Anna Shcherbakova

Anna Stanislavovna Shcherbakova (Russian: Анна Станиславовна Щербакова, born 28 March 2004) is a Russian figure skater. She is the 2020 European silver medalist, the 2019 Grand Prix Final silver medalist, the 2019 Skate America champion, the 2019 Cup of China champion, the 2019 CS Lombardia Trophy champion, and a three-time Russian national champion (2019–21).

Anna Shcherbakova
Shcherbakova at the 2019 Skate America
Personal information
Native name	Анна Станиславовна Щербакова (Russian)
Full name	Anna Stanislavovna Shcherbakova
Country represented	Russia
Born	28 March 2004 Moscow, Russia
Residence	Moscow, Russia
Height	1.57 m (5 ft 2 in)
Coach	Eteri Tutberidze, Sergei Dudakov, Daniil Gleikhengauz
Former coach	Oksana Bulycheva
Choreographer	Daniil Gleikhengauz,Eteri Tutberidze
Skating club	Sambo 70
Training locations	Moscow
Began skating	2007
World standing	3 (As of 18 September 2020)[1]
Season's bests	3 (2019-20)[2] 9 (2018–19)[3]
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	240.92 2019–20 Grand Prix Final
Short program	78.27 2019–20 Grand Prix Final
Free skate	162.65 2019–20 Grand Prix Final
Medal record Representing  Russia Figure skating: Ladies' singles European Championships 2020 Graz Ladies’ singles Grand Prix Final 2019-20 Torino Ladies' singles World Junior Championships 2019 Zagreb Ladies’ singles European Youth Olympic Festival 2019 Sarajevo Ladies' singles

On the junior level, she is the 2019 World Junior silver medalist, the 2018 JGP Slovakia champion, the 2018 JGP Canada champion, the 2019 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival champion, and the 2019 Russian junior national bronze medalist. Shcherbakova currently has the second highest free skating score of any lady – 162.65 points.

Shcherbakova is the first senior lady to land a quad Lutz, which she landed at her first senior competition at the 2019 CS Lombardia Trophy.[4] Additionally, she is the first lady to land two quad Lutz jumps in a program, which she achieved at the 2019 Skate America.[5] At this competition, she also became the first lady to land a quad Lutz in combination (4Lz-3T).

She is currently the third highest ranked ladies' singles skater in world by the International Skating Union following the 2019-20 figure skating season.

Career

Early career

Shcherbakova began learning to skate in 2007 under Oksana Bulycheva at the Khrustalnyi rink of the Olympic Reserve Sports School no. 37 (later renamed "Sambo 70") in Moscow.[6] She switched to training with Eteri Tutberidze and Sergei Dudakov at the same rink in the 2013-14 season.

Shcherbakova won gold at the 2016 Russian Youth Championships – Younger Age. She missed the 2017 Russian Junior Championships, held in February, after breaking her arm. Returning to competition, she won the silver medal at the 2017 Russian Youth Championships – Younger Age in March.

2017–2018 season

In the summer of 2017, Shcherbakova broke her leg while performing a triple loop in combination at a training camp.[7] As a result, she missed most of the 2017–18 season, including her planned Junior Grand Prix debut. She placed thirteenth at the 2018 Russian Junior Championships.

2018–2019 season

Shcherbakova debuted internationally on the Junior Grand Prix circuit in August. She was assigned to events in Slovakia and Canada. At JGP Slovakia, she was ranked first in both the short program and the free skate and won the gold medal by a margin of more than 18 points over the silver medalist, her fellow Russian competitor Anna Tarusina.[8] Her scores at this competition were among the highest scores achieved in an international junior ladies competition after teammate Alexandra Trusova in the short program, and Trusova and teammate Alena Kostornaia in the free program.

At JGP Canada, she was again ranked first in both the short program and the free skate and won the gold medal by a margin of about 5 points over the silver medalist, her former teammate Anastasia Tarakanova.[9] With two gold medals on the Junior Grand Prix, she qualified for the 2018–19 Junior Grand Prix Final. At the Final, Shcherbakova placed last in the short program after falling on her attempted double Axel and stepping out of a triple Lutz, missing her combination.[10] In the free program, she fell on both quad attempts, placing fifth there and overall. Speaking afterward, Shcherbakova said she "really wanted to land my quad Lutzes, but I couldn’t do them cleanly and I fell, so I’ll try to do it next time."[11]

At the 2019 Russian Championships, Shcherbakova placed fifth in the short program and first in the free skate, winning the national title over Trusova by 0.07 points. Shcherbakova said it was "very unexpected for me to win and I still haven’t realized what just happened."[12]

Later in December, Shcherbakova competed at 2019 Russian Junior National Championships where she was expected to vie for the title again with her teammates Trusova and Kostornaia. After placing second in the short program and third in the free, Shcherbakova ended up with the bronze medal behind Trusova and Kostornaia. In the free program, Shcherbakova attempted a quad Lutz jump but fell.

In March, Shcherbakova was selected by the Russian Figure Skating Federation to compete at the 2019 Junior World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, alongside Alexandra Trusova and Ksenia Sinitsyna. She took first place after the short program ahead of Trusova after receiving a score of 72.86. In the free program, she landed her quad Lutz jump with a minor error in the landing position, getting a negative grade of execution. The score of 147.08 was the highest she had ever attained at an international competition, but was not enough to overtake her training mate who had landed two quad jumps in the free program. Shcherbakova took the silver medal.[13]

2019–2020 season

In September, Shcherbakova entered her first international senior competition in Italy at the ISU Challenger Series event, the 2019 Lombardia Trophy. After the short program, she trailed behind Elizaveta Tuktamysheva and You Young in third place. Her free program saw her become the first woman to land a quadruple Lutz in senior competition, ensuring the gold medal in her senior debut.

Shcherbakova made her ISU Grand Prix debut at the 2019 Skate America, where she won the gold medal after placing fourth in the short program and first in the free skate.[14] At this competition she became the first ever lady to land two quadruple Lutz jumps in free skating in an international competition, and the first ever lady to land quadruple Lutz and a triple jump combination in an international competition. In the free skate she became the second lady behind Alexandra Trusova to achieve a score above 160 points under the current GOE system when she scored her personal best score of 160.16 points, only about three points short of Trusova's world record. Shcherbakova also set new records for the highest valued single jump, earning 14.79 points for her quadruple Lutz, and for the highest valued jump combinations, when she earned 18.66 points for her quad Lutz-triple toe loop combination.[15] Shcherbakova went on to win her second event, the 2019 Cup of China, albeit by a smaller margin.[16]

Shcherbakova performs her gala program at the 2019 Cup of China.

Shcherbakova's results qualified her for the Grand Prix Final in Torino, where she placed third in the short program.[17] In the free skate, Shcherbakova landed two quad Lutzes (one deemed underrotated) and attempted, but fell on, the quad flip for the first time. She nevertheless placed first in the free skate, and won the silver medal overall behind Alena Kostornaia. Speaking of the flip attempt afterward, she said "I will do it better next time. I can do it in practice, but it’s my first time in competition."[18]

At the 2020 Russian Championships, Shcherbakova skated cleanly to place second in the short program behind Kostornaia, who was ten points ahead going into the free skate.[19] Shcherbakova then won the free skate, landing two quad Lutzes and the quad flip for the first time, and won her second national title by just under two points overall. She remarked that "almost everything worked out as planned." She also outscored senior men's champion Dmitri Aliev despite ladies' scoring having only four-fifths of the value of men's component scores.[20]

Shcherbakova competed at the 2020 European Championships, delivering a clean short program skate to place second.[21] In the free skate, Shcherbakova landed the quad Lutz-triple toe loop combination to start, followed by a quad flip. However, she fell on the second planned quad Lutz. Despite the fall, she placed first in the free skate, and settled for an overall silver medal behind teammate Kostornaia. Together with Kostornaia and other teammate Trusova who took the bronze, the trio made for an all Russian podium at the ladies event.[22][23] The three were assigned to compete at the World Championships in Montreal, but those were cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Subsequent coaching changes by Trusova and Kostornaia resulted in Shcherbakova being the only one of the trio still training at the Sambo-70 rink under Tutberidze.[24][25]

2020–2021 season

Shcherbakova debuted both of her programs at the Russian senior test skates, overcoming a difficult practice session to deliver a free skate with only a fall on her quad Lutz attempt, which she called "a good starting point."[26] In August it was announced that Shcherbakova was announced to the first and third stages of the 2020-21 Russian Cup series. She won the first stage in Syzran with a score of 246.40 and the third stage in Sochi with 239.91 points.[27]

She was assigned, as with other prominent Russian skaters, to the 2020 Rostelecom Cup after the ISU based the Grand Prix primarily on geographic location. However, she withdrew on the day of the event due to illness, subsequently revealed to be pneumonia.[28][29]

After recovering from pneumonia, Shcherbakova had somewhat limited ability to train in advance of the 2021 Russian Championships. She won the short program with a score of 80.31, despite a spin error, ahead of fellow Sambo-70 skater Kamila Valieva.[29] In the free skate she landed both a quad Lutz and a quad flip, and won that segment with a 183.79 score, with Valieva the silver medalist and Trusova taking the bronze medal.[30] Shcherbakova became the first woman to win three consecutive Russian titles since Irina Slutskaya from 1999 to 2001. She was assigned to the Russian team for the 2021 World Championships in Stockholm.[31]

Skating technique

Shcherbakova has landed the quad Lutz in international competition, and is only known ladies skater who has landed the quad Lutz in combination with a triple toe loop (4Lz-3T). She has also landed a quad flip in domestic competition at the 2019 Russian Figure Skating Championships. She has also trained the quad toe. In addition to her quadruple jumps, she has also landed several triple loop combinations such as the triple Lutz-triple loop and triple flip-triple loop combinations. She also regularly employs Euler combinations such as the triple flip-Euler-triple Salchow combination in her programs.

Programs

Season	Short program	Free skating	Exhibition
2020–2021 [32]	Elegie: O Doux printemps d'autrefois by Jules Massenet performed by Joshua Bell choreo. by Daniil Gleichengauz	Morning Passages by Philip Glass Forgiveness (from The Home of the Dark Butterflies) by Panu Aaltio Beethoven's 5 Secrets by The Piano Guys choreo. by Daniil Gleichengauz	Everybody Wants to Rule the World (from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) performed by Lorde choreo. by Daniil Gleichengauz
2019–2020 [33]	The Girl with the Plums Meeting Laura Laura's Murder (from Perfume: The Story of a Murderer) by Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek, and Reinhold Heil choreo. by Daniil Gleichengauz	Gnossiennes: Gnossienne No.1 by Erik Satie performed by Roland Pöntinen The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky choreo. by Daniil Gleikhengauz	Kimono by Strawhatz & Toyboys choreo. by Daniil Gleikhengauz
2018–2019 [6]	A Comme Amour by Richard Clayderman choreo. by Daniil Gleichengauz	Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso by Camille Saint-Saens	Kimono by Strawhatz & Toyboys choreo. by Daniil Gleikhengauz Dreamcatcher by Secret Garden (duo)
2017–2018	Nocturnes, Op. 9 (Chopin) by Frédéric Chopin	Dreamcatcher by Secret Garden (duo)
2016–2017	Sikuriadas by Sergeant Early and Ghost Dance	Dreamcatcher by Secret Garden (duo)
2015–2016	Sikuriadas by Sergeant Early and Ghost Dance	Song of Sheherezade by David Arkenstone
2014–2015	Tango by Leandra Gamine (instrumental)	Song of Sheherezade by David Arkenstone

Records and achievements

• Set the junior-level ladies' record of the new +5 / -5 GOE (Grade of Execution) system for the combined total (205.39 points), short program (73.18 points) and free program (132.21 points) at the 2018 JGP Slovakia. Her free program record was broken by Russian teammate Alena Kostornaia at the 2018 JGP Austria on September 1, 2018 with 132.42 points. Her short program record was broken by Russian teammate Alexandra Trusova at the 2018 JGP Lithuania on September 6, 2018 with 74.74 points.

• Landed the first ratified quadruple lutz in 2018 at the 2nd Stage of the Russian Cup (one in combination with triple toe loop). She is also the first lady to land two quadruple lutzes in one program.

• Landed a ratified quadruple lutz in her first senior international competition at the 2019 CS Lombardia Trophy. Shcherbakova is the first senior lady to land a quadruple lutz, and the second overall to land a quadruple jump, after training mate Elizabet Tursynbaeva of Kazakhstan.

• Set the new record for the highest valued single jump when she earned 14.03 points for her quadruple lutz at the 2019 CS Lombardia Trophy.

• Became the first lady to land two quad lutz jumps in one program in ISU sanctioned international competition at the 2019 Skate America. At this competition she also became the first lady to land quad lutz and a triple jump combination in international competition.

• Became the second lady behind Alexandra Trusova to score above 160 points in free skating under the current GOE system at the 2019 Skate America.

• Set the new record for the highest valued single jump when she earned 14.79 points for her quadruple lutz at the 2019 Skate America. At this competition she also set the new record for the highest valued jump combination when she earned 18.66 points for her 4Lz+3T combination.
• Rewrote her own record for the highest valued jump combination when she earned 19.31 points for her 4Lz+3T combination at the 2020 European Championships.

Competitive highlights

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

Anna Shcherbakova (left) on the podium at the 2020 European Figure Skating Championships with Alena Kostornaia (center) and Alexandra Trusova (right)

International[34]
Event	16–17	17–18	18–19	19–20	20–21
Worlds				C	TBD
Europeans				2nd
GP Final				2nd
GP Skate America				1st
GP Cup of China				1st
GP Rostelecom Cup					WD
CS Lombardia				1st
International: Junior[34]
Junior Worlds			2nd
JGP Final			5th
JGP Canada			1st
JGP Slovakia			1st
EYOF			1st
National[35]
Russian Champ.			1st	1st	1st
Russian Junior Champ.	WD	13th	3rd
Russian Cup (Syzran)					1st
Russian Cup (Sochi)					1st
Russian Cup Final		1st J
J = Junior level; TBD = Assigned; C = Event cancelled

Detailed results

Senior level

Shcherbakova at the 2019 Skate America

Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships. Personal bests highlighted in bold.

2020–21 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
5–7 February 2021	2021 Channel One Trophy	2 82.89	TBD	TBD
23–27 December 2020	2021 Russian Championships	1 80.31	1 183.79	1 264.10
20–22 November 2020	2020 Rostelecom Cup	WD	WD	WD
23–27 October 2020	2020 Cup of Russia Series, 3rd Stage, Sochi domestic competition	2 77.47	1 162.44	1 239.91
18–22 September 2020	2020 Cup of Russia Series, 1st Stage, Syzran domestic competition	1 82.13	1 164.27	1 246.40
2019–20 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
24–25 January 2020	2020 European Championships	2 77.95	1 159.81	2 237.76
26–29 December 2019	2020 Russian Championships	2 79.93	1 181.94	1 261.87
5–8 December 2019	2019–20 Grand Prix Final	3 78.27	1 162.65	2 240.92
8–10 November 2019	2019 Cup of China	1 73.51	1 152.53	1 226.04
18–20 October 2019	2019 Skate America	4 67.60	1 160.16	1 227.76
13–15 September 2019	2019 CS Lombardia Trophy	3 67.73	1 150.47	1 218.20

Junior level

Shcherbakova at the 2019 World Junior Championships

Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships. Previous ISU world best highlighted in bold.

2018–19 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
4–10 March 2019	2019 World Junior Championships	Junior	1 72.86	2 147.08	2 219.94
13–14 February 2019	2019 European Youth Olympic Festival	Junior	1 72.57	1 130.22	1 202.79
1–4 February 2019	2019 Russian Junior Championships	Junior	2 77.17	3 146.80	3 223.97
19–23 December 2018	2019 Russian Championships	Senior	5 74.09	1 155.69	1 229.78
6–9 December 2018	2018–19 JGP Final	Junior	6 56.26	5 125.57	5 181.83
12–15 September 2018	2018 JGP Canada	Junior	1 65.07	1 130.49	1 195.56
22–25 August 2018	2018 JGP Slovakia	Junior	1 73.18	1 132.21	1 205.39
2017–18 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
23–26 January 2018	2018 Russian Junior Championships	Junior	8 68.19	16 111.00	13 179.19

References

1. "ISU World Standings for Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance : Ladies". International Skating Union. December 11, 2018.
2. "Season Best Score 2019/2020". International Skating Union.
3. "Season Best Score 2018/2019". International Skating Union.
4. "15-Yr-Old Figure Skater Makes History Landing 2 Quadruple Lutz Jumps". InspireMore. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2020-01-25.
5. "Quad-jumping Anna Shcherbakova steals show at Skate America". Olympic Channel. Retrieved 2020-01-25.
6. "Anna Shcherbakova: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018.
7. Flade, Tatjana (7 January 2019). "Anna Shcherbakova: 'The fact that we are girls doesn't change that we can jump'". Golden Skate.
8. "2018 JGP Slovakia: Junior Ladies Result". International Skating Union. 26 August 2018.
9. "2018 JGP Canada: Junior Ladies Result". International Skating Union. 26 August 2018.
10. Slater, Paula (7 December 2018). "Russia's Kostornaia leads junior ladies in Vancouver". Golden Skate.
11. Slater, Paula (8 December 2018). "Kostornaia takes gold in Junior Ladies in Vancouver". Golden Skate.
12. Flade, Tatjana (21 December 2018). "Anna Shcherbakova runs off with Russian National title in debut". Golden Skate.
13. Slater, Paula (March 9, 2019). ""Quad queen" Trusova defends Junior World title". Golden Skate.
14. Slater, Paula (October 19, 2019). "USA's Bradie Tennell leads at 2019 Skate America". Golden Skate.
15. Slater, Paula (October 20, 2019). "Shcherbakova of Russia captures gold at Skate America in Grand Prix debut". Golden Skate.
16. Slater, Paula (November 9, 2019). "Shcherbakova wins second consecutive Grand Prix in Chongqing". Golden Skate.
17. Slater, Paula (December 6, 2019). "Kostornaia leads Russian sweep after Ladies Short Program in Torino". Golden Skate.
18. Slater, Paula (December 8, 2019). "Alena Kostornaia leads Russian sweep for Ladies' gold in Torino". Golden Skate.
19. Flade, Tatjana (December 27, 2019). "Spectacular Kostornaia storms to lead at Russian Nationals". Golden Skate.
20. Flade, Tatjana (December 28, 2019). "Shcherbakova defends national title in Krasnoyarsk". Golden Skate.
21. Slater, Paula (January 24, 2020). "Kostornaia leads Russian sweep at Europeans". Golden Skate.
22. "Russian women sweep European Figure Skating Championships medals". OlympicTalk | NBC Sports. 2020-01-25. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
23. Slater, Paula (January 25, 2020). "Kostornaia takes gold in Russian sweep at Europeans". Golden Skate.
24. "Трусова ушла от Тутберидзе к Плющенко" [Trusova left Tutberidze for Plushenko] (in Russian). sport24.ru. May 6, 2020.
25. "Фигуристка Косторная ушла из группы Тутберидзе к Плющенко" [Figure skater Kostornaya left the Tutberidze group to Plushenko] (in Russian). RSport. July 31, 2020.
26. "KOLYADA, TRUSOVA SHINE AT 2020 TEST SKATES". International Figure Skating. September 14, 2020.
27. "2020 CUP OF RUSSIA SERIES".
28. Slater, Paula (November 20, 2020). "Kostornaia in command at Rostelecom Cup". Golden Skate.
29. Flade, Tatjana (December 25, 2020). "Shcherbakova edges Valieva for lead in Ladies Short at Russian Nationals". Golden Skate.
30. Flade, Tatjana (December 26, 2020). "Shcherbakova wins impressive battle; takes third title at Russian Nationals". Golden Skate.
31. "Anna Shcherbakova wins third consecutive Russia figure skating title". NBC Sports. December 26, 2020.
32. "Anna Shcherbakova: 2020/2021". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020.
33. "Anna Shcherbakova: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 December 2019.
34. "Competition Results: Anna Shcherbakova". International Skating Union.
35. "Анна Станиславовна Щербакова" [Anna Stanislavovna Shcherbakova]. fskate.ru (in Russian).

External links

• Anna Shcherbakova at the International Skating Union