So she's obviously not going to make the Olympic team for Sochi and, well, let's face it...she's not as talented (or as young) as Liza and Adelina. So...do you think she'll hang up her rickety old skates next season? I watched her free program from worlds this year again and for some reason found myself chuckling a little bit. I know it's wrong to laugh at someone's misfortune, but just comparing her performances this year to her absurd overreacting at previous international events was rather hilarious. It makes me really wonder how she even placed 2nd at Worlds last year... Even if her jumps were better, her artistry and edges are nonexistent..she's like a Russian Miki Ando with a lot of unnecessary diva thrown in. What do you guys think about her?
Is Alena Leonova finished?
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She Beat Liza in the sp At worlds and almost beat sonikova too!! She needs to be in 2012 worlds shape again! She can obviously make the Sochi Olympic team if she can be at her best and others make mistakes. She has five triples with her Flutz. She's not a makarova with 2 triples. She has five! she is so close to it being a real possibility.
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I was going through her Worlds FS protocol, and I have to say one thing to J3 and J6, who had the courage to give her the marks she deserves for TR (5.50 and 5.00, respectively) and for CH (6.00 and 5.50): 
If all the judges start giving her the PCS that her Morozov programs deserve, she's truly finished... I really hope that Nikolai will allow her to go to a true choreographer and have a decently-choreographed program...
If all the judges start giving her the PCS that her Morozov programs deserve, she's truly finished... I really hope that Nikolai will allow her to go to a true choreographer and have a decently-choreographed program...
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FSGMT said:
It would be really nice if the jugdes did that with every crappy Morozov program. But like that, it's more like they're just joining the "she's done anyway"-camp. If her season would have been better, those marks might have been better too...
bump said:
Now that's cruel, really. You don't have to like her, but there's no need for this. Alena really didn't skate thise whole season the way she skated before - with a lot of fire, spunk and personality. You dont have to enjoy watching her, but she can be a really exciting performer. She wasn't this season though.
I liked her in the past. Her witches program was brilliant. This year she was like a completely different skater - there was no fire left in her. But that doesn't mean that she is done. A lot of skaters have one bad season. I would start worrying if it were 2-3 seasons, but after one season it is not fair to write someone off. Let's remember Alisa Czisny - she had a few bad seasons, than came a few good ones. The same with Ashley Wagner, Carolina Kostner, Mao Asada...
With Leonova, though, her biggest problem is that due to the strong competition within Russia (with every year more and more youngsters will be coming to senior eligible age) even if she picks herself up, the question will be whether she will pick herself up enough to be given chance at major international competitions. The amount places is limited....
With Leonova, though, her biggest problem is that due to the strong competition within Russia (with every year more and more youngsters will be coming to senior eligible age) even if she picks herself up, the question will be whether she will pick herself up enough to be given chance at major international competitions. The amount places is limited....
Leonova, struggles to competently handle the technical content she does have. So not being a very artistic skater her nerves don't help her. Actually the programs she originally had this season had potential, she just didn't have the chops to present them. Her short was actually quite cute but she couldn't handle it. So she has to either work super hard next year or hope the others are off. She did herself no favors this season either. She did not prepare well and it cost Russia a third spot. That may have sealed the deal for her.
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No. not just yet. Let's wait and see how Alena redeems herself and can skate next season!
:thumbsup:
We all now what Shizuka achieved after slipping from 1st in 2004 to 9th in 2005 worlds 
. I know it's not the same, as Leonova had a season that was terrible, while Shizuka was the GPF silver medalist in the 2004-5 season but still, many things can happen. But for me, if she again doesn't manage to make the top 5 at nationals she may seriously consider quitting. Like hanca said, it all comes down whether she can compete with the russians, not with all the skaters from the world.
. I know it's not the same, as Leonova had a season that was terrible, while Shizuka was the GPF silver medalist in the 2004-5 season but still, many things can happen. But for me, if she again doesn't manage to make the top 5 at nationals she may seriously consider quitting. Like hanca said, it all comes down whether she can compete with the russians, not with all the skaters from the world.
Blame leonova when tuktamisheva did worst than she did In the sp? Leonova got the third spot barely over gosviani and then she did better than the winner of Russian nationals in the sp!!
So what... Do you remember the worlds where Kostner was landing only doubles and singles and pops? She also struggled to handle the technical content she had. She ended up 12th at worlds and the following year 16th at Olympics. Since then she has medalled at every Europeans and Worlds...
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Kostner also had the advantage of not having much (if any) competition from her fellow countrywomen, which gave her the time she needed to mature and get her nerves under control.
Leonova's situation is as different as it gets. Russia is a HUGE figure skating country, and in the past few years, they've produced more than a few rising stars--Tuktamysheva and Sotnikova at the head of the pack, trailed by the younger Lipnitskaia, Radionova, Pogorilaya, Gosviani, etc. These girls are younger than Leonova and have full technical arsenals, improving PCS, and the support of the Russian Fed. If Leonova doesn't get her act together in this next season, she IS done competing internationally for Russia.
Nice, now we just need to drum up some support for the other real underachievers in the Morozov group; Dice, Amodio and the I/K? This season is going to be grand!!
Alena was 5th and 6th at her two GPs this year, 7th at Nationals, was not sent to Euros, and was 13th at Worlds, which means she won't be guaranteed two GP events this coming season. She will still be 9th on the WR list after the old data is removed, and she is #25 on the SB list, so she might get an assignment or two on the GP. But unless she brings in a GP medal and medals at Russian Nationals, we won't see her at Euros, Olympics or Worlds.
Tuk and Sot may not have been perfect, but at least they won GP, National and Euros medals, and finished top 10 at Worlds. Lipnitskaia qualified for GPF (wd due to injury) and medaled at JW, Pogorilaya medaled at the JGPF and JW. Then there's Radionova, too young for ISU senior Championships and the Olympics, but won the JGPF, Russian Nationals and JW.
Of course, it all depends on how many of the younger ladies survive puberty with jumping ability intact, but unless Leonova shines in the coming season, she is probably done.
Tuk and Sot may not have been perfect, but at least they won GP, National and Euros medals, and finished top 10 at Worlds. Lipnitskaia qualified for GPF (wd due to injury) and medaled at JW, Pogorilaya medaled at the JGPF and JW. Then there's Radionova, too young for ISU senior Championships and the Olympics, but won the JGPF, Russian Nationals and JW.
Of course, it all depends on how many of the younger ladies survive puberty with jumping ability intact, but unless Leonova shines in the coming season, she is probably done.
Actually, 6th and 7th....
Nice, now we just need to drum up some support for the other real underachievers in the Morozov group; Dice, Amodio and the I/K? This season is going to be grand!!
I am not drumming support into anyone. I just don't think it is fair to write off a person after one unsuccessful season. If you look into results of other skaters, most of them have some dips in their results. They are humans, not machines. I am really sorry that you are disappointed, but that's life!
Finally two persons who get it; chuckm and ForeverFish. Nobody wants to see someone's career tank like this. But you've got to ask yourself, how could she have waited so late in the season to get her act together, the season before the Olympics! Not one sparkling performance for the entire season. Correct me here if I missed one? If she couldn't control her nerves now, how will she fare when the real race begins? Alena for better or worse is a skater with limited skills so her only shot of scoring well anywhere are great GOE and commitment to whatever she is doing. When the jumps fall away whatever is left is just not stable. If she doesn't focus on what is important, forget the whining and start to work consistently hard starting this April, she will find it hard to go to Europeans, Worlds or the Olympics. She has a very tough road ahead.
