Elene Gedevanishvili

[zephyrskates]

she had a rough 2006-2007 season, but she is now training here in jersey (yey!) somewhere up north though.
i know that she has a lot of potential, skating at the last group of the olympics.
man, this girl is one tough cookie. after being deported from russia, then her problems moving here to the US, she skated phenomenally considering what she was going through!

do you guys think that she could come back strong this season?
do you think that she can be a contender at the 2008 world championships and maybe the 2010 olympics?
what does she have (or lack) as a skater?
and what do you think she can improve on this season..

 

[Mafke]

what does she have (or lack) as a skater?
and what do you think she can improve on this season..

stamina (in the lp),
consistency

 

[Ptichka]

I think that yes, she does have potential. One of the big questions is how good will her working chemistry be with Zmievskaya. Elene has only had one elite coach all her life, Elena Vodorezova. While Zmievskaya's reputation is certainly more impressive, it remains to be seen how well they will work together. Elene's problems remind me a bit of Cohen - brilliant short programs, followed by free skate meltdowns. I do, though, hope she will be able to work through that!

 

[R.D.]

Meltdowns? with the exception of 2006 worlds I've never seen Cohen have a freeskate meltdown. However she has "choked" many times, falling and/or slipping up once or twice. Hardly constitutes a real meltdown though.

 

[Tinymavy15]

i think that this tiny girl has the fire, the drive and the talent to get to the top. Once she starts doing clean programs...which shouldn't be very far away, with thet proper training that she is proably recveing now there will be no stoppin here. She is simply adorable and has very line flexinlity and style. I really hope that she can make all her troubles worth-while.

 

[Spun Silver]

Hmm, I live in N. Jersey and I love Gedevanishvili. She has those qualities that can't be learned - there's a wonderful dynamism and charm about her skating and I too am rooting for her to reach her potential. Do fans ever just go watch at rinks? I don't suppose she's likely to appear at club shows or competitions...

 

[chuckm]

Her #1 problem is going to be the puberty bug. She is very tiny and inevitably she will grow and fill out. Often the Eastern European ladies have much later physical growth than the US and Canadian ladies. Where the North American girls have gotten through the worst of it by 17, often the Eastern Europeans are still having physical maturity issues as late as 18 and 19. Irina Slutskaya had her worst years at those ages.

 

[zephyrskates]

i think that this tiny girl has the fire, the drive and the talent to get to the top. Once she starts doing clean programs...which shouldn't be very far away, with thet proper training that she is proably recveing now there will be no stoppin here. She is simply adorable and has very line flexinlity and style. I really hope that she can make all her troubles worth-while.

i definitely agree with you! i think that her best quality is her drive. aside from that though i think that she has wonderful jumping technique able to do 3-3 combos in both her programs.

puberty may be of concern. i don't think consistency is any issue though, for she was 15 when she skated at the last group of the olympics. and this season she was inconsistent because she didn't have enough time to practice her programs.

 

[chuckm]

Elene has always had a problem in the FS. At 2006 Euros, she was 4th going into the FS, but then she slipped to 6th in the FS amd 5th overall. At the Olympics, she was 6th in the SP, but had a disastrous FS, finishing 13th and 10th overall.

This year, she was 3rd in the SP at Euros, but was 9th in the FS and 8th overall. She did poorly at Worlds 2007, 13th in the SP and 19th in the FS (17th overall), even though she scored higher at Worlds than at Euros (144 to 137).

Perhaps she slipped so far down because of the break in her routine due to deportation from Russia. But at 17, she also may be beginning to feel the bite of the dreaded puberty bug.

 

[zephyrskates]

i just think that every lady skater needs to deal with puberty for it is just a part of life. i think that a great skater and champion will be able to make the needed adjustments. some of the world's best skaters like kwan, cohen, slutskaya and chen were able to deal with the puberty bug.

 

[chuckm]

I don't think Sasha ever felt the bite of the puberty bug.

 

[R.D.]

I don't think Sasha ever felt the bite of the puberty bug.

 

[kandidy]

I like her step before taking off the jump.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Just saying Northern New Jersey, I presume she is trainng in Hackensack. She could give Robin Wagner a try. Robin is a good jump coach and an excellent strategist.

Joe

 

[flying camel]

Just saying Northern New Jersey, I presume she is trainng in Hackensack. She could give Robin Wagner a try. Robin is a good jump coach and an excellent strategist.

Joe

I have to agree with you Robin always seemed to have Sarah very well prepared. After Sarah won the Olympics I thought Robin would get a lot of new athletes, but we have yet to see any emerge from her teaching.

 

[chuckm]

Robin had a few younger skaters, but I believe right now she isn't coaching anyone. Anyway, there might be a language barrier working with Elene.

 

[Ptichka]

Often the Eastern European ladies have much later physical growth than the US and Canadian ladies. Where the North American girls have gotten through the worst of it by 17, often the Eastern Europeans are still having physical maturity issues as late as 18 and 19.

I wonder if it's a matter of genetics or nutrition. Because if it's the former, then keep in mind that Elene is Georgian, not Russian - that's Middle Eastern as opposed to Slavic genes. In theory, this means she should go through puberty earlier than many other girls.

 

[feraina]

I have to agree with you Robin alwys seemed to have Sarah very well prepared. After Sarah won the Olympics I thought Robin would get a lot of new athletes, but we have yet to see any emerge from her teaching.

Sasha did all right during her time with Robin.

 

[flying camel]

Sasha did all right during her time with Robin.

Yea she did, but I wonder why some of the other american girls don't give her a try.

 

[flying camel]

Sasha did all right during her time with Robin.

Yea she did, but I wonder why some of the other american girls don't give her a try.
I wonder if she would work for Bebe? Maybe she could get some consistency in her jumps.