What do you mean? Every single one of them was unique and brought a lot to the sport.
2023-24 Russian Women's Figure Skating
- Thread starter AlexBreeze
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- Aug 8, 2023
Shcherbakova and Zagitova were good but not without equal
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- Jan 23, 2022
Do you mean Lipnitskaya was the only one who didn't have a main competitor? For example Zagitova had Zhenya as an equal competitor while Anna had Sasha, Kamila, Aliona, etc? I might be misunderstanding, but If that's the case I agree. It was Yulia's to win/lose by herself that season. There wasn't truly anyone else that at full form could be her match/equal or main rival like for the newer ladies in Russia.
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- Jan 23, 2022
Translated interview with Sofia Muravieva about weight management. (Note the translation might be a bit off).
Figure skater Sofya Muravyova said that it is not difficult for her to keep her weight.
Q: How hard is it for you to keep yourself at the right weight and diet all the time?
- It's not difficult at all.
Q: Didn't you ever wake up thinking "I want a hamburger"?
- And I'll eat it on Sunday. If I want to, of course. I always come back from Sunday with a little extra. Either a pound or a half a pound. And it's easy for me to jump. The next day, I lose what I've gained, and it gets harder again.
Q: Then why keep the weight off?
- To be beautiful. I like it when I'm thin. It's nice to look at myself, it's nice to feel light and thin. I like to be complimented on it. It's nice, isn't it?
Q: How many extra pounds become visible in the mirror?
- I don't know. I don't remember crossing the critical line at all. Even in the summer, when we had a month of vacation, we went to Dubai, and I did not ride at all, I lost two kilograms. All the muscles were gone, my legs were like water, despite the fact that I walked a lot, 18,000 steps a day," Muravyova said.
Figure skater Sofya Muravyova said that it is not difficult for her to keep her weight.
Q: How hard is it for you to keep yourself at the right weight and diet all the time?
- It's not difficult at all.
Q: Didn't you ever wake up thinking "I want a hamburger"?
- And I'll eat it on Sunday. If I want to, of course. I always come back from Sunday with a little extra. Either a pound or a half a pound. And it's easy for me to jump. The next day, I lose what I've gained, and it gets harder again.
Q: Then why keep the weight off?
- To be beautiful. I like it when I'm thin. It's nice to look at myself, it's nice to feel light and thin. I like to be complimented on it. It's nice, isn't it?
Q: How many extra pounds become visible in the mirror?
- I don't know. I don't remember crossing the critical line at all. Even in the summer, when we had a month of vacation, we went to Dubai, and I did not ride at all, I lost two kilograms. All the muscles were gone, my legs were like water, despite the fact that I walked a lot, 18,000 steps a day," Muravyova said.
My favourite lady skater… love her honesty about how her weight is no big issue at all. If you are an athlete, this shouldn’t be a big deal despite what the media tries to push…
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- Jan 23, 2022
In between training and recovery throughout the seasons Nika managed to squeeze in an acting gig!
Veronika Zhilina is going to star in a movie called "The Ice 3" as I believe the "antagonist". I'm not sure how big the role is, but I'm happy she is getting so many opportunities.
Here's the trailer. Nika's part (1:16)
Veronika Zhilina is going to star in a movie called "The Ice 3" as I believe the "antagonist". I'm not sure how big the role is, but I'm happy she is getting so many opportunities.
Here's the trailer. Nika's part (1:16)
But...the fact that she says in that interview a lot of specific things about her weight. Doesn't seem to be a person that doesn't care about weigth at all to me.
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- Jan 23, 2022
I think she cares about her weight (she says she likes to look thin and get compliments for staying thin so this is why she doesn't put on weight---nothing wrong with that. It's her preference), but what's cool is that she says she has zero issue with weight management and it's easy for her. A lot of athletes in this sport struggle daily with weight so I guess it's nice to see that some people don't struggle at all and can eat what they want without completely removing it.
In her case she said she can eat whatever she wants on a Sunday I think and it will not affect her much at all since she loses quickly in training. Though she said putting on weight helps her jumps (since it helps with muscle gain I believe), but it doesn't work for her physique of preference since she likes the thin look that she has and would like to keep the look (over the muscular look that extra weight gives to athletes).
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- Aug 8, 2023
Im saying Lipnitskaya is the only one who had qualities nobody else did. Her extensions and spins are paralleled only to this day by Valieva. In fact Yulia's spins may even be the best ever still in some regards. Naturally her Schindler's list was also program of the year. I wouldnt mind her having lost gold to Yuna but the fact that Sotnikova took that year is a shame.
Zagitova had artistry but poor flexibility and was particularly immobile. She was superior to Yulia only in explosivity/content. In regards to accolades she has legend status of course. I love her 3Lz-3Lo and she had some very enjoyable programs like olympic FS and final SP but just not enough to miss relative to today's girls. AAA all surpassed her at a point in my opinion and Valieva of course too. Shcherbakova was mega artistic and athletic, very rare combination but she wasnt more artistic than Valieva or more athletic than Trusova. She also lacked extension like Zagitova (though she was much more fluid than Zagitova in general). I also dont see Shcherbakova as obviously better than Akateva's last season at all. In fact I think Akateva's FS surpasses Shcherbakova in artistry, and technique is uncomparable because this is nationals shape vs absolute Olympic peaking.
Shcherbakova however did separate herself immensely as a raw competitor - in this regard maybe the best ever but it doesnt matter much to me personally.
I just dislike the melancholic over-romanticizing and borderline worshipping of these retired girls we keep seeing. People miss that era because of the atmosphere, but that atmosphere was a result of Russians being at internationals, not the girls themselves being gods. If Petro-Akateva-Mura went international we would easily have an equally wonderful era and atmosphere to that time and not with inferior skating. The former 2 easily would match pure content at an olympics peak and their artistry is first class, second to nobody. Maybe Muravieva is lagging slightly but Aliona also only ever had a 3A. Im not saying Muravieva is prime Aliona tier but the gap isnt big at all, and there are plenty of other prospects who could take that third spot as well.
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- Aug 8, 2023
Hahaha, wait until another site gets on this one. Girl says she loves the way she looks and its easy for her to maintain as well, and another site will cry rivers. Jealousy...
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- Jan 23, 2022
I don't fully agree, but I understand your point of view.
I do think if international comps were allowed Adeliia, Sofia A, and Sofia M would make a big splash (if Sofia A were allowed to be senior and the age limit thing didn't happen).
I know Rusfed wanted to make SSS happen in juniors (Sofia A, Sofia M, Sofia S), but the wonderful Adeliia existed in the same timeline and the new and shiny russian rocket Samodelkina unfortunately went through the harshest puberty of all the girls losing almost everything she worked hard for so we now have SAS instead of SSS.
It could also have always been SAS since Sofia A would be either be in juniors with the age limit or Sofia M would be bypassed by a stronger Adeliia with 3A and quads like she is now---in a version where Sofia S survived her transition to puberty of course. So Sofia A (3A, 4T, 4S) , Sofia S (3A, 4T, 4S, 4Lz, ), and Adeliia P (3A, 4T, 4Lo, 4F) would all have 3A and multiple quads. It would be an amazing rivalry to see the best "triple axel quadster" win out of the three in back to back comps. Also Muravieva has a 4S in her back pocket so if international comps were allowed maybe she'd beat Adeliia or Samodelkina for that third spot in the trio since she'd have more motivation to stabilize the 4S.
Too bad though what should have been will most likely never be since there will only be one spot at the 2026 olympics internationally. If things stay like they are now then Adeliia would go, but if Sofia A. beats that stress fracture or Sofia M. manages to fight with 3 clean triple axels I can definitely see one of them at the 2026 Olys too. If all 3 girls could go I would be so happy, but even in the best case I think only one can make it unless the girls are allowed at worlds before the Olympics to have a chance to reclaim the 3 spots.
Shcherbakova started out the same way if you listen to her latest interviews regarding her weight by the Olympic season though she was having to maintain her weight with concerning methods.
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