2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[DougDorsey]

I have no knowledge to share but I just think if Lakernik was truly Alyona's mother's brother, Eteri would have been humbly inquiring what else she could, please, do for her - yesterday and last July just as well.

That's actually in part how this whole thing arose.

Folks have been saying that Eteri will ultimately take Aliona back in no small part because Lakernik is her uncle.

I had never heard this before, and thought it might be utter nonsense, but the claim is popping up all over the place right now. Hopefully someone here knows the truth.

 

[Novalis]

Nika Yegadze, junior from Georgia

I think he was born 2002. Maybe 2003. He's not that young

 

[Shayuki]

So Berestovskaya has to start with the younger ones. Interesting

But she is one of the younger ones, right? She's same age group with Sadkova.

 

[Novalis]

But she is one of the younger ones, right? She's same age group with Sadkova.

True. Berestovskaya born Dec8th 2007
Sadkova June26th2008

Petrosian and Akatyeva summer 2007

 

[Fluture]

I still think that Eteri could send one of the juniors away to reaccept Alyona K. It wasn’t fair when she was training 4 girls for a 3 lady Olympics team, but now FIVE???! I think she needs to select the 3 she thinks can sweep the Olympic podium, and maybe it does include Kostornaia in her mind, who knows

EDIT: it would be horrible if she actually did this

Arguments like these always confuse me. Of course, it‘s close to impossible to coach 5 Olympic hopefuls all at the same time. However, before this season we were looking at this exact same scenario and Tutberidze didn‘t look intent on changing anything at all. Indeed, if we count Medvedeva as a replacement for Trusova and Kostornaya is accepted, we‘ll be in the same position we were in before the 2020-21 season. And there were no complaints then, instead many fans were adamant this situation was totally maintainable.

 

[AshWagsFan]

Arguments like these always confuse me. Of course, it‘s close to impossible to coach 5 Olympic hopefuls all at the same time. However, before this season we were looking at this exact same scenario and Tutberidze didn‘t look intent on changing anything at all. Indeed, if we count Medvedeva as a replacement for Trusova and Kostornaya is accepted, we‘ll be in the same position we were in before the 2020-21 season. And there were no complaints then, instead many fans were adamant this situation was totally maintainable.

Yes this is true, its just a crazy situation all around. I understand why they want to stay with Eteri, but I don’t get why she would want to keep all of them abd watch half of their dreams get crushed when they don’t make the Olympic team

 

[JazzUp]

I think he was born 2002. Maybe 2003. He's not that young

My mistake, he went senior this season.

 

[Fantik]

I'm sure for the next 3 weeks top priority will be the skaters still competing, other skaters will still get training but probably with "secondary" coaches. This team is used to having to train senior skaters and Junior skaters for worlds at the same time.

Correct. Kostornaia didn't want to train with ten-year olds, according to her own public statement. That's why she jumped ship. Eteri didn't budge, since such arrangement is not accidental, but a very well thought out coaching technique.

 

[silveruskate]

Eteri doesn't need Aliona, but anything can happen in a year. At the moment Anna and Kamila can take on Sasha, but the prospects of Daria/Maiia can't be guaranteed. And we don't know what will happen with Anna, Kamila, and even with Sasha in that time either (positive/negative).

This all depends on how much of a dream it is for Eteri to have a podium sweep of the Olympics. She already had 1/2 before. If she doesn't care about it then there's no practical reason why she needs Aliona. Currently Anna/Kamila are already lining up for 1/2.

 

[Fantik]

Is it possible that Plushenko asked her to leave? Well not directly asking her, but maybe he's given her some type of an ultimatum? I mean looking at their statement, it seems like they're kinda happy (maybe even relieved) that she's left. As sad as it sounds I do understand why they would want her to leave. Aliona was a very expensive and costly business for Plushenko, with basically no gain in return.

Let's look at it this way, Aliona was not training at a public club. Maintaining a private ice rink cost a lot of money. I remember people here saying Aliona shared ice time with only few people (if any), it is cool but it is very expensive to provide private ice time for skaters. There were also gym expenses and other off ice training facilities. Of course all those coaches were not working for free either. Plus getting two programs from a very expensive choreographer.
Aliona has sponsors, but I don't think she's earning as much as Evgenia to cover all her training expenses and coaching fees. Plushenko must have covered part of it.

I understand why they want health certificates from now on. As cruel as it sounds, they don't want skaters to waste their money and resources.
Sambo club is different, it's a public rink so people can freely take their time and use the resources to get in shape.

Plush definitely wanted her to skip this season.

 

[JazzUp]

Sambo club is different, it's a public rink so people can freely take their time and use the resources to get in shape.

Sambo is not a public rink, it's a sport school. Khrustalnyi ice rink, which is part of Sambo, does have classes for amateurs where they can "take their time and use the resources to get in shape", but that approach doesn't apply to TeamTut skaters.

 

[kwanatic]

Eteri doesn't need Aliona, but anything can happen in a year. At the moment Anna and Kamila can take on Sasha, but the prospects of Daria/Maiia can't be guaranteed. And we don't know what will happen with Anna, Kamila, and even with Sasha in that time either (positive/negative).

This all depends on how much of a dream it is for Eteri to have a podium sweep of the Olympics. She already had 1/2 before. If she doesn't care about it then there's no practical reason why she needs Aliona. Currently Anna/Kamila are already lining up for 1/2.

It never hurts to have a backup plan. Like you said, a lot can change in a year. Anna and Kamila look like the top 2 now but who knows what could happen. Injuries, growth spurts, rough patches, etc.

Nothing is guaranteed. Stacking the deck is one way to increase the odds. Adding Alena back to the mix is one way to stack the deck.

 

[Amei]

Correct. Kostornaia didn't want to train with ten-year olds, according to her own public statement. That's why she jumped ship. Eteri didn't budge, since such arrangement is not accidental, but a very well thought out coaching technique.

And Kostornaia has now come to Eteri wanting to come back realizing that the flashy private rink that promised the world wasn't as great as it sounded, she's lost any ability to negotiate with Eteri for different training circumstances.

 

[brakes]

I think some of you are underestimating Anna's mental toughness and ability to remain focused. A skater who can win Russian nationals 3 times in a row in a field twice as tough as the hardest international field is more than capable of remaining focused when there are distractions around.

It's not about Anya's focus, but coaching stuff's focus on her and fellow students. It will be obviously lesser than before, especially in the beginning of Alyona's comeback in that rink.

Of course, unless you believe Eteri operate on light speed level, where time is relative.

 

[brakes]

Sambo is not a public rink, it's a sport school. Khrustalnyi ice rink, which is part of Sambo, does have classes for amateurs where they can "take their time and use the resources to get in shape", but that approach doesn't apply to TeamTut skaters.

I know "Khrustalnyi" terminated their regular public skating sessions several years ago.
Dunno about gym accessibility for outsiders though.

 

[Fluture]

It's not about Anya's focus, but coaching stuff's focus on her and fellow students. It will be obviously lesser than before, especially in the beginning of Alyona's comeback in that rink.

Of course, unless you believe Eteri operate on light speed level, where time is relative.

You really think they‘ll give less of their attention to Shcherbakova if she‘s their only chance at a Worlds gold this season? Seriously?

 

[Shayuki]

You really think they‘ll give less of their attention to Shcherbakova if she‘s their only chance at a Worlds gold this season? Seriously?

Some resources would likely need to be allocated for Kostornaia in case she's accepted. She's the first alternative for worlds, after all, so she'd need to be in competition shape.

 

[silveruskate]

I don't care for Plushenko, but for Aliona it isn't fair to blame him. Rehabilitating an injured skater is hard. How much time did they have together on the ice? And he didn't want her to change her SP, he didn't even want her to compete.

Aliona not liking the arrangements doesn't necessarily mean they were bad. We haven't heard her reasons yet like when she left Eteri, and I don't think we're going to hear any.

Didn't Eteri implement a rule that any junior that cuts off another skater's program ends their ice-training session that day on the spot? I remember seeing a youtube video posted.

 

[Fantik]

But it is funded by the government no? I don't think Plushenko receives funds from the government to maintain his rink

Sambo receives government grants. Plush' rink does not. At least not yet, not until he starts producing winners.

 

[kwanatic]

It's not about Anya's focus, but coaching stuff's focus on her and fellow students. It will be obviously lesser than before, especially in the beginning of Alyona's comeback in that rink.

Of course, unless you believe Eteri operate on light speed level, where time is relative.

Truth is the best athletes don't need to have their hand held by the time they reach this level. Once they learn how to train, they can basically train themselves; but it's always good to have a coach. The coach's purpose is to be that set of eyes to help them make minor adjustments here and there, clean up sections, offer support, keep them calm, etc.

Anna is a top student in that group so I doubt her one-on-one time will suffer much if at all. But even if it does, at this point Anna knows what she needs to do and how to motivate herself. She doesn't need Eteri's undivided attention or any of the coaches for that matter. The time she has with them will be sufficient enough to keep her on track and where she needs to be.

Again, I really don't think Anna is the one people need to be worrying about right now...