Even though it was less than perfect, every performance still had its own special moments. When I get the figure skating blues over the summer break, I’ll go and dance along to the Greatest Showman step sequence, smile at the Ina Bauer slide in Moulin Rouge, and marvel at the quads in Love Song and Notre Dame. And I’ll look forward to a new season to begin, new Loops to be landed, and new programs to be revealed.
And if I had just one figure skating wish, it would be for Alexey to somehow, miraculously get the opportunity to collect some tech minimums, world ranking points, and SBs to at least start setting himself up for 2026.
We are halfway through the off-season and it's been so long, so here is a rare picture of Alexey at an event in Sochi last week, photobombing Alina and a young fan.
This is a double post from the Team Moskvich thread, but Alexey's fanfest deserves a bit of attention and it's not that often that we get videos anyway. Some insights into Alexey's (and team mate Andrei's) preparation for the upcoming season at the summer training camp in Sochi and maybe a hint at what his new music will be :
Алексей Ерохов и Андрей Анисимов на сборах не только тренируются. В свободное время фигуристы пытаются обыграть друг друга в Water Cup Challenge. Все просто:...
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Some impressions from training, Moscow, August 2023:
Haha, unexpected cross-over in social media. I was scrolling through the insta reels of a German cat photographer I adore and look who also celebrates international black cat day.
It's nice to get confirmation that I am rooting for exactly the right skaters.
Happy 24th birthday and a season full of successful performances to Alexey!
May all the black kittens in the world bring him luck (black kitten luck is the best luck)!
Is there anything better about a new season than seeing your favourite skater perform for the first time after a long summer break? Will there be new programs and costumes, or will he bring back old favourites? I can't wait to find out!
So far, the date for Alexey's season debut seems set for next weekend in a smaller domestic event. I will add any streaming info here if it appears.
SP starts on 23rd September, 16:30 local Moscow time (stream) and FS is scheduled for 24th September, 15:45 (stream).
I'm so glad to see Alexey start his season in a proper competition setting, it adds a lot to the excitement and anticipation. Good luck, smooth ice and clean skates to Lyosha!
As suspected, Alexey kept his Moulin Rouge SP from last season. It would have been a clean skate if not for a rather awkward stumble in the choreo slide that also messed up his final spin and got him a time violation. But at least he could laugh about it.
He didn't pop anything, fought for his jumps and even landed the dreaded triple Axel and he got a level 3 step sequence. In short, for me it was the best skating Saturday so far this season and I'm terribly excited already for the free tomorrow. Good luck!!!
Wow, who would have thought Alexey had a Turandot in him? And in the lucky black shirt! (These are happy tears.)
Every new season coach Butsaeva kept promising in interviews that she will show us a new Lyosha, and every new season he came with another musical. And I'm not complaining, I like the musicals and I absolutely adore his Greatest Showman, but I wouldn't have described it as "new" exactly.
Now, an opera - this is really allowing him to show his range. Unexpected, but the classical, mature style suits him very well. (I'm still waiting for the rock program next season though, something new. )
I wonder if the triple loop is a placeholder for the quad? It was such an exquisite jump for him, but of course, consistency takes precedence. Qualification for RusNats won't be easy this season, he needs two top-five finishes at least in his Cup events, better yet two podiums.
Unfortunately, the Cup assignments for the non-National Team members aren't known in advance which is ridiculous. But Alexey is on the provisional entry list for Panin Memorial in St. Petersburg in two weeks. On the domestic circuit under the current circumstances, this competition is among the most prestigious after the Cup series and Nats. I will add more info closer to the event.
Lyosha has withdrawn from Panin Memorial. It's probably nothing to worry about. He did well at his latest competition, so the Moscow Fed must have assigned him to the first or second Russian Cup stage. A wise decision to focus on the preparation for his qualifying events.
Sadly it also means we have to wait a bit longer to see his Turandot again. I would like to learn more about how this program came to be. Whose idea was the music selection and who did the choreo? Hopefully someone will do an interview with Alexey or his coach to get some answers to these questions.
Meanwhile here are my favourite picture collections from Raber Memorial
Alexey is assigned to the second Russian Cup stage in Omsk. SP on 21st October at 15.00 local time, FS 22nd October at 14.30. There will be no youtube stream.
This should be a good stage for Lyosha, it is not too stacked. I've already rewatched his Turandot FS from the Moscow competition many times, I hope the judges in Omsk will love it just as much as I do.
As always, the most sincere wishes of good luck, smooth ice, and clean skates to Alexey!
I'll be excited and worried and keeping my fingers crossed the whole weekend for him.
Well, as so often, the 3A didn't work out in competition. But who cares about Axels anyway when Lyosha is dancing and smiling and flying across the ice, right? His presentation and expression is so much improved from a couple of seasons ago when he came back from his injury. And now there is no pressure anymore of getting assignments and he has all the time in the world to work on his jumps, skate the Russian Cup series and enjoy the cheers of the audience and the praise of his fans.
Lyosha had a clean 4-quad skate!! Nope we didn't see the little bobble on the last jump
Just caught up and thought I was dreaming (reasonable assumption to make considering I've just sleepwalked through an early morning skating session...)
His crimson-gold Turandot shirt looks great too!
Finally could watch, it was brilliant. Fair warning, I'll probably spam this fanfest in the coming days with all the pics and videos I find. For now, time is short, but this needs to be here urgently.
He was brilliant and I sooo much wanted him to win. Too bad he didn't but here wasn't much he could have done better. For example, I'm no expert but I wonder if it would be possible for him to improve his Step Sequence points. As far as I remember, he always gest just Level 2...