Alysa Liu cheer/fan thread

[Sylvia]

Congratulations to Alysa on winning the Cranberry International! I love her SP, and I especially LOVE her FS! Both programs feel 'Olympian' to me, and I really hope that she continues on this upward trajectory in the Olympic year!

Alysa's Cranberry Cup SP & FS videos were uploaded on the official videographer's YT channel recently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEEiI0ogdZk
She got her ISU TES minimums for Worlds in her senior international debut at Cranberry Cup (39.62 SP & 71.18 FS).

Article ahead of Alysa's ISU Challenger Series debut at Lombardia Trophy this week in Bergamo and Nebelhorn at the end of the month:

Alysa Liu: Youngest U.S. champ ever ready for senior international debut

The youngest skater to win the U.S. national championships, the now-16-year-old is ready for the step up to the senior ranks ahead of Beijing 2022, which has been her long-term goal.

olympics.com

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Congratulations to Alysa on winning her first ever Senior ISU Challenger event, on her first try! And what a debut! Alysa's FS especially was gorgeous!
Her PCS - there were no scores under 8, I believe she averaged about mid 8.50ish overall, and a judge or two in each category even scored her in the 9.00s! A brilliant outing for Alysa! Her jumps were all judged correctly, with a UR on her 3A and 3L-3Tcombo but she still received a near Olympic podium worthy FS score - and it's only September!

I'm very glad that Alysa has her 3A back, and is working on getting her Quad back - but I'm especially happy to see that an international ISU judging panel, in Europe, rewarded all of her hard work between the jumps with excellent PCS scores! If she's receiving scores from the mid 8s to 9s now, I'm excited to see how much higher they may go as Alysa improves with each passing month in the Olympic season and beyond! Hopefully, her jumps will also get better and better! She received 4s and 5s on some non-jump elements, and with her strong work ethic and determination, I am sure the GOE on her jumps will start to go up too! Alysa dazzled in her FS at Lombardia, I can only imagine how much more breathtaking it will be when she skates lights out with (a larger crowd) going wild! And, dare I ask, but did Alysa look a lot faster in her FS than at Cranberry? Or was I seeing things? I am so excited to see this young lady keep growing and improving with each passing season! ❤ My only teeny, tiny critique, and I say this with love, is that I wish Alysa's bun had been a bit tidier for her FS.
Should Alysa make it to the Games, she may not get on the podium, but this petite warrior princess has shown that she won't go down without a fight!

 

[Sylvia]

Just realized that Phil Hersh's article (published before Nebelhorn Trophy) was never posted in this thread:

A “new” Alysa Liu in a good place for a transformative season

Liu, now 16, is in the best headspace of her career and displaying a more mature style of skating just in time for the Olympic season.

olympics.nbcsports.com

Excerpts:

It was evidence that, at age 16, Liu has suddenly gone beyond the image of jumping prodigy that once captured her skating.
“That transformation was the goal for this season,” said Massimo Scali, who heads Liu’s three-person coaching team, which now includes Jeremy Abbott and Lorenzo Magri. Liu trained at Magri’s skating school in Egna during most of June and the time between the Lombardia Trophy and the Nebelhorn Trophy that begins Thursday in Oberstdorf, Germany.
“She needed to be presented as something that wasn’t just jumping,” Scali continued. “One thing that impresses me, and that I keep reminding her about, is to get to that level of change and maturity normally takes years, maybe a full Olympic cycle. Now there are times already when see her on the ice, and Jeremy and I and Lorenzo look at each other and go, `Wow, look at what she became.’”

She is faster, more powerful, better at expressing movement and emotions that fit the choreography Scali created to two imposing pieces of classical music, the gypsy dance from Minkus’ ballet, “Don Quixote,” for the short program and excepts from Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto (deftly assembled by Hugo Chouinard) for the free skate. Such music, especially the Tchaikovsky, would have overwhelmed the artistically callow Liu who won U.S. titles in 2019 and 2020.
“They are programs that really gave me the feeling of an Olympic season, of a new Alysa who could arrive at an elevated level of feeling and interpretation,” Scali said.

Sonia Bianchetti of Italy, a longtime International Skating Union official and judge, went to Lombardia Trophy as a spectator. She came away very impressed by Liu, whose total and free skate scores were second best ever by a U.S. woman, with easily her highest component scores ever internationally.
“She skated very well both in the short and the free,” Bianchetti said in an email. “All her jumps are very well executed, effortless, high and long. She has also beautiful spins. What is even more important for me is that she glides well on the ice, with deep edges, and she moves her hands and body according to the music. She is very elegant considering her age.”

Throughout all the on-the-fly changes in Liu’s life over the past couple years, one part of her trajectory went off just as planned. She finished high school in June, at age 15, freeing her mind and schedule of academic commitments until she begins college applications later this fall.
That has given her more time to bike and hike with friends, play volleyball with her family, and learn more about the world outside the rink. “I didn’t see the big picture of anything,” Liu said.
She would like to begin driver’s ed, especially since a Toyota sponsorship announced last December provided her a Highlander Hybrid seventh months before she was eligible for a California driver’s license.

Jeremy Abbott was quoted in this post-Nebelhorn article published on TeamUSA.org (the section on Alysa is after Vincent's): 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 [Oct. 29-31], 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]

NBC Bay Area's 2-minute video feature before she makes her Grand Prix debut in Vancouver :

Meet Alysa Liu: 16-Year-Old Olympic Figure Skating Hopeful From the Bay Area

An East Bay figure skater has her eyes set on the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

www.nbcbayarea.com

Back then, she was 4 feet 8 inches tall. Now, she's 5-foot-2.
"I had to change up my technique. I had to work more on height instead of just pure rotation," Liu said. "I worked on it for like a good year, working on exercises. So, now that I’m doing axels and quads again, I can do them like normal."
Liu's coach, Massimo Scali, said he gets chills watching her skate with so much beauty and strength.
"One of the most beautiful comments that we always get from judges is that you can feel her joy when she does what she loves to do," Scali said.

Direct link to the same interview on YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgVAvQpVb4c

Absolute Skating's article on Alysa (based on quotes by her and Scali at Cranberry Cup in mid-August?): http://www.absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=articles&id=2021alysaliu

Massimo also shared that it wasn't easy to find the right music for Alysa's free skate. "We had the concept in mind, the flying feeling, we wanted her to be this red crowned crane. We thought it was a beautiful concept, connecting her with her roots, because it is a bird that is unique, just in Asia. So, the concept was pretty easy. Finding the music was a little harder, because we wanted something light, but strong at the same time, and so we went through a few choices. This Tchaikovsky's concerto was so beautiful and powerful and light and free at the same time. So, we think we picked the right program. Part of the process was also thinking, what is effective, what is recognizable, what is an Olympic program. Both programs are very classical, but so well-known, so strong and powerful. We wanted something that people could connect right away with."

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

She is amazing. She listened to her critiquers and got to work. Her growth as a skater this past year is almost Kwan-like from 95 to 96. I am so impressed by her. Hopefully she's clean this weekend, and a silver medal would be nice.

 

[Sylvia]

Fan Zone article by Darci Miller (Oct. 26):

Liu to Make Senior Grand Prix Debut at Skate Canada with the Olympics on the Horizon - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

When the world was first introduced to Alysa Liu, she was winning the junior title at the 2018 U.S. Figure Skating Championships as a 12-year-old, becoming the youngest

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

ETA:

People article based on her Team USA (virtual) media summit appearance on Oct. 18:

Figure Skater Alysa Liu Says Balancing Sport and Social Life Is 'Easy' Because She Skates with Friends

Hopefully, in just under 100 days, Alysa Liu, 16, will be competing in her first Olympic Games as a member of Team USA's figure skating team

people.com

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Alysa going for triple Axels and a quad Lutz at Skate Canada?! I'm here for it! GO ALYSA! ⛸⛸

 

[Frau Muller]

Congratulations to Alysa on a very creditable 5th place (4th in SP) in her Senior GP debut at Skate Canada 2021...against an extraordinarily difficult field of women.

Keep up your great progress and transformation, Alysa! On to Beijing soon, I bet.

 

[Frau Muller]

Cheers to Alysa for a fabulous fourth place (3rd free skate!) at her 2nd GP - NHK!!!

Fifth at SkCanada and fourth at NHK. Great start on her way to Beijing 2022!!!!

Great attitude and smile, too. She’s become quite the performer. Cheers!

 

[love skating]

Way to go Alysa! Just a pesky point away from a medal, if just one q/ur was cleaner maybe she'd have the bronze. Hopefully that just fuels the fire too clean up those jumps for next time. I just love her spirit!

 

[Sylvia]

Just saw that Hersh tweeted this update on Jan. 19: https://twitter.com/olyphil/status/1483854648087916544

Alysa Liu’s coach, Drew Meekins, just told me skater back in Colo and “has been training and feeling well.” Liu made Olympic team after withdrawal from US Champs after 3rd in SP because of Covid pos. She drove from Nashville to CS with father & was cleared to train mid last week

She made an appearance on the TODAY Show (with Hilary Knight) on January 20 - video is embedded:

Alysa Liu reacts to being called the 'Simone Biles of figure skating'

The 16-year-old figure skater is carrying U.S. Olympic hopes, but says she doesn't worry about living up to expectations.

www.today.com

She shared this photo on her Instagram wearing the Polo Ralph Lauren official Opening Ceremony uniform: https://www.instagram.com/p/CY9EX83Llzr/

NBC Olympics profile (Jan. 4):

Meet the Athletes: Alysa Liu

Team USA's national champion figure skater Alysa Liu seeks to compete at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

www.nbcolympics.com

 

[Frau Muller]

ALYSA ROCKED HER GYPSY DANCE SP TODAY AT THE BEIJING 2022 OLYMPICS!

She’d be in the top 5 if Russia did not exist.

Alysa is looking great, too…height, hair, dress, etc. Glad that she didn’t change her programs in December, as was being rumored.

 

[Frau Muller]

Nice NBC sports article on Alysa, before tomorrow’s Olympics free skate:

Alysa Liu, no longer doing quads, finds greater meaning in figure skating

The quads might be gone, but U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu takes it all in stride during her debut at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

www.yahoo.com

 

[Spun Silver]

After all the worries about her, it was great to see her skate clean in the SP and with her wonderful smile!

 

[Sylvia]

NBC Nightly News' 2/14/22 broadcast featured Alysa & her dad (includes a taped interview at the Oakland Ice Center with a sweet exchange between them ):

Skating sensation Alysa Liu is ready to reach new heights at the Olympics

Team USA figure skater Alysa Liu became the youngest women’s national champion in history at just 13. Over the last three years, she’s faced the challenges of changing coaches, growing up, and testing positive for Covid. Competing in Beijing is personal for Liu, whose father was a student...

www.nbcnews.com

Olympic figure skater and #RLxTeamUSA athlete #AlysaLiu invites us into her world through our @TeamUSA Virtual Reality Journey and reflects on why she skates
"Since I was younger, my dream was to go the Olympics" [video]: https://twitter.com/RalphLauren/status/1494069075831508993

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Great job by Alysa in the SP! It was a joy to see her beaming smile out there! Should've been higher in the standings imo, but what a terrific Olympic debut! I'm so proud of her, and all of our clean skaters! As expected, she's the topped ranked American going into the FS!

Have fun in the FS Alysa! And KICK ICE!

 

[Spun Silver]

Great job by Alysa in the SP! It was a joy to see her beaming smile out there! Should've been higher in the standings imo, but what a terrific Olympic debut! I'm so proud of her, and all of our clean skaters! As expected, she's the topped ranked American going into the FS!

Have fun in the FS Alysa! And KICK ICE!

Actually, I didn't expect it.

 

[Sylvia]

ALYSA LIU CONTINUES LIVING THE OLYMPIC DREAM, ON AND OFF THE ICE by Lynn Rutherford (Feb. 17): https://www.teamusa.org/News/2022/F...s-Living-The-Olympic-Dream-On-And-Off-The-Ice

Following the competition, Liu brightened the masked faces of every weary reporter within earshot.
“Everything has been really crazy,” the two-time U.S. champ said. “Oh my god, me and my friends, we all made it here, so I got to go around the (athlete’s) village with them — before the competition even started — so it was already fun. And then we’ve all had really good programs, and we get to hang out after. I can’t believe how fun it is here.”
With that, Liu turned to one of her occasional training partners — Young You of South Korea, who placed sixth — to laughingly ask, “We hate each other, right? We’re enemies.”
“I like you,” You cheerfully replied.

“But Alysa adjusted pretty well — she was focused on training, she was step-by-step getting more comfortable,” [Viktor] Pfeifer said of the weeks leading up to Beijing. “One part that is important is just her spirit, passion and motivation, and honestly, that was a big focus, too. Because when she is in the mind frame where the passion is there, and she is ready to work and enjoy it, then she is capable of so much. The technical part is not that complicated, because she is just a really good athlete.”

 

[hoptoad]

Alysa!

I'd love to see her pull a Kimmie Meissner at worlds. I had to look it up and Kimmie was 6th at the Olympics before her win at Worlds. But I'd be over the moon for her if Alysa could medal at Worlds this year.

Mostly I hope she is able to reflect on her skating experience positively overall. I'd love to see her continue, but we'll see what she decides . . .

 

[DreamSkates]

Congrats to Alyssa in two great programs!

 

[Sylvia]

Alysa has been invited to skate in the gala exhibition!

Jimmy Roberts is interviewing her (a bit awkwardly) now on USA… she mentioned that her next comp. is Worlds and that she plans to keep working on her 3A but not quads.

ETA:

In this SF Chronicle article by Ann Killion (Feb. 5), Stanford, Cal & Barnard in NYC are mentioned as her “top choices” for college:

How Richmond’s Alysa Liu navigated twisting journey to Beijing Olympics

Nothing much has gone as predicted for Alysa Liu. Except this: The 16-year-old Richmond...

www.sfchronicle.com

 

[Scott512]

That was a very good Olympics from Alysa. She has a lot to build on.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

Have Olympic Ice on in the background and Alysa says she didn’t plan an exhibition program, so Jean-Luc is choreographing one for her now during the gala practices.

 

[Wyliefan]

I love how the U.S. team is parenting Alysa. Maddie Hubbell did her makeup, Nathan was feeding her snacks during the pairs short, and now this. It's so sweet.

 

[Allskate]

I love how the U.S. team is parenting Alysa. Maddie Hubbell did her makeup, Nathan was feeding her snacks during the pairs short, and now this. It's so sweet.

This makes me very happy, too. I loved it when Mariah ran out after Alysa's free skate, gave her a big hug, and told her how proud she was of her. I think it's great that Alysa has such a good role model, not only in Mariah, but others as well. Being able to get advice from them about her skating career, her academic career, and her health and wellbeing will be so valuable to her over the coming months and years.

 

[Karen-W]

I too am really loving how the rest of this very experienced team are taking Alysa under their collective wing and giving her so much support. Hopefully this will help encourage her to continue skating competitively. Her skating is just so joyful and her smile radiant when she's feeling happy and centered.

 

[Spun Silver]

Have Olympic Ice on in the background and Alysa says she didn’t plan an exhibition program, so Jean-Luc is choreographing one for her now during the gala practices.

Jean-Luc? This could be anything!

 

[Wyliefan]

Her gala number became a whole group project! https://twitter.com/missingvm/status/1495259262024622080?t=pJDT1C9WS79t-b67KL6f1A&s=19

 

[skatfan]

And her roommate has been Madison Chock! So lovely that these senior US skaters supported her so strongly. Loved the program and Jean Luc should start choreographing for more skaters

 

[Sylvia]

Just uploaded on “the official Korean account of the Olympic Games” - Alysa’s gala performance to ITZY’s “Loco”! https://www.instagram.com/tv/CaoKNb5jgol/