Alena Kostornaia | Page 148 | Golden Skate

Alena Kostornaia

I don't know if people's mindsets about college education are the same in the two countries. Yes, in US life/working experiences are valued very much, particularly when you apply for graduate studies in some majors. Maybe in Russia kids complete high school + college education without interruption?

Unfortunately, you may be right. It is doable in the US to complete college education in something completely non-medical (music for instance) and do a post-baccalaureate in pre-med courses then apply to medical school. I would hope the Russia colleges/med schools would make an exception for Kostornaya given her figure skating career, but maybe not.
 
You underestimated Alyona Kostornaya in vain: with triple Axels she is stronger than Trusova and Zagitova

Perhaps the new favorite of the season.

Before her first senior season, Alyona Kostornaya seemed the most inconspicuous skater in the team of Tutberidze.

A logical status when you are in the shadow of the titles and popularity of Alina Zagitova, the ultra-jumps of Aleksandra Trusova or the sonorous victory of Anna Shcherbakova in the senior championship of Russia. Yes, and after a season that was cut short due to a strange injury.

But the usually quiet Finlandia Trophy Challenger event knocked over pre-season alignments.

Kostornaya won here even too defiantly - with the fourth highest score in history, finally embedded in her free program triple Axels and technical base good for 70 points. Only are those of Trusova and Shcherbakova are higher.

Kostornaya has been sharpening her triple Axel for two years - since the summer of 2017. Back when she just got over to Eteri and was looking for development after becoming 16th in the junior championship of Russia.

“I will definitely not be the first, but mastering the triple Axel will become the realisation that you are doing something others aren't. It’s still nice”, Alyona said a year ago after winning the Junior Grand Prix Final.

Finlandia Trophy is the first tournament where Kostornaya tried this jump with 3.5 turns. Now she is the 10th skater in history who performed it cleanly.

In general, the Finnish audience were incredibly lucky: in the world only 4 skaters 'own' a triple Axel - and two of them entered this secondary tournament in Espoo.

The second - Yelizaveta Tuktamysheva - irreparably lost to Kostornaya by a lot (about 18 points in the free program alone) - a gap that cannot be compensated by anything but mistakes of others. Even clean Axels did not save her: the judges again (like in the SP) did not like the edge on the Flip - the jump which Lisa had been avoiding for a long time (and now it is clear why).

Kostornaya's two Axels, only the first one was fully rotated - in a cascade with a double Toeloop. On the other she had a small under rotation, taking away 1.6 points - a signal that the jump has not yet been polished and may malfunction.

“I won't say this is my weapon, because it is the same element that someone else can learn. But I can't stand myself not doing it”, Alyona admitted right after the victory in Finland.

But it doesn’t matter - even with unstable triples Kostornaya turns into a skater who is capable of much on a good day.

Kostornaya - the new Karolina Kostner: figure skatings long awaited goddess of components (link to a good read)

Here are just some serious arguments:

• 234.84 - Alena’s sum for Finlandia Trophy, only 3.85 points from Trusova's world record, achieved in the Nepela Memorial.

Yes, in Bratislava, Sasha did not do 4, but 3 quadruple jumps and she definitely will add one, but Alyona also has a powerful reserve.

• This is the triple Axel in the short program - the next logical step for Kostornaya's upgrade. At the moment the risks of its implementation are assessed by the Tutberidze team as higher than its possible profit, but 5 extra points to the total amount is a temptation cannot resist.

This is where Alyona’s potential advantage over Trusova and Shcherbakova is hidden - a triple Axel in the short program is allowed, and quadruples are not.

• component skating - Alyona does not need to increase her second mark or just wait for them to grow on their own (and they will certainly grow).

Already in Finland, her skating was rewarded extremely high for a debutant (71.68 points) - this season only Yevgeniya Medvyedeva in Canada and Alina Zagitova in Japan received more.

Alina, for example, only at the 2018 Europeans earned components above 70 points for the first time - in the sixth senior tournament she won.

But (and this, perhaps, is the main thing) Kostornaya is most deserving of such scores - to understand this, it isn't even necessary to understand figure skating.

Just watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFhQUl_uPls

• fantastic stability - in two years Alena failed only 4 times in jumping: a Rittberger in the 2017 Italy JGP stage; a Flip and Axel - at Czech Republic's 2018 JPG stage and Lutz at the 2018 Junior World Championships.

And almost a hundred - (were landed) cleanly and with good scores.

• high performance bonuses - judges love Alyona and like her serious GOE's: 17.36 - Finlandia Trophy; 15.14 - in the Grand Prix finals.

Those figures might mean little in themselves, but better believe this: when Alyona does an element, it is impossible to complain about it.

Ahead of Alyona Kostornaya are the Grand Prix stages in France and Japan - where she will skate alongside Zagitova.

You'll definitely don't want to miss this?
-----
From: https://www.sports.ru/tribuna/blogs/allresp/2603854.html
 
https://youtu.be/yoek2K4A6wQ
Daniil watching Alyona skate.

A Russian viewer commenting behind the scenes (since Aliona landed the first 3A+2T): "Oh!... You can breath out, ladies and gentleman. It was unreally cool! The second one... YES!! Oooh, how cool it is, my God! It's unbelievable... I'm gonna cry... I'm shivering... It's unbelievable... Unbelievable... Thank you for these moments!" :laugh:
 
If they switch to the 3A in the SP, I'd like to see them try the Ina Bauer entry for the 2A in the LP.
 
i'm interested to know if she will change anything before her first GP. will they add the 3A in the short? backload one in the free?
 
i'm interested to know if she will change anything before her first GP. will they add the 3A in the short? backload one in the free?

I think in the fs they will keep everything the way it is now and I am sure they will add the 3A in the short.

She talked about 4S in recent interviews, but that's still a long way to go.
 

Last pic! So feisty. Really improved her performance and facial expression this weekend. I think her FS dress got mixed reviews but I loved it! and she changed her insta bio that has the angel and vampire emojis [emoji1356]🧛🏻*♀️
 
I think in the fs they will keep everything the way it is now and I am sure they will add the 3A in the short.

She talked about 4S in recent interviews, but that's still a long way to go.

In Eteri's world a long way is months or maybe by nationals... :devil:
One thing Kostornaia pass in the interview ... it wasn't the lack of technic that was putting her behind but her mind or maybe she was scare of falling or getting hurt ... know one can put a 3A in weeks if you don't have the rotation already ...
I think this year they won't push the 4 (she was testing 4s ...probably she already have the rotation)... but if she get one 4 ... know one can beat her
 
i'm interested to know if she will change anything before her first GP. will they add the 3A in the short? backload one in the free?

I think that Eteri will add the triple axel to the short program, if Alena is more consistent in practice with it. If not then they might just keep it in the free program until the GPF. Alena will need it in the short for the GPF. I don’t know if they would back load a triple axel because then Alena wouldn’t have a back up jump for if she can’t do a combination on either of her flips. Unless they move a combination to the first half, but I think that that would defeat the purpose of moving the triple axel to the second half of the program.
 
i'm interested to know if she will change anything before her first GP. will they add the 3A in the short? backload one in the free?

I think is earlier for backloading ... probably they will complicate the first part of the program with 3A and them backloading ... In the short I think in the second GP... If she wins the first GP without 3A in the SP ... they won't push it until the end .. If she came second then they don't have anything to lose because the 2 GP is in Japan against Rika with 3A in the SP and Zagitova.
 
i'm interested to know if she will change anything before her first GP. will they add the 3A in the short? backload one in the free?

Nothing is solid yet, the programs might still be adapted under experience gained in training.

Last pic! So feisty. Really improved her performance and facial expression this weekend. I think her FS dress got mixed reviews but I loved it! and she changed her insta bio that has the angel and vampire emojis [emoji1356]����*♀️

Perhaps neither is the dress? This dress might also be temporary, for to it doesn't seem to be that elaborate, and not having any connection with the vampire theme IMO. But perhaps Art in Sports blog will do a thorough analysis of what is shown on ice?

Anyways, Alyona's first senior GP start in France is probably an event to look out for, what will she show and how will the judges evaluate it. Exciting for all involved and for us to witness.
 
Alyona is on Edea Piano boots now, some of the most expensive, and probably some of the best around. Rated for quads by the manufacturer.

These boots are rated Stiffness 95. Any idea what that means? How comfortable are those boots on your feet and ankles, since skaters need to stand, walk, run around a lot in them before and after ice.
Do stiffer boots need stronger ankles? How long to break them in, and will they last as long?

She is on the best blades probably also, don't know which exactly, but they look to be of separate frame and iron, the frame probably some strong casting, stamped titanium or whatever, the irons high grade steel. But not on these high tech ultra light weight carbon fiber composite that one sees often on men. Does the very small weight reduction really matter in skaters her weight? I also guess due to the geometry of those ultra light weight blades, their rocker isn't constant.
Apart from Tursynbayeva, none of the Khrustalniy skaters uses those blades. (no, Daniil Samsonove rides on them, as does Veronika Zhilina)
 
Back
Top