U.S. Ladies [#30]: Cover Girls

[Coco]

Japan is also in the same boat, so they'll be sending someone other than Kaori or Rika.


ETA: As much as I want to forget Miyahara's performance here, this is incorrect. Because Miyahara qualified for the FS, Japan doesn't have to validate their 3rd spot at Nebelhorn.

 

[tony]

I don't think Mariah would be a super risky choice, nor would Alysa really if she continues her upwards trend.

Remember, this is going to be a field of countries that didn't have a skater in the top 24 here or at Worlds at all, plus the US and Austria.

So you'll likely have Paganini, Craine, an Italian, Emmy Ma, Kurakova, Leung, Meite really leading the way and maybe some others I am forgetting, but not exactly skaters that have pressed the US ladies enough to push one down out of the first 6.

 

[tony]

Japan is also in the same boat, so they'll be sending someone other than Kaori or Rika.

Wrong... Miyahara was in the top 24. Japan has 3 spots already.

 

[VGThuy]

If Liu has great tech, then I’d send her. Let it be the first stop on her tour to build up some reputation aka GOEs and PCS. Plus, young people have stamina.

 

[mtnskater]

Wow!!! Just finished watching ladies. 3 spots! Thank the skate gods!! I actually thought Bradie did quite well until the scores came up. Maybe someone can tell me how her score was so low? I’m assuming underrotations, but compared to the splatfest in the last group, she looked quite good. Tuk crashed the flip and looked lackluster and under rotated on other passes. Trusova lots of crashes and some good passes and second mark shouldn’t have been good. What gives!?

Bow down to Karen. She really came through and I enjoyed her program most of all. Beautiful interpretation. The judges were super stingy with her on the GOE Compared to others. Come on!

I just hate how the judges use (or don’t properly use) the second mark

 

[natsulian]

I am beyond elated that the US ladies regained three spots for next year's World Championships and now have the opportunity to claim a third spot for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Karen was magnificent and magical. There's something about the World stage that allows Karen to bring out her inner, innate talent. Karen's glide, skating skills, spirals, and components were mesmerizing and although her relatively low components did not reflect the level of skating she put forth, a fourth place finish in a highly competitive field is nothing to scoff at. Karen managed to contain her nerves, take each element one at a time, and performed to the best of her potential. The night belonged to her (and a few other ladies like Loena).

Bradie looked tentative yesterday and today and now we know why: boots. Although her performances were far from our expectations and what she usually serves, I am proud of Bradie for battling through her boot problems and giving it her all. I think that circumstances like these, which are not in our control, only serve to strengthen and empower us. From what I've read, Bradie, although rightfully disappointed, is looking at this event as a learning opportunity which is mature.

All in all, I am ecstatic to see more skating in the near future and immensely proud of our ladies.

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

There are not enough superlatives for Miss Chen. The glide,speed,elegance and sensitivity to the music was unparalleled in the competition and so rare in today's version of figure skating. If she were Russian she would have stood on the rostrum.

-BB

 

[Karen-W]

I don't think Mariah would be a super risky choice, nor would Alysa really if she continues her upwards trend.

Remember, this is going to be a field of countries that didn't have a skater in the top 24 here or at Worlds at all, plus the US and Austria.

So you'll likely have Paganini, Craine, an Italian, Emmy Ma, Kurakova, Leung, Meite really leading the way and maybe some others I am forgetting, but not exactly skaters that have pressed the US ladies enough to push one down out of the first 6.

And Belgium, if their promising junior lady is old enough for seniors next season.

 

[Sylvia]

Lynn Rutherford's article on Karen & Bradie includes texted quotes from Tammy Gambill & Tom Zakrajsek: https://www.teamusa.org/News/2021/M...-US-Women-Again-To-Clinch-Three-Olympic-Spots

 

[VGThuy]

Lynn Rutherford's article on Karen & Bradie includes texted quotes from Tammy Gambill & Tom Zakrajsek: https://www.teamusa.org/News/2021/M...-US-Women-Again-To-Clinch-Three-Olympic-Spots

Ms. Rutherford made one error in that article. Wagner placed 7th at 2017 Worlds, not 9th. It wasn’t quite the deja vu she made it sound like though it was similar.

 

[Jammers]

Right now Karen is a bit like the female Jason Brown in that she all of the skills needed to be a top contender except for the jumps and she moves up when others bomb. She really doesn't have a 3-3 in the LP? This isn't 1988 she really needs not just that but upgrade if possible. She gets great height on her axel she should start practicing a 3axel as soon as possible. I have to admit i kinda gave up on Karen a few years ago she seemed to have regressed and her results just kept getting worse and worse after she won nationals which winning should have been the start of her being a top skater. Once she enrolled in college i figured she would just slowly fade away as other skaters have done in the past but it seems since Nationals last year she has been on the upswing.

 

[VGThuy]

You just want to spread negativity, don’t you? Even if you have to reach for it. Karen doesn’t do the 3/3 because she maximizes her TES without one in the LP. She has room for improvement on the rotation front but she’s competitive with the non-quad, non-3A ladies with her current content when you add up all the elements and count all the base values. Believe me, her content was now 1988-level. She did way more than that. However, she knows what she needs to do and says she wants to get the triple axel ready. She’s the one who skated and placed fourth at Worlds after all.

 

[olympic]

I think Bell is a great choice for Nebelhorn. She is eligible and has something to prove, but also since the rules stipulate that the nations needing to obtain the spot can't send their best (they were at Worlds getting the spots), it may not be a hard climb for Mariah or Alysa to get the job done. I think Mariah rotates and a steady program would get the job done.

I actually think selecting a US man is dicier. Zhou spooks everyone right now, but if he's PROVEN healthy, then maybe him. Otherwise, who? A lot of the US journeymen retired after 2018 - Rippon, Miner, Aaron, Hochstein. The newcomers flash brilliance but are all over the place.

 

[VGThuy]

I think it would be right for Vincent to earn it. Plus, he’ll be hungry and have a lot to prove. This a man who is planning five quads in his LP, including the hardest ones. He needs to do it.

 

[Jammers]

I think it would be right for Vincent to earn it. Plus, he’ll be hungry and have a lot to prove. This a man who is planning five quads in his LP, including the hardest ones. He needs to do it.

With the 3rd spot on the line i would hope at Nebelhorn he reigns it in and doesn't try 5 quads. 2 or 3 quads would be more then enough to finish in the top 6.

 

[VGThuy]

With the 3rd spot on the line i would hope at Nebelhorn he reigns it in and doesn't try 5 quads. 2 or 3 quads would be more then enough to finish in the top 6.

I agree. I think Vincent is the type that needs multiple competitions a season to work out kinks and to gain a rhythm and consistency and then becomes more and more consistent as the season progresses. Nebelhorn may be a good thing for him.

 

[Jammers]

Vincent has been either great or awful at Worlds in his 3 appearances. Sometimes he's been both at the same event like 2018 when he was 3rd in the SP then bombed all the way to 19th then wins a medal the next year but back to bombing now.

 

[Coco]

It's indicative of the high risk / high reward realities of attempting quads. Beyond the huge swing in points when get credit for them, those falls on them are freakin' brutal, to say nothing of how they can distract a skater from everything else.

I would just like to say, I think this is the first time in the history of FSU that a discussion of US Men has broken out in a thread about US Ladies.

 

[Karen-W]

It's indicative of the high risk / high reward realities of attempting quads. Beyond the huge swing in points when get credit for them, those falls on them are freakin' brutal, to say nothing of how they can distract a skater from everything else.

I would just like to say, I think this is the first time in the history of FSU that a discussion of US Men has broken out in a thread about US Ladies.

Well, in an unusual year, unusual things are bound to happen...

 

[Coco]

This seems like it should be obvious, but what do the US skaters at Nebelhorn have to do? Finish ahead of the 6th qualifier aka 6th ranked skater amongst all skaters competing at Nebelhorn from countries which haven't yet earned a quote spot from 2021 Worlds?

 

[Karen-W]

This seems like it should be obvious, but what do the US skaters at Nebelhorn have to do? Finish ahead of the 6th qualifier aka 6th ranked skater amongst all skaters competing at Nebelhorn from countries which haven't yet earned a quote spot from 2021 Worlds?

Ladies - top 6 (24 spots awarded through Worlds); Men - top 7 (23 spots awarded through Worlds)

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Lynn Rutherford's article on Karen & Bradie includes texted quotes from Tammy Gambill & Tom Zakrajsek: https://www.teamusa.org/News/2021/M...-US-Women-Again-To-Clinch-Three-Olympic-Spots

Rutherford said nothing about Nebelhorn. If I read it right Chne/Wagner were enough in 2017 to secure 3 spots in Korea. Are there rule changes Rutherford doesn't know? Wouldn't someone have corrected before publication?

 

[Sylvia]

@SkateFanBerlin - latest update on the Olympic spots rule changes is posted in this thread here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/2022-olympic-qualifying-changes.106946/page-6#post-5981840

Copying over part of Phil Hersh's Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/olyphil/status/1375831133703790596

1 / Mitch Moyer of USFS just told me top contenders to go to Nebelhorn in fall to try to confirm 3d US women’s spot at
@Beijing2022 may be asked to do same summer event so committee making choice has some more recent evidence to work with.
2 / "We will look at the deadline of entries for Nebelhorn and work back from there. The committee will be involved in that process of how the selections are made,” Moyer said in a text. (IMHO contenders are Bell, Glenn, Liu; Bell by far the most experienced at sr intnl level)

 

[Carolla5501]

I don't think Mariah would be a super risky choice, nor would Alysa really if she continues her upwards trend.

Remember, this is going to be a field of countries that didn't have a skater in the top 24 here or at Worlds at all, plus the US and Austria.

So you'll likely have Paganini, Craine, an Italian, Emmy Ma, Kurakova, Leung, Meite really leading the way and maybe some others I am forgetting, but not exactly skaters that have pressed the US ladies enough to push one down out of the first 6.

Do we honestly think Meite will be there. That injury did not look good, I haven’t seen any reports but if it was her Achilles I can’t see her making it to this event.

 

[PRlady]

To me it’s a slam-dunk to send Mariah if she’s in decent shape. Lots of international experience and the judges like her. Men, Zhou spooks me too. Maybe Hitashi if he can skate consistently, he has quads and decent PCS.

 

[shuilee]

I'm so happy Karen is now the USA #1 lady!! Hopefully her PCS will get a boost into the low 9's next year with international judges recognizing her as the US #1.

I feel like Karen Chen have won the bronze! She really has the best balance of SP & LP. Loena & Trusova bombed their SP, so I think Karen should have been remained ahead of them with that beautiful LP. The PCS marks were way too low.

Also, I think the new rules with the "q"'s helped her. I notice the caller gave Karen 3 "q"'s in the LP, but in previous quad they would have been "<"s and her TES would have been a lot lower.

 

[olympic]

Theoretically, is the 3rd spot qualifier even going to face a steep climb?

Off the top of my head, JPN and RUS maintained 3 spots and KOR 2 spots, and all their skaters qualified for the 2021 Worlds LP. So, wouldn't this mean that the US entry (Bell, Glenn, Liu, etc.) won't face off against anyone from these nations at Nebelhorn? Those are the only nations I can think of with a well of talent deep enough where the #4 JPN / RUS lady or the #3 KOR lady could give the US entry a headache. It seems the US entry will face #2 BEL and AUT ladies, and maybe KAZ? Wouldn't Tursynbaeva be eligible to get KAZ a spot at Nebelhorn? Who knows what kind of form she is in. Anyone else?

After I wrote that, I realize a simpler question to ask would be - Who must the US battle for the extra spot and who is problematic for the US?

2nd question - Is the ISU rule for the Olympics only or does it also apply to post-Olympic Worlds? I thought this extra rule was being implemented due to limited spots at an Olympics ...

 

[shuilee]

Top ladies at Nebelhorn outside of USA:

AUS - Craine
BLR - Safonova
FRA - ?? (unlikely Meite since she has a serious injury)
HKG - Yi Christy Leung
KAZ - Tursynbayeva
POL - Kurakova
SUI - Paganini

All US ladies have to do its beat out the likes of Craine or the 2nd best French lady.

 

[Karen-W]

Theoretically, is the 3rd spot qualifier even going to face a steep climb?

Off the top of my head, JPN and RUS maintained 3 spots and KOR 2 spots, and all their skaters qualified for the 2021 Worlds LP. So, wouldn't this mean that the US entry (Bell, Glenn, Liu, etc.) won't face off against anyone from these nations at Nebelhorn? Those are the only nations I can think of with a well of talent deep enough where the #4 JPN / RUS lady or the #3 KOR lady could give the US entry a headache. It seems the US entry will face #2 BEL and AUT ladies, and maybe KAZ? Wouldn't Tursynbaeva be eligible to get KAZ a spot at Nebelhorn? Who knows what kind of form she is in. Anyone else?

After I wrote that, I realize a simpler question to ask would be - Who must the US battle for the extra spot and who is problematic for the US?

2nd question - Is the ISU rule for the Olympics only or does it also apply to post-Olympic Worlds? I thought this extra rule was being implemented due to limited spots at an Olympics ...

Just for the Olympics. We have 3 spots for Worlds.

 

[Rukia]

2nd question - Is the ISU rule for the Olympics only or does it also apply to post-Olympic Worlds? I thought this extra rule was being implemented due to limited spots at an Olympics ...

Just the Olympics as it has such a strict quota given by the IOC.