2020 Rostelecom Cup: Ladies' FS

[Jontor]

I think she got some level 3s (at Euros for example) but this happens easily if you miss a turn or so. It's not an issue usually. The problem with her step sequence in the FS here, however, is that it doesn't even look like it's choreographed to be level 4. She spends way too much time skating on two feet and there's not enough difficulty.

The jumps looked suspicious because they were. That's not the point. The point is, do you think that with the exact same performance, she would have gotten the exact same calls if she was still an Eteri skater? Because I sincerely doubt that. As well as her PCS not even being two points above Liza's. I'm not debating whether this is right, I'm debating, whether the judges would have allowed that to happen, had she stayed with her old coaching team.

Yes, I've looked at the jumps now and they were rightly called. But as I said above, I was analyzing Kostornaia A LOT last year and her scores. She was crystal clear all the time. Sometimes I felt she might have gotten a little too much GOE (e.g. at RusNats where I am sure the judges wanted her to win) and I do think she should have get a < call on one of her 3A's at Euros. But Euros are alwats lenient on tech.

I get your point, but no, I disagree. I don't buy this coaching change/judging politics.

I would say The Baron had a good explanation above. Kostornaia's problem right now is probably just stamina. Her mistakes late in the program here (and at Stage Four) support that explanation.

And I would also say that maybe maybe Kostornaia has been overrated techincally? Maybe the Eteri team was just genius in concealing her weaknesses? Well, I am NOT saying this...but it's food for thought...

 

[colormyworld240]

The jumps looked suspicious because they were. That's not the point. The point is, do you think that with the exact same performance, she would have gotten the exact same calls if she was still an Eteri skater? Because I sincerely doubt that. As well as her PCS not even being two points above Liza's. I'm not debating whether this is right, I'm debating, whether the judges would have allowed that to happen, had she stayed with her old coaching team.

I think so? Last season her PCS was around 72-73 and what she got here is a career high (?), with a much less convincing performance than she had with Twilight (SS, IN, CO I would put as the same as last year) and a program with less transitions. The smaller difference between her and Liza is due to Liza going from around 68 (?) last season to 71 here, but Alena's PCS didn't go down at all. She got UR calls here, and they certainly missed some last season, but she doesn't have a call her on 3Lz (which compared to Sasha who got a ! and not e on her flip, it's fine because Alena's looked flat - I didn't watch others with flat 3Lz so can't comment there).

And if we look at Alena's performances at the cup, she still had positive GOE on her step out (much like last season with Eteri when she had positive GOE on her jumps with rough landings at nationals). She also had positive GOE and didn't lose a levels on her spin that she messed up which has no comparison to under Eteri. I wouldn't say she lost any "Eteri bonus" as she now has higher PCS under Plushenko and her major errors are still more or less ignored. I think if her URs were more borderline she wouldn't have gotten the calls here either. I think Sasha's PCS is also higher than it was under Eteri?

 

[CoyoteChris]

I am probably the only person here who is now going to watch the Tara and Johnny show tomorrow with the score sheets in my hand.

 

[4everchan]

I am probably the only person here who is now going to watch the Tara and Johnny show tomorrow with the score sheets in my hand.

You are j/k

 

[rain]

Tuktamysheva has never looked better. I can't help but cheer for her win here, even though I'm more drawn to Kostornaia as a skater. How many times have people said Tuktamysheva should quit, that she didn't have a chance to beat the new young phenoms? And how many times has the Russian fed done everything they could to discourage her from continuing? I love that she showed everyone, with her performance here, that she's not to be ignored. her jumps are just beautiful. She is never going to be an elegant skater (though I do think her work on that side of her skating is showing results this season), but she does have charisma as a performer. I do wish she'd lose the dangly black fabric at her wrists on her costume.

Kostornaia looked good here, better than I expected given the injury/rehab etc. She'll want to get her triple axel back, but clearly the plan was just to do the double. She has all the natural elegance and beautiful flow across the ice that Tuktamysheva lacks. You can see how big her pattern is on the ice compared to Tuk if you watch closely.

That was a tough one for Trusova. One of those performances that makes you wonder if the scoring system should still give so many points for so many failed elements. She almost finished on the podium with that disaster. But aside from that, I thought she looked like she was rushing the entries to her jumps. I imagine this is growing pains with technique between her old coaches and her new. That was a tough watch.