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

[jenny12]

Puberty isn't a monster, and it doesn't destroy girls. It turns them into women.

Thank you! Puberty is a natural part of life and unfortunately the way we talk about it in figure skating is often rooted in very ugly misogynistic terms that leads to things like body shaming. Figure skaters who struggle as they get older might do so because they may not have the best foundational technique but puberty doesn’t destroy technique.

 

[Frau Muller]

My god. Has the forum gone insane?

Trite, snippety and reductive conversations abound. I recommend a stiff drink. And for a select few—copious amounts of valium.

-BB

And a My Pillow.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

The 4Lz and 3A! But slightly more viewable

Thank you! Those teeny tiny videos, which I hate, were extremely hard for me to see as far as detail with these bad eyes of mine!

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Alysa Liu is in Egna, Italy with Massimo Scali and Jeremy Abbott (both are coaching at a camp with the Young Goose Academy team at Würth Arena Neumarkt from June 3-26). YGA shared a few off-ice clips of Alysa using a jump harness contraption in their Instagram reel earlier today: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CQLQB0GoXz-/

I'm so proud of Alysa! I love that she has worked so hard to regain her 4L and 3A but, no matter what happens in the Olympic season, Alysa can be proud too that she fought through injuries and growth spurts and is doing all that she can to keep improving her overall skating quality! Her PCS scores are bound to keep improving over time! I wonder if she'll perhaps also work in person with Carolina Kostner now that travel restrictions have been loosened somewhat?

 

[Lemonade20]

Agreed, puberty doesn't have to be a bad thing. It just means you have to come in with a new strategy. I think Alysa will surprise everyone at the Olympics!

 

[sundayspirals]

I'm so excited for Alysa. I think she has a great team around her now with Massimo and Jeremy. It's a difficult period for her, managing growth, plus we're entering an Olympic season. But she honestly seems like such a great kid with a good head on her shoulders. I really look forward to watching her in the coming season.

 

[ptvvibezz]

According to TSL's latest video, Gracie, Alysa, and Bradie have signed up for the Cranberry Cup International.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

According to TSL's latest video, Gracie, Alysa, and Bradie have signed up for the Cranberry Cup International.

And Gracie is not in any of the USA team envelopes next season, correct?

 

[Sylvia]

And Gracie is not in any of the USA team envelopes next season, correct?

Gracie is listed in the International Selection Pool. She didn't qualify for a funding envelope but if she is assigned to an international (after Cranberry Cup?), she would be added to the Reserve Team envelope. BTW, Gracie was or still is in England (she recently showed up in Instagram stories of Mark Hanretty and a GBR junior ice dancer).

 

[Sylvia]

Don't believe I saw this video link posted here - back on June 23rd Young Goose Academy posted an Instagram reel of skaters working with Lorenzo Magri (YGA coach in Egna, Italy) and Alysa can be seen doing a 4Lz near the beginning, along with a few other glimpses later, including landing a 3Lz: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CQdNLj-ozd_/

ETA: Alysa is scheduled to perform in Sun Valley, Idaho on Saturday, July 17, and Mariah on July 24.

 

[haribobo]

Top 5 Scores for US in Summer 2021 (so far)

SENIOR WOMEN SP
Isabeau Levito 67
Starr Andrews 66
Karen Chen 61
Lindsay Thorngren 60
Paige Rydberg 58

SENIOR WOMEN FS
Lindsay Thorngren 123
Isabeau Levito 116
Sierra Venetta 110
Gabriella Izzo 108
Paige Rydberg 107

JUNIOR WOMEN SP
Isabeau Levito 64
Kanon Smith 63
Clare Seo 63
Maryn Pierce 62
Mia Kalin 62

JUNIOR WOMEN FS
Isabeau Levito 121
Mia Kalin 117
Clare Seo 116
Adele Zheng 109
Kanon Smith 107

 

[Sylvia]

Ting Cui's Q&A was published in Candid Athletics' blog today (July 5):

Ting

TEAM USA Age: 18 Hometown: Pikesville, Maryland, United States of America Spirit Animal: Horse “I am free-spirited and it’s my Chinese zodiac sign!” “Don’t compare your life to others. There’s no...

candidathletics.com

Excerpts:

Q: What was is your ultimate goal with skating?
TC: “… to be [an] Olympic Champion (super ambitious, I know haha). My goal has since evolved. Now, I want to become the best skater that I can be, pushing my own boundaries both technically and artistically. I would identify as more of an artistic skater now and I want to show people that being a performer and connecting with the audience still matters in a sport where 11 year olds are doing quads. I still have my eyes on the Olympics because it’s a dream I’ve had for so long and can’t quite give up, but as long as I give skating my whole heart every day I know that even if I don’t reach that goal I will have still succeeded in trying.”

Ting is currently looking forward to attending Middlebury College in the Spring of 2022. She will begin her college career next February with about 100 other students that have decided to take a gap semester before school.
“We start in February and graduate in February too, which is why in my Instagram bio I have Class of 2025.5. We’re affectionately called Febs on campus, while the students who start in the fall are called Regs."
Ting plans to major in International and Global Studies with a minor in something that is tbd.
“This unique February admission program is amazing for me because I get to finish this skating season before starting my first year of college so I can have the opportunity to experience each world without worrying about the other.”
After retiring from skating, Ting plans to branch out and start down a different career path. She wishes to branch out and explore a different field in the world.
“Right now, I’m interested in law school or something in film, but a lot could change during my college years. I’m just so excited to explore different areas of study!”

 

[ptvvibezz]

Audrey Shin revealed today on her Instagram that she had a stress fracture in her right fibula. She has now begun to skate again and posted two clips of her 3A and 4T on the harness.

 

[Eeyora1]

According to TSL's latest video, Gracie, Alysa, and Bradie have signed up for the Cranberry Cup International.

I am interested in attending this competition because live in the Boston area. Does anybody know how I get tickets? How dói attend? I didn’t find the official website helpful..

 

[skatingguy]

I am interested in attending this competition because live in the Boston area. Does anybody know how I get tickets? How dói attend? I didn’t find the official website helpful..

It may not be that kind of competition - it will probably depend on the list of competitors. I would keep checking back at the Skating Club of Boston website to see if/when tickets are on sale.

 

[Sylvia]

I am interested in attending this competition because live in the Boston area. Does anybody know how I get tickets? How dói attend?

A decision is supposed to be made re. spectators by later this month - see my post here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...hro-competitions-2021-22.108362/#post-6017872

 

[Frau Muller]

Top 5 Scores for US in Summer 2021 (so far)

SENIOR WOMEN SP
Isabeau Levito 67
Starr Andrews 66
Karen Chen 61
Lindsay Thorngren 60
Paige Rydberg 58

SENIOR WOMEN FS
Lindsay Thorngren 123
Isabeau Levito 116
Sierra Venetta 110
Gabriella Izzo 108
Paige Rydberg 107

JUNIOR WOMEN SP
Isabeau Levito 64
Kanon Smith 63
Clare Seo 63
Maryn Pierce 62
Mia Kalin 62

JUNIOR WOMEN FS
Isabeau Levito 121
Mia Kalin 117
Clare Seo 116
Adele Zheng 109
Kanon Smith 107

Starr’s SP score looking good. Did she not compete the FS?
Starr Andrews for Olympics 2022!

 

[Karen-W]

Starr’s SP score looking good. Did she not compete the FS?
Starr Andrews for Olympics 2022!

Can't say I agree with that. I think any US woman aspiring to make the Olympic team this year will need an SP score of 72+ at Nationals. Btw, Karen's SP score also doesn't bode particularly well for her.l chances, unfortunately.

I realize it's early in the summer yet so we'll see how these ladies look in another month or two.

 

[Frau Muller]

Can't say I agree with that. I think any US woman aspiring to make the Olympic team this year will need an SP score of 72+ at Nationals. Btw, Karen's SP score also doesn't bode particularly well for her.l chances, unfortunately.

I realize it's early in the summer yet so we'll see how these ladies look in another month or two.

DIVERSITY in 2022! It’s about time we lift skaters of color! Yeah!!!

 

[Karen-W]

DIVERSITY in 2022! It’s about time we lift skaters of color! Yeah!!!

Uhm, no. It's about sending the best skaters we have. The USOPC and the USFS are going to send the skaters who earn their spots and color of skin has nothing to do with that.

 

[Sylvia]

Skate Milwaukee Junior Cup -- new JGP selection competition -- has 13 ISP ladies listed as competing this Friday & Saturday (in alphabetical order):

Elsa Cheng
Mia Kalin
Josephine Lee
Isabeau Levito
Jessica Lin
Maryn Pierce
Clare Seo
Kanon Smith
Lindsay Thorngren
Violeta Ushakova
Kate Wang
Adele Zheng
Ava Ziegler

3 senior ladies in the ISP -- Gabriella Izzo, Finley Hawk, Emily Zhang -- plus Ting Cui, Maxine Marie Bautista, and China's Shan Ashley Lin, are among those scheduled to compete in the Senior Ladies event. Good news! There will be a livestream to watch and I plan to create a Skate Milwaukee competition thread in the Kiss & Cry section (ETA the competition thread link):
https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/2021-skate-milwaukee-july-7-11.108424/

 

[Coco]

Um...time to rearrange my schedule! Thanks for this info @Sylvia

 

[Jammers]

Good to see we have some good talent coming up with the Junior Ladies. And i'm glad to see they are pushing themselves with the harder jumps.

 

[Frau Muller]

Uhm, no. It's about sending the best skaters we have. The USOPC and the USFS are going to send the skaters who earn their spots and color of skin has nothing to do with that.

Ever heard of Affirmative Action? Easy for privileged people to dismiss...but what's new?

 

[Coco]

Ever heard of Affirmative Action? Easy for privileged people to dismiss...but what's new?

Normally I ignore trolls, but you are really pissing me off. Stop mocking Starr and her efforts. Everything she has she's earned. And for that matter, stop mocking Affirmative Action.

 

[tony]

Normally I ignore trolls, but you are really pissing me off. Stop mocking Starr and her efforts. Everything she has she's earned. And for that matter, stop mocking Affirmative Action.

Unless something is going over my head based on past posts, @Frau Muller has been pushing for Starr to get a bunch of opportunities such as sending her to Nebelhorn to earn the third Olympics spot, in part to show inclusivity from the USFS.

But that's simply not how it's going to work if she's not the strongest candidate.

And ETA if it is a mock, then that's pretty behavior.

 

[Karen-W]

Ever heard of Affirmative Action? Easy for privileged people to dismiss...but what's new?

Why is it that you think the USFS needs to "do more" to support athletes who happen to be of color? They have never been shy of supporting skaters, regardless of their ethnic makeup, who are the best. Starr will earn her placements and assignments based on how well she skates. Same with Nathan Chen, Vincent Zhou, Tomoki Hiwatashi, Camden Pulkinen, Madison Chock, Audrey Lu, Alysa Liu, Karen Chen, and just like countless other skaters before her.

Your efforts to promote diversity in figure skating by promoting Starr for assignments she does not earn based on her skating are misplaced. If you applied half the energy you put into advocating for Starr into assisting and supporting learn-to-skate programs or providing more access to lower level skaters from diverse backgrounds to top-level coaching, choreography, etc, then that would be worthwhile instead of doing what amounts to nothing more than tokenism.

 

[Coco]

Judging by Frau's other posts, she is not a fan of affirmative action. She is simply trolling, and using the hard work of teenager and the efforts of her family to make fun of a concept that even its proponents have never argued should exist on any sporting field of play.

 

[bladesofgorey]

Normally I ignore trolls, but you are really pissing me off. Stop mocking Starr and her efforts. Everything she has she's earned. And for that matter, stop mocking Affirmative Action.

And here I was the last few months "liking" your Starr cheerleading posts (because I do see a new maturity and interesting style developing in her skating and think she has what it takes to be on top) but in actuality your were just on some racist BS. smh. I hope she doesn't visit these threads ever. Disgusting.

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

I'm so excited for Alysa. I think she has a great team around her now with Massimo and Jeremy. It's a difficult period for her, managing growth, plus we're entering an Olympic season. But she honestly seems like such a great kid with a good head on her shoulders. I really look forward to watching her in the coming season.

Her consistent improvement is commendable. I eagerly await the day she beats the Russians.

-BB