Scott512
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That's probably what will happen. Going back to her longtime coach would be a safe move and a comfortable move for Stasya. Although I think one of the reason she left was not enough ice time IPA.
Russian Ladies news & discussion
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Natanielle825
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Thanks for clarifying in the US ladies thread Tinami, it was an honest mistake. But then what are Plushenko's houses for if the skaters don't live there?
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Natanielle825
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Also continued from the US ladies thread, if Kostornaia has thrown in the towel on this season, I'm not optimistic about her chances for the Olympic team.
Tinami Amori
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It's a long story. I'll post it after US Dance is done.
Tinami Amori
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I don't think Kostornaya has thrown in the towel. I think she is weakened by her illness, and while recovered from it, still working on gathering her athletic-level strength.
Re "houses for skaters" that Pluschenko has been advertising LEFT AND RIGHT. Nobody lives in these houses, at least for now. Pluschenko is using them for a PR campaign.
He recently built a new rink, in a middle of nowhere, on the outskirts of one of the remote Moscow's suburbs, in the WOODS. His plans are to make it a training base, sort of like Novogorsk, where skaters can live and train, and not having to go "into town". Right now it is just a rink with a canvas top (like at the last Europeans in Austria), with extra rooms (to become gym and dance spaces) and few "chalet" style cottages, some two-story, some 1 story, with 1-2 bedrooms inside. There are 3-4 of these cottages.
These cottages/chalets are basically guest houses which Pluschenko thinks he'll populate with "great out of town skaters who'll transfer to him one day". He is probably thinking that foreign skaters may come for his training, etc.
At the same time he is announcing left and right "I built houses for Trusova and Kostornaya". Well....... Trusova already has a very nice house AND! a very nice summer home/cottage. Now that the rink moved to the WOODS, Trusova's house is further away. So she might sleep over once or twice if the practice is running late. But she will not move into this cottage alone. And her mother, father, two brothers, two dogs and grand-mother will NOT be moving into the Pluschenko's cottage. As the rumors go, Trusova sometimes uses these cottages to rest between practices. Pluschenko gives her the keys, and she rests there.
With Kostornaya........ her situation is the same, her family has a house, her grandmother has a huge summer house with horses, other animals and a big territory. Aleona has a big family, mother, father, brother (who goes to school), and they will not be moving to the cottages either. But when she starts skating again, maybe Pluschenko will also let her rest there between practices.
Also, few skaters, who were rehearsing for Pluschenko's "Swan Lake" show, also stayed there to rest. Those cottages are just guest houses, he did not "built and gave them to Sasha or Aleona", like he is trying to make people believe.
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Cherub721
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I mean, he made them for them to stay in while they are there. I don't think anyone thought these would replace their family's homes. It's quite convenient so they can avoid traffic and stay overnight. They are very cute and even seem to match their personalities.
Tinami Amori
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If you mean Kostornaya? she is up and moving around, but there is no information that she is skating or even training off ice. Pluschenko is trying to make everyone believe that she is OK, and tries to create an illusion that she is training, but can't provide any evidence, even as much as Aleona's photo in a practice outfit, let alone Aleona on the ice.
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Tinami Amori
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Yes, there are few "guest houses/cottages" on the ground. I was referring to his constant bragging to the press and twisting facts that he built houses for Sasha and Aleona.
Tobbe
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When it comes to Kostornaia, I don't think she is hungry enough to fight this uphill battle she is now having. I wouldn't be surprised if she misses Olympics next year...and it's a pity. She's such a fantastic skater.
hanca
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I think she was hungry during her junior time and in her first senior year. She now has had some success (she won everything last season except of her second place at the Russian nationals). So in theory she is on top (she is the reigning European champion). But many skaters have said that it is much easier to reach the top than to stay at the top. Especially when problems (e.g. change of body) come. She does like to win, but whether she is hungry enough to sacrifice everything like many others do, I am not quite sure.
rfisher
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I think she's the least likely to be there of Scherbakova, Trusova and Valieva. They all want it. Badly. And, one of them is not going to be in the team event and will miss out on that medal which might inspire them to repeat Sotnikova's "I'll get my own damn medal" skate.
Cherub721
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Why do people think Kostornaya isn't motivated? Because she doesn't have a quad?
rfisher
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She's been injured and doesn't have her 3A at this time, but she's said herself she's only interested in going to the Olympics and then she will retire from skating. IMHO, she just doesn't have the competitive fire that Anna, Sasha and even Tuk have. And Valieva will have both the 3A and quads by next year and so too will Trusova. Unfortunately, if you're out with illness or injury among the Russian ladies, someone is going to push you out of the way. There is no mercy.
hanca
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But that’s what we think this season. Last season people were thinking that she is the one that is most certain. She won everything last season (except of Russian nationals, where she was second). Some people were thinking that it is Scherbakova who is the weakest and therefore the least likely to be there, whereas others were saying that it may be Trusova least likely to be there because her programs had the hardest jumps and therefore carried most risk, which doesn’t always work in the skater’s favour. And others were guessing that the least likely would be Valieva because she won’t have enough time to catch up on the older three girls. Next season, the whole situation may again turn, and the one we would think is least likely may suddenly be left out. Scherbakova or Valieva, maybe...
Wyliefan
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I think I've said this before, but sometimes I get the sense that Kostornaia doesn't realize just how good she is. Which is kind of a pity. If I were that good at anything, I'd want to know it!
Natanielle825
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What interview? What did she say? I think lots of people would consider that her best senior program by far, but maybe she thinks of herself as more of a Billie Eilish type girl?
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Tobbe
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And don't forget Usacheva. If she gets the 3A next season she will be in Kostornaia land and equal her tech. Russian Ladies will be sooo tough next season...
hanca
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I don’t think that at this moment Usacheva has a chance to be a threat to the other four ladies internationally. I have always liked her skating, but I am not quite sure whether she would get the same marks she has been getting at the Russian cups this season. I think Russian judges held her up a lot (politicking, because of Tutberidze), but I don’t think getting to the complete top internationally will be as easy as that.
I remember it as one where she was talking about the short and comparing it to her Twilight free but I don't know if I can track it down, there was so much press about the Trusova, Shcherbakova, Kostornaia group last year. I'll look around tonight though.
Oh, here it is! I remembered it as a little more negative, it's not really so bad. Maybe I read it in google translate and it sounded more upset or maybe it was just the mood at the time - it's from April - affected my interpretation.
"Over the past couple of years, you are one of the few skaters in Chrystalny who skated her favorite character. I’m talking about your free program. They even said that you insisted on Bella Swan character, the heroine of the movie “Twilight”. How do coaches reacted?
– This image is me. That is, when they put me “Angel”, I knew what I needed to show. But when I skated Bella – it was already my “I”, and here it is difficult to change something. Therefore, the idea was not only mine, this thought came to Eteri Georgievna, it was inspired by the way I sometimes behave, my certain actions and deeds.
Ideas never come out of the blue. When a coach watches an athlete for a long time, he tries to put his internal theme. That’s why programs always look alive. And yes, I really don’t like being called an angel. Because I’m not an angel, this is not my story! (Laughs)"
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Natanielle825
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I think it's the combination of a few things. No one can doubt the drive of Tuktamysheva for remaining competitive this long, Shcherbakova for her fight at Nationals, Trusova for trying to master literally all the quads. Valieva is till a bit of an unknown at this point IMO, we haven't really seen enough of her to get a true sense of how much pressure she can withstand, how great the odds she can overcome, etc. While Kostornaia's decisions to not go to Nationals and move on to other things after the Olympics might reflect a healthy perspective, they don't reflect a desperation to win. She also seems to attract a lot of rumors - about her attitude, emotionality, distractibility, etc. I don't claim to know if any of them are true, but even just hearing them can influence how people feel about her. Then there is the quads - considering the Nationals podium, lots of people think she needs one but she hasn't indicated that she's even going to try as far as I know.
All that said, it's all speculation, this season is a bust, it's a long time between now and the start of next season (hopefully things will be back to normal by then), and even longer till the actual Olympics, so lots can change.
anonymoose_au
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I'll hazard a guess and say it's because if her new coaching situation. I get the feeling quite a few people don't want her to come back.
Funnily enough she often talked about her plans to retire after 2022 and pursue her goal of becoming a doctor. That used to earn her praise for being smart and planning for the future.
Now it's used as proof she "doesn't want it enough" and isn't "a proper athlete."
I wonder what changed? Any ideas? ?
Tobbe
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I think Anonymoose that you want to make this into a discussion that doesn't exist. This argument of Kostornaia not being motivated enough has floated around for a year now...much because of that fact you are saying that she wants to retire after 2022. So nothing has changed...
anonymoose_au
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But I don't recall people using it in negative way before now.
It used to be "Oh no, Aliona wants to retire after 2022! Her beautiful skating skills will be lost to the world forever!"
Now it's more "That spoiled brat doesn't take this seriously, she never has. Don't let the door hit you on your way out."
Tobbe
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OK? Who says that? Certainly no one in this discussion. All that was said is that Kostornaia might have motivation problems. And that was something said as an opinion, not a fact.
"That spoiled brat" stuff is just something you, for some reason, needed to put in.
Spikefan
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This sounds like he is going for a Lake Arrowhead set up. I live 40 minutes from work and would love to have a place to stay nearby on late nights or during bad weather. Sounds like smart business to me.
Tinami Amori
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Aleona fully recovered from *******. She is out and doing things, just not yet training.
8 days ago she went to Ballet "La Bayadere" and took a photo with a fan (who happened to be there)
6 days ago she came by the new Pluschenko's rink, with her new dog. She talked to people, but did not practice.
Later that day she took her dog for a walk, and her dog played with Sasha's poodle, who was also at the rink. (I can't find photos).
There is not indication that she lost interest. she just has not yet gained enough strength to train.
8 days ago she went to Ballet "La Bayadere" and took a photo with a fan (who happened to be there)
6 days ago she came by the new Pluschenko's rink, with her new dog. She talked to people, but did not practice.
Later that day she took her dog for a walk, and her dog played with Sasha's poodle, who was also at the rink. (I can't find photos).
There is not indication that she lost interest. she just has not yet gained enough strength to train.
Natanielle825
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No one called her a spoiled brat
anonymoose_au
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Maybe not thise exact words but I distinctly recall Tinami saying they've never liked her and that she's a snob.
I follow too many skating boards these days perhaps I'm mixing places up, but I know for sure there was a distinct difference in how Aliona was received by fans this season compared to last. Most people Tinami aside loved her, she was an angel, incomparable. This season round complaints about her programs were only eclipsed by complaints about her hair and costumes. She looked the same to me, lighter hair aside.
The only reason I can see for such an abrupt change in perception is her move away from Sambo 70. Which is honestly a boring story now.
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