My apologies for the tacky and sloppy skating you are about to witness. Plenty of newer fans are crazy about the Russian Ladies. While I refuse to acknowledge the existence of the Russian Men, I will post these as many of them at least leave an impression one way or the other. They are distinguishable. Unfortunately, Ksenia Makarova was unable to defend her title. The Russian Ladies will enter worlds hoping to secure three spots for a day when the senior ladies are talent...it can only help the seniors to have that third spot around. They will certainly need to up their game.
Mishin's influence continues to eat away at Russian skating. While the ladies certainly do not enjoy a storied tradition, the number of gloves and tacky-Volchkova knockoffs is disturbing.. There are a few hidden gems in this bunch.
Recap
Long Program Scores
Overall Results:
1. Adelina Sotnikova (197.44)
2. Alena Leonova (187.68)
3. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (180.71)
4. Julia Lipnitskaya (176.27)
5. Ksenia Makarova (173.91)
Videos after the jump.
Adelina Sotnikova
Alena Leonova
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
Julia Lipnitskaya
Ksenia Makarova
Polina Agafonova
Polina Shelepen
Polina Korobeynikova
Sofia Biryukova
are my eye deceiving me or is elizaveta's jumping order really 3 lutz 3 lutz followed by 3 flip 3 flip? at least it looks like a flip... kind of a strange entry.
ReplyDeleteRe: Unfortunately, Ksenia Makarova was unable to defend her title.
ReplyDeleteWhat's so unfortunate about that?
She is a lovely skater and it hurts her and the Eussian ladies politically entering the Worlds when they can't win their own Nationals.
ReplyDeleteMakarova did not deserve to win at all. Her skating is really pedestrian and the program is very dated, and the construction is just awful.
ReplyDeleteI liked Sotnikova, Lipnitskaya and Sheveleva. Korobeynikova was good also, but does not have the tech.
Lipnitskaya is my favorite at the moment. But she's 12.
ReplyDeleteWhatever points Alyona Leonova gets with me for being different, she loses for prancing in excess.[Why does the COP have no deduction for this?]
ReplyDeleteMishin has no taste... he's a pretty decent athletic trainer, but you can see it in his demeanor: his typical russian hyper-masculine bullshit renders him incapable of seeing the program as anything but filler between jumps. I want to see Tarasova rescue Tuktamysheva from him - she's the only one who could.
If the rest of the girls are sloppy it's because they are girls. Ksenia is not a girl, however. I think her presentation has a certain maturity to it, even as she just sorta does a lot of crossovers - there's something to be said for affect. Wish the jumps were there...
Has anyone ever remarked up on the fact that Liza looks exactly like Johnny Weir?
ReplyDeleteUsually I like your taste Aunt or I can understand but Ksenia. Right now there is nothing special about her. It's not unfortunate that Ksenia didn't win. She needs to work on her artistry, footwork and so on. She rushes through moves that mean nothing. Liking Adelina the best although like all of them needs work.
ReplyDeleteAdelina Sotnikova has impressive jumps...but her skating is sloppy and who knows what will happen when puberty hits her.
ReplyDeleteyess!! i was just about to comment that Liza looks JUST like Johnny Weir. uncanny
ReplyDeleteOkay, which is of Leonova's three flips are intended to be a lutz because I can't tell! It just looks like she did three 3flips. Does anyone know?
ReplyDeleteLeonova's reaction at the end was kind of adorable... She really skated great compared to what she did on the GP.
ReplyDeleteSotnikova was wonderful--at doing tricks. During the entire program she skated from one end of the rink to the other doing jump after jump. That watered down the program's possibilities. Coupled with the pedestrian music selection, the tricks were all she had, which is enough in the COP. She does have a fantastically classic ballerina presence on the ice. Loved the 3Z/3L!
ReplyDeleteHow is rondo cappriccioso pedestrian?
ReplyDeleteThe tempo of the music was wayyyy too slow and it's just too obvious. It is pedestrian, lacking originality. Just my opinion. It's junior music to me.
ReplyDeleteWow she could be Johnny's twin sister! Unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteGod, Julia's axel technique is atrocious--she's cutting herself off, no kick through, turned in...it honestly looks dangerous. I really hope she can fix that soon. I love her skating though...
ReplyDeleteIt amuses me that Julia Lipnitskaya and Tara Lipinski have similar last names, because they have rather similar axel (and salchow) technique. The rest of Lipnitskaya's skating reminds me of Sasha Cohen's, though.
ReplyDelete