Net rental: Medvedeva won the short program in Konstantinova and Tuktamysheva in the Russian Cup final

In less than a month, the world championship in figure skating starts in Saitama, Japan. Despite the proximity of the main tournament of the year, the composition of the women's national team of Russia is still not completely formed. If the current Olympic champion Alina Zagitova and the winner of the European Championship Sofia Samodurova almost guaranteed a trip to Japan, then the fate of the third ticket remains unclear.

Thus, successful performance in the Cup final of the country can tip the balance in favor of one of the three contenders for a place in the team - Evgenia Medvedeva, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva or Stanislav Konstantinova.

By the will of the lot, Medvedev and Tuktamyshev were identified in the first warm-up, which made the athletes appear on the ice before their direct rival. The first to present her short program was Eugene, who, like at the Russian Championship, performed a composition from the opera Tosca by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini.

Unlike the December tournament, she skated much cleaner and did not make any major mistakes. The judges particularly appreciated the cascade of triple flip and sheepskin coat, for which she received a premium of 1.91 points. She failed her bloat on a double axel, but even she could not prevent the athlete from showing her best result of the season in the short program. Medvedeva received 76.89 points and led the standings.

After her hire, the two-time world champion was in a great mood. According to her, she managed to cope with the psychological pressure and successfully perform in a short program.

“It turned out to be distracted from everything. Of course, before the start I was nervous - fear, insecurity, doubts. I presented them as people and was able to point them to the door. Yes, I have a rich imagination, which is why I often suffer. Tired after rentals go sad, because something did not work. I cannot say that this performance is a super-movement. Short program - just three jumps. Today it turned out, ”Medvedev TASS quotes.

She admitted that lately a lot has changed in her life. However, one innovation is particularly important.

“There is one big change to which I morally let myself down for two years. This is a secret, but related to my body. I think I will tell you in two months - this is my lifestyle. I throw the bait, and only then I say, ”the athlete added.

Following Evgenia, her direct rival Tuktamysheva came out on the ice. Elizabeth hardly gets into shape after a serious illness and so far only reminds herself remotely of the sample of the autumn of 2018. This time, she failed to support the initiative of her boyfriend Andrei Lazukin, who a few hours before the women's tournament won a short program in the men's competition. The figure skater fell while playing a triple axel, after which the first place was no longer talked about. By the way, this very element also did not submit to the Russian woman at the Dragon Trophy tournament in Slovenia, which is victorious for her. Elizabeth received a total of 72.21 points and did not even hit the top three. At 1.73 points it was bypassed by 16-year-old Anastasia Gubanova. The 2015 World Champion was so upset that she refused to talk to the press.

The mistake of Tuktamysheva was fully used by Konstantinov, who established herself as Medvedeva’s main rival. She skated her program without brilliance, but did without falls, which became a key factor. Among other things, the judges quite appreciated her cascade of triple lutz and triple toe loop, which received a premium of 1.77 points. As a result, 75.47 points for the short program and the minimum gap from the two-time silver medalist of the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.

By the way, for Konstantinova this result in the short program also became the best in the season. Earlier, the highest points for the first rental she received at the Finlandia Trophy tournament - 65.39 points.

After her speech, Konstantinova admitted that her visit to Veliky Novgorod was affected by the fiasco at the last European Championship in Minsk. There Stanislav failed the short program, which is why she stayed outside the top three. Bronze then won the Vincek Lindfors Finn.

“After the European Championships, I came home, stayed out for a day, and thought about what to do next. As a result, I realized that I needed as many starts as possible. Three weeks I was preparing, much has changed. Everything that happens is for the best. I did not come here for the result, but to raise myself in my own eyes, ”said TASS Konstantinova.

According to her, she does not hope that a successful performance in the Cup final of the country can have a decisive influence on the leadership of the Russian Federation of Figure Skating (Figure Skating), which should soon announce the composition of the national team for the World Cup in Japan.

“I don’t think about what will happen next - it’s not for me to decide. I do not feel any pressure from the Figure Skating Federation of Russia: I like to ride, take part in competitions, ”added Konstantinova.

The question of the winner of the Russian Cup in figure skating will be decided on Friday, February 22, according to the results of an arbitrary program.