2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Mathman]

How many skaters can participate in the Rostelecom GP? And if almost all of them can be Russian girls does that mean someone like Nastya G can actually get a Grand Prix event?

The same might be true for any country. Maybe the 10th best lady from Canada, China, France or the US might get an invitation to a Grand Prix event, which would otherwise be beyond their reach.

 

[Scott512]

The same might be true for any country. Maybe the 10th best lady from Canada, China, France or the US might get an invitation to a Grand Prix event, which would otherwise be beyond their reach.

It would be an amazing opportunity for a lot of skaters. Let's see what happens and how things unfold.

 

[SkateSkates]

They also need to disclose more details on the size of the fields. For Rostelecom, there could be Anna, Aliona, Sasha, Liza, Alina, Zhenya, Kseniia, Sofia (all technically guaranteed a spot) plus Stasya, Tarakanova, Liza N and Sima all further down the SB list. Both Nastya G’s don’t have SB but could potentially also be “host picks”. And these are just the skaters from Russia. There’s also Safonova, Ryabova etc.

Is the field limited to 12?

 

[Jontor]

It would be an amazing opportunity for a lot of skaters. Let's see what happens and how things unfold.

I don't think Gubanova has a chance though at Rostelecom Cup. Russia will probably submit their national 8 ladies team and then give the rest of the spots to other federations training in Russia, like Ryabova, Safonova, Tursynbaeva, and maybe Kurakova (and I am probably forgetting someone).

 

[Jontor]

The same might be true for any country. Maybe the 10th best lady from Canada, China, France or the US might get an invitation to a Grand Prix event, which would otherwise be beyond their reach.

True, but it will be at the expense of the non-GP federations. I looked at the SB list from last season, and Korea has actually 9 ladies potential for senior GPs (4 in the top 24). Probably just a couple of these girls will get to compete.

 

[Sugar Coated]

That's an interesting point - thinking back to this past season, and the way Sasha struggled with her Biellmann spins, and eventually got rid of the one at the end of her FP, you might be right. She never looked comfortable taking her leg up above her head, to me, at least, and I certainly had moments watching her when I wondered if she would get the free leg extended. The Biellmann as well is a spin that is really impressive, but also makes me wince at times, thinking about the curve of the lower back, and I wonder how much strain it puts on the body - Evgenia no longer does a Biellmann, following her back injury.

Then there's that interview that came out last month or so (time is fluid this year), where the trainer said something about flexibility negatively impacting jumping. Sasha is certainly flexible, but she doesn't have the extensions of Anna and Aliona, and maybe that is why she has so far had fewer injuries. I have hypermobility issues, not quite the same thing as flexibility, but you do rack up injuries if you are stretchy, and the only way to not be injured as often is to focus on building up the muscles to become strong enough to support the joints. So it's possible that working on spins and flexibility can impact on the strength required for the quads?

I’ve heard that too about flexibility. That you sacrifice power with increased flexibility beyond a certain point. It makes sense that a taught bow is able to generate more power than a loose bow.

 

[Amei]

A popular argument in GS (and elsewhere) is this: Eteri, as a grown woman (adult), should not trash/bash the teen girl when she leaves. What Eteri has done is classless, ...
So whenever a high profile student left her, if she dared to say anything, she's trashing/bashing the poor teen girl, she's the devil by default.

This 'Eteri vs teen' argument is wrong! When a top skater left her group, she had the right to explain what she knew and how she felt, because she's not talking to the teen at that moment - she's talking to the teen's parents, the other coaches, the federation, the fans (and anti-fans), and the public. Is this a one-side story? Yes, all she's saying is of course "one side". It's not her responsibiity to provide the other side.

Many argued that Eteri should just be quiet. First of all, I, as well as some others, do want to hear from her if possible, because she is one of the main players. As to how she should speak on her own behalf, that's her business.

In my eyes, this is 'Eteri vs the Other side', and the other side includes a lot of adults, and they are not weak at all.

By the way, starlight97's post makes perfect sense here: https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/s...gure-Skating&p=2621026&viewfull=1#post2621026. For convenience, below I quote it:

I don't disagree that Eteri should be able to state what happened, the problem is that either Eteri herself or someone on her team attacks the skater's character in some way. I wonder if Eteri has someone surrounding her that's ever going to point out that she is the common factor in all these bad breakups with her high profile skaters.

 

[Jontor]

I’ve heard that too about flexibility. That you sacrifice power with increased flexibility beyond a certain point. It makes sense that a taught bow is able to generate more power than a loose bow.

As much as I love the Biellmann spin, I do think it might be time to have a serious evaluation about it. Girls with severe back problems are common now in figure skating. Should the ISU ban the Biellmann?

 

[dunffvanstorn]

As much as I love the Biellmann spin, I do think it might be time to have a serious evaluation about it. Girls with severe back problems are common now in figure skating. Should the ISU ban the Biellmann?

I don’t think the Biellmann is causing the back injuries, but the poor technique to jump with the back.

 

[Scott512]

I don't disagree that Eteri should be able to state what happened, the problem is that either Eteri herself or someone on her team attacks the skater's character in some way. I wonder if Eteri has someone surrounding her that's ever going to point out that she is the common factor in all these bad breakups with her high profile skaters.

That common factor is true as is the common fatcor these girls are nothing before Eteri but when they leave het theyare great. Yulia, Zhenya, Sasha and now Alyiona. That has to be a common factor somewhere too. In the end both sides benefit from the other.

 

[NadezhdaNadya]

I don’t think the Biellmann is causing the back injuries, but the poor technique to jump with the back.

Probably true.

 

[Vemvane]

As much as I love the Biellmann spin, I do think it might be time to have a serious evaluation about it. Girls with severe back problems are common now in figure skating. Should the ISU ban the Biellmann?

Don't know that banning the element is necessarily the solution, so much as perhaps encouraging girls to adopt a less extreme posture when performing it - thinking of the girls who are so flexible they can press their heads to their legs. At any rate, this sent me off to see what sort of injuries, if any, are specifically associated with the Biellmann, and came across a 2018 article, 'Epidemiology of figure skating injuries: A review of the literature', by Han et al., published in Sports Health. Re the Biellmann it had the following to say:

Certain elements of figure skating increase risk of spondylolysis due to hyperextension of the lumbar spine, such as the layback spin and Biellmann position, which require extreme hyperextension of both the lumbar spine and hip.

The article is open access, so the whole thing is freely available. It's an interesting read; not all the literature it touches on is open access, but some of it is, if anyone wants to go more in-depth into the various injuries that figure skaters can be susceptible to.

 

[Fluture]

Lots of people asked Zhenya on Instagram about the rumours of her switching to Plushenko. This was her answer:

“Stop. I have found my place in life and my people. I don‘t need to change anything. And you should mind your own business. This answer is not only to you but all those who hinted at sensationalism.“

It‘s not her.

 

[plushyfan]

Lots of people asked Zhenya on Instagram about the rumours of her switching to Plushenko. This was her answer:

“Stop. I have found my place in life and my people. I don‘t need to change anything. And you should mind your own business. This answer is not only to you but all those who hinted at sensationalism.“

It‘s not her.

I read this rumour after TRrusova switch in May...

 

[Fluture]

I read this rumour after TRrusova switch in May...

Yes, it started back then. But after Plushenko‘s interview where he hinted at another “sensation“ and Evgenia still being in Russia people were thinking about her again. Which would explain why she finally decided to address it.

 

[Pantsu]

Lots of people asked Zhenya on Instagram about the rumours of her switching to Plushenko. This was her answer:

“Stop. I have found my place in life and my people. I don‘t need to change anything. And you should mind your own business. This answer is not only to you but all those who hinted at sensationalism.“

It‘s not her.

I remember her saying that she is not going to leave Tutberidze and a few weeks later she moves to Orser

 

[Fluture]

I remember her saying that she is not going to leave Tutberidze and a few weeks later she moves to Orser

Haha, as soon as I posted in this thread I was waiting for this argument. You did not disappoint, thanks for that. :agree:

So, to specify: At this point in time, Evgenia has no intention of changing coach. Given that test skates start in about a month and transfer period is long over, it seems unrealistic that she will. However, it is of course possible that something drastic happens and a sudden change of heart leads her to switch coaches after all.

Better?

 

[Pantsu]

Haha, as soon as I posted in this thread I was waiting for this answer. You did not disappoint, thanks for that. :agree:

So, to specify: At this point in time, Evgenia has no intention of changing coach. Given that test skates start in about a month and transfer period is long over, it seems unrealistic that she will. However, it is of course possible that something drastic happens and a sudden change of heart leads her to switch coaches after all.

Better?

You're welcome

 

[Scott512]

Lots of people asked Zhenya on Instagram about the rumours of her switching to Plushenko. This was her answer:

“Stop. I have found my place in life and my people. I don‘t need to change anything. And you should mind your own business. This answer is not only to you but all those who hinted at sensationalism.“

It‘s not her.

Wow a major Zhenya smackdown of the rumors and to Evgeni! The key word being sensationalism. He doesn't need any more top ladies. He already has Sasha Aliona and Veronika who is still a couple years away from juniors.

 

[Shayuki]

Haha, as soon as I posted in this thread I was waiting for this argument. You did not disappoint, thanks for that. :agree:

So, to specify: At this point in time, Evgenia has no intention of changing coach. Given that test skates start in about a month and transfer period is long over, it seems unrealistic that she will. However, it is of course possible that something drastic happens and a sudden change of heart leads her to switch coaches after all.

Better?

Except she contacted Orser in February? Unless you accuse Orser of lying I guess.

All that amounts to how much one should trust her word, personally I don't put very much weight to it. She's obviously going to be saying that whether she was planning a coaching change or not. She isn't just going to say "Yeah, I'm thinking of switching coaches" without downright announcing it. Those words have zero value.