Mikhail Kolyada

[vorravorra]

Does anyone know when the entries for the Russian Cup Final will be known

Usually not until quite late. The season before last nobody even knew Misha'd had any plans to be there till almost the competition itself.

 

[vorravorra]

Psychologists sometimes can be miracle workers but not often. Especially if it's not one narrow issue that is a problem. Misha doesn't have a competition phobia like some have a phobia of public speaking. He has a labile nervous system and is hyperresponsible and it will never be easy.

What's more, he is well aware what he is up against and that it will never be easy. It's clear from his interviews he is not expecting a magic potion that will solve all his problems. But he is prepared to fight and pick himself up and keep going. If the Olympics didn't break him probably not a lot of things can.

 

[vorravorra]

From Misha's VK group. He does in fact have a removable type of cast according to Valentina. I hope he doesn't remove it unnecessarily.

 

[malya]

Does anyone know when the entries for the Russian Cup Final will be known

I doubt Misha will be there. The 'spares are supposed to show their form' - so Lazukin, Aliev, Gummenik,...

I would be much calmer if Misha only competed if he is somewhat healthy, now I'm scared he will show up at worlds with his wrist still hurting

Any news about his sinusitis? From what I have seen at Europeans he does not seem to have much trouble breathing at least...

 

[vorravorra]

I doubt Misha will be there. The 'spares are supposed to show their form' - so Lazukin, Aliev, Gummenik,...

I would be much calmer if Misha only competed if he is somewhat healthy, now I'm scared he will show up at worlds with his wrist still hurting

Any news about his sinusitis? From what I have seen at Europeans he does not seem to have much trouble breathing at least...

Gumennik is not a substitute, he missed Nationals. He may still be there for a different reason.

 

[deedee1]

His wrist is OK. No fracture

Very kind of you for updating me. Thanks a lot. Japanese skating fans would love to see him there come March.

 

[vorravorra]

I randomly started to like Konstantinova this season. Well, my friend ironically stans her so maybe that's why, but she's also not really a bad skater overall.

She is a lovely skater, just has nerves worse than Misha. And in Russian ladies' skating it's more of a problem.

 

[Tatjana]

His wrist is OK. No fracture

Tatjana posted some comments on FSU:



I’m glad to hear his nerves have improved, at least according to somebody who has been following his career for a while and seems to know him fairly well. It makes me more optimistic about Worlds and next season.

She doesn’t know about entries for future competitions.

Yes, the arm was in a cast. I guess now they gave him something else if his coach said he has a removable cast. This is to stabilize and protect the wrist. Good that they make him wear that, because he wasn't keen on it for sure. I met Misha on Sunday in the hotel in Minsk and he felt a lot better, also the arm was a lot better he said. I don't think it should affect his training so much, but obviously he should be careful not to fall on the hand again and hurt it further. (I got a bad sprain of my hand once in training - taekwondo, not skating though - and it hurt a lot and at first I believed the hand was broken - but it got better quickly)

As for competitions, he said to me he plans to attend the Tallink Cup February 23-24 in Tallinn. Don't know if the Federation will ask him to do the Russian Cup Final instead or if it is also okay for him to skate in Tallinn as long as he is doing an event to prove his readiness.

As upsetting as it was what happened in the free skating in Minsk - at least he didn't break the wrist and he didn't give up and finished his performance. I agree with other posters, in training Misha looked composed and ready. He also said he felt strong. He was just very unlucky with the freak fall and the injury.

 

[rachno2]

Yes, the arm was in a cast. I guess now they gave him something else if his coach said he has a removable cast. This is to stabilize and protect the wrist. Good that they make him wear that, because he wasn't keen on it for sure.

Haha oh Misha. I hope he’s careful. We saw what happened when he didn’t play it safe with his health all season.

As for competitions, he said to me he plans to attend the Tallink Cup February 23-24 in Tallinn. Don't know if the Federation will ask him to do the Russian Cup Final instead or if it is also okay for him to skate in Tallinn as long as he is doing an event to prove his readiness.

I personally don’t think he should have to compete anywhere, but it’s clear he wants to prove to RusFed and probably to himself as well that he’s ready. I do understand the doubts about his readiness, given his inconsistency this season. But some of the vitriol from Yagudin, TAT, etc. has been upsetting given the extenuating circumstances of this particular performance. I guess we’ll see him in a couple of weeks, for better or for worse.

Thank you for sharing updates, as always.

 

[vorravorra]

Yes, the arm was in a cast. I guess now they gave him something else if his coach said he has a removable cast. This is to stabilize and protect the wrist. Good that they make him wear that, because he wasn't keen on it for sure. I met Misha on Sunday in the hotel in Minsk and he felt a lot better, also the arm was a lot better he said. I don't think it should affect his training so much, but obviously he should be careful not to fall on the hand again and hurt it further. (I got a bad sprain of my hand once in training - taekwondo, not skating though - and it hurt a lot and at first I believed the hand was broken - but it got better quickly)

As for competitions, he said to me he plans to attend the Tallink Cup February 23-24 in Tallinn. Don't know if the Federation will ask him to do the Russian Cup Final instead or if it is also okay for him to skate in Tallinn as long as he is doing an event to prove his readiness.

As upsetting as it was what happened in the free skating in Minsk - at least he didn't break the wrist and he didn't give up and finished his performance. I agree with other posters, in training Misha looked composed and ready. He also said he felt strong. He was just very unlucky with the freak fall and the injury.

Unfortunately you can't be guaranteed from falling onto that hand if you plan to jump, especially harder jumps (and you can't jump in a cast of course), so they would likely need to refrain from it for the required period and stick to the safer aspects of training. If he aggravates it the injury may become chronic and it really isn't something you want. Hoping for a responsible attitude to health this time.

 

[vorravorra]

I personally don’t think he should have to compete anywhere, but it’s clear he wants to prove to RusFed and probably to himself as well that he’s ready. I do understand the doubts about his readiness, given his inconsistency this season, but some of the vitriol from Yagudin, TAT, etc. has been upsetting given the extenuating circumstances of this particular performance. I guess we’ll see him in a couple of weeks, for better or for worse.

Thank you for sharing updates, as always.

It's normal for Misha to compete somewhere between Euros and Worlds unless something interferes, like health and the Olympics respectively in the past two seasons (although in 2016-2017 he still skated his SP at a local competition or rather tried to), so it's not necessarily about having to compete to prove himself.

 

[rachno2]

It's normal for Misha to compete somewhere between Euros and Worlds unless something interferes, like health and the Olympics respectively in the past two seasons (although in 2016-2017 he still skated his SP at a local competition or rather tried to), so it's not necessarily about having to compete to prove himself.

It’s just too soon after the injury for my comfort. I’d rather he be cautious.

 

[vorravorra]

It’s just too soon after the injury for my comfort. I’d rather he be cautious.

He may still not compete of course. He did try in 2017 soon after his first major back flareup and people were sure he wouldn't make it to Worlds after that performance. Nobody needs a scare like that this season. So yes, I'd rather he does not compete anywhere unless he is in good form that has not been forced.

 

[Tatjana]

Haha oh Misha. I hope he’s careful. We saw what happened when he didn’t play it safe with his health all season.



I personally don’t think he should have to compete anywhere, but it’s clear he wants to prove to RusFed and probably to himself as well that he’s ready. I do understand the doubts about his readiness, given his inconsistency this season. But some of the vitriol from Yagudin, TAT, etc. has been upsetting given the extenuating circumstances of this particular performance. I guess we’ll see him in a couple of weeks, for better or for worse.

Thank you for sharing updates, as always.

I understand, Misha wants to do this competition between Europeans and Worlds as part of his preparation. It is a long time in between Europeans and Worlds and some skaters like to have a competition or at least a show in between. Otherwise they might get tired from just training. The Russian Cup Final or Tallinnk Cup is three weeks after Euros, so the injury should be fine. Also, especially in this case, it would be probably good to have a hopefully better performance of the free skating to put behind him what happened at Europeans. Misha has said that he needs to do many competitions. I think it will help him to deal better with competition stress and nerves.

As far as for the injury, I guess he can train more or less normally when wearing only a light and removable cast or splint and I don't think he needs to wear it for a long time anyway. It is probably more of a protection in case he falls on the hand again soon after suffering the sprain (but as he said, he usually never falls the way he did on that Axel).

 

[Tutto]

I understand, Misha wants to do this competition between Europeans and Worlds as part of his preparation. It is a long time in between Europeans and Worlds and some skaters like to have a competition or at least a show in between. Otherwise they might get tired from just training. The Russian Cup Final or Tallinnk Cup is three weeks after Euros, so the injury should be fine. Also, especially in this case, it would be probably good to have a hopefully better performance of the free skating to put behind him what happened at Europeans. Misha has said that he needs to do many competitions. I think it will help him to deal better with competition stress and nerves.

As far as for the injury, I guess he can train more or less normally when wearing only a light and removable cast or splint and I don't think he needs to wear it for a long time anyway. It is probably more of a protection in case he falls on the hand again soon after suffering the sprain (but as he said, he usually never falls the way he did on that Axel).

Many thanks for your update, we love hearing from you & Mika directly!
Three weeks after such injury is okay to resume full training but is it enough for competing? I think that's what people concern about, especially after realising that Mika is not so careful about his health as we'd liked to think
I personally always worry about the ice quality at competitions as small as Tallink, it is often subpar and with Mika's speed could be dangerous.
Isn't there some domestic comp at the end of February - St Petersburg Cup? Also that show in Mishin's honour will give an opportunity to skate his gorgeous Carmen in a low pressure setting.
Oh' all the season I was praying that Mika would skate his SP clean and now I got my wish, only I can't bring myself to re-watch it since Saturday it is still so painful with all those 'if only...'
But now I am hoping that Carmen will be skated clean, I don't care about the tech - just give me a chance to enjoy it. For next season I hope he will choose something less iconic

 

[vorravorra]

Many thanks for your update, we love hearing from you & Mika directly!
Three weeks after such injury is okay to resume full training but is it enough for competing? I think that's what people concern about, especially after realising that Mika is not so careful about his health as we'd liked to think
I personally always worry about the ice quality at competitions as small as Tallink, it is often subpar and with Mika's speed could be dangerous.
Isn't there some domestic comp at the end of February - St Petersburg Cup? Also that show in Mishin's honour will give an opportunity to skate his gorgeous Carmen in a low pressure setting.
Oh' all the season I was praying that Mika would skate his SP clean and now I got my wish, only I can't bring myself to re-watch it since Saturday it is still so painful with all those 'if only...'
But now I am hoping that Carmen will be skated clean, I don't care about the tech - just give me a chance to enjoy it. For next season I hope he will choose something less iconic

St. Petersburg Cup Final. But I don't think Misha ever skates there except for that SP after his back problems when a 'real' competition was out of the question. He may as well go to the Russian Cup Final then if there is something wrong with Tallinn, there is more point in it than competing in St. Petersburg.

I don't think Misha needs to be wrapped in cotton wool with regard to pressure.

 

[Tutto]

St. Petersburg Cup Final. But I don't think Misha ever skates there except for that SP after his back problems when a 'real' competition was out of the question. He may as well go to the Russian Cup Final then if there is something wrong with Tallinn.

I don't think Misha needs to be wrapped in cotton wool with regard to pressure.

Tallink is hardly 'a pressure' event either, the idea as I understand is to compete anywhere before Worlds, that if he is allowed to go, ridiculous as it sounds anything is possible in Russian FS.

 

[Heleng]

Is promoting products something new for Misha, or has he done it before?

 

[rachno2]

Is promoting products something new for Misha, or has he done it before?

It's new. He seems to have gotten an agent after the Grand Prix series finished, and I guess the endorsement deals are coming in now.

I can't say I love it, but skaters have to earn money, after all. Hopefully he starts doing more shows (if he wants to).

 

[vorravorra]

Tallink is hardly 'a pressure' event either, the idea as I understand is to compete anywhere before Worlds, that if he is allowed to go, ridiculous as it sounds anything is possible in Russian FS.

I think he'll be allowed provided his health is OK and some other crap doesn't happen like his back flaring up. Anything is possible with his luck this season.

Why the assumption that Misha is planing to skate Carmen at Mishin's show and not an EX number? And low pressure? All eyes are going to be on him not to screw this up too plus he is not someone who likes shows.