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

[DimaToe]

At this point it seems like U.S. Nationals will be the Bradie Tennell show. The battle for the 2nd U.S. Worlds spot seems to be as wide open as it could be so there is that to look forward to

 

[Tinami Amori]

I really liked Bradie's R/J programme, the choreo, the execution, and the dress, yes the dress too. At first i did not see Romeo and Juliette, then it hit me, it is not the Shakespeare's later century softer version with comedy, it is the old "Montagues and Capulets" legend version from Dante's Purgatorio.. And Bradie's costume is very fitting.. and the "harsher" movements too..
http://www.castlesandmanorhouses.com/pics/italy_02.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8a/74/de/8a74ded23b104f4fd3b5a713b9181fda.jpg

 

[aftershocks]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8TW_ZrzOUQ Bradie sp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HZKEcq8uOw Bradie fp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDYPlXLsWbY Starr sp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbZioli1HIQ Starr fp

 

[her grace]

I think it's highly likely that Pooja is getting a Challenger. She has a top 10 summer score, and if the fed is sending Ashley Lin to Nebelhorn (genuinely not trying to be shady), Pooja will most definitely get a CS. She wasn't going to make the JGPF in the first place with an 8th place, so why not give her some WS points in a senior competition? Even better, assign her to the one in Austria or Tallinn and she gets a bye to her first senior nationals.

Good thoughts.

I will note that Lin's score at her international junior B (158.53) was only two points less than Kalyan's JGP score (160.60) so they're both deserving of a Challenger.

For the late challenger events, Amber Glenn has the second-best American CS score (166.25) behind Tennell--she should get another one. Kalyan and Cui should get one to get their senior international minimums. For byes purposes, I would try to thin out Mids, which looks packed once again.

Looking ahead to sectionals, here's the ladies who have scored 140+ in domestic summer competitions.
Easterns: Wessenberg*, Munger, McBeath, Ikenishi, Cui, Biechler
*Does Wessenberg get a bye for being on the GP or is the rule that you need 3 intl events to get a bye when the dates don't conflict?
Mids: Miller, Shi, Bautista, Glenn, Harrell, Kalyan, Lin, Chan
Coasts: Nakahara, Do, Kulik, Liu, Venetta, Shilling

 

[Sylvia]

Cross-posting from her fan thread... Bradie doesn't tweet much so it's nice she shared her Autumn Classic podium photo (medal ceremony took place off the ice) from last night : https://twitter.com/bradie_tennell/status/1043468525556441089
"And that's a wrap on the first competion of the season! So proud of the programs I put out here, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the season brings!"

Also posted in her fan thread is Lynn Rutherford's Friday recap article from Autumn Classic:

https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018...-medvedeva-at-autumn-classic-hanyu-leads-men/

The U.S. champion, sixth in the world last season, has set an ambitious goal: “I want to be a whole new skater, unrecognizable from last season.”

“There are some things that need to be tweaked, but I love the program,” Denise Myers, who coaches Tennell in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, said. “It showed a more mature, different side to Bradie, which is what we are striving for this year.

ETA Bradie's quote from Rutherford's 9/20 Autumn Classic preview article:

“I’m definitely more confident in myself and what I’m doing,” Tennell says. “I believe in myself a lot more. I don’t think I’m as timid. I’m really working on not being as shy, just kind of letting my personality come through in everything.”

 

[Tinami Amori]

“I’m definitely more confident in myself and what I’m doing,” Tennell says. “I believe in myself a lot more. I don’t think I’m as timid. I’m really working on not being as shy, just kind of letting my personality come through in everything.”

I really liked and like Bradie since last season. She does not wag her tongue and does not create issues around herself. Just works and works hard, and thus the results and the obvious improvements.

 

[layman]

Starr attempted an 8 triple program. That was so ambitious. If she were allowed, she could easily do a 9 or 10 triple program because she usually repeats her loop and flip, her best jumps.

Her 3 axel is getting closer to clean. She just needs to step up into it a bit more and pull in a little tighter in the rotation. Her Lutz has never looked better. I can tell she has worked hard on it.

I want her to work on her spins, her stroking and her stamina. As much as I love to her choice of music and choreography for the LP, the program seems to lack rest spaces (spaces to breath) so Starr seemed a bit winded by the end. She will need to get a lot more runthroughs under her belt to make the program look effortless (which an 8 triple program can hardly be).

Bradley looks flawless and in spectacular shape for this early in the season. If she keeps skating like this, her PCS (which is based on rep) should go up throughout the season.

 

[layman]

Sorry, the autocorrect changed Bradie to Bradley. Bradie is looking good.

 

[aftershocks]

Starr attempted an 8 triple program. That was so ambitious. If she were allowed, she could easily do a 9 or 10 triple program because she usually repeats her loop and flip, her best jumps.

Her 3 axel is getting closer to clean. She just needs to step up into it a bit more and pull in a little tighter in the rotation. Her Lutz has never looked better. I can tell she has worked hard on it.

I want her to work on her spins, her stroking and her stamina. As much as I love to her choice of music and choreography for the LP, the program seems to lack rest spaces (spaces to breath) so Starr seemed a bit winded by the end. She will need to get a lot more runthroughs under her belt to make the program look effortless (which an 8 triple program can hardly be).

Bradley looks flawless and in spectacular shape for this early in the season. If she keeps skating like this, her PCS (which is based on rep) should go up throughout the season.

Interesting observations about Starr, and thanks @layman! It's always great hearing others' assessments re particular nuances and jump details I don't notice or pay a lot of attention to. Your observations help put more pieces together for me re what needs fixing with Starr's fp. They do need to tweak the choreo and jump placements to give her some resting spots to increase her endurance. I hope Derrick will take that suggestion under consideration. In addition, as I mentioned before, I think Starr needs to feel the music more, and finding a rest spot could in fact be how and where she could get into expressing the rhythmic theme a lot more. Right now there seems to be a bit too much rushing through the program going from jump element to jump element. There's great potential with this program, and I really hope that Derrick will consider having Starr work with an African dance expert on finding a way to bring that creative style and expression more into this program. She needs to also get down into her knees more (which actually is a feature of African dance), and use more of her whole body, and pay attention to more nuances.

I also think Starr needs to work on stroking and perfecting her skating skills, as well as on jump consistency rather than trying to throw a lot of jumps in and missing on some of them and taking on so much, particularly over the course of the entire season. She's young, but she needs to pace herself wisely. It will bring more cred and benefits if she concentrates on skating clean and bringing out more performance quality, instead of being over-ambitious technically and making mistakes that lose her points and rep from the judges.

 

[NAOTMAA]

Wow congrats to Bradie She's the first non-Russian to beat Med. since.........????

 

[jlai]

I was wishing she didn't win as USFSA now will hype her to the skies. (((Pressure)))

 

[DimaToe]

Wow congrats to Bradie She's the first non-Russian to beat Med. since.........????

She’s the first! Hopefully this motivates her to keep up the hard work. Im truly impressed with how head on she’s addressed the weaker parts of her skating. There’s still room to grow but it’s obvious that Tennell didn’t waste any time this off season.

 

[toddlj]

I like her, but I wonder if anyone is regretting the choice of Wessenberg for SA? I still think (despite her inconsistency) Glenn would have been a better option. Or one of Wang/Hicks.

Challenger scores so far:
Tennell - 206.41
Glenn - 166.25
Hicks - 164.58
Andrews - 159.76
McBeath - 154.56
Wessenberg - 143.47
Nakahara - 143.07
McIsaac - 141.61

still to come: Bell, Lin, Wang

 

[DimaToe]

I like her, but I wonder if anyone is regretting the choice of Wessenberg for SA? I still think (despite her inconsistency) Glenn would have been a better option. Or one of Wang/Hicks.

Challenger scores so far:
Tennell - 206.41
Glenn - 166.25
Hicks - 164.58
Andrews - 159.76
McBeath - 154.56
Wessenberg - 143.47
Nakahara - 143.07
McIsaac - 141.61

still to come: Bell, Lin, Wang

It was a shot in the dark no matter who USFS chose TBH

 

[Sylvia]

For byes purposes, I would try to thin out Mids, which looks packed once again.

Looking ahead to sectionals, here's the ladies who have scored 140+ in domestic summer competitions.
<snip>

Also, McIsaac's highest total score this summer was 146 at the Philadelphia Summer International (I've heard she may have switched to a Pacific Coast club but for now she's still listed in the SW region/Midwestern section in my Scoretracker).

@her grace, I don't yet know if the "3 international assignments gets you a bye through Sectionals" policy is still in effect for this season (hoping to find out).

Excerpt from USFS Rule 2471:
Singles competitors qualify for sectional championships by:
A. Placing in the top four at a regional championship;
B. For junior and senior events, any Team USA skater who has been assigned to an international competition, regardless of whether it conflicts with their regional championship. Said skater would have the choice to compete at their regional championship but would not lose their bye to the sectional championship regardless of placement, nor displace a skater who might place in the top four at regionals if said skater was not entered;
...
F. Having won a sectional championship at the senior level the previous season.
Emmy Ma, Hannah Miller and Starr Andrews won their respective Sectionals last year.

The 3 Sectional Championships are Nov. 13-17, 2018.

Anyone assigned to the new ISU Challenger Inge Solar Memorial (Innsbruck, Austria November 11-18, 2018) will receive a bye through Sectionals.

Tallinn Trophy (Nov. 26-Dec. 2) and Golden Spin of Zagreb (Dec. 5-8, 2018) are the final 2 Challengers of the series.

 

[rinettoii]

I know a skater gets a bye to Nationals based on the proximity of an international assignment to Sectionals. Does anyone know how long this proximity extends to?

 

[Sylvia]

I know a skater gets a bye to Nationals based on the proximity of an international assignment to Sectionals. Does anyone know how long this proximity extends to?

In the past it used to be 7 days and up to 10 days for a competition in Asia. Nowadays the international bye policy seems to be more flexible and final approval is up to USFS' Competitions Chair.

Hicks and Wang (NHK Trophy, Nov. 9-11) should get the bye to Nationals and ditto for Gold because Rostelecom Cup is the same week as Sectionals (she switched to Iceworks SC/Eastern section this season).

 

[Prancer]

Competition discussion should be discussed in the Kiss and Cry. That's why the forum exists.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I was wishing she didn't win as USFSA now will hype her to the skies. (((Pressure)))

Except for the fact that Bradie doesnt seem to have nerves.... which is amazing!!!

The American ladies (well, lady) are back in business!!!!!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I still think (despite her inconsistency) Glenn would have been a better option.

Me too Toddikins!

 

[pairskatingfan]

Not sure why USFS felt pressured to assign the SA spots so early. While the dance was a no-brainer and the men was a solid choice, it seems like they could have waited until after the first set of CS events to assign the ladies and pairs.

 

[vesperholly]

Hicks and Wang (NHK Trophy, Nov. 9-11) should get the bye to Nationals and ditto for Gold because Rostelecom Cup is the same week as Sectionals (she switched to Iceworks SC/Eastern section this season).

But won't Gracie have to compete at South Atlantics first? It is Oct 3-6.

 

[concorde]

I was wishing she didn't win as USFSA now will hype her to the skies. (((Pressure)))

I actually the opposite it true for Bradie herself.

This gives her a HUGE boost in confidence. When was the last time a non-Russian outscored Med? I don't know but I think it has been 2 or 3 years. What this says is Bradie CAN compete with and beat the big guys.

Go Bradie!

 

[concorde]

But won't Gracie have to compete at South Atlantics first? It is Oct 3-6.

SA Groupings are out and Gracie is not listed.

Maybe she is still representing her old club in a different Region.

 

[Stephanie]

Not sure why USFS felt pressured to assign the SA spots so early. While the dance was a no-brainer and the men was a solid choice, it seems like they could have waited until after the first set of CS events to assign the ladies and pairs.

I think the ISU has a deadline for TBA's so that wasn't an option

 

[Sylvia]

But won't Gracie have to compete at South Atlantics first?

SA Groupings are out and Gracie is not listed.

Maybe she is still representing her old club in a different Region.

Thanks @concorde for the heads about Regionals groups (I will start my annual U.S. Regionals info/links thread in the Kiss & Cry section later). Gracie is not listed in her previous region of UGL either but AFAIK she is not required to compete at Regionals based on Rule 2471 section B (refer to post #195 above).

 

[jlai]

Except for the fact that Bradie doesnt seem to have nerves.... which is amazing!!!

The American ladies (well, lady) are back in business!!!!!

That's what they said about Nathan until the Olympic short happened.

 

[wickedwitch]

This gives her a HUGE boost in confidence. When was the last time a non-Russian outscored Med?

Med had never lost to a non-Russian.

 

[Sylvia]

I was wishing she didn't win as USFSA now will hype her to the skies. (((Pressure)))

Bradie dealt with pressure all last season. She is not a machine but I think she is capable of dealing with whatever comes her way. Staying healthy is the key.

 

[concorde]

Thanks @concorde for the heads about Regionals groups (I will start my annual U.S. Regionals info/links thread in the Kiss & Cry section later). Gracie is not listed in her previous region of UGL either but AFAIK she is not required to compete at Regionals based on Rule 2471 section B (refer to post #195 above).

Sylvia is correct that a skater with a bye will not complete so they will not be listed in the Grouping but I still believe they are required to register.

I was trying to figure out how many skaters progressed from qualifying round to final rounds so I was reading the competition rules. fyi - the top 4 in each group + the 4 skaters with the next highest scores reach the final round. My question was if the "4 skaters with highest scores" was triggered only if there were a certain number of competitors. The answer is more that there has to be enough skaters to create two groups and then the rule kicks in.