U.S. Women [#2]: The Unbearable Lightness of Beijing

[Karen-W]

I just listened to the Team USA IG live with Mirai and Mariah Bell. In talking about her upcoming competitions Matiah mentioned her two GPs then said she would have another senior B in December, so it sounds like she is slated for Golden Spin. Later on in the interview, Mirai tried to make it sound like Mariah might qualify for the GPF but the chances of that, in a stacked Rostelecom field with Tuk, Valieva and Khromykh are relatively slim even if she does manage to medal at IdF the week before.

 

[olympic]

Amber landed a 3Lz+2T+2Lo combo in her 2021 Nationals free skate. She currently repeats 3F & 3Lo and doesn't need the 3S if she plans on going for 3A in her FS.

BTW, I posted Amber’s Skate America video links in her fan thread yesterday: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...reciation-fan-page.106792/page-3#post-6088372

She does a 2nd 2A, so I would assume that a 3S could be substituted there and the 1st 2A would become a 3A, and of course she could tack the 2L onto either one of her 2 jump combos. IDK, I just think she's going to need as many points as possible.

 

[skatingguy]

 

[Frau Muller]

I love Liu’s honesty and freshness, braces and all. She’s 100% genuine. May this sweet and joyful quality stay with her, no matter what.

 

[Spun Silver]

I love Liu’s honesty and freshness, braces and all. She’s 100% genuine. May this sweet and joyful quality stay with her, no matter what.

I completely agree, but I still hope the braces are gone by the Olympics!

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

I completely agree, but I still hope the braces are gone by the Olympics!

That is something I wondered about. Would it be against doctor's orders to remove the braces for the next few months just so she can have at least her natural non-metallic smile for all the Olympic photos? Why can't she just take them off for the time being? She has a beautiful natural smile. Let her show it. IMO.

 

[Vagabond]

Would it be against doctor's orders to remove the braces for the next few months just so she can have at least her natural non-metallic smile for all the Olympic photos?

Does the sun rise in the east?

I think it would be wonderful to have an Olympic contender wearing braces. Braces are a part of life.

And, no, I never wore braces. I didn't need them.

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

Does the sun rise in the east?

I think it would be wonderful to have an Olympic contender wearing braces. Braces are a part of life.

And, no, I never wore braces. I didn't need them.

I know, it's all a personal choice. I think it would be wonderful if my friends could look back on old pictures where they are wearing braces (like Bridal portraits) and not wish they had them removed for that period. Many regret wearing those ugly things when they could have taken them off. I did Invasilgn in my 30s and it worked out wonderfully for me, and no one noticed I was wearing braces. But I'm not on the covers of international magazines and performing to international audiences. It's a choice, and I support either. It's all good.

 

[Frau Muller]

I know, it's all a personal choice. I think it would be wonderful if my friends could look back on old pictures where they are wearing braces (like Bridal portraits) and not wish they had them removed for that period. Many regret wearing those ugly things when they could have taken them off. I did Invasilgn in my 30s and it worked out wonderfully for me, and no one noticed I was wearing braces. But I'm not on the covers of international magazines and performing to international audiences. It's a choice, and I support either. It's all good.

Well, that’s part of her natural quality (for now...for however long she wants).

 

[ptvvibezz]

Seems like Alysa is planning to jump the 3A and 4Lz this weekend

https://twitter.com/x/status/1453758379554377733

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Seems like Alysa is planning to jump the 3A and 4Lz this weekend

https://twitter.com/x/status/1453758379554377733

Get it!!!!

 

[Sylvia]

I just listened to the Team USA IG live with Mirai and Mariah Bell.

Link to watch last night's chat: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CVjL8cUl5SH/

ETA: Mariah had previously mentioned in her Team USA virtual summit appearance that Golden Spin of Zagreb (after her 2 GPs in France & Russia) was an option for her since she couldn't go to her Asian Open Trophy Challenger Series comp. in Beijing earlier this month.

(I've moved the older Alysa Liu article to my post #75 below.)

 

[Vagabond]

That is something I wondered about. Would it be against doctor's orders to remove the braces for the next few months just so she can have at least her natural non-metallic smile for all the Olympic photos? Why can't she just take them off for the time being? She has a beautiful natural smile. Let her show it. IMO.

It's a choice, and I support either. It's all good.

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

I don't understand your emoticon. Do you think I contradicted myself? I don't.

 

[Sylvia]

Cross-posting here from her fan/cheer thread... NBC Bay Area's 2-minute video feature before she makes her Grand Prix debut in Vancouver :

Meet Alysa Liu: 16-Year-Old Olympic Figure Skating Hopeful From the Bay Area

An East Bay figure skater has her eyes set on the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

www.nbcbayarea.com

Back then, she was 4 feet 8 inches tall. Now, she's 5-foot-2.
"I had to change up my technique. I had to work more on height instead of just pure rotation," Liu said. "I worked on it for like a good year, working on exercises. So, now that I’m doing axels and quads again, I can do them like normal."
Liu's coach, Massimo Scali, said he gets chills watching her skate with so much beauty and strength.
"One of the most beautiful comments that we always get from judges is that you can feel her joy when she does what she loves to do," Scali said.

ETA that it's the same YouTube interview posted by @skatingguy earlier.

Absolute Skating's article on Alysa (based on quotes by her and Scali at Cranberry Cup in mid-August?): http://www.absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=articles&id=2021alysaliu

Massimo also shared that it wasn't easy to find the right music for Alysa's free skate. "We had the concept in mind, the flying feeling, we wanted her to be this red crowned crane. We thought it was a beautiful concept, connecting her with her roots, because it is a bird that is unique, just in Asia. So, the concept was pretty easy. Finding the music was a little harder, because we wanted something light, but strong at the same time, and so we went through a few choices. This Tchaikovsky's concerto was so beautiful and powerful and light and free at the same time. So, we think we picked the right program. Part of the process was also thinking, what is effective, what is recognizable, what is an Olympic program. Both programs are very classical, but so well-known, so strong and powerful. We wanted something that people could connect right away with."

Also adding this Fan Zone article by Darci Miller (Oct. 26):

Liu to Make Senior Grand Prix Debut at Skate Canada with the Olympics on the Horizon - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

When the world was first introduced to Alysa Liu, she was winning the junior title at the 2018 U.S. Figure Skating Championships as a 12-year-old, becoming the youngest

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

Link to watch last night's chat: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CVjL8cUl5SH/

Absolute Skating's article on Alysa (based on quotes by her and Scali at Cranberry Cup in mid-August?): http://www.absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=articles&id=2021alysaliu

Interesting reading about Scali's goals/intents in creating her programs. I love what Alysa is doing to one of my favorite pieces in her LP. Interesting to think about a unique-to-Asia red crowned crane in all of it. I can't wait to analyze her program this weekend!

 

[Karen-W]

I'm loving the fact that Alysa absolutely wants to win and is going for the hard technical content. She's coming on strong!

 

[Frau Muller]

I just listened to the Team USA IG live with Mirai and Mariah Bell.

I just listened to this too. Very cute...but I find it incredible that Mirai is 28 and Mariah is 25. I’m referring to the little-girl voices, the giggling, etc. Is it natural or are they instructed to talk like kids for certain demographics? In contrast, Alysa sounds more “adult” & grounded (today’s NBC interview), while still a natural teen.

Also, kudos to Polina Edmunds for her mature voice & style in her podcasts, despite her relative youth.

 

[VGThuy]

Seeing Morgan Hurd perform gymnastics with her glasses and seeing other gymnasts following suit made me wonder if figure skating will ever embrace that look. So many people do wear glasses and it'll be nice to see that reflected.

I just listened to this too. Very cute...but I find it incredible that Mirai is 28 and Mariah is 25. I’m referring to the little-girl voices, the giggling, etc. Is it natural or are they instructed to talk like kids for certain demographics? In contrast, Alysa sounds more “adult” & grounded (today’s NBC interview), while still a natural teen.

Also, kudos to Polina Edmunds for her mature voice & style in her podcasts, despite her relative youth.

Mirai talks a lot like my cousins and women I grew up with in the Viet community. They carry that voice forever.

 

[sk8nlizard]

Seeing Morgan Hurd perform gymnastics with her glasses and seeing other gymnasts following suit made me wonder if figure skating will ever embrace that look. So many people do wear glasses and it'll be nice to see that reflected.

Mirai talks a lot like my cousins and women I grew up with in the Viet community. They carry that voice forever.

I got glasses when I was in 6th grade. I wore them for figures but spinning and jumping was almost impossible with glasses on. I would imagine in gymnastics you don’t turn with the same force or nearly as long as in figure skating. A few times after my glasses went flying across the ice, it was time for contacts. We had a little girl who wore glasses for severe loss of sight. I remember her mom having to put in contacts for her when she was working on the axel (she was probably 6 or 7).

 

[Frau Muller]

....

Mirai talks a lot like my cousins and women I grew up with in the Viet community. They carry that voice forever.

Interesting. What’s Mariah Bell’s excuse for ditziness and giggles - Valley Girl???

 

[aml78]

Interesting. What’s Mariah Bell’s excuse for ditziness and giggles - Valley Girl???

It’s just her personality. Or it could be nervousness on camera. It is who she is and not sure we need to critique peoples personality unless it’s specific to their presentation on the ice.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I'm loving the fact that Alysa absolutely wants to win and is going for the hard technical content. She's coming on strong!

And she’s a joy to watch on top of that. Such personality, she enjoys the sport and let’s us all know it. Only thing better is a fresh bag of Reese’s peanut butter cups

 

[Lemonade20]

I just listened to this too. Very cute...but I find it incredible that Mirai is 28 and Mariah is 25. I’m referring to the little-girl voices, the giggling, etc. Is it natural or are they instructed to talk like kids for certain demographics? In contrast, Alysa sounds more “adult” & grounded (today’s NBC interview), while still a natural teen.

Also, kudos to Polina Edmunds for her mature voice & style in her podcasts, despite her relative youth.

I think it has more to do with how sheltered they are. It takes longer to grow up & mature. A lot of skaters are surprisingly like that.

 

[Frau Muller]

I think it has more to do with how sheltered they are. It takes longer to grow up & mature. A lot of skaters are surprisingly like that.

Yes, that may be it.

 

[Coco]

It's also possible that when we see interviews with people we feel super familiar with based on watching them skate for forever, we magnify certain qualities that we didn't expect to see.

Or they are reflecting all they've absorbed in a sport that values youth.

Or it is just a communication style, like using lots of emojis and exclamation points.

 

[AxelAnnie]

You CAN have them taken off and put back on. It is expensive and impractical Ithink she Iooks great (and makes you look younger.)

I would be surprised if that was important to her.

 

[Maximillian]

I haven't listened to this interview but have listened to Mirai a ton through the years and she like many American women of a certain socio-economic and/or age demographic speaks with 'vocal fry' and 'up speak'. It's not unusual at all especially in Southern California

 

[Rubies]

And she’s a joy to watch on top of that. Such personality, she enjoys the sport and let’s us all know it. Only thing better is a fresh bag of Reese’s peanut butter cups

How do you know they're fresh???

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

How do you know they're fresh???

First job outta college was with hersheys..... I know the codes!!!!