"I don't want to comment on the points": why Trusova's performance at the Russian Cup turned into a scandal

"The world figure skating community already understands everything"

One of the main events of the first competition day of the second stage of the Russian Figure Skating Cup was the performance of Alexandra Trusova.

The athlete, who switched from Eteri Tutberidze to Evgeni Plushenko in the spring, performed a triple axel for the first time in Moscow.

Moreover, she first demonstrated this jump in the morning workout, and then repeated it during the short program.  

The 16-year-old figure skater coped with the trixel itself, but made a mistake on landing.

The judges also lowered the European Championship bronze medalist mark for an incorrect rib on a triple flip and the absence of a basic standing position during one of the spins.

As a result, for her performance, Trusova, despite the triple axel performed, received 75.77 points.

They were enough only to close the top three in the short program.

Above Alexandra were two young pupils of Tutberidze - 14-year-old Kamila Valieva (85.10) and Daria Usacheva (80.39).

It is curious that Valieva, who seized the leadership, lacked only 0.35 points to repeat the world record of Alena Kostornaya in the short program.

For her performance in the Grand Prix finals in Turin in 2019, the Russian woman received 85.45 points. 

Such a serious gap between Trusova and two pupils of Tutberidze did not leave her new coach Plushenko indifferent, who, after the end of the competition, published a video with Alexandra's performance on his Instagram page, accompanied by words of support. 

“Sasha, you are a great clever, today you took a step forward, fought to the end.

Tomorrow is a new day and a new start.

Let's fight!

And I don’t want to comment on your today's points.

The entire world figure skating community already understands everything! "

- wrote Plushenko. 

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Publication from Evgeni Plushenko (@plushenkoofficial) Oct 10, 2020 8:19 PDT

Trusova herself did not touch on the topic of refereeing and was only glad that she finally managed to execute the triple axel. 

“At this start I had the task of making a triple axel, I really wanted to skate the program with this jump.

I won't talk about the details, I trained a lot, worked on everything: sliding, spinning, choreography - the program as a whole, all the jumps, ”the official website of the Russian Figure Skating Federation quotes the athlete. 

Trusova also admitted that she was really looking forward to going on the ice, since the control skates are not comparable in terms of the level of emotions with the official competitions. 

“There is both the audience and the marks ... But, to be honest, at the test skates I was more worried than now.

Because I really wanted to compete.

I love both my program and the new dress.

I haven't had a green suit yet.

It seems to me that soft green is not often seen in figure skating.

We decided to try it.

We found a new designer, who made this dress for me ... ”, added Trusova. 

Interestingly, the decisions of the judges raised questions from the fans, not only in terms of the performance of the eminent ward Plushenko.

Thus, the spectators gathered at the Megasport arena booed the announcement of the assessment given to Stanislava Konstantinova - 67.10.

With her, she is located only in fifth place.

"It seemed that all the first three got adequate marks"

Trusova's performance caused an ambiguous reaction from the fans, but experts interviewed by RT agreed that Alexandra received a well-deserved mark for her short program.

For example, this point of view was expressed by the world champion Maria Butyrskaya.

“Sasha is a fine fellow for taking the triple axel.

Moreover, she practically did it.

Trusova resisted, did not fall “on her head,” as we say.

An absolutely twisted jump, the first start.

I do not see anything wrong with the admitted blot.

Alexandra will definitely do it next time.

In terms of technique, everything was wonderful.

Perhaps she was worried, but a rather gross error took place, and the judges removed many points for her.

In figure skating, every millimeter must be 100% calculated.

But Sasha and Zhenya Plushenko should forget all this and move on.

You cannot criticize the judges, they can be offended, ”Butyrskaya stressed.

However, according to her, Trusova made great progress and showed herself great in the short program.

“Overall, Sasha looked pretty good.

It was evident that they were working on the program, a certain image was created.

Alexandra lived in this program.

But it is not always possible to do everything at once, ”added Butyrskaya.

Finally, the world champion said that Valieva and Usacheva skated incredibly.

At the same time, Butyrskaya believes that Trusova is able to bypass young competitors based on the results of an arbitrary program.

“The girls looked gorgeous today.

Let's take the same Konstantinova.

Perhaps she is a little behind in technique, but one could enjoy Stanislava's program.

Valieva is incredible.

Usacheva really liked it.

But I think that Trusova will be fine.

An arbitrary program will take place on Sunday, and Sasha is quite capable of winning back ten points behind.

She is on the right track, ”the expert assured.

In general, the famous coach Alexander Zhulin agreed with Butyrskaya.

In his opinion, the top three figure skaters received well-deserved marks.

“The judges do not just sit in their places and clearly know what we do not know.

I didn't have any questions about the short program.

It seemed that the entire top three got adequate marks.

Trusova was awarded a triple axel, but simply deducted points for an error on landing.

Also, I think, Alexandra did not score as a slip in the second mark.

But any coach worries about his ward, so Plushenko's reaction is quite understandable.

It seems to everyone that his athlete was not given points, ”explained Zhulin.

But the Olympic champion in ice dancing Natalya Bestemyanova, on the contrary, noted that Trusova's estimate was still underestimated, although she admitted that Alexandra's rivals were very strong.  

“It's strange that she was deducted for another edge on the flip.

We all jumped, we know.

Didn't see another rib on the flip.

It seemed that Trusova's points were underestimated.

Valieva was absolutely divine.

Usacheva skated well too.

As for Trusova's triple axel, she will perform it with high quality.

Sasha is smart.

Taking risks.

Does.

The jump turned out to be absolutely wonderful, just on the landing she was almost led and she could not pull it out.

But the jump was great, "- quoted by Bestemyanova" Championship ". 

In turn, the Olympic champion of Sochi in the team competition Yulia Lipnitskaya supported Trusova on social networks.

“Sashulya, clever girl, has added a lot!

Hold on tomorrow, ”Lipnitskaya wrote on Instagram.