U.S. Women [#4]: How Dare You

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

What is outstanding about Isabeau is that she truly enjoys performing.

you’re right. When she takes her starting pose she’s always smiling or in character, even looking at the judges. Never nervous and never has puke face

 

[AYS]

Isabeau strikes me as having a great mind set all around (and I agree she seems to love to perform).

 

[Jammers]

Amber has consistency issues that make me question how she will skate when she had a realistic shot at the Worlds team.

Starr is working on adding back the Lutz to her repertoire per her IG stories. Judges at Nats tend to only overlook rotation issues when it's their chosen ones and I'd be a surprised if Audrey's were overlooked, especially in favor of Starr, who is most definitely one of the USFS' chosen ones. Starr gets more mainstream media coverage than any other skater who will be at Nationals except maybe Jason and Chock/Bates.

Not sure how someone who has never come close to making a World or Olympic team is a chosen one unless US Ladies have fallen that far.

 

[Karen-W]

Not sure how someone who has never come close to making a World or Olympic team is a chosen one unless US Ladies have fallen that far.

Have you seen the media attention she gets? That's how.

 

[gkelly]

Have you seen the media attention she gets? That's how.

Attention by the media and favor by the skating federation are not the same thing.

 

[Sylvia]

Fan Zone article on Gabriella Izzo, who is in her junior year at Harvard as a pre-law student, by Rachel Lutz (Dec. 13):

Opportunities Abound for Izzo Ahead of U.S. Championships - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

Gabriella Izzo looks at this season as an opportunity. Between the kickoff of a new four-year Olympic cycle, the domestic and international retirements, certain

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

 

[ice coverage]

"SKATE + math = fun"

This front-page headline jumped out at me from Skokie Valley SC's photos of a recent newspaper article about "SKATE for girls," an innovative non-profit founded by SVSC member Mayumi Suzue-Pan.
A junior in high school and leader of her school's math team, Mayumi also is a USFS Double Gold Medalist as well as skating coach.

Per SVSC's Instagram caption:

"SKATE for girls combines math and skating to empower young women to succeed in the classroom and the ice. Mayumi hopes that by getting young girls involved in mathematics, she can decrease the gender gap in STEM fields. On the other side she hopes to dismantle the misconception that you have to be a certain size or way to be in figure skating."​

Excerpt from the long article:

"SKATE, or Solving Kinesthetically and Transforming Education, is a six-week course set to begin on Jan. 15 for girls from fifth to eighth grade. Sessions will be on Sunday afternoon with 30 minutes of off-ice movement followed by 45 minutes on the ice where the math concepts are brought in. Classes wrap up with 45 minutes of math tutoring.​

The program would end with a skating performance for parents where students can show off all the skating skills they have learned."​

ETA:​

Mayumi's website says that the math concept of the week is introduced during the 30 minutes of off-ice movement.​

https://www.skateforgirls.org/_files/ugd/405981_f4034ea0a9df42008cf6f994c43b2276.pdf

The full article is on Instagram today: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmJ3pqArItz/

SKATE for Girls is free of charge to all students that attend the program, but donations are appreciated.
More here: https://www.skateforgirls.org/

 

[AYS]

It sounds like a great program!

I wonder if Mayumi was inspired by Ice Princess. Although give me math over physics any day.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Greetings from Germany again squirrel friends. Can’t wait for the US ladies to compete next month

 

[Wyliefan]

Post from Karen about watching Nationals from the audience this time.

Karen Chen on Instagram: "looking forward to add more memories of US Champs in San Jose, but this time from a different perspective! although competing at US Champs in my hometown for the 3rd time would’ve been super special, i knew that after the 20

Karen Chen shared a post on Instagram: "looking forward to add more memories of US Champs in San Jose, but this time from a different perspective! although competing at US Champs in my hometown for the 3rd time would’ve been super special, i knew that after the 2022 olympic season i wanted to...

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

Karen's latest video ("survived fall semester"): https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmXtKGUtXo3/

Jordan Cowan's filmed this video of Karen skating to Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" (Marian Hill and the David Solomon remix) for the live rehearsal of the 2022 Providence Tree Lighting Show on December 2nd: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIvyq6C-DRU

 

[viennese]

In keeping with the thread title: My only problem with Bradie Tennell's global warming/concept free skate is that it does not carry the theme all the way through the program. You hear Greta Thunberg's voice only a little. If you're going to use voice overs, go big, go all the way. HOW DARE YOU not be bold

 

[Karen-W]

In keeping with the thread title: My only problem with Bradie Tennell's global warming/concept free skate is that it does not carry the theme all the way through the program. You hear Greta Thunberg's voice only a little. If you're going to use voice overs, go big, go all the way. HOW DARE YOU not be bold

Have to disagree, especially after watching the Taschlers original version of their climate change FD from earlier in the season. A little goes a long way and is preferable to excessive/thump you over the head voiceovers.

 

[VGThuy]

I think how you feel about it depends on how campy you really want that program to be. If was someone like Radionova or Med, I'd say go all out. They skated without self-consciousness or shame when doing their choreography. Bradie? I think she's too self-conscious to pull off camp.

 

[viennese]

There's at least one Four Seasons program this season in the women's event. I am not hoping for camp or OTT. I am rooting for Bradie's comeback and I hope for her to make a mature statement.

 

[Vagabond]

One never hopes for camp, but one can savor it when it comes.

 

[Sylvia]

From USFS' Fan Zone Jan. 1st article - these 4 Team USA women shared their New Year's resolutions for 2023:

Gabbie Izzo
For 2023, my goals can be summed up in just a few sentences. More than anything I really want to embrace all of the opportunities that are coming my way and do my best to learn from all of the experiences I have, both good and bad. Overall, I just want to keep learning, both on and off the ice. A nice warm cup of positiviTEA never hurt anyone either.

Audrey Shin
My New Year's resolution is to learn new vegan recipes and meal plan/prep! I just started cooking for myself a little more instead of my mom although nothing beats her cooking!) and it's been kind of fun! I want to try and keep it up heading into 2023!

Bradie Tennell
One of my New Year's resolutions is to be better about texting people back. I'm a chronically bad texter. I try not to, but I accidentally leave people on read all the time - usually because I read their message and then get distracted by something else and forget to respond. I use the little notification bubble as a reminder, but if that's gone, then so is any hope of me responding.

Ava Ziegler
My New Year's resolution this year is to give myself more credit for my accomplishments, and spend more time helping and encouraging younger skater.

 

[Sylvia]

Maura Sullivan Hill's article for Figure Skaters Online on Elsa Cheng, the top scoring Sectional Senior qualifier for Nationals (Jan. 3, 2023):

Elsa Cheng is getting ready for U.S. Championships debut - Figure Skaters Online

By Maura Sullivan Hill, Team FSO staff writer Photos by Melanie Heaney After three years skating in the junior ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Illinois-based skater Elsa Cheng has qualified for her first senior Nationals, which will take place Jan. 23-29, 2023 in San Jose...

figureskatersonline.com

 

[Sylvia]

Fan Zone article by Christie Sausa on 2022 JGP Riga silver medalist Soho Lee (Jan. 4):

Lee Seeks Clean Programs, Personal Bests at First U.S. Championships - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

It has been a year of firsts for Soho Lee.

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

 

[ice coverage]

Cross-posting from U.S. Men thread

Great coverage of Alexa Gasparotto and Nathan Chapple from Chicago Sun-Times today, with both a long article and a video:

The future of U.S. figure skating includes rising stars Alexa Gasparotto and Nathan Chapple
This month Gasparotto competing at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, and Chapple competing at the World University Games, will make history.
By Annie Costabile Jan 7, 2023, 8:00am EST
(includes nice photos too!)

The future of U.S. figure skating includes rising stars Alexa Gasparotto and Nathan Chapple

This month, Gasparotto competing at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and Chapple competing at the World University Games will make history.

chicago.suntimes.com

Alexa, Nathan, Rohene Ward, and Amber Gil speak in the accompanying video (3:16).

Rising U.S. figure skating stars Alexa Gasparotto & Nathan Chapple prepare for competition

This month Gasparotto competing at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, and Chapple competing at the World University Games, will make history as the first...

youtu.be

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ Thank you @ice coverage - I've been waiting for this feature ever since Rohene Ward did an Instagram Live from the Glenview rink back on Dec. 21 of "Miss Lexi" being interviewed : https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmcchyNJM-s/

I plan to create a thread in the 2023 U.S. Nationals subforum in the Kiss & Cry section for these types of local articles/publicity and will be sure to include your links!

 

[Jammers]

This must be getting old for Bradie losing to a young teenager who can't even drive yet.

 

[Karen-W]

This must be getting old for Bradie losing to a young teenager who can't even drive yet.

Seeing as Isabeau is 15, how do you know she doesn't have her driver's permit yet?

 

[Allskate]

This must be getting old for Bradie losing to a young teenager who can't even drive yet

I hope that Bradie is proud of how she skated this week. After being injured and not being able to compete last year, and then her struggles this fall, what she did this week is wonderful.

And kudos to Amber, another veteran woman, for persevering. I assume that she will be going to Worlds.

Isabeau is so impressive. She handled the expectations amazingly well. And there clearly are some other promising American teens.

 

[Baby Yoda On Skates]

There's a lot of snarks about the US women, but I enjoyed many of the programs tonight. Lots of talent within the ranks.

 

[Trillian]

Isabeau is so impressive. She handled the expectations amazingly well.

I don’t want to jinx her because every skater falls apart in competition at some point (and she has some technique issues that might catch up with her)… but I’m floored by her ability to deliver so consistently. Her track record in terms of results is really exceptional.

 

[Karen-W]

So, now that we know the Women's results, both Senior and Junior, who would you assign to Worlds, 4CCs and Jr Worlds?

Top 10 Sr Women -

1	18	Isabeau Levito, SC Of Southern New Jersey	1	73.78	1	149.55	223.33
2	17	Bradie Tennell, Skokie Valley SC	2	73.76	2	139.36	213.12
3	15	Amber Glenn, Dallas FSC	4	68.96	3	138.48	207.44
4	16	Starr Andrews, Los Angeles FSC	3	68.97	7	119.27	188.24
5	7	Josephine Lee, All Year FSC	11	55.60	4	132.08	187.68
6	14	Lindsay Thorngren, SC of New York	6	62.64	5	124.55	187.19
7	10	Clare Seo, Broadmoor SC	7	61.48	9	114.12	175.60
8	13	Gracie Gold, IceWorks SC	5	67.44	11	106.54	173.98
9	12	Ava Ziegler, SC of New York	8	61.09	10	106.61	167.70
10	4	Sonja Hilmer, Centennial SC	13	51.16	8	115.33	166.49

Top 4 Jr Women -

1	15	Soho Lee, Glacier Falls FSC	1	66.34	1	114.80	181.14
2	18	Keira Hilbelink, Portland ISC	5	55.05	2	112.94	167.99
3	19	Elyce Lin-Gracey, Pasadena FSC	2	65.57	7	100.00	165.57
4	14	Sherry Zhang, Glacier Falls FSC	3	61.38	9	99.70	161.08

Keira Hilbelink is too young for juniors internationally, while both Josephine Lee and Lindsay Thorngren are junior age-eligible still and have the junior TES mins. Josephine Lee does not have any senior TES mins.

I'm not sure what the USFS' strategy will be, but I can see an argument being made to try and maximize WS points by leaving either Levito or Tennell off the 4CCs team and send Andrews instead since she is the only other US woman with a GP medal and a 190+ score on the SB list. I'd probably let Isabeau stay home and get Bradie in front of an ISU Championship panel once before Worlds, but Bradie might want to get back to France to train instead of staying in the US another 2 weeks.

My teams would be as follows:
Worlds - Levito, Tennell, Glenn; 1st alt - Andrews, 2nd alt - Thorngren, 3rd alt - Zeigler (neither Seo nor Gold have the Worlds TES mins)
4CCs - 1 of Levito or Tennell, Glenn, Andrews; 1st alt - Gold, 2nd alt - Zeigler, 3rd alt - Hilmer
Jr Worlds - J. Lee, Thorngren, S. Lee; 1st alt - Seo, 2nd alt - Lin-Gracey, 3rd alt - Zhang

 

[RoseRed]

Seeing as Isabeau is 15, how do you know she doesn't have her driver's permit yet?

Not really the point, but the minimum age for a learner's permit in New Jersey is 16, according to google.

 

[Karen-W]

Not really the point, but the minimum age for a learner's permit in New Jersey is 16, according to google.

Good to know! It's 15 here in Oregon.

 

[greenapple]

For me, Josephine Lee was the star of the show in the women's free. She should be a definite for the World Junior team one would think.