2020 Rostelecom Cup: Men's FS

[gsk8]

Kolyada rebounds to capture Rostelecom Cup title

Russia's Mikhail Kolyada rebounded in the Men's Free Skate to claim the gold in Moscow at the 2020 Rostelecom Cup on Saturday. Morisi Kvitelashvili of

www.goldenskate.com

What are your thoughts on the Men's FS?

 

[Flying Feijoa]

Mainly that it reflects very positively on Russian men's skating as a whole. Lots of talented guys who are pretty close in scoring (the top 7 men were separated by ~20 points overall, which could be surmounted by something like a well-done quad combo). They're also fairly young and have a bit of developing to do, but many could be contenders not only for 2022 but also the next Olympic cycle.

Subtract Kvitelashvili from this field and add in Danielian (hopefully) and you have a rough preview of the last 1-2 warmup groups for Russian Nationals. The podium will be harder to predict though.

Also well done Morisi for taking what will probably be Georgia's lone GP medal of the season!

 

[vorravorra]

Mainly that it reflects very positively on Russian men's skating as a whole. Lots of talented guys who are pretty close in scoring (the top 7 men were separated by ~20 points overall, which could be surmounted by something like a well-done quad combo). They're also fairly young and have a bit of developing to do, but many could be contenders not only for 2022 but also the next Olympic cycle.

Subtract Kvitelashvili from this field and add in Danielian (hopefully) and you have a rough preview of the last 1-2 warmup groups for Russian Nationals. The podium will be harder to predict though.

Also well done Morisi for taking what will probably be Georgia's lone GP medal of the season!

Samarin may also recover by then.

 

[Flying Feijoa]

Samarin may also recover by then.

Thanks, sorry I forgot about him! Hope we get to see a clean Polyushko Polye soon, folk-dance Sasha is fun. Well, that pretty much fills out the top two groups for Nationals then.

 

[Tolstoj]

Mikhail Kolyada: a deserved victory for him, the jumping technique is really special, the two axels in the second half are quite spectacular. The spins were very fast and centered as always and the artistry was there too. While i personally also enjoyed his works in the past, I really like this new look for him.

Morisi Kvitelashvili: His best ever outing overall, although i've to say after a quite impressive and refreshing short, the free was much more in line what we were used to see from him. Head was down most of the program, the highlights of the music were during spins, the arms movements not as defined. I don't think as a program the free is as good as the short, but again overall very successful event for him.

Petr Gumennik: I like his presentation a lot, very good posture, Phantom is a good pick for him so clever to stay with that theme but with a different cut, but i've to say again the free was disappointing after the short and i'm sure he knows it, but he still fought and the two combos in the second half are really what kept him on the podium, and with this field coming out with a bronze is remarkable. It's interesting him and Savosin had the highest BV here and Petr didn't even have the third quad.

Andrei Mozalev, i think with that 4F he would have been on the podium. I like him cause he's trying to be the full package (not just jumps but good on the levels too) and he has its own style, the programs are growing on me, components tho were a bit too high for him at the debut.

Dmitri Aliev is still a bit behind with the form, i think he did the best he could for now, hopefully he'll be physically ready for Nationals.

Makar Ignatov great on the quads, still has big stamina and spins issues. I like his short more than the free.

Roman Savosin, i'm surprised with that technique he still found a way to make it work, to land the elements. Good programs for him, good on the presentation.

Overall the free was generally way better than the short for many skaters here, many results here might seem disappointing due to the position but that's because they almost all did great in the free.

 

[ladyjane]

Mikhails Nurejev skate is so perfect for him. Of course, if he'd bombed all jumps, the whole would be less attractive but he didn't. It wasn't perfect, but it was really, really beautiful. I could understand not only his coaches but also the choreographer being very proud. I've always enjoyed his style, but this is just such a wonderful fitting programme. The more I see it, the more I love it. I was impressed by Mozalev, didn't expect him to skate so mature. Second best skate of the night, too far behind, but very promising. Evgeni Semenenko was the surprise of the night (for me). Excellent! Too bad that Makar again had stamina issues, he's another wonderful skater. Dmitri always looks good, but yesterday and today weren't his days. Morisi skated well enough but he didn't 'get' me as he did in his short. The same applies to Petr who is also one of those skaters who are enjoyable. But Mikhail was the star of the night, and the judges agreed.

 

[lariko]

I am still hitting my head on the wall in terms of predictions because I had forgotten Kvitashvilly had the second quad in his arsenal. That’s what happens when you do not see the guy often enough, and he sure deserves to be seen.

I think that move to Dainenko is helping to shave off some of that melodrama from Gumennik’s performance component, and I am loving the results

Mozalev, even with non-podium placement is still my pick four of that competition. I just get the kicks of his continuous attempts to interpret damaged middle-aged men and the texture of his skating. He presents a deep well to me. Other than that, I wanted to throttle the ISU commentator for his skate the most, because he did such a number on his last name (on all last names, but he had a field day with Mozalev in particular; I think there was four or five versions, with about as good success rate as Kovalev’s landings)

I kindda starting to appreciate Semeneko more? But then he made me laugh when he goes into hydroblade like he intends to bang out a set of push-ups. Maybe it was just the unflattering angle?

and, finally, I basically dragged my nails down the wall when Ignatov didn’t add double to one of his triple jumping passes after popping his third combo. But, eh, between Yagudin’s breathless speech about how tall and gorgeous Ignatov is vs him, a short, bow-legged figure skater, on the short, and him not falling once, I consider it went easy on my heart.

***

In conclusion, the Mozalev’s 2F left my family cake-less, even though my kid argued that Lebedev’s firm adherence to 12th was good if it was like golf (she picked Lebedev because nobody picked Lebedev)

 

[vorravorra]

^^
Gumennik has been with Daineko for years, I am not sure what move you are referring to.

 

[Skatesocs]

In conclusion, the Mozalev’s 2F left my family cake-less,

What does this mean?

Your post was overall very funny haha

 

[Flying Feijoa]

What does this mean?

Your post was overall very funny haha

Lariko explains it all in the Russian Men's thread

Simon Reed seems to think poor Andrei's surname is pronounced like a Italian cheese...

 

[Colonel Green]

Mozalev should have been the bronze medalist, as Gumennik was improperly credited with the spin that he did after previously wiping out while attempting to start it.

Very impressed by Kolyada's recovery after the triple Axel error, something that often caused him to go to pieces previously. Seems like Mishin is working out for him.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Congratulations to Kolyada on the win! While I wasn't a fan of his SP, this FS is absolutely perfect for him. Great lines and hand movements throughout, and a nice expressive quality. You can tell he did his homework regarding Nureyev. And when his jumps are on, they're spectacular to watch. I was even getting Patrick Chan vibes from this FS. Well done!

 

[IndiaP12]

Mozalev should have been the bronze medalist, as Gumennik was improperly credited with the spin that he did after previously wiping out while attempting to start it.

Very impressed by Kolyada's recovery after the triple Axel error, something that often caused him to go to pieces previously. Seems like Mishin is working out for him.

Actually no, because he fell before he started the fly for the entry. He usually does the twizzles and then he changes feet and does the butterfly into the camel spin. Petr very much deserved his bronze. Mozalev was behind by 10 points in the short program and was not perfect in the free

 

[lariko]

Lariko explains it all in the Russian Men's thread

Simon Reed seems to think poor Andrei's surname is pronounced like a Italian cheese...

Mozalev, the Cake-Giver saga actually has a rapidly developing continuation, but I have no idea where it even belongs... never, never underestimate the importance of cakes to a 14 yo.

edit: I parked the cake story in NHK pregame chat

 

[lariko]

^^
Gumennik has been with Daineko for years, I am not sure what move you are referring to.

My bad!