2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[flanker]

Press conference:

 

[silveruskate]

Based on her practices and her 3 quad planned content, that was the most probable outcome. As I explained, had she not had the advantage of skating last, and gone for 3 quads instead, as her team had announced, she would likely not have made the podium. It's all probabilistic. No one can predict with 100% accuracy.

Other skaters had bad practices too. And before the SP, Anna had one clean run-through of that. You also thought her quad she did land in practice would get called UR, but you didn't think about Rika's practice quad which she didn't attempt or her 3A, or Sasha's quads, even in that 5 quad program. Your input data was skewed by your bias. I actually think it would be cool and interesting to have someone do things like this, but it's almost meaningless the way you're going about it.

Side note: You knew layouts can change and nothing was confirmed.

 

[Scott512]

What careers? One senior season?
I’m pointing out the absurdity of the situation that likely 1, but maybe 2 or all the medalist will be left home in favour of their newer models.

That's because Russia has greater skaters coming that exist now and it's been going on for years with the ladies and no other country has that issue in any discipline. Well except Russia of course with pairs.

 

[Scott512]

Also anyone who said Anya did not land any quafs in the free skate it's because she didn't have to and she know it. And she went into the free skate in 3rd of 4th place you can be damp sure she would have tried 3 quads.

I am sure her coaches told her just avoid a bed skate and you will win the world's gold at 16 years old. The world's she got cheated out of last year along with satsha and alyona because of covid.

One thing is for sure is these amazing athletes will have a better off season this year than last year because they will know how to live and work with Corona virus around them and they won't go 3 or 4 months without skating. I remember they showed alliona getting on the ice for the 1st time in months and I thought she was playing around looking off balance and stuff but she wasn't that was real.

 

[eterialskating]

Anna's has punched her ticket to the Olympics. Three times defending RN champion and defending world champion. She has that Federation spot pick all sewn up unless she suffers, God forbid, a complete meltdown next season. Her detractors though are holding onto that hope. They have stood up and have dusted themselves already after this disappointing occurrence.

 

[Scott512]

I will no longer engage with posters who are incapable of behaving like adults and respect differences of opinion. I will also keep reporting all abusive posts.

Anna Shcherbakova is a talented skater who, like everyone else, has both strengths and weaknesses. The latter are mostly not her fault, but a result of her training environment. Obviously she was disappointed in her performance here, and needs to work on her jumping technique to recover her quads, and on her skating skills. I wish her to stay healthy, to have longevity in the sport, and to achieve her Olympic dreams. In fact, that's what I wish every skater, regardless of whether they are among the favorites I typically root for or not.

Sadly, while Anna surely must have many good fans, she also has some extremely toxic fans who try to bully anyone who offers a different opinion than theirs. The latter category of fans aren't doing her any favors.

Anna has good fans like everybody else does. She gets picked on a lot so some of her fans want to protect her.

Anna put it on cruise control today in the free skate because she didn't have to do anything special or spectacular to win worlds gold like she did at Russian nationals in December when sasha and then Kamilla lit it up then Anna knew she had to tooand she did. She did not have to go big today because her competitors were not at their best. That's just the way it is at nationals the ladies were phenomenal some of the best free skates we've ever seen today at worlds that was not the case. They all must be relieved the season is over they all deserve a rest.

 

[happycamper2554]

Anna's has punched her ticket to the Olympics. Three times defending RN champion and defending world champion. She has that Federation spot pick all sewn up unless she suffers, God forbid, a complete meltdown next season. Her detractors though are holding onto that hope. They have stood up and have dusted themselves already after this disappointing occurrence.

Not if she doesn't get her quads back. It was enough today. But soon it wont be

 

[Scott512]

Anna's has punched her ticket to the Olympics. Three times defending RN champion and defending world champion. She has that Federation spot pick all sewn up unless she suffers, God forbid, a complete meltdown next season. Her detractors though are holding onto that hope. They have stood up and have dusted themselves already after this disappointing occurrence.

You're right about Anna having the Olympic spot locked up unless something unforeseen happens. 3 time national champion and defending world champion is an incredible feat for someone who has usually been in the background for years. But Anna stayed positive listened to her coaches never caused a commotion and became great.

But even the critical of Anna posters here have all tapped out after this season. I don't blame them.

Also congratulations to Anna's entire team.

 

[nussnacker]

Not if she doesn't get her quads back. It was enough today. But soon it wont be

She was landing them fine just a month ago, and this is the only competition in a very tough season post-pneumonia, where she didn’t land them. She’s also almost 17, she’ll be fine.

 

[Scott512]

What was Kamila thinking watching worlds today? Licking her chops?

What was alyona thinking? I bet she's thinking if she gets the best triple axel in the world back watch the h*** out!

Next season should be quite interesting and exciting. Hopefully Corona virus takes a hike.

 

[Amei]

Well, thay'll be touring in Russia doing shows all of April.

While I'm sure show skating isn't a walk in the park, she's not going to be doing 1 quad + 7 triple program that included 2 back-loaded triple-triple combinations so it shouldn't be as taxing on her as trying to bandaid through the season since she got pneumonia

 

[nussnacker]

Anna's has punched her ticket to the Olympics. Three times defending RN champion and defending world champion. She has that Federation spot pick all sewn up unless she suffers, God forbid, a complete meltdown next season. Her detractors though are holding onto that hope. They have stood up and have dusted themselves already after this disappointing occurrence.

I believe so as well. With a worlds gold right after securing a 3rd national title, Anna proven herself to Rusfed not only as a reliable and tough competitor, but also a senior with an established international reputation.

 

[nussnacker]

but all your reactions are so fun . Dont enjoy her skating and the only way to push her out of the way is no quads because of the undeserved PCS and GOEs. She gets. There is only three spots and you have to do what you have to do. I have no actual influence so why does it matter what I think.

Generally my life is enjoyable and fun, because I don’t wish people, especially hard working innocent kids, bad things. Anyone doing so is absolutely pathetic.

 

[colormyworld240]

A good learning experience for Anna is that she didn't panic after missing the combo, even though she only had 1 chance to put it in or else she'd Zayak. I think she thought the gold was gone when she fell on her 4F (given her reaction in the K&C), she looked the most relax I've seen her in the first half of the program which actually made in more beautiful like she was taking her time with everything. The second half was much better at nationals, though, because she had so much more attack there. I hope she can find a good mix of both in the future.

And now that the season is over, I really hope Anna gets some amazing choreography next season. The best part of her programs this season is the joy on her face before the steps in the FS. I loved her Perfume, but please no more dark programs. Her smile is so radiant and she comes alive with it. I really want something upbeat for the short and an intense tango or classical piece that builds a lot in the end. I'm over the generic lyrical pieces, she needs to show off her musicality.

 

[NAOTMAA]

This championships was the definitive example of Aleksandra's poor training methods and why there has to be a major change in how she practices. She went all quad crazy in the practices and as a result it bit her in the butt in the SP. She ended up over rotating the lutz and therefore taking herself out of the race for gold. Her nerves, which have always been present, creeped in and her mind and body likely got all mixed up in the adrenaline of the moment. I'm certain that wouldn't have happened if her training was different.

Also I'd love to see what Eteri and Daniil's faces looked like after Rika's scores came up. Considering how bad Anna's practices were they were probably looking up to heaven thanking the skate gods she didn't have to pull out another Russian nationals performance from her pocket

 

[[email protected]]

Rusnats stays the best ladies competition of all time for now, but noone can expect such perfect event so soon in these days. I hope that the olympics will look more like the rusnats than this.

They won't - one has to lift 3 only quota

 

[flanker]

They won't - one has to lift 3 only quota

Well yes, but at least for the three russian ladies taking part.

 

[Amei]

I haven't seen the performances yet, but just going by the protocols, I have to wonder -- where is this sport headed. Alexandra Trusova wins the free program by staying upright on 60% of her big elements while getting mediocre GOEs and program components. But she threw so much at the wall that something was bound to stick, plus everyone else left a lot on the table, too.

Half of a lot beats two-thirds of nothing, I guess.

She got really generous PCS for the program, it was similar to GPF last year a lot of setup for jumps

Not if she doesn't get her quads back. It was enough today. But soon it wont be

No one knows that for sure. Yes Valieva looks strong and Trusova has a handful of quads she can throw, but Valieva isn't rock solid on her quads (decent success rate), and Trusova appears to have a mental block that shows up in competition time, even if they manage to be better than Shcherbakova next season leading up to the Olympics - she would still be on the team as they have 3 spots. The other front-runners for the team (Top 5 from Nationals this year, plus Tuktamysheva who went to Worlds):

• Tuktamysheva while she has a triple axel she still has pretty empty programs (so we know Shcherbakova will out PCS her) and weak technical layouts in comparison to the other top Russians and she's not exactly clean on her easier layouts.
• Kostornaia - she might get her triple axel back for next season, but she's not gotten it back yet
• Khromykh - she's landed her quads once in competition
• Usacheva - has yet to show a competition ready quad or triple axel.

Also, I think its a bit dramatic to say she needs to "get her quads back" - yes practice reportedly didn't go well this week and she didn't land her attempt in competition today but it was her first time falling on a quad all season in competition (and her competition season included: 2 cup events, nationals and Channel 1 Cup), her only other error was a hand down on the 4F at the Channel 1 Cup. And a quick scan of her competition protocols (less Channel 1 Cup because I don't remember them posting protocols) the fall today was her only fall this season on any jump, for a season that included an extended break off the ice over the offseason, additional time off the ice while she had pneumonia and abbreviated training since she's come back from pneumonia - 1 fall across 5 competitions is better than a lot of skaters do attempting less difficult jumps/layouts and with an optimal training schedule.

 

[starlight97]

Regarding today's 3 medalists

Anna
Deserved winner, again thanks to her mental strength when everyone else faltered. Overcoming that she's clearly not at her peak physically.
If I was Eteri I would be drilling her spins. It's been two big competitions now that she has made spin mistakes that shouldn't happen at her level, points lost unnecessarily. And Valieva doesn't make those kind of mistakes.
As for her quads, I'm actually very optimistic she will get them back and take them to the Olympics. Let's see.
(Also chuckled that they are finally fully embracing that she's Daniil's and he sends her off at the boards here)

Liza
During the press conference she said she plans to fight for a spot to the Olympics. That's great spirit, but it will not happen. I think this was her last big chance on a world stage and she used it. Bravo. Her skating is empty, slow and repetitive and I enjoy none of it, but I do enjoy her spirit! Deserved medal as well.

Sasha
Get the girl a sports psychologist and force her to reduce her damn quads to 3 so she can skate two CLEAN programs for once, then you would have had her go home with a Gold Medal today Plushy.
In the pres conference she said at the Olympics she wants to jump 5 quads... She clearly never learns. But shouldn't her coaches or parents?.. anybody? I'll hate to see the greatest athlete female FS has ever had to go down as never having won a mayor international gold in her senior career cause of stubbornness and mismanagement..

 

[colormyworld240]

Also anyone who said Anya did not land any quafs in the free skate it's because she didn't have to and she know it. And she went into the free skate in 3rd of 4th place you can be damp sure she would have tried 3 quads.

I don't think she knew it, based on her reaction in the K&C. And you can see Daniil talking to her for a while, probably explaining the situation.

On that topic, I don't think it's a good idea to change her layout based on how others skated, and I really hope her team didn't tell her to. It's 5 minutes before you skate and the perfect way to disrupt your mental preparation, that would be very bad coaching, imo. The only think a skater should worry about right before going on the ice is themselves, thinking about what each skater did before you then changing your plans with no time for mental prep is just asking for disaster.