2023-24 Russian Grand Prix - Stage 4 - Kazan

[Skating91]

This should be the anthem of figure skating!

 

[adelia]

Breakout win by Dikidzhi. Must have grown 10 inches taller than when i last saw him. Perfect jump technique; none of that windmill motion with the arms that Semenenko has. Needs to work hard on improving his skating skills but he has time. His decision to stay with Tataurov was vindicated today.

 

[Skating91]

The test was positive. Acknowledging that immediately and dealing with it as per proper procedure, eating a quick penalty would have sped up everything, and so it's their fault by waving the red flag in front of the bull and dragging out the matters to the point of some ideological struggle that keeps us from seeing the Russians after the IOC said it's up to individual sport.

Them complaining about ISU is hilarious in that light. Valieva is so, so, so not worth it, and her coach is even less so. There are many, many, many wonderful women in Russia. Plenty of great coaches. Schools.

But because of her all of them suffer and so are men, pairs and dance. So effing stupid it hurts.

The timeline is not out of the ordinary. When you add the complexity of an Olympic medal being at stake, everything is quite reasonable. The main delay has been CAS they have had the documents since around February and still hearing it in November.

 

[lariko]

The timeline is not out of the ordinary. When you add the complexity of an Olympic medal being at stake, everything is quite reasonable. The main delay has been CAS they have had the documents since around February and still hearing it in November.

Yeah, right.

 

[LadyB]

But what is it with the victory sign (I guess it's that) on top of the skaters' heads? Where I'm from that gesture would mean a totally different thing

In my originial as well as my adopted country this means rabbit ears - just taking the mick. Don't know who came up with that, but it surely preceeds my lifetime.

 

[Skating91]

What a disaster event. Kamila and Agata just off the podium.

But full of drama. You couldn't script that Kamila and Eteri, Dudakov, Gleich sitting there stunned. 4th place in Kazan after four points ahead in the short program.

It will create some kind of reaction in her. It might be the kick she needs to get the free skate in order. When you lose in life sometimes it makes you fearless since you experienced it and survived. The short program was one of the great performances.

 

[katymay]

It won't be for me.

Nor me. I would have made the trip to Montreal this year, it is doable. But it isn't worth the money for just the men, without the Russian pairs and women-no thanks.

 

[Skating91]

The lutz for Kamila should have been given the full base value so she should have been bronze. The lutz was only performed once. Is this correct?

 

[LadyB]

Nor me. I would have made the trip to Montreal this year, it is doable. But it isn't worth the money for just the men, without the Russian pairs and women-no thanks.

I didn't go to Sheffield last year even though it's a great place and I've got a mate not far away. It doesn't make sense without my fave team.

 

[AlexBreeze]

The lutz for Kamila should have been given the full base value so she should have been bronze. The lutz was only performed once. Is this correct?

This isn't correct. The first jump of an excessive combo gets +REP.

 

[Skatelife]

I know what he means and I heartfelt wish it gets somehow resolved soon. But while that gets sorted, I'm really glad that as a foreign viewer I get to watch Russian competitions; Russian skating is very special and othervise I would truly miss it.

For me, it's actually easier to watch Russian competitions than international ones (not geoblocked where I am, unlike the ISU ones). But that's also thanks to many people in this forum who provide vital links, schedules, etc. So I just felt like taking the opportunity to thank you all once again, I really appreciate it

Exactly the same here, now I know novices, jr's, seniors and have heard more about Russian regions than ever

 

[lariko]

Omg, Dikidzhi was on fire in the free! The rest, not so much, but men are men...

 

[lariko]

Greatly enjoyed the second warm up of women, with bonus Ignatov. Muravieva was sublime! I like Gorbacheva's short more, but she carried free better here and Sadkova was nice and light. Good stuff, and hopefully a sign of better things to come for Russian skating.

The main take away from this competition was a feeling of deep gratitude to the judging and technical panel that managed to stay objective. More of that, please! Much, much more of that.

 

[Mathematician]

It would have been enough for gold or definitely silver. It wasn't that bad. You forget that her short program was almost perfect, and Muraviova's free skate had a low base value. Kamila's base value only 3 behind despite losing 10 or so points on that sequence.

I already said I think Valieva getting the overall gold barring the SEQ rep wouldnt be the worst thing. FS gold - no chance. I even said that her SP was a near perfect master class so no I didnt forget. But the commentators were just acting like the reduced scores on her StSq were crazy or whatever as if she didnt blatantly fall. Also her PCS is quite high for how much she was stumbling around but whatever. It wasnt a bad skate objectively but by her standard it was pretty shocking, her forte is control and precision of which she had none. Not to beat a dead horse since I said this a lot already but just you so understand.

 

[lariko]

She was also slow (which is bad if a skater represents Kazakhstan) and her jumps where low and ugly... also, I didn't see her former flexibility anywhere. The laybacks are gone. Haven't seen her since Olympic debacle, and yeah, she is nowhere near being in athletic form. And those outfits...yeah, I heard some Russian mudslinging journalist called Hendrixx vulgar. Ha-hah. Valieva is where vulgar is.

 

[yume]

She was also slow (which is bad if a skater represents Kazakhstan) and her jumps where low and ugly... also, I didn't see her former flexibility anywhere. The laybacks are gone. Haven't seen her since Olympic debacle, and yeah, she is nowhere near being in athletic form. And those outfits...yeah, I heard some Russian mudslinging journalist called Hendrixx vulgar. Ha-hah. Valieva is where vulgar is.

She probably got injured in warm-up as she was in visible pain during and after her skate. Watch her short if you want to see her skate faster, have prettier jumps and show her flexibility.
Thinking that she shouldn't be competing is one thing but speaking as if she suddenly became a bad skater is just dishonesty.
And her outfits are not vulgar imo.

 

[Skating91]

Greatly enjoyed the second warm up of women, with bonus Ignatov. Muravieva was sublime! I like Gorbacheva's short more, but she carried free better here and Sadkova was nice and light. Good stuff, and hopefully a sign of better things to come for Russian skating.

The main take away from this competition was a feeling of deep gratitude to the judging and technical panel that managed to stay objective. More of that, please! Much, much more of that.

I agree. The 81 for Kamila yesterday was correct, and they got it right today as well. Unfortunate, but that is how it goes.

 

[Mathematician]

She was also slow (which is bad if a skater represents Kazakhstan) and her jumps where low and ugly... also, I didn't see her former flexibility anywhere. The laybacks are gone. Haven't seen her since Olympic debacle, and yeah, she is nowhere near being in athletic form. And those outfits...yeah, I heard some Russian mudslinging journalist called Hendrixx vulgar. Ha-hah. Valieva is where vulgar is.

What about Kazakhstan? I'm kinda confused. If were talking Valieva then her FS was poor but as much as I know you dislike her, I'm going to have to tell you that objectively you kind of aren't correct in your general analysis of her. The SP was at an unbelievably high level and showed a level of athleticism that I dont think was close to being touched at Skate America or Canada (both of which I did watch).

You can hold your opinion of not wanting to watch her, but isnt it kind of disingenuous if you are going to make statements like that about her form after also refusing to watch her SP? You kind of have to choose one man: watch and criticize or dont watch and dont criticize (at least dont criticize her skating).

 

[Skating91]

I just rewatched that warm up and Kamila's skate again. She went for a 4T the one time and it was only a 3T, then tries again this time for a real 4T and falls and slides gently in to the boards. Then it was basically the end of warm up, she wasn't happy and stormed off without putting the guards back on her skates. She was kind of wincing as she went off. Maybe there was an injury or some pain but probably more frustration than anything.

Then in the free skate, okay she was having trouble usually the landings are just perfect but she was still rotating the landings it wasn't a disaster, does the 3Lz+3T then adds the 2A. By my understanding the 3lz+3T would have counted if she didn't have the 2A. Then it kind of really fell apart like she realised oh s*** what did I just do. Or maybe she just fatigued I don't know, but it was noticeably worse after that. It was a really distracted performance.

The program doesn't seem to click but in fairness Kamila has only performed twice and hasn't given a good performance each time. I would go back to the Truman free skate.

 

[Mathematician]

I just rewatched that warm up and Kamila's skate again. She went for a 4T the one time and it was only a 3T, then tries again this time for a real 4T and falls and slides gently in to the boards. Then it was basically the end of warm up, she wasn't happy and stormed off without putting the guards back on her skates. She was kind of wincing as she went off. Maybe there was an injury or some pain but probably more frustration than anything.

Then in the free skate, okay she was having trouble usually the landings are just perfect but she was still rotating the landings it wasn't a disaster, does the 3Lz+3T then adds the 2A. By my understanding the 3lz+3T would have counted if she didn't have the 2A. Then it kind of really fell apart like she realised oh s*** what did I just do. Or maybe she just fatigued I don't know, but it was noticeably worse after that. It was a really distracted performance.

The program doesn't seem to click but in fairness Kamila has only performed twice and hasn't given a good performance each time. I would go back to the Truman free skate.

I think the program clicks, she was into it at test skates. Seems that something weird just happened today with her.