Alena Kostornaia appreciation thread

[muffinplus]

Reviving this thread from 9 pages back: Alena was fantastic in the SP at IdF! She performed that skate like a million dollars. Great GOE all around - I could hardly believe my eyes but she's back in the mix, at least for today. Hoping she finds that 3A for the free skate.

She really needs that 3A. I don't know that a quad is ever going to happen for her, I don't think she has wanted to train one.

 

[briancoogaert]

Aliona is easliy the best russian skater actually : the best glide, highest and powerful jumps.
Too bad her PCS don't reflect that !

 

[GreenGan]

She blew me away today at the rink. She commands the ice and yet you don't feel forced to watch her. Really great skating skills, amazing heights, and her body movement are very fluid. Loved her.

 

[Vash01]

Will she make it to the GPF?

 

[love_skate2011]

Will she make it to the GPF?

Yes

 

[angi]

Will she make it to the GPF?

I think she will, if there will be no big surprises next weekend it will be Anna, Kamila, Liza, Maiia, Kaori, and Aliona.
I think unless she starts landing the 3A cleanly at practices (which isn't happening so far) she needs to drop the attempt in the FS as well, it throws her off her timing and sucks a lot of energy out of her. She can do a 3F instead and backload the 3Lz2T like she did today and I think it might be better for her scoring. She is so good when she is on and she has such an amazing presence on the ice that she can even sell the subpar programs Sambo gave her this season.

 

[Spun Silver]

That presence was back in spades for the New York, NY program (which seemed so bizarre at first). Haven't seen her free at IdF yet. But it's as if she just came out of a dark basement to star in Cabaret. It's been a long time since she looked like the Alena of two seasons ago. Welcome back, kid!

 

[museksk8r]

I think she will, if there will be no big surprises next weekend it will be Anna, Kamila, Liza, Maiia, Kaori, and Aliona.
I think unless she starts landing the 3A cleanly at practices (which isn't happening so far) she needs to drop the attempt in the FS as well, it throws her off her timing and sucks a lot of energy out of her. She can do a 3F instead and backload the 3Lz2T like she did today and I think it might be better for her scoring. She is so good when she is on and she has such an amazing presence on the ice that she can even sell the subpar programs Sambo gave her this season.

If Alena does not attempt the 3Axel in the FS, then she would have to replace it with a 2Axel because she is already doing two 3Lutzes and two 3flips in her layout and she is only allowed to repeat two triples. Here’s hoping that Alena ramps up her training and maintains strong, good health heading into the GP Final and Nationals and continues to show steady improvement to be that better/best version of herself that she and her supporters wish for her to showcase.