Training in Batumi

Our Russians have arrived in the beautiful resort city of Batumi, Georgia and we can thank RGF for taking pictures of them in the training hall. The head coaches stress that Glasgow World's consideration will take place only at the Russian Cup and World's Camp, not here, as some of the girls are not doing AA and a few are steadily coming back from injury. 

Valentina Rodionenko thinks that we should have our eyes set on the younger girls, Seda, Anastasia, and Evgenia (who is not "young" at all but injuries kept her from having the experience she ought to have had by now). It looks like they've dragged Mama Afan along after all. Poor girl keeps getting put in competitions she would prefer to sit out; you'd think her seniority would be respected when she makes a decision about how much her body can handle. *Sighs for eternity*

Here's the Start List:

AA - David Belyavskiy, Nikita Ignatyev, Nikolai Kuksenkov

FX - Denis Ablyazin, Nikita Nagornyy, Dmitrii Lankin

PH - Matvei Petrov

SR - Denis Ablyazin, Matvei Petrov
VT - Denis Ablyazin, Nikita Nagornyy, Dmitrii Lankin

PB - Matvei Petrov
HB - Aleksei Rostov

AA-Komova,Tutkhalyan, 

Shelgunova and Dmitrieva

VT - Paseka, Afanasyeva
UB - Paseka, Spiridonova
BB-  Kharenkova

Jr AA: Melnikova

Unknown: Sosnitskaya

        

If I can conjecture a thought, I wonder why Melnikova is being given priority in the junior division over a few other girls who are not so far behind her in terms of scoring potential, and potential for upgrades in general. I know she's European Champion but that was a year ago, and Sokova and Skrypnik have raised their AA scores and EF medal potential significantly since then. I suppose Melka is still the best (though she's not the reigning National Jr. Champion, driving home my point), but shouldn't the other girls have come along as well? Perhaps there's a strategy... or perhaps it's favoritism. I like the Canadian system of investing in their top 10 AA juniors evenly, because you never know who can flourish if they are given the same resources and conditions as the #1 girl.