U.S. Ladies [#26]: Bell, Boots, and Camel

[Coco]

Hmmmm... the more I think about it, being evaluated in June for events in October or later doesn't make since.

Perhaps the spot should be provisional until the skater meets a set standard by October 15 in an (international?) event? The 'comeback' option would not count as used unless the skater warmed up for the SP/SD.

I think GP spots should go to competitive skaters. 'Comeback skaters' should be given every opportunity to make the most of their comeback option.

It's a shame skaters have to use up their comeback option months before they know if they will be ready.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I wish there was a way for comebacks skaters to be evaluated before they get put in the pool as a comeback skater. Because if her practices don't go as they need to over the summer and in the early fall she will have wasted her one chance to use this come back skater status.

I totally agree. It is too easy for wants and hopes and "I can muscle through this" to get in the way of reality.

 

[her grace]

I'm a little surprised not to see Megan Wessenberg on the roster. I thought she rose out of the ranks pretty successfully last year. Maybe she'll get the SA spot... but then, I want Starr to get a second one so I'm torn.

I'm also surprised not to see Courtney. It's sad that she hasn't been able to fulfill her potential.

Here's where US ladies were on the SB list last season:
12 Tennell
14 Bell
19 Cui
38 Lin rumored to have switched to China
44 Hicks
46 Harrell, presumably staying jr
51 Andrews
59 Wessenberg
63 Glenn

It's pretty clear that USFS is not supporting Hicks anymore.

Andrews and Wessenberg have comparable season best scores so if summer monitoring is also comparable and SA comes down to those two, I'd give Wessenberg the nod so they both have a GP. Of course, if a skater is clearly at a higher standard than all the other contenders in summer monitoring, that skater should get the host spot.

 

[Coco]

And even if someone is on track, reality can get in the way in the form of an injury or some kind of life event. It's a shame if a star skater with a solid fan base uses up their opportunity when they can't make the most of it.

 

[vesperholly]

It's pretty clear that USFS is not supporting Hicks anymore.

Maybe if she hadn't imploded at Nationals. USFS has sent her out on the Grand Prix for the last 6 seasons. She's had so many chances.

 

[Frida80]

Here's where US ladies were on the SB list last season:
12 Tennell
14 Bell
19 Cui
38 Lin rumored to have switched to China
44 Hicks
46 Harrell, presumably staying jr
51 Andrews
59 Wessenberg
63 Glenn

It's pretty clear that USFS is not supporting Hicks anymore.

Andrews and Wessenberg have comparable season best scores so if summer monitoring is also comparable and SA comes down to those two, I'd give Wessenberg the nod so they both have a GP. Of course, if a skater is clearly at a higher standard than all the other contenders in summer monitoring, that skater should get the host spot.

Ashley? China? My heart is broken. She improved so much last year. China has deep pockets, so I guess this is the best shot for her to go the Olympics. I'll cheer her on regardless.

 

[Theoreticalgirl]

Maybe if she hadn't imploded at Nationals. USFS has sent her out on the Grand Prix for the last 6 seasons. She's had so many chances.

It doesn't appear that Courtney has a coach at the moment; neither her nor Jordan Moeller appear to have moved to Nashville/Ford Ice Center with Kori Ade. Without a stable training situation I wouldn't do her any favors either.

 

[Jarrett]

Here's where US ladies were on the SB list last season:
12 Tennell
14 Bell
19 Cui
38 Lin rumored to have switched to China
44 Hicks
46 Harrell, presumably staying jr
51 Andrews
59 Wessenberg
63 Glenn

It's pretty clear that USFS is not supporting Hicks anymore.

Andrews and Wessenberg have comparable season best scores so if summer monitoring is also comparable and SA comes down to those two, I'd give Wessenberg the nod so they both have a GP. Of course, if a skater is clearly at a higher standard than all the other contenders in summer monitoring, that skater should get the host spot.

Andrews beat Higuchi at the end of last season got a 187 so I would say she has a better chance of getting that spot pre-summer comps. She also lost to Izzo after so there's that too.

 

[Sylvia]

Starr Andrews' best scoring competition last season (but not counted as an ISU SB) was Challenge Cup in The Hague in late February 2019: http://kunstrijden.knsb.nl/2018-2019/20190221/CAT001RS.HTM
Top 4:
1 Rika KIHIRA JPN 208.34 2 1
2 Starr ANDREWS USA 187.69 3 3
3 Wakaba HIGUCHI JPN 186.24 4 2
4 Amber GLENN USA 180.91 1 5

I assume Andrews received a second post-Nationals senior international because she did so well in The Hague and she finished 2nd at Egna Spring Trophy in late March: http://www.fisg.it/upload/result/4754/CAT026RS.HTM
1 Gabriella IZZO USA 182.00 2 1 (her senior international debut)
2 Starr ANDREWS USA 170.79 1 2

Starr posted on her IG last night that she "will be portraying Salomé, in Dance of the Seven Veils" for her FS: https://www.instagram.com/p/By8_WMwpKxh/

 

[Sylvia]

Gracie is practicing her FS (last season's "She Used To Be Mine" by Sara Bareilles, choreographed by Jeremy Abbott) in these 2 clips posted by her coach yesterday & today:
https://www.instagram.com/p/By52q8JnX0A/
https://www.instagram.com/p/By-Y5VRHw3b/

 

[Tinami Amori]

Belated foto of Bradie Tennell receiving her certificate from Alexei Mishin's training camp.

https://i.imgur.com/WmJdWvW.jpg

 

[Vagabond]

I wish there was a way for comebacks skaters to be evaluated before they get put in the pool as a comeback skater. Because if her practices don't go as they need to over the summer and in the early fall she will have wasted her one chance to use this come back skater status.

Why wouldn't you want it to be the skaters call if they want to compete on the GP if they earn that right within the rules? Based on what happened last year this could be just a last hurrah before going to school full-time. Much like Gracie last year I have no idea why Karen even showed up for that senior B last season if she was still not up to it.

As much as I like the idea of letting the skaters make their own determination, I cannot see any good purpose served by Gold's going to Cup of Russia last season. I would rather have seen someone in the Top 75 of the previous Season's Best list go instead.

 

[natsulian]

The 2019-2020 season will be an insanely packed year for the ladies... the senior US ladies will need to pull out ALL the stops to ensure that they stay on pace with Japan, Russia, and now South Korea. Bradie is an exceptionally hard working skater and will need to discover great consistency and artistry to challenge the top ladies. Mariah will need a stable 3-3 and perform as though it’s Worlds... in every single competition because Ting will be knocking on the doors. Ting will need to find consistency and really stabilize herself in the senior ranks to even think about making a big splash. Starr will need to rework her jumps and attempt the more challenging 3-3 and really train the 3A to stay on course for Beijing. As for the Juniors, we have Alysa, Hanna, Gabbie, and maybe Calista who can earn JGP medals. Outside shots include Emilia and Isabelle. Thus, we have about six ladies capable of making splashes on the JGP while the Senior ranks will continue to rebuild. By Beijing, I hope that the Senior and Junior ranks will have caught up with the rest of the world.

 

[natsulian]

Mia Kalin practicing the 3A off-ice:
https://twitter.com/pauldeb891/status/1139825092534460416?s=20

She recently competed at the Spring Jubilee as a Junior and executed a clean short program consisting of a 3Lz-3T, 2A, and 3Lo. I’m not sure about the Long as there aren’t any information regarding that. Mia is also practicing the 3Lz-3Lo alongside the 3A.

 

[feraina]

Mia Kalin practicing the 3A off-ice:
https://twitter.com/pauldeb891/status/1139825092534460416?s=20

She recently competed at the Spring Jubilee as a Junior and executed a clean short program consisting of a 3Lz-3T, 2A, and 3Lo. I’m not sure about the Long as there aren’t any information regarding that. Mia is also practicing the 3Lz-3Lo alongside the 3A.

Who is this Mia Kalin?

 

[Sylvia]

Who is this Mia Kalin?

Some background info (she is coached by Vadim Shebeco in Oakland, CA): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...ll-boots-and-camel.105458/page-3#post-5569795
ETA a video posted on May 20th in this thread:

Just came across the new SP for one of the Juniors for this year, Mia Kalin (she is 11). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpfIyclLs3E&t=18s. Clean 3Lz-3T along with 2A and 3Lo.

 

[Willin]

@feraina Another skater out of Oakland like Alysa Liu. I think they have the same coach? I'm not actually sure. I've seen her with Alysa's coach but I don't think she's Mia's head coach. She's just as tiny as Alysa, but a lot more intense about skating (not that Alysa isn't, just that Alysa smiles a lot more - Mia looks like she's going for the kill all the time). I think they'll have a healthy rivalry going forward.

 

[natsulian]

@feraina Another skater out of Oakland like Alysa Liu. I think they have the same coach? I'm not actually sure. I've seen her with Alysa's coach but I don't think she's Mia's head coach. She's just as tiny as Alysa, but a lot more intense about skating (not that Alysa isn't, just that Alysa smiles a lot more - Mia looks like she's going for the kill all the time). I think they'll have a healthy rivalry going forward.

Thanks for the info. Very frustrating to see Mia not make Nationals last year after making one error in her jumping pass whilst girls who fell once or twice and without a 3-3 did. Mia needs to work on her spins and presentation alongside consistency. Mia is not very consistent, but that might be because she only started adding in the 3Lz-3T recently. Her technique is quite decent for her age, especially on that 2A. Mia is certainly a very talented jumper.

 

[VGThuy]

Belated foto of Bradie Tennell receiving her certificate from Alexei Mishin's training camp.

https://i.imgur.com/WmJdWvW.jpg

That picture gave me some flashbacks of Mishin and Plushenko because Plushenko and Tennell have similar coloring and both have that tall lanky look.

 

[winston]

That picture gave me some flashbacks of Mishin and Plushenko because Plushenko and Tennell have similar coloring and both have that tall lanky look.

And the photo captures a special bond between the two. I love it!

 

[Willin]

Thanks for the info. Very frustrating to see Mia not make Nationals last year after making one error in her jumping pass whilst girls who fell once or twice and without a 3-3 did. Mia needs to work on her spins and presentation alongside consistency. Mia is not very consistent, but that might be because she only started adding in the 3Lz-3T recently. Her technique is quite decent for her age, especially on that 2A. Mia is certainly a very talented jumper.

I think it's good she didn't make it to Nationals - it inspires skaters to work harder and get hungrier. But I also think it's a good sign of how competitive the Novice/Junior divisions are and will be in the years to come.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I think it's good she didn't make it to Nationals - it inspires skaters to work harder and get hungrier. But I also think it's a good sign of how competitive the Novice/Junior divisions are and will be in the years to come.

Well, it does or it doesn't. Can also be defeating.

 

[natsulian]

According to TSL, Ting has a high ankle injury, cannot jump, and it has been persistent for several months now. Also, Ting has been continuously moving between Maryland and Colorado. I hope that Ting heals quickly because last time a promising female skater pushed through their ankle injury... it literally ended their career.

 

[Sylvia]

Fortunately, Ting's Grand Prix debut isn't until November with France (#3 & NHK Trophy is the last GP) so she can rest & take her time to heal fully.

 

[natsulian]

Fortunately, Ting's Grand Prix debut isn't until November with France (#3 & NHK Trophy is the last GP) so she can rest & take her time to heal fully.

With this announcement, it now makes sense as to why Ting did not attend any of the summer jumping/skating camps. Additionally, TSL often exaggerates, so I'm hoping that Ting's team is doing the best they can to make sure she heals properly and fully. The ankle injury was reported by TSL right after Ting announced that she started practicing quads which was a few days/weeks after Junior Worlds, so this injury has been going on for about three months. Ting's dad is known to be very meddlesome, so let's hope everything goes well. Also, Ting's inconsistency last season might be due to not having a coach for a majority of the summer which was once again the father's decision.

 

[Debbie S]

Ting's dad is known to be very meddlesome, so let's hope everything goes well. Also, Ting's inconsistency last season might be due to not having a coach for a majority of the summer which was once again the father's decision.

Yes, TSL exaggerates. And their "reporting" is basically gossip. So how about not doing the same thing and stop trying to spread rumors and misinformation?

And the "summer jumping/skating camps" were 1) in the spring and 2) for lower level skaters. If you are commenting on Ting not being one of the elite skater demonstrators, I imagine USFS likes to spread that around. Ting (and Alysa) was a demonstrator at the jump camp last year.

 

[Tavi]

With this announcement, it now makes sense as to why Ting did not attend any of the summer jumping/skating camps. Additionally, TSL often exaggerates, so I'm hoping that Ting's team is doing the best they can to make sure she heals properly and fully. The ankle injury was reported by TSL right after Ting announced that she started practicing quads which was a few days/weeks after Junior Worlds, so this injury has been going on for about three months. Ting's dad is known to be very meddlesome, so let's hope everything goes well. Also, Ting's inconsistency last season might be due to not having a coach for a majority of the summer which was once again the father's decision.

Sorry to be stupid, but is she still with Tom Z?

 

[natsulian]

Yes, TSL exaggerates. And their "reporting" is basically gossip. So how about not doing the same thing and stop trying to spread rumors and misinformation?

And the "summer jumping/skating camps" were 1) in the spring and 2) for lower level skaters. If you are commenting on Ting not being one of the elite skater demonstrators, I imagine USFS likes to spread that around. Ting (and Alysa) was a demonstrator at the jump camp last year.

I apologize, I’m still new to the skating community so I’m not always “in the know” in terms of what sources are credible or not. I will definitely refrain from posting exaggerated rumors next time.

Sorry to be stupid, but is she still with Tom Z?

I asked her a few weeks ago if she was still with Tom and training in Colorado and she said yes.

 

[asdf334]

I love how TSL talks shit about Vincent posting Gracie clips and then reposts them on their own Instagram.

 

[Debbie S]

I asked her on her social media a few weeks ago if she was still with Tom and training in Colorado and she said yes.

Fixed/clarified that for you.