Alena Kostornaia

[nussnacker]

Aliona in the K&C talking to Eteri, probably recalling last season and manifesting her goals:

“I don’t want a comeback of THAT Kostornaya. I want to be a new me. New me, she’s different. I want to be back to the best version of myself - much better than what I was previously”.

Really strong statement, which shows how driven and motivated she still is.

Not everything went well today, she went with so much speed into her 3A though. Maybe puddles are part of the problem.
But nevertheless, much more attack and no underrotations or bad landings like in Canada, more engaged in the performance and better PCS followed.

Now she’s 100% in the GPF, which is a good achievement in itself. Now onto the GPF to see new and better Aliona, as she herself desires it so much.

 

[Batsuchan]

Well, I'm sure that wasn't the performance Aliona was hoping for, but my goodness, Aliona was flying!! She just launched herself into outer space with that 3A attempt, and I guess it was nearly rotated (judged "q")--she just couldn't hang on to the landing. She fell on the 3A in competition for the first time, but that jump was enormous! That solo 3Lz and the first 3F off her 3F+3T combo also looked a little too huge, which threw her off slightly.

I still don't think "Lovely" works well as an FS (though I loved the EX version). It's possible that Aliona will be able to change my mind, but the last part of the program just doesn't build enough for me -- I want something like "Supermassive black hole" that makes the audience want to clap along and has a big ending.

Aliona still has a lot to work on -- she really needs to be getting level 4 on her step sequences, and I wonder if she can do anything to boost her spin GOE. I remember Ted Barton commentating once (at the 2018 JGPF, maybe?), that Aliona manages to get at least 1 point of positive GOE on all of her elements, and she has definitely fallen short of that mark this year.

But on the whole, I thought she finally got a score she deserved, instead of being under-marked. Easily into second place and into the final!

Congrats on your silver medal and making it to the GPF!!!

 

[Batsuchan]

Aliona in the K&C talking to Eteri, probably recalling last season and manifesting her goals:

“I don’t want a comeback of THAT Kostornaya. I want to be a new me. New me, she’s different. I want to be back to the best version of myself - much better than what I was previously”.

Really strong statement, which shows how driven and motivated she still is.

Thanks for sharing that, nussacker!
Wow, Aliona really does sound super motivated, and that makes me very happy. I was quite worried she'd be feeling sorry for herself or hopeless, but I'm glad to hear she's still got her fighting spirit!

 

[Vemvane]

Well done to Aliona on her silver medal here! That fall on the 3A was shocking, but she kept going without more than a little shrug as she picked herself up, and looked composed in the Kiss n Cry with Eteri afterwards. I think she looked like she had more stamina at this competition as well; she's improving steadily at the moment, and her confidence should have received a healthy boost after her FP score.

 

[patee]

 

[patee]

 

[nussnacker]

Thanks for sharing that, nussacker!
Wow, Aliona really does sound super motivated, and that makes me very happy. I was quite worried she'd be feeling sorry for herself or hopeless, but I'm glad to hear she's still got her fighting spirit!

Yes, and the team dynamic seems to be very good to me. Eteri answered: “we need to train, Aliona, for real”

So a lot of work ahead of them going into GPF, but both sound very determined!
we can hope this competition gives her a better motivation to keep going, since the judges seem to be warming up to her slowly.

 

[Vemvane]

FP photos. That glitter is so bold!

 

[bouncy]

I still don't think "Lovely" works well as an FS (though I loved the EX version). It's possible that Aliona will be able to change my mind, but the last part of the program just doesn't build enough for me -- I want something like "Supermassive black hole" that makes the audience want to clap along and has a big ending.

I feel the same! The first 2 parts sound legit to my ears but the last part isn't strong enough. She needs a bigger ending that lifts her spirits, as well as the audiences', not something that wanes in the end.
I wanted her to bring back Carmen or Adios Nonino, though it might be too late at this point.

 

[elbkup]

I feel the same! The first 2 parts sound legit to my ears but the last part isn't strong enough. She needs a bigger ending that lifts her spirits, as well as the audiences', not something that wanes in the end.
I wanted her to bring back Carmen or Adios Nonino, though it might be too late at this point.

They could tack on a very brief upbeat segment on the end.. something that blends well with the existing piece.. think DG is capable?
EDT. Most important is that she likes the piece (would she have had the tattoo if she didn’t?) and that makes a big difference
Good God I hope she is compiling a huge list of music she wants to use in future to avoid doubts later on..

 

[Vemvane]

More FP photos.




And Aliona on the FP, at the press conference.




Google translate:

Alena Kostornaya commented on her performance at the Grand Prix of France.

- I am generally satisfied with the rental, axel disappointed. I would like to jump two trixels. It's a shame that it didn't work out. I flew well in the jump, why I did not leave - I did not understand myself.

When I arrived here, I never did it well. Maybe I really wanted to show it well and because of this it didn't work out for me. Fixated on wanting to do it well.

- You skate about Billie Eilish. Do you like this singer?

- I love Eilish. Both from the old songs and from the new album. In general, I really like her style. This challenge from society “I am not like everyone else, and I will not be like everyone else”. Because I myself am. In programs, I skate myself.

- Do you feel that there is a return of that Kostornaya, who won the competition?

- I do not want that Kostornaya to return. I want to be new! I'm new! I am different! Hopefully, come back to a better version of yourself, which is better than the old one.

- What's the difference?

- Condition on the head. I grew up. I'm not a little kid anymore. Slightly different positions in life, slightly different thoughts. Probably, overall, I just got older. And I can convey something more serious than what was before.

 

[Scott512]

Step 1 GPF.

Step 2 get the 3A in her SP. She will need it by Nationals. She needs to put pressure on the other girls by scoring well in the short program.

 

[nussnacker]

 

[Azikin]

I think that 3A fall had to come eventually and better here than on some more important occasion... anyway, the chances for Olympics are here for sure, we need to keep believing!

 

[Remilia]

It's a shame about the 3A...at this point, she really NEEDS to be landing it clean at least once across the short and free, but she's not and it's a tad frustrating bc I KNOW she can do it. Also, she really has a problem with not performing once she messes up the 3A. I kind of wonder if it wouldn't be better to move the 3A to a later point in her program? After she's already done a few clean jumps. Maybe that will give her an extra confidence boost.

Then again, I know very little about scoring and layouts despite how long I've been watching fs, so there is probably a reason they have her do it at the start of the program that I am just unaware of

But all that aside, you can really see how much she's improved in between Canada and France! I've no doubt we'll see even more improvements by the gpf. Aliona seemed really determined as well, rather than discouraged after her skate, so this gives me a lot of hope

On a semi-unrelated note, between Sasha's injury and Maiia's inconsistency, it's no wonder the judges have suddenly started being nice to Aliona. Team Tut likely realized that if they want all 3 spots on the Olympic team, Aliona might end up being their best shot. Which hey, fine with me! With the way things are looking, Liza might end up being Aliona's only real competition for the 3rd spot (ofc Sasha could be perfectly recovered by nationals, so who knows).

 

[Scott512]

It's a shame about the 3A...at this point, she really NEEDS to be landing it clean at least once across the short and free, but she's not and it's a tad frustrating bc I KNOW she can do it. Also, she really has a problem with not performing once she messes up the 3A. I kind of wonder if it wouldn't be better to move the 3A to a later point in her program? After she's already done a few clean jumps. Maybe that will give her an extra confidence boost.

Then again, I know very little about scoring and layouts despite how long I've been watching fs, so there is probably a reason they have her do it at the start of the program that I am just unaware of

But all that aside, you can really see how much she's improved in between Canada and France! I've no doubt we'll see even more improvements by the gpf. Aliona seemed really determined as well, rather than discouraged after her skate, so this gives me a lot of hope

On a semi-unrelated note, between Sasha's injury and Maiia's inconsistency, it's no wonder the judges have suddenly started being nice to Aliona. Team Tut likely realized that if they want all 3 spots on the Olympic team, Aliona might end up being their best shot. Which hey, fine with me! With the way things are looking, Liza might end up being Aliona's only real competition for the 3rd spot (ofc Sasha could be perfectly recovered by nationals, so who knows).

Great post and I like your idea and strategy of moving the trixel to later in her programs.

 

[Scott512]

Aliona has skating skills for the ages and a face for the ages!

 

[Artemisa]

She is getting better ...

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

Step 1 GPF.

Step 2 get the 3A in her SP. She will need it by Nationals. She needs to put pressure on the other girls by scoring well in the short program.

At GPF there won't be puddles and she now owns her SP.
In 2019-2020 her combo 3A+2T were better than her solo 3A. But she has grown, things are maybe different now.

 

[Artemisa]

At GPF there won't be puddles and she now owns her SP.
In 2019-2020 her combo 3A+2T were better than her solo 3A. But she has grown, things are maybe different now.

She needs to land 3A to have true shot
Doing maths ( I know with mistakes)
Let me see .. If anna had landed her first quad .. she would have more 11.5 + 2 GOE ( so would be 240-242) .. and that's a score that kostornaia can get with 3 3A.
So everything is possible