Russian Ladies Team for EC 2015: facts, speculations and drama

[NaVi]

This was just tweeted out by @figureskatingRu.

http://www.gazeta.ru/sport/news/2014/12/22/n_6769477.shtml

Basically, if Sotnikova is selected for the European Championships then she will have to skate at a B event first... with one in Poland being being the most likely venue.

 

[Snow63]

If the 3rd russian lady hasn't beaten the #1 and #2 Russian lady all season then there's no reason to believe the 3rd Russian lady could EASILY win Euros or even World... unless it's she's on the upswing and it's a close 3rd place.

It depends. Who will be third? What will be circumstances? etc.
My point was that every Russian Top girl has everything to win there: technique, talent, reputation, high PBs, high PCS.

 

[Snow63]

This was just tweeted out by @figureskatingRu.

http://www.gazeta.ru/sport/news/2014/12/22/n_6769477.shtml

Basically, if Sotnikova is selected for the European Championships then she will have to skate at a B event first... with one in Poland being being the most likely venue.

Yes, it's true. Thanks. I will add this to OP later.
We also have 'closed skates'. They can watch her there Kidding. Sort of.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Wouldn't it make for some really good and extra buttery if somehow Yulia and Anna can get 1st and 2nd at nationals. The whole landscape would shift in one competition. Unlikely...maybe....but possible....why not. I think even Sima and Zhenia can challenge for second.

 

[Snow63]

Wouldn't it make for some really good and extra buttery if somehow Yulia and Anna can get 1st and 2nd at nationals. The whole landscape would shift in one competition. Unlikely...maybe....but possible....why not. I think even Sima and Zhenia can challenge for second.

That would be PRICELESS. And I think it's possible.

 

[Sandpiper]

Thank you for making this thread. It's been a bit annoying, having the speculation clutter up the Russian Ladies' thread.

On the topic of scores: Adelina's at the Russian Cup event were ridiculous and inflated, but her skate wasn't really worse than anything Yulia did this season, or anything Anna did past the first GP.

 

[Snow63]

Thank you for making this thread. It's been a bit annoying, having the speculation clutter up the Russian Ladies' thread.

On the topic of scores: Adelina's at the Russian Cup event were ridiculous and inflated, but her skate wasn't really worse than anything Yulia did this season, or anything Anna did past the first GP.

Yulia has highest score in SP this season. And she consistently score high. She just needs to work on her FP, I think she will surprise us pretty soon.

 

[Crossover]

A bit apples and oranges, but interesting to note: Had the Russian fed used the USFSA criteria (http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...ps-Now-Known&p=1052123&viewfull=1#post1052123), Adelina woud not be a factor at all since the Olympics is not part of the criteria:

Under this criteria, Yulia has a strong case to go as reigning European champ. So does Liza (as GPF gold medalist) and Elena (Jr. Worlds Gold Medalist). Anna doesn't have strong as a case, but she had some decent results at Worlds.

Your analysis is very interesting!

 

[Sandpiper]

Yulia has highest score in SP this season. And she consistently score high. She just needs to work on her FP, I think she will surprise us pretty soon.

Well, I was mainly talking about their LPs.

I wouldn't rule out Yulia skating lights out at Nationals (or Anna doing the same--though I'd be surprised if she outright wins). But pretty much all these speculations are based on Yulia and Anna not doing their best at Nationals. If they do, I doubt there's any chance of Adelina making the team, so we'd be talking about nothing.

 

[FlattFan]

Top 3 should go. That's the fairest way. This isn't the year where the Olympics spots are on the line. At least pretend to be fair.

 

[LisaM]

Based on the results I've seen this season so far, if they want to send the strongest three they'll have to go for Liza, Elena and Yulia.

 

[OS]

Surprised nobody point out the obvious. If you are to apply a rule, apply them equally not selectively.

According to Alexander Lakernik (Vice President of Russia skating federation / Chairman of the ISU Technical Committee - who made all the tech calls at the ladies event. Conflict of interest much?), given he ignored all the Flutz of Julia and Adelina equally and were instrumental to the final outcome, he should also give them equal OGM 'privileges', and remember Julia is an OGM too. In which case, the third spot should go to who ever WINS the nationals, or come 2nd (if Julia wins). Thus only either Liza and Elena or who ever wins the event get to go. Not both, even if they win 1st and 2nd and Julia came 3rd or even dead last.

If Adelina deserve a free pass because of her OGM, so does Julia. Russia federation politics is mucky! The fact we assume Julia will come 3rd (via VP's predictions / manage judges expectations, hardly fair) and won't be selected just shows everything that is wrong with the sport...it is sad, one can practically predict how RSF will rank their skater's PCS now according to federation favourtism before they even skated. Adelina always get preferential treatment when skate at home, and it is her inflated mark that always caught my eyes especially at Russia Nationals. Julia has always been bigger threat to Adelina's legitimacy (popularity) than Liza or Elena, to the point I felt her recent fall in stock seems rather artificial, as if she doesn't have the backing of her federation any more. If I recall Russia nationals 2012, 2014 were controversial where many felt Julia should have won, not Adelina, although the overmarking was hilariously inflated in 2014... obviously pave the way for Sochi inflation. I am glad Eteri spoke out, she NEED to protect her skaters because quite clearly there are those who looking to exploit any chinks in their armour.

 

[TuTU9678]

So... I'm stealing the Japanese selection criteria for Worlds & 4 Continents. They look at a combination of the following factors:
1st Spot. Nationals Champion guaranteed
2nd Spot. Any skater among top 2 in GPF and 2nd and 3rd at Nationals
3rd Spot. Any skater meeting any of the criteria for 2nd spot + 4th~6th placement at nationals + ISU world ranking top 3 Japanese + ISU top 3 Japanese in season best score
They also added a note saying that skaters who have obtained top 3 in worlds previously but were unable to meet criteria above due to injury this season will be considered as well.

Super complicated! To apply that to Russian ladies:
-Ranking among Russian girls (Actual competition ranking in brackets)

__________World Ranking___GPF 2014___ISU S.B.________OLY___________WC 2014____Euro2014
Yulia______1(2)____________4(5)_______5(9) [185.18]____2(5-S) & 1(T)___1(2)_______1(1)
Liz________2(4)____________1(1)_______2(2) [203.58]____--____________ --_________--
Adelina____3(6)____________--_________3*(--) [196.31]__1(S)___________--_________2(2)
Elena______4(7)____________2(2)_______1(1) [203.92]____--____________1*(J.1)_____--
Anna P.____5(8)____________3(4)_______3(4) [191.81]____--____________2(4)________--
Anna L.____6(13)___________--_________4(8) [186.71]____--____________--__________3(4)

Looks like Yulia still wins in terms of overall credentials, but no denying that she's having a horrible season by her standards. Adelina is a question mark. Liz and Elena the best this season but doesn't have the past senior major credentials to back them up. 2 Anna's waiting for their opportunity. Poor Russian Fed, no matter what they decide, there's gonna be some angry fans.

 

[Krunchii]

This is really complicated, my thoughts up until Russian Nats so far is just that no matter what happens, there will be someone I'll be heartbroken over. Personally I think Adelina should just sit out, her getting a spot over other girls who have competed all season does seem a little unfair even though scoring potential wise, she has the highest. Yulia is obviously having a mental block with her LP since her SP seems to be doing just fine for her. How is her 3Lo? Maybe she should do that in the SP and just focus on the 3Lz instead of trying to get the 3F in there, just to avoid edge calls. I'd hate to see the current Euros champ not go back and defend her title.

And I agree that it's hard to equate the team medal and the individual medal for Olympics. But we can't only look at medals, we have to look at their respective performances too. I don't support Adelina's gold medal but she is a very worthy Olympic medalist because she was definitely among the top 3, if Yulia had skated the way she did in the team event in the individual event she would have an individual medal of her own too. Yulia was the lady who performed indisputably best in the team event.

 

[darazam]

Original article about Tsareva's opinion was deleted at Sovsport.

 

[schlumpy]

Now Yulia have made her statement about the whole thing.
http://itar-tass.com/sport/1665625
Understandble with google translate.

 

[Alba]

Now Yulia have made her statement about the whole thing.
http://itar-tass.com/sport/1665625
Understandble with google translate.

Can somebody translate please? Snow?

 

[Mista Ekko]

Meh

 

[Fayruza]

Can somebody translate please? Snow?

What Yulia says is that her task is skate and perform as well as she can, while the Federation will do the picking out. If she gets to the Euros, she does, if she doesn't, it's her own fault - it's not the end of the world, she'll try to get to the Worlds and she won't quite retire at 16. It was both her and Eteri's decision to skate this year. And she won't be ashamed to lose to such good skaters she has to compete with.

 

[OS]

Good attitude Julia. Good to set the record straight, take charge and take responsibilities.

On a second thought, I think I can understand why RSF appear to want to repress Julia's chances to compete at Europeans Championship. Julia is the reigning European Champion, the greatest threat to Adelina's chances for her first major ISU championship title... other than at the Olympics. Necessary Evil?