U.S. Ladies [#22]: No More Carrots!

[Willin]

Alyssa Liu doing a 3A-3T: https://www.instagram.com/p/BhWbxXwFnAK/?taken-by=theskatinglesson

The 3A may be a little UR, but it still looks great!

 

[Sylvia]

I mentioned that clip in the club shows thread earlier today.

Clip of Alysa Liu skating in the SC of San Francisco fundraiser gala this past Saturday: https://www.instagram.com/p/BhS4KNqF35v/

I found this in my Twitter mentions: https://twitter.com/EmilyG/status/982846108165586944

At the Skating Club of San Francisco Gala tonight 12 year old Alysa Liu tried a triple axel in her program and ended up falling right in front of Brian Boitano and Kristi Yamaguchi. She finished her program, then skated over, tried again, and landed it right next to them. ...
She then did a 3A-3T later, for her end trick.

Scroll down for an IG story-captured clip of her practicing 3A during the rehearsals (to give context for the clip re-posted above).

 

[Tinami Amori]

I like Alysa Liu (of all the US juniors the best), she has nice style.

 

[rosewood]

Woohoo for Alysa! One thing that I care is her speed is slow as a 3A jumper. Hope she'll work on her SS otherwise she'll lose her big tricks when she grows. Best wishes for her.

 

[Sylvia]

Hanna Harrell won the Junior Ladies silver medal at Egna Spring Trophy in Italy this past weekend (50.80 SP, 92.88 FS, 143.68 total) - her 3rd place FS (Mambo medley by Perez Prado): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm9MTv0Lkpw
Jumps: Rippon 3Lz< fall, Ripppon 3Lz fall, 1Lo, 2A-half loop-3S / 3F+3T-, 3F, 2A+2T; all spins level 4, steps level 3.
She skated a new SP to "Bla Bla Bla Cha Cha Cha" there.

 

[kwanatic]

Alyssa Liu doing a 3A-3T: https://www.instagram.com/p/BhWbxXwFnAK/?taken-by=theskatinglesson

The 3A may be a little UR, but it still looks great!

Definitely under-rotated but big a "E" for effort. I like that she's already working on the jump. Hopefully it will be something she can rotate and land competitively in a few years. With Trusova landing multiple quads and Kostornaia doing easy-looking 3As out of steps, the only way the US girls are going to keep up is to start going for the big tricks.

 

[WillyElliot]

I am very concerned about her axel technique.... Even a clean one couldn't do more than a +1, right? But wow for her for trying. I enjoy her skating already, and it will only improve. A glimmer of hope for USA!

 

[mag]

Definitely under-rotated but big a "E" for effort. I like that she's already working on the jump. Hopefully it will be something she can rotate and land competitively in a few years. With Trusova landing multiple quads and Kostornaia doing easy-looking 3As out of steps, the only way the US girls are going to keep up is to start going for the big tricks.

A has seen a few live and says she has definitely landed some clean ones. In fact, they are better than Mirai’s. She is also young enough to make it part of her program rather than having a big set up. I don’t think it will take “a few years” I could see her putting it out there next season.

 

[Bulletsdad]

A has seen a few live and says she has definitely landed some clean ones. In fact, they are better than Mirai’s. She is also young enough to make it part of her program rather than having a big set up. I don’t think it will take “a few years” I could see her putting it out there next season.

I agree. I predict Alysa will have three triple axel attempts at 2019 Nationals, one in the short and two in the long. The gold will be between her and Bradie.

 

[Debbie S]

I agree. I predict Alysa will have three triple axel attempts at 2019 Nationals, one in the short and two in the long. The gold will be between her and Bradie.

I predict Alysa will be staying Junior, like Nathan did even after he won. She is not age-eligible to compete internationally even as a Junior until fall 2019.

 

[Coco]

The only way that 3a can be better than Mirai's is because it isn't being done by someone with a checkered competition history and a giant target for callers on her back...yet.

 

[Marco]

I am very concerned about her axel technique.... Even a clean one couldn't do more than a +1, right?

Medvedeva and even Lipnitskaya got +1s and +2s on theirs.

 

[Frida80]

A has seen a few live and says she has definitely landed some clean ones. In fact, they are better than Mirai’s. She is also young enough to make it part of her program rather than having a big set up. I don’t think it will take “a few years” I could see her putting it out there next season.

She lack the height, power and flow of Mirai’s axel. Alyssa 3A reminds me of newbie 2As. Small, quick, and does the trick. As she gets bigger, she’ll be able to make them bigger and get some distance.

No rush. It’s impressive that she has it already. It’s a good benchmark for other girls rising up the ranks.

 

[chapis]

I just see this post from Karen in Canton https://www.instagram.com/p/BhZzC2rBOnt/?taken-by=karebearsk8. Do you think she will get choreography from Marina? Massimo is not there now. And her brother took the picture, he and his partner train there too?

 

[Frida80]

I just see this post from Karen in Canton https://www.instagram.com/p/BhZzC2rBOnt/?taken-by=karebearsk8. Do you think she will get choreography from Marina? Massimo is not there now. And her brother took the picture, he and his partner train there too?

Before Worlds in 2017, Marina redid her footwork sequence. I think she's also coaching Jeffrey. So both Choreography and a family visit are posible.

If she's getting her programs done, I hope she does Broadmoor. I'd like too see as many high level skaters there to see what the scoring system will be like.

 

[Sylvia]

Interesting excerpt from the end of a new Karen Chen article (link is posted in her messy Avanta Boots thread):

Chen wants to compete for the next four years to try to qualify for the 2022 Games in Beijing. But she also faces a big transition with applying to colleges that will determine where she trains.

Throughout the two-month Stars on Ice tour, she has been based in Canton, Michigan, where brother Jeffrey Chen trains as an ice dancer.

Karen said the University of Michigan is a possibility but she also will explore schools on the East Coast and the University of California campuses.

ETA excerpt re. her withdrawal from Worlds:

The skater wants to forget the 2017-18 season that had been a constant headache, including having to withdraw from the World Championships just days before it started last month in Italy.
Chen declined to explain why she didn’t compete a year after finishing fourth.
“It’s not that I am uncomfortable talking about it but it’s just that I have moved on from it,” the skater said. “It’s best for me to not talk about it anymore.”
The situation, though, had nothing to do with Avanta.
“I’m not one to back down and I’ve always been one to keep pushing and not be afraid to fail,” she said. But “we felt like with the circumstances it was probably best to sit it out and just figure things out.”

 

[Willin]

I wonder who she'd plan to train with. In Michigan, there's several coaches she could work with. The east coast depends on location. If she goes to UC Riverside or Cal Poly Pomona she could stay with her current team, but UCLA/Cal/Irvine/San Diego would require a coaching change unless she wanted a long commute. All in all I wonder if she's moving away from Tammy Gambill permanently.

 

[sammyf]

Happy to see Caroline in the 2018-19 ISP. http://usfigureskating.org/story?id=84156&menu=TeamUSA

 

[Sylvia]

Happy to see Caroline in the 2018-19 ISP.

Thanks for the heads up... I've started a separate thread for all 4 disciplines: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...ol-isp-skaters-team-envelope-criteria.103851/

Competed Senior at Nationals/Sectionals:
Starr Andrews
Maxine Marie Bautista [Mids 5th]
Mariah Bell
Karen Chen
Amber Glenn
Courtney Hicks
Tessa Hong
Ashley Lin [WD from Nationals]
Emmy Ma
Brynne McIsaac
Hannah Miller
Mirai Nagasu
Kaitlyn Nguyen
Bradie Tennell
Ashley Wagner
Angela Wang
Caroline Zhang

Competed Junior at Nationals:
Ting Cui
Hanna Harrell
Angelina Huang
Gabriella Izzo
Pooja Kalyan
Akari Nakahara
Jenna Shi
Audrey Shin
[Note: Junior champion Alysa Liu will be 13 in August and is still too young for ISU Junior competitions.]

Beverly Zhu [N1]

 

[Marco]

Ashley Wagner? Seriously?

 

[aftershocks]

Apparently, names of skaters who may be planning to retire or skip the season are included if they haven't made their plans official.

 

[skatepixie]

^That concept of a lady skater, whether endorsed by FC or anyone else, is pretty outdated, both societally and in the sport itself

Not sure where you would get that idea. The entire Olympic podium has elements of "that concept" in their skating, though Osmond probably the less so of the three. A champion should be graceful and elegant, and often those who can't pull it off (like Zagitova) are still packaged to give the illusion of grace and elegance. Kerrigan is another example of fake grace/elegance. Medvedva actually has it. Non-skating fan friends of mine can see it.

The problem is when a skater like Bradie doesn't have those traits to match the packaging. Now, with some ballet training, she could become the ice princess she seems to want to be.

 

[feraina]

Woohoo for Alysa! One thing that I care is her speed is slow as a 3A jumper. Hope she'll work on her SS otherwise she'll lose her big tricks when she grows. Best wishes for her.

It’s normal to go into a jump slowly when you are first learning it. As she gains more confidence and fluidity she’ll be able to add speed.

 

[Tinami Amori]

A champion should be graceful and elegant, and often those who can't pull it off (like Zagitova) are still packaged to give the illusion of grace and elegance.

I don't quite agree that such "package" is the only option or a goal for the ladies. We had champions/medalists who had an image of "spunky", "tough", "sexy/flirty", "power-houses", "modern/abstract", etc: Witt, Bonaly, Slutskaya, Daleman, Kostner, Leonova... I think maybe it is a standard concept for US girls, but not internationally..

Ashley Wagner? Seriously?

Her coach does not think she'll return....

"I don't think she (Wagner) could survive another four years, but one or two, she could if she wants to," Arutunian said. "But I am not going to force anybody.
"With her, it is not that easy. I always had to push her to get ready."

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2018/04/18/272677196

 

[skatepixie]

I don't quite agree that such "package" is the only option or a goal for the ladies. We had champions/medalists who had an image of "spunky", "tough", "sexy/flirty", "power-houses", "modern/abstract", etc: Witt, Bonaly, Slutskaya, Daleman, Kostner, Leonova... I think maybe it is a standard concept for US girls, but not internationally..

With the exception of Witt, who at least moved fairly well, the rest don't do a thing for me. Well, Kostner has good edges, if I ignore the rest, but I'm bad at that...

I don't think there's only one package that is elegant, but a graceless skater like Harding or Bonaly doesn't seem like a well-balanced skater to me. The US has had plenty of skaters without much grace: Harding, Kerrigan, Flatt, Hughes, etc. Even Kwan held her arms very poorly in my opinion, and had very muscled-looking elements at times (like her falling leaf). Kwan sold it well, though, but it didn't do much for me -- came off as hammy.

But the fact remains, even ladies without it try to pretend to have it -- case in point: Daleman, Tennell, Zagitova, etc.

One can be spunky or sexy or flirty and still be graceful. The power-houses and tough ones often have a harder time, and that style doesn't do much for me -- obvious athletic effort is less impressive than "making it look easy." Think of a ballerina -- they have amazing physical abilities, but don't dance like "look how tough I am," with a few modern exceptions.

 

[berthesghost]

Her coach does not think she'll return....
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2018/04/18/272677196

just when I think getting that a 7yo thinks a 52yo is 55 is the funniest thing, we have getting that Wagner is still on some list while breezing right past Nagasu's name like its no big deal her being on the same list.

 

[Coco]

But Nagasu posted a really good 3a on Instagram on 4/12 if I'm not mistaken.

 

[GullyGirl84]

Buy Nagasu posted a really good 3a on Instagram on 4/12 if I'm not mistaken.

That was a pinned post from Mirai's twitter from last year. But I did read on Twitter from someone who attended one of the first Stars On Ice shows recently that Mirai did a triple axel in the practice sessions. I would be less surprised about Mirai continuing than Ashley at this point, because she had said a few times this season that she would be doing more seasons...but only in the recent pre-worlds NBC interview did she sound more iffy. I think that Ashley probably will have a lot of non-skating opportunities. Mirai did say in a few of her DWTS press interviews that she thought that the show would improve her skating. I could see it going either way.

 

[clairecloutier]

There's a rumor on Twitter that the Chinese federation has approached some U.S. ladies of Chinese background to skate for them: https://twitter.com/pandaatlarge/status/986990074645495808

Ack!! I am hoping that none of our more promising U.S. juniors are involved ....

 

[aftershocks]

^^ The tweet references Chinese pairs and ice dance partnership changes, not Chinese ladies singles which is where China has the most lack! Oh boy, I suppose there will be a lot of unpredictable developments over the off-season.

Perhaps the Chinese fed is looking to improve their weaknesses in ladies singles and in ice dance, along with shoring up their strengths in pairs (while continuing to bank on Boyang Jin), so that they might contend for a team medal in Beijing 2020.