Alena Kostornaia: “Raising the age minimum gives adult girls a chance to live. They don’t need to chase after quadruples, they need to skate beautifully and cleanly.”
Translation of Alena Kostornaia’s comments about age minimum in women’s single skating.
original source: Lyasan Utiasheva’s youtube channel
Alena Kostornaia spoke about raising the age minimum in women’s single skating. Here’s a translation of her comments.
“Alena Kostornaia: Currently, the rules are changing, and senior skating starts at 17. Before 17, it’s juniors. I think this is correct, the right division. Because I saw the difference between the senior Russian Nationals and the children’s.
When I watch children’s skating, I don’t expect grace, elegance, lines. If (an adult) person skates some tragedy or pain, I feel chills. But when I watch juniors, I know what I’m watching: I’m watching a fight with a billion jumps, 25 quadruples. And that’s also spectacular, it’s cool.
I understand what I want to see from seniors emotionally, and what I want to see from juniors. And this difference has become acceptable. When everything is mixed up, it’s hard. I think even in terms of scores it’s hard.
Q: In singles skating, it’s such that just as a star starts to shine, for some reason she quickly fades. Why is that?
Alena Kostornaia: This is exactly the era of quadruples, complex ultra-C elements, on which many break. The pursuit of these elements, even if you have learned them, is a huge risk of injury. You break and are out for six months to a year. And it’s not a fact that in this year, the 20 junior girls who were behind you, who are not afraid of jumps, who are not afraid of getting injured, will not have time to learn and jump. And you go out – and that’s it, there’s already a line.
Very few can keep these jumps. And when they raise the age for entry into seniors, it gives adult girls a chance to live. They don’t need to chase after quadruples, they need to skate beautifully and cleanly. You can try – no one prohibits it, but there won’t be a chase. There will be a balanced and beautiful program that will prevent injuries and give the audience emotions and feelings. And the juniors will jump and fight for their places,” the skater said in an interview with Laysan Utyasheva.
Related topics: Alena Kostornaia
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