Is Alena Leonova finished? | Page 3 | Golden Skate

Is Alena Leonova finished?

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Liza Tuktamysheva isn't the only skater who botches SPs. Gracie Gold and Angela Wang are also known for their SP mishaps.
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Liza Tuktamysheva isn't the only skater who botches SPs. Gracie Gold and Angela Wang are also known for their SP mishaps.

True, but she is the only one of those whose SP mishaps could cost her a spot on the Olympic team, and so could be a fatal and career altering problem if she doesnt fix it soon. She is in a country with only 2 spots and 3 very strong skaters bidding for them. Gold is in a country with 3 spots and only 2 very strong skaters (both ensured of spots barring a broken limb). Wang would need a miracle to make the Olympic team so can just focus on improving her short programs and other weaknesses with all the time in the World to do so.
 

ForeverFish

Medalist
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
True, but she is the only one of those whose SP mishaps could cost her a spot on the Olympic team, and so could be a fatal and career altering problem if she doesnt fix it soon. She is in a country with only 2 spots and 3 very strong skaters bidding for them. Gold is in a country with 3 spots and only 2 very strong skaters (both ensured of spots barring a broken limb). Wang would need a miracle to make the Olympic team so can just focus on improving her short programs and other weaknesses with all the time in the World to do so.

Who's the third "very strong" skater in Russia? Tukt, Sotnikova, and...?

If you mean Leonova, then no. I think that, after this season, her chances of making the Olympic team are about nil and zero.
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Who's the third "very strong" skater in Russia? Tukt, Sotnikova, and...?

If you mean Leonova, then no. I think that, after this season, her chances of making the Olympic team are about nil and zero.

I was referring to Julia Lipnitskaya, who actually has posted better results for the most part the last 2 seasons than both Sotnikova and Tuktamysheva.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Lipnitskaia isn't perfect, either. She messed up the SP at JW and finished 2nd to Radionova. She lacks musicality as well.
 

deedee1

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 14, 2007
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

:clap:

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.

I understand your frustlation, thinking of a few competitions in the past I did not want to agree on, either. However, placements in a competition is decided among all skaters who skate on two nights; how they skate and how many points in total each of them to score combined with SP+LP. And at this particular competition, 2012 Worlds in Nice, only Kostner beat Leonova and other skaters failed to do so thus she won the silver as a result, even though 'she looked like the Terminator running through the motions on her way to obliterating something instead of actually interpreting the music, and the choreography is nonexistent and her skating is flat out boring' as you saying. But that's how the current COP system rewards; she got points for what she did and was rewarded with silver medal there. It was not her fault that other skaters did not skate as the way they were capable of.
And there is another occasion the curent system also rewards: a skater shows up with two most brilliant and difficult programs which seem rightfully worthy of winning; with hardest jumps, packed with tranditions and/or the best skating skills of all, and may have a fall on the nights of actual competition, but the said skater may end up winning overall. Comes again fans scream to the skater, to the judges and even hate the skater...:sarcasm: Yes, there were occasions/results that it was hard for me to agree on and get over it, either, but we have to get over it at some point, don't we? Blame the system not skaters. It's OK for me if you guys are to discuss whether the results were correct or not, peformances were worthy of winning or not, but some of you guys sometiems make me feel like :slink:, you know. I don't want to see any posts bashing skaters, attacking personal appearances or wars going among die-hard fans of rivaly skaters; ala Johnny and Evan up until 2010, or YuNa and Mao from 2006 to 2014. Makes me really sad and the skating less enjoyable for me.

For all your reference, btw, Alena Leonova born 1990 is as young as Mao Asada, YuNa Kim, Frolent Amodio, Michal Brezina, Kevin Reynolds, Patrick Chan..shall I go on searching skaters bio some more? ;) Is she finished? Again my answer is "No. Absolutely not. Gooo Alena! :) "
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Lipnitskaia isn't perfect, either. She messed up the SP at JW and finished 2nd to Radionova. She lacks musicality as well.

She still easily beat Sotnikova to win last years World Juniors (Sotnikova didnt even take 2nd place behind her in fact), and did better than both Sotnikova and Tuktamysheva on the Grand Prix this season. Radionova is the only person to beat her in World Junior competition thus far and she is ineligible for the Olympics so no need to worry about her for Julia.

I do think if all three of Sotnikova, Tuktamysheva, and Lipnitskaia skate cleanly she is probably the weakest as she has small jumps and little artistry, but she usually skates clean, unlike those other two. She is very consistent doing very hard jump layouts and gets alot of point from spins, hence why her scores are consistently high. Although her jumps were not as consistent this season as they were last so that is a worry for her perhaps.
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
Lipnitskaia's skating really sticks out as juniorish compared to the other Senior Ladies. And with her growth spurt affecting her now who knows where she will be in 6 months.
 

FlattFan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Of the Russian girls

1. Elena has the most potential. She's too young for Sochi, correct?
2. Adelina. Her jumps are always questionable. Actually she doesn't have a single good jump. Flutz, unstable flip that doesn't gain a lot of GOE even landed, Loop is also not so good, salchow is average, can't rotate the 3T at the end of the combo. Her skill is the strongest of the Russian girls. But probably third worst when it comes to program choices. Which leads to #3.
3. Alena. This girl has ridiculous programs all her life. I wonder how she managed to get so many medals. But as long as Morozov doesn't drop her, she has a fighting chance.
4. Liza. This is the talked about girl, Russian's answer to the combo of Mao and Yuna. 3A and 3Lz-3T talk talk talk. Well, I suppose 3Lz-3T worked out for her, but everything else was horrible. Package was all wrong. Just no chance at anything. Even with the skates of her life, I don't see her finishing higher than 7th in Sochi. A lost cause. No chance even when stars aligned.
5. Julia. The worst ever. Weakest technically. Even when she lands everything, her GOE should be in the negative. Weakest musically, too. If PCS is judged correctly, SS - 3, PE - 2, TR - 5, IN - 1, CH - 1. She would have to land quintuple axels to be in the top 10.

So, Adelina will probably go to Sochi with one of Liza and Alena. Alena is not completely finished.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Of the Russian girls

1. Elena has the most potential. She's too young for Sochi, correct?
2. Adelina. Her jumps are always questionable. Actually she doesn't have a single good jump. Flutz, unstable flip that doesn't gain a lot of GOE even landed, Loop is also not so good, salchow is average, can't rotate the 3T at the end of the combo. Her skill is the strongest of the Russian girls. But probably third worst when it comes to program choices. Which leads to #3.
3. Alena. This girl has ridiculous programs all her life. I wonder how she managed to get so many medals. But as long as Morozov doesn't drop her, she has a fighting chance.
4. Liza. This is the talked about girl, Russian's answer to the combo of Mao and Yuna. 3A and 3Lz-3T talk talk talk. Well, I suppose 3Lz-3T worked out for her, but everything else was horrible. Package was all wrong. Just no chance at anything. Even with the skates of her life, I don't see her finishing higher than 7th in Sochi. A lost cause. No chance even when stars aligned.
5. Julia. The worst ever. Weakest technically. Even when she lands everything, her GOE should be in the negative. Weakest musically, too. If PCS is judged correctly, SS - 3, PE - 2, TR - 5, IN - 1, CH - 1. She would have to land quintuple axels to be in the top 10.

So, Adelina will probably go to Sochi with one of Liza and Alena. Alena is not completely finished.


Wow the Russian girls might as well not even show up at the olympics. Maybe they should audition to be flower girls or something They might as well waive the white flag and bow down to the rest
 

FlattFan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Wow the Russian girls might as well not even show up at the olympics. Maybe they should audition to be flower girls or something They might as well waive the white flag and bow down to the rest

I believe in fair chance. Everyone should be able to compete at the Olympics based on the current rule. They should show up and place 9th and 10th, where they belong.
Yes, Elena should be a flower girl. Nothing's wrong with that. Kanako Murakami was a flower girl back in the day when Mao was winning.
No, Julia should not be on the ice at all. Don't want to see that girl.
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
Of the Russian girls

1. Elena has the most potential. She's too young for Sochi, correct?
2. Adelina. Her jumps are always questionable. Actually she doesn't have a single good jump. Flutz, unstable flip that doesn't gain a lot of GOE even landed, Loop is also not so good, salchow is average, can't rotate the 3T at the end of the combo. Her skill is the strongest of the Russian girls. But probably third worst when it comes to program choices. Which leads to #3.
3. Alena. This girl has ridiculous programs all her life. I wonder how she managed to get so many medals. But as long as Morozov doesn't drop her, she has a fighting chance.
4. Liza. This is the talked about girl, Russian's answer to the combo of Mao and Yuna. 3A and 3Lz-3T talk talk talk. Well, I suppose 3Lz-3T worked out for her, but everything else was horrible. Package was all wrong. Just no chance at anything. Even with the skates of her life, I don't see her finishing higher than 7th in Sochi. A lost cause. No chance even when stars aligned.
5. Julia. The worst ever. Weakest technically. Even when she lands everything, her GOE should be in the negative. Weakest musically, too. If PCS is judged correctly, SS - 3, PE - 2, TR - 5, IN - 1, CH - 1. She would have to land quintuple axels to be in the top 10.

So, Adelina will probably go to Sochi with one of Liza and Alena. Alena is not completely finished.

:rolleye:
I know, very rubbish skaters. The whole lot! Absolutely no potential there! And the worst Elena and Julia. That's why they managed to beat the US girls at junior worlds, because they are so bad that it distracted US girls from skating properly... or is it that despite them being so rubbish, the US girls are actually even worse and that's why they were beaten by Elena and Julia? :laugh:
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Elena and Julia have had a LOT more international competition experience than any of the US girls at JW. Those two girls have won lots of medals and are known to the ISU judges, whereas Cesario, Hicks and Siraj haven't built an international reputation.
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
Elena and Julia have had a LOT more international competition experience than any of the US girls at JW. Those two girls have won lots of medals and are known to the ISU judges, whereas Cesario, Hicks and Siraj haven't built an international reputation.

I don't think they won because they are known by judges. For Elena this was her first season, and at the beginning of this current season she was completely unknown to the judges. Julia the same last season, so I am not sure what your point is. Julia and Elena have only the reputation that they built up themselves through their skating. If Cesario, Hicks and Siraj haven't built an international reputation, I wouldn't blame anyone else for that except of them. If they skated better, if they won every JGP event they entered and then JGP final, they would have the international reputation too. Besides, if you look at protocols, you will see why Cesario, Hicks and Siraj didn't win. They didn't have the technical content. Surely you don't blame Elena and Julia for the fact that Cesario, Hicks and Siraj aren't technically strong enough and consistent enough?
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
Lipnitskaia isn't perfect, either. She messed up the SP at JW and finished 2nd to Radionova. She lacks musicality as well.

she came from an injury, Lipnitskaya came 5th at Russian Junior Nationals.
with regards to musicality some with more experience that can be developed, anyone forgot Slutskaya ?
 

plushyfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2012
Country
Hungary
:rolleye:
I know, very rubbish skaters. The whole lot! Absolutely no potential there! And the worst Elena and Julia. That's why they managed to beat the US girls at junior worlds, because they are so bad that it distracted US girls from skating properly... or is it that despite them being so rubbish, the US girls are actually even worse and that's why they were beaten by Elena and Julia? :laugh:

:biggrin: Oh,yes!!!The Russian girls are rubbish skaters. I don't understand why they waste their times with skating? They will be very good pom-pom girls.;)
 

FlattFan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
she came from an injury, Lipnitskaya came 5th at Russian Junior Nationals.
with regards to musicality some with more experience that can be developed, anyone forgot Slutskaya ?

That's funny! You are a comedian. So natural. :laugh:
 

silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Who's the third "very strong" skater in Russia? Tukt, Sotnikova, and...?

If you mean Leonova, then no. I think that, after this season, her chances of making the Olympic team are about nil and zero.

I like Pogorilaya, she has the jumps, just needs some polishing. I worry about her growth though, I think she may end up rather tall like Korobeynikova and if that could hurt her jumps (love Korobeynikova too but idk what happened to her content this season, very weak...). Pogorilaya is like Shelepen from a few years back because her legs are just so long. http://www.jwcmilano2013.com/images/fullscreen/ladies14.jpg her height is about the same as Julia but Julia looks to have more balanced proportions, so I think it's possible Julia may stay petite whereas for Anna she will likely grow tall, and perhaps Elena too.
 

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
But what did happen to Alena this year? Sorry if someone has explained in this thread but I can't seem to find it. Last year, she was so strong - like her or not, and I can't bring myself to be a true fan, but she was strong. This year, she just couldn't put out a decent program. Was she injured? Or is it just that her form peaked last year and she is simply on the decline? To be honest, even after her silver medal last year I didn't really think she would be a medal favorite heading into Sochi but I didn't expect her to be such a non-factor this year. What happened?
 
Top