Watching Elizaveta Tuktamysheva this season has been fascinating. I was lucky enough to catch her live early on at the 2014 Hilton Honors Skate America in Chicago, Illinois. She placed 2nd in that event. Even though it was a bit of a shaky skate for her there one couldn’t help but notice her huge jumps and impressive ice coverage. That, and her strategic approach to the competition. For example, instead of going for the Triple Lutz/Triple Toe combo like all the other girls (most of whom struggle with it by the way) she does the much easier Triple Toe/Triple Toe combo instead. The thing is, she almost always nails it and accumulates extra points for placing it late in the program. Even though she hadn’t hit her stride yet at Skate America you could clearly see that Elizaveta is an exquisitely packaged skater. She skates programs that she can sell, wears dresses that flatter her athletic build and all her elements are things that not only she can do, but she can do exceptionally well. Her Triple Lutz is my pick for the best Lutz in the competition at Worlds this year, hands down. And yeah OK, her spin positions suck, I can admit it, but they are fast and centred and garner a lot of technical points as well. When I saw her at Skate America I noticed all of this, but I didn’t love her, yet as the season continued on and she took title after title and I watched her get more and more consistent, I began to feel smitten by her sassy, almost cocky kind of style. She has the goods to back it up. By the time she wiped out the competition at the Grand Prix Final AND Europeans I knew (like everyone else) we had a World Champion on our hands.
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva SP Worlds 2015 HERE
How about that Short Program huh? I haven’t seen a Triple Axle like that since Tonya Hardings salad days back in 1991! And lets get serious, Tonya never had that kind of grace with her jumps. Elizaveta is the most exciting female World Champion in a long time and it has been inspiring to watch her build to this all season. Bravo Eliza!
OK, so what about the other Russian ladies?
We’ve got Elena Radionova, our Bronze medalist this year.
I was also lucky to catch her live at Skate America early on this season. She won that event and as I watched her skate then I felt the same way I do now. I hate her skating style but admire her jump technique. Not a ton of height, but fast, tight air position with precise, clear edges. And consistent!! Whew! That girl has a technique that she can count on, and I respect that. It’s also hard not to love her genuine, uncontrived passion for skating. It’s endearing, no doubt. But her flailing arms and stiff shoulders really distract me. It takes away from that admirable technique and really reveals her immaturity. She IS only 15 years old though, and has absolutely gorgeous long legs and a flexible back, so I keep her on my radar. Certainly one to watch develop. There’s potential there.
Oh God, then there is poor Anna Pogorilaya, the 3rd ranked Russian, who ended up in a dismal 13th place this year. Holy Torture Porn Batman! This girl takes the most brutal falls in competition, have you noticed this? This Long Program was no exception.
I actually don’t blame her though. I feel she is a huge talent who is being horribly mismanaged. Here is a girl who is BEAUTIFUL, just a stunning figure on the ice. She has considerable athletic ability and is totally capable of first rate elements. But these programs….AWFUL. A beautiful blonde skating to dark, almost angry, classical selections in dated costumes. It’s a CRIME! She always looks like she’s skating for her life. She appears stressed and frantic trying to keep up to that awful music. And I swear to God her coach……
Anna Tsareva…..? Who is she…? She looks pure evil man. Such cool eyes and she doesn’t seem to feel any empathy for her student at all either. I like Pogorilaya, but she needs better suited programs for herself and some more modern dresses. With the right team this girl could be a major player! We’ll have to see what happens with her. My fingers are crossed that she finds an identity for herself next season.
Satoko Miyahara from Japan earned the Silver.
What can I say? Great athletics and classy style. I loved her changes in speed, her edges, her spins. She has lovely, clean jumps for the most part as well. This is really my first time paying her any attention this season, I have to admit, she just wasn’t on my radar before….I’m not sure why. She really rose to the occasion here at Worlds though. There was an awkward stumble on a Lutz in the middle of her Long Program, but she didn’t let it phase her at all. It was an impressive recovery. Over all I kind of hated the program, unfortunately. Cheesy music, am I right? She’s better than that program. Satoko Miyahara has got some serious skating chops, no question, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of her next season.
Japanese girls are really bringing it in general right now don’t you think? It’s because of prodigy Mao Asada’s impact on skating in Japan right? They have a true legend in the sport to aspire to. It’s wonderful to see.
Well what about the Americans?
We have the hugely talented Gracie Gold who managed to move up to 4th place after a tough Short Program,
the insufferable Ashley Wagner rising up to 5th after an even worse Short Program,
and the under-rated Polina Edmunds in 8th after two solid skates…
All of these girls are good. All are typically American in that they have stylish programs and even more stylish costumes. Wagner particularly has exquisite choreography in both her programs. Wagner is dressed great, she looks GREAT, however her larger-than-life personality over shadows her skating package some of the time.
I would admire her gutsy commitment to the sport and her competitive spirit a lot more if she was less cocky about it. You would think she was known for her jumps the way she talks smack, yet I watched her fail to deliver a solid Triple/Triple combination at this key championship….again. Ashley’s melodrama and theatrics feel cheesy sometimes to me…am I crazy here?
That shit doesn’t don’t make up for her lack of technical prowess in comparison to the rest of the field, not in in my books. She could stand to take a page from the Elizaveta Tuktamysheva book of strategy and maybe try for the Triple Toe/Triple Toe combo instead of the Lutz? Would her ego allow her to go in that direction I wonder? I guess we will see.
Now Gracie Gold can fucking jump, am I right? She’s the only girl on the scene who can even compare to the likes of Elizaveta Tuktamysheva in that department. When she cracks off those jumps it’s exciting! Gracie was another gal I was lucky enough to catch at Skate America this season. Very interesting. Talk about a package. Gracie. Gold. I mean, she IS the package.
Gracie is old school. She’s sparkly. Gracie doesn’t try to be a ballerina or an actress, she’s a figure skater. I wish more of the girls had the clarity of image that she has……Anyway, it’s been a tough season for her, she hasn’t been skating to her potential. So after that rough Short Program I was proud of her for attacking the Free Skate like she did. Do you guys like this program by the way? It’s not my favourite for Gracie. Too emo and too Phantom.
Here’s a thought. How about an automatic .5 deduction for skating to Phantom of the Opera or Carmen? Who’s with me?
She committed to it though and skated with sophistication. Girl has got the goods. I strongly believe that Gracie Gold will be a World Champion someday.
But what about the strange and enchanting Polina Edmunds….Oooohhhhhh.
She is SUCH a fascinating weirdo. I’m in love with her quick feet and soft arms. She has a patient technique with her jumps too, don’t you find? It seems to consistently work for her. She may be a little rough here and there, in her head to get the elements done sometimes, but she is so charismatic and focused. Wow. Look out for that one. She’s going to be a big player down the road..I’m calling it now. The judges were overly harsh on her at this event though, do you agree? Didn’t she deserve higher marks in general? A lot of people seem to think so…..Either way, Polina Edmunds is one worth discussing.
What did you think about the ladies event? What got your attention?
Omg….then there’s the MENS event right? Jesus, it was crazy too wasn’t it?
That’s another post.
Until then….bend your knees and keep your back straight!
xo
HBelle
Edgy 