KNOW YOUR ELITE FIGURE SKATERS, PT 1: Russian Ladies' “A” Team

When Act 1 of the 2019-20 figure skating season officially launches with Skate America this coming weekend (YAY!), you might come into it having last seen the sport back in the spring, when the 2019 World Champions were crowned. 

On the other hand, you might be a die-hard fan who’s kept an eye on everything from the Junior Grand Prix to senior-level “B” events since August (which I call skating’s pre-season). 

Or you could be doing well to name any 2018 figure skating Olympian besides Adam Rippon. 

Or, maybe you can ONLY name Rippon, and were reminded of figure skating in the past week because he just put out his memoir. 

However you got here, there are two things you’ll pick up on right away:

1) Sprinkled throughout this fall’s ISU Grand Prix Series are several Russian teenagers that are extremely gifted jumpers.

2)Odds are pretty strong that the gifted Russian teen you see has a first name that starts with “A”.

Because of the eight Russian women planning to compete in the GP’s six different events, HALF of them go by either Alina, Alena, Alexandra, or Anna.

With three of those four being rookies to the international senior ranks, their respective faces, ballerina buns, and tiny-but-mighty skating strengths could be the source of much confusion this year—particularly for anywhere-but-Russia skating fans.

But take heart, I’m here to help! Take a look at my little who’s who, from A-to…A 😀

NAME: Alena Kostornaia 

Online nickname I’ll be using: "Kosto"

Age: 16 (born 8/03)

Height: 4’10 ½”

Current hair color: light brown

Current Free Skate music: Music from Twilight

Biggest titles to date: JGP Final Champion 2018

GP Events: GP France and NHK Trophy

Distinguishing feature on the ice: Triple axel, personality for days

Kosto is a two-time bronze medalist at Russian Nats but snagged a lot of attention just last weekend when she joined the super-elite Women Who Land Triple Axels in International Competition Club (she landed two, actually, on her way to winning gold at Finlandia Trophy). Oh, and the aforementioned Adam Rippon caught her Finlandia performance live and has now proclaimed her to be his “favorite skater”. So, there’s that.

NAME: Anna Shcherbakova 

Online nickname I’ll be using: "Shcherbet" (pronounced sherbet)

(Possibly SPELLED “Sherbet” if I can’t keep my Hs in the right place)

Age: 15 (born 3/04)

Height: 4’11”

Current hair color: medium/dark brown

Current Free Skate music: “Gnossiennes” (Satie) & “The Firebird” (Stravinsky)

Biggest titles to date: Current Russian Nats Champion, Current World Junior Silver Medalist

GP Events: Skate America, Cup of China

Distinguishing feature on the ice: Quad lutz, and THAT DRESS*

*THAT DRESS is the costume most likely to get all the attention at Skate America next weekend… one that ups the ante for the convertible/reversible costume trend by transitioning from blue to red while Shcherbet is mid-spin (and as her music transitions to “Firebird”, non-coincidentally). You can see what I’m talking about in her recent LombardiaTrophy performance (where she won gold). 

NAME: Alexandra Trusova 

Online nickname I’ll be using: Trussy! Nah, I think I’d better stick with what I believe is her actual nickname of “Sasha”.

Age: 15 (born 6/04)

Height: 5’1”

Current hair color: light brown

Current Free Skate music: Game of Thrones

Biggest titles to date: 2018 & 2019 Junior Worlds Champ

GP Events: Skate Canada & Rostelecom Cup

Distinguishing feature on the ice: Multiple (!!) quad jumps.

Much less important but still unique: She reportedly has yet to ever endure a haircut (save for trims), which probably qualifies her ballerina bun as a sort of superpower.

Sasha has been setting “youngest-ever” and “most quads ever” records throughout her tenure in the junior ranks… and she quickly established herself among senior ladies early this season, both with a win at Ondrej Nepela Trophy and a win in both the team and individual portions of the non-sanctioned Japan Open. (In Japan, she blew even more minds by landing FOUR quad jumps. See it here.

NAME: Alina Zagitova

Online nickname I’ll be using: "Zags"

Age: 17 (born 5/02)

Height: 5’2”

Current hair color: medium brown

Current Free Skate music: “The Feeling Begins” (P. Gabriel)/ Lawrence of Arabia

Biggest titles to date: 2018 Olympic Gold Medalist, 2019 World Champion

GP Events: GP France & Rostelecom Cup

Distinguishing feature on the ice: Since she’s by far the member of Russia’s “A” Team with the best hardware—at least, for now— I suspect she can’t help but carry herself with at least a little extra spring in her proverbial step. And her recovery last season from Sophomore Slump to World Champ showcased a surprising amount of resilience. Now we’ll have to wait and see how she fares among her slightly younger, quad-and triple-axel squad teammates.

In the meantime, she’s also distinguishable as the one with the exhibition skate using “Bad Guy” by current spooky pop phenom Billie Eilish.

Will YOU have a favorite “A” by season’s end?

Do you have one already?

Or is your favorite “A” a none-of-the-above Alysa (as in Liu, current U.S. champ who’s still too young to compete on the senior international circuit)?

We’ll get our first look when Anna “Shcherbet” Shcherbakova competes against 11 others at Skate America—which starts THIS FRIDAY!

And as for where I think she’ll end up… you’ll have to come back and check out my preview & predictions for SkAM later this week. See you then--