2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Scott512]

I don't have favorites in this competition. At all. Blame the judges, not me. And again, this time they made up Shulskaya's UR while not even checking Talalaikina jumps. The event looks clearly rigged in favor of St_Petersburg skaters. That, and Guliakova PCS was obviously inflated as well - Gubanova's SS is in another league compared to Guliakova but judges wanted to give gold to Mishin's skater :confused2:
I realize that my constant grumbling can irritate many people - I am sorry about that. But constant unfair calls or lack of them irritates me as well - I love athletes and respect their work too much to pretend that it's all right when someone is robbed of medals he/she deserves. I would really love to watch competition where judges work won't be noticeable at all - i.e. when viewers can share only personal impressions of skaters performances and nothing else - lamenting only about skaters own mistakes. Alas, such competition is pretty rare nowadays - mostly among prejunior ones - where politics between schools, coaches, nations and reputations do not influence tech callers.

I bet Gubanova agrees with your assessment. Funny how having a big-name coach benefits Guliakova but when Gubanova was with Buyanova and skated fairly well for her it made no difference at all.

 

[LenaRadiFan]

I bet Gubanova agrees with your assessment. Funny how having a big-name coach benefits Guliakova but when Gubanova was with Buyanova and skated fairly well for her it made no difference at all.

Can we please not hate on the skaters? They don't have anything to do with judging. I doubt that Guliakova went up to the judges and bribed them to make her win. I do agree she had some uncalled things(especially her lutz should've gotten an e like judges do you have eyes?) But Gubanova wasn't picture perfect either, it was quite close between them.

 

[rlopen]

I just feel like...as a huge Gubanova fan so let me get that out of the way...whenever she skates clean and does well there’s always someone who skates around a similar level as her...and they always manage to get slightly better scores than her even if they’re doing the same basic content. Maybe it’s just me being defensive but there’s just such a record of her getting shafted that Guliakova vs Gubanova makes me want to go Gubanova wuzrobbed when it was just really close tbh...BUT there have been a decent amount of instances of Gubanova getting underscored or shafted that it makes me instantly go Gubanova wuzrobbed.

 

[Scott512]

Can we please not hate on the skaters? They don't have anything to do with judging. I doubt that Guliakova went up to the judges and bribed them to make her win. I do agree she had some uncalled things(especially her lutz should've gotten an e like judges do you have eyes?) But Gubanova wasn't picture perfect either, it was quite close between them.

Five Points between them is not really quiet close. And no one hates the skaters. Pretty sure everyone here admires and respects what they do and how they keep going on in the face of adversity and uncertainty. How you determine if someone is espousing hate on a skater with my previous comment is beyond me. My pertinent point was how having a big-name coach benefits one Nastya and did not benefit the other when she had a big-name coach in Buyanova. To me that is interesting and peculiar. And it's not a slam on Guliakova to point that out.

 

[katymay]

I just feel like...as a huge Gubanova fan so let me get that out of the way...whenever she skates clean and does well there’s always someone who skates around a similar level as her...and they always manage to get slightly better scores than her even if they’re doing the same basic content. Maybe it’s just me being defensive but there’s just such a record of her getting shafted that Guliakova vs Gubanova makes me want to go Gubanova wuzrobbed when it was just really close tbh...BUT there have been a decent amount of instances of Gubanova getting underscored or shafted that it makes me instantly go Gubanova wuzrobbed.

I was watching Russian Nat'ls-2018? I think-posted on You Tube. Gubanova was at her absolute peak. And I felt she was major league shafted, and I understand the interview she gave last year. Maybe she shouldn't have said those things, but I'm not sure she is wrong about much of it. She had powerful, beautiful jumps, and a beautiful program (PCS wize) When you watch objectively- well, it is hard to understand. Now she seems to be fine with stamina, jumps are there, but she isn't the same skater she used to be.

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

Nastya Gubanova was robbed of so many opportunities because of biased judging. Junior Worlds 2018? A GP assignment this season? A JGP assignment last season? I feel kind of bad of her honestly.

 

[Scott512]

I just feel like...as a huge Gubanova fan so let me get that out of the way...whenever she skates clean and does well there’s always someone who skates around a similar level as her...and they always manage to get slightly better scores than her even if they’re doing the same basic content. Maybe it’s just me being defensive but there’s just such a record of her getting shafted that Guliakova vs Gubanova makes me want to go Gubanova wuzrobbed when it was just really close tbh...BUT there have been a decent amount of instances of Gubanova getting underscored or shafted that it makes me instantly go Gubanova wuzrobbed.

Agree 100% And the problem is nothing ever goes her way it's always against her. That makes some people suspicious of what was going on. The worst shaft she ever got was in the 2016/2017 season when she finished fourth that Russian Junior Nationals and her body of work that season with so much better than stanislavas and they made sure Stasya went to Junior worlds. Watching their programs and their performances at that Russian Nationals don't really compare. Nastya clearly deserve the podium and a spot in junior worlds especially after how well she skated at Junior Grand Prix final and that season. What did Stasia do at Junior Grand Prix final? SMH.

I was watching Russian Nat'ls-2018? I think-posted on You Tube. Gubanova was at her absolute peak. And I felt she was major league shafted, and I understand the interview she gave last year. Maybe she shouldn't have said those things, but I'm not sure she is wrong about much of it. She had powerful, beautiful jumps, and a beautiful program (PCS wize) When you watch objectively- well, it is hard to understand. Now she seems to be fine with stamina, jumps are there, but she isn't the same skater she used to be.

Agreed with your analysis of senior Nationals that year. As for nastya not being the same skater she was say 2 years ago it's got to be something with her growing up into a woman and not weighing 90 lb anymore. She is missed the last two open skates because of injury she really needs to attend the next one and show them that she's still getting better even at the age of 17 which is not young in Russian ladies figure skating anymore.

Nastya Gubanova was robbed of so many opportunities because of biased judging. Junior Worlds 2018? A GP assignment this season? A JGP assignment last season? I feel kind of bad of her honestly.

True.

Nastya has missed out on a lot and some of it unfairly. But keeps plugging away fighting for her career. Amazing. I want the focus on that but it's hard not to think of lost opportunities for her.

there's a lot of time between the European championships and Worlds I hope 3A is staying in good form.

 

[LiamForeman]

Five Points between them is not really quiet close. And no one hates the skaters. Pretty sure everyone here admires and respects what they do and how they keep going on in the face of adversity and uncertainty. How you determine if someone is espousing hate on a skater with my previous comment is beyond me. My pertinent point was how having a big-name coach benefits one Nastya and did not benefit the other when she had a big-name coach in Buyanova. To me that is interesting and peculiar. And it's not a slam on Guliakova to point that out.

You are right. I didn't see Guliakova five points ahead. Does Guliakova have some in-the-rink charisma that I fail to see? She's a Mishin skater who of all the music out there decided on Swan Lake?!?!?! I grew up in ballet, and maybe I'm blinded by the horror of her even attempting SL. Gubanova just has a real smoothness (outside of her jumps) and her movement is lovely. She is miles ahead in skills and presentation. Does Gubanova need to bring out the classics again? She could do a good Juliet I suppose but she's been there, done that. I wasn't happy with her "17 Moments of Boring" program, but her skating level is undeniable. To me at least.

 

[Scott512]

Agreed.

Yes Liam her skating skills are still excellent. Nastya did a wonderful Romeo and Juliet as a 13 and 14 year old girl. I would like her to do it as an adult as well. And yes next seasons free skate needs to be a classic. She has made these two programs work but they aren't the most exciting programs for her.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Honestly if you told me to pick one skater to see live that I haven’t my first choice (not named Yulia) would be Anastasiia Gubanova. I have no greater honor to give :

 

[KOBOT37]

Gubanova has only herself to blame.

She definitely has extra couple of KGs,her jumps are bad and it she isn't making any friends with her off ice behaviour.

Overall weak competition for Russian ladies fs standards.

 

[Azikin]

Actually, next season will be a dull year when it comes to newcomers in seniors. No supertalents born in 2005.
2021/22+ is when invasion of 2006+ begins.

After 3A every new season will be dull in comparison..

 

[Edwin]

After 3A every new season will be dull in comparison..

Indeed it will be. They broke the ice to set a new high standard. Watching back the 2017/18 JPG season with Aleksandra, Alyona and Anastasiya Tarakanova is so much fun again.

Anastasiya belonged right up there. Whatever made her loose her pleasure in figure skating, it led to the loss of great talent that would have otherwise been developed into an Ace skater by #TeamTutberidzeForProgress.

 

[flanker]

Reading the comments here I'm starting to think there are two different single skaters bearing the name Anastasia Vitalyevna Gubanova. The one I know, see and hear and thes other one living in legends.

 

[KOBOT37]

Reading the comments here I'm starting to think there are two different single skaters bearing the name Anastasia Vitalyevna Gubanova. The one I know, see and hear and thes other one living in legends.

What makes matter worse is the fact that Gubanova herself seems to be living in a sort of alternate reality, almost every her interview has "I am so good, but evil people and bad luck are keeping me away from being world-beater" vibe. This state of mind isn't helpful especially if you have never won anything of note.

 

[Edwin]

What makes matter worse is the fact that Gubanova herself seems to be living in a sort of alternate reality, almost every her interview has "I am so good, but evil people and bad luck are keeping me away from being world-beater" vibe. This state of mind isn't helpful especially if you have never won anything of note.

Some people are born with this attitude and never learn from their mistakes.

Having studied the revised FFKKR criteria for inclusion on the (reserve) team, Gubanova might be safe for another season in the reserves, which was perhaps her main goal.

 

[brakes]

What makes matter worse is the fact that Gubanova herself seems to be living in a sort of alternate reality, almost every her interview has "I am so good, but evil people and bad luck are keeping me away from being world-beater" vibe. This state of mind isn't helpful especially if you have never won anything of note.

Maybe because once she was indeed THAT good.
https://vk.com/video-90916430_171089195

In 2015, in Russian Cup in Samara she broke 200 points at 12yo, which was unthinkable for a junior, even more novice, at that time. Only one skater in senior World Championships had managed to do that (Tuktamysheva). Junior word champion scored 192 (Medvedeva).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTp0w8BPKOI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QgZxVJyRy0

Her R&J still moves me deeply.

 

[Scott512]

Honestly if you told me to pick one skater to see live that I haven’t my first choice (not named Yulia) would be Anastasiia Gubanova. I have no greater honor to give :

you're not the only one who feels that way.

What bothers me Sam is that people have been saying for days that the Federation had to protect Gulyiakova because she was the alternate for the worlds team. She was only the alternate to the worlds team because the Russian B team of Alina Liza and Zhenya are off doing other more interesting and lucrative things. So this notion that the Federation has to protect Gulyaakova is preposterous. Gulyakova has had a good year and should be commended for it. But her skating skills artistry musicality presentation and interpretation are not on par with Gubanovas even after nastyas 3 year brawl with puberty.

Gubanova has only herself to blame.

She definitely has extra couple of KGs,her jumps are bad and it she isn't making any friends with her off ice behaviour.

Overall weak competition for Russian ladies fs standards.

Actually no she doesn't have just herself to blame. When both nastyas programs are equal technically and one Nastya has clearly better artistry musicality interpretation feel and skating skills and finishes second when they both skate equally clean then that will frustrate people. The Federation has done this to Gubanova for 4 years now. That is fact not fiction. They obviously don't want someone with such skills and beautiful skating around they're skaters with more technical ability. But she hasn't gotten the message yet and it's still hanging in there. That is to be admired.

As for Gulyakova she did what she's had to do she had a very good season. But it sure helps that the Russian B team went on hiatus before and after Nationals. The Russian A team is obviously 3A. I think we can all figure out who the Russian B team is at this moment.

 

[Jontor]

You are right. I didn't see Guliakova five points ahead. Does Guliakova have some in-the-rink charisma that I fail to see? She's a Mishin skater who of all the music out there decided on Swan Lake?!?!?! I grew up in ballet, and maybe I'm blinded by the horror of her even attempting SL. Gubanova just has a real smoothness (outside of her jumps) and her movement is lovely. She is miles ahead in skills and presentation. Does Gubanova need to bring out the classics again? She could do a good Juliet I suppose but she's been there, done that. I wasn't happy with her "17 Moments of Boring" program, but her skating level is undeniable. To me at least.

Yes, I think that Gubanova skates with emotion and musicality and interprets the music very well. Guliakova on the other hand has perhaps more power, but is a bit stiff. She is not the most gracious skater out there and Swan Lake is definitely not the music for her. The difference in PCS should be reflected accordingly but it was not.

 

[Edwin]

For a young girl celebrating figure skating in her piano compositions and improvisations: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ5nFO_P3SNvhr475nqrgmw , and a real fan of the sport: https://www.instagram.com/apollinaria.music/

Apollinaria will continue to find much inspiration in Russian figure skating