This season is a special one for figure skaters because of the Olympics. That’s why all their programs are already complete and all that’s left to do is working on the elements. St. Petersburg’s Alena Leonova is no exception in this respect. Last season she really made the grade. She won Junior Worlds and proved herself at the senior level, placing 4th at Europeans and 7th at Worlds. Alena sure understands that now she is expected to come up to the expectations which her last season’s success has raised. During the test skate session in Novogorsk she did a 3+3 combination, which is a must for those who dream of the Olympic podium. A year ago Alena could hardly do the combination, but now it seems to pose no trouble to her.
‘I skated well in Novogorsk. I did everything of what I am capable at the moment. Of course, I failed to do some elements clean. I was not very good at the short program, but the free skating went off much better. I work very hard now. The 3+3 combination has become stable’.
But only one element, however difficult, cannot ensure success at the Olympic Games. In order to be really able to compete with Asian skaters, who now set the fashion in ladies figure skating, both programs must look truly harmonious.
‘I must keep on working on my programs to exclude any failures. I need to work more on the spins, because I’m not very good at this element at the moment. I need to pay more attention to the step sequence, too’.
