Favorite US National Ladies champion in the post-Michelle Kwan era

[Vash01]

Michelle Kwan dominated the US nationals, winning straight 8 from 1998 to 2005 titles, plus th e1996 title.

In post Michelle (also pre-Michelle) era no lady truly dominated the US natonals. Of these (2006-2012), who is your favorite US national champion?

[skateboy]

For me it was a toss-up between Sasha and Alissa. I went with Sasha.

[l'etoile]

I voted for Sasha, but I was surprised that I was even weighing between her and Ashley. I think Ashley will take the dominating place if she wins the title this year.

[TheIronLady]

I think you should not have included Sasha in the poll because she is going to win overwhelmingly. She was really from the "Kwan era." The 2007 onward period has been more of its own era of national champs in my opinion.

[Katarzyna]

I think you should not have included Sasha in the poll because she is going to win overwhelmingly. She was really from the "Kwan era." The 2007 onward period has been more of its own era of national champs in my opinion.

TheIronLady – I think you raised a good point here, but on the other hand Michelle’s era regarding Nats on paper ended in 2005, as she competed and won the last time then. The next year Sasha was the winner. I loved her classical, balletic skating, so I voted for her.

I always thought she was really unlucky having to skate in the "Kwan-era" for overwhelming part of her own eligible career.

[briancoogaert]

I admit, I'm the one who voted for Rachael.
I was so happy for her at this moment.

[lulu]

I admit, I'm the one who voted for Rachael.
I was so happy for her at this moment.

I like Rachael too.

[Vash01]

I think you should not have included Sasha in the poll because she is going to win overwhelmingly. She was really from the "Kwan era." The 2007 onward period has been more of its own era of national champs in my opinion.

Not necessarily. Alissa and Ashley are very popular on this board. Also Sasha competed in 2006, when Michelle did not compete. So she is a post-Michelle Champion, IMO. If you look at the numbers, she is only slightly ahead of Ashley.

[kwanatic]

Sasha was in Michelle's era regardless if she never beat her at nationals so I wouldn't include her. Though it was nice to see her finally win.

I think it's better to judge from this new crop of skaters. In that case I would vote for Ashley. She had the most dominant performance of all of the ladies listed, though Alissa's 2011 win was very convincing too...can't say the same thing about 2009 (that was a gift). Besides the next year she started to regress back into her old habits.

Given the competition last year there was no doubt Ashley was the clear winner. I've said it a million times: she's the only champion who actually acts like a champion. None of the other ladies on this list have carried the title as well as she has this year. Her drive and determination along with her competitiveness makes her stand out...

My vote goes with Miss S'Wagner.

[Vash01]

I admit, I'm the one who voted for Rachael.
I was so happy for her at this moment.

Rachael was really good those days, and I too was happy for her. She was the most consistent jumper and she was working on her presentation. She seems to have lost it all, but at last year's US nationals she skated a great LP and I joined in the standing ovation. I was so happy for her just for skating well.

[Vash01]

Sasha was in Michelle's era regardless if she never beat her at nationals so I wouldn't include her. Though it was nice to see her finally win.

I think it's better to judge from this new crop of skaters. In that case I would vote for Ashley. She had the most dominant performance of all of the ladies listed, though Alissa's 2011 win was very convincing too...can't say the same thing about 2009 (that was a gift). Besides the next year she started to regress back into her old habits.

Given the competition last year there was no doubt Ashley was the clear winner. I've said it a million times: she's the only champion who actually acts like a champion. None of the other ladies on this list have carried the title as well as she has this year. Her drive and determination along with her competitiveness makes her stand out...

My vote goes with Miss S'Wagner.

The point here is she did not compete against Michelle in that competition. If she had, she might not have won the title.

[Jot the Dot Dot]

I like Rachael too.

I like Rachael myself, but I have to go with Sasha as being the one who really set the bar.

[Maofan7]

Sasha Cohen - if only she had held it together in the FS at the 2006 Olympics, the Olympic title would have been hers.

[shine]

Beatrisa Liang.

[Vash01]

Beatrisa Liang.

Did she win the US nationals? Not in my memory.

I wanted so much for BeBe to skate well, but she always made mistakes. She had so much potential at age 12 or 13!

[mustafinabars]

My favorite U.S lady skater since Kristi Yamaguchi is definitely Sasha Cohen. She may not have the medals but in pure skating ability she is better than both Kwan and Yamaguchi I think. My favorite since Cohen would be Czisny, Nagasu, and Wagner.

[mustafinabars]

Did she win the US nationals? Not in my memory.

I wanted so much for BeBe to skate well, but she always made mistakes. She had so much potential at age 12 or 13!

Even when she skated well she didnt always get great scores. She skated outstanding at the 2005 Nationals which was a weak competition was still placed 5th behind Kwan, Cohen, Meissner, and Jenny Kirk.

[DimaToe]

I really like Ashley , but I had to go with Mirai ...I can't believe it's almost 5 years since Nagasu won her U.S title, time goes by too fast

[michiruwater]

Sasha, for sure

[TheIronLady]

Sasha is really too good for this poll in my opinion. What would be more interesting to know would be what skater would be the second choice of the 30+ who have voted for Sasha so far. I suppose it would be between Ashley and Alissa, but I myself am a bigger fan of Mirai.