2019 Russian Ladies World Team Selection

[makebelieveup]

I feel like Alina skated clean whenever she isnt seen as the ultimate gold contender. She bombs whenever she knows she has to be perfect to win and because her health/technique is failing her. Last season, she was the rookie in the senior circuit and so the underdog to Zhenya. she even admitted this herself that it was way easier for her the first season. the reason she started bombing at Worlds was due to being seen as undefeated. I feel like Zhenya's presence/absence was definitely one of the factors but the real factor comes down to having someone else to share that pressure. For example, she started bombing at Worlds bc she was the OGM and undefeated up until then. Then she skated well beginning of this season at competitions where the field isnt that deep. Then she lost at GPF after everyone knew about Rika's scoring potential at NHk. She bombed again at Rus Nats when the juniors were chasing her esp after knowing Anna's results. So at Worlds this time, I think like she would feel abit less pressured compared to GPF or Euro since Rika is now sharing that pressure and spotlight. If she bombs its more so a matter of her health condition/technique failing. 

[EisElle]

I'm honestly dumbfounded. I guess Liza wasn't the only one being naive. Why did they even waited these two days and make drama escalate even more if they had no intention to wait till Universiade for Stasya? Well, I'm glad at least the skaters can now focus on worlds. Tho the circumstances aren't good...

(oh Brian, couldn't you leave out the 'fair' part? I understand and approve supporting your skater in front of media, but that word really rubs people the wrong way rn, with the whole decision-making process being so debatable).

Sad for Liza. What more could have she done?

And does Rusfed really want to pass the message that skaters must skate at Nats even when sick and injured, because if they don't skate (or crawl) there all the hard work and results outside that one comp they missed (not because they chose to but because of serious health issue)don't matter? And yes, I wonder, if Evgenia had been in Liza's place, would have they really let one point difference in scores in one local comp decide who to send? (Likely not)

 

(people who atm don't feel particularly benevolent towards Zhenya can skip the spoiler)  

Spoiler

Well, I'm happy for Zhenya because I'm sure she was eager to go and being sent makes her very happy and is firing her up, but now I also worry about the pressure she'll put on herself to prove to everyone that she is worthy. It could easily end in a IDF 2.0

while I think she's found some sort of serenity and it looks like she is learning to not let a mistake throw her off, she must know the stakes are sky-high and many people will jump at her mercilessly if she puts half a foot wrong in Saitama. Well, I hope she can shut out noise more effectively than she did in France)

 

 

@shanshani I agree that it looked like Zhenya was recovering from the bumps in first half of the season, but truth is that Liza was in upward trajectory after her pneumonia, too. If she had showed no improvement at all after her first after-illness competition, I would have understood, but she did so much better in russian cup, to me it looked like she could replicate the same successful trajectory she had the first half of the season.

Also, she is less at the mercy of tech panel than Zhenya atm. True, Zhenya has higher scoring potential and an undeniable pcs cushion (tho it's to be seen how much it would hold on if she didn't skate well again), but this season she hasn't really come close to that high potential, not even once (well unless we want to count the russian cup fin but even there she wasn't flawless, at all), so tbh I expected Rusfed to choose stability and reliability over scoring potential, this time....as I said, IMO Liza's most recent comps suggests she was back on track.

I'm surprised and tbh disappointed at the overhelming majority of fed people who picked Zhenya over Liza for the team. With available data, I can't think of that overhelming majority as something logic.

 

Also...idk I hope Alina and Zhenya competing together again won't be unnecessary additional stress for the ladies... this season, whenever Alina vs Zhenya drama ensued things didn't go so well for them...

 

Wishing all the russian representatives to show their best.

(OT but hoping for Misha in particular to do well, too)

I don't think there are high chances of russian ladies losing a spot, but you never know....well maybe, on a second thought, I do glimpse some sense in Fed choosing another skater (other than Alina) who can score decently even with bad skates...there is Sofia for stability(it feels like she'd be some kind of lifeline for the fed) and then two high potential but wildly unpredictable...BUT there are not so many ladies who are scored better than a Zhenya (or an Alina) with a couple of falls....and e.g. among the 12 ladies with higher SB than Zhenya, 5 won't be in Saitama....maybe, choosing Zhenya, the Fed is being more conservative than I thought...as in, "assuming our skaters do badly, how to manage to keep the spots....easy, I send skaters who can still score well enough (compared to a Satoko, a Bradie, a Mariah, a Llilbet)!". And if they do well, I believe Zhenya is a potential gold contender too. Atm I'd say it's unlikely, but if international judges are even remotely eager to throw points at her, clean Zhenya can easily score better than clean Kaori (which, ngl, would make me extremely upset. I love both but atm and with their programs and under this scoring system, Kaori shouldn't score less than clean Zhenya. Using Kaori as example because they have quite a similar jumps layout).

 

This of course doesn't make the whole thing any fairer for Liza tho 

[hopeandlegacy2018]

If what happened to Liza happens to Yuzu. I can’t even imagine how sad and angry I would be. It seems like most people who are rooting for Liza like Evegrnia more anyways, so it’s easier for people to cope with this situation at least. 

[Yume]

4 minutes ago, hopeandlegacy2018 said:

If what happened to Liza happens to Yuzu. I can’t even imagine how sad and angry I would be. It seems like most people who are rooting for Liza like Evegrnia more anyways, so it’s easier for people to cope with this situation at least. 

I can't imagine reactions if the situation was reversed. Medvedeva having the season that Liza has and being left at home because fed gave her spot to someone whom first not too bad competition of the season is a late domestic one.

[wpisces]

30 minutes ago, Yume said:

I hope she slays.

I hope she doesn't die. 

[hopeandlegacy2018]

12 minutes ago, Yume said:

I can't imagine reactions if the situation was reversed. Medvedeva having the season that Liza has and being left at home because fed gave her spot to someone whom first not too bad competition of the season is a late domestic one.

 

Then we’ll probably see horrible things done to Coach Eteri and Alina for no reason. Wasn’t a Russian female skater’s car burnt at one point in history? At least everyone will be safe if Liza is left home, World peace is the most important.

[Paskud]

23 minutes ago, makebelieveup said:

I feel like Alina skated clean whenever she isnt seen as the ultimate gold contender. She bombs whenever she knows she has to be perfect to win and because her health/technique is failing her. Last season, she was the rookie in the senior circuit and so the underdog to Zhenya. she even admitted this herself that it was way easier for her the first season. the reason she started bombing at Worlds was due to being seen as undefeated. I feel like Zhenya's presence/absence was definitely one of the factors but the real factor comes down to having someone else to share that pressure. For example, she started bombing at Worlds bc she was the OGM and undefeated up until then. Then she skated well beginning of this season at competitions where the field isnt that deep. Then she lost at GPF after everyone knew about Rika's scoring potential at NHk. She bombed again at Rus Nats when the juniors were chasing her esp after knowing Anna's results. So at Worlds this time, I think like she would feel abit less pressured compared to GPF or Euro since Rika is now sharing that pressure and spotlight. If she bombs its more so a matter of her health condition/technique failing. 

You forgot about one thing. It is Alina's only second senior season. Outside of GPS 2017 Alina never had this sweet gap Med used to have between her and anybody else in the world. There always was someone (Med or Rika) who was direct competitor for her.

[Yume]

3 minutes ago, wpisces said:

I hope she doesn't die. 

She will live.

[yuzuangel]

21 minutes ago, hopeandlegacy2018 said:

If what happened to Liza happens to Yuzu. I can’t even imagine how sad and angry I would be. It seems like most people who are rooting for Liza like Evegrnia more anyways, so it’s easier for people to cope with this situation at least. 

Hell would be raised lol

[Paskud]

25 minutes ago, LadyLou said:

(oh Brian, couldn't you leave out the 'fair' part? I understand and approve supporting your skater in front of media, but that word really rubs people the wrong way rn, with the whole decision-making process being so debatable).

I'm very glad Zazura doesn't allow Brian talk too much about him.

[Fay]

If Liza had had the career trajectory Zhenya has had up to this season, she’d have been invincible in this situation too. The trouble is Liza’s career has always been up and down - and mostly down at that - so now she has been pushed aside for a bigger star with a more impressive record. You may hate it, but that’s what the sport is about. She had three impressive seasons in the seniors and she was sure to be held up for some time. 

Ironically, if Alina had delivered at the Europeans, this situation would never have arisen as Sonya would have been the one to get sacrificed alongside Stasya. Now if Stasya had delivered, that would have created a lot more curious situation, as the girl has got quite some connections, apparently... 

[Yume]

I guess that Mishin didn't expected that his skater that he will see at worlds would be Samodurova, and not Liza. Things happen...

 

That reminds me that luck....and strong favoritism can play a big part in the success of skaters. 

[Yume]

2 minutes ago, Fay said:

If Liza had had the career trajectory Zhenya has had up to this season, she’d have been invincible in this situation too. The trouble is Liza’s career has always been up and down - and mostly down at that - so now she has been pushed aside for a bigger star with a more impressive record. You may hate it, but that’s what the sport is about. She had three impressive seasons in the seniors and she was sure to be held up for some time. 

Ironically, if Alina had delivered at the Europeans, this situation would never have arisen as Sonya would have been the one to get sacrificed alongside Stasya. Now if Stasya had delivered, that would have created a lot more situation, as the girl has got quite some connections, apparently... 

Well, that stills disgusting.

[wpisces]

2 minutes ago, Fay said:

If Liza had had the career trajectory Zhenya has had up to this season, she’d have been invincible in this situation too. The trouble is Liza’s career has always been up and down - and mostly down at that - so now she has been pushed aside for a bigger star with a more impressive record. You may hate it, but that’s what the sport is about. She had three impressive seasons in the seniors and she was sure to be held up for some time. 

Ironically, if Alina had delivered at the Europeans, this situation would never have arisen as Sonya would have been the one to get sacrificed alongside Stasya. Now if Stasya had delivered, that would have created a lot more curious situation, as the girl has got quite some connections, apparently... 

Thank god, Stasya didn't deliever. She would have been burned alive. Even as a placeholder, she already got so much bashing and hatred. 

[hopeandlegacy2018]

12 minutes ago, Paskud said:

I'm very glad Zazura doesn't allow Brian talk too much about him.

 

But Yuzu will probably be more loved and popular if Brian helps him more on the PR side. I think Brian’s PR is quite useful for “casual” fans - He has done wonders for Javi at least. Of course big agencies like IMG have great expertise in promoting atheletes.

 

I don’t like how Brian used to “use” Yuzu and Yuna to promote his other skaters in front of media. But that’s his job. He’s a good businessman.