br>
European champion 2020, one of the most talented figure skaters of the generation Alena Kostornaya performed at the team test skates Russia in a new category for itself — pair skating. Georgy Kunitsa became a partner. Athletes have been training since January 2023 and are ready to fully start the season. The correspondent discusses whether the duo can immediately become one of the leaders.
When the news appeared that Kostornaya was going to compete in pairs skating, there was a great temptation to shower the new couple with advances, like rice for newlyweds at a wedding. Moreover, Alena and Gosha quickly made it clear that they were in a relationship, and recently got married.
It seemed like this: as soon as they started training, they would immediately master all the elements. As soon as they show themselves to specialists, they will immediately receive a vote of confidence. As soon as they enter the competition, they will instantly be ahead of all rivals, including the titled couples of Moskvina. It seemed that Alena’s charisma alone, her skill and fantastically beautiful eyes would be enough to top the judges’ and audience’s charts.
However, there is a nuance. Kostornaya left the women's singles due to the prohibitive competition. In pair skating there was no less of it. Sports pairs in Russia are experiencing a big boom — there has probably never been such a uniformly strong team composition. The leaders Mishina/Gallyamov and Boykova/Kozlovsky are very young and can skate at least two Olympic cycles. The first couples in line behind them are even younger and in some ways more promising.
Even if Trusova and Shcherbakova had teamed up and started jumping parallel quadruple flips, showing incredible technical difficulty, it would also have been difficult for them to break into the pairs elite. Therefore, it is impossible to say that all competitors from the mere sight of Kostornaya and Kunitsa will be laid to rest at the very first stage of the Grand Prix, and especially the Russian Championship.
Kostornaya’s charisma is still there – now it is revealed in a new way. Alena looks softer than before. Her energy used to be a little cold, but now it has warmed up, like the forehead of Snow White awakened by the kiss of the prince. The couple's skate skills are also in play, although adjusted for Gosha's level. Even if you are very good, you will still lose to an outstanding one, so in this sense it is difficult for Marten to match his partner. Well, and the eyes, of course. Whether it’s about them or something else, we won’t undertake to answer, but I want to watch everything Kostornaya does carefully.
Ahead of them lies a lot of work with a predominance of routine — the most difficult test for Alena, who even wrote in the welcome card for the video graphics of the rentals: “Living according to a template is boring!” Gosha added there: “Love everyone.”
Their close relationship is both a plus and a problem for their careers. Thanks to such support, it is easier to bear all the hardships. In addition, you don’t have to justify why there is so little time left for personal things, but so much time for ice. On the other hand, many married skaters complain about the complete lack of personal space — at home and at work everything is filled by the partner. And here, at some point, it may seem to Gaucher that he himself is no longer in the pair. But “Kostornaya and her husband”, “Kostornaya and a former student of Tutberidze”, “Kostornaya and some kind of marten” appeared (as Alena herself joked at the very beginning of their relationship).
Even this text is more about Alena than Gaucher. Many partners would find it difficult to stand being in the shadow of a star like Kostornaya. But Kunitsa, firstly, does not give the impression of a person who absolutely needs to be in the foreground. In this case, this quality is the most important criterion for the existence of a couple. Secondly, the same love can smooth out many of the splinters in the training process.
It won’t be easy for Alena and Gosha, but they hardly counted on it. From the point of no return, from where both returned to the big ice, you can only come prepared for long adventures.
The author's opinion may not coincide with the position of the editors.