U.S. Ladies [#17]: Heading to Helsinki in a Handbasket

[oleada]

-Ashley's favorite exercise is cycling (but she hasn't done SoulCycle).

she should, it's the best

 

[aftershocks]

Here is Agnes Zawadski skating in 2015 with Cordero Zuckerman for one of his YAS competitive programs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgPq5EqzX9s It's nice to see Agnes on the ice again

Zuckerman has skated on cruise ships, and he's a former U.S. Nationals competitive skater, placing 10th in Novice in 2010. Cain/LeDuc recently announced that they will be working with Zuckerman and their last season choreographer, Serge Onik, on their new programs

 

[Sylvia]

Amber Glenn article [ETA that link no longer works atm]
On her new free skate to the film soundtrack of The Red Violin by John Corigliano:

“I’m really excited about that (my free skate),” she exclaimed. “It tells a story and it is really beautiful. It has a lot of changes in it. It is not just one thing throughout the program. There’s slow, there’s fast, there’s dramatic, there’s calm. There’s a lot of different things in it.”
...
[Scott] Brown also choreographed Glenn’s short program, which is to the song, “Fever” (The Heat Version) by Beyoncé.

 

[Coco]

Well no pressure, Amber, but your country needs you!

 

[clairecloutier]

I went to Colonial Open in Boxborough, MA, last night and saw some of the Junior ladies SP and almost all of the Novice ladies LP. There were no stars at this event; but I thought I'd just post some impressions for those interested.

Novice Ladies SP
-------------------
Gabriella Izzo (Eastern Sectionals, Juniors 7th)
Tango/classical. 3Lz, 3Lp/2T, 2A (turnout). Well-constructed program with challenging turns & steps, she performed it well. Nice, precise movement, detailed. Edges could be better; I'd like to see her speed come more from the blade than from crossovers. But very good overall, 48.91, clearly 1st.

Liza Hayes (NE Regionals, Novice 5th)
"Once Upon a Dream." 3Lz, 3T (hand down)/2T, 2A (fall). Liza has very pretty hands/arms and nice extension through her back. A bit slow. 41.84.

Iris Zhao (Eastern Sectionals, Novice 9th; 2014 Juvenile National champion)
Vocal classical. 3F (fall), 3T (hand down)/2T, 2A (stepout). Iris is a really strong skater artistically--deep, curvy edges, soft arms/back, great feeling for the music. She was jumping well in the warmup, landing good 3Fs and 3Ts, so it was too bad she had a few mistakes in the program. 40.15.


Novice Ladies LP
-----------------

Violeta Ushakova (Nationals, Intermediate 6th)
Samson & Dalilah. 3F, 3Lp (fall), 3T, 3S/2Lp, 3T/2Lp/2T, 2A/2T. Violeta was great and dominated the competition, finishing way above the other girls. Her technical content was impressive! She was good artistically as well--elegant, nice line, showed attention to the music. Could use more strength and deeper knee bend--she skims over the ice instead of getting into it. 83.79, clearly 1st.

Mauryn Tyack (Eastern Sectionals, Intermediate 9th)
Asian/classical. 3S/2T (squeaked out), 2A/2Lp (stepout), 2A (fall), 3S. Mauryn is a very good all-around skater with firm, strong edges and classic posture/body line. Good spins as well. 61.77, 2nd.

Others of interest in Novice .... Tiffany Pennella (NA Regionals, Intermediate 6th) is tiny, but attempted some impressive content (3Lz minor error, 3Lp pop, 3F stepout, 3Lp break on landing, 2A/2A seq). She has nice line and presentation, just needs more power .... Anya Stevens (NA Regionals, Novice 7th) was there from Ice House of New Jersey, with Galina Zmievskaya as her coach. From a Russian/American family, Anya's style can only be described as Medvedeva-lite. She Tanos and Rippons like Medvedeva; uses some of the same spin positions as Med; wears her tights half-over her boots like Med; etc. The only thing missing was Med's jumps ... Sojie Insinger (NA Regionals, 14th Intermediate) was eye-catching in a terrific zebra-print costume, skating to The Lion King. The only African-American in the event, Sojie is very flexible and charismatic, with very long arms/legs. If she gets some harder jumps, she could be interesting ... Jamiesen Cyr (NE Regionals, Novice 6th) skated a lovely program. She is a strong performer, very light, lovely & musical, but struggled with her 2As.

 

[oleada]

I opened my weekly SoulCycle email and they had a feature on Gracie Gold:

https://www.soul-cycle.com/community/inspiration/gracie-gold-soulcycle-figure-skater-soul/2886/

Most relevant:

What are you up to now?

I recently moved from LA to Detroit. There’s a huge skating community out here and it’s where my coaches are located. We’re just getting back into training and I’ve been on tour with Stars on Ice. I’m starting to do more strength and conditioning training off the ice about three times a week, and I’m working on some sprinting intervals, biking, and any kind of cardio I can get. On the ice we’re doing a lot of speed and interval training, some of my new routines and getting back into jumping. I’m spending about the same amount of time on the ice, about three to four [days], but we increased the intensity.

 

[feraina]

Wow only 3-4 days of skating a week? That doesn't seem like a lot for an elite skater.

Maybe she's out of shape and needs to ramp up slowly? She definitely looks like she has put on weight since nationals.

 

[Sylvia]

New Mirai Nagasu Q&A: http://figureskatersonline.com/news...thing-in-my-power-to-make-it-a-strong-season/
Excerpt:

MN: I have been working on my skating skills a lot with Ryan Jahnke. Always upping my jump ante with Eddie (Shipstad) and Tom (Zakrajsek), of course. But obviously, the triple axel is a work in progress and I’m just working on its consistency so that I can feel confident putting it in my program because it is a big point getter. Every point counts.
FSO: Training the triple axel. Are you practicing it every day?
MN: (I practice it) every day! I put on those protective pads so I can take those hard falls and kind of go for it.
FSO: If you could give your triple axel a grade right now, what would you grade yourself?
MN: I would definitely give it a C because it is not like a double axel where I know I can give it a A. I give it a C because I’m still trying to get consistent with the takeoff.

She plans to keep her SP (Chopin) and have Jeff Buttle choreograph a new FS in June.

 

[clairecloutier]

^^ Thank heavens for a new LP for Mirai.

I don't know why, but I just have this feeling she's going to make it this year. To Korea.

 

[StitchMonkey]

^^ Thank heavens for a new LP for Mirai.

I don't know why, but I just have this feeling she's going to make it this year. To Korea.

Agreed. And what a great story it would make! If she manages to win, it would be 10 years since her first title. Does anyone else have a gap like that?

 

[Spun Silver]

New Mirai Nagasu Q&A: http://figureskatersonline.com/news...thing-in-my-power-to-make-it-a-strong-season/
Excerpt:

She plans to keep her SP (Chopin) and have Jeff Buttle choreograph a new FS in June.

HALLELUJAH!!!!! It'll be a double Buttle!

 

[berthesghost]

Next to the "iron lotus", the "double buttle" is my favorite skating move!

 

[Agent 355]

I'm so happy to see that Mirai is getting a new LP done by Buttle! That SP really fits Mirai and I felt like he really got Mirai moreso than David Wilson. That long was a complete miss for me and I'm glad to see it retired.

 

[aftershocks]

From one Ashley to the other:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUKajqGFUGC/

• icegirlashHappy birthday to this amazing person! Thank you for always providing advice and support throughout my career. A few years ago, when I had just moved up to Senior, I messaged you asking for advice. Within seconds you responded with words that I still hold dear to my heart. Thank you for being a great friend and mentor. You deserve to have the most incredible day!

Karen Chen and Nathan Chen at Jump On It camp:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QqI0KyS50o

 

[Sylvia]

@AngieNikodinovLove asked about Amber Glenn, Tyler Pierce and Bradie Tennell in the U.S. Men's thread and I'm replying here.

I quoted Amber and listed her 2 new programs in post #843 above - her SP is to "Fever" (The Heat Version) by Beyoncé & FS to The Red Violin by John Corigliano. She just shared a clip of her 3Lo+3Lo in practice a few days ago: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUnCOl-BGJe/

Both Bradie and Tyler were injured last season but are back to training.

I'm glad to hear about Tyler. Bradie had a solid showing at Junior Worlds (7th) in March. She recently worked with Benoit Richaud on free skate choreography (he shared this photo of them at her Chicago area rink: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTubBQQFxfj/ ) and she has started an Instagram account - here's a clip of her spinning: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUZ9mXvjcJn/?taken-by=bradietennell

6 U.S. ladies received Grand Prix assignments on May 26 (1 TBD for Skate America):

Karen Chen and Ashley Wagner both received Skate Canada (#2) and Skate America (#6), while Mariah Bell and Mirai Nagasu both received Russia (#1) and Japan (#4). Gracie Gold has China (#3) and France (#5) and Polina Edmunds got France as a returning skater.

ETA:

Nagasu, Angela Wang, Courtney Hicks, and Paige Rydberg have signed up for the Aerial Team Challenge jump competition that's happening in CO Springs in about 3 weeks (refer to the GSD thread for more info on the event).

Hicks posted a slo-mo clip of her landing a 3F-half loop-3F in practice yesterday: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUu9pwDBSu7/
She went back to choreographers Rohene Ward (SP) and Jonathan Cassar (FS) for her new programs.

 

[Coco]

Wow... just realized no Hicks on the GP.

 

[aliona22]

http://www.sj-r.com/news/20170528/f...er-fighting-to-get-medical-license-reinstated

A Springfield doctor and the father of Olympic figure skater Gracie Gold says the state should reinstate his medical license because he didn’t violate terms of an agreement resolving allegations that he stole prescription drugs from HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur for personal use.

Dr. Carl Gold, 59, filed a lawsuit Feb. 14 in Sangamon County Circuit Court, contending the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation violated his rights when it issued a summary suspension of his license effective Feb. 6.

Yikes at this news about Gracie's dad. Has to be stressful for her family.

 

[Spun Silver]

http://www.sj-r.com/news/20170528/f...er-fighting-to-get-medical-license-reinstated

A Springfield doctor and the father of Olympic figure skater Gracie Gold says the state should reinstate his medical license because he didn’t violate terms of an agreement resolving allegations that he stole prescription drugs from HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur for personal use.

Dr. Carl Gold, 59, filed a lawsuit Feb. 14 in Sangamon County Circuit Court, contending the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation violated his rights when it issued a summary suspension of his license effective Feb. 6.

Yikes at this news about Gracie's dad. Has to be stressful for her family.

Oh my gosh. No wonder she's been out of it. I feel for her and her family (maybe not her father) all over again.

 

[GreatLakesGal]

When Gracie relocated to Michigan, she said something about how her sister and her mother now have their own lives in California. Which made me wonder if her parents might be officially separated or in the process of divorcing and whether this might be negatively affecting her skating.

This is so much worse.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Oh my gosh. No wonder she's been out of it. I feel for her and her family (maybe not her father) all over again.

Holy Crap! To get to this level he was either blatant in his conduct, or has been an addict for years. His addiction is something they have most likely been dealing with for quite some time. I assume they did not know about his criminal actions.

 

[Tavi]

http://www.sj-r.com/news/20170528/f...er-fighting-to-get-medical-license-reinstated

A Springfield doctor and the father of Olympic figure skater Gracie Gold says the state should reinstate his medical license because he didn’t violate terms of an agreement resolving allegations that he stole prescription drugs from HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur for personal use.

Dr. Carl Gold, 59, filed a lawsuit Feb. 14 in Sangamon County Circuit Court, contending the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation violated his rights when it issued a summary suspension of his license effective Feb. 6.

Yikes at this news about Gracie's dad. Has to be stressful for her family.

How very thoughtful of you to draw attention to Gracie's family problems by posting them on a figure skating board so fans can talk about them, even though she herself has chosen to keep silent. Way to go.

 

[skatfan]

I find it helpful to know this (it is public information), my heart goes out to Gracie and her mom and sister. Many skaters are dealing with burdens that we know nothing about.

 

[Jeschke]

Wow... just realized no Hicks on the GP.

(((@alchemy void )))

 

[Tavi]

I find it helpful to know this (it is public information), my heart goes out to Gracie and her mom and sister. Many skaters are dealing with burdens that we know nothing about.

It was published in a local paper in Illinois with circulation of less than 25,000, not in The NY Times or Skating magazine. It's nice that you find it helpful to know, but I personally think the family deserves their privacy to the extent possible.

 

[clairecloutier]

It was published in a local paper in Illinois with circulation of less than 25,000, not in The NY Times or Skating magazine. It's nice that you find it helpful to know, but I personally think the family deserves their privacy to the extent possible.

Once something is published, it is public information and that's that. You can't "un-publish" it.

You can choose not to spread it yourself, personally. But it's going to get out, one way or another.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Once something is published, it is public information and that's that. You can't "un-publish" it.

It's also online, not limited to 25K locals.

 

[alchemy void]

(((@alchemy void )))

Scandal! She medaled at Rostelecom last season and gets nothing! #TeamChicks

 

[tylersf]

As sad as it is, it is a plausible explanation of why she didn't do well last season.

It's also online, not limited to 25K locals.