2021 US Nationals Ladies SP: All Mariah Wants for 2021 is Liu

[Dobre]

I'll take it.

 

[VGThuy]

I’m super proud of Karen Chen for how she skated here. She’s kind of been the whipping girl for a while so I’m glad to see her showing real fight. I still maintain she has the best potential in skating skills here. Liu proves why she’s a two-time champion and is showing real improvement where she needs to improve. I love Bell’s skating but she kind of got a gift here but nothing major. Bradie is the no. 1 American skater right this moment and it shows. I have nothing but respect for her. People disliked her when she came on the scene, people celebrated when she was edged out of medals on the GP circuit by skaters who are no longer skating, and so much is said about her “lack” of personality and style and yet she doesn’t give a shit. She puts the work in and keeps her head down and focuses on what really matters. The last Olympic cycle was so full of drama with the ladies that I find Bradie’s calm and more cerebral approach to be such a breath of fresh air. Also, I finally get what people see in Amber Glenn. She has the makings of a top American skater because she has the qualities that will do well internationally. She just needs to provide...like Karen Chen.

 

[topaz]

Well Well Well.

Alyssa surprised everyone. She looked bad a few months ago and she shocked the world tonight.

Bradie Tennell is such a competitor. Fierce competitor. She won that SP.
Amber skated well, she nailed the 3 axel in the warm up though.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Enjoyed Alysa and Bradie, great job! Bradie's costume is stunning. Alysa's face is quite beautiful.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Oh Starr - in 17th.

But Bradie, Alysa, Mariah, and Karen - terrific job tonight!

I'm especially proud of Alysa who is working through a growth spurt. Nevermind the naysayers Alysa! You keep doing you! The jumps will come, especially the triple axel and quads! I love that even without the 3A, Alysa still made top 2 in the Short!

 

[Rukia]

Chen and Glenn deserve higher PCS

 

[Karen-W]

Tennell 3T called clean, GOE positive according to Weir. This was a VERY < jump.

Weir really hates Bradie, it's so funny.

Well, now I'm going to have to listen to the broadcast - at least, the commentary for Bradie, lol.

I'm just imagining Mishin on a zoom screen psyching out Plush's competition.

US Nats +1, Rus Nats 0 - I really would love to see this Family/Fan Cam in the Kiss 'n Cry for other comps going forward. Can you just see it now during Worlds or the Olympics?

And some were saying Bell was favored over Bradie by the federation. Go Bradie.

Who knows how Bell would have scored had she been clean on her jumps. Bradie, and Alysa for that matter, had to skate clean tonight to have the lead they have over Mariah. Not that I think Mariah's FP this season is going to get her the national title unless both Bradie and Alysa skate really poorly tomorrow - and I just don't see that happening because both of them are total gamers and have great heads for competition.

 

[Braulio]

Vids of Skaters 6 to 17 now posted

2021 US Nationals - Videos

Videos Please try to keep them HERE do not share outside FSU, we have seen that the youtube channels that posted Japanese Nationals got DELETED as the vids too. I wont upload to the ok.ru because they also get shutdown, so this is the only way to share right now. I don't edit them, so many of...

www.fsuniverse.net

 

[jenny12]

Ugh, Tara and Johnny... the OJ Simpson and Donald Trump of commentary.

Definitely! I vary between feeling dead and violated listening to them.

 

[Frau Muller]

WONDERFUL ladies event! Very pleased with top six, although I would’ve preferred a better showing from Amber (5th)...sigh.

Steady Bradie did not disappoint! I honestly hope that she WILL regain her title.

Hats off to the new Alysa Liu. WOW - what a difference. I prefer what I saw to all the 3axels & quads on earth. Total joy. And nobody was soooo genuinely happy to see family up on that big screen.

Mariah pretty & polished...but I would’ve had Karen ahead of her. (Karen Wuz Robbed!)

Lindsay Thorngren has “that Russian sleekness” and ultra zippy turns in the air. Huge hope for 2022.

Among the rest, I was most impressed by Ikenishi.

Gracie...what can I say? She tried her best.

p.s. How great to watch it all unfold on Peacock...sans announcers! Vive la Difference!

 

[Vagabond]

We have five ladies in top 5, as usual

Five ladies, but there's only one Bradie!

 

[gkelly]

So...do any ladies ever wear actual pants instead of catsuits? Asking for a friend.

Most (in)famously, this

Singles skaters? This comes to mind. I can't really tell about the construction of the costume, but I don't think the pants part is completely separate.

That is also true for many men's costumes that are clearly intended to give the impression of a shirt or jacket and trousers but are constructed as one piece, to be neater and more aerodynamic.

 

[dinakt]

I mean, better taste in musicals doesn't mean "please play the most overused musical of all time". It means "stop complaining every time a song from a musical written after 1980 comes on and calling it the worst music ever."

I don't think that's quite fair. There is a world of difference between "Hamilton", "Matilda", "Hadestown" etc and taking a pop song (which works the way it was written), slowing it down, taking it out of context and playing it like it could stand well on its own. Even with a good singer...did not work for me. No reason for it to mean I hate musicals- on the contrary. And even Sondheim, though by now his work is "classics", is never, ever used enough.
BTW, this came out more serious than I meant. It's all great)

 

[VGThuy]

Other than “Send in the Clowns”, I think most of Sondheim’s songs are too complicated for skating. For one thing, I think most skaters need more life experience to understand the content. And another, they aren’t simple melodies like jukebox musicals or Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals.

 

[genevieve]

Singles skaters? This comes to mind. I can't really tell about the construction of the costume, but I don't think the pants part is completely separate.

I FLOVE that

My question was more about pants that aren't just opaque tights than being one piece vs separate - but jeggings work as well

 

[dinakt]

Other than “Send in the Clowns”, I think most of Sondheim’s songs are too complicated for skating. For one thing, I think most skaters need more life experience to understand the content. And another, they aren’t simple melodies like jukebox musicals or Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals.

You are probably right. I for years waited for somebody to use Waltz from "Little Night Music"... I think I heard it once in skating many years ago- or just dreamt it.

 

[skatfan]

Thanks all! This is one of the first times in quite a while that something I love felt normal - hanging in a PBP thread watching a skating competition. And watching the love and the snark flow by.

 

[tony]

The only call in the top 4 was Chen's 3T being <, and that probably was the most severe of the bunch. Still, USFS being extra lenient.

 

[mtnskater]

Quite a few ladies didn’t skate up to their practices, which is too bad. I was kind of crushed for Audrey because she was so lovely and amazing at Skate America, so we know what she can do. I wonder if it was the weight of expectations?

I so love Gracie and wish she could have layed down some of those amazing jumps I saw in practice. I wish she could stop being so hard on herself.

I too thought Karen Chen was a bit lowballed. To me her skate was overall great.

Mariah didn’t wow me as usual. In part I found the costume confusing with the princessy music. And she seemed just a bit tight but still showing herself a major medal contender. I am still hoping she will get a title this year.

Bradie was having a great night. I enjoyed the program and the solidity of the elements and the performance. She doesn’t quite have the refinement in her skating for me yet. I am quite sure the combo should’ve been called under. I saw it in real time. Still I can see why she is first, especially with it called clean.

For me my favorite performance of the night was Alyssa. Loved her interpretation of La Strada. And I am generally sick to death of that music. But her interpretation made it so enjoyable. Soooo charming and refreshing. Many changes of expression. Skating skills are so much improved it’s mind boggling what she’s done in a short time through growth spurts and pandemic lock downs and injury. Very impressed!

 

[mackiecat]

Chen and Glenn deserve higher PCS

You are a poet and I bet you didn’t know it.

 

[Spun Silver]

What could the judges do with that performance though?

One thing I wonder about is the Skating Skills mark. Granted that Gracie's jumps and even performance are way below her best in the past, have her skating skills degenerated too?

 

[VGThuy]

One thing I wonder about is the Skating Skills mark. Granted that Gracie's jumps and even performance are way below her best in the past, have her skating skills degenerated too?

I’m just going by memory here but yes it has gone down some. She used to skate faster and with more command but also she’s not doing the same content to show off mastery of the blade so if the SS score went down from the past, I think it would be warranted. Her competitors are also showing better skating skills now than her competitors in 2014-16 as well.

 

[Deleted member 221]

Thanks to those who posted videos!

I'd have ranked the top ladies: Tennell, Liu, Glenn, Chen, Bell

Why are Karen Chen's jumps put under a microscope and yet Mariah Bell's are ignored? Bell's jumps sure looked like 3F+3T< and 3Lz< (or <<) to me. I like Mariah's skating, but her constantly squirrelly air positions and landings drive me crazy. Even the double axel was wrapped and off axis.

Amber Glenn has the best skating quality of the bunch. It's a shame that she didn't rotate the triple axel, or she'd be a place or two higher. I'd really like to see the USFS do something to encourage "amnesty" for credible attempts at triple axels and quads.... though I suppose one could argue this << attempt was not credible. I wish she had done one like the practice videos! Good for her for trying, and for committing to program content that will be competitive internationally.

 

[TAHbKA]

Trying to think when did I watch something more boring than Thorngren's SP. I think birds watching (aka sitting in the rain in the middle of the forest and doing nothing but freezing and getting wet) was more fascinating

 

[pinky166]

Uhh good for Alyssa. Girl is a gamer!

 

[floskate]

Alysa Liu just looked transformed! She used to be SO slow I honestly cannot believe the improvement in her basic skating. On anyone else that program would be sugar shock but she is able to pull it off. Props to her for having the maturity and patience to work through her growth and not let the criticism get to her.

I thought Bradie was also terrific and I have no problem with her being in first but calling that triple toe as clean was complete BS and Weir was correct to call it out. LOVED the transitions in and out of the triple flip.

 

[Frau Muller]

Trying to think when did I watch something more boring than Thorngren's SP. I think birds watching (aka sitting in the rain in the middle of the forest and doing nothing but freezing and getting wet) was more fascinating

Was it choreographed by Danny G? To me, Thorngren is the most “Russian” of US Ladies in many respects...which may bode well in the next year or two.

 

[pinky166]

Just caught up on videos.

Happy Amber kept going so well after the 3a mistake.

Great program from Alyssa though that jump technique is still questionable.

Glad Gracie went for everything and didn’t just pop like Skate America. Don’t like the program though.

Bradie was good and I’m fine with her leading but that 3t was definitely <

 

[millyskate]

Absolutely loved Bradie's skate - thought she did a great job

 

[allezfred]

Alysa Liu just looked transformed! She used to be SO slow I honestly cannot believe the improvement in her basic skating. On anyone else that program would be sugar shock but she is able to pull it off. Props to her for having the maturity and patience to work through her growth and not let the criticism get to her.

I totally agree. I was shocked (pleasantly) at how much she had improved since the last time I saw her live in Turin. Not easy to do so massive respect to her for that.