Alena Kostornaia

Aliona Sergeyevna Kostornaia (Russian: Алёна Сергеевна Косторная, born 24 August 2003) is a Russian figure skater. She is the 2020 European champion, the 2019–20 Grand Prix Final champion, the 2019 Internationaux de France champion, the 2019 NHK Trophy champion and the 2019 CS Finlandia Trophy champion. Competing domestically, she is the 2020 Russian national silver medalist, and a two-time Russian national bronze medalist (2018, 2019).

This name uses Eastern Slavic naming customs; the patronymic is Sergeyevna and the family name is Kostornaia.
Aliona Kostornaia
Personal information
Native nameАлёна Сергеевна Косторная (Russian)
Full nameAliona Sergeyevna Kostornaia
Alternative namesAlyona Kostornaya
Country represented Russia
Born (2003-08-24) 24 August 2003
Moscow, Russia
ResidenceMoscow, Russia
Height1.53 m (5 ft 0 in)
CoachEvgeni Plushenko, Sergei Rozanov
Former coachEteri Tutberidze, Sergei Dudakov, Elena Zhgun, Marina Cherkasova
Former choreographerSemyon Kaufman, Daniil Gleikhengauz, Eteri Tutberidze
Skating clubFS Academy of Evgeni Plushenko
Former skating clubSambo 70
Training locationsMoscow
Began skating2007
World standing6 (2019–20)[1]
Season's bests35 (2018–19)[1]

11 (2018–19)[2]

12 (2017–18)[3]
ISU personal best scores
Combined total247.59 (WR)
2019–20 Grand Prix Final
Short program85.45 (WR)
2019–20 Grand Prix Final
Free skate162.14
2019–20 Grand Prix Final
Medal record
Representing  Russia
Figure skating: Ladies' singles
European Championships
2020 GrazLadies' singles
Grand Prix Final
2019–20 TorinoLadies' singles
World Junior Championships
2018 SofiaLadies' singles
Junior Grand Prix Final
2018–19 VancouverLadies' singles
2017–18 NagoyaLadies' singles

On the junior level, she is the 2018 Junior World silver medalist, the 2018–19 Junior Grand Prix Final champion, the 2017–18 Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalist, and a two-time Russian junior national silver medalist (2018, 2019).

Kostornaia is the tenth woman in history to have landed the triple Axel jump in a senior international competition. She is the third woman after teammate Elizaveta Tuktamysheva and Rika Kihira of Japan to attempt and land the maximum number of triple jumps allowed in one senior international competition: four in the short program and eight in the long program (see Zayak rule). She first accomplished this at the 2019 Internationaux de France, and later landed all twelve triples cleanly at the 2019–20 Grand Prix Final.[4][5]

She currently holds the world records for the highest total and short program scores, as well as the junior world record for the highest short program score, in ladies' skating.

Kostornaia is currently the sixth highest ranked ladies' singles skater in the world by the International Skating Union following the 2019-20 figure skating season.

Personal life

Kostornaia was born on 24 August 2003 in Moscow to parents Sergei and Tatiana. She has a younger brother, Stepan.[6] Although she registers her name as "Alena" with the ISU, Kostornaia uses the romanization of "Aliona" on her official Instagram account.

Kostornaia has stated that she intends to retire from competitive figure skating after the 2022 Winter Olympics, and attend medical school with the goal of becoming a neurosurgeon.[7]

Career

Early years

Kostornaia began learning to skate in 2007.[6] Her parents initially put her in skating as a way to channel her energy.[7] From 2012 to 2017, she was coached by Elena Zhgun in Moscow.[8]

Kostornaia had an injury in 2016. She finished 16th at the 2017 Russian Junior Championships. Eteri Tutberidze and Sergei Dudakov became her coaches in 2017.[8]

2017–2018 season: Junior international debut

Kostornaia's international debut came in early October 2017 at a 2017–18 ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) competition in Gdańsk, Poland; ranked first in the short program and second in the free skate, she won the gold medal by a margin of 1.36 points over the silver medalist, her teammate and training partner Daria Panenkova.[9] She won silver behind Sofia Samodurova at JGP Italy by a margin of 0.04 points.[10] Her placements qualified her for the 2017–18 Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, where she won silver, placing second in the short program, and first in the free skate. On the senior level, Kostornaia won bronze at the 2018 Russian Figure Skating Championships. She later won silver at the 2018 Russian Junior Championships behind teammate Alexandra Trusova by a margin of 0.58 points.

In March 2018, Kostornaia competed at the 2018 World Junior Championships. She placed second in the short program and the free skate, winning the silver medal behind Trusova.

2018–2019 season
Kostornaia (center) with her coaches at the 2019 Russian Championships.

Kostornaia learned to perform a triple Axel in the preceding year, and originally planned to introduce it into competition. However, she lost the jump following growth during the offseason.[11] Kostornaia started her season by competing in the 2018 JGP series. At her first JGP event of the season, she won the gold medal in Linz, Austria. She was ranked first in both the short program and the free skate and won the gold medal by a margin of more than 11 points over the silver medalist, her teammate Alena Kanysheva.[12]

She skated her second JGP event of the season at JGP Ostrava, where she was again ranked first in both the short program and the free skate. She won the gold medal by a margin of about 2 points over the silver medalist, Kim Ye-lim.[13] With two JGP victories, she qualified for the 2018–19 Junior Grand Prix Final, where she won the gold medal after placing first in both the short program and the free skate. She outscored her teammate and training partner Trusova by about 2.5 points. At this event, Kostornaia scored her personal best score of 217.98 points and she also set a new junior-level ladies' record for the short program (76.32 points).[14][11]

At the 2019 Russian Championships, Kostornaia placed third in the short program due to a fall during her step sequence, which she attributed to being "too relaxed" as she was nearing the end of the program and had already completed all of her jumping passes.[15] She then placed third in the free skate as well, winning her second consecutive national bronze medal.[16]

Kostornaia participated in the 2019 Russian Junior Championships, where she won the short program and placed second in the free skate. She was ranked second overall, winning her second consecutive junior national silver medal. After the event, she was named to the Russian team for the 2019 World Junior Championships along with training mates Trusova and Anna Shcherbakova. However, on March 4, the first day of the event, Kostornaia withdrew from the competition due to a medical condition, subsequently revealed by choreographer Daniil Gleikhengauz to be a leg inflammation that would require four weeks away from training. She was replaced by Ksenia Sinitsyna.[17]

2019–2020 season: Senior international debut and European title

For her programs, Kostornaia retained her short program from the previous season, and revised a Twilight-themed exhibition program from the previous year to serve as her free skate, citing how much she enjoyed skating it.[18] Shortly after debuting her programs at the Russian test skates, Kostornaia resumed training the triple Axel jump.[19] Kostornaia began her season at the 2019 CS Finlandia Trophy, marking her senior international debut, where she placed first in both the short program and free skate segments of the event. She incorporated two triple Axels in her free skate, becoming the tenth woman in history to land the jump in an international competition, and earned a total combined score of 234.84, 22.31 points ahead of silver medalist Elizaveta Tuktamysheva.[20]

Kostornaia (center) with Alina Zagitova (left) and Mariah Bell (right) at the 2019 Internationaux de France medal ceremony.

Making her senior Grand Prix debut at the 2019 Internationaux de France, Kostornaia ranked first in the short program, incorporating a triple Axel into it for the first time.[21] She then became the fourth woman ever, after Mao Asada, Rika Kihira and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, to land two fully rotated triple Axels in a free skate, placing first in the segment with a personal best score of 159.45 points. She took the gold medal over training mate and reigning World and Olympic champion Alina Zagitova by a margin of 19.94 points.[18] At the 2019 NHK Trophy, Kostornaia performed a clean short program with a successful triple Axel to place first in that segment, 5.15 points over Rika Kihira, who also landed a triple Axel, and set a new world record score of 85.04 for the ladies' short program at the senior level.[22] In the free, she again placed first and became the champion with a personal best total score of 240.00. Kostornaia thus became the top qualifier for the Grand Prix Final in Torino, with two gold medal finishes and 30 points overall.[23]

At the 2019–20 Grand Prix Final, she topped her own world record by scoring 85.45 in the short program, placing first.[24] In spite of having the only clean free skate amongst the ladies, Kostornaia ranked second in that segment, 0.51 point behind teammate Anna Shcherbakova. However, her lead from the short program was enough not only to win her the title by almost 7 points over Shcherbakova, but also to help her break the world record for the combined total score in ladies' singles skating, previously held by Alexandra Trusova. She became the fifth figure skater in any discipline to win the Junior Grand Prix Final and Grand Prix Final in consecutive years.[25]

Kostornaia competed next at the 2020 Russian National championships, where she again won the short program, setting a ten-point lead over second-place Anna Shcherbakova.[26] However, she made mistakes in the free skate, with imperfect landings on her double Axel and triple flip-triple toe loop combination, and placed second in that segment to become the national silver medalist, two points behind Shcherbakova. This result secured her a spot in the European and World teams.[27]

At the 2020 European Championships, Kostornaia was in the lead following a clean short program.[28] She placed second in the free skate behind Shcherbakova, receiving a deduction for falling on her last jumping pass, a triple Lutz, but still scored enough to claim the European title by three points. Upon being interviewed after her victory, she expressed surprise at the results, as she had not expected to win in light of her mistake.[29]

After the 2020 World Championships were cancelled over concern about the COVID-19 pandemic, Kostornaia officially ended her season, having gone undefeated at every international competition of her senior debut.

2020–2021 season

On 31 July 2020, it was announced by Russian media outlet R-Sport that Kostornaia had chosen to part ways with coach Eteri Tutberidze to train in the camp of coach Evgeni Plushenko.[30] This news was first reported by Tutberidze herself via Instagram where she claimed that the split was due to Kostornaia's refusal to share the ice with other teammates.[31] Kostornaia herself declined to comment on her departure. Although she left Tutberidze with two new programs set, including a new free program to three variations of Lovely by Billie Eilish and Khalid, Plushenko stated in an interview with TASS that he and his team would set two more new programs for Kostornaia for the season, potentially with international choreographers.[32] However, despite her success in figure skating, Kostornaia intends to complete the upcoming Olympic season and then go into medicine, to later become a neurosurgeon. She claims this is due to the short-lived careers of figure skaters.[33]

Public life

In February 2020, Kostornaia was awarded the Silver Doe Prize and named the best athlete of 2019 by the Federation of Sports Journalists of Russia.

In April 2020, Kostornaia was listed as a nominee for Forbes Russia 30 under 30 2020 list.

In July 2020, Kostornaia was named the inaugural recipient of the ISU Skating Awards prize for Best Newcomer, an award given to the most successful senior debutante in the 2019–20 season. Kostornaia was nominated for the award through popular vote by figure skating fans, and then selected as the winner by a committee of judges.

Programs
Kostornaia performing a Biellmann spin at the 2017–18 Junior Grand Prix Final.
Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2020–2021

    Not shown in competition
    2019–2020
    [34]

    Twilight
    2018–2019
    [35]

    Romeo and Juliet
    2017–2018
    [6]
    • Carmen
      performed by Moscow Virtuosi Chamber
    2016–2017
    • Carmen
      performed by Moscow Virtuosi Chamber
      choreo. by Semyon Kaufman
    2015–2016
    [36][37]
    • Carmen
      performed by Moscow Virtuosi Chamber
      choreo. by Semyon Kaufman
    2014–2015
    [38][39]

    Records and achievements

    World record scores

    Alena currently holds the senior world record for the short program and the total score.

    Ladies' short program
    Date Score Event Note
    6 December 2019 85.45 2019–20 Grand Prix Final Current world record.
    22 November 2019 85.04 2019 NHK Trophy
    Ladies' total score
    Date Score Event Note
    7 December 2019 247.59 2019–20 Grand Prix Final Current world record.

    Junior world record scores

    Alena has set the junior world record scores 2 times under the current +5 / -5 GOE (Grade of Execution) system.

    Junior ladies' short program
    Date Score Event Note
    6 December 2018 76.32 2018–19 JGP Final Current junior world record.
    Junior ladies' free program
    Date Score Event Note
    1 September 2018 132.42 2018 JGP Austria This record was later broken by Alexandra Trusova at 2018 JGP Lithuania

    Historical world record scores

    Note: Because of the introduction of the new +5 / -5 GOE (Grade of Execution) system which replaced the previous +3 / -3 GOE system, ISU has decided that all statistics start from zero for the season 2018–19. All previous records are now historical.[40]

    Historical junior ladies' short program
    Date Score Event Note
    7 December 2017 71.65 2017–18 JGP Final Kostornaia broke Alina Zagitova's record from December 2016.

    Competitive highlights
    Kostornaia (left) with Alexandra Trusova (center) and Mako Yamashita (right) at the 2018 World Junior Championships podium

    GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

    International[41]
    Event 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20
    WorldsC
    Europeans1st
    GP Final1st
    GP France1st
    GP NHK Trophy1st
    CS Finlandia1st
    International: Junior[41]
    Junior Worlds2ndWD
    JGP Final2nd1st
    JGP Austria1st
    JGP Czech Republic1st
    JGP Italy2nd
    JGP Poland1st
    National[8]
    Russian Champ.3rd3rd2nd
    Russian Junior Champ.16th2nd2nd
    TBD = Assigned; C = Event cancelled

    Detailed results

    Senior level

    Personal bests highlighted in bold. World record scores are italicized.

    2019–20 season
    Date Event SP FS Total
    24–25 January 2020 2020 European Championships 1
    84.92    		 2
    155.89    		 1
    240.81
    26–29 December 2019 2020 Russian Championships 1
    89.86    		 2
    169.97    		 2
    259.83
    5–8 December 2019 2019–20 Grand Prix Final 1
    85.45    		 2
    162.14    		 1
    247.59
    22–24 November 2019 2019 NHK Trophy 1
    85.04    		 1
    154.96    		 1
    240.00
    1–3 November 2019 2019 Internationaux de France 1
    76.55    		 1
    159.45    		 1
    236.00
    11–13 October 2019 2019 CS Finlandia Trophy 1
    77.25    		 1
    157.59    		 1
    234.84

    Junior level

    Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships. Current ISU world bests highlighted in bold and italic. Previous ISU world best highlighted in bold. Historical ISU world best highlighted in bold and italic. Personal bests highlighted in italic.

    Alena Kostornaia performs her short program at the 2019 Russian Figure Skating Championships
    Kostornaia at the 2017–18 Junior Grand Prix Final.
    2018–19 season
    Date Event Level SP FS Total
    1–4 February 2019 2019 Russian Junior Championships Junior 1
    79.97    		 2
    150.82    		 2
    230.79
    19–23 December 2018 2019 Russian Championships Senior 3
    74.40    		 3
    152.14    		 3
    226.54
    6–9 December 2018 2018–19 JGP Final Junior 1
    76.32    		 1
    141.66    		 1
    217.98
    26–29 September 2018 2018 JGP Czech Republic Junior 1
    70.24    		 1
    128.14    		 1
    198.38
    29 Aug. – 1 Sept. 2018 2018 JGP Austria Junior 1
    71.08    		 1
    132.42    		 1
    203.50
    2017–18 season
    Date Event Level SP FS Total
    5–11 March 2018 2018 World Junior Championships Junior 2
    71.63    		 2
    135.76    		 2
    207.39
    23–26 January 2018 2018 Russian Junior Championships Junior 3
    69.88    		 1
    141.63    		 2
    211.51
    21–24 December 2017 2018 Russian Championships Senior 4
    73.59    		 4
    142.98    		 3
    216.57
    7–10 December 2017 2017–18 JGP Final Junior 2
    71.65    		 1
    132.93    		 2
    204.58
    11–14 October 2017 2017 JGP Italy Junior 1
    67.72    		 2
    124.43    		 2
    192.15
    4–7 October 2017 2017 JGP Poland Junior 1
    69.16    		 2
    128.75    		 1
    197.91
    2016–17 season
    Date Event Level SP FS Total
    1–5 February 2017 2017 Russian Junior Championships Junior 12
    57.77    		 16
    103.48    		 16
    161.25

    References
    1. "ISU World Standings for Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance - Ladies". International Skating Union.
    2. "ISU Judging System - Season Bests Total Scores 2018/2019". International Skating Union.
    3. "Seasons Best Score 2017/2018". International Skating Union.
    4. "ISU GP NHK Trophy 2019". www.isuresults.com. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
    5. "ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2019". www.isuresults.com. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
    6. "Alena KOSTORNAIA: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
    7. Kuznetsova, Ekaterina (14 July 2020). "Alena Kostornaia exclusive: Meet the rising star who dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon". Olympic Channel.
    8. "Алёна Сергеевна Косторная" [Alena Kostornaia]. fskate.ru (in Russian).
    9. "2017 JGP Poland: Junior Ladies Result". International Skating Union. 6 October 2017.
    10. "2017 JGP Italy: Junior Ladies Result". International Skating Union. 14 October 2017.
    11. Slater, Paula (8 December 2018). "Kostornaia takes gold in Junior Ladies in Vancouver". Golden Skate.
    12. "2018 JGP Austria: Junior Ladies Result". International Skating Union. 1 September 2018.
    13. "2018 JGP Czech Republic: Junior Ladies Result". International Skating Union. 1 September 2018.
    14. Slater, Paula (7 December 2018). "Russia's Kostornaia leads junior ladies in Vancouver". Golden Skate.
    15. Flade, Tatjana (21 December 2018). "Zagitova skates to confident lead in Saransk as Medvedeva falters". Golden Skate.
    16. Flade, Tatjana (21 December 2018). "Anna Shcherbakova runs off with Russian National title in debut". Golden Skate.
    17. "Тренер: у Косторной воспаление на ноге, лечение займет четыре недели" [Trainer: Kostornaya has inflammation of the leg, treatment will take four weeks]. rsport.ria.ru (in Russian).
    18. Slater, Paula (2 November 2019). "Russia's Alena Kostornaia takes gold in Grand Prix debut". Golden Skate.
    19. "Alena Kostornaia: Of course, it's very disappointing when everyone does it, but you don't". FS Gossips.
    20. Jiwani, Rory (14 October 2019). "Alena Kostornaia wins fans with Finalndia Trophy victory". Olympic Channel.
    21. Slater, Paula (1 November 2019). "Alena Kostornaia of Russia leads ladies in Grand Prix debut". Golden Skate.
    22. Slater, Paula (22 November 2019). "Kostornaia sets new record at 2019 NHK Trophy". Golden Skate.
    23. Slater, Paula (23 November 2019). "Kostornaia wins second consecutive Grand Prix gold in Sapporo". Golden Skate.
    24. Slater, Paula (6 December 2019). "Kostornaia leads Russian sweep after Ladies Short Program in Torino". Golden Skate.
    25. Slater, Paula (8 December 2019). "Alena Kostornaia leads Russian sweep for Ladies' gold in Torino". Golden Skate.
    26. Goh, ZK. "Alena Kostornaia blows opponents away to lead Russian nationals after short program". Olympic Channel.
    27. Goh, ZK. "Anna Shcherbakova retains Russian national title as Medvedeva withdraws and ends season". Olympic Channel.
    28. Jiwani, Rory. "Alena Kostornaia leads after European Championships short program". Olympic Channel.
    29. Browne, Ken. "Alena Kostornaia wins European Figure Skating Championships in Russian '3A' clean sweep". Olympic Channel.
    30. "Фигуристка Косторная ушла из группы Тутберидзе к Плющенко" [Figure skater Kostornaya left the Tutberidze group to Plushenko] (in Russian). RSport. 31 July 2020.
    31. "Приходят к нам милые, добрые, с открытым взглядом, желающие добиться результатов, доказать себе и другим" [They come to us nice, kind, open-minded people who want to achieve results, prove themselves and others.] (in Russian). Instagram.
    32. "Плющенко: Косторная кардинально решила сменить команду, почему - надо спросить у нее" [Plushenko: Kostornaya radically decided to change the team, why - you need to ask her] (in Russian). TASS.
    33. https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/stories/news/detail/alena-kostornaia-exclusive-beijing-tutberidze-surgeon/
    34. "Alena KOSTORNAIA: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 16 August 2018.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
    35. "Alena KOSTORNAIA: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 16 August 2018.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
    36. "Алена Косторная, КП, ОКФФККМ-2015".
    37. "Алена Косторная, ПП, ОКФФККМ-2015".
    38. "Алена Косторная, КП, Первенство Москвы (ст. возраст) 2015".
    39. "Алена Косторная, ПП, Первенство Москвы (ст. возраст) 2015".
    40. "Statistics including Personal Best/Season Best information". International Skating Union. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
    41. "Competition Results: Alena KOSTORNAIA". International Skating Union.
    World Record Holders
    Preceded by
    Anna Shcherbakova    		 Ladies' Free Skating
    1 September 2018 – 7 September 2018    		 Succeeded by
    Alexandra Trusova
    Preceded by
    Rika Kihira    		 Ladies' Short Program
    22 November 2019 –    		 Succeeded by
    Incumbent
    Preceded by
    Alexandra Trusova    		 Ladies' Total Score
    7 December 2019 –    		 Succeeded by
    Incumbent
    World Junior Record Holders
    Preceded by
    Alexandra Trusova    		 Ladies' Junior Short Program
    6 December 2018 –    		 Succeeded by
    Incumbent
    Preceded by
    Anna Shcherbakova    		 Ladies' Junior Free Skating
    1 September 2018 – 7 September 2018    		 Succeeded by
    Alexandra Trusova
    Historical World Junior Record Holders (before season 2018–19)
    Preceded by
    Alina Zagitova    		 Ladies' Junior Short Program
    7 December 2017    		 Succeeded by
    Alexandra Trusova
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