U.S. Ladies [#23]: Triple Axels? What a Novice Idea!

[Carolla5501]

Only Pooja has skated in a JGP this season. Ting is schedule to skater in one later this week. Either of those could have been bumped up to Senior before the season started.

Perhaps they didn't want to "bump up" to Senior??? I realize this is hard to accept but we honestly don't know what's best for the skater LOL!

 

[Marco]

Well Mirai skated at the JGPs the same season that she won Sr Nationals. So perhaps Pooja is skating senior at Nationals? I don't think she is old enough for the big comps anyway.

 

[Dobre]

Pooja has never skated on the JGP before. She is getting the experience. Ting had only done one JGP event before this season. She is also gaining experience. Both girls only moved up from novices last season. Pooja, Ting, Alysa, and Hanna Harrell are all competing in seniors domestically. As far as I've read on this thread, they all appear to be planning to skate as seniors at Nationals.

 

[Marco]

We are all excited to see up and comer jumping talents with some flair / up and coming beautiful skaters with 3/3s

 

[concorde]

Perhaps they didn't want to "bump up" to Senior??? I realize this is hard to accept but we honestly don't know what's best for the skater LOL!

Well both skated Senior domestically this year so they already have their Senior programs.

Skating JGP means they also have to have Junior prograns.

Here is my thought. USFS probably asked them in the Spring what level they wanted to skate internationally. I assume both said Junior since they thought there were not good enough to snag a Senior slot (nothing against them or their skating and in "normal" years that is probably a really good decision since they just came out of Juniors). Now then fast forward a couple of months and between the retirements and injuries, it now looks like the ARE good enough the get one of the Senior slots.

This is a really weird year.

 

[mag]

It is not just a matter of “snagging slots.” There are points to be considered as they affect start orders and there is also development. Jumping right into senior international competition without any or much junior international competition can be tricky. These skaters, I am sure, all have their eyes on 2022. Making a splash on the Junior Circuit, taking a season to gain some experience, and then moving up to senior sounds like a solid plan.

 

[her grace]

Cui was also adjusting to changing coaches; otherwise, perhaps she would have made the leap. Liu and Harrell are too young. Kalyan had never competed a JGP. I think Zawadzki was the last American age-eligible skater to skip JGP and go straight to GP (but she competed at and medaled at junior worlds first).

 

[concorde]

Usually there is a tier above them so it makes doing the jump next to impossible. Go back 4 years and you had Gracie, Ashley, and Polina at the top and Miriah and Mirai sitting in the wings with newbie coming in (like Karen). This year your top three are Bradie, Mirai (taking the year off),and Karen (currently in a boot). Miriah and Starr are in the wings, Amber and Meegan are working on getting to the wings. Who else is there - Katie, Brynne, and Angela. Not sure where Gracie is. Did I forget any Senior ladies?

Athletes have a prime time and sometimes you only get one change. Life happens so why should they not go for it when the stars align?

2022 is 4 years away. Between now and they it takes an awful lot of time and money to stay in the game. Let us not forget the potential for injuries. Figure skating is not for the weak.

And the skaters below these ladies are, as a group, overall much stronger than this group. I predict that 4 years from now our top senior ladies will be young (none will be over 21).

 

[Firedancer]

Usually there is a tier above them so it makes doing the jump next to impossible. Go back 4 years and you had Gracie, Ashley, and Polina at the top and Miriah and Mirai sitting in the wings with newbie coming in (like Karen). This year your top three are Bradie, Mirai (taking the year off),and Karen (currently in a boot). Miriah and Starr are in the wings, Amber and Meegan are working on getting to the wings. Who else is there - Katie, Brynne, and Angela. Not sure where Gracie is. Did I forget any Senior ladies?

Athletes have a prime time and sometimes you only get one change. Life happens so why should they not go for it when the stars align?

2022 is 4 years away. Between now and they it takes an awful lot of time and money to stay in the game. Let us not forget the potential for injuries. Figure skating is not for the weak.

And the skaters below these ladies are, as a group, overall much stronger than this group. I predict that 4 years from now our top senior ladies will be young (none will be over 21).

Karen is in a boot?

 

[Sylvia]

Karen is in a boot?

Yes - her photo at the OTC: https://www.instagram.com/p/BnWnYzchrXB/?taken-by=karebearsk8
This is why she recently withdrew from the U.S. Classic in SLC.

 

[Sylvia]

Ages of last year's Juniors (+Lin who WD from Sr.) at Nationals who've received international assignments so far this season:

Akari Nakahara, 16 (scheduled to make her ISU Challenger debut at U.S. Classic)
Ting Cui - turns 16 today
Pooja Kalyan - will be 16 in November
Ashley Lin, 15 (scheduled to make her ISU Challenger debut at Nebelhorn Trophy)
Hanna Harrell - will be 15 later this month
Alysa Liu - turned 13 last month

Also, (second year Senior) Brynne McIsaac turns 19 today and is scheduled to make her ISU Challenger debut at U.S. Classic.

ETA: Starr Andrews turned 17 this past June and this is her first full season as an international senior.

 

[Firedancer]

Yes - her photo at the OTC: https://www.instagram.com/p/BnWnYzchrXB/?taken-by=karebearsk8
This is why she recently withdrew from the U.S. Classic in SLC.

Thanks!

 

[kalle]

Usually there is a tier above them so it makes doing the jump next to impossible. Go back 4 years and you had Gracie, Ashley, and Polina at the top and Miriah and Mirai sitting in the wings with newbie coming in (like Karen). This year your top three are Bradie, Mirai (taking the year off),and Karen (currently in a boot). Miriah and Starr are in the wings, Amber and Meegan are working on getting to the wings. Who else is there - Katie, Brynne, and Angela. Not sure where Gracie is. Did I forget any Senior ladies?

Athletes have a prime time and sometimes you only get one change. Life happens so why should they not go for it when the stars align?

2022 is 4 years away. Between now and they it takes an awful lot of time and money to stay in the game. Let us not forget the potential for injuries. Figure skating is not for the weak.

And the skaters below these ladies are, as a group, overall much stronger than this group. I predict that 4 years from now our top senior ladies will be young (none will be over 21).

As far as I am aware, Mirai has not confirmed she is sitting out the whole season? I read somwhere she is training again and I would not be that surprised (if everything goes well training wise this autumn)that she make an attempt for a "comeback" at Nationals. But perhaps I am wrong here and that she has no intention to compete anymore?

 

[Sylvia]

As far as I am aware, Mirai has not confirmed she is sitting out the whole season?

Correct.

 

[concorde]

Still for the purpose of GP events, she is sitting out all season.

 

[Marco]

Karen is in a boot?

Hope she doesn't have... boot problems.

But seriously, hope she recovers soon.

 

[skatingguy]

Hope she doesn't have... boot problems.

But seriously, hope she recovers soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcYppAs6ZdI

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting from the JGP general news thread and replying here:

Do you think the US will give the 3 ladies a 2nd chance or will they substitute in a new lady?

I am thinking that 50/50 Ting may get a second chance. I expect substitutions for the other two. Why not give at least 2 more Junior ladies some international experience.

I assume USFS has criteria in place that skaters need to fulfill in order to get a second JGP (specific criteria usually will change from season to season). Pooja had a better SP and scored 4 points higher than Ting overall but placed 8th to Ting's 5th. Neither has a chance to make the JGP Final but could use the additional international experience competing in the tough JGP fields.

Hanna Harrell had to withdraw from #4 Canada due to injury (replaced by Gabriella Izzo) and we don't know if she will be recovered in time to compete in a later JGP.

Two of the JGP alternates, Ashley Lin and Akari Nakahara, already have been assigned to their first ISU Challenger/senior internationals.

The next 3 high scorers in Junior this summer who are listed as JGP alternates are Sarah Jung (who scored higher in June than she did in early August), Emma Coppess and Emilia Murdock -- the latter two competed head-to-head in the FS Final at Glacier Falls and the top 3 were Audrey Shin 104.44, Coppess 100.69, Murdock 97.75.

I believe USFS evaluates the skaters' technical content as well as scores when it comes to making international assignments.

 

[Sylvia]

Angela Wang and Emmy Ma are on the entry list for the final ISU Challenger, Finlandia Trophy, before the start of the Grand Prix season. Angela skated well in Espoo last year, finishing 4th.

 

[her grace]

It looks like Ma was moved to Finlandia after originally being assigned to Autumn Classic, but then showing up as only a sub on the Classic entry list. The ladies' field in Canada has 24 entrants, and I bet Canada only allowed the U.S. to send two ladies to not add another warm-up group/zam break.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

Am I correct in that there are no Bs coming up for Gracie...

I'm hoping she's got at least one or two triples mastered

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Am I correct in that there are no Bs coming up for Gracie...

I'm hoping she's got at least one or two triples mastered

Me, too.

By not easing into the season first, it's like opening on Broadway without the benefit of an out of town tryout.

 

[Coco]

It's after 9/1...did she register for Nationals?

My guess is she doesn't got to her GP event and maybe tries to qualify for Nationals.

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting here (from the FanZone website re-launched thread) since it's relevant news:

Interesting Angela Wang's bio listes Ravi Walia as her coach/Edmonton her training town. I saw he posted a small clip of her on instagram the other day, but didn't realize she'd made a permanent switch.

http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=55

This is a very recent move by Angela (she spent the majority of her summer in Sun Valley, Idaho where Ryan Bradley also was based for the summer shows there). From earlier in this thread:

My apologies if this has already been posted somewhere but Ice Palace FSC and Ravi, posted a short video of Angela Wang on their instagram page.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnO2KKDFRC3/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1egtr2jaqpwxm

ETA Angela Wang's program music as listed in her bio:

SP Music: "Praying” by Kesha (choreo. by Karen Kwan, Michelle Kwan)
FS Music: "Send in the Clowns” by Barbra Streisand (choreo. by Tanith White)

 

[Sylvia]

Megan Wessenberg was confirmed as the Skate America TBA selection earlier today by USFS (also listed on ISU website). Link to Wessenberg's Team USA bio: http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=97

SP Music: "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore
FS Music: Music from "The Friends of Mr. Cairo" by Jon and Vangelis
Choreographer: Jamie Isley

She had a good showing at the Glacier Falls Summer Classic club competition in late July - top 4 finishers in Senior Ladies were:
1 Alysa Liu 193.17 3 1 (129.57 FS 73.36 TES/56.21 PCS)
2 Ting Cui 186.80 1 2 (120.02 FS 62.11/57.91)
3 Megan Wessenberg 171.41 2 4 (105.61 FS 53.29/52.32)
4 Ashley Lin 167.06 4 3 (109.43 FS 54.73/54.70)

Top 2 ladies in the SP were Ting (66.78) and Megan (65.80) and I heard Megan cleanly landed 3T+3T, 3Lz and 2A.

 

[Sylvia]

Links to the Team USA bios of the other 6 Grand Prix ladies (Wang's and Wessenberg's are posted above):

Starr Andrews: http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=77

SP Music: “Summertime” by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
FS Music: “Jungle” by various artists
Choreographer: Derrick Delmore

Mariah Bell: http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=74

SP Music: "To Love You More" by Celine Dion
FS Music: "Piano and Experience" by Ludovico [Einaudi]
Choreographers: Adam Rippon (SP), Shae-Lynn Bourne (FS)

Post-Champs Camp 8/23/18 article (new link): http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.c...ey-hicks-leaps-to-altitude.aspx?path=rinkside

Karen Chen: http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=76

SP Music: "Fire Dance" by Jennifer Thomas
FS Music: "Illumination" by Secret Garden
Choreographers: Karen Chen, Rohene Ward, Massimo Scali [SP], Marina Zoueva

Karen posted about her new SP music & choreographer back on June 6: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjsbcpPFgo9/?hl=en&taken-by=karebearsk8
Post-Champs Camp 8/22/18 article (new link): http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.c...art-in-colorado-springs.aspx?path=figureskate

Gracie Gold: http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=52

Coaches: Vincent Restencourt, Pasha Filchenkov
Choreographer: Jeremy Abbott
SP Music: "I Put a Spell On You” by Annie Lennox
FS Music: “She Used to be Mine” by Sarah Bareilles [from the Waitress musical]

Courtney Hicks: http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=61

Coach: Kori Ade
SP Music: "I Found" by Amber Run
FS Music: "Pas de Deux" from The Nutcracker
Choreographers: Rohene Ward (FS), Jordan Moeller (SP)

Courtney recently tweeted/posted on her IG a video clip of her new SP and credited Jordan Moeller as the choreographer (she originally skated to this song for her Peggy Fleming Trophy artistic program back in June): https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnb4bH4ASWp/?hl=en&taken-by=courtneynhicks
Post-Champs Camp 8/23/18 article (new link) - scroll down: http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.c...ey-hicks-leaps-to-altitude.aspx?path=rinkside

Bradie Tennell: http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=49

SP Music: "Rebirth” by Hi-Finesse
FS Music: "Romeo and Juliet Medley" by Prokofiev
Choreographer: Benoit Richaud

 

[Marco]

Courtney skating to ballet?

 

[WillyElliot]

Courtney skating to ballet?

I'm glad you said it first! I was really impressed with her lightening her skating last year, but when I read that she was skating to Nutcracker I just thought "Oh, no!". The article I read wrote that she has 'trained in ballet'. Really? Or does taking the requisite one class per week count as 'training'? Oh well, she is older than the other US skaters, she should know what will work for her. I am quite skeptical.

 

[Willin]

As much as people on the TSL thread were complaining about TSL calling some skaters masculine or not cut out or feminine routines, I think there's some cases where that is the truth. The skaters aren't necessarily masculine (and calling them that is wrong), but are rather not cut out for those soft and stereotypically feminine routines just like some female skaters can't skate to big, powerful pieces of music.
Courtney's definitely one of those that can't do the soft feminine stuff. That doesn't mean there isn't some sort of feminine routine she could pull off well: maybe something like Game of Thrones, Hunger Games, or Xena would work for her. Both have female heroines, but less along the balletic side of things and more on the line of feminist warrior princess bada**es. I love powerful females and we could use more of that in skating.

Personally I really liked Courtney's "The Feeling Begins" SP choreographically and performance-wise, so I'd like to see her go more in that direction.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

Megan Wessenberg was confirmed as the Skate America TBA selection earlier today by USFS (also listed on ISU website). Link to Wessenberg's Team USA bio: http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=97

She had a good showing at the Glacier Falls Summer Classic club competition in late July - top 4 finishers in Senior Ladies were:
1 Alysa Liu 193.17 3 1 (129.57 FS 73.36 TES/56.21 PCS)
2 Ting Cui 186.80 1 2 (120.02 FS 62.11/57.91)
3 Megan Wessenberg 171.41 2 4 (105.61 FS 53.29/52.32)
4 Ashley Lin 167.06 4 3 (109.43 FS 54.73/54.70)

Top 2 ladies in the SP were Ting (66.78) and Megan (65.80) and I heard Megan cleanly landed 3T+3T, 3Lz and 2A.

Hmmmmm 105 versus Amber's 130 +?

I don't mean to be Debbie downer especially when my vacation is almost over but even though Amber tanked once this summer I still would've went with her.

Do you guys think has not done last summer competition Then State America would be hers?

I wonder if Courtney thought it was hers