2021-22 Russian Women's Figure Skating

[lariko]

Torvill and Dean, they generally get regarded as 1 of the best ice dancing teams, ever - if not the best. And their Bolero has been considered legendary

I am sticking with Shoma Uno Neither these guys, nor Kamilla are watchable for me. So, I would say that under normal circumstances, I would equally dislike them, but with additional stuff, the ID is better than Kamilla.

 

[YuBluByMe]

I think all versions of Bolero are unwatchable. This includes Kostner’s (never liked that program) and especially Valieva’s. The exceptions are Torville/Dean (best version) and Uno’s. Uno can probably sell anything, but his works because he’s using a remix of the music. The piece is just very hard to skate to, especially for single skaters.

 

[halulupu]

A rather exceptional season in many ways has finished. Let's talk about the future. Who is going to retire? Who can stay in Eteris group? Personally I think mayas and darias days are counted within crstalny. Why should anna continue? To skate in russian cup stages? Whats going to happen with the greatest talent ever was, will kamilla sour in some cup statges? Will Kostornaia regroup with her new coach, or will buyanova become her retirement coach, as she did already so many times?

 

[Amei]

I think all versions of Bolero are unwatchable. This includes Kostner’s (never liked that program) and especially Valieva’s. The exceptions are Torville/Dean (best version) and Uno’s. Uno can probably sell anything, but his works because he’s using a remix of the music. The piece is just very hard to skate to, especially for single skaters.

I detest the music so bolero programs aren't something I actively seek to rewatch or take delight in finding out a skater picked it for their program. I can appreciate the difficulty of performing the piece of music though

 

[Jeanie19]

I detest the music so bolero programs aren't something I actively seek to rewatch or take delight in finding out a skater picked it for their program. I can appreciate the difficulty of performing the piece of music though

. That is exactly how I feel about Bolero.

 

[flanker]

Girls playing "football":

 

[Trusova4Ever]

Anna's performance was gorgeous!
She's officially 18, and officially the only active/competing "adult" Eteri skater so far to break the cursed 17 years old "expiration date" as well as keep her ultra-c (4F, and maybe 4 Lz. She is working on 4 Loop, and abandoned the 4T) and all of her triples intact. (I said "adult" because she's 18 so to me still a teenager. Personally, I think 20 is the official non-teenage age). The "Eteri curse" has been officially broken by one skater so far.

Ok I think to break the Eteri curse you have to be active and competing until 19. No skater has gotten that far yet, under her and still competitive. Medvedeva was 18 at the Olympics and was competitive with the top ladies at that time. Kostornaiia is was also further into being 18 than Anna is now during the Grand Prix circuit so she still as a little ways to go yet. However, in the long term I think that Alexandra will outlast Anna for sure. Sasha keeps getting stronger and physically more developed with each new season.

 

[Trusova4Ever]

Also a lighthearted social media video compilation with the Tut girls messing around.



Sasha that spin though... . She is really putting in the work and trying all the things back at the Khrustalny. Hydroblades, cantilever + 4Lz, basic pair lifts with Alexei Tikhonov, death spirals with Vladimir Morozov, SBS spins w/ Daria, improved I-Spin, yes please.

 

[NaVi]

Eteri's Ice Palace(Well, she helped design it and I assume she's going to get to use it) is set to be finished in a little over a year.

Строительная компания представила проект нового ледового дворца для «Самбо-70». В разработке концепции участвовала Тутберидзе

Строительная компания представила проект нового ледового дворца для «Самбо-70». В разработке концепции участвовала Тутберидзе - Фигурное катание на Sports.ru

www.sports.ru

Ледовый дворец для школы «Самбо-70» — ООО «Меркурий

ooo-merkury.ru

• Universal demonstration, educational and training ice arena with an ice field of 60x30 m with the possibility of transformation to a size of 26x60 m with a grandstand with a capacity of 500 seats, incl. VIP seats for 10 people with an area of at least 1800 m2;
• Training ice arena with an ice field 60x30 m with the possibility of transformation to a size of 26x60 m;
• Recovery and rehabilitation center with a small pool bowl 16.6x8 m;
• Two gyms with an area of at least 200 m2;
• Eight halls for choreography 12x12 m, ceiling height not less than 3.9 m;
• One hall for choreography 24x12m with the possibility of transformation into 2 halls, ceiling height of at least 8.7 m;
• One hall for choreography 12x18m, ceiling height not less than 3.9 m;
• One hall for choreography 12x6m, ceiling height not less than 3.9 m;
• One hall for acrobatics 20x30 m, ceiling height not less than 3.9 m;
• Rooms for the recovery and rest of athletes - at least 18 rooms (for two people), equipped with sanitary facilities and showers;
• Canteen (for meals for athletes and staff);
• Conference hall with a capacity of 50 people;
• Surface covered parking for at least 100 cars.

 

[flanker]

If only Anna have listened to people's prognosis of her career (and chances against other skaters) on this forum, her career whould have been so much - well, not exactly better

 

[flanker]

Ok I think to break the Eteri curse you have to be active and competing until 19. No skater has gotten that far yet, under her and still competitive. Medvedeva was 18 at the Olympics and was competitive with the top ladies at that time. Kostornaiia is was also further into being 18 than Anna is now during the Grand Prix circuit so she still as a little ways to go yet. However, in the long term I think that Alexandra will outlast Anna for sure. Sasha keeps getting stronger and physically more developed with each new season.

How about Morisi BTW. He's 27, competitive and actually improving

 

[Alex Fedorov]

However, in the long term I think that Alexandra will outlast Anna for sure. Sasha keeps getting stronger and physically more developed with each new season.

Alexandra, like Anna, can be stopped by a lack of motivation. This is the only serious reason why their careers may be interrupted before they reach the age of 19. But I think that now it is already clear - from the point of view of physiology, nothing prevents them from continuing to perform at the same high level.

 

[Trusova4Ever]

How about Morisi BTW. He's 27, competitive and actually improving

The age of 17 was considered the expiration date for girls anyway, or at least people that have been with Eteri before puberty, for boys it is usually younger. And I believe he came to Eteri after his body was matured. In addition 3A have been training with ET and her methods for much longer than he has right? Hasn't Anna been there the longest, since like 2014 or so?

 

[Trusova4Ever]

If only Anna have listened to people's prognosis of her career (and chances against other skaters) on this forum, her career whould have been so much - well, not exactly better

Don't get me wrong and think that I think she is done this season. I think she will be around for a few more seasons if she continues to motivated/competitive. If she can still rotate quads at 17, the age most people expected her to lose them, she will definitely stick around longer being physically healthy/conditioned enough. I think we may need to start worrying if she is struggling w/ triples, like other Eteri girls did at around this age or later.

 

[flanker]

The age of 17 was considered the expiration date for girls anyway, or at least people that have been with Eteri before puberty, for boys it is usually younger. And I believe he came to Eteri after his body was matured. In addition 3A have been training with ET and her methods for much longer than he has right? Hasn't Anna been there the longest, since like 2014 or so?

I'm not sure when exactly Morisi started to train under Eteri (never found the exact season), but he surely trained there as junior (he competed at 2013 JGP events and you can see him with Dudakov during those events). The core of the claims is "Eteri can train only prepubescent girls" or "girls below 17/18/19" (it's shifting according to current state of things) and he surely is not exactly in that category, in fact in his 27 he can be called "longevity skater" and even quite succesful.

Anna trains in Khrustalny since 2013 I believe, so she experienced "Eteri's methods" for like 9 years. If she will finish her career at this moment eventually, it won't be because she physically can't skate anymore, it would be about motivation just like in Alina's case.

Don't get me wrong and think that I think she is done this season. I think she will be around for a few more seasons if she continues to motivated/competitive. If she can still rotate quads at 17, the age most people expected her to lose them, she will definitely stick around longer being physically healthy/conditioned enough. I think we may need to start worrying if she is struggling w/ triples, like other Eteri girls did at around this age or later.

Anna represents a combination of technical qualities, artistry and strong will. At some particular components of this she may find a stronger skaters (like I presume Anna won't deliver 5 quads in one program as Sasha can), but she can compensate that with other qualities and as for her nerves of steel she hardly finds a rival even among men.

 

[alexocfp]

Anna represents a combination of technical qualities, artistry and strong will. At some particular components of this she may find a stronger skaters (like I presume Anna won't deliver 5 quads in one program as Sasha can), but she can compensate that with other qualities and as for her nerves of steel she hardly finds a rival even among men.

If only Anna have listened to people's prognosis of her career (and chances against other skaters) on this forum, her career whould have been so much - well, not exactly better

These posts triggered a little nostalgia.

She would have 1 less national championship if she listened to the fans for starters. Haha

After the 2021 National Championship, she proved that she deserves the benefit of the doubt forever. From coughing up a lung in the short program and ignoring all advice to withdraw, to champion. A legend was born that weekend.

That was the weekend where I realized that she is a special athlete and that I better hop on the bandwagon quick.

Always loved when she had a bad practice the day before the competition and everyone was writing her obituary. Then the next day, when it counted, she was her usual clutch self. “Never Count Anna Out“ should be inscribed on the ice of every skating rink in the universe.

And I am glad people started to realize that being mentally tough matters. It’s just as important as any jump, spin, or element.

 

[Flying Feijoa]

How about Morisi BTW. He's 27, competitive and actually improving

Morisi is a bit of an outlier, there are counter-examples in Samsonov, Rukhin, Knyazev, Erokhov, Pitkeev etc. And in the novices, Fedotov is great, but Lukin and Kolesnikov just left. I don't have a bone to pick regarding the 'expiry date' thing, just wanted to illustrate the random chaotic nature of successful outcomes regarding Russian (or Russian-born) men.

As for Anna and Sasha, who knows, maybe they will be like Morisi (or Hanyu - being an Olympic medallist who stuck around for years after). At this point in their careers it probably depends more on their motivation and the level of internal competition.

 

[Amei]

Ok I think to break the Eteri curse you have to be active and competing until 19. No skater has gotten that far yet, under her and still competitive. Medvedeva was 18 at the Olympics and was competitive with the top ladies at that time. Kostornaiia is was also further into being 18 than Anna is now during the Grand Prix circuit so she still as a little ways to go yet. However, in the long term I think that Alexandra will outlast Anna for sure. Sasha keeps getting stronger and physically more developed with each new season.

Don't know if I necessarily agree with that, the last 2 years we've seen her have injuries that have inhibited her jumps last year at Nationals, and this year it took her out of competition completely; once was a leg injury and the other a foot injury. Taking the 'Eteri' part out of the equation, Shcherbakova and Trusova are the pioneers of quads being the norm for ladies in competition, Trusova has always been far more interested in a large volume of jumps than anything else we've often seen her messing around with quads during exhibition times, Shcherbakova rarely. No one quite knows how much pounding the female body can handle with the quads, we know guys have had issues with injuries, and then you put in the Eteri factor and factor in Trusova's own stubbornness about the jumps as well.


I hope they are all able to end their careers how they want to and not because of the ban situation* or injuries, especially injuries because then you wonder what's the impact on their quality of life going forward. *I mention the ban because Shcherbakova did an interview/answered questions at the channel 1 cup that indicated the ban would factor into her decision.

Olympic champion, world champion in figure skating Anna Shcherbakova answered the question about continuing her sports career.

“At the moment I want to rest, until not only I have a general feeling of confusion. It is not clear what awaits us, I will look at the situation.

For now, I want to take a break from the season, even though it was with bright moments, and then I will look at the next season, ”said Shcherbakova.

“This will directly affect my decision,” the skater added, answering the question of what she would do if the “mess” continued.

Earlier, the International Skating Union (ISU) suspended Russian skaters from international competitions.

Interview

 

[Trusova4Ever]

Don't know if I necessarily agree with that, the last 2 years we've seen her have injuries that have inhibited her jumps last year at Nationals, and this year it took her out of competition completely; once was a leg injury and the other a foot injury. Taking the 'Eteri' part out of the equation, Shcherbakova and Trusova are the pioneers of quads being the norm for ladies in competition, Trusova has always been far more interested in a large volume of jumps than anything else we've often seen her messing around with quads during exhibition times, Shcherbakova rarely. No one quite knows how much pounding the female body can handle with the quads, we know guys have had issues with injuries, and then you put in the Eteri factor and factor in Trusova's own stubbornness about the jumps as well.


I hope they are all able to end their careers how they want to and not because of the ban situation* or injuries, especially injuries because then you wonder what's the impact on their quality of life going forward. *I mention the ban because Shcherbakova did an interview/answered questions at the channel 1 cup that indicated the ban would factor into her decision.



Interview

Yes that's is true. I guess I meant in the sense of more muscles, more adult body, etc. And I feel like her quads success rate has improved. And they are becoming more stable. In this season we saw 5 quads at test skates for the first time, 4 quads attempts (3 landed) at nationals for the first time, and, finally, 5 quads in one competition for the first time.

 

[flanker]

Morisi is a bit of an outlier, there are counter-examples in Samsonov, Rukhin, Knyazev, Erokhov, Pitkeev etc. And in the novices, Fedotov is great, but Lukin and Kolesnikov just left. I don't have a bone to pick regarding the 'expiry date' thing, just wanted to illustrate the random chaotic nature of successful outcomes regarding Russian (or Russian-born) men.

As for Anna and Sasha, who knows, maybe they will be like Morisi (or Hanyu - being an Olympic medallist who stuck around for years after). At this point in their careers it probably depends more on their motivation and the level of internal competition.

Well Samsonov suffers from health conditions that would occur anywhere else as well. As for the others, it can't be said something significantly changed (=imprtoved) with their move elsewhere. Erokhov has some good skates here and there, but otherwise he is one of the typical russian men, just when you start to think he will finally stabilize, he performs another splatfest. If there is a problem, then the problem is not restricted to just one team.

On the other hand, when people talk about the expiration, whether they mean Eteri's team (boys or girls) or the russian skating, to be honest I think it's not that rare, I saw more US, japanese or korean skaters who were quite promising and then disappeared/did not fulfill the expectations/got injured etc., and if some of them are still active they usually take the lower positions in their countries. Just not so much attention was paid to them to be talked about "expiration dates".