U.S. Ladies [#19]: Do You Know the Way to San Jose?

[Tinami Amori]

I hope her scores go much higher soon!

They will, the second she stops falling, and UR-ing, and then even "evil Russian conspiracy" won't hold her down.... Landing jumps and rotating usually does the trick...

 

[NAOTMAA]

Bell's getting pretty consistent at having little errors, but not a complete meltdown. It was nice to see her land the 3z-3t in the LP. The caller seemed a bit generous to Bell. Bell also didn't look completely comfortable with the choreography in either the SP or LP. Hopefully, that's due to late switches of programs. Her interpretive ability could help carry her a bit more even if she has some errors.

The third spot still looks wide open.

Well if Karen and Ashley continue on the path their currently on one could argue the national title itself is wide open

I think Mariah's "little errors but no meltdowns" is currently looking far better then what Karen or Mirai are currently offering and she's certainly offering something more fresh then what Ashley is. So Mariah Bell for national champion!!!

Its funny you say the caller was more generous to her because on the other forum they were saying the caller was pretty strict. I really do think the judges look at her and like what they see and are willing to reward her when she hits it but the only thing holding her back currently are her own errors. She is on the right path though and hopefully she continues on it

It is jarring to see how Mirai sets up for her 3axel. In the SP when she put her arms down she looks like she's in the warmup and just skating around the rink then she sets up the jump.

What you described sounds like someone who isn't totally confident in what their doing. It's not effortless and comes from lots of thinking and preparation. If she needs to do all that just to to attempt the 3A (with no guarantee of success) then she shouldn't be doing it in the competition at all.

 

[Seerek]

Wait, they couldn't get a guest vocalist to do a special recording of "Maria-(h)" for Bell's free skate?

The way she started that program, I thought Mariah was going to pay homage to Trifun Zivanovic (and perhaps Scott Davis).

 

[Marco]

I enjoy Mariah's short program and think it suits her well. Not a fan of her free at all. Too greedy to include too many cuts, and the pacing is weird. Sounds very unfinished. She seems to be having a lot of attack and going for everything instead of letting things pop, which is good. I wish she had competed in more summer / fall comps and accumulated more confidence already. If she wants to make the Olympic team, the performance here should have happened in September instead.

Mirai's 3axel setup is much more awkward than Mao's a few years back. She needs to think of a camouflage for that setup. Mirai has traditionally done better in her second GP and then even better at Nationals. I am not worried.

With Gracie and Polina going about the way they have been this season, the 3rd spot is very much realistically between Mariah and Mirai, with outside shots from Angela Wang and Bradie Tennell. So if Mariah also places better than Mirai at the second GP, she may be able to even out some of Mirai's advantage from her 4CCs medal last season and be at Nationals together on a clean slate.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I enjoy Mariah's short program and think it suits her well. Not a fan of her free at all.

Agree, agree, agree and AGREE!!!!!

I love Chicago (even way back when Jenny Kirk did it) Hmmm... now that i think of it they have a similar dress.

And I despise the music from WSS. Uggg... does that make me a bad gay??? Should I hand in my card?

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Well, I'm in the minority again! I LOVE WSS and I enjoyed Mariah's performance of it in her FS.

 

[haribobo]

Amber Glenn got Cup of China! Still no word on who gets the France spot though.

http://www.isuresults.com/events/gp2017/gpsladies.pdf
http://www.isuresults.com/events/cat03108231.htm

 

[Bellanca]

Mariah did a good job for her 1st GP event of the season. There is some rust and some fine-tuning that will need to occur, but she did well. Proud of her! Onward, Mariah. The sky's the limit!!

 

[DimaToe]

I’m hoping Hicks gets the TEB (sorry I know it’s not called that anymore ) spot. It’s just weird that someone that medalled on the GP last season had to wait for a withdrawal to get an assignment the following season.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Amber Glenn got Cup of China! Still no word on who gets the France spot though.

http://www.isuresults.com/events/gp2017/gpsladies.pdf
http://www.isuresults.com/events/cat03108231.htm

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it..

She may bomb some jumps, but she's damn exciting to watch IMO!!!!

 

[Coco]

I lurve Amber's fever so. That music cut in her face, though, is like audio warfare

 

[Sylvia]

Proof that Mr. Nicks is still coaching from time to time : https://www.instagram.com/p/Bao85iVBg5a/?hl=en&taken-by=courtneynhicks

Rohene Ward visited Courtney Hicks earlier this month to touch up her SP footwork: https://twitter.com/courtneynhicks/status/917761862359433221

ETA:

Courtney now is listed for Warsaw Cup (Nov. 16-19) and will receive a bye through Pacific Coast Sectionals to Nationals.

 

[Sylvia]

First look at Karen's self-choreographed FS to Slow Dancing in the Big City (1st practice in Regina): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWvo_j5X6cw
"The Ovation" track kicks in after the first minute or so and runs through the end of the program.

Courtney's "Amazing Grace" FS (3F+3Lo, 2A, 2Lz-half loop-3S, 3Lz, 3T, 3F): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQxJFXLTZtw

Ashley's SP run through this morning without jumps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfHCCsQMWPg

 

[Sylvia]

Afternoon practice session in Regina - Karen Chen's SP run through (3Lz+3T, 3Lo, 2A), Hicks' SP (3F+3Lo fall, 3Lz, 2A) Wagner's FS (incl. 3F+3T, 3Lo-half loop-3S, 3F, 3Lo fall, 3Lz): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VIQfs8aoiA

 

[olympic]

Afternoon practice session in Regina - Karen Chen's SP run through (3Lz+3T, 3Lo, 2A), Hicks' SP (3F+3Lo fall, 3Lz, 2A) Wagner's FS (incl. 3F+3T, 3Lo-half loop-3S, 3F, 3Lo fall, 3Lz): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VIQfs8aoiA

Ashley's jumps look good and tight! On point! Even the big combos

ETA - 'Tight' meaning air position, not landings!

 

[petro]

As disappointed as I was that Ashley went back to Moulin Rouge, watching this training clip above actually has me excited to see it again... she seems so INTO it even just in this run through that it's hard for me not to get into it too. Hoping the choreography is sharpened up and as fresh as possible.

 

[artsciboy]

Ashley's jumps look good and tight! On point! Even the big combos

Definitely! The jumps are totally there even at this early point in the season - so colour me impressed. Ashley is looking far stronger than she did all last season. Ashley just has to focus on the music and stay relaxed when the competition starts. Sending her positive vibes!!!

 

[bardtoob]

It is jarring to see how Mirai sets up for her 3axel. In the SP when she put her arms down she looks like she's in the warmup and just skating around the rink then she sets up the jump.

I am thinking it is sort of the Tuktamysheva strategy for inserting the 3A.

I would not actually mind it so much if Mirai (or Tuktamysheva, for that matter) did just as the are now but with the blinding speed that Ito and Harding used to enter the 3A . . . Ito and Harding did not do much in terms of choreography into the 3A but their speed was impressive. Mirai (and Tuktamysheva and Mao) enter the 3A too cautiously for my taste. They should be entering it with speed approaching what the men do when entering a quad.

 

[Sylvia]

USFS' 3-minute feature on Ashley Wagner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuCz2_UhgT0

 

[Xela M]

How harsh were the judges to Ashley

 

[Lizziebeth]

Rock LeMay is quite a name. (JMHO)

 

[bardtoob]

How harsh were the judges to Ashley

Was it like Nagasu last week?

 

[FSfan107]

How harsh were the judges to Ashley

Well both the toe and loop were short.

 

[her grace]

How harsh were the judges to Ashley

Don't hate! Rotate!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

hmmmmm...well...

what if we have an Oly Team of Hicks, Chen and Tennell.

YASSSSSSSSSS I'm speculating...... but...... what if?

 

[Sylvia]

There's a poll here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/2018-us-ladies-olympic-team-poll-oct-2017-version.102075/

Nice job, Courtney! 64.06 in SP & 4th place (British Eurosport): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEo-uEU71Wk

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Ash totally coulda been in 5th place if that last layback spin wasnt a dud.

That layback kinda reminded me of Michelle Kwan's 06 layback.

 

[Clutz]

How harsh were the judges to Ashley

Ash totally coulda been in 5th place if that last layback spin wasnt a dud.

That layback kinda reminded me of Michelle Kwan's 06 layback.

What I do not get about Ashley is how she loses the snap during competitions. I really do not mean in her jumps but the rest of the program. In her practices, she is so sharp with her movements but in competition, she seems to be kind a slow by comparison (to herself I mean). She admits spinning is something she hates but in practice, she seems to get more rotations and better positions...I just do not get it.

But as one said, do not hate: rotate. That 3T looked 2.5 so I think she got lucky there.

On that note, how did Courtney get credit for a 3-3 when she did a three turn between jumps? We see so little of that these days but I thought that doing such invalided the combination or at least would count as a -3 GOE. Anyone with knowledge on the rule of that?

 

[Willin]

Those judges were brutal to everyone (but Katelyn). TBH though Ashley didn't look as energetic in this program as she had in the past. I wasn't that impressed with her here. Maybe she needs to get back to borrowing Marissa's dress?

@Clutz I'd have to look up the official rule change, but it does still count as a combination. The hit comes on the GOE. I think they changed/clarified the GOE for each jump mistake (ie. fall vs. hand down vs. step out) before the season.

 

[Sylvia]

On that note, how did Courtney get credit for a 3-3 when she did a three turn between jumps? We see so little of that these days but I thought that doing such invalided the combination or at least would count as a -3 GOE. Anyone with knowledge on the rule of that?

"2 three turns in between (jump combo)" is supposed to be -2 GOE. Courtney did one 3-turn in between the 3F & 3Lo.