Ekaterina Kurakova

[icetug]

And there is a fuller version of the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=rLIbekul1mI&feature=emb_logo

 

[Fluture]

Another, slightly more 'revealing/pretentious' interview with Kurakova: https://www.gazeta.ru/sport/2020/02/04/a_12943117.shtml

Revealing and honest, yes. Pretentious? Where? She‘s getting constantly underscored (even if we argue about URs all we want, her PCS are that low not because she isn‘t a 60+ skater but because she‘s from a federation that‘s not powerful), of course there will be some frustration. But she kept saying the judges did their job and stayed fair.

As for the situation with Russia...looks like she went through some hard times trying to switch because they made it harder for her. We can‘t forget that she was just a child then who‘d trained all her life to become a champion. Like she said, every jump, every fall hurts your back and knees and then to not even make it to international competitions?

What she said about the age limit I found very sensible and mature. She is a 17 year old athlete, she was, obviously, a 15 year old athlete once. She knows the difference in bodies and mentality better than any of us. If she says there is a difference, there is one. I applaud her for being brave enough to raise this subject and express her opinion.

At the same time she always made sure to stay respectful about her competitors - e.g when she talked about Sasha or Anna or Alina.

I like athletes who are honest, she is. And most of all she‘s 17, I don‘t think she has to restrict herself totally in what she says as long as she stays respectful. She did that here, imo.

I hope she gets to have the long career she dreams of.

I hope so as well. She deserves it. It amazes me how she went through all these hardships at such a young age. And her joy at competing is so infectious. I hope she gets to go to as many championships as she wants to. And with her personality and beautiful skating, people will hopefully say indeed: “Katia Kurakova - yes, we know her!“ :yes:

 

[Edwin]

Revealing and honest, yes. Pretentious? Where?

No, it was not about her skating. The whole tone of the questions and interpretation of the answers in this interview struck me as slightly indecent, gossipy, yellow pages like.

And I don't know about the reputation of this publication, so thought it best to leave only the link.

 

[el henry]

Well, it is in TCC/BOrser's interest she has ;-)

Ekaterina is a lovely exuberant skater and it is in everyone's interest that she skate as long as she should.

This is Ekaterina's Fan Fest, so, go Ekaterina:hap85: Go TCC, her chosen coaching team:hap85:

 

[flanker]

Well, it is easy to call for the rising the age eligibility to 17, whe you are already 17

(To be honest I'm slightly bitter about this topic. After Europeans Eliška Březinová was asked about this topic - of course czech journalists never miss an opportunity - and she said how it would be more fair and all, how the young girls this and Russia that. Though she missed to add - and nobody remembered to her - that she herself skated at Europeans for the first time at the age of 15. Was it also that bad and unfair? Or it is bad and unfair just when somebody we don't like does that?)

 

[el henry]

Well, it is easy to call for the rising the age eligibility to 17, whe you are already 17

(To be honest I'm slightly bitter about this topic. After Europeans Eliška Březinová was asked about this topic - of course czech journalists never miss an opportunity - and she said how it would be more fair and all, how the young girls this and Russia that. Though she missed to add - and nobody remembered to her - that she herself skated at Europeans for the first time at the age of 15. Was it also that bad and unfair? Or it is bad and unfair just when somebody we don't like does that?)

And since you are posting in Ekaterina's FF, I am certain you support her "easy call" 100%:agree:

Go Ekaterina:hap85:

 

[Fluture]

No, it was not about her skating. The whole tone of the questions and interpretation of the answers in this interview struck me as slightly indecent, gossipy, yellow pages like.

And I don't know about the reputation of this publication, so thought it best to leave only the link.

I don‘t understand Russian and the translation I used was via google translate so I don‘t know about tone obviously, I‘m happy to understand to understand the gist. So, I‘m sorry if I misunderstood you, I thought you meant she was being pretentious because I wouldn‘t have agreed with that.

 

[Fluture]

Well, it is easy to call for the rising the age eligibility to 17, whe you are already 17

Honestly, I can‘t say it any more respectfully but this comment really annoys me. Sorry.

You realize Katia went through a lot of hardships to even compete at these Europeans in the first place? She waited more than two years and if the age limit was, say, 18, she would easily wait some more time without complaining. She said it herself, she didn‘t even dream of Euros or Worlds, all she wanted was to compete internationally. She fought hard for her eligibility and if she says it would be better for athletes long term if the age limit was raised, this isn‘t jealousy or trying to keep her Russian competition in juniors (what use would that even be - it‘s not like there‘s not enough great girls in Russia over 17) it is what she really believes. She is an athlete, she will know better than any of us how competing at 15 and 17 is different, how pushing too hard when you‘re young can lead to a quick burnout.

As for Eliska. Let’s be honest - she wouldn‘t beat the “old“ (17+...) Russians either, so what motives could she possibly have other than genuine concern for these young athletes? It baffles me how the “but she competed at 15 too!“ argument is so popular. Yes, obviously, she did because it was allowed back then. Does that make it right? If the age limit had been 17, she would have waited, as simple as that. For me the fact that things were like that in the past and people got to take advantage of that is no argument not to change anything in the future. The arguments Katia presented, an active athlete herself, however, do make sense.

But obviously, as elhenry pointed out, this is Katia‘s fanfest, so probably not the right place to discuss that. I will continue to support her and am happy she dares to speak her mind. She‘s gone through more than I had thought and god knows she‘s earned it. You go, Katia! :agree:

 

[flanker]

And since you are posting in Ekaterina's FF, I am certain you support her "easy call" 100%:agree:

Go Ekaterina:hap85:

I am posting here not due to consent but due to the fact the interview with that particular opinion was linked here

 

[flanker]

Honestly, I can‘t say it any more respectfully but this comment really annoys me.

This honestly wasn't the idea. When I say I don't care whether this annoys you, I don't say it because my intention is to annoy you, but because that's totally not the case to annoy anybody. It was my opinion about the statement itself (becuase that's the fact that some change doesn't affect you personally, it is not such a big deal to stand for it, it's no disrespect towards her, just fact), not about what you personally think about it. It just has no value for anybody else's opinion. As you say, I can't say it any more respectfully.

 

[Fluture]

It was my opinion about the statement itself (becuase that's the fact that some change doesn't affect you personally, it is not such a big deal to stand for it, it's no disrespect towards her, just fact), not about what you personally think

Honestly, I have no idea whatsoever what you were trying to say with this whole post. But I do have to say that it’s kind of ironic that you open a sentence saying it was only your opinion only to go on telling about “facts“. No, it’s not a fact that her talking about this is not “such a big deal“. It’s an opinion and you’re free to voice it. But sometimes people will disagree with it. And I‘m sure your intention wasn‘t to annoy anybody (as that would be totally childish) but sometimes we all end up doing that.

Anyway, this has no place here and I‘ll go back to supporting Katia as I‘m sure your original intention was as well. :agree:

 

[icetug]

No, it was not about her skating. The whole tone of the questions and interpretation of the answers in this interview struck me as slightly indecent, gossipy, yellow pages like.

And I don't know about the reputation of this publication, so thought it best to leave only the link.

That's why I gave a link to the interview in Sport 24 TV which is a longer version of the publication. For me all Katia's words were told in honest, decent and plain-spoken manner. I'm not a native speaker so I may not hear the nuances, but what I could read in comments by Russians no-one found the tone of the interview in the way you did.

 

[DenissVFan]

Katia got 62.49 points in the SP at the junior nationals. She got an entire spin invalidated To my knowledge there was no livestream, so I haven't seen her performance, but if I find a video, I'll post it here.

 

[Fluture]

Katia got 62.49 points in the SP at the junior nationals. She got an entire spin invalidated To my knowledge there was no livestream, so I haven't seen her performance, but if I find a video, I'll post it here.

Oh wow, I wonder how did that happen? What place is she in? I hope she still ends up winning Gold..

 

[DenissVFan]

Oh wow, I wonder how did that happen? What place is she in? I hope she still ends up winning Gold..

She could get all the spins in the SP invalidated and be first, so don't worry. Oliwia Rzepiel, who is second, got 47.58 points.

 

[Fluture]

She could get all the spins in the SP invalidated and be first, so don't worry. Oliwia Rzepiel, who is second, got 47.58 points.

Okay, that‘s good, thank you. Will she go to both Junior and Senior Worlds this season? That‘s a lot of competitions but then again, it‘s probably a dream come true for her. And I am not complaining about any chance I get to watch Katia.

 

[DenissVFan]

Okay, that‘s good, thank you. Will she go to both Junior and Senior Worlds this season? That‘s a lot of competitions but then again, it‘s probably a dream come true for her. And I am not complaining about any chance I get to watch Katia.

Yes, she'll go to both She's the only one with the minimum TES for Worlds. It'll no doubt be exhausting, but I'm sure she's eager to do it now that she has a chance.

 

[icetug]

As I understood from her interview, she was in Moscow till the last minute as she had exams at school to pass. Don't know how much time she had for training lately... Anyway, as she said, she needs to work on her spins thoroughly before both Worlds.

 

[DenissVFan]

No videos yet but here's a photo from yesterday: https://www.instagram.com/p/B8R7NszJvIO/?igshid=15e8eehsdi7rk

 

[DenissVFan]

She scored 184.07 points overall and won. You can find the protocols here: http://www.pfsa.com.pl/results/1920/MPJ0220/index.htm

She did a 3Lz-2T-2Lo combo instead of a 3Lz-eu-3F.

Again, when I find a video, I'll post it here.