U.S. Ladies [#18]: These Boots Are Made for Skating

[Debbie S]

So is she the first female skater to pose for the body issue?

IIRC, Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig posed for the body issue, I think in 2010.

 

[skateboy]

Let's not forget that in the ancient Olympics they competed naked...covered in olive oil...

Hmmm... if they still did that, do you think we might all have different favorites?

(I would worry about men and sit spins... )

 

[AxelAnnie]

If you were naked and oiled and fell on the ice you would go skidding across.
Could be epic...whole new category of points

 

[DimaToe]

Hmmm... if they still did that, do you think we might all have different favorites?

(I would worry about men and sit spins... )

It wouldn't be about the quad anymore.

Sandhu and his A spin would've probably won all the things

 

[Vagabond]

Ciukd be epic

Is ciukd a kind of covfefe?

 

[Karpenko]

Ashley has to get Ryan Gosling's attention somehow before realizing she's doing "La La Land" as her Olympic LP. This is just the first step in Ashley's master plan.

She's a grown woman, y'all. As long as all things that I don't everrrr want to see are covered, I think it's really cool!

 

[just wondering]

If you were naked and oiled and fell on the ice you would go skidding across.
Could be epic...whole new category of points

Oiled would be best, though. Imagine the sticking without it . . . ouch!!!! ;-)

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Hmmmm.....my girl Ashley. ESPN Body issue and promo, OK. No skate footage but a promo for Rocker's film on her LP. Is she increasing her public profile? Staging her post-Oly carreer? Wants to do DWTS? Usurp married-lady Tara as commentatrix? Something is up.....

 

[mag]

I think Ashley would be a great contestant on DWTS!

 

[StitchMonkey]

Hmmmm.....my girl Ashley. ESPN Body issue and promo, OK. No skate footage but a promo for Rocker's film on her LP. Is she increasing her public profile? Staging her post-Oly carreer? Wants to do DWTS? Usurp married-lady Tara as commentatrix? Something is up.....

I for one would be much happier with Adam and Ashley over Tara and Johnny. I know not all like Ashley and Adam, but i do think they would say constructive things in their commentary and I don't see them being as catty. They both seem pretty warm with their competitors so I think they would be great.

 

[Jarrett]

According to instagram, looks like Ashley and Mirai were in Canada today getting choreography done. I hope they touch up Mirai's SP too.

 

[tylersf]

Didn't David Liu include skidding across as part of his LP choreography at the 1992 Olympics?
https://youtu.be/gZUXUv7nV-g
He impressed Scott Hamilton with it.
He is not naked, but wearing a nice costume.

If you were naked and oiled and fell on the ice you would go skidding across.
Could be epic...whole new category of points

 

[Stephanie]

Looks like Alexia Paganini will be skating senior (nationally) this season: https://www.instagram.com/p/BV26V5-FdcC/?taken-by=_apaganini

 

[AxelAnnie]

Looks like Alexia Paganini will be skating senior (nationally) this season: https://www.instagram.com/p/BV26V5-FdcC/?taken-by=_apaganini

She is adorable! Such lovely long limbs. I hope she learns to use them so they add the grace and beauty she is (hopefully) capable of.

 

[Yazmeen]

Since Playboy was mentioned, this month's Playmate is Dana Taylor, a model who skated competitively for 11 years and who still skates. She posted an on-ice photo of herself as a teen in her data page.

 

[Sylvia]

For those who'd like to see a still photo from Ashley Wagner's "Body" photo shoot, I've posted a link in the ESPN's 2017 Body issue thread in the Other Sports forum.

Happy Fourth of July from Karen Chen, who's performing in Sun Valley, Idaho later tonight: https://www.instagram.com/p/BWIRuz0g1aw/

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Can't find the Mirai thread. Didn't realize she dropped the Chopin - the ONE program that the judges like, that she scores well on, that fits her rather somber skating style. Med's team recognizes what a powerful vehicle that piece can be. I'd like to say it's more bad advice of Tom Z. but she's a grown woman......

 

[Jarrett]

Can't find the Mirai thread. Didn't realize she dropped the Chopin - the ONE program that the judges like, that she scores well on, that fits her rather somber skating style. Med's team recognizes what a powerful vehicle that piece can be. I'd like to say it's more bad advice of Tom Z. but she's a grown woman......

Where are you getting this information from? Nothing is confirmed?

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Where are you getting this information from? Nothing is confirmed?

Sylvia posted on the choreography thread. In latest statement Mirai said nothing decided. But, now Med's moved in. I think it's too late. I don't think she could stand up psychologically to Med. It's too bad; it was such a great vehicle for Mirai.

 

[Bill Trenary]

Direct link to Ashley's Body Issue pics...if you don't wanna see skin/derriere, don't click:

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/19742921/espn-body-issue-2017#!athletes_ashleywagner

...and the article:

http://www.espn.com/olympics/story/...lks-concussions-costumes-collisions-body-2017

 

[Frida80]

Sylvia posted on the choreography thread. In latest statement Mirai said nothing decided. But, now Med's moved in. I think it's too late. I don't think she could stand up psychologically to Med. It's too bad; it was such a great vehicle for Mirai.

The worst part is both her GP events are with Med. No matter what, Mirai will seem like the weaker version. This will put too much pressure on her. She's going to have to change it.

 

[haribobo]

Too much pressure? Weaker version? Stand up psychologically? Its not like Mirai is going to be rinkside watching Med skate her program right before her every time. Maybe once all season, if that. I think these are highly overdramatized portrayals. Maybe Mirai just wanted something different, who knows...

 

[Frida80]

Too much pressure? Weaker version? Stand up psychologically? Its not like Mirai is going to be rinkside watching Med skate her program right before her every time. Maybe once all season, if that. I think these are highly overdramatized portrayals. Maybe Mirai just wanted something different, who knows...

I do adore Mirai. But everyone knows she's a nervous competitor. Pressure gets to her.

 

[Karpenko]

Mirai is comfortable with the program and isn't playing defense like in football. A great competitor wouldn't give two sh!ts what Medvedeva is skating to, wouldn't run from the challenge, and would use it as an opportunity to get closer to Janny in the standings. Averbukh/Eteri chose the program music after Mirai already announced her intentions to keep it. So it's all on him (not on Janny, she makes barely any of the artistic decisions in her camp and Eteri always reminds us of that in interviews). She could bring qualities to the music that Evgenia can't, she obviously won't outscore her, but it could force the judges to pay attention to Mirai's positive qualities when she does skate well. (Which can mean higher PCS than if she used different music... if it's comparable to Janny and in a similar league.)

If she backs out of her decision, she won't have the same comfort level and is already kind of backing out of her game-plan. She should turn it into a positive, I hope that she keeps it. It could be a good thing if she actually starts nailing the program in competition, its well choreographed and shows off what makes her a great skater.

 

[mag]

Direct link to Ashley's Body Issue pics...if you don't wanna see skin/derriere, don't click:

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/19742921/espn-body-issue-2017#!athletes_ashleywagner

...and the article:

http://www.espn.com/olympics/story/...lks-concussions-costumes-collisions-body-2017

That is an amazing photo shoot of an amazing athlete!

 

[AxelAnnie]

Holy Crap! Those pictures are amazing!

 

[Sylvia]

Here's the GSD thread dedicated to Ashley's ESPN photo shoot: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-concussion-recovery-career-longevity.101494/

 

[Sylvia]

Sylvia posted on the choreography thread. In latest statement Mirai said nothing decided.

This was the Nagasu interview, published on May 22nd, in which she said she was planning to keep her Chopin SP and get a new FS choreographed by Jeff Buttle: http://figureskatersonline.com/news...thing-in-my-power-to-make-it-a-strong-season/

I cross-posted this link to IFS' Aerial Challenge/Broadmoor Open article in both the Aerial Challenge and Programs/Choreographers threads in GSD (includes quotes from Wang, Hicks and Nagasu): https://www.ifsmagazine.com/aerial-challenge-twist/

Here's the relevant Nagasu excerpt:

She has not settled on any specific pieces of music for either program this season, but is planning on going with a more classical style for the Olympic season. Her main focus thus far has been refining her technical elements. “I feel like we are just tweaking things and getting things in order so that I am well prepared for this upcoming season,” Nagasu said.
After the disappointment of not making the U.S. Olympic team in 2014, her approach to the 2018 Olympic season is very different Nagasu said. “I know that if I focus only on the Olympics, things will not work out well for me. I plan on treating this season kind of like an extended job interview. Last Olympic cycle I think that I just put everything into nationals. Since then, I have learned that you have to be a strong competitor throughout the season and put together a strong portfolio of competitions and performances.”

Nagasu is scheduled to start her season at Skate Detroit again this year, so we will find out what her program music is in about 2 weeks.

Angela Wang has kept her last season's "Over the Rainbow" SP choreographed by Phillip Mills and her new FS is choreographed by Tanith White (with a little help from Charlie?) - photo of the 3 of them from late May: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUkuUWCjRhg/?taken-by=angelawangster

Hicks confirms her FS is to "Amazing Grace" -- these links were posted on June 13th:

Courtney Hicks posted on Instagram that she is keeping her 2 choreographers -- Rohene Ward (SP: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUNJcb5h0SX/ ) and Jonathan Cassar (FS: https://www.instagram.com/p/BRw9UR_B0HD/ ) - "Amazing Grace" is playing in this recent practice clip that includes spread eagles (a la Cassar) and her split single flip: https://www.instagram.com/p/BVLF3ToBKkq/

 

[Simone411]

I think Ashley would be a great contestant on DWTS!

I'm in total agreement with that!

 

[Spun Silver]

I'm in total agreement with that!

From reading her interview on ESPN, I think learning all that choreo week after week would be a tremendous problem for her (due to post-concussion memory struggles), but she certainly likes a challenge, so maybe.