“I have not yet understood the meaning”: Russian skaters are invited to Armenia

After the removal of Russian skaters from all tournaments under the auspices of the International Skating Union (ISU), the Russian Figure Skating Federation was faced with the serious question of what the next season should look like. However, a month after the official end of the competitive season, when the skaters of the Russian national team competed in the Channel One Cup, the opportunity to compete in the Armenian Championship appeared. National championships are usually held in the winter, but this tournament will take place at the end of May and will have open status this season. This will allow Russian athletes to perform in Yerevan. Metaratings.ru noted that this information was confirmed by sports manager and producer Ari Zakaryan.

Figure skaters who did not compete in the Beijing Olympics in February 2022 will reportedly be able to participate in the Armenian Open Championship.

However, several problems arise here, one of which is that the season for Russian athletes ends in April, and preparations for the next season begin in May and early summer. We are talking about the written form, the peak of which in the Olympic season falls on February, when the Games are held. Athletes who can now go to Yerevan are either busy performing or taking a break from last season.

Honored coach of the USSR Tatyana Tarasova spoke about this, highlighting the inappropriate dates of the Armenian championship.

“They will agree, they will agree. I have not yet understood the meaning. In general, we do not compete in May, but we are preparing for the new season, ”says Sport24, Tarasova.

If figure skaters who did not participate in the Olympics could get to the Armenian Championship, then the first candidates were students of Alexei Mishin’s group – Elizaveta Tuktamysheva and Mikhail Kolyada. Their season was really dramatic, both athletes had real chances to make it to Beijing. Tuktamysheva, in great form, where she won a silver medal at the World Championships in Stockholm last season, confirmed her status by fighting to the end with the students of the Tutberidze group for a third ticket to the Games. However, at the Russian Championships, which is considered the main qualifying start, the she skater could not show her maximum and took only seventh place. As a result, he turned out to be the first substitute for both the European Championships and the Olympic Games. Kolyada, on the other hand, was supposed to go to the European championship after winning the silver medal in the home tournament, but a few days before the start of the competition in training, he injured his leg and fell out of the clip. This did not prevent FFKKR from including Kolyada in the main team of Russia for the Games in Beijing, but a few days before the flight to Beijing, the athlete tested positive for coronavirus infection, which deprived him of the opportunity to compete. Olympics.

However, neither Tuktamysheva, nor Kolyada, nor anyone else from Mishin’s group will go to Yerevan to perform. This was announced by the champion of the USSR in figure skating Tatyana Mishina, the wife of Alexei Mishin, who worked with him. She noted that their headquarters will still go to Armenia, but only to run a training camp.

“Our guys are not going to fly into this competition. We didn’t plan, that’s pretty unexpected. Plus, there’s already a calendar so we can’t even send teenagers there.

I hope there will be a different program next year and we can participate. Compete if possible.

Our group at full strength, including Tatyana Prokofieva, Alexei Nikolaevich, Misha Kolyada and Lisa Tuktamysheva, will go to Armenia for a training camp from April 30 to May 11, ”quoting Sport24 Mishina.

The expert also suggested who could represent Russia at the championship in Armenia. He stressed that very young skaters can go there.

“Probably some of the young or junior athletes who need to compete will participate in the Armenian Championship. For example, the “crystal skate” level. Because the main skaters have already finished the season, and now they are performing and will be performing.

Competition is always good. The form is preserved there, and no training gives such a sense of one’s form. Therefore, it is very useful and interesting. There are those who want it. Also, this will be a good practice for Armenian athletes, opportunities are created for them. Competition is important, Russian athletes always compete with each other,” he said.

Later, Alexander Kogan, General Manager of the Russian Figure Skating Federation (FFKKR), announced that none of the national teams would go to Yerevan.

“I have no idea what kind of tournament is in Armenia. “Our athletes will not participate in this tournament,” he said.

Another student of Tutberidze, Maya Khromykh, fought for a ticket to Beijing, but her luck was illusory and she completely disappeared after the failure at the Russian Championship. The figure skater has a quad sheepskin coat and is now landing very successfully as part of her mentor’s show. If Russian athletes still go to Armenia, Khromykh can perform in Yerevan.

In men, Alexander Samarin, Dmitry Aliev, Markar Ignatov and Pyotr Gumennik, who impressed the audience in the First Channel Cup, are possible candidates. At the same time, competitions between sports couples are not held within the framework of the Armenian championship, but Russia currently has few candidates in ice dancing – several duets broke up after this season, and new ones – Elizaveta Shanaeva / Pavel Drozd and Annabel Morozov / David Narizhny – are just starting to work together. .

A trip to Yerevan for adult skaters no longer seems entirely possible, as the season in Russia has officially ended. However, looking into the future, the Armenian championship may appear on the calendar of Russian athletes.