Alena Leonova has always stood out among other female skaters, both in the national team and on the international level. The reasons are her original style of skating, picturesque programs and, most importantly, the air of happiness of being on the ice, which she radiates. The Grand Prix series has been a good beginning of the season for her. Alena has already won bronze and silver, and it’s hoped that by the end of the season she will have added a gold medal to her collection. Q: Alena, judging from your performance at the three Grand Prix events, you are trending up this season. Are you happy with your result in Moscow? A: On the whole, I am. I had expected such a result. I knew that I wouldn’t finish lower than in the third place, and that I would be able to try for the silver and making the final. I’ve turned out to be right. Q: Why were you so sure? A: I was in a good shape and knew that I was able to perform quite well. I skated my short program well, losing a trifle to Mao Asada and considerably surpassing the other contestants. So, I wasn’t feeling even a bit nervous before the free skating. Q: You have begun this season with a new coach. For how long have you been considering switching to Nikolai Morozov? A: For almost the whole last season and maybe even longer. I was plagued with the thought that something had to be changed. But I think I would have never resolved to move to Moscow, if not for an offer to join Morozov’s group. I had decided by then that I would go to the ends of the earth to improve my results.
Q: What were you lacking? A: First of all, self-belief, I think. It’s the thing I’ve got now. I’m always calm, no matter if I come to the ice last or last but one. Nikolai, who is always incredibly calm at competitions, seems to instill the confidence in me. Q: It’s hard to believe in Morozov’s calmness, when you see him watching his pupils skate! A: I think it is not nervousness. It’s true, he is emotional over all the elements I execute, for my jumps and even step sequences. But he isn’t nervous, he just tries to help and support me. The other things that I had been lacking were original programs of the kind that Nikolai creates, and interesting work. Now my practice can take 45 minutes instead of an hour and a half, and yet I have enough time to everything I need, and as a result I have more spare time, too. It feels like I’ve got a second wind. I’m eager to work and to do everything in the right way. Now practices bring me more joy than before. Q: Switching to a new coach always entails changes in the very approach to practices. For instance, after joining Linichuk and Karponosov’s group Oksana Domnina, Maksim Shabalin’s partner, said that everything had changed, right down to the flickers of her eyelashes. Have you experienced anything like that? A: Nikolai has completely changed my style of skating. Now I move in a more relaxed, easier manner on the ice. He taught me the very basic things: how to come out to the ice before skating a program, what expression to wear and so on. Q: And what about the jumping technique? A: No, he didn’t even touch upon this matter. He just told me to jump the way that was convenient for me. Q: In Moscow Alla Piatova was standing behind the board side by side with Morozov. Have you arranged for continuing your collaboration with her? A: When we were discussing my switching to Morozov, I asked her to stay my second coach. She really does help me a lot, coming here when Nikolai is away. Q: Your group trains and lives not in the bustling Moscow, but in a suburban Novogorsk. But still it is a new place. Was it hard for you to move? A: I don’t take it as moving, I even left some of my belongings in St. Petersburg. It feels like living in a guesthouse. Everything is close by. Q: Do you have an opportunity to go home from time to time? A: Last time I went there for just one day after the GP event in Canada. Next week my mother will come here for a day. Of course, I miss my family. It would have been harder if not for the Internet. But I didn’t feel bad. I had set a goal for myself and I knew that I couldn’t go any other way.
Translated by Mikhail Sharov
Source: http://www.championat.com/other/article-104691-leonova-u-menja-slovno-otkrylos-vtoroe-dykhanie.html | 
