Alena Kostornaia

[Batsuchan]

I got you! SP from Olympic Channel:

https://dai.ly/x7nq6ux

OMG, THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH, sabinfire!!
You're the best!!

Off to watch now!

 

[Nord Stream 2]

Article about Alena in Russian https://www.sports.ru/tribuna/blogs/wariorslight/2629509.html.

The main thing: the Junior championship of Russia, where Kostornaya was 16th, was held in February 2017, the adult championship of Russia, where she won "bronze" – - in December 2017. The difference is less than a year.

 

[dancelion21]

I'm so glad that Aliona got her triple axel this season. Without it, I doubt that she would have been able to compete with Anna and Sasha's quads or Alina's PCS. Thankfully, I think she has a great chance of making the Russian worlds team!

 

[SkateSkates]

I wonder when we will get to see Aliona’s 4S that she mentioned she was potentially training. I have a feeling that she’s training it more seriously than she is letting on, or at least she probably was over the summer when the focus wasn’t so much on competitions.

I also selfishly hope she is working on a 3A from layback Ina Bauer. I missed it in her programs last weekend, although it was nice to see the Bauer in her exhibition. Maybe they can re-add it to the LP before something else? I wouldn’t mind if they replaced the spiral before the 3Lo with a layback Ina Bauer. If only they read this forum

 

[Edwin]

Article about Alena in Russian https://www.sports.ru/tribuna/blogs/wariorslight/2629509.html.

Here is my take at it:

BUSINESS Online: Kostornaya two years ago was last in the Championship of Russia. She was told that she would not become a star

Alyona Kostornaya won the first adult Grand Prix stage of her career last week. She performed three triple Axels and outscored Olympic Champion Alina Zagitova by 20 points. Earlier, Alyona just as confidently beat the World Champion Yelizaveta Tuktamysheva at Finlandia Trophy.
Now Kostornaya is one of the main favourites of the season. They say about Alyona she is the most talented skater in sliding and interpreting the image. She is admired by many experts, distinguished among the three juniors from Eteri Tutberidze's group.
But only two and a half years ago, practically no one believed in Kostornaya's prospects at the international level.

Some of the "spoilers" of what's to come:

● Kostornaya secretly watched Tutberidze training before moving to the group.

● Eteri kept Alyona on probation for a week.

● Belief in Kostornaya’s triple Axel was returned by her friend Dar'ya Pavlyuchenko, who performs in pair skating.

● Sliding and choreography are the merits of coach Elena Zhgun, as Alyona herself says.

Nobody believed in Kostornaya before the transfer to Tutberidze

Back in 2017, Kostornaya was offered to end her career, hinting at the lack of prospects to get into the Russian team.

“I’ve never been on the podium of major tournaments, and they always told me that you won’t get there. You will not become a star. You are behind the top ten, you are only average. I heard this all the time", Alyona modestly told in an interview with Channel One.

There was justification of this criticism. In February 2017, the Championship of Russia for skaters under 18 years old was held in Sankt Peterburg. A confident victory was won by Alina Zagitova. The fight with her for the victory was led by Stanislava Konstantinova and Aleksandra Trusova. Kostornaya at that championship took 16th place. To Zagitova, Alyona lost by almost 60 points.

A year later, in an interview with the Russian Figure Skating Federation, Alyona admitted that this tournament was her point of no return. There were two ways further. Either look for a new coach and develop. Or quit figure skating and concentrate on studying. Fortunately, the skater chose the first.

Alyona knew where to go right away - to the group to Tutberidze. According to a source from Kostornaya’s entourage, her choice was influenced by one of the stages of the Russian Cup, where she got into the same workout with the Eteri skaters. Alyona looked at Zagitova and Polina Tsurskaya, who won all the medals in juniors in 2017 and could not understand what she was doing wrong. Why did the students of Tutberidze win, but she did not?

“The girls who worked with Eteri Georgievna had good results. And I also wanted to stand on the podium”, Kostornaya argued.

Kostornaya secretly watch Tutberidze skaters in training

Before Tutberidze, Alyona skated with two specialists. The first coach is Marina Cherkasova, silver medalist of the Olympic Games in pair skating. Here, Kostornaya received basic knowledge about sports.

At the age of seven, she moved to Sambo-70 - but not to Tutberidze, but to the Tchaikovskaya department. Yelena Tchaikovskaya is a well-known trainer who trained world champions and Olympic champions (Mariya Butyrskaya, Natal'ya Linichuk and Gennady Karponosov, Lyudmila Pakhomova and Aleksander Gorshkov). But due to her age (Tchaikovskaya is 79 years old now), in her group she more plays the role of a consultant coach. The main work with Kostornaya was conducted by Yelena Zhgun.

Zhgun did not have a bright career in sports, and besides Alyona, she did not work with any high-level skater or skater. Nominally, her group belonged to the same sports school along with the Khrustalniy department where Tutberidze works. Therefore, Kostornaya kept in touch with the strongest skaters of Eteri Georgievna - with Zagitova, Tsurskaya, Yevgeniya Medvyedeva, little Aleksandra Trusova and Anna Shcherbakova.

Alyona several times secretly sat in the stands of the “Crystal” and watched the girls training. In the end, her parents helped her arrange the transition. The Sambo-70 leadership was not opposed: it was not fundamentally important for them which skater works for which coach. Eteri's consent was necessary.

“I knew that Eteri Georgiyevna was very demanding. Therefore, it took a long time to prepare”, Alyona recalled. “I came to see her, skated a little, ice time ended, they said that they seemed to have taken me in.”

As it turned out, after assessment, Tutberidze decided to arrange a trial period for Kostornaya. She watched her for a week, freezing the signature of the transition documents. Alyona even performed at one tournament for Tchaikovskaya, in fact already training with Tutberidze. And only in the second week Eteri came up to Kostornaya after training and told her that she was on the team.

Kostornaya won her first tournament after the transfer to Tutberidze

Further history is more like a fairy tale. In one of her interviews, skater Anastasiya Gubanova doubted Zagitova’s success, accusing the Olympic champion of a too sharp increase in results. But Alina’s growth was still gradual, and Kostorna’s was unprecedented.

Alyona won the first start in the new group, seriously updating her personal best. She was taken to the Junior Grand Prix series and in the final she took second place, losing to Trusova by only one point .

In December 2017, Kostornaya became third in the senior Championship of Russia. Behind her were the winners of the World Cup in recent years, Yelizaveta Tuktamysheva and Yelena Radionova, the winner of the 2012 World Cup Alyona Leonova. “I know a lot of young skaters, I know girls who train quads. But I heard about Kostornaya for the first time in October of this year”, Andrey Zhurankov admitted in a television broadcast.

It is impossible to accuse Zhurankov of lack of professionalism, because before the transition to Tutberidze, almost no one had heard of Kostornaya. Once again: the junior Championship of Russia, where Kostornaya was 16th, took place in February 2017, the senior championship of Russia, where she won the Bronze medal, in December 2017. The difference is less than a year.

“Earlier in training, I did not give all my best”, Kostornaya told the federation. - Then, it seemed to me I was working. And when I moved to a new group, I realised that I had never done anything at training before. Everything I did was useless, because I stopped by, did a jump and stood for five minutes. No duty cycle”.

According to Kostornaya, Zhgun also was a demanding coach. She insisted on the careful study of each element in training. But Zhgun could not find the right words to motivate Kostornaya. Tutberidze - could.

Kostornaya is afraid of the triple Axel

In fact, Alyona at the Russian Championship in Sankt Peterburg won her ticket to the Olympics in Pyeongchang. But neither Kostornaya could go to the Olympics or as an adult to the World Cup technically. In Russia, competitions among seniors can be performed from the age of 13. In the international arena with 15. At the same time, 15 years of age should be achieved before July 1 of this year.

Alyona was a little unlucky - she has her birthday on August 24. Therefore, Kostornaya spent the entire last season in juniors, although she was already 15 years old.

This fact was very sad for the skater. She openly said that she was bored of skating in the juniors. Last season, her average results were higher than those of Konstantinova, Dar'ya Panenkova, Tsurskaya and even Medvyedeva. At the same time, Konstantinova, Tsurskaya, Panenkova and Medvyedeva performed in the senior stages of the Grand Prix, Kostornaya - in the junior.

Alyona was on the podium at every tournament, but she rarely won. She was constantly beaten by Trusova and Shcherbakov due to the complexity of their programs. Anna and Alexandra had quads, but Kostornaya did not. Despite the advantage in artistry, musicality, skating and sliding, the main share of success in modern figure skating is given by jumps.

Alyona could answer her rivals with a triple Axel. For the first time, Kostornaya tried this jump while still training with Zhgun, and she began to get it stably in the Tutberidze group thanks to Sergey Dudakov, who works on teaching jumps. But last season, at one of the training sessions, she twisted her ankle and as a result was not able to go to the Junior World Championships. At a press conference, the skater was suggested to forget about the jump.

She was stopped by the risk of a new injury. She was afraid of this jump. As Kostornaya told a BUSINESS Online correspondent at the tournament in Helsinki, her friend Dar'ya Pavlyuchenko, who performs in pair skating with Denis Khodykin, helped her to cope with fear.

“After the Test Skates, on my day off I decided that something needs to be changed. I tried the quadruple Salchow - it didn’t work out”, Alyona recalls. - Upset, she went to Dasha Pavlyuchenko's home. She sat limp at her house, she supported me, said that I could do anything. The next day I came to training, and Sergey Rozanov offered to try the triple Axel again. I made up my mind and did it already on the second attempt”.

The second reason Alyona decided to jump the triple Axel is the opinion of experts. At the Open Test Skates of the national team in Moscow, experts began to bury Kostornaya's chances, pointing to a weak technical base. Two years later, she is again spoken of as an “average” skater.

“I walked around and heard from different sides:“ Well, yes, you’ve done well, but if only you had jumped something. ” How could these “if only” make me angry! - says Kostornaya. “It cannot be that with such a set in the second half of the season I’ll skate in juniors again?”

Kostornaya is now jumping three triple Axels in two programs. A triple Axel is less valuable than a quad. But no less important.

Firstly, the Axel is a compulsory jump. It is impossible to refuse to execute it, you can only choose the type of element. A more valuable version of the jump gives Kostornaya an advantage of at least 10 points.

Secondly, the triple Axel can be jumped in a short program. In the rules of women's competitions, jumping in four turns is prohibited in the short program. Triple Axel - a jump in 3.5 turns. There are no full four revolutions, so the element is allowed.

At the same time, Kostornaya thinks about quadruples. She tried Toeloops and Salchow's using a special harness. And several times already made successful quad attempts. “When you watch how Sasha does three, four, or five quadruples, you involuntarily think about making it harder,” says Kostornaya. “It's a shame others do them, and you don't.”

An important advantage of Alyona is enhanced metabolism. She, like any athlete, must monitor her weight, but she does not have to race after the scales, like other skaters. Kostornaya can afford proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the required amount, and this will not affect her weight.

Choreography and skating skills were acquired from Zhgun.

And yet, the main feature of Kostornaya, with which she conquered the world figure skating for two seasons, was not super difficult jumps, but unique sliding skills and a program full of connections and other aesthetic elements.

Well-known American journalist Jackie Wong tweeted about Kostornaya after her first international senior start: “This is a unique skater. She can change the idea of ​​what a truly great skating run should look like. ”

Young skaters are often criticized for working on technology to the detriment of components. Kostornaya's programs are the exact opposite of this approach. Each element of her program follows from the previous one, and Alyona herself with her outstanding artistry gives a feeling of a complete in itself picture.

Kostornaya, starting from the junior stages of the Grand Prix, does not receive less than 7.5 points. Periodically, they give her 8.0 and even 8.5 points, which is nonsense for junior athletes.

At the same time, Alyona owned these sliding skills even before moving to Tutberidze. This is a laborious process that requires many years of work. “The culture of my skating, ideal or imperfect - is not for me to judge, set Yelena V. Zhgun. We worked hard to get a feeling of sliding”, Kostornaya recalls.

Alyona is also good at interpreting the image. In a recent interview, she admitted that the most important thing for her is to touch every viewer. “I tried as best I could to raise the hall,” said Kostornaya after skating at the French Grand Prix. - People come to figure skating in the same way as they come to the cinema. They come not only to watch the jumps, but also for everything else ”

In her work on artistry, she was greatly helped by acting lessons, which she took as a child. She attended courses at the request of Zhgun. Now, when working on each image, Kostornaya is trying to get used to the role and convey the feelings and experiences of the portrayed hero.

Kostornaya is a unique skater. She is the only one who now combines super sophisticated technique with bright and powerful choreography, high-quality skating and amazing sliding skills. The famous coach Marina Zuyeva complained in a recent interview with BUSINESS Online that few people think about skating and image. A true champion should be good at everything: show ultra-si and touch the audience to the core with their skating.

Alyona is just such a case. Her programs cannot be limited to sports, where numbers, points and records are put at the forefront.

(c) Rustam Imamov - sports business online

P.S.

People come to figure skating in the same way they come to the movies. They come not only to watch the jumps, but also for everything else, says Kostornaya. This is her main message, you can say her philosophy. Before Kostornaya, it was considered: either technique or artistry. Kostronaya believes that it is possible to reconcile those sometimes raging supporters of this or the other concept, it is she who will reconcile, since Alyona cannot but be loved, for she brings us back to the roots!

A shot at the quadsters will have to wait, first and now Alyona!
-----
This posting offers a nice resume of what happened with Alyona since the start of the season.

 

[tikse]

Does anyone have a link to her programs with NBC commentary? Can’t seem to find it anywhere.

same

FS with NBC commentary

 

[Batsuchan]

So apparently Max Trankov (2014 gold medalist in pairs skating) says that Aliona is his favorite!
(This article is not new, it came out right after IDF, it seems, but this is the first time I'm seeing it.)

https://tass.ru/sport/7074982

“Of course, this season will show a lot. In the next one, which will leave us only a year before the Games, some changes are possible, such as regular attempts to equate athletes with a second mark for components,” Trankov said. “But in this case, my favorite is Kostornaya, and for many of my colleagues too. And if sooner or later she’ll add a quadruple with the balance of triple axels that she perfectly succeeds with? ”

Translation from here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4mpagCpAE0/

A constant message from these recent articles is that if Aliona adds a consistent quad, she'll be unbeatable. Like SkateSkates, I wonder if she actually is training a quad. I think in one of her recent interviews, it sounded like they weren't going to complicate her program since her 3A is really not that stable yet. But who knows?? In the interview at the test skate, I feel like she might have said the same thing (I can't remember), and then BOOM, a month later she had two 3As in the FS. Maybe if Sasha gets a huge score, like 175 in the FS at Rostelecom, she'll start seriously training it. :yes:

But personally, at this point even with just three 3A's, I think she can be very close to Sasha. I think she can get to 85 in the SP with a super clean skate and some PCS growth, and 165 (or slightly higher) in the FS. That's 250 total. If Sasha scores 75 in SP (or even slightly higher) and 175 in FS, that's also 250 (or slightly higher). It would be close, I think...

 

[sclloyd]

So apparently Max Trankov (2014 gold medalist in pairs skating) says that Aliona is his favorite!
(This article is not new, it came out right after IDF, it seems, but this is the first time I'm seeing it.)

https://tass.ru/sport/7074982


Translation from here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4mpagCpAE0/

A constant message from these recent articles is that if Aliona adds a consistent quad, she'll be unbeatable. Like SkateSkates, I wonder if she actually is training a quad. I think in one of her recent interviews, it sounded like they weren't going to complicate her program since her 3A is really not that stable yet. But who knows?? In the interview at the test skate, I feel like she might have said the same thing (I can't remember), and then BOOM, a month later she had two 3As in the FS. Maybe if Sasha gets a huge score, like 175 in the FS at Rostelecom, she'll start seriously training it. :yes:

But personally, at this point even with just three 3A's, I think she can be very close to Sasha. I think she can get to 85 in the SP with a super clean skate and some PCS growth, and 165 (or slightly higher) in the FS. That's 250 total. If Sasha scores 75 in SP (or even slightly higher) and 175 in FS, that's also 250 (or slightly higher). It would be close, I think...

Personally, I think she is definitely training a quad. (And my guess is the first she reveals will be a flip) Her program may remain the same for now, but really she sat on the 3A for two years. My assumption is that she’s training for it hard now so she can pull it out around world’s time if she’s at risk of not making the world team or the opening of next season. We know that she reveals her new components only when they are stable so I don’t think it would be worth it for her to modify a super high scoring program competitive with Trusova and Shcherbakova if she could lose points from a fall because the element isn’t consistent yet. For me, it would be a last ditch at the end of the season. An ace if she needed it.

 

[Minoru]

I just noticed that in the dance part of the FS, around the spiral, the music beat (2 beats, half bars) skips two times so the hand clapping doesn't sync with this strange arrangement. probably for time adjustment but it's a pity...

 

[Edwin]

Personally, I think she is definitely training a quad.

I think we can be fairly sure all of the Khrustalniy skaters try on the harness and have a few goes at assisted quads, if not every day, at least once a week. Those in need of (because of TES requirements) or with the physical prowess, will probably be allowed to progress further from the 'playing at quads' stage.

All the skaters eye each other, and don't want to lag behind their mates, daily training is competitive by all accounts.

 

[Batsuchan]

Personally, I think she is definitely training a quad. (And my guess is the first she reveals will be a flip) Her program may remain the same for now, but really she sat on the 3A for two years. My assumption is that she’s training for it hard now so she can pull it out around world’s time if she’s at risk of not making the world team or the opening of next season. We know that she reveals her new components only when they are stable so I don’t think it would be worth it for her to modify a super high scoring program competitive with Trusova and Shcherbakova if she could lose points from a fall because the element isn’t consistent yet. For me, it would be a last ditch at the end of the season. An ace if she needed it.

I think a 4S is the most likely quad from Aliona. To do a quad, you need to get into a tight rotating position almost immediately, and she seems to do this the fastest with her 3S and 3T. Her flip is huge, but it takes her a while to get into a tight rotating position. This creates a very nice delayed rotation effect for a triple, and she ends up covering a lot of distance in her 3F, but I think that would be fatal for a quad. And I feel like she could really mess up her technique and timing for a 3F trying to snap into a tighter position immediately. But I'm not an expert, so who knows?

Daniil was talking about the girls working on 3As and he made the point that it's hard to train new jumps during the season since you're preparing for competitions, so I think we might not see a quad from Aliona this season...
https://tass.ru/sport/7096412

**

Since I love hearing other people talk about Aliona, I'm sharing this lovely podcast review of IDF. These commentators LOOOVE Aliona like I do.
https://radiopublic.com/flutzes-and-waxels-podcast-WezMmZ/s1!766a2

And Max Ambesi and some Italian commentators also did a podcast. I know they talk about Aliona, but I don't speak Italian, so I have no idea what they're saying.
https://www.spreaker.com/user/talk-sport/kiss-cry-reloaded-puntata-3

Anyone speak Italian and want to summarize what they said?

 

[madmax]

And Max Ambesi and some Italian commentators also did a podcast. I know they talk about Aliona, but I don't speak Italian, so I have no idea what they're saying.
https://www.spreaker.com/user/talk-sport/kiss-cry-reloaded-puntata-3

Anyone speak Italian and want to summarize what they said?

Well, I tried to translate the podcast. I apologize in advance: my English isn’t that good and I didn't have much time, so this is more a draft than a finished work.
I apologize for the text lenght too. I tried to summarize, but they talked A LOT about Aliona, more than half an hour

(about the technical panel)
[Ambesi - 33:34] In the ladies competition they were very strict. To be honest, the level of tolerance was similar for all, except for one. Mariah Bell was treated with kid gloves on all the pointed jumps, unlike the others.
Kostornaia's triple axel in the short was good, maybe there could be doubts about the first in the free.
...
[Ambesi] I didn't understand anything about the judgment in Grenoble. My parameters are completely different.
When I see that Aliona Kostornaia, for some judges, has weaker skating skills and transitions than Mariah Bell, then something’s wrong.
For some judges Aliona was behind Mariah in that components, for others on par. We are facing an aberration. It’s a denial of reality. It’s like claiming that the earth is flat.
There’s a limit to everything. Kostornaia is weaker in two components that have an objectivity, more than the others ... no, it’s not possible!
When I see, this is insane, the SP of Kostornaia, recycled from the past season, very nice, very refined, which proportionately is valued less than the free, which instead is still to be finished, it means that I see something quite different than the judges.
Moreover, if you give to Kostornaia’s SP the same score you gave to Trusova in Skate Canada, then we have a serious problem.
I concede that Trusova’s SP is skated mostly on one foot and that there’s something good ... but we are on another planet. There cannot be only tenths of a point of difference. It's inexplicable.
...
[Paone - 72:48] As for the ladies competition, the main theme is Aliona Kostornaia, who won clearly in Grenoble.
Have you been surprised that Kostornaia, a newcomer (at senior level), has beaten Zagitova so clearly?
[Ambesi] In short: zero.
First of all there was a precedent in the Russian championships. Kostornaia thrown away the last Russian national championship, falling in the step sequence of the SP, otherwise she would be the current Russian national champion.
It’s simple. Compare the base value of Kostornaia’s programs and the base value of Zagitova’s. If Kostornaia doesn't have a meltdown, she is unattainable for Zagitova.
The real question is: with the same programs, if they performed the same elements, who would be better between the two? My answer is: Kostornaia is better.
Not everyone agrees, someone think that Zagitova has greater artistic maturity. I respect every opinion but we must talk about facts, not fairy tales.
The real facts are that Kostornaia's programs, if skated clean, have a huge base value margin above Zagitova's. Adding the base value and the available GOEs, if they both skate clean, Zagitova is behind by 15 points to Kostornaia on the technical side. Compared to Trusova she is behind by 36 points.
[Dolfini] It hurts. It’s painful.
[Ambesi] If Kostornaia skate clean, with three triple axels, when can she lose to Zagitova?
[Dolfini] Never.
[Ambesi] End of speech.
[Dolfini] I’m not surprised. I’m admired.
It was not to be taken for granted, to win at the debut in the senior category. She showed a great character. She had some difficulties with the triple Axel in practise.
In my opinion she needed the triple Axel to beat Zagitova, in her first international competition as senior. Zagitova is the current Olympic and world champion.
If she were weak in that element, her competition would have been complicated, even if I agree that Aliona has excellent quality in the components, despite her young age. But if she lands the Axel, there’s no history.
She wasn’t event treated well by the judges and by the technical panel, because the triple Axel in the short had not left me in doubt ...
Maybe, watching it in slow motion, they have had a better point of view but a different call wouldn't have surprised me at all.
[Ambesi - 76:41] There are unwritten rules in this sport, that everyone follows.
It appears to the audience that the components scores of Kostornaia’s programs were very low. However, if we analyze the newcomer's scores, especially in the FS, none in the past has ever approached those of Kostornaia.
She got over 71 in the components of the FS, with a program that is objectively much weaker than the short.
Honestly, I would have no problem giving 38 to Kostornaia in the SP. I would have no doubts.
On the current FS I have some more doubts. Clearly her SS should be above 9, and her TR should be around 9. On the other components we can discuss but 9 points average is fair, which means at least 72 points in the FS.
I feel that, refining the FS, she can get more points. Even in the SP she can get at least 36 points in the components.
It seems to me that Kostner still has the record in the SP, like 39 points. I think that the best Kostornaia is not at all inferior (to Kostner). We will see where Aliona, who is still young, will arrive.
Surely, the components score in the SP cry for vengeance. As I finished watching her short program, I expected the world record. I expected 85 points.
[Dolfini] Instead, we didn't even get close.
[Ambesi - 78:39] She got nine points less. I think that everyone was appalled.
I know that some Kihira’s fan consider her SS superior to Kostornaia’s. Let's talk about it ... (meaning he doesn't agree)
[Dolfini] I think that in some aspects Kihira is superior to Kostornaia, but not in the SS.
I am a big fan of Kihira, who I followed for a long time, since she was in the Junior categories, when she had inconstant results. I like her SS but Kostornaia is an exceptional athlete.
All the 3A are exceptional athletes but I regret not seeing the fair difference between Kostornaia’s components and those of Trusova. I would like to see a wider gap.
There must be a difference, just as there is an abysmal difference on the technical side between Trusova and all the others.
If she (Trusova) lands her jumps, she is unapproachable, maybe even for the best Kostornaia, because she simply can’t get the necessary points.
[Ambesi - 80:18] If you add the base value and the maximum GOEs available, Kostornaia starts from 21.17 under Trusova.
[Dolfini] For me it’s amazing that we have three athletes so different that they can satisfy all preferences.
Kostornaia is technically complete. She has a beautiful triple Axel, excellent interpretative qualities, at the highest level.
Trusova is the pure jumper.
Shcherbakova is somehow in the middle. She has something less than Trusova in the jumps and something less than Kostornaia from the artistic point of view.
If these three don’t have a meltdown, it’s very difficult for everyone to get close.
Kihira is extraordinary. There are other athletes of great quality, but right now the three Russian girls are objectively above all.
[Ambesi - 81:44] There is always room for improvement. I think that Aliona’s SP is already the excellence.
Compared to last year, the change from a double Axel to a triple Axel needs a different preparation.
Something, in the preparation for the jump, was lost, because that double Axel is the textbook example of an unanimous +5 GOE.
With the change to the triple Axel you gain points but some quality is lost.
However, I think that at the end of the season the short program with the highest score in the components should be Kostornaia’s.
In the FS the game is more open, but the others don’t have the overall quality of this skater.
Not surprisingly, Kostornaia, who is one year younger than Kihira, always had higher scores at junior level.
...
[Paone - 83:17] Excluding Gleichengauz, which choreographer would you like to make a program for Aliona?
[Ambesi] I can tell who I wouldn't trust: Lori Nichol.
I'd like to see her work with Jeffrey Buttle, even with different rhythms. With Shae-Lynn Bourne too.
[Dolfini] I was thinking about Shae-Lynn Bourne too.
[Ambesi] Even David Wilson.
But it doesn’t matter, because as long as she remains there (in Eteri’s group), she will work with Daniil.
Daniil is doing a good job.
In my opinion, however, if we look at the FS of the four leading athletes of Tutberidze, the one further back is that of Kostornaia. It will certainly improve a lot in the coming times.
-------
Massimiliano Ambesi is a professional sportcaster on Eurosport Italy.
Angelo Dolfini is a former competitive figure skater, a figure skating coach and a technical commentator of figure skating on Eurosport Italy.
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[Batsuchan]

Well, I tried to translate the podcast. I apologize in advance: my English isn’t that good and I didn't have much time, so this is more a draft than a finished work.
I apologize for the text lenght too. I tried to summarize, but they talked A LOT about Aliona, more than half an hour

OMG, OMG, madmax, this is AMAZING!!!
Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to translate everything!!
And your English seems really good! :agree:

I've known for awhile that the Italian commentators are big fans of Aliona, but it's still nice to see them defending her and arguing that she should've gotten more points, especially in the SP. I totally agree! :yes:

I mean, how could you not give ALL THE POINTS to this happy angel?!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4swgz6oghj/

 

[Vandevska]

whole post
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Thank you so much!

 

[nussnacker]

Thanks, madmax! Italians are simply the best! Wow, I do agree with them on pretty much everything, they are really hitting the nail on the head! I also think they managed to be very honest, but somehow, inoffensive and very respectful and appreciative towards all skaters.
And most of all they don’t try to bring down others.
I agree that with all 3As landed Alina would lose to Aliona, but they also pointed out Alina‘s artistic maturity (however, I’d add that if Alina skated her best, the gap would be more narrow ).
I also agree I’d give more pcs to Aliona in short than Trusova (as well as in the free), however, I’m glad they pointed out positives in Trusova‘s pcs, which I believe people sometimes don’t give her a credit for (a lot of 1 foot skating, I’d add complex transitions and a very high speed).
I agree that I’d have Aliona above Rika in pcs too, and that 3A are above all right now, Trusova is pretty much unbeatable (the quadzilla power!!!), as well as the fact, that it’s amazing that 3 of them are so different and unique, they truly satisfy „all tastes“.
But the line that I agree the most is that her 3A should be +5
Aliona is truly a very special skater and deserves all 9s in pcs and +5 for her 3A. Give that to Aliona, judges!!!

 

[sweetice]

Very good synthesis, madmax :agree:

 

[Azikin]

We are facing an aberration. It’s a denial of reality. It’s like claiming that the earth is flat.

Yeah, something like that. It's obvious that some people are not happy about the fact that 15 year old girls are taking the senior skating world by storm, so they're trying to hold back their scores. Some are even suggesting raising the age limit. But reality cannot be denied for long. Not many people belive nowadays that the earth is flat..

 

[Minoru]

>I think a 4S is the most likely quad from Aliona. To do a quad, you need to get into a tight rotating position almost immediately, and she seems to do this the fastest with her 3S and 3T. Her flip is huge, but it takes her a while to get into a tight rotating position. This creates a very nice delayed rotation effect for a triple, and she ends up covering a lot of distance in her 3F, but I think that would be fatal for a quad. And I feel like she could really mess up her technique and timing for a 3F trying to snap into a tighter position immediately. But I'm not an expert, so who knows?

Maybe good point. I love her long distance Flip and delayed rotation acceleration. It's very cool but she may be able to do quicker acceleration if she wants. maybe, She doesn't do it to avoid doing 3.5F with such flight time. Anyway If she go for 4F, I want to see one like Nathan without a lot of pre-rotation.

 

[macy]

after reading the above interviews, i went searching for Aliona's 2017 jr nats FS as i had never seen it before-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm2JnSfkadA

the improvements in all areas of her skating in about 8 months to her first JGP is absolutely remarkable. i don't think i've ever seen progress and improvement that dramatic happen so quickly for a skater. she came out a whole new skater and literally snatched everyone's wigs.

 

[Edwin]

Alyona's ' Star Trek ' : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p65Yq_3j6Aw (new link)