Just playing with you hanca. I don't take any of this too personally really, let it rip. I'm a big girl
Is Alena Leonova finished?
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Just playing with you hanca. I don't take any of this too personally really, let it rip. I'm a big girl
I agree that Leonova's skating skills aren't outstanding. She has always flutzed and sometimes tended to UR some jumps. This season, few if any of her jumps have been landed cleanly. Look at any of her protocols and you will see all the negative GOE.
What she DID have in the past was great personality and zest, and that was what elevated her PCS scores above her opponents. However, this past season, she's been skating as if all the spirit has been drained from her, so her best asset as a skater has disappeared. Perhaps she has personal troubles, but she has got to leave them behind when she takes the ice and try to tap into the happy Alena. That's what she needs to do to keep her place on the Russian team.
What she DID have in the past was great personality and zest, and that was what elevated her PCS scores above her opponents. However, this past season, she's been skating as if all the spirit has been drained from her, so her best asset as a skater has disappeared. Perhaps she has personal troubles, but she has got to leave them behind when she takes the ice and try to tap into the happy Alena. That's what she needs to do to keep her place on the Russian team.
She doesn't be happy Alena on the ice. She can be the witch or requiem for a dream that she won world silver with!! Her best pcs was for rfad. I don't like this horrible box of smily chirpy programs everyone wants her to do when her best is witch or rfad!
You are right. It wasn't happiness what she was missing. It was the fire within her. Her belief in her skills and in her program. Her trying to interpret the program, as opposed to just skate through it as if she was having the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Alena has to be happy with herself to skate with spirit the way she once did. It has nothing to do with the kind of programs she does, but the sheer joy she used to feel when she skated.
I always felt the worst thing she could do was be coached by Morozov. He has quite a record of big talent going to him, then wiping out. This season was Takahashi's worst in the past three years. Amodio is no longer even an also-ran, he's a once-was. Thank goodness Javier Fernandez left!
I always felt the worst thing she could do was be coached by Morozov. He has quite a record of big talent going to him, then wiping out. This season was Takahashi's worst in the past three years. Amodio is no longer even an also-ran, he's a once-was. Thank goodness Javier Fernandez left!
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- Nov 13, 2012
I could not agree more! This season, it was almost as if wasn't the same person out there on the ice - it wasn't even "just" the technical problems; the spirit was lacking. I actually rather liked the flamenco she had at the beginning of the season - or rather, would have, if she had skated it with any kind of fire. As she can. I think the difference between now and last season was most painfully apparent in her FP at Worlds' - since she went back to her old program the difference from how she skated it then, and how she skated now, was so... glaring. And it isn't as if I was particularly a fan of that program (I think that, for me at least, the new flamenco one had more potential), but that you could really see that she was a pale shadow of her old self. I do hope she picks herself up/together again, as I'd be sad to "write off" anybody - and I'm not especially a fan of hers; but seeing someone not living up to their potential is sad. Now, who knows what has been troubling her this season? Hopefully, whatever it is gets sorted, and she can get... her fight back; because it's been signally missing this season.
All your post before this one was seemingly all about externals. Personality and zest and happy Alena all leading to her high pcs. Her highest pcs was for rfad. Zest in rfad? Personality? Happy Alena? Unless I am mistaken and you saw zest personality and happy Alena in rfad. That's not what I got from all your posts.
Morozov has been absolutely the best for Alena- 2012 worlds?!?
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- Feb 25, 2006
If she keeps skating like in 2013, she's finished, but she's got a chance if she goes back to skating like at Worlds 2012.
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- Oct 23, 2011
I have to say she is the one russian lady who sometimes reminded me of the joyous great irina. It took me years to become a true fan of Irina. I must say I do not think Tut is going to have it easy next year. I like her the best, despite her figure changing every comp and the costumes. I think her height and her development will be an issue. It bothers me that skating is now a skinny girl sport. I think Alena was very lucky to get that world silver. i did not agree, but Alena is so likeable, I can't help but wish her well. The other Russian baby starlets have a diva attitude that is annoying. The Russians want a lady on the podium very badly, and I have no idea who they should promote. Sadly, I think morozov worked well with Miki's choreograpy, if you don't count the 2010 LP he saddled Miki with. There are still interesting moments in his choreography but I think Alena would benefit from whoever is doing osmond's programs.
I cannot tell who is the best Russian lady. But generally, i hate a lot of the programs. I miss makarova's womanly elegance. Liza is so talented, I hope her jump technique carries her through. I hated Sotnikova' LP music, costume and her aura does nothing for me. So I kinda hope Alena gets lucky this season with the choreo. I guess I care about the veterans and have seen too many "it" girl teenagers crash and burn over the years.
I agree with whoever says she is not done. I can't imagine she would skate past Sochi, but I wish her one good last season. Her persona makes me root for her and my other choice for best of luck is Liza. I wish she was not so burndened in Russia being known as Mishin's girl. I have come to appreciate those people who love the ice and can relax and show it. I can't take my eyes off Suzuki, Osmond and Gracie. old or young, i see the joy. Good luck ms leonova!! Come back fighting.
I cannot tell who is the best Russian lady. But generally, i hate a lot of the programs. I miss makarova's womanly elegance. Liza is so talented, I hope her jump technique carries her through. I hated Sotnikova' LP music, costume and her aura does nothing for me. So I kinda hope Alena gets lucky this season with the choreo. I guess I care about the veterans and have seen too many "it" girl teenagers crash and burn over the years.
I agree with whoever says she is not done. I can't imagine she would skate past Sochi, but I wish her one good last season. Her persona makes me root for her and my other choice for best of luck is Liza. I wish she was not so burndened in Russia being known as Mishin's girl. I have come to appreciate those people who love the ice and can relax and show it. I can't take my eyes off Suzuki, Osmond and Gracie. old or young, i see the joy. Good luck ms leonova!! Come back fighting.
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- Jun 16, 2010
Hmmm my first thought was to say yes, however the Russian women proved to be quite mediocre this year. If she regains some semblance of consistency I think she could actually still have a shot at the 2 women Russian Olympic Team. Why would they completely write off a former World silver medalist in favor of girls whose best combined finish at a World event thus far is 9th place. Heck Leonova is even the only one to medal in a Grand Prix final thus far, and Sotnikova and Tuks have been eligible for that event for 2 seasons now.
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- Dec 4, 2004
It was very interesting to watch her at worlds....I loved her past Pirates of the Carb. program. I dont personally care about flutzing...she sold that performance. But it is a sport after all and one has to do the jumps. Is she in a slump? Yes. Many wrote off AC and she came back and won the GP final that year. I watched Gracie skate at Worlds in the Free Program and I will be darned if she didnt hold onto the lead for many skaters and gave us three spots at the Olys. Sometimes, the sport seems to be not entirely what you do as a skater but what other do or dont do... I dont know if Alena is a diva or not, but I wish her the best next season.
Miki Ando, please come home....we miss you.....
Miki Ando, please come home....we miss you.....
I like her. She gives it her all, has an engaging personality, and is fun to watch.
And by the way, it is not an insult to be compared to Miki Ando, two-time world champion!
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- Feb 24, 2012
leonova has her work cut out for her but who knows with the inconsistent young russians she may still have a chance at least to go to worlds if one of the ladies sneaks on the podium or something. She had a horrific year but Czisny and Kostner have had bad years too and they were given a reprieve. I agree though their skating federations held them up or there wasn't much competition in thier country ie. italy. Sad we will never see makarova probably and maybe Leonova. but give her a year before the coffin is permanently closed. You can't even say Leonova is a Fumie Suguri (what happeened to her???)
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- Jun 16, 2010
You cant compare Leonova to Makarova. Makarova is a career journeywomen, she wasnt even a top junior skater, who had no hope of staying in the mix once the Russian women came. Leonova has been 2nd and 4th at Worlds, medaled at the GP final, won Junior Worlds, so she has proven herself to the Russian fed. countless times. It was predicted she too could be in real tough once the younger talents became age eligible, and with her horrible season that makes things all the tougher, but the thing is these young skaters while good are not yet as great as people thought they would be at this point. So while someone like Makarova is done, dead, and buried, Leonova potentially is still in the fight, but she has to get her act together and now, and hope the young Russians dont start getting theirs together alot better than this year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gFZCXJBQHk
Lol, fast forward to 5:17. Her reaction to that program is so overblown and absurd...one can't help but completely crack up and think she must be kidding. Ok, so she didn't land on her butt but staying upright for a program isn't the same thing as actually skating a great program. She looks like the Terminator running through the motions on her way to obliterating something instead of actually interpreting the music. The choreography is nonexistent and her skating is flat out boring. Let's call a spade a spade.
Lol, fast forward to 5:17. Her reaction to that program is so overblown and absurd...one can't help but completely crack up and think she must be kidding. Ok, so she didn't land on her butt but staying upright for a program isn't the same thing as actually skating a great program. She looks like the Terminator running through the motions on her way to obliterating something instead of actually interpreting the music. The choreography is nonexistent and her skating is flat out boring. Let's call a spade a spade.
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- Nov 20, 2011
in a recent interview Tuk said she always tense in short programs because she thinks alot of it , she has a history of bombing sp's since she was a junior, she is comfortable in the FS as she feels more free and liberated
IMO, as I wrote about Gashinski in another thread: Skaters, as all of us, can have problems that we don't talk loud about. Problems that are more or less out of our control and make us behave/perform worse than we usually do. Go both :thumbsup:
This is why I brought up sports psychologist - it's like she needs help in getting a helpful mental state before an sp! What if euros 2014 she bombs so bad that she doesn't make the free or if at Russian nationals she can't medal because of bombing?? Yes she can have a great fs but what if here is no chance at a fs?
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