U.S. Women [#1]: The Contenders Unmask Themselves

[kirkbiggestfan]

Is the Cranberry Cup open to the public? I thought they were going to announce it last week.

 

[Karen-W]

Re-posting here from the PFT thread... I've heard unofficially that USFS is using Cranberry Cup (new international next month hosted by the SC of Boston - senior events are currently scheduled for Aug. 14-15) to decide which U.S. woman to send to Nebelhorn, which I think is a very good idea.

Does this apply to the men also? It will be interesting to see which US man gets the Nebelhorn assignment too.

 

[Frau Muller]

This Cranberry thing is suddenly pretty important. I hope that it will be streamed.

 

[Sylvia]

Lindsay Thorngren (who currently is at Benoit Richaud's camp in France) and Clare Seo will represent USA at the first JGP in Courchevel. This will be Lindsay's second JGP (she placed 8th in Gdansk in 2019) and Clare's debut.

ETA that 7 are listed (alphabetically) as alternates for Courchevel #1 on the ISU entries list that was published on 7/20:
Elsa CHENG
Mia KALIN
Josephine LEE
Isabeau LEVITO
Maryn PIERCE
Kanon SMITH
Ava Marie ZIEGLER

 

[natsulian]

Excited to see how Lindsay and Clare will perform!

 

[AxelAnnie]

And Sasha Cohen, as a junior in 1999:

Sasha Cohen 1999 U.S. Nationals Junior FS

Sasha Cohen 1999 U.S. Nationals Junior FSSubscribe to this channel for everything all of your figure skating fan needs.Access exclusive TSL content (includin...

m.youtube.com

Glorious

 

[karmena]

Glorious

Not only glorious, breath- taking... IMHO there is no enough adjectives to describe Sasha's skating(in this video)...there is something of eternal beauty, something which uplifts and pacifies...

 

[Sylvia]

Isabeau Levito uploaded her Skate Milwaukee Junior Cup free skate on her YT channel yesterday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq6H1fUyCFQ
(@Stephanie posted in the Skate Milwaukee competition thread that it's the Russian Dance from Swan Lake.)

ETA that Mia Kalin has a clip of her opening 4T+2T from her Broadmoor Open Junior FS on her YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMt4eLuKY2s

 

[sk9tingfan]

Is the Cranberry Cup open to the public? I thought they were going to announce it last week.

No. If you read the thread you will see that SCOB will not release that info until the end of July. IMO, the reason for this is what the case, hospitalization rate is in Massachusetts and the surrounding states are closer to the event. It would not surprise me if they asked for proof of full vaccination.

The average positivity rate for the last week was 1,18% with 100 hospitalizations(33 in the ICU) and 6 new confirmed/3 probable deaths. The data is lagging a week. Abutting CT's positivity rate today was 2.71% which is high given that it had been far less than 1% for quite awhile and 54 in the hospital with no apparent deaths for what appears to be at least the last 10 days or more. RI is at 1% and yesterday it was1.8% with 21 in the hospital and 1 confirmed death.

 

[layman]

Isabeau Levito uploaded her Skate Milwaukee Junior Cup free skate on her YT channel yesterday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq6H1fUyCFQ
(@Stephanie posted in the Skate Milwaukee competition thread that it's the Russian Dance from Swan Lake.)

ETA that Mia Kalin has a clip of her opening 4T+2T from her Broadmoor Open Junior FS on her YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMt4eLuKY2s

Isabeau has some nice aspects to her skating. I like her musical awareness and the Sasha Cohen-like styling in her skating but I also see a lot of room for improvement.

Artistically, Sasha Cohen would extend and stretch (as far as she could), hold and finish positions. Sasha also paid careful attention to her posture at all times (Dick Button used to joke that you could iron a shirt on her back). I am not seeing that yet from Isabeau.

Technically, Isabeau has that Russian jump technique, where she starts the rotation with her upper body and then relies on a tight back spin position to get herself airborne. She does not use her legs much. She spins right off the entrance edge. Many have pointed out that this technique only works if the skater remains tiny and we have seen from Lipnitskaya, Medevedeva, Zagitova and now Sherbakova, that this technique fails with growth.

I want Isabeau to copy Tuktamusheva's technique instead and learn how to jump using her legs. That kind of technique lasts.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Isabeau has some nice aspects to her skating. I like her musical awareness and the Sasha Cohen-like styling in her skating but I also see a lot of room for improvement.

Artistically, Sasha Cohen would extend and stretch (as far as she could), hold and finish positions. Sasha also paid careful attention to her posture at all times (Dick Button used to joke that you could iron a shirt on her back). I am not seeing that yet from Isabeau.

Technically, Isabeau has that Russian jump technique, where she starts the rotation with her upper body and then relies on a tight back spin position to get herself airborne. She does not use her legs much. She spins right off the entrance edge. Many have pointed out that this technique only works if the skater remains tiny and we have seen from Lipnitskaya, Medevedeva, Zagitova and now Sherbakova, that this technique fails with growth.

I want Isabeau to copy Tuktamusheva's technique instead and learn how to jump using her legs. That kind of technique lasts.

IMO Isabeau is far from baked. Her stretch and line are maybe a 4 to Sasha's 10. She is cute and can jump....but rough years ahead. Her basic skating skills need work. And she will need those excellent basics as she grows.

I would love to bear Uncle Dick call her skate.....several times her foot was just hanging out there.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

^^^ yeah but we’re still talking about a junior right?

I can’t recall any junior throughout history I would consider baked or fully baked. Not any of the current Russians that were juniors recently either. It takes years for artistry to bake.


Damn, now I want brownies

 

[radcliffe96]

^^^Yes @AngieNikodinovLove !

Personally, I think US skating needs to cheer on all emerging juniors, whatever their particular strengths and weaknesses at this point. The US needs them all — the one getting the ultra-c's, the one trying to be Sasha Cohen II, the bubbly and happy performers, the speedy one, the consistent jumper who's not super animated yet, the light and airy one doing only 3T-3T for the moment.

Rather than just promoting one or two "stars," I hope USFS supports all of their efforts to not only achieve based on their current strengths but to improve their skills all around.

 

[giselle23]

This sounds like the likely scenario. I can't imagine USFS denying her SkAm. It just sucks that her GP has Valieva, Kostornaia, Kihira, AND Tuktamysheva. I've lost hope in Kihira, so I think Alysa will have a great shot at beating her. She probably should score over Tukt, but will probably have to suffer from lower PCS, deserved or not.

It could be a good thing. It lowers expectations. It also is a challenge for Alysa, one she'll hAVE TO to overcome if she hopes to be on the podium at the Olympics.

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

Rather than just promoting one or two "stars," I hope USFS supports all of their efforts to not only achieve based on their current strengths but to improve their skills all around.

This may be the most sensible statement I have read on this forum in months.

-BB

 

[insideedgeua]

Sorry, off topic, but why can’t I see this thread any more? I can only find it from the opening forum page and only if it is the thread most recently commented on.

I’ve now got notifications switched on, so can find it that way, but it’s not in the highlighted list of active thread in Great Skate Debate.

I can only assume I’ve accidentally clicked something to hide the thread but I have no idea what and it’s annoying me.

 

[sk8nlizard]

S

Sorry, off topic, but why can’t I see this thread any more? I can only find it from the opening forum page and only if it is the thread most recently commented on.

I’ve now got notifications switched on, so can find it that way, but it’s not in the highlighted list of active thread in Great Skate Debate.

I can only assume I’ve accidentally clicked something to hide the thread but I have no idea what and it’s annoying me.

See who the starter of the thread is and click on their name. Then make sure you didn’t actually ignore them by accident. I did that once and couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t seeing a thread.

 

[insideedgeua]

S

See who the starter of the thread is and click on their name. Then make sure you didn’t actually ignore them by accident. I did that once and couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t seeing a thread.

Thanks. It was a good suggestion, but I’m definitely not ignoring Sylvia.

 

[BittyBug]

Thanks. It was a good suggestion, but I’m definitely not ignoring Sylvia.

Sylvia didn't start the thread.

 

[haribobo]

SENIOR WOMEN FS/OVERALL (top 5 summer 2021 scores)
Gabriella Izzo 125/197
Sierra Venetta 133/186
Lindsay Thorngren 123/184
Isabeau Levito 116/183
Paige Rydberg 107/165

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting a few details about the top 2 finishers in the Senior FS at Skate Detroit (from the Kiss & Cry section):

Sierra Venetta, SC of San Francisco 133.68 (3Lo+1Eu+3S, 2A, 3F, 3F+2T, 3Lz, 3Lz+2T, 3T & all level 4s!)
Gabriella Izzo, SC of Boston 125.72 (landed 5 of 6 triples with fall on 3F<<; scored higher here than in her 6-triple FS at Skate Milwaukee)

As posted in the JGP announcement thread earlier today, Isabeau Levito and Josephine Lee have been assigned to the 2nd JGP in Courchevel, France. This will be the junior international debuts for both - Levito's has been delayed for the past year.

 

[ptvvibezz]

Audrey Shin and Hanna Harrell will be skating at the Glacier Falls Summer Classic on Friday and Saturday!

 

[WOULDACOULDARETURNS]

This Cranberry thing is suddenly pretty important. I hope that it will be streamed.

It seems so odd to me that the name and location of the competition are new. I remember going to the Cranberry Open back in the ‘90s, when it was held at the Tony Kent Arena on Cape Cod. That’s the rink where Tonya’s goons looked for Kerrigan before flying to Detroit.
Beautiful ice, but only one surface.

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

Or in Oregon-speak, "Tunee Can"!!! hehe

 

[Frau Muller]

It seems so odd to me that the name and location of the competition are new. I remember going to the Cranberry Open back in the ‘90s, when it was held at the Tony Kent Arena on Cape Cod. That’s the rink where Tonya’s goons looked for Kerrigan before flying to Detroit.
Beautiful ice, but only one surface.

It was written “Tuna Can Arena” on the notepaper found in the dumpster behind a diner. The waitress who discovered the note was so proud to be on TV...interviewed by Connie Chung.

 

[Sylvia]

Audrey Shin and Hanna Harrell will be skating at the Glacier Falls Summer Classic on Friday and Saturday!

Registered in Junior include ISP skaters Kanon Smith, Josephine Lee, Tamnhi Huynh & Kate Wang, plus Soho Lee.

For those who can't access the Kiss & Cry forum where I've started a competition thread for Glacier Falls, admission to the Anaheim ICE facility & livestream info will be $10/day: https://twitter.com/SylviaUnseen/status/1419682965215399942

 

[ptvvibezz]

Gracie Gold is signed up for the Philadelphia Summer Championships, along with Ting Cui, Lindsay Thorngren, Isabeau Levito, and Emily Zhang this Friday. The start list for the FS hasn't been released yet.

2021 Philadelphia Summer Championships

Event Results for 2021 Philadelphia Summer Championships

ijs.usfigureskating.org

 

[Maximillian]

It was written “Tuna Can Arena” on the notepaper found in the dumpster behind a diner. The waitress who discovered the note was so proud to be on TV...interviewed by Connie Chung.

Well, I mean who wouldn't be excited to be interviewed by MRS. MAURY POVICH!!!

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

Well, I mean who wouldn't be excited to be interviewed by MRS. MAURY POVICH!!!

"Tonya, we reviewed the results of your polygraph, and you ARE the accomplice!!!"

 

[Wyliefan]

Hey, don't knock it. Connie Chung was the biggest thing in news, back in the day!