM9icHT/?igshid=1niqtz3yg7b5l

Can anyone translate? The Russian to German automatic version from Instagram doesn‘t make sense.

I'm simple and compliant.

My home is poor, at best.

I hail from an island

Secluded from the rest.



Slept fine! He came around -

I cannot sleep of late.

I’d burn my house down -

To warm a stranger’s plate!



We’re friends – if you have seen me,

You came, - take all I’ve got!

Our laws are simple really:

They’re written in our blood.



We’ll lure, if we endeavor,

The moon down from the sky!

But should you leave – you never

Existed, - nor did I.



The knife wound is still bloody:

O, will it heal before

The very next somebody

Comes knocking on my door.

Marina Tsvetaeva

May 23, 1920

 

[KOBOT37]

It's Marina Tsvetaeva's poem. (from 1920s )

Russian is too hard for me but I read some discussions(Eteri, Why are you doing this to us?!) and apparently the poem is about woman being alone, men coming and going, leaving women heartbroken, but the hero of poem still ready to do everything for next lover.

Don't take this too seriously, most likely it's trolling.

 

[Edwin]

Eteri posted... a poem?

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6GSUM9icHT/?igshid=1niqtz3yg7b5l

Can anyone translate? The Russian to German automatic version from Instagram doesn‘t make sense.

It's a poem by Marina Tsvetayeva,

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Цветаева,_Марина_Ивановна
https://www.tsvetayeva.com/poems/prostaya_moya_osanka

Thanks, Klena, for the translation.
-----
AZ, EG are getting likes by the thousands every hour, so there definitely is something brewing. Hopefully all skaters stay well away from this, no interviews, no answering to any questions, no need to get trapped in a media storm.

 

[melgirl25]

Eteri fears about her reputation - "Junior-Coach" was mentioned very often in the last days.

First she says on channel one that Alina said "give me a pause, just a pause, I want to come to the decision myself that I want to compete.
Therefore, with all our coaching staff, the federation we tried to convince, persuade again to continue."

Basically supports the words of her sister about lack of motivation and laziness. She should have said something if she cares about Alina (the comments were much more insulting towards Alina than the comments from TAT or Plush) but did not. Why? She was quiet after GPF, Alina cries just because she can not skate at the Gala?... tv commentators started to talk about Alina´s retirement :think:


After the big majoriy was against her and blamed her for Alina´s "break from figure skating competition", she decided to go after TAT and Plush...which is looking like a strategic move. It does not help when on the ig post she speaks about the "greatest Athlete" but only a day before, the athlete was someone who needed to be persuade to compete for the last 1,5 years.

Plushenko responded. It’s on Rosaline Winters Instagram stories

 

[klena]

It's a poem by Marina Tsvetayeva, it should probably be available in translation. Searching for it right now. AZ, EG are getting likes by the thousands every hour, so there definitely is something brewing.

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Цветаева,_Марина_Ивановна

already found, #16839

 

[NaVi]

I have to assume all this drama is directed by PR people to gin up extra interest because it's getting absurd.

Question to FS experts - are drugs which delay puberty (delay growth spurts etc.) considered "doping"?

Something I wondered a while back and I looked casually and couldn't find any answers because the drugs used on boys wanting to change their gender kept coming up. So I looked again right now and It seems the two main drugs I found are listed under WADA's site under "Chorionic Gonadotrophin (CG) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and their releasing factors in males" and I'm not sure how to read that... if it means adding the "releasing factors in males" OR if the drugs are only banned "in males". A problem with using these drugs in a figure skating context is those who use them grow a couple inches taller in their final height. And I think the opposite is also true, the main drugs to reduce height are estrogens that will induce puberty early. I doubt these types of drugs are used.

To go on a tangent, girls on average are naturally taller than boys up until around 9 months into age 12 and they don't have as steep of a growth curve... which has previously made me think that it's probably easier to systematically develop girls. https://www.who.int/growthref/who2007_height_for_age/en/

But there is a link between weight and puberty and training and stunted growth. Any sort of doping in the youth would probably just focus on what adult athletes care about. But it seems like the top concern in figure skating is keeping the fat off and for that I'd look at the abuse of thyroid meds which are perfectly legal according to WADA.

https://runningmagazine.ca/the-scen...ouraged-doping-with-legal-thyroid-medication/

I don't think any before JGP doping is going on, but it's something to keep an eye out in the future if/when competition really starts to heat up.

 

[Lechat]

Yuna Kim announces a break, South Korea supports her and thanks her for winning an olympic gold for their country. Kaetlyn Osmond announces a break, Canadian skating champions, past and present, come out to support and give highlights in her career. Mao Asada and Carolina Kostner are backed by federations who love and support them, give encouragement during their lows and applaud them for their fight and comebacks. Adelina Sotnikova wins olympic gold then takes a break, and Russian skating higher-ups applaud and support her.

Alina Zagitova wins olympic gold - the only individual gold for Russia in the entire olympics, and the most influential person in Russian figure skating, TAT, comments in the live broadcast that the judges have it wrong and Alina doesn't deserve it. TAT goes on national television to tell Alina's father that she loves another skater more. Alina has a meltdown at worlds, TAT tells the world "see, we can't depend on her". Alina has a difficult season and struggles, TAT comments that she doesn't have fire in her eyes and doesn't skate well. Alina wins worlds, post olympics and post puberty which to my knowledge no other Russian lady has done, and TAT says a few nice things. Alina decides to take a break, and TAT says she didn't do much in her career like she isn't the most decorated Russian lady figure skater bringing the olympic and world titles to the country. She also says Alina won't return because I'm sure she knows more than Alina herself, though she seems to have no idea about Adelina who hasn't skated in many seasons. Add in some other "famous skaters" telling the media that Alina is just a money making pond.

And still people are all like "WhY iS aLiNa So StReSsEd AlL tHe TiMe".

Remember, Alina is probably one of the least controversial skaters. She's never said anything bad about any other skater, coach, choreographer, or official. She's never even pointed out her displeasure with scoring and calls like many others have done. She doesn't give any attitude when scores come up. Even when asked, she's never said anything offensive about anyone.

This would never fly in any other country.

We already know that TAT doesn’t like Alina.

Adelina a better skater than Alina ? What a Joke.

Alina is the reigning olympic and world champion, she deserves respect.

 

[KOBOT37]

If that Poem means anything regarding to FS, it means that Eteri is heartbroken from Alina's decision (and in... less than ideal mental condition,this probably explains yesterday's post).

anyway, it's unlikely we are going to get anything more than rumors for some time. This can have 3 endings:

either Team Tutberidze (or Alina herself) will post training pic from Khrustalny after Navka's Show is over (ends at Orthodox Christmas day, 7th January) and before Swiss shows start, if she returns to train(as she said she would), there will be proof of it sooner or later.

or after season is other, Alina will either announce new coach or skipping next season (read:retirement).

I guess we have to wait and see (and in meantime, watch Eteri and Co clashing with the old Guard of Russian FS )

 

[Tolstoj]

Wow i broke up a week with figure skating to keep up with my work (waiting for nationals) and i feel like this

https://66.media.tumblr.com/f6e31f35d88833de6f927d13b5e98b92/tumblr_o6iteqEukn1qa0v13o1_250.gif

First of all i'm very surprised to read Eteri going all out like that on a post on Instagram, calling out coaches for the statements they said, but it was about time to reveal all the political game we've always known or at least suspected: TAT doesn't like Sambo70 (probably because they made CSKA a B tier club in terms of results), she played a big role in Evgenia's departure, she is actively rooting for her and she is spreading the news across all the influential people at the Federation, and probably doesn't like Alina because of that.

I think in some aspect Tutberidze is right to complain and accuse while others i don't think she is, in some she's gaining from this, in others she's losing.

Alina deserves respect as any elite athlete, if she wants to retire or continue it's up to her, in Russia unfortunately it is very common to steal or buy skaters from other groups, or manipulate them or even twisting the media to their favour. To be fair Sambo70 does this too on the junior level.

That said this also applies to Eteri: she can't decide for Alina which is a good coach and which isn't for her. She's probably against Plushenko because there are money involved in this, and you know Plushenko with his shows, he would absolutely gain a lot from having the current Olympic and World champion at her Academy. But who knows, maybe he's the right coach for her.

Also while it's okay for her to retire after winning everything, it doesn't change the trend that skaters at Sambo70 can only last up until 17-18 and then they retire or change coaches (and struggle).

Yuna Kim announces a break, South Korea supports her and thanks her for winning an olympic gold for their country. Kaetlyn Osmond announces a break, Canadian skating champions, past and present, come out to support and give highlights in her career. Mao Asada and Carolina Kostner are backed by federations who love and support them, give encouragement during their lows and applaud them for their fight and comebacks. Adelina Sotnikova wins olympic gold then takes a break, and Russian skating higher-ups applaud and support her.

Alina Zagitova wins olympic gold - the only individual gold for Russia in the entire olympics, and the most influential person in Russian figure skating, TAT, comments in the live broadcast that the judges have it wrong and Alina doesn't deserve it. TAT goes on national television to tell Alina's father that she loves another skater more. Alina has a meltdown at worlds, TAT tells the world "see, we can't depend on her". Alina has a difficult season and struggles, TAT comments that she doesn't have fire in her eyes and doesn't skate well. Alina wins worlds, post olympics and post puberty which to my knowledge no other Russian lady has done, and TAT says a few nice things. Alina decides to take a break, and TAT says she didn't do much in her career like she isn't the most decorated Russian lady figure skater bringing the olympic and world titles to the country. She also says Alina won't return because I'm sure she knows more than Alina herself, though she seems to have no idea about Adelina who hasn't skated in many seasons. Add in some other "famous skaters" telling the media that Alina is just a money making pond.

And still people are all like "WhY iS aLiNa So StReSsEd AlL tHe TiMe".

Remember, Alina is probably one of the least controversial skaters. She's never said anything bad about any other skater, coach, choreographer, or official. She's never even pointed out her displeasure with scoring and calls like many others have done. She doesn't give any attitude when scores come up. Even when asked, she's never said anything offensive about anyone.

This would never fly in any other country.

I mean duh? Adelina came from CSKA, the most powerful club in Russia, and even after so many years of winning nothing relevant, they are still in the conversation and getting praised for very small results. We saw TAT sitting alongside Putin in the past, that's how powerful they are.

That's not to say Eteri isn't powerful now, she brought more results than anyone else, she knows her voice matter, and that's why she is speaking about this openly.

 

[Ophelia]

This drama is better than any reality show. Loling over Tutberidze bringing out poetry. Will we graduate to performance art next?

 

[Finley]

This drama is better than any reality show. Loling over Tutberidze bringing out poetry. Will we graduate to performance art next?

I want her to quote some Billie Eilish lyrics....

 

[fabienne1996]

This drama is better than any reality show. Loling over Tutberidze bringing out poetry. Will we graduate to performance art next?

Does anyone have popcorn? [emoji23]

 

[Osmond4gold]

This drama is better than any reality show. Loling over Tutberidze bringing out poetry. Will we graduate to performance art next?

I would pay to see Tat, Tut, Plushy, channel their inner Marcel Marceau and do this in mime. Talk about theatrics!

 

[flanker]

No matter how loudly people say "Such drama is possible only in Russia", they seem to like it. Just like they watch films about gladiators :sarcasm:

Eteri was aware of what will follow. And the response of teamtutberidze didn's start it, that only clarified what every side truly thinks about it. Just because some part of the figure skating world couldn't accept Alina's announcement as any other announcement, there are tons of similar ones. No, this had to be something.

But there are people who don't enjoy this drama. First of all Alina. And other skaters as well, because they will be affected by it, more or less.