2017 Russian Nationals Ladies SP

[Zhenya is DIVINE]

I'm really hoping Masha can stay in second. That would be a huge victory for her!

 

[andromache]

Zagitova was fantastic. Her strongest SP performance by now. When she is clean no one can touch her among juniors Polina included. It's sad a bit - will Polina have motivation to go on?

Only because of the backloading. I think as juniors Alina may have the edge over Polina, but body changes are going to make that -3Lo combo unreliable. No senior lady (that I can recall) has ever had a reliable -Lo combo without URs. I also think Polina is, at the moment, a more mature performer. Alina appears frantic in comparison, but I think that will change. Eteri's skaters are usually very elegant, so Alina just needs a bit of polishing. There's just more flow to Polina's skating. Her better posture helps.

Alina in gloves is such a mistake. Unless a skater has especially graceful hands, you don't want to bring attention to them.

Both girls have fabulous jumps. Polina's are better, but not by a lot. Alina's 3Lz-3Lo is truly a thing of beauty. The snap in her 3Lo is very impressive.

 

[Jaana]

The skaters between second and e.g. sixth place are so close that the freeskate will be highly interesting...

 

[kalee]

Nugumanova looked quite devastated in the JGP as well. It's always heartbreaking when they skate so nicely but a mistake ruins their score ...

If Liza N. isn't in top form, participating in senior Nats probably isn't as important this year since she won't be age-eligible for senior international comps till 2 years' time. If she had participated & lost to Sofia, Alisa F. and Stasya (all 3 seem to be improving in form recently), it might not do much for her reputation. Hope she will be in better form come Junior Nats & have a good showing there.
Though I also hope Sofia will perform well and be a spoiler for the JW team...

 

[snowflake]

Sad to see Radionova disappointed in kiss&cry. Give it all and I'm with you when you skate free :thumbsup:

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Gutted for Gubanova. Wondering if she will make it to JW this season or not...

That won't be decided until Junior Nationals but Nastya won two gold medals on the JGP and a silver at JGPF. I think she's made a mistake in the SP in every event so far this year so...

She probably could have scored pretty close to 70 had she gone clean. That's pretty impressive for a just turned 14 year old who for a brief moment forgot how to loop jump in front of everyone

She's my favorite in the KnC

 

[Layback11]

I watched some programs. Thoughts:

1. Evgenia: she is so consistent that it's boring , but the program is not :agree:!
2. Masha: I love her unique programs and heartfelt, sincere interpretation. A joy to watch. So happy for her!
3. Alina: ...well then, that was a thing. This child is scarily incredible and I LOVE HER FOOTWORK, LIKE LITERALLY OMG.
4. Anna: I don't know what people thought was bad about her SP. Looked clean to me. As always, I adore the program: her polish and maturity are impressive.
5. Elena: see above ^^. I'm so sad that she's been having worse results lately, because she is still (and always will be) an adorable sunshiny sass-monster and I want her to do well!
6. Anastasia G.: so pretty, scary jump technique, but SO PRETTY. *creepy voice* it's...so...preeeeeettttyyyyyyyy!

 

[sabinfire]

Maybe not the biggest surprise, but I was looking at the SP results page and noticed that all top 5 skaters are Moscow, while #6 thru #11 are St. Petersburg skaters.

Mikhailova at #12 is the only Moscow skater outside of the top 5, and nearly all the remaining skaters are St. Petersburg. Lots of SPB representation, just not at the top!

 

[Jan elle]

Evgenia is crazily consistent, isn't she?
Out of the newbies I'm really starting to like the beautiful Stanislava- she could be really amazing if she tidies everything up. She reminds me of Adelina a little.
I also really like Alisa Lozko and Alisa Fedichkina (sorry for bad spellings?!)- both nice skaters, and not that it is especially important, but both so pretty too!

 

[Jan elle]

Oh, and little Sofia is absolutely adorable too!

 

[whatif]

This is the best Evgenia skated all season. I am getting the programme now and they made some nice changes to choreo which also improved it.

Alina's tech content is INSANE and I hope she keeps it up.

It was interesting to hear, right after Zagitova's skate, TAT stating that in the past 100 years the woman who won the world championship before the Olympics never gone to win the Olympics gold. And Trankov replied asking if TAT is suggesting Evgenia skips Helsinki this year. LOL.

 

[RemyRose]

It was interesting to hear, right after Zagitova's skate, TAT stating that in the past 100 years the woman who won the world championship before the Olympics never gone to win the Olympics gold. And Trankov replied asking if TAT is suggesting Evgenia skips Helsinki this year. LOL.

Is TAT losing it? That's not correct

 

[studentsb]

This is the best Evgenia skated all season. I am getting the programme now and they made some nice changes to choreo which also improved it.

Alina's tech content is INSANE and I hope she keeps it up.

It was interesting to hear, right after Zagitova's skate, TAT stating that in the past 100 years the woman who won the world championship before the Olympics never gone to win the Olympics gold. And Trankov replied asking if TAT is suggesting Evgenia skips Helsinki this year. LOL.

Yuna Kim won Worlds in 2009 and won the Olympics in 2010

 

[Pracygr]

Maybe not the biggest surprise, but I was looking at the SP results page and noticed that all top 5 skaters are Moscow, while #6 thru #11 are St. Petersburg skaters.

Mikhailova at #12 is the only Moscow skater outside of the top 5, and nearly all the remaining skaters are St. Petersburg. Lots of SPB representation, just not at the top!

Perhaps also notable is that many of the new skaters at this competition aren't originally from Moscow or SPB. Skating scene is becoming more regionally diverse which is always good for discovering new talent. An interesting fact: of all the skaters here 3 are originally from Izhevsk - Zagitova, Lozko, Ogoreltseva. All 3 of them started out with the same coach - Natalia Antipina.

 

[Zhenya is DIVINE]

Also Trixi Schuba 71/72
Katarina Witt 87/88
Kristi Yamaguchi 91/92
Oksana Baiul 93/94
Tara Lipinski 97/98

I'm sure there are more.

 

[Jan elle]

Both Oksana Bauil and Tara Lipinski won the world title before OGM!

 

[RemyRose]

Both Oksana Bauil and Tara Lipinski won the world title before OGM!

Most of them have since at least the 80s. Only exception is Sot, Hughes, and Shizuka but the latter 2 have world medals (Shizuka gold two years prior).

 

[kalee]

IF Anna does well enough for the 4th spot, she will be in European and WC team. Zagitova is too young for this season.

Think Anna is pretty safe as she is clearly ahead of Lena & Masha in GP standings and GPF performance. So the tough choice for the Fed would be between those 2 especially if Masha beats Lena in Nationals.

 

[semisonic]

Is it later yet??

TAT was critizing Gubanova, saying that if you choise to be a swan you gotta maintain that all program through. You can't get in and out of character. Even before the loop that she missed she should've make a picture of a bird about to fly. It's the second question did the bird start that flight or not, but she should've try to create that feeling. Don't forget that it's not her arms anymore it's her wings. And Gubanova started the program as a swan then turned into a duck, then remembered to be swan again, but later turned into a duck decisively.

Grishin tried to defend Gubanova saying she's to young yet, but TAT said it doesnt matter you gotta try your best and you either have it or not. You gotta try to be like Stolbova - when she skates if feels like she's moving in the air and not on heavy hard ice. But Gubanova has time until JW to improve her choreo TAT said.

 

[Tolstoj]

ESPN commentators said that Sofia Samodurova is learning 3A, there were even some good attempts at warmup in the previous days.

Are there any video of this? She is already one of my favourite juniors, with 3A she could be the next Liza Tuktamysheva.

PC Tuktamysheva 35,42
PC Konstantinova 32,38

Is this OK?

Yes.

About the inflation, of course this is national.

The gap actually i think Liza sold that program much more than what she used to do with the Mozart Tango.