Tuktamysheva ready to make an impact

[gsk8]

She doesn't like to be called a wunderkind, but Elizaveta ("Lisa") Tuktamysheva is for sure a skating prodigy. As a tiny 11-year-old, she competed at the Russian National Figure Skating Championships in 2008 (senior level), and achieved the highest technical score of the field in the free skating.
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[Meli_Huber]

I am really excited to see her this season in the JGP - good luck for her first event! Can´t wait for the next JGPs.

She really is a big talent and the next years will show, what will happen in the "difficult" years .....

 

[champs]

It's kind of sad, especially after reading the last two paragraphs, that a skater who's yet to debut in the junior rank in international competitions receives so much attention from the skating community, media, and fans around the world and will have to deal with enormous pressure/expectation at such an early stage of her skating career. Sometimes I feel guilty for posting enthusiastic replies in junior competition threads and unnecessarily helping inflating the hypes. Oh well...

 

[ilfs]

This young lady is amazingly talented for a 13 yr old. I hope she can become the next Yuna/Mao, maybe more.

 

[Nadine]

Lol, this is truly weird, as I was just looking up this wunderkid early this morning on FSU under a thread about the upcoming Russian girls, then from there I saw her triple axel on youtube. Now there is an indepth article about her here on GS (we must be on the same wavelength).

She reminds me exactly of Mao Asada, even her triple axel technique is the same, especially similar to Mao's at 15 yrs. old, though I think Mao's was the best at the 2005 GPF (tad overrated in fact!). But at 13 yrs. of age Elizaveta's is better than Mao's at the same age.

It will be interesting to see if Elizaveta will be able to land the 3A for the first time in competition this year, and gradually gain consistency on it, as Mao has mastered hers. Will she be able to weather the puberty monster? growth spurt? etc. I think she will, as a natural jumper like Mao, Midori, Tonya, and Elizaveta learn the jumps naturally first from a very young age (11/12) and then maintain them even throughout puberty.

Mao definitely has competition! No wonder she is preparing a program "fit for the gods", because in order to keep ahead of wunderkids like Elizaveta she'll need more than one triple axel and two triple-triple combinations. She'll have to outdistance herself from the pack early on, otherwise by the time the next Olympics comes round she'll find herself overtaken by someone like Elizaveta.

Think 2005 GPF, wherein a 15 yr. old wunderkid (aka Mao Asada) blew away the pack with a gorgeous triple axel, 3/3s, speed, and lovely presentation. Her age being the only impediment to her competing at the 2006 Olympics. Whereas Elizaveta will have no such problem ~ she will be the perfect age at the 2014 Sochi Olympics held in her home country to boot ~ 17 yrs. old (the same age Mao was when she won her first Worlds).

And the new rules will definitely benefit her as well. In fact I always thought Mao's problem was timing ~ born too early for the 2006 Olympics, and then the ISU changed the rules just a few years before the 2010 Olympics, downgrading Mao's triple axels and 3/3 combinations, and in the process Mao lost her confidence, so much so that by the time the 2010 Olympics came round she could only manage 3 or 4 triples in the FS. Nothing like her 2005 GPF FS.

Back to Elizaveta, I'm happy that another girl has come along that can do a 3A! *clapping* I'm just sad that the USA still doesn't have a female that can even try one, much less complete one as beautifully done as Mao & Elizaveta's.

 

[seniorita]

I saw her in rostel gala this year doing her Lp and she was really impressive despite the mistakes, i didnt believe she was only twelve, does she remind anyone of Irina?in her crossovers..I thought she needed work in her spirals and spins but I like this one very much http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQPQ9G2BPDc at 3.37 where she catches her foot but i dont know the name of it
Thanx for the article, it was great!

 

[bekalc]

She reminds me exactly of Mao Asada, even her triple axel technique is the same, especially similar to Mao's at 15 yrs. old, though I think Mao's was the best at the 2005 GPF (tad overrated in fact!). But at 13 yrs. of age Elizaveta's is better than Mao's at the same age.

Actually in someways I think Liza jumping wise has a combination of Yu-na and Mao's strengths. In the sense that while Mao had the 3axel, a lot of the technique on her other jumps wasn't great.

Liza has a triple axel, but she also has really fabulous technique on all of her jumps only question is consistency.

It's kind of sad, especially after reading the last two paragraphs, that a skater who's yet to debut in the junior rank in international competitions receives so much attention from the skating community, media, and fans around the world and will have to deal with enormous pressure/expectation at such an early stage of her skating career. Sometimes I feel guilty for posting enthusiastic replies in junior competition threads and unnecessarily helping inflating the hypes. Oh well...

I have to agree with this and I wonder if she might struggle this season because of it. However, I think there may be a benefit to this. Kim and Asada faced similar hype and pressure at Elizaveta's age, and I think the hype and pressure toughned them, got them use to it so they could handle pressure.

In contrast another young skater who doesn't have that kind of hype, will if they start getting success have to face the pressure someday.

I don't know if Liza will handle the pressure or not, I will say this iron sharpens iron. The Russians have such a deep field of young talent coming up, that whatever Russian girls do manage to claw through the field onto the international stage, well those girls are going to have to be fierce competitors. Headcases, aren't going to make it through.

Of course though hype can be a bad thing if it means a skater is not willing to fix their weaknesses (Zhang cough Zhang) But I don't get that feeling with Eilza, she knows she'll have a hard time making it through just in Russia.
Its cute how proud Mishin seems to be of this kid though. He sounds like a proud father.

 

[seniorita]

I liked this part about Mishin "But at that time her technique was so incomplete and she jumped in such a strange way that I was consulting with my wife and we decided not to invite her in our group,"and the fact he then took her in his group by rewatching her, he had said the same about Plush when he first came to his group, that he had no tecnique in his triples and looked like a cheap chicken, with all the discussion about coachs these days I like that Mishin takes raw babies and makes them skaters instead of already profiled athletes.And the fact that she rides 27 hours trip to train is remarkable at this age.

 

[parasolka]

Double this above! Bekalc, you are right in every point.

Only one thing, please, Eliza is not her name! He name is Elizaveta or Liza (diminutive), as it has been absolutely right put in the thread article.

 

[ilfs]

Mao definitely has competition! No wonder she is preparing a program "fit for the gods", because in order to keep ahead of wunderkids like Elizaveta she'll need more than one triple axel and two triple-triple combinations. She'll have to outdistance herself from the pack early on, otherwise by the time the next Olympics comes round she'll find herself overtaken by someone like Elizaveta.

It's good to see the tatalizing possibilities of youngsters like Elizaveta to step up and pressure the current established competitive skating hierarchy. This would be very good to elevate the already high levels of competition among the ladies, if Vancouver was an indication,

But I seriously hope that as she matures as a technical skater, she could also more develope one quality of the sport of skating that separates it from other sports:

It requires a David Bowie-esque charmeleon persona from program to program, from a spacy Ziggy Stardust to the dignified cool of White Duke. I remember watching Torvill and Dean's Bolero for the first time and was absolutely enthralled by their synchronized personifiation of the Bullfighting. Similarly, I find this to be true of top female elite skaters, like Yuna who can transform into an Arabian pricess, next into a tesing Bond girl, and then into a coronation ceremony of an elegant qeen blessed by Gershwin.

It would be interesting to see if she can develop the emotional maturity to "actress" varying personalities to mezmerize and sell her programs, like the immortal MK was so good at. Looks like she's got the raw talent and more, maybe Simon Cowell's "it" factor.

 

[gmyers]

This is going to be one heck of a debut! I don't have doubts about her winning the LP and the competition but she has had problems with short programs it seems in the past. It's probably why she kept the long but changed the short.

 

[FlattFan]

Mao at 12yo did 8 triples LP at nationals. This girl hasn't even landed the axel in competition yet, and people are already comparing her to Mao? Seriously?

 

[Lucky Star]

Mao at 12yo did 8 triples LP at nationals. This girl hasn't even landed the axel in competition yet, and people are already comparing her to Mao? Seriously?

She has much better technique than Mao, full set of triples (no edge calls) and 3-3 combinations (no downgrades). I'd say she is more like Yu-Na, but I like Lisa the way she is. She doesn't even really need a triple axel, but it's amazing she is trying to do it.

Nice article! I wish her all the best and can't wait to see her at JGP! She is my favorite young skater

 

[silverlake22]

Mao at 12yo did 8 triples LP at nationals. This girl hasn't even landed the axel in competition yet, and people are already comparing her to Mao? Seriously?

Mao and Yuna were putting up FS scores around 115 when they were on the JGP. Shelepen landed 7 triples and 2 double axels in her FS last weekend and only scored 103, that being said, she doesn't have great basics and isn't really exceptional in anything but her jumping ability. Liza, as well as Adelina, I think potentially could post FS scores over 110, around 115, this season on the JGP because they are not only great jumpers but also great all-around skaters, and if they do, then I think it is fair to compare them to JGP Mao and Yuna.

 

[FlattFan]

She has much better technique than Mao, full set of triples (no edge calls) and 3-3 combinations (no downgrades). I'd say she is more like Yu-Na, but I like Lisa the way she is. She doesn't even really need a triple axel, but it's amazing she is trying to do it.

Nice article! I wish her all the best and can't wait to see her at JGP! She is my favorite young skater

Mao had no edge calls and no downgrades when she was a junior. . In fact, she set the record at junior level and no one's come close in 6 years and counting. I think she's nice, but she's no Mao Asada.

 

[miki88]

True. Edge issues were virtually a non-issue pre-2007. I agree with the poster who said Mao had bad timing. Many skaters in the past got away with far greater technique issues. With that said, I am looking forward to seeing more of Liza in the future. Technically, she's great but I just hope her packaging will get better.

 

[Johnnnn]

She has a great potential. It is always better to get the jumps done first and than work on other things. I'm sure she won't be the next caroline zhang.

 

[Meli_Huber]

Her jumps are really great. Good technique. And her skating are not that bad. She improved a lot on pirourettes, steps ans spirals the last 2 season, so it will be really intressting to see, what she can do at the JGPs.

I absolutly love, that she "only" wants to medal at both JGP, to make the Final and to make the podium at Russian Junior Nats. Some other will sad: "I want to win everything this year!"
It help all the girls in Russia, that there are so many talents, who can all win Junior Worlds.

So, good luck to Liza, and I really hope that she can achieve all her goals for this season!! I believe, she can more than only medal and qualify!

 

[bekalc]

Mao had no edge calls and no downgrades when she was a junior. . In fact, she set the record at junior level and no one's come close in 6 years and counting. I think she's nice, but she's no Mao Asada.

There was no edge calls when Mao was a junior. And Mao didn't get her 3flip/3toe downgraded. Look Mao was amazing at 13 and there were things than she had over Eliza and Yu-na.

But one thing she never had over Yu-na or frankly Eliza now is better technical jumps. Mao had a toe axel, and some problems with entrances of jumps that were not an ideal. In contrast Yu-na as a kid had technically amazing jumps. So amazing that as a junior the ISU was sending coaches to Korea to actually look at her jumps.

The thing is that with girls especially sometimes you will have coaches who instead of taking the time to really teach the girls how to jump correctly, the coaches will take short cuts. The short cut ways will make it easier for the kids to learn the jumps faster, but it will be harder for the kids to keep the jumps after puberty. For example one of the reasons Meissner had issues when she got older was Kimmie was taught to muscle her jumps. Its why Mao had issues with her 3flip ,3/3s later on in her career.

The thing about Eliza, and the reason why people are so high on Eliza, is Eliza jumps correctly. She doesn't muscle her jumps, her entrances are ideal etc. That is frankly Mishin's work. And it means while we can't know for sure, she has much better shot at handling puberty than one of those kids who were taught to rely on being ity bitsy small. People were high on Eliza long before she had the 3axel. The 3axel is the icing on what has to be the potential of a very scary cake if Tukt makes it through puberty and gains consistency for the rest of the ladies field.

Maybe it took Eliza a year longer to learn the 3axel, but the fact is this is a kid with all of the triples. There was no need for Mishin and her coaches to rush her to have a 3axel at 12, when instead they could give the girl a strong technical foundation.

 

[FlattFan]

Why do Yuna fans like to talk about Mao so much?
Mao changed her flip technique, thus the issue. Just like Kim. Her past season flip success rate is probably higher than Kim's.
Mao's 3-3s were downgraded because the ISU cracked down on UR. Had they done it earlier, most girls would never have a 3-3.
Mao lutz did not receive an edge call because the ISU didn't care for it then. Why fix things that aren't broke?

What are you talking about? This girl hasn't hit puperty, hasn't landed a triple axel in competition, hasn't won anything remotely significant and she's the next Mao? Just because you have correct techniques don't make you twice world champion. This girl could dream to be the next Mao but the odd is very low for her. If people can bet money on it, would anyone bet Lisa will become more successful than Mao? I rest my case.