Your best bet for the Russian Olympic ladies team

[4everchan]

after the first GPs. it seems to me that the best bet are Kamila, Anna and Liza.

 

[Tinymavy15]

after the first GPs. it seems to me that the best bet are Kamila, Anna and Liza.

Agree. Likely in that order at nationals. and then ooops Sasha comes back from injury and intervenes. Its almost unfathomable that one of the top ladies in the world won't be at the olympics at all.......kind of makes you wonder if any of them will seek represent another country somehow.

 

[skatefan17]

Anna says: Hold my bag!
After skating today, she has the second best score of the season (with an error in the short program), she will score higher when she adds the 4Lz (which landed today in the warm-up).
Never dismiss Anna, when I said that she was a lock, it is because she is very real, the judges love her, she has mental strength, she has recovered her quads, if anyone can be trusted by the Federation, it is her.

I agree. I just feel the others will get it together. Sasha will go all out. I don’t find Anna’s skating to be as consistent this season. We shall see and it will be exciting!

 

[yelyoh]

I'm thinking Kamila, Anna and Sasha and if one fails, then Liza. And if she fails, Maia.

 

[Amei]

after the first GPs. it seems to me that the best bet are Kamila, Anna and Liza.

Third spot I think could still be Trusova - whatever the injury was she was still able to do a complete FS clean at Skate America, she took less than 2 weeks off and is back on the ice based on what's been said, that suggests to me that it was a relatively minor injury. Even if she's not able to back to doing a 3-5 quad program, 1-2 quads is still better BV than Tuktamysheva, if she can go clean at Nationals I don't think they hesitate taking her.

 

[4everchan]

Third spot I think could still be Trusova - whatever the injury was she was still able to do a complete FS clean at Skate America, she took less than 2 weeks off and is back on the ice based on what's been said, that suggests to me that it was a relatively minor injury. Even if she's not able to back to doing a 3-5 quad program, 1-2 quads is still better BV than Tuktamysheva, if she can go clean at Nationals I don't think they hesitate taking her.

she just w/d from nhk...

 

[Amei]

she just w/d from nhk...

Yes, but based on what's been said she is back on the ice. She has 7 weeks to go before Nationals.

 

[apgold]

It changes from week to week. At this point Kamila is most likely a lock. I would say that Anna has a good chance after winning Italy and Liza is also looking good. As for Sasha, it all depends on her recovery from her foot injury.

Maia and Aliona have an outside shot but are dark horses at this point. Daria is lovely and may win NHK but I don't think she will make the team.

 

[however2]

My first impression is it will consist of Kamila Valieva and Anna Shcherbakover with Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, Alexandra Trusover fighting it out for 3 spot. I would put Trusova in the 3 spot. With dark horses of the Daria Usacheva, Maia Khmyrokh, fighting to get in. I thnk they can. It depends on how they skate and who the federation feels would medal the best.

 

[Thrashergurl]

My guess, based on what we are seeing right now and past scoring events:
Kamila
Anna
Sasha (if she’s not injured)

Sasha has the highest scoring potential. Look at Worlds last year. She bombed that SP and the judges gifted her generously in the SP, and she came back to win the LP and land on the podium. At worst she will be bronze. At best she beats the newly anointed golden girl Kamila.

If Sasha is injured then Liza I don’t think Liza is a lock at all.

 

[prorussian fan]

After the Grand Prix series I think the Olympic team could be: Kamila, Anna and Liza.
I really hope Sasha recovers and takes that third place. Liza is very vulnerable and I can see the judges lower her scores in Beijing just to avoid a Russian sweep. At this point that theory that it is being pushed by the judges and then dropped at the Olympics seems very realistic.
Sad for Aliona, but she marked her destiny when she decided to abandon Eteri and go to Plushenko.

 

[ScattyKatty]

Kamila, Liza and Sasha. Would prefer Aliona to either Liza or Sasha. Would be very sad if Anna goes as I strongly dislike absolutely everything about her skating.

 

[macy]

Kamila and Liza are really solidifying their spots. Kamila could even implode at nationals and they'd still take her. Barring injury she's going. I think they'll take Tuk even if she's less than clean at nats (like 1-2 smallish mistakes and is in the top 4 seniors). She's been really steady this season and has had some generous pushing from the judges so they're behind her too. Even if Aliona beats her at nats with 3 3As they still have a case to take Liza over Aliona. Anna is looking like the 3rd pick as she's been steadier than Aliona and Sasha so far and has her quads back. Sasha is a huge question mark right now.

GPF and nats are really going to tell the story and it will be interesting to see how the cards fall.

 

[Artemisa]

Well my bet...
First spot : Kamila will go even if she looses at the national
Second spot: Anna -> even if she doesn't win .. she probably secures the silver medal at the olympics.. the girl is a secure bet because of her mentality
Third spot: The open battle
_ Sasha: a lot of 4 and she depends of them .. but we don't know how is she in the training
_ Liza: they are pushing for her (a little too much maybe because she ws the only one who true need a push) ... but in a direct competition she will loose to Anna, Sasha
_ Kostornaia: she is becoming step by step her old self if she lands 3A ... Russfed will choose her over liza.. why because in the olympics she won't need 3A to win the bronze ... and liza needs them to be third

If I was RussFed ... I will send the 3 competing for the 3 spot to euros and russian cup final and then decide .....

 

[RatedPG]

Kamila and Liza are really solidifying their spots. Kamila could even implode at nationals and they'd still take her. Barring injury she's going. I think they'll take Tuk even if she's less than clean at nats (like 1-2 smallish mistakes and is in the top 4 seniors). She's been really steady this season and has had some generous pushing from the judges so they're behind her too. Even if Aliona beats her at nats with 3 3As they still have a case to take Liza over Aliona. Anna is looking like the 3rd pick as she's been steadier than Aliona and Sasha so far and has her quads back. Sasha is a huge question mark right now.

GPF and nats are really going to tell the story and it will be interesting to see how the cards fall.

I get so annoyed when people put Liza ahead of Anna

Liza has been great the season and I love her. However, people need to really look at the results over the past year and I don’t even see one real reason justifying how Liza can even be justified as solidying a stronger position ahead Anna, leading to GP finals and Russian Nationals. How is Anna the third pick?

Anna has won Russian Nationals for three years in a row. She even beat Kamila last year ; Liza was 7th by the way….
Anna won Worlds, despite struggling in practice. She won over Liza and Sasha and is the World Champion! This means she was the best last season. Number 1. Does this mean anything?
Anna won WTT over Kaori; Liza was great, but, finished in 3rd. Anna completed an undefeated season. Shouldn’t that count for something?

This year, Anna won gold medals in both of her Senior GP events.
Her best score this season is higher than Liza.

How is Liza in a better position than Anna, at this point of the year? I’m really curious to know how someone can justify this point of view and how they can be serious, think of this, and then post it in a chat thread. My mind is sometimes shocked at the thought process of some people on this board.

 

[Matthew]

Of course, Anna is better than Liza (look at the scores) and will have precedence over Liza in going to the Olympics. Don't listen to people who don't like Anna's skating for whatever reasons. They are disqualifying themselves in regard to being rational.

 

[yume]

Valieva (At this point, even if she bombs at nats, i see fed giving her a spot)
Shcherbakova (Fed supports her. Her free skate score will do the job).
Trusova (i just don't see her missing olys. She will come back in full force at nats and landings 3 quads thus closing the gap with Tukt after the SP.)

1st alternate: Tuktamysheva (Will be 2nd after the SP but the 37 and 75 pcs she'll get will be just enough for alternate place).
2nd alternate: Will get 160+ in FS but it won't be enough because Tukt will have too much lead after the SP.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Anna and Liza's scores this season have been close enough that I wouldn't put one ahead of the other until we see them head-to-head at the GPF and Russian Nationals. I think they're the heavy favorites for spots #2 and #3; Anna has posted the highest score this season of anyone not named Kamila, and Liza's worst score this season would be the highest in the world outside of Russia.

 

[Azikin]

My prediction from October 15, 2018 still stands:
1. Scherbakova
2. Kostornaya
3. Valieva

 

[nussnacker]

My prediction from October 15, 2018 still stands:
1. Scherbakova
2. Kostornaya
3. Valieva

Mine is Kamila, Anna and Aliona/Sasha. A lot will depend on how Aliona does at GPF.