2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[TripleAxelQueens3]

Wow I really love Akatieva's 3A. It simply flies off the ice and the speed she gets into it is superb! The flow of her combination was great too! Her step sequence is, however, lacking a little, both in interpretation and choreography. I don't know why but I feel like nothing in that choreography matches the music whatsoever.

 

[NadezhdaNadya]

https://youtu.be/pn29fv9L1OY
Why was Rino's jump not invalid in the jump sequence? But Veronica's jump was?

 

[Lunalovesskating]

https://youtu.be/pn29fv9L1OY
Why was Rino's jump not invalid in the jump sequence? But Veronica's jump was?

Because Rino did a turn and Veronika had a step out. If a skater does a turn after a jump and then does their combo it still counts. However, this does not apply to step outs as a weight transfer happens in the case of a step out which makes the combo invalid.

From the handbook

"In a jump combination the landing foot of a jump is the take off foot of the next jump. One full revolution on the ice between the jumps (free foot can touch the ice, but no weight transfer) keeps the element in the frame of the definition of a jump combination."

Veronika's step out caused a weight transfer, therefore it was not counted as a combo.

 

[Amei]

I saw yesterday an Instagram post saying Anna os having trouble landing her quad lutzes and 3lz3lo. She fell on both quad lutzes on her new program and had a stepout in 3lz3lo.

Well everyone has off days, I would be concerned if the post or someone with access to the Sambo training said she hasn't landed the quads at all. Let's not forget that she fell on the quad lutz at Test skates last year it was a couple weeks later that she landed her only quad lutz attempt at the Lombardia trophy and less than 2 months later she landed 2 ISU ratified quad lutz jumps, 1 in combination at Skate America. Tara and Johnny mentioned she was missing the quads in practice leading up to Skate America, so she certainly appears to be someone that can have issues in practice and when the lights come on for competition still crank out the jumps. Let's not forget she also signed up for the earliest Russian Cup events so they surely have some level of confidence that she's got the jumps or else they would have tried to put her up for later assignments.

Was there any information about her programs like what the music was? Jumps being a little messy in September when a skater was off ice for an extended period of time is not all that concerning, but horrible music - that is a concern that goes through the whole season.

Two Sergeis having a chat:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eg_hLauXcAMHvua?format=jpg&name=large

Dudakov gives me the impression that he's a pretty relaxed personality so I doubt there were any fireworks in that conversation, but can we all agree to be a fly on the wall for that first time meeting would have been interesting?

The fact that she attempted 2 means it looks like she has some confidence in them (given that this Instagram post is true).
I frankly don’t see a reason why girls should be trying too hard this season. After very long time off ice and given that there’s not much happening this season, they shouldn’t rush their prep and take their time to stabilize their elements. Hope all of them won’t throw their all into this season, there’s a lot more coming next season.

I disagree with you a bit that not much is happening this season, I mean in terms of international competition, yes very little is likely to happen. But its going to be a crowded next year for what will only be 3 Olympic spots, and they have to work under the impression that the Olympics will go on as scheduled until they are told otherwise (because then they might be unprepared). The Russian ladies that are age-eligible need to start making their case this year that they have the goods to be the best and that they can do them with some level of consistency, if I remember correctly only the National champion is guaranteed anything the other 2 spots on any type of Olympic/World/European team can be decided by the coach's council. Plus, the 2 ladies to really pioneer the quads into reality for ladies skating both went through some consistency issues with the quads when they started, better to work through those issues this season vs. next season.

 

[dunffvanstorn]

2 girls from Sambo70 using the same version of 7 Nation Army... what a coincidence...

 

[Amei]

2 girls from Sambo70 using the same version of 7 Nation Army... what a coincidence...

To step off the train of conspiracy theory that every piece of music that skaters do is some type of "message" - Disregard: Sultanmagomedova isn't on the national team which means she is probably not getting any funding so using the same cut of music as a novice-aged skater (Akatieva isn't yet eligible to go to Junior international competitions) is probably a cost-saving move for her family that Eteri and team did. So apparently Sultanmagomedova had this music last year as well (I don't follow juniors all that closely) - further reasons they both might be using it: Sultanmagomedova is not on the national team so reusing music is quite common; perhaps Akatieva likes this music or her coaches picked it unaware that another skater coached by someone completely different than her was using it

The music is horrible for either skater though.

 

[renebaebae]

Akatieva's 3A was underrotated even in real time and she neither got called for it nor was she given goe deductions. How convenient. Otherwise her jumps looked really nice and sure.

 

[NadezhdaNadya]

Akatieva's 3A was underrotated even in real time and she neither got called for it nor was she given goe deductions. How convenient. Otherwise her jumps looked really nice and sure.

Agree.

 

[Scott512]

It's 4th of September people..... So what if Anna fell on the quads and had a step out on the 3lz3lo.... Given everything that went in the off season, cut everyone some slack. In 10 days they'll be scrutinized as if they're not humans anyway. It's incredibly hard already as it is.

Edit: And it's simply too early to judge the rest of the season, there's a ton of things that can go right or wrong for anyone.

Agreed.

Moscow Junior Competition - SP

Anastasia Zinina https://youtu.be/0m9Sav-SkEA
Natalya Lagutova https://youtu.be/KAYhlNS073A
Elizaveta Medvedeva https://youtu.be/gZBsRB_7AGw
Veronika Zhilina https://youtu.be/NUm7KiFHjtw
Kamila Sultanmagomedova https://youtu.be/iA2Cc2UjVdE
Sofya Muravyova https://youtu.be/boAbs7CplSA
Mariya Zakharova https://youtu.be/5bWBztDlZXw
Elizaveta Berestovskaya https://youtu.be/ixZQqozCmBg
Sofya Akatyeva https://youtu.be/ybE0-kbZEno

Thank you for the videos. This is an amazing find on your part. I wish I could buy you a beer.

How did Veronika only score 60.83? That seems much too low. Has anyone ever landed a triple axel and then scored so low in an SP? Sofia was just magic. Kamila could have a real rival a couple years.

Why does it say this is the Juniors. Aren't these kids too young to be juniors?

 

[dunffvanstorn]

Sofia Akatieva had a really solid performance, despite the UR 3A. I just don’t think that song suits her... And that costume... Overall, I’m pretty impressed by her. Actually, I’ve been impressed by her since late 2018. I’m already a fan. Just give her a better dressssss please.

Zhilina has a promising program, but her face shows zero emotion. The audio of the video was off too, which made it hard to appreciate her performance. The choreography looked rushed, she was off the music time, but I think later in the season the program can work really well. Very interesting music choice for her.

Sofia Muravjiova impressed me a lot comparing to Test Skates. Later in the season, that program can really work for her. She’s very expressive and has some nice moves. Jumps were better. I don’t think she’s Junior World Medalist material yet, but she has potential. Really liked her dress, very different from what we’re used from Russian girls and Olga Ryabova (and don’t get me wrong, I love Olga’s work most of the times).

 

[Lunalovesskating]

To step off the train of conspiracy theory that every piece of music that skaters do is some type of "message" - Sultanmagomedova isn't on the national team which means she is probably not getting any funding so using the same cut of music as a novice-aged skater (Akatieva isn't yet eligible to go to Junior international competitions) is probably a cost-saving move for her family that Eteri and team did.

The music is horrible for either skater though.

Sultanmagomedova has had that SP for a year now, so your theory does not add up.

 

[dunffvanstorn]

Agreed.



Thank you for the videos. This is an amazing find on your part. I wish I could buy you a beer.

How did Veronika only score 60.83? That seems much too low. Has anyone ever landed a triple axel and then scored so low in an SP? Sofia was just magic. Kamila could have a real rival a couple years.

Why does it say this is the Juniors. Aren't these kids too young to be juniors?

Veronika landed a 2A, although she can do 3As


Enviado do meu iPhone usando Tapatalk

 

[NadezhdaNadya]

I have to say that Veronika jumped lutz with a minimal pre-rotation (like Elizaveta's lutz) unlike Sofiya who jumped lutz with an excessive pre-rotation. Just watch with 0.25 speed.

 

[flanker]

Kamila Sultanmagomedova is training in the "Tchaikovskaya Skate" which is different team training at different place than Khrustalny (GPS location 55.6379644N, 37.5245097E), the rink's name is Yantar (GPS location 55.8044414N, 37.4116867E), the distance by air is 20 km (19.69 to be precise) and Kamila's coach is Oksana Matveyeva. Two different teams that belong to Sambo.

 

[flanker]

Thank you for the videos. This is an amazing find on your part. I wish I could buy you a beer.

How did Veronika only score 60.83? That seems much too low. Has anyone ever landed a triple axel and then scored so low in an SP? Sofia was just magic. Kamila could have a real rival a couple years.

Why does it say this is the Juniors. Aren't these kids too young to be juniors?

Veronika didn't land a 3A, "only" a 2A, then made a mistake on her combo so the second jump didn't count. She looked somehow nervous, which is normal esp. in this phase, also the mistakes can be polished by further training.

As for Veronika's program, for me personally the music is terrible, which doesn't have to do anything with her, I know that version of the Sweet Dreams and completely dislike it (not that I would like other versions more ). The choreo, well, I see the intention to give Veronika a program that suits her vigour, but nothing special would be the best call.

Just to add, remember that in junior SP 3A can't replace 2A, which would bring huge scoring difference (4.7 point in BV), you can do 3A only in combo, so if you put it instead of (for the strongest) 3F (3Lz is compulsory single jump for juniors this season), the difference in the BV is 2.7 point, which is not that huge.

 

[brakes]

Sofia was just magic. Kamila could have a real rival a couple years.

I even dare to say she outskated Kamila at Junior Nats.

 

[Scott512]

Veronika didn't land a 3A, "only" a 2A, then made a mistake on her combo so the second jump didn't count. She looked somehow nervous, which is normal esp. in this phase, also the mistakes can be polished by further training.

As for Veronika's program, for me personally the music is terrible, which doesn't have to do anything with her, I know that version of the Sweet Dreams and completely dislike it (not that I would like other versions more ). The choreo, well, I see the intention to give Veronika a program that suits her vigour, but nothing special would be the best call.

Just to add, remember that in junior SP 3A can't replace 2A, which would bring huge scoring difference (4.7 point in BV), you can do 3A only in combo, so if you put it instead of (for the strongest) 3F (3Lz is compulsory single jump for juniors this season), the difference in the BV is 2.7 point, which is not that huge.

Are you saying she can't do a 3A in the SP? That's handicapping her like what happens with Sasha in the SP with no quad

I even dare to say she outskated Kamila at Junior Nats.

I would have to see it to believe it. But I'm sure there's video somewhere.

 

[Happy Skates]

Are you saying she can't do a 3A in the SP? That's handicapping her like what happens with Sasha in the SP with no quad

Juniors have a mandatory 2A, a mandatory solo triple jump (this year its the lutz), and then a combination. Because of this, the only place a triple axel is allowed is in the combination, which is why you see Sofia Akatieva, Sofia Samodelkina, and Alysia Liu doing 3A+3T combos in the sp instead of just having it as the axel jump. However, not only is it more difficult to do the 3A as a combo, it also doesn't gain you as many points as it does in seniors. This is because when you do it in the combo, you're replacing usually a Flip (this year) or Lutz (other years), as opposed to replacing a 2A when you do it as the axel jump. Someone said it above, but doing this only gets you a couple points, which can easily be knocked out by a lower GOE if you have a slight stumble. This is one of the reasons Alysa Liu wasn't dominating the SP last year, despite being the only one in the junior field to have a 3A. I think this rule is stupid as so many of the girls have 3As now. Hopefully it changes along with the senior ladies quad rule, so that mens and ladies fields have the same rules.

So no they actually can do the 3A in the sp, its just more risk for less reward which is probably why Zhilina didn't do it, as she hasn't been doing her 3A for as long as Akatieva and her 3A+3T combo didn't look quite ready in the videos we saw. But I'm sure the ultimate goal is for her to do that this season. However, it was just recently that Zhilina was struggling with normal 3+3s, so its amazing that she's come this far at all.

I would have to see it to believe it. But I'm sure there's video somewhere.

They had the same layout pretty much, with the only difference being that Kamila had a stepout on one of her 4Ts. I thought they both skated really well that competition. However, they won't compete against each other internationally for another three years or so, so if there is a rivalry it will be a long time from now.

 

[ali0125]

Akatieva's 3A gets bigger, but I feel she's loosing a bit of speed on ice (not sure whether it's Danny G's choreo magic). Hope she can work more on SS - she really has the nature talent to become a full package.

 

[brakes]

I would have to see it to believe it. But I'm sure there's video somewhere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJR19CCVDCA