- Joined
- Apr 9, 2016
Poor Gubanova switches to Buyanova for clout precisely in the season when Buyanova decides she can't compete with Eteri in this field and will concentrate on the men. It just shows that switching coaches for politicking doesn't always pay. With her previous coach she would at least have had better programs.Perhaps this is why I like Liza so much — you’re not dead at 21. But nationals were rather illuminating in some other respects. Those who finished below 7th — how many of them do you think will ever go to Euros or Worlds? Maybe Tarakanova. Konstantinova at least has superior skating skills, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Medvedeva has a resurgence next year. But Konstantinova isn’t as strong as Mai Mihara (and I’m not really a fan of Mai’s — she does nothing for me), blah blah blah 3A is coming, etc. We’ve done this before: Lipnitskaya, Sotnikova, etc. You can argue special pleading (Lipnitskaya had specific troubles, Sotnikova was plagued by injury), but look how quickly they were replaced by Radionova and Elizaveta, who were then replaced themselves. The cycle continues.
Breadth versus depth. There’s a difference. And I am not optimistic about the Russian ladies developing depth of talent in seniors, just more one-season wonders.