2026-27 Russian Women's Figure Skating

[AlexBreeze]

And... if someone wins an early Challenger this year, they should be eligible to be on the Alternate List for GP's this season...no?

Yes. I just doubt it happens with this planning (ignoring Cranberry, sending all the top skaters to the same event). Probably in pairs it's possible though.

 

[Jontor]

Why? She is on the national team.

My bad. I somehow thought she wasn't.

 

[AlexBreeze]

Kamila Valieva, Mariia Zakharova, Alexandra Ignatova, Dina Khusnutdinova have been added to AIN2.

Also, some novice skater Vlada Poilova has been added. I guess it proofs that anyone can apply and go to B event if they want to.

 

[Kittosuni]

Wow Valieva did get the AIN2 status

 

[flanker]

Sofia Dzepka will replace Elena Kostyleva at the Junior Grand Prix in China!

София Дзепка заменит Елену Костылеву на Гран-при среди юниоров в Китае

Кто выступит за сборную России на этапе юниорской серии ISU в Сиане 20-22 августа? Узнайте причину замены и состав участников.

www.sports.ru

 

[Azikin]

Sofia Dzepka will replace Elena Kostyleva at the Junior Grand Prix in China!

София Дзепка заменит Елену Костылеву на Гран-при среди юниоров в Китае

Кто выступит за сборную России на этапе юниорской серии ISU в Сиане 20-22 августа? Узнайте причину замены и состав участников.

www.sports.ru

I'm excited the whole world will see what an amazing skater Dzepka is!

 

[AlexBreeze]

Sofia Dzepka will replace Elena Kostyleva at the Junior Grand Prix in China!

София Дзепка заменит Елену Костылеву на Гран-при среди юниоров в Китае

Кто выступит за сборную России на этапе юниорской серии ISU в Сиане 20-22 августа? Узнайте причину замены и состав участников.

www.sports.ru

Yesterday the Fed confirmed entries with Lena. What happened in a day?

 

[RatedPG]

Wow!! I thought Elena skated well enough at test skates.

Sofia is my fave though.

But, this is shocking to me

 

[flanker]

Yesterday the Fed confirmed entries with Lena. What happened in a day?

I was thinking from the start that sending Kosty is insane idea, not recovered from previous injury, without combos, they were pushing pushing her too fast with not enough time. Good they finally came to their senses. It may be completely different in time of junior worlds, but just now it is very reasonable to not send her. Just it was clear a week ago.

 

[Remilia]

Sad for Lena, but not surprising... I hope this will be a wake up call for Plushy and her mother. Why the hell were they planning five ultra-c jumps in August when she could win with a single 3A or 4S??? Just stupid. Hope she makes a speedy recovery and still has a shot at worlds, but I think it's now 90% chance Dzepka will go even if Lena beats her at nats.

 

[Jontor]

All this

Sad for Lena, but not surprising... I hope this will be a wake up call for Plushy and her mother. Why the hell were they planning five ultra-c jumps in August when she could win with a single 3A or 4S??? Just stupid. Hope she makes a speedy recovery and still has a shot at worlds, but I think it's now 90% chance Dzepka will go even if Lena beats her at nats.

Yeah, all this kind of gets worrying now. We have seen for almost 10 years multiple Russian girls/women doing ultra-c elements. And it has been thrilling to see. But for what cost? We have so many Russian girls being injured right now.

I think the ultra-c can be done. But Russian coaches need to really reevaluate what they are doing...and maybe not pushing too quick and too hard.

 

[lariko]

Dzepka is marvelous. Given that Kostyleva didn't skate with combos and needed time to restore spins, it's the right choice. Hope she recovers fast and Dzepka's programs are going to be a joy to see.

 

[Remilia]

Well, Lena also got unlucky with the stages the Russian skaters were assigned. If the first event was in September, she probably would've been recovered in time.

All this

Yeah, all this kind of gets worrying now. We have seen for almost 10 years multiple Russian girls/women doing ultra-c elements. And it has been thrilling to see. But for what cost? We have so many Russian girls being injured right now.

I think the ultra-c can be done. But Russian coaches need to really reevaluate what they are doing...and maybe not pushing too quick and too hard.

I don't have a problem with the ultra-c jumps themselves, but the Russian coaches seriously overdo it. No reason for any of these girls to be doing 4+ ultra-c jumps or learning them at 10-years-old. And like, atp, time has shown the jumps won't last, so what's the point of destroying these girls' bodies? I'm glad Dzepka at least has smart coaches.

 

[AlexBreeze]

I was thinking from the start that sending Kosty is insane idea, not recovered from previous injury, without combos, they were pushing pushing her too fast with not enough time. Good they finally came to their senses. It may be completely different in time of junior worlds, but just now it is very reasonable to not send her. Just it was clear a week ago.

I absolutely support sending Dzepka. I just don't understand why the Fed officialy announced the roster with Lena yesterday (the previous one weren't official).

 

[AlexBreeze]

All this

Yeah, all this kind of gets worrying now. We have seen for almost 10 years multiple Russian girls/women doing ultra-c elements. And it has been thrilling to see. But for what cost? We have so many Russian girls being injured right now.

I think the ultra-c can be done. But Russian coaches need to really reevaluate what they are doing...and maybe not pushing too quick and too hard.

Kostyleva’s case is unique and is not about Russian coaches in general. Whenever any coach (including Plushenko) tries to give her a rest, Irina herself forces Lena to overtrain at various other rinks.

 

[AlexBreeze]

By the way, about ultra-c girls and coaches.

Maria Gordeeva has recently switched from Davydov to Ekaterina Moiseeva.

 

[AlexBreeze]

Hope she makes a speedy recovery and still has a shot at worlds, but I think it's now 90% chance Dzepka will go even if Lena beats her at nats.

Lena would need tech minimums to go anywhere. And RusFed isn't known for pushing junior to B events. It will depend on whether the coaches themselves take care of it.

 

[Remilia]

Lena would need tech minimums to go anywhere. And RusFed isn't known for pushing junior to B events. It will depend on whether the coaches themselves take care of it.

Well, it would be stupid of rusfed not to, especially since they only have one junior worlds spot and Dzepka could get injured or sick before worlds. And I think her mom (and Plushy) will def want her to compete somewhere internationally. At the very least, I'd expect to see her at a challenger like Denis Ten Memorial if she's healthy and ready by then

 

[AlexBreeze]

Well, it would be stupid of rusfed not to, especially since they only have one junior worlds spot and Dzepka could get injured or sick before worlds. And I think her mom (and Plushy) will def want her to compete somewhere internationally. At the very least, I'd expect to see her at a challenger like Denis Ten Memorial if she's healthy and ready by then

Juniors don't have Challengers. Just normal B events.

 

[AlexBreeze]

By the way, taking part in JGP is important for Dzepka. She will be senior-eligible internationally next season. At the JGP, she can obtain a good SB that may give her senior GP spot(s) next season.

There's no other way to do this because juniors don't have Challengers.