U.S. Women [#1]: The Contenders Unmask Themselves

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olympic

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Seeing the results today from the JO, Alysa Liu is well positioned it seems against the JPN ladies, although Rika was not there ...

ETA - I didn't want to make a statement before seeing the JPN ladies, but I think Alysa is one of a few candidates to snatch a Bronze at the Olympics should one of the RUS ladies fail. It's a long shot, but there is a path. I think she can go head-to-head against the best JPN ladies. I think she can beat the #4 Euro lady, Louena Hendrickx. I'm not sure where the KOR ladies are but they have been underperforming lately. CAN is still developing its top lady. Someone like Trusova could overextend herself, as we have seen, so it's getting interesting ...
 
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Sylvia

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Is Alysa currently training in Italy, or is she back in the Bay Area?
I assume she is back training in Egna (Lorenzo Magri is listed as one of her coaches in her ISU bio) since I saw an Instagram story of Jeremy Abbott skating there yesterday and an IG story with Massimo Scali in Verona over the weekend.

Abbott was quoted in this post-Nebelhorn article (scroll down to Alysa's section): https://www.teamusa.org/News/2021/S...-Ensure-US-Third-Olympic-Figure-Skating-Spots
“The triple axel has been a big part of the daily training,” said Abbott, who trains Liu alongside primary coach Massimo Scali and Lorenzo Magri. “She is able to land it every day (in practice). Now, we are working to make it as clean and as consistent as her other elements.” [...]
“Heading into Skate Canada, the goal is to add the triple axel into the short program, and to continue polishing and expanding the artistic side of her skating,” Abbott said. “(We want to) add more grade of execution and maximize the points in every aspect of her skating.”
 

Sylvia

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Results from last week's JGP Baltic Cup in Gdansk:
4 Clare SEO 174.86* 3 (62.19*) 4 (112.67) - her 2nd half 2A+1Eu+3F scored 11.16 points
6 Mia KALIN 154.73 5 (58.83*) 7 (95.90) - 4T< fall, 4T<+2T (7.25 points); 2nd half 3Fq+1Eu+3S scored 10.14 points
* new ISU PB

Congrats to Isabau Levito and Lindsay Thorngren on qualifying for the JGP Final :cheer: (ISU announced yesterday that all the JGP gold medalists will qualify this year).

Isabeau and Kate Wang are competing in the 7th & final JGP in Linz, Austria -- SP is on Friday & FS on Saturday.
Kate's public high school in SF featured her on their Instagram account after her 6th place finish in Krasnoyarsk: https://www.instagram.com/p/CUjDB7plitN/

I came across this article from last month on Lindsay that was published before she competed in her 2nd JGP in Slovenia:
After an impressive sixth-place finish in the senior ladies event at the 2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, a major boost to Thorngren’s skating came in April when she was named a recipient of the Mabel Fairbanks Skatingly Yours Fund, which supports the training and development of promising BIPOC skaters. Honored in the Up and Coming category, she joined Starr Andrews as a recipient of this award named for Mabel Fairbanks, the first African American person to be inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.
“It means a lot because Mabel did a lot for skating and recognized talent,” said Thorngren, whose mother is from the Dominican Republic. “I’m inspired by her story.”
Thorngren, 15, is coached by Julia Lautowa and Nina Petrenko, and her choreography is done by Petrenko and Benoit Richaud. She credited Richaud with helping her present a more mature style. Prior to the competition in Courchevel, she attended an 11-day training camp in France that she found both informative and motivating.
“I like competition a lot and I like the competitive environment,” said Thorngren, who is an honor student at Montclair High School. “I like to push myself to become better and to be the best.” [...]
Her goals for this season are to continue improving. “Hopefully land my triple Axel clean at a competition,” she said. “I’m trying to improve all my skills and make everything better. I want to make the Olympic team.”
Karen and Amber will compete at Finlandia Trophy this coming weekend (Saturday & Sunday).
 

Sylvia

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Excerpt:
A few weeks after the camp, many novice and junior skaters competed at the 2021 U.S. Novice and Junior Challenge Skate in Norwood, Massachusetts, held in conjunction with the 2021 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic Sept. 16-19. Like the Development Camp, the Challenge Skate gives young skaters an opportunity to skate on a big rink and take in the atmosphere of an international competition. This year’s edition, the 10th, had some standout performances, among them that of the novice ladies champion Phattaratida Kaneshige, who landed seven clean triple jumps in her free skate.
The Challenge Skate athletes also participated in workshops and even got a tour of the stunning new Skating Club of Boston Tenley Albright Performance Center from Olympic champion Albright herself.
“These are things the kids will remember forever,” Dillon said. “They got to watch Alexandra Trusova practice! This kind of program keeps the kids inspired and motivated … we want them to be competitive and make friendships that can last forever.” [...]
U.S. Figure Skating might be able to expand the competitive structure and have even more events like the annual Challenge Skate, Dillon said.
“It would be really nice to utilize this as a way for people to go head-to-head and have that adrenaline and stress in a good way, to learn how to fuel those competitive fires to deliver the goods repeatedly through the year.”
Re-posting here from the Kiss & Cry (the above article reminded me):
Phattaratida Kaneshige (Broadmoor SC) scored over 100 points in her Challenge Skate Novice FS! She represented Thailand 2 years ago in U.S. club competitions and has since been "drafted" by USFS (in their Athlete High Performance Development Pool) and is coached by Tammy Gambill and Damon Allen (he's with her in Norwood since Gambill is at Autumn Classic).
Kaneshige won the event and was credited with cleanly landing all 7 of the triples she attempted (3Lz+3T, 3F, 2A, 3Lo, 3Lz, 3T, 3S+1Eu+2F) - link to the FS protocols: https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2021/30181/SEGM006.html
Kaneshige starts skating at 1-hour-28-mins.-30 secs. in the FS replay video: https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/watch/?Archive=2586
 
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Sasha'sSpins

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I assume she is back training in Egna (Lorenzo Magri is listed as one of her coaches in her ISU bio) since I saw an Instagram story of Jeremy Abbott skating there yesterday and an IG story with Massimo Scali in Verona over the weekend.

Abbott was quoted in this post-Nebelhorn article (scroll down to Alysa's section): https://www.teamusa.org/News/2021/S...-Ensure-US-Third-Olympic-Figure-Skating-Spots
I love that they're especially focused on further improving Alysa's component scores! It seems from the interview that the quad won't be a feature this season, unlike the triple axel.
 

olympic

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I love that they're especially focused on further improving Alysa's component scores! It seems from the interview that the quad won't be a feature this season, unlike the triple axel.
Probably a smart move. Why focus on the quad when it's not really guaranteed that the RUS women are going to successfully land multiple quads? Of course they are favored, but someone like Alysa or the JPN ladies can lie in wait with solid programs if they overreach.
 

shuilee

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Is Isabeau Levito age eligible for Olympics?

I think she's on the same track as Polina Edmunds in 2014. Based on SB scores, Isabeau is #2 best US women behind Alysa Liu? Maybe she could win silver at Senior Nationals!
 

Karen-W

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Is Isabeau Levito age eligible for Olympics?

I think she's on the same track as Polina Edmunds in 2014. Based on SB scores, Isabeau is #2 best US women behind Alysa Liu? Maybe she could win silver at Senior Nationals!
She isn't, so she won't pull a Polina Edmunds on us; but she could finish 2nd at Nats, though I think Lindsay Thorngren could also be a surprise silver medalist, especially if she lands her 3A.
 

AngieNikodinovLove

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She isn't, so she won't pull a Polina Edmunds on us; but she could finish 2nd at Nats, though I think Lindsay Thorngren could also be a surprise silver medalist, especially if she lands her 3A.

Is Lindsay age eligible?
 

AngieNikodinovLove

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Oh wow, interesting. So if things to continue to progress the way they are maybe Lindsay would be the Polina … This cycle
 

Jammers

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Can we get Levito to Jeremy and Massimo so they can work their magic with her like they did with Alysa on her speed and power and just basic skating? Without those same improvements and tweaking her jump technique i don't see her making it through a big growth spurt like Alysa did. But i bet the other US senior ladies are glad Isabeau wasn't born about 9 months earlier with the way she is skating and with the way they are skating.
 

ЭPiKUilyam

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Oh wow, interesting. So if things to continue to progress the way they are maybe Lindsay would be the Polina … This cycle
I really hope it is. This quad has been so disappointing for US women. Only Bradie has really made a mark. Time for the youngsters. I can see the placements at USN as Liu, Levito, Thorngren, Tennell, and then any of Chen/Bell/Glenn. I suppose I'd be happy if it's Liu, Thorngren and Tennell for the Olympics. It's not like after Liu there is any hope of a medal or final group placement. Give it to an up and comer, like they did with Karen four years ago. Maybe this time it will work out better than with Chen, who has been a total disappointment this last quad, this Worlds notwithstanding.
 

olympic

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Pre-pandemic, Bradie snagged bronze in a well-skated 2020 4CCs, scoring north of 220 points behind Young You and Rika Kihira. I would like to see her regain that form. Actually, I would like to see Mariah Bell back in shape like in 2019-20. US ladies would be formidable if those 2 could pull it together, along w/ Isabeau and Lindsey
 

Sylvia

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I was encouraged to see Karen improve almost 30 points from Autumn Classic to Finlandia Trophy! :)

6 Karen CHEN USA 202.49 6 6 (134.99 FS) - stood up all 7 of her triples today (2 < & 2 q calls), receiving 10.42 pts for her 2nd half 2A+1Eu+3S, plus all level 4s for her steps & spins

10 Amber GLENN USA 183.46 10 10 (122.70 FS) - landed 4 triples (3F & 3Lo twice) & 2 2A (did not try 3A today; 3A<< fall, landed good 3F+3T & 3Lo in her SP yesterday but missed her layback spin entry & received no points)
 

Sylvia

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At JGP Linz yesterday, Isabeau Levito set 3 new ISU PB/SB scores (71.32 SP, 136.99 FS, 208.31 total) in winning the silver medal. :)
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9c9qZJd_mo
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh2ALuWphOY
On to the JGP Final, along with Lindsay Thorngren (I expect her to get an ISU Challenger so she has the opportunity to get her senior minimums).

Kate Wang finished 6th for the 2nd straight JGP & broke 60 points for the first time (60.10) internationally in her SP to the Violin Fantasy from Ladies in Lavender (choreo. by Massimo Scali): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4nVj2nbqGg
 

DreamSkates

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She isn't, so she won't pull a Polina Edmunds on us; but she could finish 2nd at Nats, though I think Lindsay Thorngren could also be a surprise silver medalist, especially if she lands her 3A.
Cool. A very unpredictable Nationals. Almost wrote "totally" but I think Alyssa is out to win and Bradie doesn't have proven 3A. But ya never know. Ice is slippery, etc. etc.
 

Marco

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So it turns out it is Lindsay (and not Karen) who got closer this weekend to meeting the US Olympic team criterion of matching the top 5 score from 2021 Worlds. Time will tell if she can 'maintain' this level of scores.
 

Karen-W

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So it turns out it is Lindsay (and not Karen) who got closer this weekend to meeting the US Olympic team criterion of matching the top 5 score from 2021 Worlds. Time will tell if she can 'maintain' this level of scores.
Where was Lindsay competing? Isabeau Levito and Kate Wang were at JGP Austria while Karen & Amber were at Finlandia. And Starr was the only senior skater of note to compete at the first US Nationals qualifying competition this past weekend.
 

Karen-W

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Nice to see people crapping on Karen again. And people are surprised when skaters come out years later and say they felt disposable and not supported.
Personally, I was thrilled to see her skate so well today, especially after her disastrous ACI competition. She's set herself up nicely for the GP, if she can maintain the upward trajectory.
 
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