Polina Tsurskaya

Polina Tsurskaya
Tsurskaya at the 2015–16 JGP Final
Full namePolina Igorevna Tsurskaya
Native nameПолина Игоревна Цурская (Russian)
Born (2001-07-11) 11 July 2001 (age 23)
Omsk, Russia
Height171 cm (5 ft 7+12 in)
Figure skating career
CountryRussia Russia
Began skating2005
RetiredMay 31, 2019
Medal record
Representing  Russia
Figure skating: Ladies' singles
Winter Youth Olympics
Gold medal – first place 2016 Lillehammer Ladies's singles
Junior Grand Prix Final
Gold medal – first place 2015–16 Barcelona Ladies' singles

Polina Igorevna Tsurskaya (pronounced TSOO-rskaya; Russian: Полина Игоревна Цурская, born 11 July 2001) is a Russian former competitive figure skater and figure skating coach. She is the 2017 NHK Trophy bronze medallist.

On the junior level, she is the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic champion, the 2015 Junior Grand Prix Final champion, a four-time Junior Grand Prix event champion, and the 2015 Russian junior national champion.

Personal life

Polina Igorevna Tsurskaya was born on July 11, 2001, in Omsk, Russia.[2][3] She has an elder brother, Igor, who is nine years her senior.[4] She moved to Moscow in 2013.[5]

Career

Early years

Tsurskaya began skating in 2005.[2] Coached by Tatiana Odinokova in Omsk until 2013, she joined Eteri Tutberidze and Sergei Dudakov after relocating to Moscow.[5] Fifth in her first appearance at the Russian Junior Championships, in 2014, she finished fourth in 2015.

2015−2016 season

Tsurskaya made her international debut in August 2015 at the Junior Grand Prix (JGP) in Bratislava, Slovakia. She was awarded the gold medal after placing first in both segments and finishing 10 points ahead of the silver medalist, Mai Mihara. Outscoring Ekaterina Mitrofanova by 21 points, she won her next JGP assignment, in Toruń, Poland, and qualified for the final. At the 2015–16 JGP Final, held on December in Barcelona, she won the gold medal with personal best scores in both segments and a total of 195.28 points.[6] She broke the junior records in the free skate and total scores set by compatriot Elena Radionova. Competing on the senior level, Tsurskaya finished fourth later in December at the Russian Championships before winning her first junior national title in January.

In February, Tsurskaya won gold at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.[7] In March, she was scheduled to compete at the 2016 World Junior Championships in Debrecen but withdrew before the start of the event. An ankle injury had occurred a day before she departed for the event and was aggravated when she fell in Hungary during the morning practice before the short program.[4] After three months during which she had to avoid running and jumping, she resumed training in early June.[8]

2016–2017 season

In September 2016, Tsurskaya won gold at two JGP series events; she ranked first in the short program and second in the free in Saransk, Russia, and first in both segments in Tallinn, Estonia. She was the second-ranked qualifier to the JGP Final in Marseille, but withdrew on 29 November.[9] She underwent surgery on her right knee and resumed practicing jumps in mid-December.[10]

Tsurskaya finished tenth at the 2017 World Junior Championships in Taipei, Taiwan. During the season, she was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans and a herniated disc.[11][12][13]

2017–2018 season

Making her senior international debut, Tsurskaya won the bronze medal at the 2017 NHK Trophy, setting personal best scores in both segments.[14] In November, Tsurskaya finished fourth at 2017 Skate America, placing eighth in the short program and fourth in the long program and scoring 195.56 points total.[15]

On May 7, 2018, it was announced Tsurskaya was ending her partnership with coach Eteri Tutberidze.[16]

2018–2019 season

Tsurskaya began her season by competing at the 2018 CS Ondrej Nepela Trophy where she placed fourth. In her Grand Prix events, she placed seventh at the 2018 Skate America and eighth at the 2018 Rostelecom Cup. She placed fourteenth at the 2019 Russian Championships. Tsurskaya announced her retirement from figure skating on May 31, 2019.

Coaching

In summer 2020 Polina started working as a figure skating coach in the skating club Sambo-70, Chrustalnyi department, in a cooperation with the team of her former coach Eteri Tutberidze. She mainly works with children.[17]

Achievements

Programs

Tsurskaya at the 2015–16 Junior Grand Prix Final podium
Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2018–2019
2017–2018
[18]

The Great Gatsby:[19]

2016–2017
[4][8][20]
2015–2016
[2]

  • Adagio in G minor
    by Remo Giazotto, Tomaso Albinoni
    performed by Ikuko Kawai
    choreo. by Daniil Gleikhengauz
2014–2015
  • Chess
    by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus
    choreo. by Eteri Tutberidze
2013–2014

Competitive highlights

Tsurskaya (right) with Evgenia Medvedeva (center) and Carolina Kostner (left) at the 2017 NHK Trophy podium.

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

International[21]
Event 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19
GP NHK Trophy 3rd
GP Rostelecom 8th
GP Skate America 4th 7th
CS Ondrej Nepela 4th
International: Junior[21]
Junior Worlds WD 10th
Youth Olympics 1st
JGP Final 1st WD
JGP Estonia 1st
JGP Poland 1st
JGP Russia 1st
JGP Slovakia 1st
National[5]
Russia 4th WD 5th 14th
Russia: Junior 5th 4th 1st 3rd
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew

Detailed results

Senior level

Tsurskaya at the 2018 Rostelecom Cup.
2018–19 season
Date Event SP FS Total
19–23 December 2018 2019 Russian Championships 11
66.35
15
118.97
14
185.32
16–18 November 2018 2018 Rostelecom Cup 7
56.81
8
92.64
8
149.45
19–21 October 2018 2018 Skate America 8
58.42
8
101.03
7
159.45
19–22 September 2018 2018 CS Ondrej Nepela Trophy 4
54.36
5
100.25
4
154.61
2017–18 season
Date Event SP FS Total
21–24 December 2017 2018 Russian Championships 3
75.33
6
132.28
5
207.61
24–26 November 2017 2017 Skate America 8
63.20
4
132.36
4
195.56
10–12 November 2017 2017 NHK Trophy 3
70.04
2
140.15
3
210.19

Junior level

Tsurskaya at the 2017 World Junior Championships
Tsurskaya at the 2015–16 Junior Grand Prix Final

Previous ISU Junior world records highlighted in bold.

2016–17 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
15–19 March 2017 2017 World Junior Championships Junior 11
54.30
9
101.61
10
155.91
1–5 February 2017 2017 Russian Junior Championships Junior 5
65.79
2
134.29
3
200.08
28 Sept. – 1 Oct. 2016 2016 JGP Estonia Junior 1
66.72
1
127.30
1
194.02
14–18 September 2016 2016 JGP Russia Junior 1
69.02
2
114.71
1
183.73
2015–16 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
14–20 March 2016 2016 World Junior Championships Junior - - WD
12–21 February 2016 2016 Winter Youth Olympics Junior 4
58.65
1
127.39
1
186.04
19–23 January 2016 2016 Russian Junior Championships Junior 1
73.51
1
136.53
1
210.04
24–27 December 2015 2016 Russian Championships Senior 5
70.53
5
134.93
4
205.46
10–13 December 2015 2015−16 JGP Final Junior 1
66.69
1
128.59
1
195.28
23–26 September 2015 2015 JGP Poland Junior 1
61.04
1
126.81
1
187.85
19–23 August 2015 2015 JGP Slovakia Junior 1
66.08
1
123.42
1
189.50
2014–15 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
4–7 February 2015 2015 Russian Junior Championships Junior 3
64.07
4
118.76
4
182.83
2013–14 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
23–25 January 2014 2014 Russian Junior Championships Junior 3
63.58
6
116.02
5
179.60

References

  1. ^ "ISU World Standings for Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance - Ladies". International Skating Union.
  2. ^ a b c "Polina TSURSKAYA: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ СПИСОК кандидатов в спортивные сборные команды Российской Федерации по фигурному катанию на коньках на 2015-2016 гг. [List of candidates for 2015-2016 Russian national team] (PDF) (in Russian). Figure Skating Federation of Russia. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 June 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Flade, Tatjana (9 September 2016). "Polina Tsurskaya looking for strong comeback after injury". Golden Skate.
  5. ^ a b c Цурская Полина Игоревна [Polina Igorevna Tsurskaya]. fskate.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2015-08-21. Retrieved 2015-08-21.
  6. ^ Slater, Paula (13 December 2015). "Polina Tsurskaya flawless in Barcelona". Golden Skate.
  7. ^ "Top two Tsurskaya and Sotskova cap a memorable day at Hamar for Russia". Olympic.org. 16 February 2016.
  8. ^ a b Luchianov, Vladislav (13 September 2016). "Tsurskaya hopes for 'worthy' return at JGP Russia". IceNetwork.com.
  9. ^ "Junior Ladies". International Skating Union. 29 November 2016. Archived from the original on 29 November 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ "Фигуристка Цурская: обидно пропустить Финал ГП, цель" [Figure skater Tsurskaya on withdrawing from the JGP Final]. rsport.ru (in Russian). 20 December 2016.
  11. ^ "Полина Цурская: «Надеюсь, что предстоящий чемпионат мира" (in Russian). Figure Skating Federation of Russia. 4 February 2017.
  12. ^ "Полина Цурская продолжит карьеру, несмотря на поясничную". rsport.ru (in Russian). 28 April 2017.
  13. ^ "Цурская имеет редкое заболевание, вызванное". rsport.ru (in Russian). 28 April 2017.
  14. ^ "ISU GP NHK Trophy 2017". www.isuresults.com. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  15. ^ "ISU GP 2017 Bridgestone Skate America". www.isuresults.com. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  16. ^ "Фигурное катание. От Тутберидзе ушла еще одна воспитанница" (in Russian). 2018-05-07. Retrieved 2018-05-07.
  17. ^ "Самбо-70 "Хрустальный"".
  18. ^ "Polina TSURSKAYA: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  19. ^ International Figure Skating Magazine (November 12, 2017). "2017 NHK Trophy gala exhibition line-up and music the skaters will perform to" (facebook).
  20. ^ "Polina TSURSKAYA: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  21. ^ a b "Competition Results: Polina TSURSKAYA". International Skating Union.

Media related to Polina Tsurskaya at Wikimedia Commons

Historical World Junior Record Holders (before season 2018–19)
Preceded by Ladies' Junior Short Program
16 September 2016 – 10 December 2016
Succeeded by
Preceded by Ladies' Junior Free Skating
13 December 2015 – 11 September 2016
Succeeded by
Preceded by Ladies' Junior Total Score
13 December 2015 – 11 December 2016
Succeeded by