2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

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Can we say Eteri ruins superstars because when each of them hit 17-18 they were no longer competitive? Or is that simply part of what figure skating is now? Liza and Mariah Bell and Bradie Tennell say no, it isn’t, so clearly there is more going on behind the curtains. But then, the latter two have no 3A or quads. But Amber Glen gained a 3A so what gives? It’s so difficult for us to judge.

Alina could easily skate now at the level of Liza and Mariah Bell, and Bradie Tennell. The thing is that she doesn't want to. What has Eteri to do with that? Who ruined Gracie Gold or the only recent non Russian junior champion Marin Honda? What's going on with the anointed "next OGM winner" Alysa Liu? Is she going to make a team?

Attacks on Eteri are so tiresome now.

 

[Tonight's the Night]

The best one, imho, is the girl on the left in the second video (with a light blue round collar or whatever it is on her top). She resembles me of Anya so much, with her grace and elegance, I could never say it is possible for anyone. I have no idea who she is, Daria or Veronika?

That is Daria.

She is a phenom of dance in my opinion. I've been really interested in this question of how dance "translates" to figure skating. There are moments when Daria (this Daria, Daria Sadkova) really "shows" her dance ability on the ice. I really see it in the movement of the arms and the head.

It doesn't seem like that same "translation" happens as often for Anna, but maybe that's because the programs she has this year don't allow it? This is just a tentative thought experiment, by the way; I'm not very far along in my opinions here.

There are also lots of great dance videos out there with Zhenya.

Edited: oh, and just in case, I'm a big Anna fan; I just see a different "spirit" in her dancing and in her skating.

 

[nussnacker]

On the other hand, if we’re looking at all the skaters who got their jumps back, most did it before Aliona left Eteri

Akatieva: „During the summer camp I couldn’t land 3A, it started going well when we were back to Khrustalny“

Фигуристка Акатьева продолжит исполнять четверные и тройной аксель в одной программе

В понедельник 13-летняя спортсменка представила короткую программу на первом этапе Кубка России в категории кандидатов в мастера спорта

tass.ru

 

[chasingneverland]

She had her leg broken so severely and kept in cast for so long, her family was afraid she's gonna limp, not to mention continuing with sport. They just didn't say a word and support her. One year later she was attempting quads.

Believe me, you don't need to worry about Anna Shcherbakova's will to improve.

I don't doubt her will. ( I don't doubt any of their wills for that matter. You can't achieve what they have - any of them - without incredible will and talent.)

I just also know that you're not the same person at 19 as you are at 16. I also think she's allowed to pursue other interests.

 

[chasingneverland]

Akatieva: „During the summer camp I couldn’t land 3A, it started going well when we were back to Khrustalny“

Фигуристка Акатьева продолжит исполнять четверные и тройной аксель в одной программе

В понедельник 13-летняя спортсменка представила короткую программу на первом этапе Кубка России в категории кандидатов в мастера спорта

tass.ru

Yeah, as far as I know none of them had their jumps back during the summer.

 

[MaggieLin]

What performances from the juniors!

Akatieva - many say she'll be a weaker performer but I disagree. Her performing style tends to be more reserved but she has loads of potential. Her programs this season are just so incredibly awful, and I couldn't believe she managed to sell them so well in this competition. That aside, huge congratulations on the clean program!! She seems to be quite hard on herself - she's visibly disappointed after almost every competition earlier this season, she even said "why can't I just do a clean program" at once. Her character and talent will lead her far! Those 4Ts are so beautiful.

Samodelkina - her 4S always looks a bit short on me, maybe it's because of pre-rotation? Regardless, what a performance! I wouldn't say she's the most natural performer - she tends to "try a little too hard" on certain moves...Anyway, so happy for her after the placing at the last competition!

Zhilina - she needs to pick slower music next season...aside from the stress from her mother/coach, I think her 4T/3A suffer too much from the fast pace of the music. Her skating skills are nice but she really needs to work on performance. Is she in the same competitive year with Akatieva or a year younger?

Adelia - my favorite junior! Incredible skating skills (speed & edge), spins, musicality...I really appreciate her choice of music as well - very thoughtful girl. BUT - Need to fix those axes!! She's relatively new to the group and I'm sure Eteri has the way. (What did Eteri say after her program today?)

 

[karina17]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CL7DcnGJSDT/?igshid=c9pvjdmzkxzg

Sofia Akatieva is fearless. Doing quads and triple axels is one thing, but looking at Eteri Tutberidze in the eye as she's critiquing you and telling her she's wrong is another.

 

[chasingneverland]

Yeah, they returned to the rink in May, and it was my understanding that Sasha and Anna had both recovered their jumps before her departure, regardless of who’s programs had been completed. I’m wondering perhaps if Aliona’s injuries contributed to this? If she were hurt they’d do “easier” work with her first as she eased back into routine?

There’s some confusion about Anna and Liza. I was comparing Liza’s bought of pneumonia the previous season to Anna’s this season. Same ailment, but Liza was in far worse shape. Basically, I don’t think it’s fair to have a “she was MORE sick tho” sort of contest when the majority of the circumstances around all of their illnesses are unknown.

The young ages don’t really bother me, 15 year old Aliona was better than 15 year old Julia. I mean the sort of cap of their performances before really “falling from grace” so to speak all happened around 17-18. The competition now is far more fierce so comparing who would win what place at international events is not really a good comparison, but in comparing an individual’s peak form? I think there’s some merit to the discussion there. Zhenya won bronze in 2019 not with Eteri but with Orser. Still, even Eteri’s career as a coach is relatively new. Three skaters for her is likewise not enough to judge if it is her methodology that prevents longevity without crippling oneself as is occurring with Zhenya, or again if it is just the nature of the sport. We can get more info once Kamila, Daria, and Maiia hit 17-18. Then our sample size is 7-9.

As far as I know none of them had all their jumps back over the summer. They didn't get back to Crystal until August though which was when they actually started getting their jumps back.

As for the bold part - you're contradicting yourself. You can say Anna got better quicker here (as you did in a previous post) and then talk about Liza in 2019 and say she "was in far worse shape" and then say that Aliona had it worse. My point WAS that we don't know all the details so you can hardly say Aliona had it worse because you also don't know. I was saying THAT and YOU keep trying to say someone had it worse.

Also why are we discussing the young ages? That wasn't the discussion at all. Also 15 year old Aliona was a junior. 15 year old Julia had won two GP, placed silver at the GPF and Russian champions, won Euros, had a gold team medal at the Olympics, and won a silver at World's. (16 year old Aliona was better than 15 year old Julia - although the records won't show it.)

Also Evgenia winning bronze after leaving Eteri WAS the point.

EDIT: I think some of the discussion is less maybe coach-centric and more the state of the sport. Eteri's group were the pioneers so it makes sense that there are more students to look at. But Alina/Evgenia were only 3 years ago - and not even an Olympics cycle ago and the sport has already changed so much since then and others are catching up. Eteri's juniors aren't the only one's doing ultra-c elements. I think this next generation might be the better comparison/test.

 

[MaggieLin]

That is Daria.

She is a phenom of dance in my opinion. I've been really interested in this question of how dance "translates" to figure skating. There are moments when Daria (this Daria, Daria Sadkova) really "shows" her dance ability on the ice. I really see it in the movement of the arms.

It doesn't seem like that same "translation" happens as often for Anna, but maybe that's because the programs she has this year don't allow it? This is just a tentative thought experiment, by the way; I'm not very far along in my opinions here.

There are also lots of great dance videos out there with Zhenya.

Sadkova does reminds me of Anna. Both have incredible musicality and dance ability. Anna's dance ability was some what hindered by her skating skills in the past but she surely improved a lot in that regard. I wish they'd try something differnent with Anna's SP next season - she can totally handle a faster / non-classical music.

 

[brakes]

There was some really weird dynamics in the K&C between Zhilina, her mom and Plushenko after both programs.
It looks like they don't know what the right approach is: strict, gentle of whatever. She just doesn't respond properly at the competitions.

 

[sclloyd]

Alina could easily skate now at the level of Liza and Mariah Bell, and Bradie Tennell. The thing is that she doesn't want to. What has Eteri to do with that? Who ruined Gracie Gold or the only recent non Russian junior champion Marin Honda? What's going on with the anointed "next OGM winner" Alysa Liu? Is she going to make a team?

Attacks on Eteri are so tiresome now.

Lmao I’ve never seen your username before so I’m going to assume you’ve not seen my previous posts. I’ve criticized every single coaching team here. That includes Eteri’s. It’s not my intent to “bash” anyone, and I really enjoy conversing with chasingneverland because I think they bring up great points I’ve not thought about before. To normal people this is conversation. As I’ve criticized all of them, so I’ve praised them. Eteri has probably gotten the most praise from me, which is difficult to come by. Thank you for your biased contribution.

 

[Lzbee]

That is Daria.

She is a phenom of dance in my opinion. I've been really interested in this question of how dance "translates" to figure skating. There are moments when Daria (this Daria, Daria Sadkova) really "shows" her dance ability on the ice. I really see it in the movement of the arms.

It doesn't seem like that same "translation" happens as often for Anna, but maybe that's because the programs she has this year don't allow it? This is just a tentative thought experiment, by the way; I'm not very far along in my opinions here.

There are also lots of great dance videos out there with Zhenya.

I always thought Alina was the best on-land dancer of the Eteri girls last year but on ice, Aliona who was probably the worst dancer of all of them was more elegant. It's strange that dance ability doesn't always carry over.

Kamila's talent for contemporary does translate to the ice though.

 

[MaggieLin]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CL7DcnGJSDT/?igshid=c9pvjdmzkxzg

Sofia Akatieva is fearless. Doing quads and triple axels is one thing, but looking at Eteri Tutberidze in the eye as she's critiquing you and telling her she's wrong is another.

This is so adorable Her technical side is so incredible that the only thing Eteri could pick on was her smile

 

[chasingneverland]

Alina could easily skate now at the level of Liza and Mariah Bell, and Bradie Tennell. The thing is that she doesn't want to. What has Eteri to do with that? Who ruined Gracie Gold or the only recent non Russian junior champion Marin Honda? What's going on with the anointed "next OGM winner" Alysa Liu? Is she going to make a team?

Attacks on Eteri are so tiresome now.

She did too. Even when everyone was saying she's finished and the last time she competed - she was 6th at GPFs, a competition Liza T and Mariah didn't make it to.

Although, maybe not easily. She'd have to work for it. The hardest part will be making it out of Russia. Internationally Japan is the only country where she wouldn't definitely be number 1. And with her as she's said the hardest part is the criticism she gets. And naturally the fact that she's going to be out-teched.

Also, Marin Honda makes me sad. I love her - she's magic. (And thoroughly refuses the idea that Russia is the only place where you get edged out by younger skaters with higher tech. In fact, being edged out by younger skaters happened in South Korea too - a 16 year old Young You just had her spot taken by a 15 year old Hae-in Lee.)

Although that said attacks on ALL the coaches and skaters are tiresome. It's hard to separate the two though when skaters don't exist and skate in a vacuum and are very affected by their coaching environments.

 

[brakes]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CL7DcnGJSDT/?igshid=c9pvjdmzkxzg

Sofia Akatieva is fearless. Doing quads and triple axels is one thing, but looking at Eteri Tutberidze in the eye as she's critiquing you and telling her she's wrong is another.

Wow!
You tell her, girl!

 

[Jontor]

Also--not a fan of Bolero for Kamila. She's such a lovely skater, but the music never really seems to go anywhere, and almost seems... lifeless.

I would've loved to see a program that allowed her to really show who she is as a skater, I suppose. I just feel that Bolero doesn't suit her. Just my opinion though!

Love your positive attitude!

You really came in here with all guns blazin' didn't ya...?

FWIW...I can't stand Bolero. But it seems to be a popular FS piece, and I've come to accept that it pops up now and then...

 

[chasingneverland]

This is so adorable Her technical side is so incredible that the only thing Eteri could pick on was her smile

I like how Eteri smiles at it too haha. I think she (Eteri) appreciates fighting spirit.

 

[MaggieLin]

Watched some of the even younger skaters -
Sofia Vazhanova is a grace to watch. Those jumps are a bit iffy hmm... is she late 2008? Who's the coach?
Nastya Zinina - is it just me or she grew a lot this season? Her height worries me...and those legs...look like they're extending out of the screen Anyway, always enjoyed her performance - glad she still has 3F3T in her pocket despite the growth spurt.

 

[[email protected]]

Lmao I’ve never seen your username before so I’m going to assume you’ve not seen my previous posts. I’ve criticized every single coaching team here. That includes Eteri’s. It’s not my intent to “bash” anyone, and I really enjoy conversing with chasingneverland because I think they bring up great points I’ve not thought about before. To normal people this is conversation. As I’ve criticized all of them, so I’ve praised them. Eteri has probably gotten the most praise from me, which is difficult to come by. Thank you for your biased contribution.

I don't follow the history of your posts and I am not sure that I should. I replied to your words where you asked a rhetoric question if Eteri ruins superstars as soon as they reach 17-18. After that there was the alternative - the sport nowadays doesn't tolerate superstars after 17-18 years old. You dismissed this by giving examples of 3 skaters who you assume are superstars and who are older than 17-18. This gives the support to the first hypothesis that Eteri does ruin superstars. In my reply I explained why this "analysis " is just another clumsy attack on Eteri. This is tiresome and I won't write more in this exchange of "biased contributions "

 

[brakes]

Watched some of the even younger skaters -
Sofia Vazhanova is a grace to watch. Those jumps are a bit iffy hmm... is she late 2008? Who's the coach?
Nastya Zinina - is it just me or she grew a lot this season? Her height worries me...and those legs...look like they're extending out of the screen Anyway, always enjoyed her performance - glad she still has 3F3T in her pocket despite the growth spurt.

Watching all these little beans from "Ice Age": Rebrova, Zhinina, Vazhnova, Kulikova now 5 inches taller, skating sassy to "Cha-cha" in fancy dresses makes me feel old.

Regarding height - after Maia's Sunday Show, I'm starting to believe in taller skaters' chances.