2023-24 Russian Nationals Men's Free Skate

[AlexBreeze]

What is the weight of nats and cup final in national team selection this season? Is it 50/50? Is there points for each placement or is it the total scores that matter?
I guess the medalists get automatic spots in the team.

Well, there's no exact criteria, it's not USFS haha.

It sounded like if a skater bombed Nats for some reason, but proved themselves at Spartakiad, they would be included in the national team.

 

[Mariott]

Andrei injured his tailbone yesterday. He was considering withdrawal. He hasn't skated a single FS after an illness.

He hasn't had a chance to skate FS because he doesn't get ice at his school. He is the only one from the group who is on the Russian national team (so far), and he doesn't even get a chance to fully rehearse FS.
Absolutely indifferent management, including the coach, is to blame for this whole situation. And the consequences will have to be dealt with by Andrei. He simply won't have a permanent income outside the national team, and in the end he will have to either skate a lot in shows or talk about ending his career. As I understand it, no one will be upset if he finishes. He's not needed.

 

[icewhite]

He hasn't had a chance to skate FS because he doesn't get ice at his school. He is the only one from the group who is on the Russian national team (so far), and he doesn't even get a chance to fully rehearse FS.
Absolutely indifferent management, including the coach, is to blame for this whole situation. And the consequences will have to be dealt with by Andrei. He simply won't have a permanent income outside the national team, and in the end he will have to either skate a lot in shows or talk about ending his career. As I understand it, no one will be upset if he finishes. He's not needed.

I'm in Chelyabinsk right now, folks, and to say my heart hurts is to say nothing. I was prepared for this, but.... no, I wasn't. I cried when I heard Cry of the Heart at Kshetskaya's. I can't believe a skater like that gets killed just because he doesn't have the right coach. I can't believe that Andrei went from RusNat bronze and 4th place at the European Championships to being a whipping boy. This is a great sin, pardon my religious language. The boy who mesmerized us with Cry of the Heart is almost gone, he is being destroyed.

I don't think it's all the coach's fault, really. The focus right now especially in Russia on jumps and especially quads 4Lo+ is just incredible. Usually he should be able to make up some of the difference due to his PCS, but if PCS are nothing but a tie-breaker...
But hey, he can come over. Doesn't he have some German ancestors somewhere? That would make it even easier.
He would have to fight Kai Jagoda and Nikita Starostin for the title.

 

[icewhite]

I don't think it's all the coach's fault, really. The focus right now especially in Russia on jumps and especially quads 4Lo+ is just incredible. Usually he should be able to make up some of the difference due to his PCS, but if PCS are nothing but a tie-breaker...
But hey, he can come over. Doesn't he have some German ancestors somewhere? That would make it even easier.
He would have to fight Kai Jagoda and Nikita Starostin for the title.

On a serious note, is switching federations no possibility at all?

 

[Mariott]

I don't think it's all the coach's fault, really. The focus right now especially in Russia on jumps and especially quads 4Lo+ is just incredible. Usually he should be able to make up some of the difference due to his PCS, but if PCS are nothing but a tie-breaker...
But hey, he can come over. Doesn't he have some German ancestors somewhere? That would make it even easier.
He would have to fight Kai Jagoda and Nikita Starostin for the title.

The reason is exactly the reason I gave, Andrei doesn't have full training sessions on the ice. This is confirmed by everyone, including other skaters. Plus his coach has an extremely bad reputation.
And there will be even fewer opportunities to practice as he has disappointed everyone and not lived up to expectations, haha. He will be given even less training.
As for changing citizenship, Mozalev is too bad to let him on the national team, but if he wants to leave, he will immediately become too good to let him go. It's a fork in the road that is unlikely to be overcome.

 

[Isk]

What's wrong with Davydenko, why does he have a bad reputation?

 

[Mariott]

What's wrong with Davydenko, why does he have a bad reputation?

This will take a long explanation. To put it bluntly, he's not respected. I don't know the reasons, perhaps it's a matter of bygone days. And Andrei is sure that there is something wrong with him, not that the problem lies with the coach.

 

[Mariott]

...

 

[icewhite]

This will take a long explanation. To put it bluntly, he's not respected. I don't know the reasons, perhaps it's a matter of bygone days. And Andrei is sure that there is something wrong with him, not that the problem lies with the coach.

Honestly I have no clue, but this sounds very weird to me. I don't understand it.
Wish him the best though. He's making the figure skating world richer.

 

[AlexBreeze]

The press conference was fun

"Please, could you repeat the question, I and Zhenya were kinda chating"

 

[thatdarncat]

Wow!!! Mens competition was thrilling

First Petr was amazing, he would have won if he had been in 1st after the short programme.

Zhenya, determined performance, I like this piece of music.

Vlad, did not buckle under pressure and has been a revelation this season.

Solid performance from Dima and better from Andre (I thought he looked in pain, hope he is able to rest up now and recover.

Markar, not sure why he was put behind Danill

Sad for Mattvei, Sasha and Alexei, hope he heals up quickly.

But overall I very much enjoyed today, just sad these guys won't be at the Europeans or Worlds.

 

[AlexBreeze]

Markar, not sure why he was put behind Danill

The levels and two UR calls.

 

[Mariott]

Solid performance from Dima and better from Andre (I thought he looked in pain, hope he is able to rest up now and recover.

He will now have plenty of time to rest but no money for medication due to poor performance, that's the sum total.

 

[icewhite]

What's the situation with the funding? I thought there was a national team of 6 and a reserve of 6 more... does the reserve not get any/much money?
With so many skaters on a similar level it's just a crazy selection.
I'm already waiting for the next competitions.

 

[icewhite]

Btw, what was Semenenko's deduction for? I didn't realize a time violation.

 

[AlexBreeze]

What's the situation with the funding? I thought there was a national team of 6 and a reserve of 6 more... does the reserve not get any/much money?
With so many skaters on a similar level it's just a crazy selection.
I'm already waiting for the next competitions.

It's usually 6 skaters on the national team and about 3 skaters on the reserve. It's not reliably known what the difference is. There are also regional teams that can pay for skates and costumes. As far as I know St. Petersburg pays for it, but the costumes in this case belong to the federation, not to the skaters themselves.

Btw, what was Semenenko's deduction for? I didn't realize a time violation.

I think he really didn't finish in time. Didn't even finish the last spin.

 

[Isk]

I actually looked Daniil's SP and I liked his skating in both programs.

I also think that Fedor Zonov shouldn't get the 2nd worst PCS score when Evgeni Semenenko gets the 2nd best. Imagine Russia having one quota at the major championships, and Semenenko getting this quota after being propped up at the Nationals like he was today, I am not sure I want to see this.

I thought Zonov's FS was kinda empty on the transitions, but unlike Semenenko, Zonov has extension and lines. I wish I knew how to insert images to illustrate what I mean. I get it that the guy is young and not very powerful, looks like a junior, and he missed most of his jumps, but when he lands them it looks good. He landed a 3F and a 3Lo (x) with a nice flow and running edge and received GOEs respectively 1.44 and 1.19 (flip was a bit better), while Semenenko got 1.26 for his 3Lo (x) with an ugly landing. Zonov has a nice FCSp4 with good positions, centering and speed throughout and he gets 4s, 3s and a 2 in GOE. Semenenko's FCSp2 was a struggle with loss of speed and ugly positions, he got hammered by the tech panel, but he still gets positive GOE including three 3s, with only one judge giving him a 0. Likewise, his CSSp3 wasn't great, looked strained and lost speed on both feet, and he mostly got 3s in GOE with only one judge giving him a 1.

 

[icewhite]

I actually looked Daniil's SP and I liked his skating in both programs.

I also think that Fedor Zonov shouldn't get the 2nd worst PCS score when Evgeni Semenenko gets the 2nd best. Imagine Russia having one quota at major championships, and him getting this quota after being propped up at the Nationals like he was today, I am not sure I want to see this.

I thought Zonov's FS was kinda empty on the transitions (so was Semenenko's), but unlike Semenenko, Zonov has lines. I wish I knew how to insert images to illustrate what I mean. I get it that the guy is young and not very powerful, skates like a junior, and he missed most of his jumps, but when he lands them it looks good. He landed a 3F and 3Lo (x) with a nice running edge and received GOEs respectively 1.44 and 1.19 (flip was a bit better), while Semenenko got 1.26 for his 3Lo (x) with an ugly landing. Zonov has a nice FCSp4 with good positions, centering and speed throughout and he gets 4s, 3s and a 2 in GOE. Semenenko's FCSp2 was a struggle with loss of speed and ugly positions, he got hammered by the tech panel, but he still gets positive GOE including three 3s, with only one judge giving him a 0. Really?

I don't think Semenenko is propped - it mostly seems to be the effect of the way the general scoring is done.
Okay, I am super biased.
But look at all the scores, I don't think that Semenenko was singled out as the chosen one. Also I don't know what it's like in Russia, but it didn't seem to me that there was a hype around him before nats. As far as I remember Zagitova didn't even include him in her v-log where she interviewed Gumennik, Dikidzhi and Kondratiuk.

The point you make about Zonov can be made about all the skaters here with better skating skills but without the jumps (happening) imo.

 

[AlexBreeze]

PCS is not just SS. SS is not just speed (Zonov, for example, often have problems with his steps). Not to mention there isn't a skater whose PCS won't be affected by such a disaster skater.

Overall I think the only Russian man who was good in all aspects of PCS is Kolyada. All the others have advantages and disadvantages.

 

[Isk]

I don't think Semenenko is propped - it mostly seems to be the effect of the way the general scoring is done.
Okay, I am super biased.
But look at all the scores, I don't think that Semenenko was singled out as the chosen one. Also I don't know what it's like in Russia, but it didn't seem to me that there was a hype around him before nats. As far as I remember Zagitova didn't even include him in her v-log where she interviewed Gumennik, Dikidzhi and Kondratiuk.

The point you make about Zonov can be made about all the skaters here with better skating skills but without the jumps (happening) imo.

I agree that he wasn't singled out. I just think this sends a wrong message. I'd rather see Petr any day than Evgeny, when they skate like today, while they are both not perfect. Petr is far from perfect on SS, but he tries to have nice lines, his packaging this season is better, I see improvement, and looks like he found consistency. Good-looking too with this hair style, haha. With the three top guys being within a couple of points from each other, little things here and there make you wonder. This judging basically says: if you are with Mishin and can do quads, doesn't matter what it looks like. Does matter to me, so I'd like to see the opposite.