“I’m not leaving Alena – never, absolutely not – but I need to confirm my sports ranking.” Georgi Kunitsa will temporary skate with another partner while Alena Kostornaia takes maternity leave
Figure Skater Georgi Kunitsa to compete with Anastasia Korobeinikova as Alena Kostornaia takes maternity leave
original source: Alena Kostornaia’s VK
Russian pairs skater Georgi Kunitsa will partner with Anastasia Korobeinikova for the 2025/26 season while his wife and skating partner, Alena Kostornaia, focuses on motherhood following the expected arrival of their first child.
Georgi Kunitsa confirmed that he will be competing with a new partner, Anastasia Korobeinikova, for the upcoming season to maintain his competitive status while Alena Kostornaia is on maternity leave. Speaking about the decision, Kunitsa explained:
“I’m continuing to train on my own, and for the first half of the season, I will compete with another skater – almost certainly, it’s 99% confirmed. I’m not leaving Alena – never, absolutely not – but I need to confirm my ranking.”
Kostornaia also commented lightheartedly: “I support them completely. Sometimes, I even go to their practice sessions and criticize them. I love doing that – I’m a bit of a hater,” she joked.
Roslyakov, Kunitsa’s coach, elaborated on the decision: “Georgi needs to keep skating and competing to maintain his rank in sports. For Anastasia, this partnership is a great opportunity for her development in pairs skating. She previously partnered with Akim Stepanenko but found herself without a partner afterward.
So, we decided that they will pair up for the upcoming season.”
Korobeinikova, 16, has previously trained under Alexander Volkov’s group before transitioning to pairs skating and joining Roslyakov’s team.
With this temporary partnership, Kunitsa plans to stay active in the field while awaiting Kostornaia’s eventual return to competitive skating.
Related topics: Alena Kostornaia, Georgi Kunitsa
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