State of Russian Ladies in skating: 2014-15 Season

[Alba]

Alba, um, this is the Russian Nationals. If you finish at the third place it means you survived a meat grinder, left a beehive safe and sound. It's doesn't mean you bombed or "didn't skate a clean program for the 4rth time in a row".

I know that, and that's why I said "if she finish in 3rd place, and not skate a clean program for the 4rth time in a row". Finishing 3rd because all top 3 skated very well but the judges likes more say Liza and Radionova, it's ok. Although I doubt that would happen because I believe the judges would place her higher in that case.
Finishing 3rd though, because you have made mistakes, yet again, it's a different story.

 

[yay]

I know that, and that's why I said "if she finish in 3rd place, and not skate a clean program for the 4rth time in a row"

Yup, I got it. But there was no "AND" in the interview (the line you said you agreed with)

ETA: honestly, I strongly believe it shouldn't matter. An opportunity to compete in both the European and the World championships must be earned by a skater in the current season. Period.

 

[Lfmesquite]

There will be no closed test, accordig to the representtive of the Russian Figure Skating Federation. They will talk to Sotnikova and her coach to find out whether dear Adelina would like to participate in the Eurppean Championships, and if dear Adelia kindly stoops to European inferiors then the third place on the team will be gifted to her. It's not a joke, it's yesterday's interview of Alexander Lakerik, the Vice-President of RFSF and simltaneously the Chairman of ISU Technical Committee.

That's exactly what I want to hear. I just want to see Sotnikova compete this season, been eager about it since she hasn't competed majorly since the Olympics.

I don't really care who finishes 3rd at Nationals, if Sotnikova is ready she should get the spot at Euro's, maybe it's not fair but she's the Olympic Gold Medalist. That's a pretty big deal, not everyone wins an Olympic gold medal. You know how many Russian women had won an Olympic gold medal in figure skating before Sotnikova? ZERO!!!! 0.0000000000 yeah that's right. In the whole history of Russia. So get some perspective, I don't really want hear about how it's not fair and the other girls earned it and not Sotnikova.

But I respect everyone's opinion, and this is my opinion.

 

[Alba]

Yup, I got it. But there was no "AND" in the interview (the line you said you agreed with)

Can I add an "and" to my thought or not?
Who knows, they might consider that as well. Maybe for them is more important to see her skate clean. That could be a great signal from her, for example.

 

[Alba]

There will be no closed test, accordig to the representtive of the Russian Figure Skating Federation. They will talk to Sotnikova and her coach to find out whether dear Adelina would like to participate in the Eurppean Championships, and if dear Adelia kindly stoops to European inferiors then the third place on the team will be gifted to her.

Now this is ridiculous, and I do not agree. They would give her the spot at Euros because she is the Olympic Champions? That's fine but in order for her to get a place at Worlds she should win it, or at least no inferior than second place, and with a decent score.

 

[yay]

Now this is ridiculous, and I do not agree.

awww, now I'm sad, because that's what I tried to explain you when I commented you. My English is that bad, huh?

 

[Alba]

awww, now I'm sad, because that's what I tried to explain you when I commented you. My English is that bad, huh?

No, mine is not that great most probably.

I was speaking about Yulia finishing in 3rd place at Nationals.
As I said, it's true that you could also finish 3rd and skate well. However, I do believe that if she does skate very well, meaning without mistakes, she will most probably finish higher. I think Lakernink was referring to that, he believes that a third place means you made mistakes. That's why I said, I agree with that.

Now, sending Adelina to Euros because she is the Olympic Champion is ok with me. She was injured and she should have a chance. Sending her at Worlds, if she finish no lower than third in Euros is not ok, because Maria Artemieva also can finish 3rd at Europeans.

 

[Amei]

There will be no closed test, accordig to the representtive of the Russian Figure Skating Federation. They will talk to Sotnikova and her coach to find out whether dear Adelina would like to participate in the Eurppean Championships, and if dear Adelia kindly stoops to European inferiors then the third place on the team will be gifted to her. It's not a joke, it's yesterday's interview of Alexander Lakerik, the Vice-President of RFSF and simltaneously the Chairman of ISU Technical Committee.

Really bad idea -- if I were a Russian skater I would be so ticked at this - heck, I'm just a fan and this ticks me off. I disagree with the idea that a skater who has not competed all season take a spot from someone who has - especially when of the top 4 likely to go (Elena/Liza/Yulia/Alena) that the 'worse' finishes they have had this season is a 6th place finish by Leonova.

 

[kwanatic]

I feel sorry for Adelina. If by chance she is able to skate and is awarded a spot at Euros, that's going to give people another full tank of fuel to add to the fire. So many people already hate her...there's really nothing the girl can do to to lessen that. If she doesn't compete, people say "I knew she'd never compete again" or "she's faking an injury..." If she does compete, she's an evil person because she'll be getting a spot that someone else "earned." Never mind the fact she's the current national/Olympic champ and Euro silver medalist...IMO, that deserves a certain amount of respect. If she skates well, she deserves to go to worlds. If she doesn't, then send whoever placed 3rd. The person at the disadvantage is Adelina; she can't afford to have a bad skate if she wants to go to worlds. Essentially she has get all of her momentum out of one competition, whereas everyone else has had multiple chances all season.

I just feel really sorry for her...:disapp: No matter what she does, she can't win.

 

[Amei]

I feel sorry for Adelina. If by chance she is able to skate and is awarded a spot at Euros, that's going to give people another full tank of fuel to add to the fire. So many people already hate her...there's really nothing the girl can do to to lessen that. If she doesn't compete, people say "I knew she'd never compete again" or "she's faking an injury..." If she does compete, she's an evil person because she'll be getting a spot that someone else "earned" despite the fact she's the current national/Olympic champ and Euro silver medalist.

I just feel really sorry for her...:disapp:

Agree - I feel sorry for Adelina because of the position she is in, the best thing I think for her team to do for her (especially PR-wise) is to not compete at Euros/Worlds... however at the time of Euros she will not being the reigning national champ, she will be a skater that hasn't competed on a high level in almost a year... If Russian ladies was a case of there only being 1 or 2 decent skaters that could go to Euros/Worlds it would be one thing, but Russian ladies is the complete opposite, they have 4 ladies (easily) that could go to Euros and win 1-2-3 and go to Worlds and have all 3 be podium favorites, they shouldn't be giving a spot in a highly contested field to someone who hasn't competed at all in a major competition, regardless of what they have done in previous years.

 

[kwanatic]

^^I think the best thing for her to do would be to sit out the rest of the season, and then do what Liza T did this year: start competing early and often next season. Liza's strong competitions over the summer put her in position to come into the GP season as a projected #1 or #2 and she was able to build on that for the rest of the GP.

I think that strategy would work really well for Adelina next year. It will give her a chance to get re-acclimated to the stress of competition and it will give her the opportunity to get comfortable with her programs and get her momentum going early which would really help her re-establish her position at the top once the GP gets started.

 

[Tsuzuriko]

Eteri comments were fun to read. So she thinks team gold and personal are equal. And Lipnitskaya achieved more than Adelina.

And she speaks about "injustice", really ? After Sotnikova was dumped from the team event, there was absolutely no reason, not to invite Adelina to join the team, and get that gold. To celebrate that victory together as a Russian team.

 

[Alba]

^^I think the best thing for her to do would be to sit out the rest of the season, and then do what Liza T did this year: start competing early and often next season. Liza's strong competitions over the summer put her in position to come into the GP season as a projected #1 or #2 and she was able to build on that for the rest of the GP.

I can only speak for myself, but for what it's worth Adelina will never receive hate from me jsut because she will be sent at Euros or Worlds. First of all, thease are the rules/non rules of the Russsian Fed. Second, they would do this for any other skater in her position, and of her level. Third, and most importantly, I'm not that crazy or frustrated as a person.

However, I agree with what you wrote and if she was Yulia, for example, I would suggest the same.

And she speaks about "injustice", really ? After Sotnikova was dumped from the team event,

I'm sorry but we don't really know if she was "dumped", or made a favor here. Maybe the girls were sacrificed in favor of others also, like Dance and Pairs. They couldn't put 2 girls at the team event, and Yulia had the strongest LP, and a very good SP. In fact, Eteri didn't want Yulia to skate two programs, but there was no other way. In anycase, the two things are not even comparable because Adelina and Yulia both competed during the last season, with Yulia beating Adelina twice, GPF and Euros.

there was absolutely no reason, not to invite Adelina to join the team, and get that gold. To celebrate that victory together as a Russian team.

The same could be said for Bazarova&Larionov, Sinitsina&Zhiganshin. They were part of the Russia team too. However, I don't understand what do you mean to be invited and celebrate the victory. When they got the medals, at the podium?

 

[Lfmesquite]

I feel sorry for Adelina. If by chance she is able to skate and is awarded a spot at Euros, that's going to give people another full tank of fuel to add to the fire. So many people already hate her...there's really nothing the girl can do to to lessen that. If she doesn't compete, people say "I knew she'd never compete again" or "she's faking an injury..." If she does compete, she's an evil person because she'll be getting a spot that someone else "earned." Never mind the fact she's the current national/Olympic champ and Euro silver medalist...IMO, that deserves a certain amount of respect. If she skates well, she deserves to go to worlds. If she doesn't, then send whoever placed 3rd. The person at the disadvantage is Adelina; she can't afford to have a bad skate if she wants to go to worlds. Essentially she has get all of her momentum out of one competition, whereas everyone else has had multiple chances all season.

I just feel really sorry for her...:disapp: No matter what she does, she can't win.

From reading these posts, I can see I'm the minority but I think if she feels good enough, and they give her a spot at Euros, she has to take it. She won the biggest prize in all figure skating and proved herself, that should mean something, she should get a chance to compete, it's not her fault she's been injured. And let the haters hate, all she can do is try her best. She probably won't be healthy enough to go anyway, but if she is, she probably won't skate that well and they can send someone else to Worlds. But to just sit out the rest of the season is such WIMP attitude, maybe smart but not the competitive attitude of a champion. If she gives it a try, you gotta respect that, as long as she faces things straight up and tries her best, I think eventually critics have to start respecting.

Also, I read an article on sportbox.ru that Lipnitskaya's coach has already spoken out that she is against Sotnikova getting favoritism. And also kind of said that Lipnitskaya has accomplished more than Sotnikova.

It's too bad she feels like that.

 

[Tsuzuriko]

I'm sorry but we don't really know if she was "dumped", or made a favor here. Maybe the girls were sacrificed in favor of others also, like Dance and Pairs. They couldn't put 2 girls at the team event, and Yulia had the strongest LP, and a very good SP. In fact, Eteri didn't want Yulia to skate two programs, but there was no other way. In anycase, the two things are not even comparable because Adelina and Yulia both competed during the last season, with Yulia beating Adelina twice, GPF and Euros.

The same could be said for Bazarova&Larionov, Sinitsina&Zhiganshin. They were part of the Russia team too. However, I don't understand what do you mean to be invited and celebrate the victory. When they got the medals, at the podium?

Adelina won RN, and got 2nd silver at Euros. Do you really think that pairs and dance are on the same level of prestige as single skating ? We never had a champion in women discipline, and now when we got 2 strong girls, what decision RF made. Yeah, Lipnitskaya skates both programs, like Adelina is inferior to her. At least she proved them wrong.

 

[Isabel_O'Reilly]

Eteri comments were fun to read. So she thinks team gold and personal are equal. And Lipnitskaya achieved more than Adelina.

And she speaks about "injustice", really ? After Sotnikova was dumped from the team event, there was absolutely no reason, not to invite Adelina to join the team, and get that gold. To celebrate that victory together as a Russian team.

Actually it was clearly recorded that Yulia was only going to be allowed to compete in the team event if she skated both. There was no choice. Adelina was not left out, Yulia was forced to skate both. It so stupid because they were guaranteed the team event gold no matter who skated and if the teams are divided by country and most skated then they should all have gotten the team gold and the accolades that go with it. For example is it swimming or speedskating or some other sport where in the relay event all members get the Olympic medals even if the did not compete in the final.

Anyway regarding Nationals accounting for the fact that any of the four juniors who are competing at Senior Nationals could all be in the top seven I think they should do this: Of the Senior-eligible skaters if three finish in the top five with good programs those three should automatically get Euros and Worlds. If however any of the eligible skaters finish below the top five because they skated badly then Adelina should be sent to Euros. If Adelina wins or places second she should go to Worlds but if she does badly the skater who was passed over for Euros should be sent in Adelina's place. This way all have a chance to prove themselves at Nationals, if one doesn't Adelina has a chance at Euros. If she doesn't prove herself then the skater who could still easily place on the podium should be sent because placing in the top six or seven at Rus. Nats would be the same as placing on the podium at Worlds.

 

[Amei]

Adelina won RN, and got 2nd silver at Euros. Do you really think that pairs and dance are on the same level of prestige as single skating ? We never had a champion in women discipline, and now when we got 2 strong girls, what decision RF made. Yeah, Lipnitskaya skates both programs, like Adelina is inferior to her. At least she proved them wrong.

That's been explained (several times) - in the team event only 2 disciplines could be switched between the short and the free program, it made more sense to have 1 lady skate both programs because the ladies individual event was the last of the 4. If Adelina and her team used not being in the team event as motivation for the individual event - it's perfectly fine, but I disagree that in reality it was anything more than someone in the Rus. Fed looking at the schedule and using their brain.

 

[Tsuzuriko]

I know about the "replacement rule", and i said, sacrifice the pairs or dance, no way in hell you touch women discipline.

 

[Alba]

Adelina won RN, and got 2nd silver at Euros. Do you really think that pairs and dance are on the same level of prestige as single skating ? We never had a champion in women discipline, and now when we got 2 strong girls, what decision RF made. .

Well, I know for sure that no ID or Pairs couple wanted to skate both programs in the team event. Therefore they were stuck with one girl doing both SP and LP in the Team Evet competition. So, make an educated guess how the things went.
By the way, LOL at pretending that Pairs and Dance are somehow considered lower in Russia.

Yeah, Lipnitskaya skates both programs, like Adelina is inferior to her. At least she proved them wrong

Who said Adelina is inferior? I'm simply saying that to compare last year with this one is simply ridiculous, because there is nothing in common. Both girls competed and Yulia was chosen based on her program, result and consistency.
So, I really don't know why are you comparing Adelina with Yulia from last season.
Yulia received no favors. You might not like to hear or read it, but it's hard fact!

 

[yay]

Eteri comments were fun to read.

Could you share the link?