Team Russia - Montpellier 2015 Montage

By: RUSGymnastics

Maria Kharenkova AA - BB & FX @ 2015 European Championships

Kharenkova is growing on me. The more she competes the more I see that she is getting better. She came in 2nd AA.

Thanks to susanw1984 videos.

2014 WAG Russian Championships April 2-6

Usually this meet is used to determine the European team. According to most of the Russian media all of the 2012 Olympian members should be competing.

Recently on tumblr I did a post about when was the last time we saw the 5 Olympians. So I thought I would share it here on this blog. It's hard to let go of the 2012 team and move forward with the new seniors but this is just to show how I'm excited to see the return of some of the Olympians. Hopefully they will all show up.

Russia still has new hope in Kharenkova, Rodionova, Shelgunova, Sosnitskaya, Fedorova etc. Russia will still be one of the top contenders for Europeans.

I won't have high expectations for the gymnasts at this meet. They shouldn't be so perfect early in the season. I'm wishing everyone good health and for them to do the best that they can do.

I'm most intrigue in seeing how Komova has been progressing. I won't have high expectations but it would be nice to just see her back in competition. It's been too long. I'm not sure if I can follow this competition as I might be busy but I'm sure there will be lots of Russian fans posting up to date information. The official website for results is sportgymrus.ru.

If all of the 2012 Olympian shows up it will be the first time since we saw (compete):

Komova in 1 year and 8 months at the 2012 Olympic Games! Favourite routine was 2012 AA FX.

Grishina in 10 months at the 2013 Anadia Cup where she won uneven bars gold.

Afanasyeva in 9 months at 2013 Universiade Games. Favourite routine was AA FX.

Paseka in 8 months at 2013 Russian Cup where her best result was on uneven bars 2nd.

Mustafina in 4 months at the 2013 Stuttgart World Cup on beam in team finals.

Maria Kharenkova 2014 Cottbus Beam & Floor

Kharenkova finished 2nd on beam with a credited difficulty of 5.9 + 7.950 execution for total of 13.850, full results. She intended to go for a 6.7 routine but was severely downgraded by 0.8 tenths (She could have been trying to connect aerial cartwheel to switch leap but the -0.8 still makes sense). Really harsh downgrades but her dance elements plus with the connections were most likely the downgrades. I can see slight hesitations in her dance/acro connections. If her 2 ff + layout were downgraded then I think that was a bit harsh since it seemed layout to me. Here is my theory:

-0.1 CV switch leap + pike back
-0.2 CV fwd aerial + sheep
-0.1 DV sheep jump slight open ring (might be a bit harsh)
-0.2 DV switch ring to switch leap (no arch and release of head)
-0.1 CV switch 1/2 + tuck back
-0.1 DV switch 1/2 to C (not sure but I don't want to downgrade the layout CV)

Basically Kharenkova's coaches should not make her do so many dance/acro elements that only gives her connection values but no top 8 counting skills. I'm not a fan of the switch leap variations to back pike/tucks. I think it's safe to say Kharenkova should take out some elements from her routine.

Kharenkova finished 3rd on floor with D 5.6 + E 8.25 -0.1 Penalty = 13.750.

I think overall Kharenkova did a good job with her senior debut. She still has time to figure out her routines.

Maria Kharenkova's 7.0 Beam D- Score (Training 2013 EYOF)

I was reading the Couch Gymnast's EYOF podium training notes and videos post and saw a video of Kharenkova's podium beam routine. What caught my attention was the aerial cartwheel connected to switch ring leap. I also noticed that she upgraded her beam so I calculated her difficulty and was surprised to see that she is going for a 7.0 routine. I gave her all the benefit of doubt but the leap series she does after her layout. She could go to 7.1 if she connects it from the layout and it seems she might be trying to do that.

Here is how a potential 7.0 beam routine can look like.Video by gymnoceiling. FF + BHS + Layout (E) 0.1SB 0.1CV
Leap series
Switch leap + Back pike - 0.1CV
L-turn + full turn - 0.1CV
Aerial cartwheel + Switch ring (D+E) 0.2CV
Front Aerial + Sheep jump (D+D) 0.2CV
Front tuck + Wolf jump (D) 0.1CV
Switch leap 1/2 (D)
FF + BHS + Dbl pike (E) 0.1SB

3.5 + 0.8CV + 0.2SB = 4.5 + 2.5CR = 7.0 D-score potential.

She does more skills than she needs to and could get deducted for more in execution. I hope she can improve on this set. Russia needs this kind of difficulty.

Quick Thoughts on Massilia Cup

Okay so I've seen some videos. I'm only going to quickly talk about the Chinese and Russians. I was really impressed by the Chinese and very disappointed with the Russians. I'm not really feeling the Russian juniors. The Russians still have time to peak and get in top form but I hate to say it, they are the biggest chuckers. I'm not really impressed by the Russian juniors. They could get better, they need to work on their execution ASAP! I feel like the new up and coming Russians will not be dominate in the next quad. I think most of their seniors will have to stick around for awhile. I could be totally wrong though. China on the other hand looks pretty great. They at least do skills they can handle.

I'm really liking Liu Zhilin's beam combo. Wolf + aerial cartwheel. It's a really creative combination. I don't think anyone else has done that combo before? It's worth nothing in this code but in the new code it will be eligible for the Acro + Dance connection value = 0.1.

 (Source: monigymnastics)

I was not impressed by any of the Russians. Check out new 2013 senior Evgeniya Shelgunova's uneven bars. Oh the horror! She could improve so I guess I'll just have to wait and see how she does next year. This was a massive upgrade routine for Shelgunova.

Viktoria Kuzmina did an interesting bar routine for a Russian. She did an Ono pirouette, she has potential. Hopefully she can maintain the hard pirouette. She reminds me of Kurbatova. Kurbatova couldn't maintain her hard pirouettes so hopefully Kuzmina can. Kuzmina also has the exact same floor music as Kurbatova check it out:

Hopefully the Russians can improve on their beam and floor too. I just think they are rushing things. Maria Kharenkova who will be a senior in 2014 won floor EF. I'm not really feeling it:

Videos via: piibunina  & MademoiselleS13