State of Russian Ladies in skating: 2014-15 Season

[NAOTMAA]

I think a lot of it comes from expectations that there are so many incredibly good skaters that they would come out of the gate firing because of how competitive it is in the country. Take Gracie Gold and Yulia; if Gracie is shaky the whole GP - nobody doubts that she will be on the Worlds team, if Yulia is shaky the whole GP - there will be a hesitation to say that she will be on the Worlds team. Am I wrong?



Personally I would hate to see, especially in a competitive discipline like ladies singles is for Russia, them send a skater who didn't compete all season (including Nationals) to Euros/Worlds vs. a skater that has skated all season and has had decent results.

No your right! But I do think the knives are out extra shape in comparison to say an American lady who has tons of hype as well.

I would hate to see a similar scenario as well (Adelina skipping nationals and going to Worlds via Euros) but Russia does seem to have a history doing things like that so I think its possible for them to do just that again. The other girls have worked so hard throughout the season that if Adelina doesn't make it to nationals then I personally think she should just sit out and wait till next season instead. It would probably be better for her body too in the long run rather then rushing and relapsing at Euros or Worlds. Pulling out of COR was smart.

 

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Looks like Alena Leonova got her luggage but was either distracted or whatever. Her 56 in SP with a failed 3F is not a good sign for the rest of the season. Information is here http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?51648-2014-Ice-Challenge

 

[Ophelia]

How can Anna skate so nicely at one competition and then be completely off at Rostelecom? I'm very surprised. I love her jumping. Usually.

I love her program when she skates it well. When she skates it poorly...all I can think of is Miki Ando did such a great Firebird.

That happens with all skaters. The majority of them blow hot and cold. Just look at Lipniskaia as the most recent example.

Pogorilaya does NOT have aesthetically pleasing jumps, and that really shows when she falls apart in her program.

 

[DexterK]

I unfortunately noticed while watching Anna Pogorilaya's free skate at Rostelecom Cup that she skates with her mouth open nearly the entire duration of the program. I feel this behavior is unflattering--maybe even sloppy--and not done in the same intended "theatrical" spirit of say Meryl Davis and Ashley Wagner's choreographed momentary open-mouthed stares and glances... Now I am watching other programs of Anna's and can't seem to focus on anything else.
Has anyone else noticed this? If so, how have you overcome it? Is there hope for me?

 

[hippomoomin]

When her jumps work, I feel they are fine. Technically, she does not have mule kick to take off, or extreme knee bend to land, so I cannot say her jumps are not appealing, at least no less aesthetically pleasing than some other top skaters, say Satoko and Serafima.

That happens with all skaters. The majority of them blow hot and cold. Just look at Lipniskaia as the most recent example.

Pogorilaya does NOT have aesthetically pleasing jumps, and that really shows when she falls apart in her program.

 

[kwanatic]

I think it is really unfortunate for Anna to finish 2nd in such a weak field. This was a "gimme" gold medal for her and she blew it. I wonder how the Russian fed feels about that? She better throw down at the GPF and get on that podium.

 

[NAOTMAA]

I think it is really unfortunate for Anna to finish 2nd in such a weak field. This was a "gimme" gold medal for her and she blew it. I wonder how the Russian fed feels about that? She better throw down at the GPF and get on that podium.

If you look at the last few years of results the Russian ladies seem to struggle at Rostelecom Cup. For some reason despite being home ice its never been a strong event for them.

2010: 6, 7, 9
2011: 2, 3, 4
2012: 5, 6, 7
2013: 1, 4, 8

It's a real mixed bag of results and competition wasn't always stiff. Yulia may have won last year but it wasn't her strongest skate, she barely hung on due to her strong SP.

Anna said in an interview:

Pogorilaya suggested she may be experiencing the opposite of a home advantage, noting that she generally performs better abroad.
“I felt some kind of pressure … I can’t really fathom it,” she said.

 

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In the interview just after the end of FP Anna did not say anything about injuries. She just pointed out that she was nervous like never before even beating her legs and willing to take a shower http://www.allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=87517

She cannot explain it. One of the reasons of her condition was that she changed the program and was pressing herself to not to forget the sequence of elements. She hope that a month will be enough to get her psycholgical state back.

For some reasons Liza and Elena look the strongest so far, although at the beginning of the season some of the commentators labeled Liza as a "second tier". I would not make the predictions but in the absense of Adelina my "dream podium" is Yulia, Anna, and Liza. But I understand that realistically Elena has all the chances to win everything this season. And the seasons to follow. She seems to have the strongest mind of them all. The question of course is the growth effect - she is getting taller.

 

[Alba]

People are exaggerating the deficiencies of the Russian ladies and stating their opinions as facts. Yulia started her season late, her LP is unfinished, has boot issues and was completely unprepared for Cup of China so using that competition as a barometer makes no sense. Anna's "blandness" is an opinion not fact and despite this the judges do like her. Elena's jumps are weren't the cleanest at Skate America but she's hardly on the verge of collapsing. Apparently its okay if other ladies from other countries are iffy because its early in the season or the first competitions but the Russian girls apparently have to be perfect right out of the gate. A lot of the discussion seems to be more hope that their vulnerable then actual fact.

It might end up being Adelina doesn't skate nationals either but goes to Euros to maker her claim and if she does decently there she kicks out whoever finishes 3rd at nationals and goes to Worlds. If we take Adelina completely out of the equation then I personally think the World team will be Yulia, Liza and Elena with Anna as alternate.

THIS! :thumbsup:

Yes, is understandable, they are starting the new season, boots, etc. But I think people simply are realizing they are not the perfect, undefeatable and next big thing that we all were thinking.

Who was the perfect and undefeatable girl in FS?
Not even Yuna, and I'm not talking about Sochi. She did have her bad moments also and didn't always win a gold medal when she was younger. And in anycase she was/is rather an exception as a skater.
Mao had her awful moments too. That didn't prevent us to consider her one of the best and the strongest skaters. Rightly so I would say.

These are all young girls. Including Liza which is the more experienced. They're still learning and developing.
This is the beginning of the season also. I think it's a bit premature to put them in the coffin.

 

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Leonova is the only one these days who brings the news. After China nothing is heard of Lipnitskaia, same with Radionova. Liza is planning to hit another bunch of challenger events - Mishin says it is like training for her. I guess Warsaw cup which starts tomorrow will be an easy breeze for Liza. Plus some rating points. She is leading the season's standing now.

As for Alena, she failed dramatically in Austria. The lost luggage was one of the reasons. But she also admitted that 3F-3T did not work for her. Now she is switching back to 3T-3T and shifting 2 standalone 3F to the second part of the free program. This will cost 0.21 in BV but she is sure that her self confidence will be much higher and then she will fight in Japan like never before.

 

[Totentanz]

Leonova is the only one these days who brings the news. After China nothing is heard of Lipnitskaia, same with Radionova. Liza is planning to hit another bunch of challenger events - Mishin says it is like training for her. I guess Warsaw cup which starts tomorrow will be an easy breeze for Liza. Plus some rating points. She is leading the season's standing now.

As for Alena, she failed dramatically in Austria. The lost luggage was one of the reasons. But she also admitted that 3F-3T did not work for her. Now she is switching back to 3T-3T and shifting 2 standalone 3F to the second part of the free program. This will cost 0.21 in BV but she is sure that her self confidence will be much higher and then she will fight in Japan like never before.

Thanks for these news samkrut! I love Leonova so much, what a fighter she is!! After watching her disasterous LP at Ice Challenge, I had thought the same way. Why lose time, lose confidence and get bad results with focusing on 3f+3t? When she makes mistakes, Alena usually messes up all the presentation too. She needs to skate clean and give her best presentation to compete with technically stronger ladies.

 

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Looks like Artemieva joins the list of internationally competitive Russian ladies after getting the 4th place at TEB SP right after "the big 3". Again as we heard many times this season the reason for success is her shifting from 3Lz-3T to 3T-3T.

 

[adelia]

^They all took the cue from Mishin and Liza.

 

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Although I am still not a big fan of Elena's skating, she is the powerhouse of this season. The only one who can challenge her now is Liza if she beefs up her tech content. Yulia and Anna are the second tier yet. Which brings to the realization that unless Anna makes a miracle in Barcelona she will be out of the team.

And if Adelina reemerges there will be huge politicking picking 2 out of 3. Anna will be left out no matter what unless they split the teams.

And next year if no one retires and everybody is healthy and we will have Sakhanovich and hopefully improved Artemyeva then Russia only GPF becomes a reality. Just looks like no competition so far. Satoko, Gracie, Polina? Well, they wiil be all in Japan. Will be interesting to see who can challenge the podium this and next year.

 

[tana]

next year if no one retires and everybody is healthy and we will have Sakhanovich and hopefully improved Artemyeva then Russia only GPF becomes a reality. Just looks like no competition so far. Satoko, Gracie, Polina? Well, they wiil be all in Japan. Will be interesting to see who can challenge the podium this and next year.

You seem to have forgotten to add Evgenia Medvedeva and Alexandra Proklova to the list who will come up to the senior rank next season. GPF consisting of only Russian girls is not a dream, but a highly probable reality.

 

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Do not think they will be out. There is no cushion to enter JGP next year: Gubanova and Nugumanova are too young. If there is only Tsyrskaya (who is quite strong, of course) among the newcomers the junior field will be too shallow with too many seniors. What are they all going to do? Hit the GPF alltogether, fight fiercely at the nationals, and then wait who is in and who is out for the national team? I suppose that Sakhanovich wins the JWC and will be out - Medvedeva will try next year. Proklova? She has been very vulnerable this season so far - I guess, the will not be released.

 

[tana]

Do not think they will be out. There is no cushion to enter JGP next year: Gubanova and Nugumanova are too young. If there is only Tsyrskaya (who is quite strong, of course) among the newcomers the junior field will be too shallow with too many seniors. What are they all going to do? Hit the GPF alltogether, fight fiercely at the nationals, and then wait who is in and who is out for the national team? I suppose that Sakhanovich wins the JWC and will be out - Medvedeva will try next year. Proklova? She has been very vulnerable this season so far - I guess, the will not be released.

Then, what about Maria Sotskova? Do you suppose she will stay one more season as a junior as well? She seems quite talented too, I think.

 

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I think only one will come out. Presumably it is Sakhanovich. Then we have Sotskova, Medvedeva, and Proklova plus coming in Tsyrskaia. With chances someone is injured it is a balanced setup to fight for a podium sweep.

May be some of less successful youngsters like Yuschenko and Kayumova shoot as well but I doubt. They could not do it as "sonograms" and then the puberty is coming.

 

[janav]

I think only one will come out. Presumably it is Sakhanovich. Then we have Sotskova, Medvedeva, and Proklova plus coming in Tsyrskaia. With chances someone is injured it is a balanced setup to fight for a podium sweep.

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Wow. It's gonna be a bloodbath! In one way, it's great for the sport, on the other hand it's sad because despite all this talent, some of those girls will be considered 'second-rate' which is frankly insane. Just look at Leonova. She's great, but she's most likely done just because the field is so deep. Is there any way for Russia to get more international spots?

 

[stryke]

Can Russia send 3 skaters to each GP event or is it only 2? I have no idea where they'd fit them all and I would cry if some get left out.