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

[Jarrett]

For those of you that cannot access the Kiss and Cry, here are the videos of the senior ladies' Free. A huge thank you to Allyson, yonkaitenpooh, and many others for providing the videos.

• Karen Chen's Free, 2nd overall - https://twitter.com/simplyallysonn/status/1157739784086970368?s=20
• Hanna Harrell's Free, 3rd overall - https://twitter.com/simplyallysonn/status/1157741152352788482?s=20
• Starr Andrews' Free, 4th overall - https://twitter.com/yonkaitenpooh/status/1157750177639387138?s=20
• Pooja Kalyan's Free, 8th overall - https://twitter.com/simplyallysonn/status/1157743340768714753?s=20

With Megan's score of 140, it is safe to say that she will not be getting the Skate American host spot and will likely go to Amber Glenn who scored 170 at Skate Detroit.

Results - https://twitter.com/simplyallysonn/status/1157690898324623360?s=20

(Since I'm not directly posting the scores and linking, is this okay? T_T)

The music does nothing but drag on for Karen. Hopefully they reedit that.

 

[natsulian]

I love the music, but I feel like it doesn't go anywhere and she needs to hold her spiral a little bit longer in both her Short and Free to give them oomph. Poor Megan... she was really gunning for the Skate America TBD spot, but her scores just aren't high enough. I think Amber should get the TBD spot and in my opinion, she's earned it.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

WOW, Karen is gonna make me a believer!

Karen has looked strong for the start of the season. She needs to worrk in 8 more points.

 

[Frau Muller]

I love the music, but I feel like it doesn't go anywhere and she needs to hold her spiral a little bit longer in both her Short and Free to give them oomph. Poor Megan... she was really gunning for the Skate America TBD spot, but her scores just aren't high enough. I think Amber should get the TBD spot and in my opinion, she's earned it.

How about Poojah?

 

[aftershocks]

With club comps, "them" is not USFSA, and I don't think that's what he/she was referring to. Club comps are run by the host club, this isn't Nats or SA. For Collegiate Nats that was held earlier in the week, there was a start order/results page posted on the Fan Zone, but that was b/c it's a USFS Championship event (and start orders weren't posted until the comp started).

Yeah but for fans who don't know how these competitions work and who aren't aware of the unclear relationships between local clubs, collegiate events, and the national governing body, it's just about being frustrated and asking questions, not necessarily feeling 'entitled,' as you characterized @Per's frustration. Thanks for offering enlightening information and details, which the average fan is completely unaware of.

The sport's entire structure needs to change (along with so much about figure skating that needs to change). There are examples all around us of why more transparency and new organizational and competitive structural approaches need to be explored, in order to enact change. Same old same old insular, antiquated structure, lack of transparency, lack of viable promotional efforts, and complicated internal conflicts just don't cut it. And this pointed criticism has nothing to do with any desire to place blame upon the stellar volunteers who are obviously crucial to local clubs as well as to national and international competitions.

ETA:
I think the main point is transparency, i.e., open communication, and exploring structural change. It doesn't necessarily mean that competitions of this kind have to be widely publicized and promoted if it's felt that's not the goal at this point in the season. However, in order to grow the sport, such organizational goals on both the local and national levels should be communicated and understood by fans who are interested in following and supporting skaters.

 

[natsulian]

How about Poojah?

Pooja will be on the Junior Grand Prix, so she is ineligible for Skate America due to the rules.

 

[Jarrett]

Pooja will be on the Junior Grand Prix, so she ineligible for Skate America due to the rules.

Are you speculating or this is confirmed?

 

[natsulian]

Are you speculating or this is confirmed?

I'm speculating, but Pooja Kalyan was listed as a substitute for the Junior Grand Prix event in France. Thus, she is ineligible for the Grand Prix as one cannot double dip. Consequently, it is safe to assume that Pooja is staying junior internationally although she might do some Senior B's like last season.

 

[Jarrett]

I'm speculating, but Pooja Kalyan was listed as a substitute for the Junior Grand Prix event in France. Thus, she is ineligible for the Grand Prix as one cannot double dip. Consequently, it is safe to assume that Pooja is staying junior internationally although she might do some Senior B's like last season.

Thanks I didn't know she was listed on the sub list for JGP France.

 

[natsulian]

According to those at the competition, Lindsay Thorngren won the non-international junior ladies' division at Philadelphia with a score of 161. Sarah Jung also competed, but in the senior ladies' division and scored 162 with jumps that included a 3Lz+3T and 3F+Eu+3S. I'm still waiting for the International Selection Pool to be updated because both Sarah and Kate Wang deserve to be on there. Both are young ladies with a lot of potential.

 

[Jammers]

At this point it seems the 3rd spot for a US Ladies at SA is going to be like when the USFSA kept giving Caroline Zhang SA even though she wasn't competitive and kept finishing near the bottom of the standings.

 

[Frau Muller]

At this point it seems the 3rd spot for a US Ladies at SA is going to be like when the USFSA kept giving Caroline Zhang SA even though she wasn't competitive and kept finishing near the bottom of the standings.

So...Starr? Megan?

 

[emilieh]

Alysa Liu competed at a local event this weekend in junior, I'm guessing to get the junior programs out there before the JGP. She was separate from the rest of the juniors in an "exhibition" category. Score was 72ish for the short, I didn't see the free skate score. She skated well, looked confident and relaxed.

I noticed that she is trying to connect with the judges/audience, more than she was at summer club comps at this time last year.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

So...Starr? Megan?

No, Megan scores were a total bummer this week.... Starr... mediocre...

Amber Glenn has the best summer score of those eligible, 170+. I expect it to go to her.

Being a final flight skater for US Nationals free program last year I think also boosts her case.

When does Champs Camp start. I havent heard a peep.

 

[Frau Muller]

Thanks, AA. Good for Amber.

As for Champs Camp: Do they really want to do that, with all the recent news about “slumber party culture” in USFSA circles and all that, hum? Maybe rather than a cozy camp they can run the training in a rink in a city, with the skaters staying in a chaperoned situation. There has to be a proper way to do it.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Maybe rather than a cozy camp they can run the training in a rink in a city, with the skaters staying in a chaperoned situation.

Or they can invite Davydov, Buianova, Tutberidze, or Rafael (allowing him to coach @russian style) to host a training seminar.... there would be no need for chaperone... or any energy left for parties..

 

[aftershocks]

When does Champs Camp start? I havent heard a peep.

As for Champs Camp: Do they really want to do that, with all the recent news about “slumber party culture” in USFSA circles...

... they can invite Davydov, Buianova, Tutberidze, or Rafael (allowing him to coach @russian style)...

From a February 2019 article on U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone:

Champs Camp Finds a New Home at Facility That Aims to be a Game-Changer - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

This August, when the best elite figure skaters in the U.S. start packing their bags to head to the annual high-performance gathering known as Champs Camp, they

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

"This August ... Champs Camp is headed to Southern California..."

Mitch Moyer is quoted in the article as stating that the federation decided to take into account the difficult issue of athletes having to training for altitude (when Champs Camp took place in Colorado). Therefore, the move to Great Park Ice in Irvine, California, the new home rink "where Rafael Arutunian will already" be based..."

U.S. figure skating honchos certainly need to seek some expert outside advice asap regarding changing its culture and instituting better protections for the athletes. TPTB also need to think about doing some housecleaning management-wise. I do not think they need to cancel Champs Camp because of the recent revelations about athlete parties. Common sense and actually being transparent and facing challenges head-on is preferable to sweeping things under the rug and turning a blind eye. But there's no reason whatsoever to cancel Champs Camp, which is an important annual training meet for the federation's elite athletes.

The article goes on to say that Raf was expected to move to the rink in April, and that practices for 2019 Four Continents were held there. "... skaters — and their coaches — from around the country will be invited to work with Arutunian and his team to see how they operate on the ice." This could mean something expected to happen the week of Champs Camp, as well as on other occasions. "The new facility aims to be a game changer," in how training is conducted. "Arutunian and Moyer hope ... to bring in others to see what progress they can make alongside Raf."


On the U.S. figure skating website the dates for this year's Champs Camp are listed along with the dates of other High Performance summer training camps:

"Champs Camp
Date: August 24-28, 2019
Location: Great Park Ice & Five Points Arena, Irvine, California
*Attended by athletes assigned to a 2019 Grand Prix Series competition. Champs Camp is performance-based. Athletes perform their short program and free skate programs (ice dancing teams: rhythm and free dances) in a simulated competition environment. The camp also includes technical feedback sessions and off-ice sport performance sessions, Primary coaches of an athlete assigned to a Grand Prix Series event are required to attend."

Perhaps a new Champs Camp thread will be started within the next couple of weeks to discuss further developments.

ETA:
I went ahead and started a new thread in GSD--

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

From a February 2019 article on U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone:

Champs Camp Finds a New Home at Facility That Aims to be a Game-Changer - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

This August, when the best elite figure skaters in the U.S. start packing their bags to head to the annual high-performance gathering known as Champs Camp, they

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

"This August ... Champs Camp is headed to Southern California..."

Mitch Moyer is quoted in the article as stating that the federation decided to take into account the difficult issue of athletes having to training for altitude (when Champs Camp took place in Colorado). Therefore, the move to Great Park Ice in Irvine, California, the new home rink "where Rafael Arutunian will already" be based..."

U.S. figure skating honchos certainly need to seek some expert outside advice asap regarding changing its culture and instituting better protections for the athletes. TPTB also need to think about doing some housecleaning management-wise. I do not think they need to cancel Champs Camp because of the recent revelations about athlete parties. Common sense and actually being transparent and facing challenges head-on is preferable to sweeping things under the rug and turning a blind eye. But there's no reason whatsoever to cancel Champs Camp, which is an important annual training meet for the federation's elite athletes.

The article goes on to say that Raf was expected to move to the rink in April, and that practices for 2019 Four Continents were held there. "... skaters — and their coaches — from around the country will be invited to work with Arutunian and his team to see how they operate on the ice." This could mean something expected to happen the week of Champs Camp, as well as on other occasions. "The new facility aims to be a game changer," in how training is conducted. "Arutunian and Moyer hope ... to bring in others to see what progress they can make alongside Raf."


On the U.S. figure skating website the dates for this year's Champs Camp are listed along with the dates of other High Performance summer training camps:

"Champs Camp
Date: August 24-28, 2019
Location: Great Park Ice & Five Points Arena, Irvine, California
*Attended by athletes assigned to a 2019 Grand Prix Series competition. Champs Camp is performance-based. Athletes perform their short program and free skate programs (ice dancing teams: rhythm and free dances) in a simulated competition environment. The camp also includes technical feedback sessions and off-ice sport performance sessions, Primary coaches of an athlete assigned to a Grand Prix Series event are required to attend."

Perhaps a new Champs Camp thread will be started within the next couple of weeks to discuss further developments.

How did I miss this???

So its gonna be by me?

Sounds like a good bumrush for ANL.

DM me anyone if you wanna go. I already planning on going in 2 weeks for some lessons with Alexa and maybe Chris.

 

[Willin]

My bigger question is the accommodations. AFAIK in recent years out of town skaters boarded at the USOTC for champs camp. I doubt there's similar boarding places in Irvine, so they might all be at a hotel together.

 

[Debbie S]

My bigger question is the accommodations. AFAIK in recent years out of town skaters boarded at the USOTC for champs camp. I doubt there's similar boarding places in Irvine, so they might all be at a hotel together.

I think the Skating mag article (or some other article) said they would be staying in the dorms at UC Irvine.

In terms of interaction/security, there is probably not a whole lot of difference between staying at the dorms at the OTC, the dorms at a college, or a hotel. USFS needs to rethink/change the chaperone and supervision situation at its camps, regardless of how the skaters are housed, particularly for skaters under 18.

 

[natsulian]

Junior Grand Prix Latvia:

• Gabriella Izzo
• Isabelle Inthisone

With the assignments out, there are 8 spots left. Alysa Liu, Hanna Harrell, and Gabriella Izzo will probably receive two so that leaves 5 spots left. Thus far, I have not been pleased with how the federation has given out these assignments. Are they really going to let girls like Kate Wang, Lindsay Thorngren, Sarah Jung, and Elsa Cheng stay home whilst giving assignments to girls without clean 3-3s and a history of inconsistency? Best of luck to Team USA during the event. Also, I'm happy that Alysa might be getting a later Junior Grand Prix event as her 2nd assignment... a decent enough space to learn from her first assignment and showcase improvements.

Source: https://www.usfsa.org/story?id=84032&menu=TeamUSA

Summer Scores of Junior Ladies Assigned to a Junior Grand Prix:

• Alysa Liu, 214
• Hanna Harrell, 182
• Gabriella Izzo, 169
• Jessica Lin, 164
• Isabelle Inthisone, 148
• Emilia Murdock, 146
• Calista Choi, 138

Summer Scores of Top 5 Junior Ladies W/O a Junior Grand Prix Assignment:

• Kate Wang, 164 (Not on the I.S.P. yet)
• Ellen Slavicek, 163
• Sarah Jung, 162
• Lindsay Thorngren, 162 (Not on the I.S.P. yet)
• Elsa Cheng, 158

 

[oleada]

Actually, there are 8 spots left - 2 each in Russia, Poland, Croatia, and Italy. There are 7 JGP events, not 6.

The US is really short sighted with JGP events and has been for a while. If anything, they’ve gotten better by adding people who do well to the ISP. I remember that year Gracie Gold was killing it club comps but they only assigned her to the last event without any shot of making the JGPF. That wasn’t the only time it happened.

 

[winston]

Actually, there are 8 spots left - 2 each in Russia, Poland, Croatia, and Italy. There are 7 JGP events, not 6.

The US is really short sighted with JGP events and has been for a while. If anything, they’ve gotten better by adding people who do well to the ISP. I remember that year Gracie Gold was killing it club comps but they only assigned her to the last event without any shot of making the JGPF. That wasn’t the only time it happened.

Skaters have been told they will be assigned if they do well in summer competitions, regardless of how nationals went for them (even if they didn't go!) I think USFS is improving its game in this aspect.
At least, I sure hope so!

 

[Sylvia]

Posted earlier in this thread in late May:

@okokok777 posted in the Programs/Choreographers thread yesterday that Pooja Kalyan's SP is "Meditation" from Thais by Jules Massenet, choreographed by Stephane Lambiel, so her trip to Switzerland was skating-related after all. Her FS is to the Piano Trio by Maurice Ravel, choreographed by Tom Dickson... looking forward to seeing her programs in competition!

Pooja Kalyan changed her FS at some point this summer to an Indian themed program, choreographed by Tom Dickson and Catarina Lindgren (here's a slightly closer up fan cam that I posted in the Philadelphia competition thread, along with a music note by @Amy L):
Part 1: https://twitter.com/yonkaitenpooh/status/1157690546514776064
Part 2: https://twitter.com/yonkaitenpooh/status/1157714370153123841

The middle of the first part, starting at about 1:20 is actually the Beatles "Within You Without You" (George Harrison was heavily inspired by Ravi Shankhar and Indian sitar music)

One more fan cam from the Philly Sr. International was tweeted on Sunday - Akari Nakahara's 8th place FS (she kept last season's music to the As You Like It film soundtrack by Patrick Doyle), 7th overall: https://twitter.com/simplyallysonn/status/1158125174400651264
ETA:

(Since I'm not directly posting the scores and linking, is this okay? T_T)

Admin Edit: No. Competition information goes in the competition forums.

Oops, didn't see this before I posted above... I'll leave my links in this post since the other tweeted videos links were quoted in post #961. @natsulian, I think you meant to put "(Not on the I.S.P. yet)" next to Sarah Jung's name since Thorngren already is listed in the ISP. (Sometimes there may be a delay in listing skaters publicly on the ISP page but the skaters and their respective coaches usually are notified directly by USFS.)

 

[aftershocks]

In Karen Chen's sp, it looks like she's been working on limiting the height of her jumps on her opening 3/3, so that she maintains control in the air and on the landings.

 

[concorde]

How about Poojah?

Beautiful dress but she was slow and overall missing a "spark.". For the most part her jumps were solidly landed (except when she fell) but overall it was just "there," not exciting to watch

 

[concorde]

Fyi. Isabelle I won the Junior international event; she also entered the domestic junior event and finished 7th (I think). My guess is she was just exhausted by the event format.

Lindsay Thorgreen won the domestic Junior event. Wow has she improved over the last couple of years. Her jumps look very solid and methodically executed. Her PSC has improved alot but still has a way to go.

LT and II were both in the same qualifying group in the domestic event. The assistant technical specialist was the incredibly hard Japanese judge
Ii outscored LT by less than 5 points - rumor at the rink was that some of LT's jumps were called under. LT came back fighting in the finals and won.

 

[her grace]

With the assignments out, there are 8 spots left. Alysa Liu, Hanna Harrell, and Gabriella Izzo will probably receive two so that leaves 5 spots left. Thus far, I have not been pleased with how the federation has given out these assignments. Are they really going to let girls like Kate Wang, Lindsay Thorngren, Sarah Jung, and Elsa Cheng stay home whilst giving assignments to girls without clean 3-3s and a history of inconsistency?

Summer Scores of Junior Ladies Assigned to a Junior Grand Prix:

• Alysa Liu, 214
• Hanna Harrell, 182
• Gabriella Izzo, 169
• Jessica Lin, 164
• Isabelle Inthisone, 148
• Emilia Murdock, 146
• Calista Choi, 138

Summer Scores of Top 5 Junior Ladies W/O a Junior Grand Prix Assignment:

• Kate Wang, 164 (Not on the I.S.P. yet)
• Ellen Slavicek, 163
• Sarah Jung, 162
• Lindsay Thorngren, 162 (Not on the I.S.P. yet)
• Elsa Cheng, 158

USFS does seem to have placed a lot of emphasis on past nationals results up to this point. To me, the only person who looks extremely questionable on the list of assigned ladies is Choi, and she's novice national champion, so I guess they're giving her a break.

Lin's the only DNQ-national performer chosen so far, but she hit high marks pretty early in summer monitoring. Probably some of these other lower-ranked from nationals, lower-level nationals performers, or DNQ to nationals ladies will get some of the later assignments.

 

[Sylvia]

Fyi. Isabelle I won the Junior international event; she also entered the domestic junior event and finished 7th (I think). My guess is she was just exhausted by the event format.

Isabelle Inthisone finished 6th of 12 in the Junior Ladies (club) combined event. She skated 5 programs in 3 days (FS qualifying, SP+FS in the club comp. & SP+FS in the international.

LT [Lindsay Thorngren] and II [Inthisone] were both in the same qualifying group in the domestic event. The assistant technical specialist was the incredibly hard Japanese judge caller, Shin Amano
Ii outscored LT by less than 5 points - rumor at the rink was that some of LT's jumps were called under. LT came back fighting in the finals and won.

I'm just being nitpicky and bolded my addition above. Thanks for your info from the Philly competition.

Kate Wang's name appeared on USFS' ISP list today.

 

[natsulian]

If they send Kate or Lindsay to the JGP in Russia... T_T

Here’s the updated ISP: https://www.usfigureskating.org/story?id=84156&menu=TeamUSA

Expecting Sarah Jung to be added soon since she recently crossed the 160 threshold. According to Kate’s choreographer, she “passed the requirements” for the ISP at Skate Detroit after scoring 164. Thus, it is safe to assume that the ISP requirement for the junior ladies’ division is 150+.