2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating | Page 168 | Golden Skate

2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Exactly. Considering how many talented juniors they had at the time it baffles me that they would give her junior worlds AND senior worlds. Especially considering how close in time they were and another athlete could have been more prepared for senior worlds or she could have focused exclusively on senior worlds.

She’s a very talented skater and if she were from any other country she’d likely be national champ. But I consider her unexceptional by Russian standards. She is similar to Sofia, but I prefer Sofia as I feel she has a better performance quality (she’s got spunk and can sell her program) and Sofia is more consistent.

The other thing I find suspicious is that she only narrowly beat Alina at Russian Nationals by less than a point. RusFed could easily have propped up their olympic champion to give her more confidence going into the remaining competitions, to save face, and shut down any questions about whether Alina should be sent to worlds. But they didn’t. They propped up Stasya to boost her to first in seniors. They’ve shown they have no problem boosting certain skaters or suppressing other skates’ scores. So to me that indicated that they really wanted to justify sending her the big competitions.

Despite my concerns about puberty affecting Russia in particular they have a huge pool. It is sad when a skater like Alena Leonova are all but a memory though they skate on. One wonders what was going on in the minds of Anna P and Elena R. coming back from injury and seeing such a huge competitive circle of skaters. Maria Sotskova, Konstantinova and Sofia in any other country but Russia and Japan would be threatening to win Nationals. But against the current crop they are rather bland with nothing artistically or technically to make them stand outs in Russia. Forget about Gubanova, Sera? et al. Russia has the 3A's, Evgenia, Liza and Alina. Making top ten at Russian Nats is quite an honor. It says a lot when it is highly possible that the current world and bronze medallists may not make the 2020 world team. Poor Sofia European champion and somehow gets forgotten in the dust. I am sure a lot of countries would be envious of the situatin in Russia.
 

Jontor

Medalist
Joined
Jan 18, 2018
Country
Sweden
Despite my concerns about puberty affecting Russia in particular they have a huge pool. It is sad when a skater like Alena Leonova are all but a memory though they skate on. One wonders what was going on in the minds of Anna P and Elena R. coming back from injury and seeing such a huge competitive circle of skaters. Maria Sotskova, Konstantinova and Sofia in any other country but Russia and Japan would be threatening to win Nationals. But against the current crop they are rather bland with nothing artistically or technically to make them stand outs in Russia. Forget about Gubanova, Sera? et al. Russia has the 3A's, Evgenia, Liza and Alina. Making top ten at Russian Nats is quite an honor. It says a lot when it is highly possible that the current world and bronze medallists may not make the 2020 world team. Poor Sofia European champion and somehow gets forgotten in the dust. I am sure a lot of countries would be envious of the situatin in Russia.

So true. The depth in Russia is fantastic and fascinating, but at the same time scary. I fear that I will never see these wonderful skaters again next year - Gubanova, Tarusina, Guliakova, Talalaikina...the list goes on. The spots for RusNats will be probably 10 from GP, 4-5 from JGPF, and only 3-4 from Russian Cup. There will be great skaters that won't make it...
 

Fluture

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 26, 2018
Nope. Not yet.

What else is it then? With whom is the interview anyway? I read one with her a week or so ago, it was about next season and Beijing. She talked about not wanting to introduce new ultra-c elements next season but rather focus on improving artistically and stuff like that. I guess you don‘t mean this one but now I‘m really intrigued what she could possibly say... Maybe a new project for the off-season? Or a new sponsor?
 

flanker

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 10, 2018
Country
Czech-Republic
What else is it then? With whom is the interview anyway? I read one with her a week or so ago, it was about next season and Beijing. She talked about not wanting to introduce new ultra-c elements next season but rather focus on improving artistically and stuff like that. I guess you don‘t mean this one but now I‘m really intrigued what she could possibly say... Maybe a new project for the off-season? Or a new sponsor?

If I remember correctly, she did not say that she doesn't want to introduce new elements (like quad flip) at all, she meant it as preference. The improving of contemporary elements and artistry is the first thing to focus on, but she doesn't exclude to ad new elements if everything goes well. Or that's how I understood it.
 

Fluture

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 26, 2018
If I remember correctly, she did not say that she doesn't want to introduce new elements (like quad flip) at all, she meant it as preference. The improving of contemporary elements and artistry is the first thing to focus on, but she doesn't exclude to aa new elements if everything goes well. Or that's how I understood it.

That may be right, of course. I only read the translation on google and there‘s always stuff lost. She’s got time anyway. Even if she doesn‘t introduce quads next season, there‘s still the season after that. And she‘s competitive without them too, so I‘d rather she focused on fixing the posture issue and improving artistically. She has great timing and lots of difficult transitions. She just needs to learn to show a bit more emotions while skating, though. I really liked her SP at Worlds, I felt she was on the right path. I‘m looking forward to finding out what kind of music she‘ll choose this year.
 

ruga

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 20, 2017
Sooo can someone give a link to her new interview? I haven't seen anything on her fanpages or sports websites.

Also it's kind of understandable that she would to improve her current elements and skating. This season she received quite a few carrots and made more mistakes than last season. If she is clean it's hard to beat her even with a quad.
 

nussnacker

one and only
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 16, 2019
Plans to try what on JPG?

Thanks.

So, apparently Nastia gave interview to someone (I don't know who yet), and in her interview she discusses her plans for the next season,
what will she do, since she didn't get senior GP, and apparently interviewer let some info out that Nastia will explain why she's planning to go to junior GP next season.
But it's not confirmed yet, I guess we'll hear about it pretty soon, whether or not it's the case, once her interviews will be out.
 

Payako

Rinkside
Joined
May 31, 2019
So, apparently Nastia gave interview to someone (I don't know who yet), and in her interview she discusses her plans for the next season,
what will she do, since she didn't get senior GP, and apparently interviewer let some info out that Nastia will explain why she's planning to go to junior GP next season.
But it's not confirmed yet, I guess we'll hear about it pretty soon, whether or not it's the case, once her interviews will be out.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzYJXp5Hhi5/?igshid=iis36n2f2yt8

Looks like her interviews will be out soon.I guess Gubanova and Tarusina will be staying junior upcoming season.
 

skatenewbie

Medalist
Joined
Mar 16, 2017
Rusfed has so many junior girls no need for Nastya to be a junior again. Let her skate challengers and senior Bs.

Can she do both jumiors and challengers?
Gubanova already did that with Tarusina. Both placed in top 24 SB but get overlooked because too many girls having guaranteed a spot
 

tempo

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 29, 2019
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzYJXp5Hhi5/?igshid=iis36n2f2yt8

Looks like her interviews will be out soon.I guess Gubanova and Tarusina will be staying junior upcoming season.

That interview should be uploaded soon here on this YT channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQDabbHrFvTCFrLiYpjczMg/videos?disable_polymer=1

About Russian Cup Final:
Q: You beat Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, who call herself a Queen, in a short program. Then a lot of comments has appeared, that you was better than Liza. Do you agree?
A: Yes, I think so.

Nastya about Alina:
You see, it so happened that I was born in the second half of a year, and I could not go to seniors in Olympic season, but she [Alina] - in the first half. She is such a lucky.

About plans:
I'm targeted to the Olympics 2022. This is my goal, I go to it.

About quads:
I'm planning to learn a quad jump. I'm in the process of learning.
 

Scott512

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
That interview should be uploaded soon here on this YT channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQDabbHrFvTCFrLiYpjczMg/videos?disable_polymer=1

About Russian Cup Final:
Q: You beat Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, who call herself a Queen, in a short program. Then a lot of comments has appeared, that you was better than Liza. Do you agree?
A: Yes, I think so.

Nastya about Alina:
You see, it so happened that I was born in the second half of a year, and I could not go to seniors in Olympic season, but she [Alina] - in the first half. She is such a lucky.

About plans:
I'm targeted to the Olympics 2022. This is my goal, I go to it.

About quads:
I'm planning to learn a quad jump. I'm in the process of learning.

Who said this? Nastya? It doesn't sound like her. Maybe something got lost in the translation. ;)

Nastya beat Liza at Cup final? Or just Cup SP?

I hope she learns a quad but I'd rather it be a triple axel first. I just don't know if her coaches can teach her these moves. I hope so.
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
That may be right, of course. I only read the translation on google and there‘s always stuff lost. She’s got time anyway. Even if she doesn‘t introduce quads next season, there‘s still the season after that. And she‘s competitive without them too, so I‘d rather she focused on fixing the posture issue and improving artistically. She has great timing and lots of difficult transitions. She just needs to learn to show a bit more emotions while skating, though. I really liked her SP at Worlds, I felt she was on the right path. I‘m looking forward to finding out what kind of music she‘ll choose this year.

I think this is the most important thing. She's probably the last person who needs to upgrade her jump content because she is so capable of maximizing the points available for what she does now. It's not enough to just do a quad to beat an in-form Alina, as we saw at Worlds; you have to nail everything else, too. Certainly these Russian first-year seniors are talented enough put everything together, but I don't think Alina needs to put in a quad just yet.
 

flanker

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 10, 2018
Country
Czech-Republic
I think this is the most important thing. She's probably the last person who needs to upgrade her jump content because she is so capable of maximizing the points available for what she does now. It's not enough to just do a quad to beat an in-form Alina, as we saw at Worlds; you have to nail everything else, too. Certainly these Russian first-year seniors are talented enough put everything together, but I don't think Alina needs to put in a quad just yet.

Alina's tech score is probably the highest possible without quad or 3A. This is the real limit of "ladies figure skating as we know it", TES in FP somewhere around 80-85. At worlds Alina has received TES 81.16, at JO 84.95 if I'm correct, at Nebelhorn 83.54.
But there is one problem. That is a score for absolutely clean program. Then, when you have quads, you can allow even some mistake. Sasha has received 86.96 at junior worlds with one fall. Also her 3Lz-3Lo wasn't completely clean and yet she had higher TES than clean Alina. I know that without being clean you won't receive as high PCS but you can't rely just on PCS, esp. when clean Sasha has TES over 90 (and she has already scored over 100 in TES - it was domestic competition so internationally that could be slightly less but not so much). And of course it is not only Sasha, there are Anna, Elizabet, Rika, who can all have potentially higher TES (not saying they will have it or even they will have it now from the start of the season, but it is possible).
Alina once said something like "I can't rely on others making mistakes but on the strenghth of my own performance". It's not forcing her into quads, she still can win many competitions against ultra C elements as we have seen it already. But sooner or later, for being on the podium having a quad or 3A will be necessary, unless others will make a mistakes. Remember that Alina is very, very competitive (in a good way, otherwise she wouldn't reach the top) and I think that as long as she will want to skate competitively, she will want to fight for gold and she is aware that to secure her lead having a quad is the way for her. Maybe not in the beginning of the season, maybe even not during this season, but for next olympics I dare to say that will be essential for any russian girl to go through domestic qualification. And I think that she has the idea of the next olympics in mind as well as Zhenya and others.
 

Scott512

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Alina's tech score is probably the highest possible without quad or 3A. This is the real limit of "ladies figure skating as we know it", TES in FP somewhere around 80-85. At worlds Alina has received TES 81.16, at JO 84.95 if I'm correct, at Nebelhorn 83.54.
But there is one problem. That is a score is for absolute clean program. Then, when you have quads, you can allow even some mistake. Sasha has received 86.96 at junior worlds with one fall. Also her 3Lz-3Lo wasn't completely clean and yet she had higher TES than clean Alina. I know that without being clean you won't receive as high PCS but you can't rely on just PCS, esp. when clean Sasha has TES over 90 (and she has already scored over 100 in TES - it was domestic competition so internationally that could be slightly less but not so much). And of course it is not only Sasha, there are Anna, Elizabet, Rika, who can all have potentially higher TES (not saying they will have it or even they will have it now from the start of the season, but it is possible).
Alina once said something like "I can't rely on others making mistakes but on the strenghth of my own performance". It's not forcing her into quads, she still can win many competitions against ultra C elements as we have seen it already. But sooner or later, for being on the podium having a quad or 3A will be necessary, unless others will make a mistakes. Remember that Alina is very, very competitive (in a good way, otherwise she wouldn't reach the top) and I think that as long as she will want to skate competitively, she will want to fight for gold and she is aware that to secure her lead having a quad is the way for her. Maybe not in the beginning of the season, maybe even not during this season, but for next olympics I dare to say that will be essential for any russian girl to go through domestic qualification. And I think that she has the idea of the next olympics in mind as well as Zhenya and others.

There is no question about it. Alina has the highest tech content of any skaters without quad or triple axel. I don't think anyone would debate that.
 

Alexz

Medalist
Joined
Mar 29, 2016
Country
United-States
Sooo can someone give a link to her new interview? I haven't seen anything on her fanpages or sports websites.

Also it's kind of understandable that she would to improve her current elements and skating. This season she received quite a few carrots and made more mistakes than last season. If she is clean it's hard to beat her even with a quad.

What else is it then? With whom is the interview anyway? I read one with her a week or so ago, it was about next season and Beijing. She talked about not wanting to introduce new ultra-c elements next season but rather focus on improving artistically and stuff like that. I guess you don‘t mean this one but now I‘m really intrigued what she could possibly say... Maybe a new project for the off-season? Or a new sponsor?

Cover and feature interview for a 'World of Figure Skating' magazine. It is a big one. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzds_XIh9Vn/

Magazine is published already, but not at the newsstands for sale yet. Some Russians miraculously got their hands on it - they showed photos and read the text of Zags interview out loud via Instagram live. https://www.instagram.com/p/BzanS5aHbAg/ So we now wait till magazines go to the newspaper stands and our Russian connections translates it to us in full. PDF-version is also usually available for download for free. Someone will bring the link soon.
 
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