Oh...
I wonder what made them think that..
I have no idea...
I guess Elena can also be a Spanish name...????
Here's another photo of Lena at the draw:
http://pravmin74.ru/sites/default/f...3506545c0955cfc64173650cd13.jpg?itok=5JnISl4m
The bowl is empty, so I guess Lena was the last person to draw a number...?
And here's a CSKA video. It mostly shows Buyanova's group, but you can see little Lena at 1:28, 1:46, 2:20, 2:46 (yep, Lena always gets to be in the center of photos):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXLJIaGJ8e8
Well, I've been pretty busy over the past few weeks, so I never had a chance to share my thoughts about GPF. Russian Nationals have already started, but I guess it's better late than never!
I have to admit that I was rather worried about Lena at GPF. For whatever reason, she doesn't seem to skate her best at the GPF--she's fallen at the GPF every time she's performed there. And then when I heard that the ice conditions were bad and that it was warm in the arena, I was really concerned. So I wasn't very surprised that Lena struggled.
I saw Lena's score for the free program before I watched it, so I knew she didn't skate well, but when I actually watched, I was impressed that she held it together so well. She basically changed three jumping passes on the fly, and yes, there were underrotations, but she got the jumps done.
No more falls, and no pops. Lena is clearly good at thinking on her feet. :agree:
Of course, it would be best if Lena
didn't have to improvise her jumping passes. But I think what she said after GPF makes a lot of sense:
https://m.championat.com/article/sport/other/263138/
Q: How was the off-season - did you have time to relax?
A: Yes, as always, I had a few weeks to rest and then stage my new programs. One set in Canada, the other - in America. I was seriously ill, had to catch up before the test skates. I am also trying to cope with the challenges of growth. I gain weight, and then I lose it. It is necessary to constantly get used to my body, and it is not very easy.
Q: Tell us more about the problems with growth.
A: I can go to the gym, and because of my fluctuating weight, my jumps feel quite different. When I'm in the air, I am no longer able to control the process well.
I said this after Worlds, and I'll say it again, I think Lena just needs more time to get used to her body.
So I'm a little torn. On one hand, obviously I want Lena to skate super well at Nationals and make it to Euros and Worlds.
But on the other hand, I'm not sure if it would be better for her (for the long run), to miss the rest of the season but have lots of time to work on her skating and jumps. If that happens, however, it might be difficult for her to maintain her motivation if there is no major competition looming.
So I don't know..
That being said, unlike at GPF, Lena tends to do really well at Nationals, and it looks super cold there, so I am much more optimistic about Lena's skating this time. :yes: It will be tough for her to skate second, but I really hope she can find that fire and totally kill it in the SP!! Fight Lena fight!!!
