2021 Russian Cup (June 8-12) -- last Russian competition before Tokyo, besides videoless verification meets

[RedBirdie]

Valentina’s son-in-law is very powerful in Russia. She’ll retire when she feels like it (or has a falling-out with the son in law).

 

[RedBirdie]

Valentina (https://eng.gymnovosti.com/rodionenko-we-decided-on-the-teams-for-the-olympic-games/)

We decided on the teams for the Olympic Games. For guys, we count on Dalaloyan whose recovery is going well and who has another month to recover. And there’s no equivalent replacement for him. That’s why the team is, first of all, Nagorny, Belyavskiy, Dalaloyan, and Kartsev. For girls, it’s Melnikova, Listunova, Urazova and, likely, Gerasimova. The choice is between Gerasimova and Akhaimova but Gerasimova is a bit more reliable.

 

[Sasha]

Gerasimova is a bit more reliable

And more fun to watch, honestly.

 

[tsarinajen]

Hmm. I don’t know if Gerasimova is more reliable, but if Geyla continues to fall on beam, Gerasimova might be the better choice for the team score. I don’t think Akhaimova scores on much more on vault, but could potentially add more than Urazova on floor. I guess the debate comes down to replacing Urazova on floor or Geyla on beam.

It will be interesting to see what Listunova shows up with for tumbling to Tokyo. If she can do the double layout and the whip pass, that should be sufficient. I expect, assuming she’s not bumped in the AA, her to be in chase back for silver and bronze.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

Gerasimova is easily the most consistent of the seniors imo. She has a pretty shit Championships and Euros, but as a junior she was always a rock on beam. Gerasimova’s third pass (double tuck) has been worrisome lately, but she’s a solid backup to Urazova on floor. She won bronze on floor at the 2019 Junior Worlds behind Listunova and Ou.

+2 will prob be Akhaimova and Ilyankova, but I’m not counting out Ilyankova. Poor Vorona really can’t deliver. But I expect Yelfimov’s girl to be a bigger player next quad. We’ll see

 

[Puffin]

Yeah but Gerasimova only has a FTY - but I think she will make the team ans Ahhaimova’s vaulting has got worse in recent months although her bars has improved (which they don’t need with multiple gymnasts in the high 14s)

 

[Doug1233]

I would love this level of transparency with when they pick the 4th and 6th in the US.

 

[JJS_5056]

I don’t understand how so many centralized programs make the same mistakes quad-after-quad; in the U.S., we have coaches like Fong tossing away medals from the days of Humphrey + McCool through Eaker + Wong, while in Russia, well - can you even quantify the talent wasted 2006 - 2021? The COP has wrecked composition, so it’s nice to see some different things, points be damned. But, don’t the Rodionenkos get paid solely to step in and ensure a Listunova isn’t broken in an attempt to perform a skill that brings 1 tenth more in DV+CV than her 2Whips>3/1?

I should be more excited over the ‘big 3’ WAG, but I’m tired of the compulsory UB routines sans 1 or 2 skills, the wolf turns on BB/FX, etc. I never thought I’d get tired of seeing FHS+Front Tucks on BB, but here we are… Listunova and Urazova are fine, I suppose. I’d love a scoring system that’d allow +Akhaimova, +Minavea/Ilyankova to challenge for gold. Rudi + DTT, and FX with DLO, ADF+Front, ADP, Full-in should add more to the team than a backup BB routine, but when you’re playing for 2nd?

Melnikova was one of my favorites, but her BB and FX bore me to tears. On BB, she was doing BHS+BHS+2ft LO, Pike Front, Barani, etc., Piked Full-In, at various points 2016 - 2018, and now doesn’t perform a single salto. Her FX is okay, but the Rudi is random, and the other 3 passes are all from the same root. I miss her ADF, her Piked Full-in, and even her 2Whips>Double Tuck.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

Of note, Ilyankova competed only bars today and scored a 14.800. Yay consistency!

Yana “Crow”, as google translates her surname, had a much better day (maybe fell on beam?) scoring 14.2, 13.433, 12.8, 13.166 to finish behind Akhaimova and ahead of Gerasimova (not overall results, just for the day)

Minaeva scored a 13.6 for this routine and I love it. ValRod loves it lol. At Russian Championships, she competed a front layout + double front to her ass. Perhaps as she grows it’ll get easier. Her FTY is really weak, so that might hold her back from ever becoming a prospective AAer.

 

[Kittentoes]

Why are there more cuts in the Russian music than a heritage Alabama floor?

 

[Jack]

I’m still holding out hope that a Russian will one day compete in the SEC.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

So I’ve been doing some scores here
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18Ct4VjtDlBNvoRP9Mqd8uTOa60vRI0pK9rcyPXgHTLo/edit?usp=sharing

I think a lot of these scores are legitimate. Melnikova’s vault is bizarrely underscored. I think a 9.1/2 is more reasonable. Lower than a 9.0?



Though I think Listunova was definitely overscored on FX in the all around

 

[Alinxz23]

Melnikova had all those skills and she fell all the time they had to gut her BB routine and it worked she even scored in the 14’s internationally. I’m not sure what’s going on with her this year but it seems she has a mental block on beam again. The Russian music selection on fx have been shockingly bad, perhaps the newer generation like more out there music/choreography.

 

[Doug1233]

I had a 9.1 for that.

 

[ucrgirl]

Valentina (https://eng.gymnovosti.com/rodionenko-we-decided-on-the-teams-for-the-olympic-games/ )

We decided on the teams for the Olympic Games. For guys, we count on Dalaloyan whose recovery is going well and who has another month to recover. And there’s no equivalent replacement for him. That’s why the team is, first of all, Nagorny, Belyavskiy, Dalaloyan, and Kartsev. For girls, it’s Melnikova, Listunova, Urazova and, likely, Gerasimova. The choice is between Gerasimova and Akhaimova but Gerasimova is a bit more reliable.

Obviously Melnikova, Listunova and Urazova are on the team. But I keep wondering if Gerasimova is really “likely” on the team or is Valentina trying to motivate Akhaimova. (Or maybe I’m overly suspicious.)

 

[Marcio_Custodio]

I guess it depends on comparison of real scores.
Based on vt finals today, Lilia could score 14,7. It would add 0,2-0,3 over urazova/melnikova/listunova vault.
On fx her scores ranges from 13,4-13,9/14. It could add 0,5 over urazova fx.

On the other hand, gerasimova only outscores the three already named on beam. And when she hits it could add 0,5-0,7 over urazova/melnikova bb.

If lilia keeps her better execution (todays ef) on vault it Will be difficult to decide.

 

[tsarinajen]

To add to that, it also depends on how much you trust Melnikova to stop falling on beam. Gerasimova adds potentially more if you think Melnikova is going to keep falling.

 

[Jack]

It would be so Russian to take a beam specialist for the main team and then have her fall twice in TF.

 

[tsarinajen]

I believe they tried in ‘08 with Ezhova, but she was at least doing bars.

I suspect Urazova will at least be close to her floor potential by the Olympics. If she is, Lilia isn’t really adding anything, and Elena takes the pressure off Melnikova knowing she won’t have to do beam.

With all that being said, it’s still Russia. They could count three falls no matter which three they put up. They could also hit I’m guessing Urazova leads off beam. I’d put her up first just because she’s normally quite calm. That should settle the other two…. Hopefully.

 

[onodian]

ok so now you made me go and ACTIVELY LOOK for Akhaimova’s vaults, which is an absolute first for me

eta:



everybody should watch these because a) form is actually much improved from what I remember, specially the Rudi, but most importantly b) THE MUSIC in between the vaults