2017 Russian Junior Nationals Ladies FS

[vorravorra]

She has always some problems on one of her jumps. She missed it several times, but during her LP
at the Nationals (few weeks ago), she could build in that very jump at some later passage of the
program. On vk she told later, that she was "improvisating". But the notable is, that she didnt lose
total control of her program and went through with some changes and a got finally pretty good result.

At the Nationals she made a mistake on the flip in the SP (probably because she wasn't used to having it in this SP), popped 3Lo to a single in the FS and had to find another place for her solo lutz after missing it. After that they moved the loop into the first half of the program as it is obviously easier for her to do it when she isn't tired while the lutz she can do later without much trouble. This time her only bad mistake was a doubled flip in the FS.

 

[rosy14]

Quick wrap-up of what I saw yesterday.

Biggest surprises: Anna Tarusina and Alexandra Trusova. They are very different so that now I will know for sure who is who - their names sound similar. Not knowing them I used to be confused. Anna Tarusina is razor sharp. There were complaints about Zagitova's rushing (will come back later to it). Anna holds beautiful positions - her landings were pristine. It's such a pity about her injury - she could be the next big junior name this season already if she started from the clean slate with Zagitova back at the beginning of JGP series. My biggest concern is that she seems to weigh below 40 kilos - not sure if she can steer through puberty. For Trusova it's just too early to even think of puberty: she is just 12. Now she shows tremendous promise: speed, jumps, presence create the impression of a mature skater despite how tiny she is. We need to watch her. Next season she can easily replicate Zagitova's content with backloading of everything. And I would not be surprised if she goes beyond that.

Disappointments: Sofia Samodurova sort of lost it. I saw her 2 times before. She was anything but boring. This time I was bored. She did not seem to be ready to give it all. May be there is a reason. Alisa Fedichkina: can she be saved? She was so much fun to follow her last season. And she still has a distinctive personality. And she skates more or less clean. But her results cannot be motivating for her: just 11th place at junior nationals free skating program looks like a sentence. Nastya Gubanova: she is still magical but she lost her spark which she had during JGP even though she fell then. With healthy Tsurskaya it was about Gubanova versus Konstantinova who will get the third spot in the team. Unlike Stasya Nastya did not look as if she wanted to give it all.

Did not get it: Panenkova. A jumping machine. Everything else is very rough so far. I wish Gubanova could jump like that. Or vice versa Darya could skate the way Nastya skates. Well, she can work on it. Boyang was just a joke to watch: he still sort of is. But one cannot deny that he has been slowly turning into a complete skater rather than a jumping bean. Gulyakova - never saw her before and cannot say that she impressed me now.

Konstantinova: I said already after the senior nationals and will repeat now: she is different from the rest. You feel she is on the ice when she enters. Her speed especially during the first half can rival that of men's. One funny thing - I could not get it whose skating she reminds me of. My wife who watches may be one third of figure skating compared with me helped me: "she skates like Kolyada" she told me. I looked better: Yes! You got it! Chebotareva's school - that's what it is about. I wish she keeps skating like this: it's truly different. But Stasya, you should finally show a clean FS. She was almost there - she seemed very poised to hold to her 70 points after SP. And then the final triple and a flop, well, may be next time at the junior worlds. Those who say she is not competitive with Yuna Shiraiwa imo do not get it. Yuna S is a good skater but, sorry, her skating is generic. Yes, Stasya lost 9 points to her in FS in Dresden. But Yuna was clean and Stasya had 2 falls and time violation. Despite that her pcs were still higher than Yuna's. Clean Stasya will be a sure podium contender at junior worlds.

Tsurskaya: I am glad she is back with beautiful skating of beautiful programs. I am glad her pcs are higher than Zagitova's. In fact, they should be the highest in the junior world now as she is for me the best junior skater in the world pcs wise with Gubanova and Marin Honda competing for the second place. But I am worried about her jumps. If she brings them back in full glory she can compete with clean Alina through the quality of her jumps. If not her coming to senior world may be challenging. The only way to be in the Russian senior team now is to be an outstanding skater (which she is) and consistently be clean occasionally fighting for landings but not falling and not popping. But the third spot looks to be open with Radio and Sotskova struggling so far. Will be very entertaining to see a cat fight for it next year (I am sure "entertaining" is the last word the skaters themselves would think of).

Zagitova: She peaked at the senior Nationals. This time she rushed through the program. And I think it's not just about the different panel and Judges (I heard the same Lakernik and the same Shekhovtseva) - she got 69 pcs in Chelyabinsk and 67 here: she skated better in Chelyabinsk that's the first and the only reason. And then I started to worry. We all get used to Medvedeva being perfect, that she gets better and better as the season progresses. And as Alina has been appointed as "Medvedeva's heir" we assume she will show the same consistency and the same continuous improvement. May be it is a grave mistake. Zagitova had a terrible meltdown this season - Medvedeva never had meltdowns competing internationally. Then I am a bit worried if Alina can skate during the junior worlds the way she skated at the senior Nationals. Hope, my worries are futile.

Sorry, such a long post: going to Moscow on a train - 4 hours of free time. One last thing. I know it's whining, the whole thing is about diversity, about helping small feds to promote FS in unusual countries. But I saw this immense talent (even in the first group which was also about 7 triple programs with occasional clean 3Lz-3Ts) and that's even not it. For one thing, Lozko with out of this world spins had to stay at home. With all this talent there are just 3 spots in the junior national team. And next year even getting junior GP spots will turn into big fight with so many deserving candidates. It was not like that just a season ago. How not to waste all this talent?

Russia Fed, together with other sympathetic Feds, for instance Japan, should start to ask ISU to allow more spots for Euros and Worlds senior and junior competitions fo all cointries participating, as it's the case with Alpine ski, where there are 4 skiers allotted for each country at Worlds and Olympics too. Furthermore it would be a good thing to search other nations willing to organise Grand Prix and Challenger competitions, and junior GPs too, so that the GP and Challenger season be increased up to March. Again as they do in Alpine skiing with the World Cup. Spots in the GPs and Challenger could be more than the 12 now considered. In this way more skaters could compete at higher levels and a lot of Russian, Japanese, but also Northamerican girls, would not be "wasted". And older skaters woild be pushed to improve and not "sleep on the laurels" if younger, hunger competitors would be around.
And more competitions, more people competing would be a real gift to fans.

 

[puremagic]

Russia Fed, together with other sympathetic Feds, for instance japan, should start to ask ISU how many spots are allotted for Euros amd Worlds senior and junior competitions, in Alpine ski there are 4 skiers allotted for each country at Worlds and Olympics too. Furthermore it would be a good thing to search other nations willing to organise Grand Prix and Challenger competitions, and junior GPs too, so that the GP and Challenger season would be increased up to March. Again as they do in Alpine skiing with the World Cup. Spots in the GPs and Challenger could be more than teh 12 now considered. In this way more skaters could compete at higher levels and a lot of Russian, Japanese, but also Northamerican girls, would not be """wasted". And older skaters woild be pushed to imporve and not "sleep on the laurels" if younger, hunger competitors would be around.

In Rhythmic Gymnastic the head organization once decided to cut spots to two. There were three spots. Just because Russia almost always took all medals and made podium sweep. And you think ISU will let to Russia and Japan to have 4-5 spots in figure skating? Noway.

 

[silverfoxes]

Russia Fed, together with other sympathetic Feds, for instance Japan, should start to ask ISU to allow more spots for Euros and Worlds senior and junior competitions fo all cointries participating, as it's the case with Alpine ski, where there are 4 skiers allotted for each country at Worlds and Olympics too. Furthermore it would be a good thing to search other nations willing to organise Grand Prix and Challenger competitions, and junior GPs too, so that the GP and Challenger season be increased up to March. Again as they do in Alpine skiing with the World Cup. Spots in the GPs and Challenger could be more than the 12 now considered. In this way more skaters could compete at higher levels and a lot of Russian, Japanese, but also Northamerican girls, would not be "wasted". And older skaters woild be pushed to improve and not "sleep on the laurels" if younger, hunger competitors would be around.
And more competitions, more people competing would be a real gift to fans.

Yeah, right...never going to happen. What sympathetic feds? They would prefer to see Russia get banned from international competitions first, lol.

The dichomoty in this thread is strange, though. On the one hand most people agree that the Russian girls are the strongest in the world. At the same time we have 14-year-olds getting written off, bashed and nitpicked for not being absolutely perfect in every way. The fact is that no skater is perfect, no skater is clean 100% of the time and especially not a junior...but that doesn't mean that they don't all have many great qualities. The future is always a big question mark. Anyone can improve their skating or fall back due to injuries, puberty or other causes. I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss any of them or crown them the "new queen" who will surely win Olympics. You just never know how the landscape will look next season...just look at Polina.

 

[puremagic]

To not waste all talents Russia should make something like NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB.

Their own Figure Skating League, where also can compete all other nations. Especially considering that first World Cup in figure skating was at Sankt-Petersburg.

Figure Skating have a big popularity right now. And even when it wasn't - at Plushy's show always was full stadium.

But main problem is Russian organization and understanding how things work. Russia has AMAZING deep of talented people. But how do you use them? Wasting of talents happens not only in figure skating. Everywhere!

And even now, the most interesting figure skating event in the world - Russian junior nationals. And so? No broadcasting, no gala - nobody cares.

It's really could break a heart. When so many talent just disappearing in air.

 

[rosy14]

I know that when a country dominates a sport, rules are changed in order to avoid it winning everything. But the same can be said in Alpine ski for Austria. And instead at Worlds and Olympics other less "deep" nations usually win, France, USA, Canada, Italy...And at Euros we saw Caro nealry winning a silver medal.
In speed skating at last Olympics the Netherlands won everything, but no one complained. Or in swimming American swimmers winning or in athletic Jamaicans winning. So it's of course a matter of politics.
But increasing the number of Grand Prix events and the numbers of skaters in them, transforming them in a World Cup of skating will allow more talent skaters to appear on the international scenes. And they wouldn't be only Russian or Japanese.

 

[Sugarpova]

Your comments are on point..there are too many great junior skaters but Alisa is one of a kind..her musicality is comparable to Yulia and Gubanova..she's really something when she's on ice..


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Sadly to see Alisa missed another chance:shame: Everytime I see her jumps I am like with this kind of techniques this girl wont go too far but I just adore her skating, such a sweetie:luv17:

Low overall quality of the other elements / skating from Fedichkina? I beg to disagree with you. Well I agree that her jumps are not great or big I think the rest is more than good. I really
like her skating skills and she interpretes music well. Her speed and spins also improved in last year or so. I remember watching her first when she was just 13 and thinking that she's a joy to watch and so smooth while most skaters in her age leave me cold as well are ungainly. She's so sweet too! I can't fathom why some are so harsh for her, jeez.

I wish my country (Poland) could have even one skater on Fedichkina level anyway. Our junior ladies at best can land triple salchows and they can only dream about having her "low" abilities. The fact is that they don't have training level and coaching like in Russia though, deficient number of full year working rinks, FS clubs and there's barely
anyone learning or teaching that sport here left so no talents pool either.

thx a lot guys (girls) for your sweet posts!
bb was soo sad in the KnC Im still hurting:sad4:
I still wont give up on her

what I felt this champ is there are a lot of girls with jumps but a lot of girls who dont have personality on ice YET (I dont dismiss them no way!:giveup: they may have it in a year or 2 like Polina for example)
Kitty on the other hand is naturally gifted in that department.
I really hope she can work on her jumps & improve!
nothing is over til its over


Nice summary samkrut~!
& you expressed thoughts on Stasya better in english than I ever could!
Basically her skating can be described as
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/bf/30/7e/bf307ea9f86ba25b19973347e5f86a03.jpg

 

[emzdeluxe]

thx a lot guys (girls) for your sweet posts!
bb was soo sad in the KnC Im still hurting:sad4:
I still wont give up on her

what I felt this champ is there are a lot of girls with jumps but a lot of girls who dont have personality on ice YET (I dont dismiss them no way!:giveup: they may have it in a year or 2 like Polina for example)
Kitty on the other hand is naturally gifted in that department.
I really hope she can work on her jumps & improve!
nothing is over til its over


Nice summary samkrut~!
& you expressed thoughts on Stasya better in english than I ever could!
Basically her skating can be described as
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/bf/30/7e/bf307ea9f86ba25b19973347e5f86a03.jpg

Virtual hug to Alisa..[emoji4] Im glad that she's posting pictures on instagram it only means that she's ok and dang she's getting more and more beautiful..


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[Sugarpova]

Virtual hug to Alisa..[emoji4] Im glad that she's posting pictures on instagram it only means that she's ok and dang she's getting more and more beautiful..


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yeah she is!! https://www.instagram.com/p/BQI7yVkj9MZ

& if you have time guys pls go & post some nice encouraging words to her! I bet she'll enjoy it & wont feel too down!

 

[emzdeluxe]

yeah she is!! https://www.instagram.com/p/BQI7yVkj9MZ

& if you have time guys pls go & post some nice encouraging words to her! I bet she'll enjoy it & wont feel too down!

I just watched her KnC vid I didn't know that she cried..[emoji17]


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[madison]

yeah she is!! https://www.instagram.com/p/BQI7yVkj9MZ

& if you have time guys pls go & post some nice encouraging words to her! I bet she'll enjoy it & wont feel too down!

Alisa should try ice dance. She would be perfect for it: very good musicality, interpretation, skating skills and beautiful girl.
I don't think she has many chances if she stays in women, given the depth of the Russian field.

 

[Violetti]

Where do I find all the results?
I could find only free program results.

 

[cathlen]

I know that when a country dominates a sport, rules are changed in order to avoid it winning everything. But the same can be said in Alpine ski for Austria. And instead at Worlds and Olympics other less "deep" nations usually win, France, USA, Canada, Italy...And at Euros we saw Caro nealry winning a silver medal.
In speed skating at last Olympics the Netherlands won everything, but no one complained. Or in swimming American swimmers winning or in athletic Jamaicans winning. So it's of course a matter of politics.
But increasing the number of Grand Prix events and the numbers of skaters in them, transforming them in a World Cup of skating will allow more talent skaters to appear on the international scenes. And they wouldn't be only Russian or Japanese.

Not true! They won almost everything. One of the 4 OGMs in Sochi for Poland came from Men Speed Skating But it's true Dutch Speed Skaters won overhelming number of medals.

Btw. I'm not supporter of increasing spots for ISU Championships or Olympics, but I do think there should be some other way for Figure Skaters to develop and have a chance to make a living. I mean, in Football there are only 11 players, who get to play for National team at one time, but all talented players have a chance to develop through playing for a club. I think the end of Professional Skating kind of made it more tough for skaters overall.

 

[mirai4life]

polina should have been 2nd ))

 

[coldblueeyes]

polina should have been 2nd ))

Polina should have skated a better short program then. :agree:

 

[Ares]

polina should have been 2nd ))

Top 3 placements were accurate in overall standing in my oppinion.

 

[Zhenya is DIVINE]

I really don't care for Alina's landing positions. I hope she can work on that, because it is holding her back from being the total package.

Gutted Nastya didn't make the Team. She's my favorite of all the Russian juniors. She is just pure magic. Sadly, I think it's just going to get harder from here. She doesn't have the best technique, unfortunately.

Polina better slay at Jr. Worlds. She has grown so much artistically this season.

 

[mirai4life]

Polina should have skated a better short program then. :agree:

Top 3 placements were accurate in overall standing in my oppinion.

seems so. sorry about that. i am kind of a full blown Polina fan.

 

[hanca]

Alisa should try ice dance. She would be perfect for it: very good musicality, interpretation, skating skills and beautiful girl.
I don't think she has many chances if she stays in women, given the depth of the Russian field.

It is very unusual to switch from singles to ice dance. It didn't work that well for Stavitskaya. Competing her second season in ice dance, but her scores are lower than juniors scores. Unless she marries her coach and gets his full attention, like Davankova. Then she would have a chance to do well.

 

[Lana05]

It'sbetter to switch to pair skating, she's tiny and skinny