2021 Cranberry Cup Senior Women SP

[peibeck]

Alysa beat Mariah on PCS....

Mariah had a lot of back threes, crossovers, hand movements and head shaking as her choreography and transitions. So I have zero issue with Alysa getting the PCS edge. Plus Alysa has made huge improvements in the last two seasons.

 

[honey]

Wow from the protocol Schizas averaged at 0 GOE on the lutz and even got +0.49 on the improvised combo! Too bad most of us didn't see it LOL

It’s funny, her coach posted a practice clip on Instagram today before the event and it was of a 3L+3T combo. I take from that that she practices that as a backup often.

Score low though for no real “error”. Not huge GOE on anything and missing levels on spins and footwork. PCS pretty tame too.

 

[Debbie S]

I don't know if this is a Vimeo problem or a problem with SCoB's internet connection.

I'm now trying to watch the Senior Men's FS on the recorded feed from the other rink earlier in the day and it's freezing every 5 seconds. My guess is Vimeo.

 

[floskate]

Alysa beat Mariah on PCS....

As she should have! Despite the freezes, what we did see of Bell's program showed it to be as devoid of actual skating choreo as Liu's is chock full of it.

 

[emilieh]

Really grateful to be able to watch this online today, feed freezes and all. I had planned to be there, but ended up having to stay home. Continuing to be impressed with Liu's progress this year, and how nice for Rydberg to have a great showing despite not being one of the favourites.

 

[wickedwitch]

Mariah had a lot of back threes, crossovers, hand movements and head shaking as her choreography and transitions. So I have zero issue with Alysa getting the PCS edge. Plus Alysa has made huge improvements in the last two seasons.

Oh, I totally agree. (I would have made the gap larger.) But I wasn't sure the judges would go there.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

Did she fall on the Lutz?

Just not the most solid landing. Don’t think she could have gotten a triple on their. Moving the combo was very good thinking on the fly.

Alysa beat Mariah on PCS....

Definitely fair to me.

Alyssa looked really good here. Liked the program so far and it doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard. Her expression is excellent and her ice coverage has improved.

Mariah looks like she’s being given someone else’s programs. It doesn’t matter that Adam didn’t choreograph it, it still feels like a program for Adam. It doesn’t fit her at all and it’s uncomfy to watch. I feel like she’s regressing.

Audrey Shin has great ice coverage and expression. She’s very watchable!

I wish Amber would pick a different program. I feel like they’re all the same emotionally. It’s getting old.

Loved Gracie’s dress. I wish she could bring the same jumps to the competition that she can bring in practice.

I can’t do PBP. I can’t really ID jumps, so I’m useless to everyone, otherwise I’d try.

 

[Wyliefan]

It's such a pity that Mariah came on so strong between Olympics but now she's getting stagnant. I hope her scores here are a wakeup call. She still has time to do something about this program, or go back to one of her stronger ones.

 

[Karen-W]

So, is Raf here with Mariah or just Adam? If it's just Adam, then I think that says it all about the level of coaching Mariah's getting these days.

 

[feraina]

So do the replay videos become available at the end of the day? I'm bummed that I missed all the ladies SP action.

 

[jenny12]

Mariah should have just skated to Rain in Me. I think that would have been enough for a short program. She has a nice, polished look on the ice but the edits make this program incoherent IMO and it doesn’t feel like she believes in the program.

 

[maureenfarone]

Just not the most solid landing. Don’t think she could have gotten a triple on their. Moving the combo was very good thinking on the fly.



Definitely fair to me.

Alyssa looked really good here. Liked the program so far and it doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard. Her expression is excellent and her ice coverage has improved.

Mariah looks like she’s being given someone else’s programs. It doesn’t matter that Adam didn’t choreograph it, it still feels like a program for Adam. It doesn’t fit her at all and it’s uncomfy to watch. I feel like she’s regressing.

Audrey Shin has great ice coverage and expression. She’s very watchable!

I wish Amber would pick a different program. I feel like they’re all the same emotionally. It’s getting old.

Loved Gracie’s dress. I wish she could bring the same jumps to the competition that she can bring in practice.

I can’t do PBP. I can’t really ID jumps, so I’m useless to everyone, otherwise I’d try.

I hope you have a great time watching the live skating!

 

[Sylvia]

I'm bummed that I missed all the ladies SP action.

Here are YT accounts that have copied videos from the vimeo livestream (glitches, freezes & all!): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxaGsiHQowqrIRwrbTRGcJA/videos

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcmZ4GAFVFeOquqp2jNv1Zg/videos

Maybe some better quality fan cams from the rink will turn up later... (eta) here's are 3 so far:
Alysa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFZD3BDzQSg
Mariah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88H0cVtOTJU
Amber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxIatpDWAY4

 

[feraina]

Here are YT accounts that have copied videos from the vimeo livestream (glitches, freezes & all!): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxaGsiHQowqrIRwrbTRGcJA/videos

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcmZ4GAFVFeOquqp2jNv1Zg/videos

Maybe some better quality fan cams from the rink will turn up later...

Thanks, Sylvia! You're the best!

 

[mackiecat]

Check out Judge 1’s PcS. She gave Schizas 5.75 for interpretation and Gracie Gold a 8. Her marks are all over the place. Even GOE are at times suspect.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Great choreography.

Ditch the lyrics immediately, Amber, it only distracts from the very familiar but dramatic music that every skating fan knows.

I just watched it...This is also the music ALexa and Brandon used last year??? I agree, take the lyrics out.

 

[Sylvia]

I just watched it...This is also the music ALexa and Brandon used last year??? I agree, take the lyrics out.

No, K/F never used this music. It's called "Circles" performed by Greta Svabo Bech, based on Ludovico Einaudi's "Experience" that's been quite popular with skaters over the years (eta: Angela Wang is the first skater I recall using "Circles" - it was her 2017-18 FS).

 

[jenny12]

No, K/F never used this music. It's called "Circles" performed by Greta Svabo Bech, based on Ludovico Einaudi's "Experience" that's been quite popular with skaters over the years.

When I first heard she was going to do “Circles,” I thought she was going to skate to Post Malone. I don’t know if that would have been better or worse.

As you mention, this music has been so popular with skaters recently but the name of it always slips my mind.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

So who went for the 3axel? Just Amber? Young??

Alysa, no?

 

[feraina]

Wow, wow, wow. Alysa looks amazing for this time of the season. Right on track for the Olympic season, I'd say. She doesn't just have the perk of the Canadian ladies but apparently their physique too! Puberty has mainly added strength to her thighs and back so far, it seems. Maybe Lori Nichol is showing her the secret recipe for Canadian ladies' success. Honestly, how is it possible that Canada has many fewer promising young ladies at the novice and junior than the U.S., and yet manages to have greater success at the international senior level (not just ladies but pairs, and this is often down to the ladies pairs skaters being able to do beautiful triples)? - they must be doing something right. Their ladies skaters always look very strong and fit, neither fragile-looking like the Russians nor under-conditioned-looking like some of the Japanese skaters.

Some said Alysa's jumps look "whippy" -- I find them more "cautious" than whippy. They are not the most powerful looking, sure (unlike say the top Canadian ladies like Rochette, Osmond, Daleman, although they also had trouble keeping them under control except at the peak of their careers). But which American lady has powerful jumps and is consistent anyway? I can't think of any. They are usually under-rotating or falling or both.

Maybe Canadian ladies can afford to jump more freely because of their relative lack of competition. Rochette and Osmond had very little doubt of making Worlds' & Olympics teams when they were at their peaks. They could afford to go for big jumps at competitions and so always had a lot of practice before the year-end big comps. Someone like Alysa, on the other hand, always has to watch her back. If she goes for too big and falls in a competition, even this brand new senior B that most people outside the US have never heard of, then she could lose big, like the opportunity to go to Nebelhorn and jump-start her senior career this way. I remember Johnny Weir said he regretted not trying quads more when he was a younger skater, because he was always afraid of not winning every competition, and eventually it was too late to ever get them consistent...

Also, given how she used to jump when she was 13-14, Alysa's come a long way. Many said her jumps would not survive puberty, but survive they sure seem to have done. Her coaches have done a great job of not only maintaining but improving her jumps during puberty. Given she has two male coaches who are not experienced in coaching young ladies in freestyle and certainly not getting them intact or improved through puberty, I'd say they're doing an amazing job! I'm still slightly skeptical of her coaching situation, but I guess they're doing all right given everything. I'm looking forward to seeing what she has in store for us all tomorrow.

 

[Karen-W]

So who went for the 3axel? Just Amber? Young??

Alysa, no?

Amber & You both went for the 3a and had it marked as UR. Alysa went for her planned 2A.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Amber & You both went for the 3a and had it marked as UR. Alysa went for her planned 2A.

Thanks.

Well, its an Olympic year and I guess if you want a chance with Team Russia start putting those 3axels out now...and I dont mind their scores they got today. Then hopefully in 5-6 months they got them out there fully!

Interestingly Amber and You both got 3.20 points for their 3 axel attempts.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Both Audrey and Paige making a case for TBD for SkAm

 

[feraina]

Wow, Amber had a gutsy performance. She seems to go all in with all her jumps all the time. Hopefully it will pay off for her at some point. I don't think she's "sloppy" like she's losing concentration or doesn't care or something. I think she's consciously choosing to go for big rather than safe, and this is what makes her feel good about her skating. Of course it took years for Rochette and Osmond to get there too, but I'd love to know what they or their coaches think it takes for a power skater to get to consistency.

I really enjoyed Audrey Shin. Sure her program seems a little generic, but she's a pretty complete skater. She shows great lines and joy on ice. She has great flow in her jumps (and if she can get her harder triple combos back she should be technically competitive, at least in the US). Who're her choreographers? Maybe if she can show some good results internationally (SKAM, hint, hint), she could somehow get an upgrade in choreography. How is Alysa, and in the past Gracie, able to get someone like Lori Nichol to be their choreographer, or someone like Shae-lynn Bourne for Nathan Chen & Ashley Wagner? Does USFSA lend some financial or logistical heft to make those collaborations happen? Not that everything Lori or Shae-Lynn touches turns into gold, but I feel like someone like Lori could make the Audrey's skating go from "pretty" to memorable and maybe even exciting, because she already seems to feel the music, has great awareness and control of her body, and shows joy on ice. Her current choreography just doesn't maximize her potential.

I just noticed Tammy is Audrey's coach. I'm surprised she doesn't have her shoulders too high when she's stroking/jumping like many of Tammy's skaters do (Richard Dornbush, Karen Chen). But I also see Rafael Arutyunyan used to coach her. I wonder when that switch happened...

I also rather enjoyed Shan Ashley Lin. She looked really good on the ice. A shame about the combo. She seems to have a lot of issue with her combos in competition. I hope she can clean them up to have a chance at the Olympics. Otherwise I guess probably it will be Chen Hongyi who will present China at the Winter Olympics? Chen seems to be a more consistent skater over all, but suffered in areas like skating skills and choreography. Speaking of an upgrade in choreography, she's now getting Lori Nichol's program. I hope she has a good skating skills coach as well.

 

[Frau Muller]

I’d have Audrey & Paige above Mariah at this point. Mariah being held up.

 

[Sylvia]

I just noticed Tammy is Audrey's coach. ... But I also see Rafael Arutyunyan used to coach her. I wonder when that switch happened...

Audrey Shin and her family moved from New York/Long Island where she grew up (one of her early coaches was Mary Lynn Gelderman, Samantha Cesario's coach) when she was around 12 to Southern California in 2016 to work with Arutunian's group and they then moved to Colorado Springs and Tammy Gambill in August 2018. Drew Meekins is her current choreographer. Tom Dickson choreographed her FS last season and she won the bronze at the domestic Skate America last year.

 

[peibeck]

Sorry, I don't want to slog through the US Women's thread... Anyone know why Amber Glenn's shin was heavily bandaged?

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Sorry, I don't want to slog through the US Women's thread... Anyone know why Amber Glenn's shin was heavily bandaged?

I couldnt tell....?... I had to watch on my phone and the feed kept cutting and freezing.

 

[peibeck]

I couldnt tell....?... I had to watch on my phone and the feed kept cutting and freezing.

I watched on my phone too, but it was pretty obviously showing through her tights. From the angle of the bandage, I wondered if she had accidentally cut herself with her blade.

Her movement didn't seem hindered today, but the girl has had so many tough breaks.

 

[kwanette]

Rippon didn't choreograph it, Cordero Zuckerman (aka Denili Fox) did.

Wikipedia has Adam as one of choreographers..
by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande
choreo. by Adam Rippon and Cordero Zuckerman