U.S. Ladies [#24]: Starr-Ting Order/Detailed Classification

[Sylvia]

Angela Wang has withdrawn from Nationals , as posted on her IG today: https://www.instagram.com/p/BslxAhLH9_h/

Absolutely devastated to have to withdraw from the US Championships due to illness and injury...while I focus on my health and recovery, I want to wish the best of luck to everybody competing in Detroit. I hope you all have an incredible week and enjoy every moment of a great event! : @ajtlpictures

 

[Coco]

Ugh...

 

[WillyElliot]

She changed from Don't Rain on my Parade? I didn’t know that. I like that program and was looking forward to seeing it at Nationals.

The only SP I saw from her this season besides DROMP was her at the Asian Games, where she interpreted really well a Spanish/flamencoish program. Sharp, quick moves, and she is such a good performer who moves so well it negated her small size and age. DROMP just accentuates. This would be a really cute show program for her, she skates to the music extremely well, but to compete at Sr Nats with this? It's the wrong vehicle for her. Then again, this will be the end of her season anyway, but I was hoping she'd really challenge for the gold. I just don't see it anymore. But hey ice is slippery. Anything could happen.

 

[Tinami Amori]

The only SP I saw from her this season besides DROMP was her at the Asian Games, where she interpreted really well a Spanish/flamencoish program. Sharp, quick moves, and she is such a good performer who moves so well it negated her small size and age. DROMP just accentuates. This would be a really cute show program for her, she skates to the music extremely well, but to compete at Sr Nats with this? It's the wrong vehicle for her. Then again, this will be the end of her season anyway, but I was hoping she'd really challenge for the gold. I just don't see it anymore. But hey ice is slippery. Anything could happen.

She is doing a great job performing in DROMP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u8TRsmn4F0
But i too like Flamenco better for her style and in general. DROMP's music i find very un-melodic, irritating to the ear, and the harmony of the song "has no harmony", just a bunch of sounds without order, just notes, notes, notes all over and no rhythm... And yet Alysa looks charming performing it.

 

[Sylvia]

"Spanish Flame" was Alysa Liu's SP last season when she won the Junior title and she kept it though the Asian Open Trophy (Adv. Novice international) in early August 2018.

ETA: Her current SP to "Don't Rain on My Parade" (Barbra Streisand) was choreographed by Rohene Ward and debuted, IIRC, at her home club's competition in September.

 

[dee342]

"Spanish Flame" was Alysa Liu's SP last season when she won the Junior title and she kept it though the Asian Open Trophy (Adv. Novice international) in early August 2018.

I love her Spanish Flame program. I like the way she skated last year's FP to Les Miserables but I'm kind of, actually really tired of Les Miserables plus that music is heavy and it reminds me of Todd Eldredge who I love but he never skated up to it. I like her LP this year to music from Witches of Eastwick a whole lot better.

 

[demetriosj]

Not sure about that. From 2013-16 Ashley and Gracie were a guarantee to finish on the podium and were far and above the best two US Ladies. In those 4 years it was like Kwan vs Sasha.

Like Kwan vs Sasha?! Not by a longshot...........

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

I adore Don't Rain on My Parade. I've loved it for skating ever since one of the Canadian senior ladies used it at SC a few years. I said immediately that someone should poach it. I loved it when Young You used it last year. And I love it on Alysa. It brings out her strength of personality.

You've detailed exactly why it is such a good fit for Alyssa. I am sad to hear her team ditched it.

Both of her programs (DROMP and The Witches of Eastwick) really showcase her versatility as a performer and musical interpreter, too.

 

[Dobre]

You've detailed exactly why it is such a good fit for Alyssa. I am said to hear her team ditched it.

Um . . . my impression is that she didn't ditch it. That that was just a misunderstanding from someone earlier in the thread? But the conversation is a bit mangled so maybe I missed it? My impression is that she didn't "ditch" anything. She just skated last year's program for an extra several months and then had a new SP to Don't Rain on My Parade choreographed for this season. I liked Spanish Flame, but I thought she did it as well as she could at Nationals already. And I love Don't Rain on My Parade because it suits her personality on the ice so well.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Um . . . my impression is that she didn't ditch it. That that was just a misunderstanding from someone earlier in the thread? But the conversation is a bit mangled so maybe I missed it? My impression is that she didn't "ditch" anything. She just skated last year's program for an extra several months and then had a new SP to Don't Rain on My Parade choreographed for this season. I liked Spanish Flame, but I thought she did it as well as she could at Nationals already. And I love Don't Rain on My Parade because it suits her personality on the ice so well.

Thanks for the heads-up.

I just checked out her short program to Spanish Flame from the 2018 National Championships, and that was a great routine, too.

 

[Sylvia]

Baltimore Sun article by Edward Lee: Pikesville resident Ting Cui, 16, ready to compete among top US skaters

 

[Wyliefan]

Somehow I hadn't realized that Ting lives (or lived) so near me! Always fun to root for a local.

 

[kwanatic]

Angela Wang has withdrawn from Nationals , as posted on her IG today: https://www.instagram.com/p/BslxAhLH9_h/

So many vets are out this year: Ashley, Mirai, Gracie, Karen, Angela...

Sad, yes, but I'm excited for some newer competitors to get out there and make their mark.

 

[chipso1]

Ashley Lin is no longer on the competitor list for nationals (updated today): http://2019uschampionships.com/cont...e-Skating-Championships-Competitors-Jan14.pdf

 

[Wyliefan]

Oh no! I like her. Wonder if it was illness or injury.

 

[Clutz]

This is going to be the smallest group of ladies since 1995 when 16 made it to Nationals.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

This is going to be the smallest group of ladies since 1995 when 16 made it to Nationals.

That was the year the last-placed skater from 1994 made the top group in 1995, and skated a respectable competition, too.

 

[DimaToe]

Alyssa Liu reminds me of Nathan Chen in 2016, but unlike Chen, Liu will be given all the points. The world team seems all but obvious at this point. Regardless of who wins it seems like Bell and Tennell will go to Saitama.

 

[olympic]

Ashley Lin is no longer on the competitor list for nationals (updated today): http://2019uschampionships.com/cont...e-Skating-Championships-Competitors-Jan14.pdf

Oh No. I think Lin was the US lady w/ the 5th highest score this season. This makes it a little bit more about just Tennell, Bell, Liu and Cui.

 

[Spun Silver]

Oh No. I think Lin was the US lady w/ the 5th highest score this season. This makes it a little bit more about just Tennell, Bell, Liu and Cui.

Amber Glenn is certainly getting an opening. Let's see what she can do with it.

 

[Maximillian]

Always keep in mind that Courtney Hicks is capable of beating everyone in the field...she probably won't, but she has occasionally shown that she has the goods.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Always keep in mind that Courtney Hick is capable of beating everyone in the field...she probably won't, but she has occasionally shown that she has the goods.

I'm not a massive fan of her skating, but Hicks performed better than she has in a long time in the free skate at the NHK Trophy. She produced a solid 5 triple routine, including a gigantic triple flip-triple loop. Her only errors, if you can call them that, were doubling the triple lutz and the triple salchow in sequence with a double Axel.

 

[olympic]

I agree Glenn and Hicks have the power and talent to be in the mix. Problem is, they very rarely are because they take themselves out somewhere along the way in any given competition.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

I agree Glenn and Hicks have the power and talent to be in the mix. Problem is, they very rarely are because they take themselves out somewhere along the way in any given competition.

Agreed. They also need to skate clean, because when they don't, their level of performance tends to drop like a rock.

 

[kwanatic]

I'm not a massive fan of her skating, but Hicks performed better than she has in a long time in the free skate at the NHK Trophy. She produced a solid 5 triple routine, including a gigantic triple flip-triple loop. Her only errors, if you can call them that, were doubling the triple lutz and the triple salchow in sequence with a double Axel.

The sad thing about Courtney is she's been in the running for a podium spot going into nationals the last 4 years in a row. She often performs well on the GP (or at least better than most) but she is cursed when it comes to the SP at nationals. She shoots herself in the foot and takes herself out of the race at the very beginning.

Maybe with so many competitors out she will be able to focus more and get through the SP without any issues. Her goal should be to make it to the FS without being in a hole. If she can manage that she'll have a good shot at the top 5.

 

[Coco]

I wonder what the selection committee will do if Hicks and Glenn both skate lights out and either Bell or Tennell finish out of the top four.

 

[Vagabond]

I wonder what the selection committee will do if Hicks and Glenn both skate lights out and either Bell or Tennell finish out of the top four.

Send Ashley Wagner to Worlds?

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

The sad thing about Courtney is she's been in the running for a podium spot going into nationals the last 4 years in a row. She often performs well on the GP (or at least better than most) but she is cursed when it comes to the SP at nationals. She shoots herself in the foot and takes herself out of the race at the very beginning.

Maybe with so many competitors out she will be able to focus more and get through the SP without any issues. Her goal should be to make it to the FS without being in a hole. If she can manage that she'll have a good shot at the top 5.

With most of the attention potentially on Liu, Tennell, and Bell, perhaps Hicks can sneak in under the radar and skate up to her potential.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

I wonder what the selection committee will do if Hicks and Glenn both skate lights out and either Bell or Tennell finish out of the top four.

Ring Jeff Gilloolly?

 

[VGThuy]

Watching Hicks, you see she really does have the power and glide to be internationally respected and competitive and her jumps are huge. She has the qualities that I always complain about coaches not teaching our American ladies at a young age and thus putting them at a disadvantage when they compete against skaters from other countries. I don't know what it is, but she seldom gives clean or even clean-ish performances. She's never had that undeniable skate yet.