U.S. Ladies [#27]: A Time to Reboot

[Willin]

Good to see she's in better shape for a comeback this time!

 

[aftershocks]

Hicks may have already reached her peak. But I wish she would give get more credit for what she did achieve: She finished in the top 6 twice at Junior Worlds, which is a higher placement than every US lady since her except for Cui. She's won 2 medals on the Grand Prix, which is more than Bell, Chen, Andrews, Glenn, Wessenberg, or any of the current generation except Tennell has won. Yeah, she never reached the very top, but she made it a lot higher than most of the American ladies.

Courtney has exceptional, prodigious talent. It's always been a matter of her putting it altogether consistently on competitive ice. It's been an up-and-down journey for her. She is definitely a powerhouse skater, but she hasn't yet managed to harness and control her power, and channel it effectively and consistently.

One of the things I have enjoyed about Courtney over the years is how much she has grown aesthetically.

ETA:
Her Code Name Vivaldi sp from 2014-15 season is one of my favorites of her best programs:

Courtney HICKS 2014 Skate Canada SP

Code Name Vivaldi by The Piano Guys

www.youtube.com

This performance at Skate Canada was good by Courtney, but she stepped out of the single jump unnecessarily. She appeared to tighten up going into it. At U.S. Nationals, she aced this program on all cylinders! I can't find it on Youtube though.

 

[natsulian]

Ting Cui, Amber Glenn, and Hanna Harrell have been assigned to U.S. International Classic.

Source: http://www.isuresults.com/events/cat03109506.htm

Starr Andrews and Megan Wessenberg will be competing at Lombardia Trophy.

Source: http://www.isuresults.com/events/fsevent03111902.htm

 

[Maximillian]

I wonder if U.S. International will be Glenn's 'test skate' as it were for the SA spot...

 

[concorde]

Another blast from the past. Haley Beavers skated at the Potomac Open this weekend. Overall I think she did great and was very happy to see her competing again. She had some lovely elements but overall is not back in her old form

 

[Sylvia]

USFS has yet to update their International Assignments page for the ISU Challengers in Bergamo & SLC and these names were submitted to the ISU for JGP #5 in Gdansk, Poland:
Alysa LIU and Emilia MURDOCK (both assigned to Lake Placid)
Subs:
Sarah JUNG (assume this means she's been added to the ISP after the Philadelphia Summer club comp.)
Jessica LIN
Ellen SLAVICEK
Lindsay THORNGREN

ETA that the Assignments page is updated now: https://www.usfsa.org/story.aspx?id=84032&menu=TeamUSA
Murdock is the only one not listed for POL so she currently is the 'placeholder' for the 2nd lady's spot there.

 

[Sylvia]

Another blast from the past. Haley Beavers skated at the Potomac Open this weekend.

Glad to hear that 2016 U.S. Novice champ Haley Beavers is back competing again.

At this past weekend's Skate San Francisco, the top 2 Senior ladies were Sierra Venetta and Polina Edmunds (someone there told me Polina's "SP was something from Cats. Her FS was piano & orchestra, more modern than true classical").
Kate Wang scored 118.51 in her 7 triple FS that included a 3Lz+3Lo combo. I also heard that Alysa Liu skated her Junior programs and landed both 3A and fell on 4Lz in her FS exhibition.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I wonder if U.S. International will be Glenn's 'test skate' as it were for the SA spot...

I saw this this morning and wondered as well..but dont they need to submit wayyy before Sept 19th?

 

[Maximillian]

I saw this this morning and wondered as well..but dont they need to submit wayyy before Sept 19th?

Yeah, not sure on entry submission deadlines either, but I feel like they've assigned slots pretty close to the event (I could totally be wrong on this)

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Yeah, not sure on entry submission deadlines either, but I feel like they've assigned slots pretty close to the event (I could totally be wrong on this)

Last year they submitted Megan Wessenberg wayyyy early.

 

[Firedancer]

They may not announce it but doesn’t USFS usually they make their decision in time for the skaters to be able to attend champs camp?

 

[Sylvia]

Last year they submitted Megan Wessenberg wayyyy early.

Not that I recall.

They may not announce it but doesn’t USFS usually they make their decision in time for the skaters to be able to attend champs camp?

Yes. Wessenberg appeared in USFS' Champs Camp group photo tweeted on August 18 last year (first clue that she was likely the Skate America TBD): https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1030989452716335106
ETA that Calalang/Johnson and Digerness/Neudecker were both invited to Champs Camp last year and D/N got the SA TBD.

This year's Champs Camp thread was started in GSD recently: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...amp-set-for-august-24-28-in-irvine-ca.105848/

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Megan W was submitted for SkAm already this time last year.

I remember saying to myself why dont they let a few more competitions play out before they decide. (I was rooting for Amber after those FAB Texas competitions.)

 

[Sylvia]

Megan W was submitted for SkAm already this time last year.

I just checked last year's GP Assignments thread and USFS tweeted out all the 2018 Skate America TBDs on Sept. 10 and the ISU grids were updated on the same day.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I just checked last year's GP Assignments thread and USFS tweeted out all the 2018 Skate America TBDs on Sept. 10 and the ISU grids were updated on the same day.

really? my bad.

I still remember saying why are they deciding so early, but Sept 10 isn't.

 

[Jammers]

Hanna Harrell is skating at the US Classic? This will be right in the middle of the JGP for her. You'd think they would wait and assign her to a later Senior B after the JGP season is over. Very strange to have her skate as a senior internationally then go back to the JGP for her 2nd event. Not sure why they'd take a chance and tire her out with a competition right in the middle of the JGP season if she has a chance at the JGPF.

 

[oleada]

Hanna Harrell is skating at the US Classic? This will be right in the middle of the JGP for her. You'd think they would wait and assign her to a later Senior B after the JGP season is over. Very strange to have her skater as a senior internationally then go back to the JGP for her 2nd event. Not sure why they'd take a chance and tire her out with a competition right in the middle of the JGP season if she has a chance at the JGPF.

Skaters do this all the time.

 

[Jayar]

Hanna Harrell is skating at the US Classic? This will be right in the middle of the JGP for her. You'd think they would wait and assign her to a later Senior B after the JGP season is over. Very strange to have her skater as a senior internationally then go back to the JGP for her 2nd event. Not sure why they'd take a chance and tire her out with a competition right in the middle of the JGP season if she has a chance at the JGPF.

She trains in Texas. It's an easy flight for her to SLC, so she can get a Senior B in with relatively little travel and no jet lag.

 

[Sylvia]

Hanna Harrell already made her senior international debut in Philadelphia at the beginning of this month and 4 U.S. ladies picked up ISU World Standings points for their 2nd to 5th place finishes there: Chen (225), Harrell (203), Andrews (182), Wessenberg (164).

ETA from USFS' press release today re. their team for SLC: "... 2019 U.S. pewter medalist Hanna Harrell, who will be making her senior international debut."

USFS doesn't list the Philadelphia Summer International Senior B competition on their Assignments page, which likely is why Harrell's senior international debut in Philly does not count even though she received ISU WS points?

 

[natsulian]

Instagram Updates:

• Mia Kalin’s 3F+Eu+3S - https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Zpm6THzwE/?igshid=1swn0dw2zlodt
• Mia Kalin’s 3Lz+3T+Eu+3S - https://www.instagram.com/p/B1M5_kjnHgG/?igshid=q672tiy2m7qq
• Elsa Cheng’s 4T - https://www.instagram.com/p/B1HwmbtnB-q/?igshid=w34lamo64ptx
• Elsa Cheng’s 3Lz+2T+2Lo - https://www.instagram.com/p/Buy7sDcnZ0XSYaVRGan3d2zbW7D3A0dAk55LAs0/?igshid=1m8cg7m3045dy
• Isabelle Inthisone’s 4T - https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Hjq6NHLjb/?igshid=1tvhwhp4mjskr

Apparently, Hanna’s been training a 4T but no videos of the jump have been recorded. Ting’s 4T progress might be hindered due to injury. Thus, Alysa might be the only U.S. attempting anything beyond the 3A this season. Best of luck to our ladies, especially Hanna and Calista who recently arrived in France for their Junior Grand Prix event.

 

[natsulian]

Ting Cui’s Free: https://youtu.be/Ne96okZwl3Q

First time she’s competed since her injury. No combos, but they’ll come once she gets settled back. STUNNING all around. The movements, choreography, speed, etc... insanity.

 

[kalle]

Ting Cui’s Free: https://youtu.be/Ne96okZwl3Q

First time she’s competed since her injury. No combos, but they’ll come once she gets settled back. STUNNING all around. The movements, choreography, speed, etc... insanity

Ting really is something
The glide she has over the ice is amazing and she always seems to pay attention to every single detail in her choreography.
That straight upper body and hand movements remains me a bit about Kwan back in the days..

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Ting Cui’s Free: https://youtu.be/Ne96okZwl3Q

First time she’s competed since her injury. No combos, but they’ll come once she gets settled back. STUNNING all around. The movements, choreography, speed, etc... insanity.

LOVE it. And Im a sucker for a blue/purple combo dress! Pretty!

 

[natsulian]

LOVE it. And Im a sucker for a blue/purple combo dress! Pretty!

Her idol is Mao Asada and she’s had purple dresses akin to Mao’s for the past few years.

 

[Sylvia]

Thanks @natsulian for finding the link to Ting's public performance of her FS to the Nocturnal Animals OST by Abel Korzeniowski (looks like this was a exhibition skate in early August... I'm told the rink is the Patriot Ice Center, formerly known as The Pond, in Newark, DE).

 

[AxelAnnie]

Well...Ting is rather amazing.

 

[analia]

Gubanova's Nocturnal Animals was such a masterpiece. This music doesn't seem to suit Ting Cui.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Gubanova's Nocturnal Animals was such a masterpiece. This music doesn't seem to suit Ting Cui.

Oh, I thought it was gorgeous and compelling for her.

 

[livetoskate]

Ting's jumps look effortless! Such beautiful skating.

 

[Jarrett]

Gubanova's Nocturnal Animals was such a masterpiece. This music doesn't seem to suit Ting Cui.

What music would suit Ting? Just based on your previous posts about Ting being forgettable, overhyped, just going through the motions of her choreography and not deserving her scores where she placed ahead of Gubanova I wonder if you would find anything that would make you like her skating.

Anyway, I liked this performance better than the one we saw earlier. I sure it will be cleaned up throughout the season. She is towering over the boards in this video and the opening pose makes her look extraordinarily long and elegant.