U.S. Ladies [#30]: Cover Girls

[olympic]

4lutz sounds doable for Karen given she always gets great spring on that jump. I will consider it a huge accomplishment for her to attempt all the planned triples and not receive UR calls at Worlds.

I often thought that with her height on her jumps that Karen would actually have a better shot at landing a 3A or even a quad than a clean 3-3. She gets so much height and my understanding was that her big 3Z made it more difficult to do the 3T clean and rotated on the back-end. I still get flummoxed by the rotational delay she has and I think it contributes to URs. There must have been an attempt to fix that in the past (?)

 

[VGThuy]

I remember back in the old days, people were in awe of big triples with rotational delays. Things really do change.

 

[honey]

I often thought that with her height on her jumps that Karen would actually have a better shot at landing a 3A or even a quad than a clean 3-3. She gets so much height and my understanding was that her big 3Z made it more difficult to do the 3T clean and rotated on the back-end. I still get flummoxed by the rotational delay she has and I think it contributes to URs. There must have been an attempt to fix that in the past (?)

The problem isn’t the height in and of itself. It’s the trajectory of the jump. She just goes straight up, with a very slow snap into rotation, and down with a thud. This leads to not much speed or flow on the landing and makes the second jump extremely difficult to get around. Also compounded by the problem of the delay of rotation that’s present on the second jump.

I actually think working on a quad lutz might force her to learn to start rotating quicker. TBH I don’t think she has a prayer of ever rotating a quad, but couldn’t hurt to try to at least see if she can build some ability to start rotating more quickly.

 

[Vagabond]

I understand the push for the American girls to start doing more difficult jumps to stay competitive with the younger generation, but assuming the podium is the two young Russians & Rika, a clean skate by Karen could easily end up 4th. Tukt & the other Japanese ladies are great, but not unbeatable, and Young You & her 3A won’t be there. I know Karen isn’t known for clean competitions, but she and Bradie are at least capable of being competitive with the rest of the field after those top three, unless I’m forgetting someone (entirely possible this year)?

ISU Personal Best Scores Statistics Total Ladies

Trusova and Scherbakova are Nos. 2 and 3. After them we find:

5	Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA	RUS	ISU World Team Trophy 2019	13/04/2019	234.43	S
6	Rika KIHIRA	JPN	ISU Grand Prix Final 2018/2019	08/12/2018	233.12	S
9	Bradie TENNELL	USA	ISU World Team Trophy 2019	13/04/2019	225.64	S
11	Kaori SAKAMOTO	JPN	ISU World Team Trophy 2019	13/04/2019	223.65	S
13	Satoko MIYAHARA	JPN	ISU GP Skate America 2018	21/10/2018	219.71	S
22	Loena HENDRICKX	BEL	ISU CS Nebelhorn Trophy 2018	28/09/2018	204.16	S
23	Haein LEE	KOR	ISU JGP Croatia Cup 2019	28/09/2019	203.40	J
25	Yelim KIM	KOR	ISU Four Continents Championships 2020	08/02/2020	202.76	S
27	Ekaterina KURAKOVA	POL	ISU CS Warsaw Cup 2019	17/11/2019	201.47	S
28	Karen CHEN	USA	ISU Four Continents Championships 2020	08/02/2020	201.06	S

Chen's scores at U.S. Nationals suggest that if she could do two clean programs while fully rotating every one of her jumps, she might score about 220 points. That might be enough to help the U.S. to earn a third entry at the Olympics, but probably wouldn't be good enough for fourth place.

It looks to me like Tuktamysheva has a better chance than Kihira of being on the podium, but woudn't it be something if they both were?

 

[Tinami Amori]

It looks to me like Tuktamysheva has a better chance than Kihira of being on the podium, but woudn't it be something if they both were?

I do not think that Tuk has better chances than Kihira. Kihira has solid 3A and quad, and received higher PCS in general.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

hen's scores at U.S. Nationals suggest that if she could do two clean programs while fully rotating every one of her jumps, she might score about 220 points. That might be enough to help the U.S. to earn a third entry at the Olympics, but probably wouldn't be good enough for fourth place.

These are certainly different times for the ladies of Team USA when we get excited by the prospect of them earning three spots for the Olympics rather than discussing their potential medal chances.

 

[RoseRed]

ISU Personal Best Scores Statistics Total Ladies

Trusova and Scherbakova are Nos. 2 and 3. After them we find:

5	Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA	RUS	ISU World Team Trophy 2019	13/04/2019	234.43	S
6	Rika KIHIRA	JPN	ISU Grand Prix Final 2018/2019	08/12/2018	233.12	S
9	Bradie TENNELL	USA	ISU World Team Trophy 2019	13/04/2019	225.64	S
11	Kaori SAKAMOTO	JPN	ISU World Team Trophy 2019	13/04/2019	223.65	S
13	Satoko MIYAHARA	JPN	ISU GP Skate America 2018	21/10/2018	219.71	S
22	Loena HENDRICKX	BEL	ISU CS Nebelhorn Trophy 2018	28/09/2018	204.16	S
23	Haein LEE	KOR	ISU JGP Croatia Cup 2019	28/09/2019	203.40	J
25	Yelim KIM	KOR	ISU Four Continents Championships 2020	08/02/2020	202.76	S
27	Ekaterina KURAKOVA	POL	ISU CS Warsaw Cup 2019	17/11/2019	201.47	S
28	Karen CHEN	USA	ISU Four Continents Championships 2020	08/02/2020	201.06	S

Chen's scores at U.S. Nationals suggest that if she could do two clean programs while fully rotating every one of her jumps, she might score about 220 points. That might be enough to help the U.S. to earn a third entry at the Olympics, but probably wouldn't be good enough for fourth place.

It looks to me like Tuktamysheva has a better chance than Kihira of being on the podium, but woudn't it be something if they both were?

Really? You do need to keep in mind where the scores come from. World Team Trophy is notoriously highly scored (overscored some would say). Liza's score from WTT is less than one point above Rika's score from GPF the same season. I would hardly say that makes it look like Liza is the podium favourite between the two.

Anyways, looking at last season's scores, Rika's SB was 232.34 from 4CCs and Liza's was 221.15 from Golden Spin. This season, Liza just scored 226.01 at the Russian Cup Final and Rika scored 234.24 at Japanese Nationals.

I wouldn't be surprised if Liza made the podium, but the info we do have (not a ton, given that Rika only did one event this season) would have Rika as more likely to podium than Liza.

 

[Sylvia]

Here's a new Ladies' poll thread in which we can discuss all things Worlds: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/ladies-worlds-2021-who-will-finish-top-6.108120/

Polina Edmunds' Instagram story today mentions she will be interviewing Lindsay Thorngren (6th in her senior debut at Nationals) tomorrow for her podcast and she welcomes questions.

 

[Vagabond]

Really? You do need to keep in mind where the scores come from. World Team Trophy is notoriously highly scored (overscored some would say). Liza's score from WTT is less than one point above Rika's score from GPF the same season.

I wasn't basing what I said on past scores. I was basing it on their respective programs this season, particularly given that Tuktamysheva has been doing a triple axel in the Short Program and two triple axels in the Free.

 

[natsulian]

Isabeau Levito debuted as a senior lady domestically, scoring 67 in the Short Program at the Denver Invitational event.

http://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2021/29750/index.asp

 

[Colonel Green]

I wasn't basing what I said on past scores. I was basing it on their respective programs this season, particularly given that Tuktamysheva has been doing a triple axel in the Short Program and two triple axels in the Free.

Kihira has the same plus a quad, though, and higher component marks generally.

 

[olympic]

Kihira has the same plus a quad, though, and higher component marks generally.

That is why I believe if Kihira skates competently, she will get Bronze. Tuk executes 3As but is a little more wobbly, IOW - It can be hit or miss on a given day. In fact, I think Tennell has more comprehensive programs than Tuk and if Tuk makes a mistake, Tennell has a shot at 4th but she will have to be clean to set herself up ...

 

[Sylvia]

Polina Edmunds' Instagram story today mentions she will be interviewing Lindsay Thorngren (6th in her senior debut at Nationals) tomorrow for her podcast and she welcomes questions.

Link to listen to Thorngren's podcast episode:

Lindsay Thorngren

I chat with 2020 Junior Champion Lindsay Thorngren about her skating career thus far: She was 2019 Intermediate Champion, skipped the novice level and won the Junior Ladies Championship the following year, and is currently ranked 6th in the US Senior Ladies field. We talk about her experience...

art19.com

I had posted a local NJ article & excerpt after Nationals about Thorngren in the previous thread here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...h-adjusted-vision.107389/page-33#post-5945643
Her coach, Julia Lautowa, said she was shy and it definitely shows in her podcast episode, but Polina did her best to encourage Lindsay to talk more about herself and her skating goals.

 

[Sylvia]

Starr Andrews recently announced that "At Last" by Etta James will be her 2021-22 SP music: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMQwRejpf4B/

Starr was featured in several articles last month, as well as the "Ice Talk" podcast (Mirai recalled sharing the ice as a 13-year-old with Starr's mom at a now closed LA rink ) -- links are posted in this thread here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...ilblazer-mabel-fairbanks.107370/#post-5960927

ETA that updates on Nagasu are posted in her fan thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...return-to-olympus.103245/page-33#post-5965950

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

Polina Edmunds' Instagram story today mentions she will be interviewing Lindsay Thorngren (6th in her senior debut at Nationals) tomorrow for her podcast and she welcomes questions.

If there is any justice in the world,the exquisite Miss Edmunds should replace Tara Lipinski as soon as possible. Here interviews are articulate,mesasured,and appropriate—all qualities desperately lacking on NBC.

-BB

 

[Sylvia]

Isabeau Levito debuted as a senior lady domestically, scoring 67 in the Short Program at the Denver Invitational event.

http://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2021/29750/index.asp

Direct link to her Senior SP protocol with JGP jump layout (solo 3F and second half 3Lz+3T): http://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2021/29750/SEGM004.html

Levito attempted 4T (fell, downgraded <<) in her Senior FS, scoring 116.06 (scores were not combined in this club comp.): http://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2021/29750/SEGM012.html
ETA her clip last month of practicing 4T in the pole harness: https://www.instagram.com/p/CLE-n0dHd6w/

Hannah Herrera scored very well in her Junior FS (106.67) for this early in the season, landing both 3Lz and 3F twice: http://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2021/29750/SEGM013.html

 

[kalle]

That is why I believe if Kihira skates competently, she will get Bronze. Tuk executes 3As but is a little more wobbly, IOW - It can be hit or miss on a given day. In fact, I think Tennell has more comprehensive programs than Tuk and if Tuk makes a mistake, Tennell has a shot at 4th but she will have to be clean to set herself up ...

Why not gold or silver for Kihira?

 

[skylark]

If there is any justice in the world,the exquisite Miss Edmunds should replace Tara Lipinski as soon as possible. Here interviews are articulate,mesasured,and appropriate—all qualities desperately lacking on NBC.

-BB

Disagree. Johnny Weir's commentary is articulate, astute, and appropriate, and he's exuberant on occasion, when the moment is magic (which I love); at other times he's measured.

Great commentary is a distinctly separate skill from doing great interviews.

ETA: Also, Tara has really improved in the past couple of years, gotten more measured and talks less. I think she listened and learned.

 

[Sylvia]

I forgot to post this link last week - Misha Ge indicated in his IG post that Hanna Harrell has moved to him and his father in Artesia, California: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMLVhTtJBSH/

 

[olympic]

Why not gold or silver for Kihira?

If Shcherbakova and Trusova skate like they did at RUS Nationals. The bronze is Kihira's ceiling. That's it. They are technically ambitious and frankly skate with a little more passion. It is great to see Kihira push herself but the top RUS ladies are so good that it's not enough. I also think Kihira in comparison is a little too understated (a blunter term would be bland)

 

[Sylvia]

5 tweets re. Bradie Tennell's pre-Worlds media call today: https://twitter.com/fsonline/status/1371577809823531009

https://twitter.com/olyphil/status/1371574756772880385

Asked if her triple axel is consistent enough to try at worlds, U.S. figure skating champ Bradie Tennell played coy. “If I gave you a straight answer, what would be the fun of that?”

Includes a screen cap photo: https://twitter.com/LynnRutherford/status/1371577338169806852

On teleconference @bradie_tennell would not say whether her triple axel would be present at worlds. She did say she felt ready: "It's fair to say I've looked at my programs as a whole & I've picked them apart...I want to (be) perfect."

 

[Lacey]

Well, I, for one, love surprises!

 

[lurkz2]

If Shcherbakova and Trusova skate like they did at RUS Nationals. The bronze is Kihira's ceiling. That's it. They are technically ambitious and frankly skate with a little more passion. It is great to see Kihira push herself but the top RUS ladies are so good that it's not enough. I also think Kihira in comparison is a little too understated (a blunter term would be bland)

Kihira's best bet is for a strict caller to call URs and edge errors as Scherbakova is more prone to them than Kihira (or even Trusova)

 

[Marco]

Kihira's best bet is for a strict caller to call URs and edge errors as Scherbakova is more prone to them than Kihira (or even Trusova)

Or if the blade assist deduction rule returns next season

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

Starr Andrews recently announced that "At Last" by Etta James will be her 2021-22 SP music: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMQwRejpf4B/

Of course she is. Has she ever skated to it before? Or is this her final year and she's been waiting to skate this for years?

 

[Wyliefan]

It's a gorgeous song. Good for her.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

If Shcherbakova and Trusova skate like they did at RUS Nationals. The bronze is Kihira's ceiling. That's it. They are technically ambitious and frankly skate with a little more passion. It is great to see Kihira push herself but the top RUS ladies are so good that it's not enough. I also think Kihira in comparison is a little too understated (a blunter term would be bland)

I’m gonna say Tennell for a podium finish!!!!!

 

[Sylvia]

USFS is posting "Countdown to Worlds 2021" skater videos on their social media channels:

Bradie (IGTV): https://www.instagram.com/tv/CMdLh8jA_Cp/

Karen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtAUOyVFIGE

 

[olympic]

TSL put up their video of their 2021 Worlds preview w/ Meagan Duhamel.

D & J pretty much dissed Bradie's hard work in coming back from a bad Autumn in their preview of the ladies, saying she was going to be behind all 3 JPN ladies and maybe Yelin Kim. I really hope she does well at this point if anything to shut them up. I kind of agree with their assessment of Karen though

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

TSL put up their video of their 2021 Worlds preview w/ Meagan Duhamel.

D & J pretty much dissed Bradie's hard work in coming back from a bad Autumn in their preview of the ladies, saying she was going to be behind all 3 JPN ladies and maybe Yelin Kim. I really hope she does well at this point if anything to shut them up. I kind of agree with their assessment of Karen though

Say what now?

Dems are fighting words!!

Who are D and J? Duhamel (as Much as I love her) can stay in her lane.

I hope she tells us where she thinks the Canadian ladies will finish? Will they advance to the free even? As much as I love them.