Alisa Efimova & Alexander Korovin | Page 6 | Golden Skate

Alisa Efimova & Alexander Korovin

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
They ended their partnership! Such a shame. See also my posts on the 'splitting and retirements' thread.
 

Fanou

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 14, 2018
I felt so sad in those few hours where it was announced Korovin was retiring, I thought wait he's way too young to retire... I felt relieved when I understood they were "just" partying ways... I was not totally surprised. I really liked them very much... Such an elegant couple. But I understand that in today's pairs skating in Russia you must deliver every single time you are in a competition. That put them in a delicate position. There was no time for their slow-paced improvements. I think the only 2 possibilities for them were either to represent together a different country, allowing them to progress at their pace, or to split.
Anyways, I will be following them separetely now, hoping they will both find a suitable partner. I liked them both equally. I just hope they split in a friendly way... That's how it looks on their Instagram pages, but Instagram definitely does not seem the most accurate reflection of real life... They are both beautiful skaters and I wish them the best of luck for the future !!!!!!
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
They ended their partnership! Such a shame. See also my posts on the 'splitting and retirements' thread.

I have seen it coming and forecasted it 2-3 years ago in this thread. I was accused of being negative and ‘doom and gloom’.
It is sad that Alisa seems to have jumps at their practices but very rarely lands them in competition. I am wondering if she spent the next six months with a singles coach (e.g. in Pluschenko or Tutberidze’s group), maybe the jumps would stabilise and then any future partnership would have a better chance. She is a lovely skater. Or she can change countries, but she will still need the jumps.
 

Fanou

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 14, 2018
https://www-oblgazeta-ru.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.oblgazeta.ru/amp/sport/figure-skating/105664/

Here is the google translation of that interview. I don't think all these google-translated sentences make complete sense, grammaticaly speaking, but we get the main ideas :)...

_______________________________________________________________________________________________


Alexander Korovin: “It’s not clear with whom I’ll pair up. And whether I need it, I have not decided yet ”

One and a half weeks ago it became known that the Russian sports couple Alisa Efimova - Alexander Korovin broke up. Skaters skated together since 2014, performed at the stages of the World Grand Prix, became the winners of the Universiade in Krasnoyarsk. But the last two seasons have been very difficult for Alice and Sasha, and now it's time to radically change the situation. Athletes limited themselves to posts on the social network about the decision. We contacted Alexander to clarify the situation and find out if he was ready to pursue a career.

“The decision was made by me. The culmination was the championship of Russia "

- Alexander, you already had a turning point, when you switched from single skating to doubles and, as you yourself said, you could finish your sports career ...

- There were several turning points. The first is, in fact, the transition from single skating to doubles. Also, after several years in the training room with the trainer Lyudmila Alexandrovna Kalinina, when I seemed to be working on something, but I couldn’t find my partner, I also finished. By the will of fate, Natalya Evgenievna Pavlova invited me to see Anastasia Martyusheva. We rode with her for a week. Soon she left for some show, and at that moment they decided to pair me with Alice, with whom something began to turn out. However, after three seasons, Natalya Evgenievna somehow went wrong, and then again I had a difficult period - I had to either finish or try something further. So we got into the group of Oleg Vasilyev, in the new school of Tamara Nikolaevna Moskvina, where we had already spent three seasons.

- This year was very difficult for your couple. Who made the cardinal decision to part?

- The decision was rather made by me. The first bell was the championship of Russia last year. There we showed what we could at that moment, but it was clear that not everything was going as we would like. There were different moments in the season too - somewhere we were lucky, somewhere not very, but this is the basis for the rating and opinion of the Federation ... Then, before the Universiade, Alice had an unpleasant injury. We didn’t ride for two weeks, she went on ice already in the last week before the tournament - she was able to take steps, something simple, and she did the first emissions at the box office at the competitions. Then for a long time it was not clear what kind of injury it was, and whether she needed to be operated on. As a result, I had to, and in early June at the first training camp we did almost nothing, work began only on the second. Well, the season went with varying success - either competition with good rentals, then with bad ones. The culmination was the championship of Russia in Krasnoyarsk, where the short program was pretty well performed, but arbitrary ...

- What happened, why it was not possible to show everything that they are capable of on the second day?

- I can’t answer, we tuned in for a good rental, and we were ready pretty well. And of course, like any athlete, after such a thought creeps in - something needs to be changed. And I do not blame Alice, because I saw how she tries and works in training. Perhaps the main problem in psychology, I also made mistakes throughout the season on the last support. I think in the end I was just mentally tired.

“In any case, I want to stay around the sport”

- Now the main question is who will you pair with. Is there any understanding already? After all, preparations for the next season will begin soon.

- With whom I will pair, it is not clear. And whether I need it, I have not yet decided for myself. There were suggestions, but there are many different factors due to which you have to think.

- The point is that it is now difficult to start with a new partner and it will be difficult to achieve high results (including due to serious competition in the country)?

- In sports, it does not happen at all. At the moment, the picture is simple: if you start all over again, at least a year will be spent on rolling and studying the elements. That is, the next season has already passed. In a season, if everything goes together, it will be possible to show some result, but since it will be Olympic, then it will decide the acquired for the entire cycle - both the world rating, and the reputation within the country, and a new pair without a name, most likely they won’t let anyone go anywhere, because there will already be a skeleton that will be led to the Olympics. What will happen after the Games is also not clear, since there are a lot of young couples, and, in the Federation’s opinion, it’s better to bet on young couples than on those who will be 32 years old at the next Olympics (as in my case). And I repeat, this is still, God forbid, if everything goes well on our part in terms of work and skiing, but it may not work out ... But in any case, I want to stay around the sport, because there is already a lot of experience and knowledge.
 

Fanou

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 14, 2018

Here's the translation...

"There was a time to calmly do jumping." Alisa Efimova - about the breakup of the couple with Korovin and the desire to continue to ride
Marina Chernyshova-Melnik
March 2, 2020

In early February, it became known that the winners of the 2019 Universiade in Krasnoyarsk Alisa Efimova - Alexander Korovin will no longer ride together. The skaters announced their decision through social networks. A possible catalyst for the gap was an unsuccessful performance at the Russian championship, which did not allow the couple to get into the national team base and take part in the main starts of the season.
In an interview with Match TV, Alisa Efimova spoke about the true reasons for breaking up with Korovin, her perfectionism and love for pair skating, and she also clearly defined her position - she is not going to part with sports, she is aimed at working on jumps and looking for a new partner.

“She spoke Russian in the family, in Finnish in kindergarten, at school, at the rink”

- In March 2016, when the pair of Efimova-Korovin just started, your coach Natalya Pavlova said: “Alice has a completely different mentality. She lived most of the time abroad, and she has no starting experience. She is an excellent pupil by her character, very intelligent, knows five foreign languages. From this is the complex that should do everything perfectly. ” Do you agree with this statement?

- Of course, there is a difference in mentality. In Russia, the training process is being structured differently: mentors put more emotions into it. I would say that the coach is closer to the athlete, and at the same time he is tougher. For me, the contrast is significant - in Finland I generally rode with my mother, who was originally a native person. In Russia, coaches often strongly influence an athlete to overpower himself. I was unusual. I think this was meant by Natalia Evgenievna. As for the excellent student, yes, I'm a maximalist by nature: I want only the highest scores and am upset because of failures.

- When did you manage to learn five languages?

- Russian and Finnish are my relatives. I always spoke at home in the family, in Finnish at kindergarten, at school, at the rink. You could say I'm bilingual. Swedish is the second official language in Finland. At school I studied in English, and French was an additional subject.

- As a loner, you spent two junior seasons for Finland, and then went under the Russian flag. This is surprising because many are leaving to play for small countries where there is no particular competition - so that they can easily be selected for the main international tournaments.

- It somehow happened by itself with me. I wanted to go in pairs, and after watching the coach only worried whether they would take me to the group or not. There was a chance to just try - for the soul. It started to turn out, and I changed my sports citizenship. Moreover, in the summer of 2014, nothing kept me: the Finnish Federation easily let go, because I managed to participate in only a few competitions for this country. While I was slipping with a partner, learning paired elements, about a year passed. So quarantine expired by the debut for Russia. When I became a member of the national team, a trembling feeling appeared. Since childhood, I watched the victories of Russian athletes and knew that they were the strongest. Therefore, I am very grateful that I have such an opportunity - to represent Russia in international tournaments.

- Why did you want to switch from single skating to doubles?

- When I watched the competition on TV, I first of all paid attention to this type of figure skating. I tried pair support even when I was a little girl, periodically went to Mishin’s training camp and saw the famous couples skating live in Yubileiny (ice palace in St. Petersburg - Match TV).

- For the sake of a dream, you changed the small town to a noisy metropolis (Alice lived in Finnish Lappeenranta with a population of 72 thousand people - “Match TV”). How has your life changed after moving to Moscow?

- It was a different world. I’m a domestic child, I lived with my parents and younger brother until I was 14 years old. Even when I went to training camps in Finnish cities, my mother was always there and looked after me. Sometimes I went to Mishin’s summer camp myself, but for a maximum of two weeks. And here alone in the big city.

On the other hand, I knew very well what public transport was. As a child, she often came to Petersburg to her grandparents, so there was no shock. The scale of the city, the tangled metro lines and high-rise buildings turned out to be unusual. The main part of my life was all the same at the rink, and on weekends I loved to see the sights. She lived in a hostel at a sports school, was friends with girls from the group. But still, it was morally difficult - I really missed my family. Fortunately, my parents and grandmother sometimes visited me.

“Nervous just before the first triple surge”

- How did the duet with Alexander Korovin form?

- We met back in St. Petersburg when I tried paired elements at the training camp. Sasha also came at that time, and we just crossed on the ice. Having arrived in Pavlova’s group, I began to study with another boy. Sasha initially came to try with Nastya Martyusheva, who then remained without a partner. But soon she left for the show, and Sasha rode alone. At some point, the coach decided to look at us together. We ride, it turned out.

- What does the former solitary woman feel while studying complex paired elements?

- It was not terrible: I trusted both Sasha and Natalya Evgenievna. We did everything in stages. For example, when they learned to twist, at first they only rehearsed the climb, then Sasha tried to plant me. Nobody forced us to do what we did not know how to, and felt that we were not ready yet. I was nervous just before the first triple surge. They told me to open up on time and everything worked out. After small step-by-step successes, I was always inspired, I wanted to try new things. This is a great feeling!

- Why did you switch to training with Oleg Vasiliev in 2017?

- At that moment, Sasha and I needed a change. There was a lack of understanding with the coach, many factors influenced, and we made such a decision.

- Does it somehow relate to Pavlova’s harsh methods about losing weight?

- I did not have the problems they are talking about. Of course, if Natalya Evgenievna saw that it was necessary to lose weight, she would say. But no one did not starve by force, and I do not remember any categorical actions. And my age was such that the weight itself was normal.

- What were your feelings about the victory at the Universiade (March 2019 - “Match TV”)? I know that on the eve of these competitions you were injured.

- I received an injury in training, preparing for the final of the Cup of Russia. We were well prepared, everything worked out. And at the test box I hit. And she proved the program, and only when she took off her horse, she saw that her leg was swollen. On this our preparation was interrupted. The first days I could not do anything, even walked with difficulty. Then she began to ride without elements. So we lost 10 days and arrived in Krasnoyarsk without a preliminary full rehearsal. All the jumps and jumps I did during the rental on the memory of muscles. Of course, I was happy with that victory, but immediately mentally switched to the future.

- Why did the same Krasnoyarsk ice turn out to be unlucky for you at the recent Russian championship? Despite the fact that you skated the short program without errors.

- Any performance of an athlete is a combination of factors. Preparation for the tournament begins in a few weeks in training. We can say that the entire first half of the season (including the starts) is preparation for the Russian championship. Sasha and I had a hard time starting the autumn starts, and this affected the state in which we were in Krasnoyarsk. Alas, it was not possible to get together psychologically.

“Sasha does not believe that our couple can achieve success”

- What do you think is the reason for your frequent falls in competitions?

- I did not have stability in jumping. The base, created in solo skating, began to leave. I seem to be able to do everything, and this season everything went well in training, and at the decisive moment - breakdowns. These are already psychological difficulties, possibly a glut. In training, it happens when something fails, you go to do it again and again. You are mistaken - and still work, until you do it perfectly. As a result, much will accumulate, you get upset and stop hearing your body.
At such a moment, it is better to leave everything, rest and then come again to try - without the yoke of obligations. I think I should go through this, want to. Now it’s time to calmly jump and strengthen the base.

- Why did your duet break up with Korovin? In a farewell post, you wrote about a “loss of faith” in your couple.

- The championship of Russia became a turning point: it made our entire team think about the future. For myself, I definitely knew that I wanted to ride further with Sasha, I was ready to work even more. Oleg Kimovich gave us time to calmly train. I felt that Sasha was thinking, and he had doubts in his head - is it worth it to continue? In January, the three of us spoke frankly on the facts and prospects, and the coach told everyone to sort out their thoughts independently. As a result, Sasha wrote to me that he sees no reason to continue working together.

- How did you say goodbye?

- Civilized, there was no conflict. Of course, it’s hard for me now. After all, Sasha and I rode together for so many years. But each person is free to determine his own fate and make decisions. I am sympathetic to Sasha’s decision. He does not believe that our couple can succeed. Thank you for he sincerely voiced this, and did not do anything behind me.

- Which program from the repertoire of a couple with Korovin is especially dear to you?

- Arbitrary this season to the song of the band "Disturbed". Music is very close to me in condition. There is no specific plot in the program, only the feeling that we always want to touch each other, but we pass by. Ilya Averbukh gave us such advice when we went to Moscow to stage Elena Maslennikova. I also love the short program 2016-17 for Latin.

- The most valuable medal and competition?

- Silver “Finlandia Trophy” this season. Everything worked out there. Firstly, my mother, brother and many acquaintances came to root for me - this became an additional incentive to show my maximum. Having skated both programs, I looked at the stands and realized that I had fulfilled everything I had planned, I had justified the hopes of loved ones. Personal little victory! Secondly, in Espoo, Sasha and I updated our personal record. Of course, the second place is not a victory, but the medal is very memorable.

- Where are you training now?

- I thanked Oleg Kimovich for his work with me. Tamara Nikolaevna told both me and Sasha that everyone now has the time to reflect on what to do with their life next. We both stayed in the club, nobody drove us out. Now I am engaged in jumping with Oleg Tataurov and in parallel I am looking for a new partner, there are already plans for viewing.

- Describe the abstract image of the partner with whom you would like to create a new pair.

- The main thing is to trust a person physically, so that they hold me tight and catch me. It is still important that the characters come together. There are no other criteria here, all people are different.

“You have a difficult period of uncertainty.” What motivates you to move on?

- I know that I have not realized my potential. I think this test is given so that I calmly work on the bugs and try new jumping elements. Secondly, I want to relive the pleasant emotions in the competition again. Why do you think athletes go to training every day in any condition? Because the feeling when you win medals is happiness. When you have been doing sports for so many years, there is no turning back. I do not now consider another area. I am getting higher education in Finland, but it is for the future. In the coming years, I am definitely set for pair skating.
 
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