"Delighted with the rentals": how the performances of Russian figure skaters at the Italian Grand Prix were evaluated

"This is not my maximum"

The third stage of the Figure Skating Grand Prix series, held in Turin, Italy, aroused great interest among Russian fans and experts.

The tournament was marked by a triumphant return after the injury of Anna Shcherbakova, who set a personal best in the free program and won by performing a clean quadruple flip.

“I am pleased with my performance.

But this is not my maximum, I will try to show the best skates at the next starts.

I had problems with injuries, but this is a common story for an athlete.

I feel fine.

In training at the "Khrustalny" we practiced the flip.

Here, in Italy, I already felt great, I wanted to add lutz to the program, but decided with the coaches that for now we will focus on a confident flip, ”said the 17-year-old athlete after the performance.

She also stressed that she needed to work on a short rental, which she did not like - then she managed to perform a simplified cascade instead of the declared one.

After the first day of the competition, Shcherbakova took third place in Turin, behind Belgian Luna Hendrix and compatriot Maya Khromykh.

In turn, Khromykh, who performed two clean sheepskin coats in four turns in an arbitrary program and took second place at the end of the tournament, could not unequivocally answer whether she was satisfied with herself. 

“I didn’t do a very good track.

I can't say that I relaxed after performing two quads.

On the rittberger, I just let go of myself at the approach.

This is my first stage of the Grand Prix, the second place on it is not bad.

But in the future I will strive for victory, ”Khromykh said.

"Shcherbakova is a real fighter"

The results of the Italian Grand Prix could not go unnoticed among specialists.

So, the honored trainer Tatyana Tarasova admired the performance of Russian athletes and thanked them for their positive emotions.

“Adult, confident skating from our girls.

Anna Shcherbakova is a real fighter.

She loves when it is difficult and necessary to fight with herself.

I am delighted with the rental, the pedestal has acquired an absolutely deserved look.

Maya Khromykh could have done better - and she will, I assure you.

We have amazing girls, there are no such girls anywhere, ”Sport24 quotes Tarasova.

The 1993 world champion in ice dancing Alexander Zhulin admitted that even after the starting day of the competition he did not doubt the success of the Russians.

According to him, he really liked Shcherbakova's program and how mature she already looks like a skater.

“To be honest, I was not sure that Shcherbakova would do a quadruple flip, but she sang it brilliantly.

Clever girl.

Moreover, I watched her workout and, as I understand it, she is also preparing the second quadruple flip for the Olympics.

I think she is doing everything right: she and the coaching staff go step by step, because she had an injury and there is no need to rush.

They gradually bring her to the desired condition.

Maya is an absolutely gorgeous girl.

I also really liked her rental.

It was a well-deserved second place, ”Zhulin said.

The choreographer Ilya Averbukh was also confident in the victory of the Russians.

In his opinion, they are much stronger than their rivals, and the national championship will be the main start for domestic figure skaters.

Coach Inna Goncharenko also considered the outcome of the competition in Turin logical.

The specialist, in an interview with Metaratings.ru, drew attention to Shcherbakova's ability to get ready at the right moments in time and perform complex elements almost perfectly.

“She showed not just clean, but strong skating.

Just a champion performance.

Maya is also smart, she did her two quads.

Yes, she had a small incident with the rittberger, but I think everything will come with experience.

This is her debut performance at an adult level.

Over time, she will perform more and more stable and better, ”Goncharenko is sure.

Maxim Trankov did not hide his enthusiastic emotions, emphasizing that Shcherbakova's mistake in the short program was just an accident - but in the free program she demonstrated brilliant skating.

“This characterizes a person, a champion, a great athlete - when you are in a very difficult situation, you heal your injury and see the victories of your friends in the national team, you lose the starting tournament, the short program, but you get ready and give out what you have to.

Very strong character, very strong psychology.

Bravo, bravissimo!

Well done, Anyuta.

I went out and proved everything to everyone.

Someone didn't believe that she was performing a quadruple flip - please take a look.

You can even reconsider.

I will definitely do it, ”Trankov said.

The expert was also pleased with the rental of Khromykh, but drew attention to her small mistake with the triple rittberger.

“This is a girl who can.

Two quadruple sheepskin coats!

What kind of battle we see in women's single skating ... One mistake, we will not even remember about it.

Some kind of lunar eclipse.

I didn't even really understand what this error was.

What a last lutz pulled out, fighter!

The jerk didn’t come out, but it deftly twisted, ”the expert added.

Olympic champions Alexei Urmanov and Natalya Bestemyanova also admired Shcherbakova's rental.

A well-known single skater in the past called her a unique and brilliant athlete, and the boyfriend even compared Anna's performance with fireworks and a holiday.

“She shut up everyone who doubted her viability yesterday.

Anya showed a fantastic quadruple flip.

She sparkled today.

Everything was luxurious, from the costume to her mood and fantastic jumps.

I really liked her rental today.

Maya Khromykh skated beautifully too.

Two or four jumps are some kind of miracle.

But to win, you need to tighten the levels of performance of non-jumping elements, for example, the track, and also make a more convincing spiral.

And plus to everything, she practically ripped off the triple rittberger, unfortunately, ”Bestemyanova said.

Seven-time European champion Irina Slutskaya also congratulated Shcherbakova on her success and expressed the hope that all the injuries of the 17-year-old athlete were left behind.

“A beautiful performance, a quadruple flip, a crown cascade of three + three lutz-rittberger, which failed yesterday.

Confident skating without jagging.

I liked it, ”Slutskaya wrote on Instagram.

The rental of Khromykh, according to Slutskaya, is a good application for success in the future, and not just at one stage of the Grand Prix.

"Gorgeous.

She performed two sheepskin coats in four turns.

There was a strange mistake on the rittberger ... I think Maya herself did not understand what happened, "Slutskaya summed up.