Alexia Paganini leaves Lambiel, will continue training with Gheorghe Chiper in Zürich

[CrazyKittenLady]

Alexia just posted this announcement on instagram:


Tbh, it's understandable, she had a rather underwhelming season with Lambiel. Good luck to Alexia and her new team!

 

[flanker]

I confess the name Gheorghe Chiper is completely unknown to me.

As for the "underwhelming season", to me it seems Alexia tends to mess at important competitions no matter who is her coach.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I confess the name Gheorghe Chiper is completely unknown to me.

As for the "underwhelming season", to me it seems Alexia tends to mess at important competitions no matter who is her coach.

Former 8 time Romanian champ, first Romanian to land 4T in competition, 1st Romanian to medal on GP (Bronze at Bompard 2005-06). Also, 2 time Olympian. He's also Finlandia champ 2003 as well as Golden Spin, and won Crystal skate multiple times.

 

[Dreamer57]

It's a bit risky to change coaches now. She needs to prepare for Nebelhorn to earn the Olympic spot right? Hope this move pays off for her.

 

[LiamForeman]

Alexia just posted this announcement on instagram:


Tbh, it's understandable, she had a rather underwhelming season with Lambiel. Good luck to Alexia and her new team!

I haven't been impressed with his coaching. Other skaters of his also didn't skate up to their potential. I'd have left him too.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

I haven't been impressed with his coaching. Other skaters of his also didn't skate up to their potential. I'd have left him too.

It's hit or miss: Deniss and Shoma have been doing pretty well, Rika looked good at Nationals, but Koshiro and Alexia have both been struggling. I think it's hard to judge since this season has been so crazy and some of the skaters probably have had to be away for long periods of time.

 

[kolyadafan2002]

Gheorghe is fantastic coach. I expect it is a good move.

 

[ladyjane]

I'm hoping it works out well for her. I was so saddened about her performance at worlds, because I know she can do better (she was 4th at Europeans!).

 

[nussnacker]

Hope this works out for her! I admit, I think this is very risky, and can potentially cost her a ticket to Olympics.
I guess given her unfortunate performance at worlds she felt like their cooperation wasn’t going well and she might miss out on Olympics at Nebelhorn if she keeps going like this. Although it was Alexia’s only competition this season, so perhaps it’s not just because of Lambiel?
Nevertheless, hope both have better luck next season!

 

[flanker]

Hope this works out for her! I admit, I think this is very risky, and can potentially cost her a ticket to Olympics.
I guess given her unfortunate performance at worlds she felt like their cooperation wasn’t going well and she might miss out on Olympics at Nebelhorn if she keeps going like this. Although it was Alexia’s only competition this season, so perhaps it’s not just because of Lambiel?
Nevertheless, hope both have better luck next season!

It was her second one, she skated at Nebelhorn.

As for Lambiel, it is hard to judge. Some of his students weren't much succesful during the last season, but in most cases there are aspects that should be taken into account. Rika was injured, Shoma Uno wasn't consistent even before he moved to him, similarly Alexia. And most of his skaters had to face the lack of training due to corona restrictions, some previous plans had to be altered and improvised etc.

 

[icetug]

I was wondering how long Alexia would stay at Champery... I mean, if she had a better result at Worlds, she probably would have stayed, because as she admitted, Champery gave her all-round training. But apart from training, it had nothing to offer her that she was used to. So, to be honest, for the 19-year-old from New York, a full year in a Swiss village with no typical attractions except a few pubs and a lift to a nearby mountain was already a feat. The other girls flew faster than she did Diana Nikitina talked about how hard it was for her to stay there because of the lack of activities outside of training - and she came from Riga, not New York.

 

[kolyadafan2002]

It was her second one, she skated at Nebelhorn.

As for Lambiel, it is hard to judge. Some of his students weren't much succesful during the last season, but in most cases there are aspects that should be taken into account. Rika was injured, Shoma Uno wasn't consistent even before he moved to him, similarly Alexia. And most of his skaters had to face the lack of training due to corona restrictions, some previous plans had to be altered and improvised etc.

I think Lambiel as a coach really focuses on mental aspects and training plans and choreography, and has other coaches work through jump stability.
Sometimes a skater and a coach doesn't click. With shoma, they clicked beautifully. With Rika, it's too early to say.
Only Alexei Paganini herself can know if it worked out for her, but I'm excited to see Gheorghe work with her.

 

[flanker]

I was wondering how long Alexia would stay at Champery... I mean, if she had a better result at Worlds, she probably would have stayed, because as she admitted, Champery gave her all-round training. But apart from training, it had nothing to offer her that she was used to. So, to be honest, for the 19-year-old from New York, a full year in a Swiss village with no typical attractions except a few pubs and a lift to a nearby mountain was already a feat. The other girls flew faster than she did Diana Nikitina talked about how hard it was for her to stay there because of the lack of activities outside of training - and she came from Riga, not New York.

Seems like a dream place to me

 

[Bluediamonds09]

Wishing the best of luck to her. Maybe she will get more consistent. That's so important to make the judges keep raising your scores. And perhaps the new coach can help with better spins and more difficulty. Good luck with summer training, hope u get GP assignments!

 

[Skater Boy]

I agree this year is hard to use as a huge measure with Covid issues. I am so impressed we had a worlds Alexia still has the potential for top ten so we will wait and see. Sometimes a fresh start, something new is enough to trigger something positive in a skater.

 

[Giu]

I was wondering how long Alexia would stay at Champery... I mean, if she had a better result at Worlds, she probably would have stayed, because as she admitted, Champery gave her all-round training. But apart from training, it had nothing to offer her that she was used to. So, to be honest, for the 19-year-old from New York, a full year in a Swiss village with no typical attractions except a few pubs and a lift to a nearby mountain was already a feat. The other girls flew faster than she did Diana Nikitina talked about how hard it was for her to stay there because of the lack of activities outside of training - and she came from Riga, not New York.

I'm not sure that's the reason why she left... sure living in Champery must be hard if you're a 19 years old girl from New York, but if you have a strong desire to succeed in your sport then you must be willing to sacrifice something; I mean she wasn't alone there, she had a bunch of peers to hang out with... or maybe they were part of the problem, maybe Champery was too crowded and with Shoma and Rika she probably felt like she wasn't a priority for Stephane

ETA I also remember Denis Ten saying that, although he had lived in California for years, he never got to go to the movies once cause all he was doing was skating, also Ashley Wagner has often told that her life as a professional athlete did not allow her amusements or distractions of any kind