2025-26 Russian Grand Prix - Stage 3 - Kazan

[AlexBreeze]

There was a long interview with him, when he showed his school etc, and while he didn't say what else he was doing/wanted to do, he said he didn't want to stay after his career. I guess, it didn’t pan out.

Now I remember that he studied IT. Probably didn't pan out, right. But him leaving FS would be a great loss. I saw him in an outdoors show with Taisia. The crowd loved them.

 

[Mathematician]

But maybe she gets a bye to Nats anyway as she is part of the National Team?

So can anyone comment if there's precedent for this?

 

[AlexBreeze]

So can anyone comment if there's precedent for this?

Yes, sure. It's basically a rule.

 

[lariko]

Okay, unlike Mukhortov, this is a bit painful.

 

[lariko]

So, this is the previously hidden Butzaeva's student?

 

[Jontor]

So can anyone comment if there's precedent for this?

I think it happened back in 2021. Kostornaya, Medvedeva, Zagitova and Sinitsyna all Q as National Team members (I think).
They all later wd however...

 

[Pairluv]

This skater's hair makes my standard poodle's top knot look lame. I'm kind of obsessed with it.

 

[lariko]

Forget Frolova and Murav'eva. This guy would have ended on the NKH podium if he skated like that there... lol.

 

[AlexBreeze]

Forget Frolova and Murav'eva. This guy would have ended on the NKH podium if he skated like that there... lol.

He totally bombed the SP though.

 

[Jontor]

Great skate from Melnikov!

 

[Skating91]

Dina has good tech and beautiful spins, but she does have a long way to go performance-wise. Her face remains imperturbably expression-less during the entire skate, not just today but during the SP as well, and her movements lack purpose. The programs don't help her either, as they are quite empty and whatever choreo is there, is repeated from the SP to the FS (even the end poses are literally the same ).

And, this is of course a personal problem on my side, but I also find it hard to watch her skating because her legs are very long and super skinny, so I feel like they may break any moment.

She'll gain a little weight over the next two years and will be another skater who loses her jumps.

But she is very young and of course, hopefully will develop with time. But at this point, they are many skaters more complete and better than her, even at this very stage (though today she did deserve to win as the FS were off for most other contenders out there)

Dina really reflects the decline in Russian skating, and the fall of Eteri's group if this is the level of skater she is recruiting. Can she not find anyone else?

Dina is not young. Valieva was destroying records a year younger than this and was a fully formed skater, Trusova a year older with 5 quads, Shcherbakova a world champion.

People criticised Trusova's skating, but she was fast across the ice and jumped 5 quads. This girl has no quads, very slow, no skating skills, no program at all.

Russia doesn't know how to train, motivate, develop skaters once they get to 17. Mura is a shell of her former self, Frolova on a decline, Sadkova has never had consistency. Dina will put on a little weight and lose all her jumps, she has no skating skills, so there is no long term plan by Tutberidze to make her a stong senior skater she's a stop gap for a couple of years, then move her on.

Under international judging, Samodelkina would have won this event.

 

[EdgeCall]

Not bad!

 

[lariko]

He totally bombed the SP though.

In Japan, who didn't?

 

[QueenOfTheRoad]

This is wow!

 

[niks]

Very good skate by Melnikov, he had some huge jumps out there

Who is his coach with him in the K&C?

 

[lariko]

And, better costuming than they usually get from Butzaeva, heh. Hope the guy makes all the tournaments in Russia.

 

[Pairluv]

Nothing like a good redemption FS

 

[elektra blue]

i'm back

 

[lariko]

It feels like the jump was supposed to be on the line of text but didn’t fire in the right moment.

 

[QueenOfTheRoad]

And, better costuming than they usually get from Butzaeva, heh. Hope the guy makes all the tournaments in Russia.

I love his costume! So elegant and understated!