Love of Chinese fans and a new image of Tuktamysheva
In Chongqing, China, the fourth stage of the Figure Skating Grand Prix has ended. Its crown was a large gala evening, at which athletes again appeared before the audience to demonstrate their demonstration numbers.
One of the most memorable was the number of the winner of the women's tournament Anna Shcherbakova. She went on the ice in a kimono and began performing under Japanese folklore motifs. However, in the middle of the rental, the musical accompaniment changed to a much more modern one, and the athlete herself had a kimono skin, under which there was another outfit. All this was accompanied by a bright light show.
Shcherbakova definitely captivated the hearts of local spectators, who accompanied her each performance with thunderous applause and a large number of gifts. One of the most unusual souvenirs was a large teddy bear, which Shcherbakova presented after a free program.
“And what happened after Anna finished the performance! The public did not welcome anyone in Chongqing. The ice was strewn with toys, and the bear with whom she was sitting at the time of the announcement of the ratings was twice her size, ”said 1980 Olympic medalist Sergei Shahrai.
Elizabeth Tuktamysheva, winner of the Grand Prix stage medal, is known for her provocative performances. However, this time she showed herself from a new perspective. Her show number for the song Shallow from the movie "A Star Was Born" performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper began and ended in almost complete darkness, and the figure skater herself appeared in a gentle manner.
And here is another student of Alexei Mishin, Sofya Samodurova, on the contrary, preferred a shirt and denim shorts to a classic dress, going out on an ice rink under incendiary motifs. The skater reincarnated as a mid-20th-century housewife dancing rock and roll.
The dance duet of Victoria Sinitsina - Nikita Katsalopov, who became the winners of the competition in ice dancing, did not change the usual image and again demonstrated a romantic number with a lyrical melody. A sensual performance was accompanied by a masterful performance of complex elements, which once again proved that the Russians are one of the leaders in pair skating at the moment.
“The judges have been extremely vigilant”
Talk about refereeing at the Grand Prix stage in China does not cease even after its completion. Most fans, specialists and experts continue to express confidence that the ratings of Russian singles were significantly underestimated. The main reason for this attitude is the jury’s desire to avoid Russian dominance in the tournament finals.
At the same time, some of them are calling for taking this situation for granted and continuing to prove their superiority on ice. So, according to the bronze medalist of the 2015 World Cup Elena Radionova, more stringent criteria have become part of modern figure skating, and therefore it is not necessary to perceive what is happening as attacks on specific athletes.
“The judges began to judge more sternly, because these are the rules. There is no longer a wording in favor of athletes, so all points are viewed more carefully. They can see the jumps from all sides, so they know better, ”Sport24 quotes Radionova.
In addition, she praised Shcherbakova and Tuktamyshev for their successful performance in Chongqing, noting that the student Mishin was a clear contender for second place.
“Anya is a hero, because the second start in a row jumps two quadruple lutz. She becomes more stable and stronger, psychologically it will be easier for her to move forward. It’s a pity that Lisa has two third places, but I really want to see her in the finals, because she deserves it. She simply dragged arbitrariness, fought. It's nice to watch such skating when you see that a person is not squeezing out 100%, but 120%, ”added Rodionova.
The words of the ex-skater were confirmed by Honored Coach of Russia Inna Goncharenko.
“When technicians search, they begin to review the episode in very slow motion. It turns out that the moment of separation is stretched in the frame. A similar story is with the Lutz Shcherbakova. I revised her quadruple jump and do not see an obscure rib. For me, the element is made very well from the outer rib. Here you can put an obscure edge on a flip if you wish, because it flies on it evenly. But not on lutz. I think the judges showed excessive vigilance, ”Gancharenko said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
One way or another, the Russians are still confidently leading the current Grand Prix draw. Recall that the winners of all four stages were always the students of Eteri Tutberidze, in the arsenal of which are the most difficult quadruple and triple jumps. However, the choreographer Daniil Gleichengauz said that the group does not intend to stop there. According to him, at the moment, the triple axel, which is performed only by Alena Kostornaya, is in priority among his players.
“With almost all the girls in the group, we are in constant study of this element. But when the season is in full swing, it is difficult to develop new elements, because you need to prepare for the next competition. The breaks are short and the risk of injury is very high. Therefore, sometimes the process is delayed. But we understand that this is necessary, therefore we are working on it, ”the TASS expert quotes.