I felt really bad for Stasia Konstantinova, particularly at COR. She had a terrible SA but I thought she would skate better at COR to redeem herself. She did not. I don't know if she is focusing on school, like her teammate Maria Sotskova is doing. She has often struggled with her jumps but the rest of her skating is mature and artistic, when she lands the jumps.
With the new crop of talented skaters, even past world champions may not make the world/Euro team. Is there a reason some of these skaters who are not 'old' but just don't have the talent to make it to even a GP next year? Why would they be still trying to compete? I am sure each has her own reasons and we don't know what they are.
I was thinking that Stasia is just 19. May be she could switch to ice dance? She has good artistic qualities even though she is lacking in jumps. I am not saying one can just switch to ice dance. It could be 3-4 years before she becomes a contender for a GP assignment, but if she really wants to have a career in skating, may be she needs to look at other disciplines, or skate as a pro, without the pressure of competition. Skating singles in the deep ladies field in Russia must be so tough, and in Stasia's case she is not competitive with even skaters from other countries.
If she is like Sotskova, she could go to school, get a college degree and find another career. I can't decide that for her. Only she can, but I find it very painful to see her struggle the way she did in both her GPs this year. She is going to be even lower when more youngsters turn senior next year. To me at least, it appears that she won't have a future in Russia as a skater after this season.
With the new crop of talented skaters, even past world champions may not make the world/Euro team. Is there a reason some of these skaters who are not 'old' but just don't have the talent to make it to even a GP next year? Why would they be still trying to compete? I am sure each has her own reasons and we don't know what they are.
I was thinking that Stasia is just 19. May be she could switch to ice dance? She has good artistic qualities even though she is lacking in jumps. I am not saying one can just switch to ice dance. It could be 3-4 years before she becomes a contender for a GP assignment, but if she really wants to have a career in skating, may be she needs to look at other disciplines, or skate as a pro, without the pressure of competition. Skating singles in the deep ladies field in Russia must be so tough, and in Stasia's case she is not competitive with even skaters from other countries.
If she is like Sotskova, she could go to school, get a college degree and find another career. I can't decide that for her. Only she can, but I find it very painful to see her struggle the way she did in both her GPs this year. She is going to be even lower when more youngsters turn senior next year. To me at least, it appears that she won't have a future in Russia as a skater after this season.