“We called her, but she didn’t answer. We finally reached her through the hotel concierge, and she replied, “What? I’m sleeping.” Members of Eteri Tutberidze’s team recounted how Alena Kostornaia almost missed her FP at the 2019 GP in Japan

Members of Eteri Tutberidze’s team recounted how Alena Kostornaia almost overslept and missed her free program at the 2019 Grand Prix stage in Japan.

original source: Sports

A New Year’s episode aired on Okko, where Tutberidze, Daniil Gleikhengauz, and Sergei Dudakov shared amusing stories from the group’s experiences. Eteri Tutberidze’s team shared a humorous story about Alena Kostornaia nearly missing her free skate at the 2019 Grand Prix in Japan, but she made it just in time and won the event. Here’s a translation of their comment.

“Daniil Gleikhengauz: I remember our trip to Japan in the 2019 season, the final Grand Prix stage. We had Alina (Zagitova) and Alena (Kostornaia) there. By that point, we had won all five events. Of course, we wanted to repeat that, and everything was going well, but Alena decided to sleep through the free program.

Eteri Tutberidze: She wouldn’t have made it even for the warm-up. We called her, but she didn’t answer. We finally reached her through the hotel concierge, and she replied, “What? I’m sleeping.”

Daniil Gleikhengauz: Alina and I were already at the warm-up, everyone was trying to call, even the federation was involved. Alina finished her warm-up, and only then did we reach Alena.

Eteri Tutberidze: She immediately came down, got dressed in the taxi – the driver was shocked. I went down to her, she ran to put on her skates, and I paid for the taxi so we wouldn’t waste time. She went on the ice without a warm-up. The taxi driver definitely hurried when he saw her changing in the car.

Daniil Gleikhengauz: But it all ended well. Alena won that stage.

Eteri Tutberidze: I think she skated very well.”

Related topics: Alena Kostornaia, Daniil Gleikhengauz, Eteri Tutberidze