Alena Kostornaia

[SkateSkates]

On the other hand... the poster might be right.
You can't improve the perfection :agree:

I like the way you think.

I will offer one area of improvement - in the 2017-18 season she would often rush in her step sequence a bit, causing her to miss turns (specifically loops) and lose levels. In the 2018/19 and current season, I see her waiting for the edge to come around so she can properly execute the turns in her step sequence and received many more level 4s.

 

[nussnacker]

I like the way you think.

I will offer one area of improvement - in the 2017-18 season she would often rush in her step sequence a bit, causing her to miss turns (specifically loops) and lose levels. In the 2018/19 and current season, I see her waiting for the edge to come around so she can properly execute the turns in her step sequence and received many more level 4s.

I think the main change for me is that Aliona seems more engaged in her programs this year, talking about both sp and fs.
I have a feeling that sometimes athletes are 'made' to skate to a certain music and they might perform as they told, however, not feel anything on the inside.
And when that happens, it kind of shows itself somewhere, there's a lack of spark in their eyes or that X factor.
Certainly, I feel like with angel+vampire programs Aliona's performing and REALLY enjoying what she's doing. She's having so much fun, it's right there in her eyes, the joy, the energy, the spark. I think judges feel that too, that she isn't just skating, she's putting on a show!

 

[Edwin]

I think the main change for me is that Aliona seems more engaged in her programs this year, talking about both sp and fs.
I have a feeling that sometimes athletes are 'made' to skate to a certain music and they might perform as they told, however, not feel anything on the inside.
And when that happens, it kind of shows itself somewhere, there's a lack of spark in their eyes or that X factor.
Certainly, I feel like with angel+vampire programs Aliona's performing and REALLY enjoying what she's doing. She's having so much fun, it's right there in her eyes, the joy, the energy, the spark. I think judges feel that too, that she isn't just skating, she's putting on a show!

She probably loves the duplicity of this image, human by day, vampire by night, Angel vs Demon etc. And she has the power of conviction to pull it off.

 

[DenissVFan]

Fingers crossed for a victory and clean 3As in France

 

[LynsJ]

Fingers crossed for a victory and clean 3As in France

All fingers crossed for this!!

 

[Batsuchan]

I'm equal parts :hap57: and for Aliona's GP debut!

Since Anna and Sasha won both their GP events, I'm sure she'll want to win hers as well, but Alina will be a formidable opponent.

I wonder if Aliona will add the 3A to the SP at IDF. I think she'll eventually need to do it (at GPF, or Nationals or Worlds) if she wants to beat Sasha, but I think she would score pretty close to Alina in the SP even with the 2A. :yes: And I would be sad if there was no Ina Bauer -> 2A -> falling leaf sequence, because it's just so perfect.

Honestly, this could just be my wishful thinking, but I think it might even be possible for Aliona to beat Sasha's current World Record total with just two 3As. Maybe not at IDF, but eventually. With a little PCS growth, to say, ~36, she could score around 79 in the short, and with two clean 3As (adding about 4 points) and a little PCS growth she could score around 163 in the free for a total of ~242. Of course, Sasha's scores will undoubtedly be much higher if she skates her program cleanly, but if Aliona can keep her total scores in the top 2 as she is currently, I feel like it will be very hard for the Russian Fed to leave her off the World team. Or at least I hope!

Going back to Finlandia -- lovely comments about Aliona on the beginning of the podcast here:
https://soundcloud.com/flutzesandwaxels/finlandia-2019-ladies-and-ice-dance#t=1:09

It makes me so happy to hear how she has so many fans around the world! :luv17:

And I hope to see big smiles like she had here
https://twitter.com/AkaiXStarXCon/status/1183645373019185152
https://twitter.com/AkaiXStarXCon/status/1183982109993717760

Also, I can't remember if someone posted Adam Rippon's comments about Aliona, but in case you missed them, here they are again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXG9HJkr1Vs&t=81s

And it seems that Apollinaria Panfilova, a Russian pair skater, also loves Aliona!
https://vk.com/figureskating_love?z=photo-64888695_457356908/wall-64888695_955244

Well, at the very least I'm looking forward to seeing Aliona's Channel 1 introduction video. :yes:
And I'm looking forward to Aliona & Dasha having fun together in France--I'm glad Aliona gets to go to a competition with her bestie! :agree:

 

[Edwin]

"Twilight" by Alyona Kostornaya

In figure skating (as in any sport and art), it is important to do everything on time. Time to reach the peak of your form, make strategic decisions on time, and, of course, choose the right images in time to match. Let us recall, for example, how last year’s free dance by the American couple Madison Hubble - Zachary Donohue caused bewilderment and a lot of wit exercises regarding the mismatch of the partners in the roles of young Romeo and Juliett - and it’s not even because they are much older than their heroes, they just both are too old, both externally and internally, but the Shakespearean story is still about how "the children of the leaders" love each other. This was especially striking at the same Grand Prix finals, where there was another appearance of the image of Juliet by Alyona Kostornaya (still a junior them), to whom the role fitted like a glove.

In general, Eteri Georgiyevna Tutberidze and her staff, whose student is Alyona, has been proving for many seasons in a row that “junior skating” is no flaw at all, and “yesterday’s junior” isn't a derogatory term if you choose the right image that matches the age of the performer. “Girl in a Red Coat”, “Girl on a Balloon”, “Girl with a Kite” - all these are roles specially created for young skaters that no one but them could have embodied on ice with such touching childlike spontaneity.

This year's choice of image for Alyona, in my opinion, is due to the same considerations. If you must skate to the music from the film adaptation of these “teenagers for teenagers” novels, then do it when you are 16, you are pretty, believe in love and miracles, and you yourself like such novels. That is why, no matter how the audience is related to the selected material, many like this program - because Alyona herself enjoys this role, this music and choreography.

This program, as you know, grew out of a performance that Alyona first presented at the end of last season on Eteri Tutberidze's show “Champions on Ice”. This isn't the first time that Daniil Gleikhengauz has staged such successful show productions that are turned into competitive programs: Anna Karenina, was staged in the Olympic season for Yevgeniya Medvyedeva, had the same fate. Alyona herself noted that she portrays the role of the protagonist of the “Twilight Saga”: Bella Swan, although to me personally, in makeup and costume she looked more like this young lady from the movies:
link to pictures

After the transformation of the demonstration number into an arbitrary program, its structure began to resemble the history of the selected character. The first part, added under the lyric piano theme “New moon”, composed by one of the most famous contemporary film composers Alexandre Desplat, is dedicated to the story of the “forbidden love” of the young heroine. For Alyona, this topic is already well known, and she copes with it perfectly, playing every gesture:
links to pictures and clips

The first part ends with the rotation of the “ring”, after which the characteristic guitar riff comes from the second sound track: the song “Eyes on Fire” by the Danish electronic rock band Blue Foundation. Personally, I like this part of the program the most: the soloist Kirstine Stubbe Teglberg has very interesting vocals, the song has strong accents, especially on the chorus, where the Flip-Toeloop cascade fits in perfectly - here it is so musically justified that it looks almost like an element of choreography :
links to pictures and clips

I also like how the song lyrics are choreographically accented, for example, here on the word “gaze”:
links to pictures and clips

In general, Alyona goes very gloomy trip-hop sound, her plasticity, apparent lightness, ease of movement, characteristic of most areas of modern dance, allows her to express the music in the best way possible.
links to pictures and clips

In the last part of the program, the transformed heroine dances, enjoying her newfound abilities, to one of the most famous compositions of the entire series of films - “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse, so beloved by skaters. According to lead singer Matthew Bellamy, to create this dance and rock track, he mixed several different musical styles, including R&B, alternative and funk rock. In this part it is best seen how vampire Alyona is very much different from the main character of the “Twilight Saga” - a quiet, inconspicuous girl, typical “girl next door”. The image conceived by the director is more suitable for the character and appearance of the skater: bright, bold (without vulgarity), perky. At the end of the program, Alyona shows dynamic deformation and ligaments at high speed without a shadow of fatigue, energizing the entire room:
links to pictures and clips

The dress for this program does not refer to the heroine’s outfits from the movies (which, in my opinion, is good as her clothes in 80% of cases are only so-so), but it fits well with all three musical passages. After the premiere of transforming dresses by Anna Shcherbakova and Aleksandra Trusova, many expected that Alyona’s costume would also be “with a surprise”, but Team Tutberidze did not repeat themselves three times. With the exhibition's red and black image, the new outfit also has nothing in common (except, perhaps, the open back). The designer (apparently, it was Olga Ryabenko) came up with a Gothic style dress with bare shoulders, black lace trim on the bodice, a “torn” skirt and an explicit hint of “vampirism” in the form of blood drops. Most often, black is used in clothes of this style, but combinations of black with rich shades of purple and lilac are often found.
links to pictures

Of course, the strong point in the program, because of which Alyona’s performance in Finland had the effect of an “exploding bomb,” was the premiere of two triple Axels.
links to clips

Nobody knows what happened in Alyona’s soul after the Open Test Skates of the Russian team, when she was the only one of all her friends from the coaching group who skated without ultra-C elements, even without the “younger” ultra-C - Rittberger cascades. We can’t know, other than suspect that it was something unimaginable. In any case, Alyona managed (thanks to her trainers) to direct this whole thermonuclear cocktail of emotions in the right direction. It should be noted that the insidious Axel appeared, as in the song “Eyes on Fire” - “just in time, in the right place”, at the moment when Alyona needed it most, in her most critical season of advance into seniors.
With such weapons, she is ready to fight for a place on the team under its permanent fiercely competitive conditions, and now the outcome of this struggle is completely impossible to predict. Yes and why would we? We need to wish everyone to perform at the maximum of their capabilities, to receive well-deserved marks, and let the strongest win.

Read also:

Overview of the short program of Aleksandra Trusova

Overview of the free program of Aleksandra Trusova

Overview of the short program of Alyona Kostornaya

Overview of the free program of Alina Zagitova

Overview of the short program of Anna Shcherbakova

Overview of the free program of Anna Shcherbakova
-----
All taken from this really great blog: https://www.sports.ru/tribuna/blogs/artinsport/

Do the critics of Gleikhengauz' choreography and staging really think those commercial choreographers could do a much better job with the same source material? Esp the 'developing the skater through staging of challenging images'? I don't think so. All the postings in this blog prove to me that you really need to know your skaters as only #TeamTutberidzeForProgress knows them and is capable of giving them the full package, the compete treatment in all aspects of figure skating, including art and athleticism, worthy of champions.

 

[macy]

It will probably be the most tense and heartbreaking GP stage, a direct Ace to Ace confrontation, two of the very best current skaters from the same rink. It won't be like the other stages, where there is a 'battle of generations' going on, Alina and Alyona aren't that far apart in age, and Alyona is the most 'mature' of the former Terrific Trio. So they are well matched in every aspect apart from decoration, even in reputation.

Yes, there will be two coaches, too much is at stake to be economical, and much depends on draw and starting order so having two coaches with the skaters is a must, IMO.

And we want to see them both on top. Will two Silvers suffice to make it into GPF? A Gold and Silver each is perfectly possible and won't make anybody unhappy.

i wish they would have switched Alina and Zhenya, or Liza and Zhenya. Alina and Alena are going to be neck and neck very much more so than the other pairs.

Also, i am surprised this hasn't been discussed here yet- the weird guy from Finlandia will be at IDF, according to an Aliona fan account on instagram. it sounds as if her parents and coaches have been notified and seems like quite a few fans are aware, and will report him if seen.

i really, really hope he stays FAR away from her and the other competitors and it doesn't distract her from training or competing. i can't imagine how scary that is.

 

[flanker]

i wish they would have switched Alina and Zhenya, or Liza and Zhenya. Alina and Alena are going to be neck and neck very much more so than the other pairs.

In whatever combination there would have been Eteri girl vs. Eteri girl. It could also have been Alina herself who would be granted with the benefit to skate without direct competitor, if people who claim she has some OGM protectionism were right. Still, with the highest probability Alina and Aliona will be 1st and 2nd here and in NHK as well, which will be enough for the final. There the true bloodbath will start.

 

[Edwin]

In whatever combination there would have been Eteri girl vs. Eteri girl. It could also have been Alina herself who would be granted with the benefit to skate without direct competitor, if people who claim she has some OGM protectionism were right. Still, with the highest probability Alina and Aliona will be 1st and 2nd here and in NHK as well, which will be enough for the final. There the true bloodbath will start.

In any case, it was probably best to avoid a Medvyedeva - Zagitova confrontation in the stages. Not so much because of the skaters, but because of some fan factions that are too fanatic in their attacks on the opponent.

Alyona is capable of winning over Alina by jump content, unless Alina also shows up with ultra-C jumps that have been kept secret (much like Alyona's).

Also, i am surprised this hasn't been discussed here yet- the weird guy from Finlandia will be at IDF, according to an Aliona fan account on instagram. it sounds as if her parents and coaches have been notified and seems like quite a few fans are aware, and will report him if seen.

i really, really hope he stays FAR away from her and the other competitors and it doesn't distract her from training or competing. i can't imagine how scary that is.

Best not think about this, that guy appears to be a pedo-psycho, and with his identity now out in the open, Alyona (or any of the young Khrustalniy seniors, any young boy or girl skater for that matter really) should be kept watch over.
Being psycho, these characters do the strangest and most desperate things to get near their fetishes, like stalking out hotels and travel means (including throwing themselves in front), so having knowledge of who he is and looks like is paramount for safety.

But having a 24/7 escort or watch spoils the fun of pre- and after competition social activities, and might mean young girls and well meaning fans have no access to their skating idols.

Lets hope the LOC has the necessary measures in place.

 

[icybear]

Also Alena should be careful opening any fan letters or gifts. Maybe she should get an adult to check through them first. I'm sure if the creep is there he will definitely try to give her something. Also the IDF kiss and cry area is right next to the stands where the audience sit. I saw fans trying to give stuff to the skaters there last year.

 

[Edwin]

Also Alena should be careful opening any fan letters or gifts. Maybe she should get an adult to check through them first. I'm sure if the creep is there he will definitely try to give her something. Also the IDF kiss and cry area is right next to the stands where the audience sit. I saw fans trying to give stuff to the skaters there last year.

She should indeed. But it will spoil one of the most precious after competition moments the skaters have: going through your gifts and presents. They sincerely want to thank those fans that put in lots of effort in creating a personal gift, a piece of craft and art, all of their social media testify about this.

They are probably used to the occasional 'joke', junk or obscenities wrapped in a nice paper and ribbon, but the thought of a maniac throwing 'his gift' at his fetish scares me.

 

[flanker]

In any case, it was probably best to avoid a Medvyedeva - Zagitova confrontation in the stages. Not so much because of the skaters, but because of some fan factions that are too fanatic in their attacks on the opponent.

Alyona is capable of winning over Alina by jump content, unless Alina also shows up with ultra-C jumps that have been kept secret (much like Alyona's).

She is capable of winning, definitely. However she didn't win yet, even when from comments it seems it happened already. I know I'm repetitive, but this is repetitive as well, Alina defeated skaters "capable of winning over her by jump content already". Alina's total scores are still higher and she was able to achieve them repeatedly even during a season like the last one. At Test skates and JO she was close to perfection. Therefore I say with the highest probability Alina and Aliona will be 1st and 2nd here and in NHK as well, without deciding who will take which place before the competition.

 

[Edwin]

She is capable of winning, definitely. However she didn't win yet, even when from comments it seems it happened already. I know I'm repetitive, but this is repetitive as well, Alina defeated skaters "capable of winning over her by jump content already". Alina's total scores are still higher and she was able to achieve them repeatedly even during a season like the last one. At Test skates and JO she was close to perfection. Therefore I say with the highest probability Alina and Aliona will be 1st and 2nd here and in NHK as well, without deciding who will take which place before the competition.

I you discard reputation and status bonus, I think they are about equal in PCS and Alyona with more TES. But since PCS is so subjective, we'll let the judges decide ;-)

 

[flanker]

I you discard reputation and status bonus, I think they are about equal in PCS and Alyona with more TES. But since PCS is so subjective, we'll let the judges decide ;-)

Judges? And I've already started to think it was decided on GS
With two or even three 3As the BV is higher for Aliona, but if the competitions were won just by BV, there wouldn't be competitions So no, you can't cay that Aliona has higher TES, because TES includes GoE and what was really performed as BV. To be more strict, there is no TES for IdF yet. As for PCS, Alina stil holds highest PCS for both short ad free program.
It's that it fascinates me how repetitive this is, in Alina's junior season and in her two senior seasons, not only that she wasn't seen as a favorite by large number of figure skating fans, but as if she wasn't at least one of the favorites. But it is a good thing, the less she was expected to win, the bigger her victory was.

 

[SkateSkates]

I would say this is the most evenly matched pairing of all the GPs (Alina and Aliona), where both favorites excel across all elements and don’t really have any major weaknesses. I think the final result will come down to how many 3As Aliona lands this weekend. Both receive high GOEs on jumps, spins and stsq/chsq, and even though they have different styles, both receive high PCS (with Alina currently holding the advantage in past favoring).

I have my preferences with Aliona’s style of skating personally, but respect must also be given to Alina who seems much more improved and confident this season.

I think if everyone skates clean Aliona and Alina will go 1-2 this weekend.

NHK is another story, where they will also face another extremely well rounded competitor in Rika. It will then depend if she has recovered from injury and has her Lutz and/or quad sal in the program.

 

[Lunalovesskating]

In any case, it was probably best to avoid a Medvyedeva - Zagitova confrontation in the stages. Not so much because of the skaters, but because of some fan factions that are too fanatic in their attacks on the opponent.

Alina and Evgenia were both medalists at Worlds 2019 and therefore never could have been at the same competitions due to the ISU rules, it has nothing to do with a supposedly "avoidance of fan attacks".

 

[lusterfan]

I cannot wait to see how Alyona is scored against Alina. Assuming both are clean, I doubt judges will let Alyona surpass Alina's PCS, but she should be close.

If Alyona were the highest PCS skater in a competition, judges may be hesitant to give her too much above her competitors. However, as judges throw 37's and 76's in PCS at Alina, the ceiling's wide open for Alyona to receive similarly high PCS. Hopefully this pairing ends up being beneficial for Alyona!

Also, I think the GP pairings made the most sense. Due to being medalists, Evgenia and Alina were not able to meet. It makes no sense to pair any of 3A together. With quads, Trusova and Anna were going to be top contenders and should not face each other. Alina is reigning world champion and the top scorer, so it made no sense to pair her against another top scorer like Trusova. Alina, Trusova, and Anna were seen as top scorers, while (no offense but) Evgenia, Liza, and Alyona were seen as lower scorers. Thus, the pairings. Luckily, Alyona continues to surprise everyone and came out with some beautiful triple axels.

 

[ecr1221]

I would've liked to see Aliona compete against Evgenia as well because they are such expressive skaters, and IMO Aliona, Alina, and Evgenia are the more artistic of the bunch.

 

[Batsuchan]

For those who like numbers, the judge-by-judge breakdown of Aliona's scores at Finlandia are pretty interesting.

SP:
https://skatingscores.com/1920/csfin/ladies/short/tss/
A couple of judges had her in the 79-80 range, while the low of 75.63 was pretty close to her previous personal best.

FS:
https://skatingscores.com/1920/csfin/ladies/long/tss/
There was a much wider range of scores for the FS--150 to 166! And the high score came from the Japanese judge (not the Russian one)!