Russian Federation Releases Roster for Nationals

Federation releases roster a little later than scheduled; most major players not already ruled out currently listed.

On Wednesday, three days after they were supposed to, the Russian Federation finally release the full list of skaters qualified for their National Championships. As the qualification process ended in the first weekend of December, many of the names on it were already certain. But qualification for Russian Nationals is more complicated than for the other bigger countries.

All skaters who compete on the senior Grand Prix circuit get berths. Juniors who qualify for the Junior Grand Prix Finale also are offered spots. Since Russia’s Junior Nationals take place at a different time, it is quite common for the top juniors to skate at both. Intranational qualification happens through a series of internal Russian Cup events. The Federation can also choose to invite up to two competitors in each discipline.

Men

1. Maxim Kovtun(Grand Prix Assignment)
2. Mikhail Kolyada(Grand Prix Assignment)
3. Alexander Petrov(Grand Prix Assignment)
4. Sergei Voronov(Grand Prix Assignment)
5. Artur Dmitriev, Jr(Grand Prix Assignment)
6. Dmtri Aliev(JGP Finale)
7. Alexander Samarin(JGP Finale)
8. Roman Savosin(JGP Finale)
9. Ilia Skirda(JGP Finale)
10. Anton Shulepov(Russian Cup)
11. Artem Lezheev(Russian Cup)
12. Pavel Vyugov(Russian Cup)
13. Alexei Erokhov(Russian Cup)
14. Vladimir Samoylov(Russian Cup)
15. Murad Kurbanov(Russian Cup)
16. Andrei Lazukin(Russian Cup)
17. Ilia Knyzhuk(Russian Cup)
18. Evgeni Vlasov(Russian Cup)

Vlasov is lucky to get in. Six Russian men actually competed on the Grand Prix circuit, but Gordei Gorshkov, who finished 9th at the Rostelecom Cup, is out. One would assume he’s injured, but we’ve heard nothing.

Ladies

1. Evgenia Medvedeva(Grand Prix Assignment)
2. Elena Radionova(Grand Prix Assignment)
3. Anna Pogorilaya(Grand Prix Assignment)
4. Maria Sotskova(Grand Prix Assignment)
5. Julia Lipnitskaia(Grand Prix Assignment)
6. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva(Grand Prix Assignment)
7. Alena Leonova(Grand Prix Assignment)
8. Serafima Sakhanovitch(Grand Prix Assignment)
9. Alina Zagitova(JGP Finale)
10. Anastasia Gubanova(JGP Finale)
11. Elizaveta Nugumova(JGP Finale)
12. Alisa Fedichkina(Russian Cup)
13. Natalia Ogoreltseva(Russian Cup)
14. Stanislava Konstantinova(Russian Cup)
15. Valeria Mikhaylova(Russian Cup)
16. Anastasia Kolomiets(Russian Cup)
17. Anastasia Grachea(Russian Cup)
18. Alisa Lozko(Invitee)

Lozko did very well on the JGP circuit, winning a bronze at one event and coming in fifth. She missed her second Russian Cup due to competing at a Chinese-Russian junior event. Between those two things, and the influence of her coach Alexei Mishin, her invite isn’t surprising. Meanwhile, it seems the injury that took Polina Tsurskaya out of the JGP Finale has taken her out of Nationals too, but despite the events of the Rostelecom Cup, Julia Lipnitskaia is going to try to compete. One will see what comes of that. Hopefully not disaster.

Pairs

1. Yuko Kavaguti & Alexander Smirnov(Grand Prix Assignment)
2. Evgenia Tarasova & Vladimir Morozov(Grand Prix Assignment)
3. Kristina Astakhova & Alexei Rogonov(Grand Prix Assignment)
4. Natalja Zabiiako & Alexander Enbert(Grand Prix Assignment)
5. Alisa Efimova & Alexander Korovin(Grand Prix Assignment)
6. Ksenia Stolbova & Fedor Klimov(Grand Prix Assignment)
7. Anastasia Mishina & Vladislav Mirzoev(JGP Finale)
8. Aleksandra Boikova & Dmitrii Kozkovskii(JGP Finale)
9. Alina Ustimkina & Nikita Volodin(JGP Finale)
10. Anastasia Poluyanova & Maxim Selkin(Russian Cup)
11. Bogdana Lukashevich & Alexander Stepanov(Russian Cup)
12. Maria Chuzhanova & Denis Mintsev(Russian Cup)

Favorites Ksenia Stolbova & Fedor Klimov were unable to compete at their Grand Prix assignments due to injury, though recent reports about them indicate they’ll be ready to compete here. Reports are also that Amina Atakhanova & Ilia Spiridinov, who suffered a scary fall at the JGP Finale, are out due to injury to her. Presumably Ekaterina Borisova & Dmitri Sopot, who also remained qualified despite not actually compete at the Finale, are also out due the same injury that kept them out of that.

Dance

1. Ekaterina Bobrova & Dmitri Soloviev(Grand Prix Assignment)
2. Victoria Sinitsina & Nikita Katsalapov(Grand Prix Assignment)
3. Alexandra Stepanova & Ivan Bukin(Grand Prix Assignment)
4. Elena Ilinykh & Ruslan Zhiganshin(Grand Prix Assignment)
5. Tiffany Zahorski & Jonathan Guerreiro(Grand Prix Assignment)
6. Sofia Evdokimova & Egor Bazin(Grand Prix Assignment)
7. Vasilisa Davankova & Anton Shibnev(Russian Cup)
8. Maria Stavitskaia & Andrei Bagin(Russian Cup)
9. Ludmila Sosnitskaya & Pavel Golovishnikov(Russian Cup)
10. Anastasia Safronova & Ilia Zimin(Russian Cup)

The two junior teams that made the JGP Finale declining to compete is normal. Due to the rules of ice dance, they would’ve had to have come up with whole new short dance programs to do so, so it wouldn’t really be worth the effort for them. Meanwhile, many curious eyes will be on Vasilisa Davankova, who switched to dance from pairs this summer, after attracting attention in the latter as a junior.

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Russian Nationals are 20-25 December.