2015-2016 Russian Nationals Ladies SP

[Shayuki]

And well, Radionova beat Medvedeva in one competition and Medvedeva beat Radionova in another. Just because the competition Medvedeva beat her in happened to be the GPF now means that she's far superior to Radionova? ;S

The truth is that you really need to wait until puberty is over before crowning anyone anything. And also, to do well for longer than a season. Otherwise you could use that logic to crown Tuktamysheva just as well.


As for consistency, Medvedeva had a pretty big blunder in Ondrej Nepala trophy, made a mistake in FS of Skate America, made a mistake in SP of Rostelecom. So basically her only clean competition so far has been the GPF.

 

[hippomoomin]

What a great competition, not that Elena and Evgeina did expected well, but those who struggled showed tremendous positive change:
Anna did extremely well, and showed she can skate clean. Her jumps look much more secure here, and always with that breathtaking quality;
Yulia's jumps also look bigger, and bigger. Skating with talented jumps like Polina in her team probably benefited her.
Serafima also delivered at least two very good jumps. It looks like temporarily loosing her jumps earlier this season is blessing in disguise. I hated her jumps because they looked forced with strangling landing but today her jumps are spot on.

Liza is the biggest disappointment. If she cannot execute her jumps, she will again be passed by other Russian ladies.

 

[sneakers]

Serafima also delivered at least two very good jumps. It looks like temporarily loosing her jumps earlier this season is blessing in disguise. I hated her jumps because they looked forced with strangling landing but today her jumps are spot on.

.

except the 2 axels

 

[Shayuki]

On a positive note, Lipnitskaya's 2 axel actually looked pretty good. Still not exactly one of the top axels but considering what it used to be...

 

[Ophelia]

Sotnikova needs to tone down her makeup. She's been taking contouring lessons from Kylie Jenner.

Tukt will be back with a vengeance next season (if not tomorrow)

Pogorilaya is too much of a magnificent headcase that even if she makes it to Worlds, she'll probably implode there.

 

[Daniel1998]

Sotnikova needs to tone down her makeup. She's been taking contouring lessons from Kylie Jenner.

Tukt will be back with a vengeance next season (if not tomorrow)

Pogorilaya is too much of a magnificent headcase that even if she makes it to Worlds, she'll probably implode there.

Spit out my water.

 

[sneakers]

Pogorilaya is too much of a magnificent headcase that even if she makes it to Worlds, she'll probably implode there.

thats why hopefully Tuk or Julia pull off the bronze tommorow

and we have seen Annas spectacular meltdowns at World and its not pleasant, when she falls, she falls hard

 

[Ophelia]

^julias LP isn't good though, going by historicals.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

On a positive note, Lipnitskaya's 2 axel actually looked pretty good. Still not exactly one of the top axels but considering what it used to be...

I still think people over exaggerate her 2a. To me this 2a is one of my favorites ever and so well done from entry to exit. It's a perfect use of a jump and choreography that spans a mere 10 seconds and could easily garner decent positive GOE.

https://youtu.be/JsO8AxKQnsE?t=1m1s

Her take off can be sketchy but it's been solid all season and she lands on a running edge better than most ladies. I'm so happy they brought back the backward leg lift into an Ina Bauer right out of the 2a. IIRC during test skates she was doing the Sasha Cohen turn right after the 2a but they dropped the whole thing and then moved the 2a altogether to right before a spin and StSeq.

 

[sneakers]

Julia definitely did rework on her axel jumps and her Lutz was good, ok almost ! but how she lands them is much smoother now

does the credit go to Uramnov for this ?

 

[whatif]

Lipnitskaya reborn???? It took me a few seconds to recognise her with Kim Novak hairdo and dress.Ready for Hitchcock debut!!!!

That was a lovely and much welcome surprise.

Fingers crossed for her in FS.

So Med and Radio are through and the third place to the Worlds will be decided at Euros. I thought Tukt will have easier sail.

 

[coldblueeyes]

I think we have to wait and see what will happen tomorrow. I would say top 2 is pretty much locked, I don't think either Elena or Evgenia are going to mess up that badly to be passed by the others. But the third place is up for grabs.

Yulia didn't skate a clean free since Sochi, but maybe this time with Urmanov helped her to center her head. If it was mostly a personal problem and not with the skating, I can see her even holding onto the third place. And she didn't fell at her latest FS this season in SA, which was not good, but not marred by a fall like all the other ones last season.

Then we have Pogo. She has it lin the bag if she can land all her jumps, a harder layout than Yulia is going to try, I'm sure. I would say she can even mess up with the top 2 if she lands everything, but MO was an amazing competition for her and then so far...

Sotnikova, I doubt she's going to do a clean FS. But you never know. And Tuktamysheva, it's a pity she's having so much troubles this season, but to get to the podium she has to score at least 10 points plus what Pogo or Yulia do in the FS, and while that's no impossible, for the Tuktamysheva we saw this season, it's gonna be difficult.

 

[Zhenya is DIVINE]

What a great day for ladies skating!!

Zhenya was sublime and is well-deserving of her first place! Her reaction was beyond precious. Love her!!

Elena was so solid and I'm happy for her! Yulia skated with more confidence than I've seen in years and I cried tears of joy for her! Moving to Alexei seems to have done wonders for her!!

Sima's Rippon flip was incredible!!

I'm so sad for Liza though. She has all the pressure in the world on her this season and she is just struggling to capture the amazing form she showed last year. It's not easy being the reigning World Champion.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

The most important moment in the Ladies FS will be Liza's 3a

Too bad more Russians weren't allowed to compete at the WC. It would be so exciting to see all these girls plus the best from all of the other countries in one event. The judges would really struggle with knowing what to do and I'd be overwhelmed by the drama! I guess World Championship is mearly a geography thing more than a quality of skating thing. Oh well.....

 

[Alchamei]

I'm just laughing at this NicoleH vs everyone discussion.

Don't you understand it's a troll...

 

[CoyoteChris]

In Russia Christmas (= the feast of Nativity) is celebrated on January 7th, not on December 25th. So this IS NOT Christmas time in Russia. They do follow the old calendar, not changing the actual date of birth of Christ.

Thanks! I thought it was odd that their nats would be during Christmas.....so the obvious question is, since Russia is producing outstanding junior and senior level skaters, where are the fans? The US has seen a major slide in event attendance of all types and the skating fields, especially pairs, are becoming very shallow....yet the ladies short at St Paul will be well attended IMHO.

But back to the topic....as far as who is going to worlds, It aint over till its over....

 

[nox1]

I'm just laughing at this NicoleH vs everyone discussion.

Don't you understand it's a troll...

You'd have to be a troll to hate Lena that much She is fabulous and nothing will take that away from her, hopefully she will skate clean to tomorrow and end up on top where she belongs

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Thanks! I thought it was odd that their nats would be during Christmas.....so the obvious question is, since Russia is producing outstanding junior and senior level skaters, where are the fans? The US has seen a major slide in event attendance of all types and the skating fields, especially pairs, are becoming very shallow....yet the ladies short at St Paul will be well attended IMHO.

Chris.....Surley you understand us Americans will buy anything

This has been a great event so far and considering the poor attendance of the SP in the last few years I was quite thrilled at the Ekaterinburg audience. When's the last time they hosted a major figure skating event???

 

[artsciboy]

What a well-skated event overall. Surprisingly, Leonova impressed me the most - and I have never been impressed by her technical abilities, lines or performance quality. Shame about the 2axel mistake, but the other elements were spot on and she was selling that SP like crazy. Her LP, OTOH, is a hot mess.

 

[liberrhythm]

anywhere we might be able to find protocols for the Russian ladies sp?