2022 U.S. Club & NQS Competitions

[Sylvia]

@emilieh, belated thanks for sharing your observations from Skate St. Moritz! I have some follow-up comments - will post them later.

Hurd Video is providing a free livestream for Pasadena Open! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTWwgHr03LY
Tonight's final 3 events are Junior Men SP (now), then Novice Men SP & Junior Women SP (Sonia Baram is was the only ISP skater listed in the starting order but she has since WD). The stream can be rewound while it's live.

2022 Pasadena Open starting orders/results page (Sept. 15-18; event start times are Pacific): https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/index.asp

This is final NQS competition in the Pacific Coast section for singles skaters.

Senior short programs are on Saturday 9/17/22 - currently listed: Torgashev, Endo, Paniot (recovering from foot surgery in March & has to compete here to qualify for his Sectional in November) and Starr Andrews who, IMO, could use a full competition before Nebelhorn Trophy. Gracie Gold is listed atm but does not have to compete here and I have heard she will not. Nicole Park is the other ISP skater listed.

 

[sk8nlizard]

@emilieh, belated thanks for sharing your observations from Skate St. Moritz! I have some follow-up comments - will post them later.

Hurd Video is providing a free livestream for Pasadena Open! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTWwgHr03LY
Tonight's final 3 events are Junior Men SP (now), then Novice Men SP & Junior Women SP (Sonia Baram is the only ISP skater listed in the starting order). The stream can be rewound while it's live.

2022 Pasadena Open starting orders/results page (Sept. 15-18; event start times are Pacific): https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/index.asp

This is final NQS competition in the Pacific Coast section for singles skaters.

Senior short programs are on Saturday 9/17/22 - currently listed: Torgashev, Endo, Paniot (recovering from foot surgery in March & has to compete here to qualify for his Sectional in November) and Starr Andrews who, IMO, could use a full competition before Nebelhorn Trophy. Gracie Gold is listed atm but does not have to compete here and I have heard she will not. Nicole Park is the other ISP skater listed.

Thanks for the heads up! I imagine these last few NQS competitions will have big entry lists and quite a few scratches. If it looks like the skater will make sectionals without the extra competition, or they have an international or whatever, that might interfere, they could scratch. I believe Gracie still has a score that would get her to sectionals currently (though I realize as long as she competes at Nebelhorn and/or SA she gets a bye). And I agree that Starr could probably use another competition under her belt, although 2 weekends in a row is tough!
One thing I’ve been thinking about is with all of these skaters getting Internationals (which I think is great) and only 18 Seniors getting to Nationals, some of these skaters with Internationals could end up not making Nationals! Also, with Seniors being smaller than it used to be, it seems like it’s going to be mostly the International skaters, which I think is kind of a bummer. I remember when there were skaters that were just thrilled to make Nationals! Although, it will make for VERY exciting Sectionals! If I read the rules right, currently only Isabeau, Gaby and Lindsay have byes to Nationals for the women. Then, assuming they compete at all of their Internationals, Amber, Starr, and Audrey should also have byes. Is that all? That leaves a LOT of really good skaters to duke it out at Sectionals (Sonja, Jill, Gracie, Kate Wang, Hanna Harrell, Alena Budko, Hannah Lofton, Bradie?, Claire Seo - She’s listed in Senior and Junior, Josephine Lee, Ting, Maryn Pierce, Ava Ziegler, the list goes on and on)! When I was reading the rules, it looks like only Ice Challenge and Budapest Trophy would be where some skaters could be assigned to possibly also get a bye to Nationals (the document also lists Asian Open and Denis Ten Memorial but I don’t see those on the USFS Internationals Assignments page). Either way, I thought it was interesting and really wished they had made Senior 24 skaters since they are doing an ice resurface anyways!

 

[Sylvia]

Vaclav Vasquez won the Novice Men's silver on Wednesday at Challenge Skate in Lake Placid and here he is competing at Pasadena Open tonight!! Landed 3T+3T<, 3S, 2A, beautifully stretched camel spin postiion again and finished a close 2nd to Laz Lune: https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/CAT022SEG017.html

Anthony Mugg won the Junior Men's SP skating to Sinatra (3F+2T, 3Lo, 2A fell out; Rockne Brubaker was with him): https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/CAT012SEG015.html

Parva Khalighi just led off the Junior Women's SP - I've noticed this summer what a lovely skater she is! (Sonia Baram is listed a WD now on the starting order/results page): https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/CAT010SEG020.html

 

[Debbie S]

I believe all the U.S. women on the GP except Gracie have a bye to Nats, either from finishing in the top 5 at Nats last year or b/c at least one of their GPs is within a week of Sectionals. So Isabeau, Gabbie, Lindsay, Amber, Starr, Audrey and Bradie. Whoever gets assigned to Graz will have a bye (if they don't already) b/c it coincides with Sectionals. I suspect Gracie will be one of the U.S. women there, giving her a bye.

So that makes 8 with byes, so 10 women will qualify through Sectionals, the top 2 from each section and then the next 4 scorers. If anyone else gets a bye, there would be one less qualifier outside the top 2.

An assignment to Budapest wouldn't automatically give a skater a bye as it does not conflict with Sectionals.

 

[sk8nlizard]

I believe all the U.S. women on the GP except Gracie have a bye to Nats, either from finishing in the top 5 at Nats last year or b/c at least one of their GPs is within a week of Sectionals. So Isabeau, Gabbie, Lindsay, Amber, Starr, Audrey and Bradie. Whoever gets assigned to Graz will have a bye (if they don't already) b/c it coincides with Sectionals. I suspect Gracie will be one of the U.S. women there, giving her a bye.

So that makes 8 with byes, so 10 women will qualify through Sectionals, the top 2 from each section and then the next 4 scorers. If anyone else gets a bye, there would be one less qualifier outside the top 2.

An assignment to Budapest wouldn't automatically give a skater a bye as it does not conflict with Sectionals.

I forgot about the “within a week of Sectionals” rule. I was just reading from the document USFS put out and didn’t even think about that, thanks for the reminder! I wonder why the document doesn’t list this when it lists things like an Individual medal at the last Olympics getting byes? Or did I miss it listed in there? I did read over it quickly. https://www.usfigureskating.org/sit...iles/2023QualifyingByeAdvancementCriteria.pdf
I would imagine That if Gracie gets a decent score at Nebelhorn they will probably give her Graz. Either way, Sectionals is going to be brutal!
ETA- I realize Budapest doesn’t conflict with sectionals, I was thinking it might give someone 3 Internationals allowing them to have a bye through sectionals.

 

[Debbie S]

ETA- I realize Budapest doesn’t conflict with sectionals, I was thinking it might give someone 3 Internationals allowing them to have a bye through sectionals.

I'm pretty sure the only skater with 2 internationals (so Budapest would be the 3rd) who doesn't already have a bye is Gracie. She's not likely to get Budapest since SA is the following week. ETA: Realized Bradie also is in that category.

It will be interesting to see who gets Budapest. Gabbie hasn't competed in a Challenger yet...she w/d from the U.S. Classic but she might be ready by mid-Oct. Ting was the first alternate listed with the Finlandia entries so she might be next in line. Bradie doesn't have any Challengers and could use a warm-up event before her GPs.

Yes, Sectionals will be brutal. There will be a lot of good skaters staying home in Jan.

 

[Karen-W]

I believe all the U.S. women on the GP except Gracie have a bye to Nats, either from finishing in the top 5 at Nats last year or b/c at least one of their GPs is within a week of Sectionals. So Isabeau, Gabbie, Lindsay, Amber, Starr, Audrey and Bradie. Whoever gets assigned to Graz will have a bye (if they don't already) b/c it coincides with Sectionals. I suspect Gracie will be one of the U.S. women there, giving her a bye.

So that makes 8 with byes, so 10 women will qualify through Sectionals, the top 2 from each section and then the next 4 scorers. If anyone else gets a bye, there would be one less qualifier outside the top 2.

An assignment to Budapest wouldn't automatically give a skater a bye as it does not conflict with Sectionals.

The NQS document doesn't list having a GP/international within one week of Sectionals as a qualification for receiving a bye.

ADVANCEMENT TO THE U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS© SENIOR SINGLES
Maximum of 18 available spots at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships©

• Athletes who placed in the top five in the same event at the 2022 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships per rule 2501 (B) (2)
• Athletes selected to the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating World Team (not including alternates) in the same event per rule 2501 (B) (2);
• Athletes who have won a medal in the singles event at the most recent Olympic Winter Games per rule 2501 (B) (2)
• Athletes who qualify for the same event at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final or the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final per rule 2501 (B) (2)
• Athletes who are assigned to and compete at three (3) international assignments classified as an ISU Grand Prix, ISU Junior Grand Prix and or ISU Challenger Series event • Refer to the approved list of international competitions within this document
• The top two total combined scores from each section in the Sectional Singles Final • Plus, next-best scores nationwide until maximum is met

And then further down, on pages 3-4

If the number of athletes with three international assignments from the approved international competition list exceeds the number of available byes to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships©, the athletes with three international assignments will be ranked and awarded byes in the following order until there are no byes available. The remaining athletes will compete in the U.S. Figure Skating November Finals to qualify for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships©.

• Highest-to-lowest best total score in the approved list of international competitions for Grand Prix competitors
• Highest-to-lowest best total score in the approved list of international competitions for Junior Grand Prix competitors
• Highest-to-lowest best total score in the approved list of international competitions for other international competitors

So, right now - Byes to Nationals include:
1) Mariah Bell, Karen Chen, Isabeau Levito, Gabriella Izzo & Lindsay Thorngren = 5, but really probably 3
2) Alysa Liu = 1, but retired, so 0
3) n/a
4) Audrey Shin (US Classic, GPdF, NHK), Amber Glenn (Lombardia, SkAm, NHK), Starr Andrews (Nebelhorn, SCI, NHK) = 3

Gracie Gold and Bradie Tennell do not (yet) qualify for a bye to Nationals. Now, they very well might wind up qualifying if they are assigned to a 3rd event, and Clare Seo might also qualify for a bye if she is assigned to one of the later CS events since she's been assigned to 2 JGPs.

Potentially, there are 12 byes that can be assigned this season, and the top 2 from each Sectional, which would get us to the max 18 women.

 

[Sylvia]

OMG, Isobel Morrow just skated to music from The Age of Innocence (film soundtrack by Elmer Bernstein) - I've always hoped someone would skate to it! (not a well-edited ending though)

ETA:

Parva Khalighi just led off the Junior Women's SP - I've noticed this summer what a lovely skater she is! (Sonia Baram is listed a WD now on the starting order/results page): https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/CAT010SEG020.html

Cayetana Gonzalez won the Junior Women's SP, landing 3T+2T, 3Lo & 2A, and Khalighi finished 2nd.

 

[Karen-W]

I'm pretty sure the only skater with 2 internationals (so Budapest would be the 3rd) who doesn't already have a bye is Gracie. She's not likely to get Budapest since SA is the following week.

It will be interesting to see who gets Budapest. Gabbie hasn't competed in a Challenger yet...she w/d from the U.S. Classic but she might be ready by mid-Oct. Ting was the first alternate listed with the Finlandia entries so she might be next in line. Bradie doesn't have any Challengers and could use a warm-up event before her GPs.

Yes, Sectionals will be brutal. There will be a lot of good skaters staying home in Jan.

I'm betting Bradie is assigned to Budapest Trophy - easy trip for her from Nice and she would have 4 weeks between it and her first GP. Gabbie would be my second bet, if she's ready and Bradie isn't. Based on the USFS assigning Lofton to Finlandia, Ting might be the next one up for a Challenger. I think Gracie is more likely to get one of the November Challengers, same with Clare Seo, and that would give both of them byes to Nationals.

 

[Debbie S]

Interesting that they took out the 1-week bye, but I suspect USFS will make sure that no one will have to compete a GP and a Sectional back to back. Which means both Gracie and Bradie will get a 3rd assignment. I had forgotten about Claire in Seniors. I imagine she'll receive a Challenger too, for the bye and to try to earn the 4CC and Worlds mins.

 

[Karen-W]

So, since I ran through the current Byes to Nationals for the Women, I'm going to list the Men, Pairs and Dance as well:

Men -
1) Nathan Chen, Ilia Malinin, Vincent Zhou, Jason Brown, Camden Pulkinen = 5, but probably only 2
2) n/a
3) n/a
4) Jimmy Ma (US Classic, SCI, MKJW), Tomoki Hiwatashi (Lombardia, MKJW, NHK) = 2

Potential byes (skaters with 2 Int'l Assignments) - Dinh Tran (Lombardia, Finlandia), Liam Kapeikis (Nebelhorn, SkAm), Eric Sjoberg (US Classic, SkAm) = 3

Should be plenty of spots up for grabs at Sectionals for the guys who don't qualify for byes.

Pairs - 4 spots available at the Pairs Final (maximum 8 byes total)
1) Cain/LeDuc, Calalang/Johnson, Lu/Mitrofanov, Chan/Howe, McBeath/Bartholomay = 5, but only 2 teams still competing
2) Knierim/Frazier = 1
3) n/a
4) Smirnova/Siianytsia (Finlandia, SkAm, Espoo), Plazas/Fernandez (US Classic, Finlandia, SkAm) = 2

Potential byes - Baram/Tioumentsev if they qualify for the JGPF; Mokhova/Mokhov if they receive 2 additional international assignments, which I think is pretty likely given how well they've scored at both John Nicks & US Classic.

It will be a fight for the final 5 spots in Pairs at Nationals, with three teams left at home in January.

Dance - 5 spots available at the Dance Final (maximum 10 byes total)
1) Chock/Bates, Hubbell/Donohue, Hawayek/Baker, Green/Parsons, Bratti/Somerville = 5, but 1 team retired, so 4
2) n/a
3) n/a
4) McNamara/Spiridonov (US Classic, Nebelhorn, SkAm), Pate/Bye (US Classic, Nepela, GPdF), Wolfkostin/Chen (US Classic, GPdF, NHK), Brown/Brown (Nepela, MKJW, Espoo) = 4

Potential byes (teams with 2 Int'l Assignments) - Cesanek/Yehorov (Nebelhorn, SCI), Carreira/Ponomarenko (MKJW, Espoo)

Seems all but certain that CesYeh and CarPon will both get a 3rd assignment and a bye to Nationals.

 

[Stephanie]

.

 

[Stephanie]

I'm betting Bradie is assigned to Budapest Trophy - easy trip for her from Nice and she would have 4 weeks between it and her first GP. Gabbie would be my second bet, if she's ready and Bradie isn't. Based on the USFS assigning Lofton to Finlandia, Ting might be the next one up for a Challenger. I think Gracie is more likely to get one of the November Challengers, same with Clare Seo, and that would give both of them byes to Nationals.

Bradie is doing Japan Open the week before Budapest Trophy. She could do both events back to back, but we'll see what happens.

 

[Karen-W]

Bradie is doing Japan Open the week before Budapest Trophy. She could do both events back to back, but we'll see what happens.

Japan Open is just the FS and doesn't get her a bye. Weird - the USFS Int'l Assignments page doesn't list Warsaw Trophy as an event for our skaters. Ice Challenge Austria is the same week as MKJW, so Bradie won't be assigned to that. Of course, she could be assigned to Golden Spin if she doesn't qualify for the GPF and earn a bye that way, lol.

 

[Sylvia]

Maybe we can move this discussion about international byes to this GSD thread? https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/2022-2023-us-national-qualifying-season.109661/

The figure skating competition at the Winter Universiade is scheduled for January 13-15, 2023 in Lake Placid.
USFS published selection criteria that includes NQS scores:

Collegiate Opportunities Abound at 2023 Winter World University Games | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

(2023 Nationals will run from Monday, January 23rd to Sunday the 29th.)

 

[Sylvia]

Thanks for moving the discussion to GSD!

NQS Highlights, weeks 9 & 10 (photo is of Katie Krafchik), published yesterday:

NQS Highlights: Weeks Nine and Ten | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

Hurd Video is providing a free livestream for Pasadena Open! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTWwgHr03LY
...
2022 Pasadena Open starting orders/results page (Sept. 15-18; event start times are Pacific): https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/index.asp

This is final NQS competition in the Pacific Coast section for singles skaters.

The livestream can be rewound to watch earlier events, such as the winner of today's Juvenile Boys FS, Louis Mallane (53.29) of the FSC of Park City, Utah:

Always a thrill for me to watch performances by young skaters who are BRIMMING w/ confidence & joy, like ... Louis Mallane, the top Juvenile boy in NQS (55.91), who skated yesterday to “I’m Still Standing” w/ a huge smile & charisma, wearing a Nathan-Rocketman inspired shirt!
Mallane landed a good opening 2A & 2A+2T+2Lo, plus had a creditable 3Lz attempt (called <), but I was most impressed by his incredibly high performance level!

Little Louis might be one of the easier ones to find (scroll back just over 4 hours or so) - look for his bright red/orange shirt with yellow splotches reminiscent of Nathan's and his BIG smile!

Friday's events (all start times are Pacific):
In progress - Intermediate Women Combined Grp A SP
1:55 PM Intermediate Women Combined Grp B SP (includes Kai Kovar's little sister & one of the top NQS scorers, Apple Lee)
4:10 PM Intermediate Men Combined FS
5:05 PM Novice Men Combined FS (eta) won by Vaclav Vasquez 91.05 in FS, 132.08 total (he just competed in Lake Placid on Wed.!; improved from 121.43 in a previous NQS)
6:00 PM Junior Men Combined FS (eta) won by Anthony Mugg 98.68 in FS, 156.16 total (improved from 147.74 in a previous NQS)
6:45 PM Juvenile Girls FS Grp A FS
8:45 PM Novice Women Combined Grp B SP (eta) won by Cleo Park (53.27) 3T+3T (1 bonus point), 3Lz, 2A & all L4s!

 

[Sylvia]

You can rewind the Pasadena Open livestream to watch the Senior Men's SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTWwgHr03LY

Senior Men's SP results/link to protocols: https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/CAT040SEG041.html
Torgashev 77.09 - 3Lz. 2A, 3F+3T (-1 GOE for the hand down; he skated first to the "Oblivion" tango)
Paniot 70.50 - 3F+2T, 3T, 2A (skated third; kept last season's "Boogie Shoes"/"You Should Be Dancing" music)
Endo 64.62
Sandraz 51.51

ETA that Michal Brezina and Vera Arutunian were with Andrew and Todd Eldredge was with Yaro.
Derrick Delmore, Ivan Dinev (saw Angela Nikodinov too) were with Goku and Jere Michael was with Alain.

 

[Frau Muller]

Watching Pasadena Open via the above YouTube link! I quite enjoyed seeing Novice Women with Cleo Park winning decisively- 163 pts, way ahead of 2nd-placed Annika Chao with 146.33 pts!

The last event, Sr Women, about to start. Starr Andrews - 2nd in the SP to Alex Evans - skates 15th out of 17 skaters in the FP. This is Starr’s first competition since ‘22 Nationals, I think. Yeah, Starr!

Scores/Order:

43rd Annual Pasadena Open Championships

Event Results for 43rd Annual Pasadena Open Championships

ijs.usfigureskating.org

Stream:

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

 

[Sylvia]

Teryn Kim won Novice Women's group A yestrday with a total score of 143.31 (her previous NQS score was 131.93), 99.21in FS. She landed 3Lz+2T, 3T, 3Lz turnout on one foot, 3Lo, 3S+2A+2A, 3F+2T, 3F turn/step and had all level 4s! Final standings/link to protocols: https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/CAT020SEG032.html

I quite enjoyed seeing Novice Women with Cleo Park winning decisively- 163 pts, way ahead of 2nd-placed Annika Chao with 146.33 pts!

Cleo Park's total score of 163.02 today (previous NQS high was 158.18) is WAY above the ordinary in Novice - 7 triples cleanly landed: 3F, 3Lz+2T, 3T, 3Lz, 3Lo+2A+2A (12.65 BV+ 0.49 GOE = 13.14 pts), 3Lo+2T & 3S - impressive!!
Like Cleo, Annika Chao scored over 100 points in her Novice B free skate - kudos to her too for improving her previous NQS high of 135.73 to 146.33 today. Novice Women's group B final standings/link to protocols:
https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/CAT021SEG039.html

The livestream can still be rewound to watch the Novice free skate of Cleo (final skater), Annika (first in the final group?) and Goku Endo's little sister, Mimika, (penultimate skater who skates with a smile and lot off energy!).

The last event, Sr Women, about to start. Starr Andrews - 2nd in the SP to Alex Evans - skates 15th out of 17 skaters in the FP. This is Starr’s first competition since ‘22 Nationals, I think. Yeah, Starr!

Starr finished 9th at 4CC in Tallinn. She skated a SP at Glacier Falls earlier this summer and had a very rough SP last night so I'm hoping she will skate better today to regain confidence before heading to next week's Nebelhorn Trophy.

 

[Frau Muller]

Teryn Kim won Novice Women's group A yestrday with a total score of 143.31 (her previous NQS score was 131.93), 99.21in FS. She landed 3Lz+2T, 3T, 3Lz turnout on one foot, 3Lo, 3S+2A+2A, 3F+2T, 3F turn/step and had all level 4s! Final standings/link to protocols: https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/CAT020SEG032.html

Cleo Park's total score of 163.02 today (previous NQS high was 158.18) is WAY above the ordinary in Novice - 7 triples cleanly landed: 3F, 3Lz+2T, 3T, 3Lz, 3Lo+2A+2A (12.65 BV+ 0.49 GOE = 13.14 pts), 3Lo+2T & 3S - impressive!!
Like Cleo, Annika Chao scored over 100 points in her Novice B free skate - kudos to her too for improving her previous NQS high of 135.73 to 146.33 today. Novice Women's group B final standings/link to protocols:
https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/CAT021SEG039.html

The livestream can still be rewound to watch the Novice free skate of Cleo (final skater), Annika (first in the final group?) and Goku Endo's little sister, Mimika, (penultimate skater who skates with a smile and lot off energy!).


Starr finished 9th at 4CC in Tallinn. She skated a SP at Glacier Falls earlier this summer and had a very rough SP last night so I'm hoping she will skate better today to regain confidence before heading to next week's Nebelhorn Trophy.

Starr was 2nd out of 17 skaters, scoring 51.80. Only Alex Evans bested her with 52.16. It’s close! Nice for Starr to have this competition before heading to CS Nebelhorn…along with Gracie Gold & rest of Team USA.

Yes, Cleo Park’s score seemed really high for Novices… comparing to those who we just saw in Lake Placid, for ex…with medalists in the mid- to high-130s. A new name to follow: Cleo Park!

 

[Sylvia]

Well I watched Starr last night and it wasn't good. Her SP performance was WAY below par for her... and this is coming from a longtimer follower (since she competed at Juvenile Nationals in 2014) and supporter of Starr's. I expected more from her even if this is her first full competition of the season. That's why I wrote that I hoped/am hoping to see an improvement today.

 

[Sylvia]

SAD NEWS re. Yaro Paniot who withdrew from the FS earlier today (Torgashev won the Senior Men's event, breaking 200 points, which is a bit higher than his previous NQS comp.): https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/CAT040SEG042.html

Paniot competed yesterday for the first time since he withdrew from Nationals (had ankle surgery back in March, got back on the ice in June, and only started landing triples last month from what I saw via his Instagram story clips). He needs to get a total score in a NQS (Pasadena Open is the last one in the Pacific Coast section) in order to qualify for the Pacific Coast Sectional Singles Final in November.

In the first part of his free skate (to last season's Elvis Presley medley), he landed his opening 3Lz+2T, doubled the 3F (bad landing), and had to stop skating after popping an Axel attempt to a "waxel" (that awkward landing may have hurt his right foot?) before going over to the referee to announce his decision to withdraw. AFAIK, this means he cannot qualify for the Pacific Coast Sectional singles final in November and his 2022-23 season is over … unless he is able to skate in Ardmore, PA or Austin, TX (final 2 NQS competitions next week).

 

[Sylvia]

I have to rewind the livestream so I can watch Caroline Harris' Slumdog Millionaire FS that I've enjoyed since last season.

ETA: She's coached by Grant Hochstein and Caroline Zhang and she did a really good job of music editing, IMO.

 

[Frau Muller]

Wonderful & energetic FS from Caroline Harris just now, to Slumdog Millionaire. Landed stuff. Total 129+. Gorgeous bare-midriff red dress, too.

I’ve noticed, even in Novice division, the very high quality & beauty of USA women’s dresses.

 

[Frau Muller]

Lindsay Matteson’s Samson & Delilah…gratefully without the screaming male-vocal version of Mon Coeur…”ray-ponds ah ma tan-drayyyyyse!”

 

[Sylvia]

I also really liked Milena Markin [at Skate St. Moritz], beautiful programs and great presence. Not the tech of the top skaters, but I don't mind that.

So do I - Milena looks like she really enjoys skating to her music (I especially like her SP to "She Used to be Mine" by Sara Bareilles this year and I'll even forgive her for using "Never Enough" ).

 

[sk8nlizard]

SAD NEWS re. Yaro Paniot who withdrew from the FS earlier today (Torgashev won the Senior Men's event, breaking 200 points, which is a bit higher than his previous NQS comp.): https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30692/CAT040SEG042.html

Paniot competed yesterday for the first time since he withdrew from Nationals (had ankle surgery back in March, got back on the ice in June, and only started landing triples last month from what I saw via his Instagram story clips). He needs to get a total score in a NQS (Pasadena Open is the last one in the Pacific Coast section) in order to qualify for the Pacific Coast Sectional Singles Final in November.

In the first part of his free skate (to last season's Elvis Presley medley), he landed his opening 3Lz+2T, doubled the 3F (bad landing), and had to stop skating after popping an Axel attempt to a "waxel" (that awkward landing may have hurt his right foot?) before going over to the referee to announce his decision to withdraw. AFAIK, this means he cannot qualify for the Pacific Coast Sectional singles final in November and his 2022-23 season is over … unless he is able to skate in Ardmore, PA or Austin, TX (final 2 NQS competitions next week).

I was surprised he didn’t just do doubles and finish the program, as I imagine he would have still qualified (I didn’t look at the scores to know for sure, but there are typically a lot less Senior Men than women). I hope he is feeling better soon.

Well I watched Starr last night and it wasn't good. Her SP performance was WAY below par for her... and this is coming from a longtimer follower (since she competed at Juvenile Nationals in 2014) and supporter of Starr's. I expected more from her even if this is her first full competition of the season. That's why I wrote that I hoped/am hoping to see an improvement today.

I hope to see improvement as well. I was a bit shocked by her score, it was pretty high for having two invalid elements, and her second triple toe was called clean. Either way, hopefully she will have better success tonight, and she Has gotten the jitters out before Nebelhorn!

 

[Frau Muller]

Understood - about Starr last night. Got it. She needs to up the ante tonight, to be confident going to Germany…not merely win. Fingers & toes crossed for Starr.

She’ll be in the last group, after the ice resurfacing…only Cate Fleming left in the current penultimate group. Oops…no ice resurfacing! They’re warming up - Starr among them…looks like she’s wearing last year’s cream-colored FS dress.

Then, in final group:

McKenzie Edwards
Alex Evans (current 1)
Millie Murdock (4)
Starr Andrews (2)
Elizabeth Hong
Nicole Park (3)

#4 is within 2 pts of #1. So close.

 

[Frau Muller]

Very stylish Carmen from McKenzie Edwards. Powerful last minute - Carmen on fire!
Into first 129.04.

 

[Frau Muller]

Alex Evans looks very sleek in sophisticated one-sleeved black catsuit. A jazzy female vocal. Fall on 3 flip (?)…then right back to landing lots…nice 3-2-2 cascade. Knows how to emote.

151.55 - into first