“Zagitova will fight for a place in the sun”: how experts evaluated the rental of Russian skaters at the French Grand Prix

"Alena made a leap forward"

Russian Alyona Kostornaya won the gold medal of the third stage of the Grand Prix in figure skating. For a rental with two triple askels, she received a record for herself 159.45 points, which brought her a landslide victory over compatriot Alina Zagitova, as well as over the third-place American Mariah Bell.

Kostornaya became the third student of Eteri Tutberidze, who won the Grand Prix stage this season. The group choreographer Daniil Gleichengauz congratulated the ward on the success and spoke about her progress in the performance of the triple axel.

“Alena, as I recall, said that she had not yet made friends with the triple axel, so we will wait until she calls him her friend. But it is clear that she gets the maximum pleasure from this music and program, she simply dissolves in it, ”TASS specialist quotes.

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In a characteristic emotional way, Kostornaya's performance was commented on by the famous trainer Tatyana Tarasova. She suggested that the skater does not stop at triple axels and in the near future will complicate her program due to quadruple jumps.

“Alena heard music and skated amazingly. She experienced great pleasure, and we together with her. She has such a talent. The new generation enthuses us with the fact that they know everything so early. So, it was not for nothing that previous generations worked before this. Looking at them, the new skaters go on difficult jumps. They make them and are not afraid, ”Tarasova said on the air of Channel One.

A similar position was expressed by two-time Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko. According to him, in case of complicating the program due to quadruple jumps, Kostornaya will be the main favorite of any competition.

“Alena made a jerk forward - she performed the triple axels perfectly, and three times, and generally rides great. Many people like her. If Kostornaya also adds a quadruple, it will be very difficult to fight with her. Her skating, sliding, technicality, and rotation are all at the highest level, ”Plushenko shared his impressions.

At the same time, the world champion in 2013 Maxim Trankov called the Kostornaya favorite of this season.

“Of course, this season will show a lot. In the next, pre-Olympic, some changes are possible, such as, for example, regular attempts to equate athletes with a second mark for components. But in this case, my favorite is Kostornaya, and many of my colleagues in the shop too, ”Trankov said.

However, four-time winner of the continental championships Victoria Volchkova chose not to rush to conclusions about who is the leader of Russian figure skating at the moment. In her opinion, the answer to this question will become known only when all three winners of the stages of the Grand Prix converge in a confrontation.

“Of course, it was gorgeous, it’s even difficult to say something here, I was blissed out by Kostornaya’s rental. Can Alyona fight Trusova and Shcherbakova without fours? We need to wait until all the girls gather at the Russian championship, it’s hard to guess now. Each of them is so good that I would not want to compare them. While we enjoy the girls at the stages of the Grand Prix, the final will put everything in its place, ”Volchkova quoted Sport24 as saying.

Kostornaya’s performance was also admired in the Russian Figure Skating Federation (FFKKR). Her representatives noted the importance of the achievements of domestic athletes who set the bar high for all female figure skating.

“Probably, not everyone is given the opportunity to see what historical period in figure skating we are. Difficult jumps - triple axels and quadruples - performed by the skaters have become a reality! And this confirms every new tournament. Talking that this supposedly prevents one from enjoying “real mature female skating” contradicts the very essence of sport and the logic of its development. There were and are pioneers in any area of ​​life, and these are the ones that drive progress, ”the statement said on the organization’s official website.

“Alina is gradually turning into a stately girl”

Despite the fact that the runner-up Zagitova made a number of mistakes at the start of her rental, most experts were satisfied with her. So, Gleichenhaus praised the performance of the ward, noting the fact that she was able to get together after the setbacks and improve her performance.

“Alina added a rittberger in the second part, she showed character, but it’s not so simple. First of all, I wanted her to be beautiful and elegant in this program, to make her every gesture conscious, complete, because she is an experienced athlete with such choreographic capabilities that her every movement can bring delight to the audience, ”said the coach.

The idea of ​​the choreographer really succeeded, which noted Tarasova. In her opinion, Zagitova performs exactly the program that suits her, which means she deeply feels the chosen image and music.

“The program made a good impression on me. Yes, Alina is no longer a child, there is something to complain about. But she at the beginning of the season and spent such a stormy summer and the same spring. She had wonderful tours where she became open and gained some charm. Zagitova does not just take steps and elements. She hears what she does. There is a certain courage, ”the expert is sure.

Plushenko expressed confidence that it is too early for fans of the Olympic champion to be upset because of a not-so-successful performance at the Grand Prix stage.

“You just need to continue to work, she will continue to work and train. Everything will be OK. She will again enter her usual form, this is only the beginning of the season, that's okay, ”Plushenko emphasized.

A similar point of view is shared by Volchkov.

“As for the fall of Alina, we can take into account the fact that this is the beginning of the season, everyone is mistaken. Will Zagitova have enough places in the national team? She will fight for a place in the sun, you can not say that she is in some way worse. Let's not forget about the quality of her skiing, ”concluded the ex-athlete.

Choreographer Ilya Averbukh also suggested that Zagitova did not lose the chance of getting into the national team. However, she should not rely on the mistakes of her rivals, but herself to improve her numbers.

“I appreciate the performance very well. Of course, it’s hard to speak when you are under such pressure. It is clear that this is a psychological story. The main thing is to complicate the program, despite the fact that Alina looks very interesting now, she is in good shape, her skating is impeccable. You get great pleasure from her plastics and choreography, ”said Averbukh.

Some fans expressed concern that high competition could make Zagitova think about ending her career. However, the 2006 Olympic champion Tatyana Navka called not to make hasty conclusions and accept any choice of the skater.

“Of course, without quadruples, you now cannot count on a prize. But even without them, she delivered amazing programs this year. I like them very much. Alina grew up in a year, she gradually turns into such a stately girl and rides already meaningfully, ”Fontanka quotes Navka.

"Samarin can and should ride better."

In the male part of the competition, Russian fans again pleased Alexander Samarin. He remained second in the round, losing to the winner, American Nathan Chen, 32 points. For the 21-year-old athlete, this result is one of the best in his career, which in the future will allow him to compete for getting into the Grand Prix finals.

According to Tarasova, the Russian is able to compete with the current leaders of men's skating, but for this he will have to work on the mistakes.

“Samarin can and should ride better, he tore off a bit, made a lutz yesterday - a sheepskin coat and a flip, but today he failed. The last element he has not yet been developed to such an extent, but these are all complicated things, today Chen was also mistaken. But Sasha is not Nathan yet, therefore he cannot be mistaken, only then he will be able to claim big medals. And I want to wish him that, ”said the coach.

The 1994 Olympic champion Alexei Urmanov noted the character of Samarin, which was especially pronounced at the French Grand Prix stage. In his opinion, the skater took a reasonable risk by adding a quadruple flip to the program.

“Samarin is a great fellow, always moving forward and continues to do so. With such a composition and in such a situation, one could take risks, still he looked decent. What they do with the coach, they do it right. It’s becoming more than four, and among the rivals including, it is necessary to learn something new, improve the jumps, insert them into programs and check from tournament to tournament, ”Urmanov concluded.