2021-22 Russian Women's Figure Skating

[colormyworld240]

Well, prefacing this by saying that the move probably increased Sasha‘s Olympic chances. While I was happy about some of her earlier improvements this season (that all vanished when she went back to the old “5 quads ride or die“ strategy...), it was clear that Plushenko and co. were unorganized, chaotic and just plain inexperienced.

Now, this season has pretty much “proven“ that in Russian ladies, you either skate with Eteri, or you don‘t skate at all (or, you can skate, ofc, but you won‘t make any teams). If Eteri really stays true to her “everyone gets the same chances/same amount of attention“ comments then the quality of coaching will inevitably go down for every single athlete.

We‘ll see how it goes, I guess. But I‘m worried for the skaters involved who know after this season that it‘s either Eteri‘s or they can kiss their medal chances goodbye. What a sad state for a discipline to be in, no matter the amount of medals it brings. You can call me an Eteri hater if you‘d like to but in my eyes, all it does is kill individuality. And that‘s pretty depressing for a sport as inherently creative and, yes, individual as figure skating.

So what do you suggest then? That Eteri rejects more skaters to give other coaches more chances? Or prevent skaters from joining her group? She isn't responsible for Plushenko's results this season.

You don't need to skate with Eteri to make teams and win medals. Sasha more or less had the same results as she did with Eteri, and she made the World team. Eteri didn't make her miss the combo in the SP. All 3 Russians were scored generously at Worlds, and made the podium, and all 3 had different coaches. Alena didn't make the team this season, but there was no argument that she deserved to over Anna (the only Eteri skater). AFAIK Eteri didn't make her skate the way she did, and she was scored generously internally as well.

Who knows why Alena and Sasha left, but they returned to a coach they think would work better, just as they did when they left. But unless Eteri went over to drag them back, or her skater didn't deserve to make the world team this year over the skaters that didn't, then there isn't really a problem. If things were better at Plushenko's, they would've stayed there.

It's Eteri's group's job to give everyone the same amount of attention if they take them. If the quality of coaching goes down because of the number of skaters they have, and it definitely could, then it's up the skaters to weigh that quality against the quality of the other coaches, and make their own decisions. That's why skaters have left Eteri's group too. Yes, so far, the skaters who left (other than Sasha) haven't had the same results. But again, that's not on Eteri's group, that's on their new coaches. It's not like she went around taking away their jumps/consistency.

Some skaters might see it as "It's Eteri's or they can kiss their medal chances goodbye" but that's because their coaching team is better at getting medals or spots. I don't think any of their skaters made a team and didn't deserve to be there. And it's not up to them to decrease their level of work so others can catch up. There were plenty of more established coaches before this group, and they didn't reduce their work for Eteri/Dudakov/Daniil either.

 

[Jontor]

Yay! A new Russian Ladies thread!

Hmm. Sasha going back to Eteri. Can't say that I am surprised, but...hmmm...aren't there too many eggs in the same basket now?

 

[leilaraj]

https://www.instagram.com/p/COV8y72JfhW/?igshid=1poi82bm7xmvi

I saw this meme and I have anxiety. Team Tutberidze has to choreograph at least 16 new Senior programs (not including Alina, Elisabet,T/M)

well Kamila is recycling the FP, so 15 lol

 

[chasingneverland]

https://www.instagram.com/p/COV8y72JfhW/?igshid=1poi82bm7xmvi

I saw this meme and I have anxiety. Team Tutberidze has to choreograph at least 16 new Senior programs (not including Alina, Elisabet,T/M)

well Kamila is recycling the FP, so 15 lol

Not all of them are going to get new programs. A lot of them haven't been seen internationally.

People are acting like they haven't had this many skaters for awhile. Remember every one of these skaters was there in 2019-2020, except for Evgenia..

 

[Fluture]

So what do you suggest then?

For RusFed to work on building up other coaching teams instead of putting all of their eggs in the Eteri basket. That‘s a very “in the moment“ kind of strategy but if you ask me, it‘s not a good long-term plan if one wants the sport to continue develop nationally.

As for Eteri‘s team. None of which you suggested I might want them to do lol. Start by adding a new, regular in-house choreographer instead of expecting Daniil to handle it all. Then someone else who can do harness work - it‘s actually quite ridiculous that only Dudakov‘s there when they have at least 6 girls actively studying ultra-c elements. Perhaps a coach (Tsurskaya? But she‘s rather young...) to mostly handle the juniors during the Olympic season so Daniil/Dudakov/Eteri can focus on the seniors (6 going for the OG + Alina and Zhenya). All I‘m saying is that if you have one choreographer doing 12 possible Olympic programs instead of 5 like it was last time (even less since Polina and Alina were repeating some of theirs) the quality inevitably will go down. Less time = less individual attention to detail. I think that‘s quite a logical deduction, no?

As for the rest... look, I‘d rather not give my arguments for the umpteenth time. In my eyes, there has been a worrying trend in Russian ladies skating that skaters never tend to survive outside of TeamTutberidze/Sambo70 which, IMO, doesn’t all have to do with the athletes’ and coaches’ individual capabilities but rather a number of other factors. Everyone‘s able to make their own conclusions, though.

 

[leilaraj]

Not all of them are going to get new programs. A lot of them haven't been seen internationally.

People are acting like they haven't had this many skaters for awhile. Remember every one of these skaters was there in 2019-2020, except for Evgenia..

It’s the Olympic season though

 

[chasingneverland]

It’s the Olympic season though

Yes.

She's never had such high stakes or so many top skaters but she's been through Olympic seasons before. (And just like then all have different levels.)

 

[esteticlove]

You all act up as if training 6-7 super stars is something unseen, but TT have trained those girls as a pack for years now. And it worked so far because contrary to what most of you are preaching, they do not pay special attention to certain individuals but give equal chance for everyone to develop (according to their personal abilities). I also think that the team is more than aware that they need more coaching staff, but they have been working onto stocking up - see Tsurskaya becoming part of the team for the youngsters.. As for the programs- it's just like any other season, they always had to come up with so many choreographies. And they always tried to be as good as possible, regardless if Olympic season or not.

 

[chasingneverland]

Then someone else who can do harness work - it‘s actually quite ridiculous that only Dudakov‘s there when they have at least 6 girls actively studying ultra-c elements. .

They do have someone else who can do harness work I'm pretty sure. Or at least works with them on jumps.

Daria said in a recent interview that she actually learned her triples and triple+triple combos with Punin. It's also while the team was at World's that Daria was working on her 3A. And she was doing that with Punin.

 

[chasingneverland]

You all act up as if training 6-7 super stars is something unseen, but TT have trained those girls as a pack for years now. And it worked so far because contrary to what most of you are preaching, they do not pay special attention to certain individuals but give equal chance for everyone to develop (according to their personal abilities). I also think that the team is more than aware that they need more coaching staff, but they have been working onto stocking up - see Tsurskaya becoming part of the team for the youngsters.. As for the programs- it's just like any other season, they always had to come up with so many choreographies. And they always tried to be as good as possible, regardless if Olympic season or not.

Yeah. They've never had such high stakes but none of these girls are new. They've been together there for years.

 

[Minz]

If skaters from Team Tutberidze had to reuse a program from a past season, which one would you choose? (Any program, either short or free)

 

[flanker]

Final piece of evidence, BTW...

 

[Amei]

If skaters from Team Tutberidze had to reuse a program from a past season, which one would you choose? (Any program, either short or free)

Does Kostornaia's Cup final programs count? I think they had promise of being capable of being something.

 

[skylark]

Alyona ... gorgeous

https://www.instagram.com/p/COTiXC5JV9g/

 

[Philippa8187]

Does Kostornaia's Cup final programs count? I think they had promise of being capable of being something.

I would love it if they could used again, but I am not sure if they are considered the property of the Angels of Plushenko, or not.

 

[Amei]

I would love it if they could used again, but I am not sure if they are considered the property of the Angels of Plushenko, or not.

Well when Lipnitskaia left mid-season and went to Urmanov she kept her programs. If these 'contracts' between coaches and skaters that keep getting floated out become a thing, I could see perhaps included to prevent mid-season transfers is that choreography for purposes of competition stays with the coaching team.

 

[Scott512]

The band is back together! 3A are back! 4A too.

 

[Philippa8187]

Well when Lipnitskaia left mid-season and went to Urmanov she kept her programs. If these 'contracts' between coaches and skaters that keep getting floated out become a thing, I could see perhaps included to prevent mid-season transfers is that choreography for purposes of competition stays with the coaching team.

I think Aliona did train the Vivaldi SP before Worlds, so that gives me a slither of hope that she might be able to keep that program at least, if the coaches agree.

 

[katymay]

If any of you decide to visit St. Petersburg, don't hesitate to write me - I'll give you a tour of its historical places and bars.

I'm giving it some thought. I want to go to St.Petersburg anyway, but I was planning on the summer. But I would love to go to Russian nats,

 

[Amei]

The band is back together! 3A are back! 4A too.

I believe during the 19-20 season 1 of the girls that was part of the '3A' voiced displeasure with the nickname - I don't mean to be telling people how to talk but I think we as fans should be respectful of not calling skaters by nicknames they don't like