Rivalry brewing between young Russians
When Russian skaters took home only two medals at the 2010 Olympics, many forecasted a dismal future for the storied figure skating program. But in 2014 a crop of rising stars could pose a medal threat in the discipline that has always been Russia's weakest.
By Michelle Ellis, Special to Universal Sports | Posted: Oct 12, 9:27a ET | Updated: Oct 12, 10:50a ET
When Russian skaters took home only two medals at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics in February, many forecasted a dismal future for the storied Russian figure skating program. With a home Olympics set for 2014 in the southern city of Sochi, Russia, the country's prospects in the Olympic sport it has dominated since the 1960s seemed bleak. However, in 2014 a crop of rising stars could pose a medal threat in the skating discipline that has always been Russia's weakest: Ladies.
The Russian Olympic ladies team finished a commendable 9th and 10th in Vancouver, but last season some of the country's most talented ladies skaters weren't old enough to compete on the junior circuit, let alone at the Olympics.
So far this season, Russian ladies have won five Junior Grand Prix events, and two have clinched spots at the Final in Beijing, China, with one qualifying event left to go. Most of these skaters have been vying against one another in national competitions for several years, and are now taking their experience to the international stage. Here are two to watch for in the next few seasons on the road to Sochi:
Adelina Sotnikova - 14 - Moscow
Sotnikova won the 2009 Russian national title at the age of 12 to much acclaim, but had to wait two seasons to reach age eligibility to compete internationally. She has two different triple-triple combinations in her arsenal, and has gained attention for her stunning spins and elegant, artistic style, reminiscent of Sasha Cohen. In her ISU debut at 2010 JGP Austria, Adelina scored over 178 points... higher than 2010 Olympic Champion Kim Yu-Na scored on the junior level, ever.
Senior ISU Championship Eligibility: 2012/13 Season
Yelizaveta Tuktamysheva - 13 - St. Petersburg
Called "Liza" for short, she trains in St. Petersburg alongside 2006 Olympic Champion Yevgeny Plushenko. Famed coach Aleksei Mishin has carefully nurtured Tuktamysheva's dynamic jumping abilities in the past few years... the thirteen year old is capable of the difficult triple Axel, along with triple-triple combinations, and has clean technique on all of her jumps... no edge calls, and few downgrades.
Senior ISU Championship Eligibility: 2012/13 Season
Budding rivalry: Liza Tuktamysheva's growing rivalry with Adelina Sotnikova echoes the Yevgeny Plushenko/Aleksei Yagudin rivalry of the early 2000's, though so far with much less animosity. Tuktamysheva trains with Plushenko's coach, Aleksei Mishin, while Sotnikova is trained in Moscow by Yelena Buyanova and Yagudin's coach, Tatyana Tarasova. Sotnikova beat Tuktamysheva to the 2009 Russian senior and junior titles, but in 2010, Tuktamysheva topped Sotnikova at both events. (Russian junior and senior nationals are separate events, unlike the U.S. Championships.)
Both girls debuted on the Junior Grand Prix this fall and both won each of their two events. They will face off at the JGP Final in December in their first international match-up.
(Пишут, что Лиза и Аделина обеспечат подъём российского ФК в традиционно самом слабом для России виде - соревнованиях женщин. Ждут с нетерпением встречи девочек в финале юниорского Гран-при. В будущем предвидят повторение соперничества, похожего на противостояние Евгения и Алексея. Тем более, что Лиза тренируется у Мишина (вместе с Евгением Плющенко), а Аделина в том числе у Тарасовой.)
BUONA FORTUNA PICCOLA!
