Pffft. The USFS didn't know who would or wouldn't be entered at Finlandia. As far as the level of prestige, surely Lombardia or Nebelhorn have an equal amount of prestige.Sending Lofton to arguably the most competitive and prestigious Challenger event deserves to at least be questioned. I would have preferred Sonja Hilmer here.
Alysa's triples, footworks and spins were sound for the most part so I don't see how anyone would question her technique in general. The quads? Well I dont anything really thought those would stick around or if they should have ever been counted as clean based on the comments from the peanut gallery.Look how far hype got Alysa Liu. She lasted exactly one season as a senior. Yet, the weaknesses in her technique were visible from her juvenile days and foreshadowed what would happen once she grew. So, I don't think it's alarmist to point out how the same kinds of technical issues might hinder other skaters.
Absolutely. Anybody else. Kate Wang…heck, anybody else.Sending Lofton to arguably the most competitive and prestigious Challenger event deserves to at least be questioned. I would have preferred Sonja Hilmer here.
Pffft. The USFS didn't know who would or wouldn't be entered at Finlandia. As far as the level of prestige, surely Lombardia or Nebelhorn have an equal amount of prestige.
Yes, and see who can bounce back from a disappointing SP to skate well in the FS. There have been some enlightening data points so far through the first five Challengers. Should be interesting to see where Izzo and Ziegler stack up compared to the rest of the women.This is a transition year with so many top skaters not returning or competing right now, and we need very goood skaters at the top but usfs has no way of knowing who the potential skaters are beforehand. The only way to know is to send as many out to competitions and see who does well. Some will do poorly ( or extremely poorly ) because they are… well …untested)
This is gonna be a rough year, but front runners will emerge during the Olympics cycle
I’d make it a priority to get Sonja Hilmer another event.
She has two GPs, she doesn't need another Challenger necessarily. This is a good season to send a bunch of mostly untested women out once or twice and let them do their best to get onto the SB Top 75 and set themselves up for potential selection to the GP next season, and give them some valuable international competition experience.And the Goddess Amber
I'm also hoping Ting Cui gets an assignment. Her NQS score and summer comp results are in line with other skaters who received assignments (and she's directly beaten some of them). I think it was a missed opportunity for USFS to not send Ting or Ava (or anybody, but they were the closest geographically) to replace Izzo at the U.S. Classic.If I were USFS, I’d make it a priority to get Sonja Hilmer another event.
she doesn't need another Challenger necessarily
Ava hadn't competed yet in the NQS by the time US Classic came around, so I don't see how the USFS could have assigned her. I do agree about Ting, though - they had plenty of time between the Potomac Open and US Classic to assign her. Here is Sylvia's update to the top summer scores from the senior women on Sep 6th.I'm also hoping Ting Cui gets an assignment. Her NQS score and summer comp results are in line with other skaters who received assignments (and she's directly beaten some of them). I think it was a missed opportunity for USFS to not send Ting or Ava (or anybody, but they were the closest geographically) to replace Izzo at the U.S. Classic.
Agree that this season is a transitional year for U.S. women and I think it makes sense to give as many int'l assignments as they can. Skaters need experience, particularly after the past couple of years.
From @natsulian's Top Summer Scores [* = Philly or Cranberry international] posted on August 22, with NQS & other competitions added by me:
SENIOR WOMEN summer scores - top1619:
Isabeau Levito 207.67*
Lindsay Thorngren 203.62*
Clare Seo 185.10 (Broadmoor Open in June; 178.76 CO Champs NQS)
Gracie Gold 180.26*
Josephine Lee 178.63 (SoCal Open NQS)
Sonja Hilmer 177.72 (Glacier Falls NQS)
Audrey Shin 175.89*
Hanna Harrell 173.57 (Glacier Falls NQS)
Alena Budko 172.70 (Scott Hamilton Inv. NQS)
Hannah Lofton 170.21 (DuPage Open NQS)
Ting Cui 167.30 (Potomac Open NQS)
Amber Glenn 166.73*
Jill Heiner 165.19 (Potomac Open NQS)
Maryn Pierce 162.12 (Skate Detroit NQS)
Finley Hawk 161.94 (Southport in June)
Wren Warne-Jacobsen 160.49 (Minnesota State Champs per @love skating)
Paige Rydberg 160.36 (Collegiate Championships)
Nicole Park 158.19 (Cactus Classic NQS)
Michelle Lee 156.52 (CO Champs NQS) - recently added to the ISP
Not yet but I've posted a projected/unofficial Senior women's list in the Kiss & Cry section (do you have access? I can excerpt parts of it here later).Do we have a list yet of the competitors who qualified for the sectional finals (at all levels)?
Here's a GSD thread with the latest info: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...tional-qualifying-season.109661/#post-6287471I never could totally understand the qualifying rules nor keep up with who would be in which section. And I also forget the rules for then qualifying on for Nationals. I know it used to be top four in each section moved on plus byes but I know it's changed in the past years.
For the majority of U.S. skaters on Team USA or in ISP, getting the opportunity to compete in just one Challenger Series event, senior international, JGP, junior or adv. novice international is likely to be THE achievement of their careers.CS events have prestige???
Fair enough - but an event's prestige is hardly determined by the roster of American skaters who don't get the opportunity to skate anywhere else. I agree the opportunity is great. I just question whether these events have any prestige, or that there is some ranking of these events based on such prestige. The skaters can be sent to any of the CS events at all, and they'd still be getting the opportunity.For the majority of U.S. skaters on Team USA or in ISP, getting the opportunity to compete in just one Challenger Series event, senior international, JGP, junior or adv. novice international is likely to be THE achievement of their careers.
Well, she says she'll skate in shows and for fun, but she doesn't give us any hint beyond that. I'm glad she won a National title and made it to the Olympics. She really did go about as far as she could in the sport, and it's always great when a skater recognizes this and bows out at their zenith.And Mariah Bell has formally retired. Wonder what she will do next:
Mariah Bell 🔔 on Instagram: "My heart is so full, I am so grateful for the highs and lows, struggles and success. This journey was hard and I didn’t always like it but I did always love it. All of these experiences made me the person I am, a person r
34K likes, 938 comments - mariahsk8rbell on October 12, 2022: "My heart is so full, I am so grateful for the highs and lows, struggles and success. This journey..."www.instagram.com
Gracie Gold, Bradie Tennell and Clare Seo do not (yet) qualify for a bye to Nationals. They have had two international assignments from the events listed on the NQS document, but need a 3rd one.Women - 6 spots available through Sectionals (maximum 12 byes total)
1)Mariah Bell,Karen Chen, Isabeau Levito, Gabriella Izzo & Lindsay Thorngren = 4, 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
She will be coaching Texas with her sister.And Mariah Bell has formally retired. Wonder what she will do next:
Mariah Bell 🔔 on Instagram: "My heart is so full, I am so grateful for the highs and lows, struggles and success. This journey was hard and I didn’t always like it but I did always love it. All of these experiences made me the person I am, a person r
34K likes, 938 comments - mariahsk8rbell on October 12, 2022: "My heart is so full, I am so grateful for the highs and lows, struggles and success. This journey..."www.instagram.com
Sectionals is the same week as MKJW. Midwestern Senior Women's SP is Tue, Nov 8th and the Senior Women's FS is Thu, Nov 10th. So, she will need a bye - and I'm sort of the opinion that any bye will be contingent upon her actually competing in both of her GPs.USFS always has discretion, so I assume Bradie will get a bye to Nats instead of having to come to the U.S. for Sectionals the week before her GP.
Her head seems to be in the right place regarding her comeback (very pragmatic, taking everything step by step) and I am so glad that Gracie re-found the joy in her skating!New Gracie article ahead of Skate America:
https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/...s-to-grand-prix-circuit-at-skate-america.aspx
Bradie is entered to compete at Trophee Metropole Nice Cote d'Azur next week! Hopefully there will be a live stream of this competition - and she's recovered enough to compete!The ISU put up the entry list
Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur - International Skating Union
The International Skating Union is the international sport federation administering Ice Skating sports throughout the world.isu.org
Fingers crossed she can start her comeback next week!Yes, the rink is called the Sports Palace Jean Bouin and located upstairs (there's an elevator) so has gorgeous views of Nice.
I wonder if Bradie might compete at the Trophy Metropole Nice Cote d’Azur (new name for Coupe de Nice) that's held at the rink where she's training now? Entries by name were due on September 18. Dates are October 18 to 23, 2022.