U.S. Women [#3]: Skating Clean

[sk9tingfan]

Just came back from the rink in South Windsor, CT where Ashley Wagner gave two adult skater classes. Those who took it were sweating bullets although she promised that she wouldn't kill them. Even in relatively simple moves (for her). it was great to see how beautifully she moved across the ice as well as the control. My friend who is an adult skater and I were surprised that Ashley was not at Simsbury. Even though the staff at Simsbury is really trying to bring the center back to its old glory, they were not fast enough to get Ashley first. Some the skater drove more than 2 hours to get there.

Elin Schram, who I think is Tenley Albright's daughter (someone please confirm yes or no) gave a similar class in Simsbury last evening. Again, there were adult skaters who traveled 2 hours or more to take the class.

 

[Debbie S]

Elin Schram, who I think is Tenley Albright's daughter (someone please confirm yes or no) gave a similar class in Simsbury last evening. Again, there were adult skaters who traveled 2 hours or more to take the class.

Yes, Elin is Tenley's daughter.

 

[Sylvia]

Job well done to Soho to medal at age 13 on her first Jr Grand Prix outing! Loved both of her classical music programs that she is able to carry off well at her age. The ballet inspired tutu dress in the free was really striking…

Soho Lee's silver medal winning FS in Riga : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHIz2c-OKKI

 

[Theoreticalgirl]

Just came back from the rink in South Windsor, CT where Ashley Wagner gave two adult skater classes. Those who took it were sweating bullets although she promised that she wouldn't kill them. Even in relatively simple moves (for her). it was great to see how beautifully she moved across the ice as well as the control. My friend who is an adult skater and I were surprised that Ashley was not at Simsbury. Even though the staff at Simsbury is really trying to bring the center back to its old glory, they were not fast enough to get Ashley first. Some the skater drove more than 2 hours to get there.

I've taken Ashley's Skate & Sculpt classes. My understanding is that S&S sessions are private ice rentals, so that she doesn't have to sell skating directors/rinks on the classes themselves nor have to hold similar sessions for kids (these classes—and the concept—are intended for adults). So I don't think the issue here is a rink trying to "get" the programming, it seems like it's picked based on what is available on weekends in the evening.

 

[alizadavida]

Just came back from the rink in South Windsor, CT where Ashley Wagner gave two adult skater classes. Those who took it were sweating bullets although she promised that she wouldn't kill them. Even in relatively simple moves (for her). it was great to see how beautifully she moved across the ice as well as the control. My friend who is an adult skater and I were surprised that Ashley was not at Simsbury. Even though the staff at Simsbury is really trying to bring the center back to its old glory, they were not fast enough to get Ashley first. Some the skater drove more than 2 hours to get there.

Elin Schram, who I think is Tenley Albright's daughter (someone please confirm yes or no) gave a similar class in Simsbury last evening. Again, there were adult skaters who traveled 2 hours or more to take the class.

I've been doing Ashley's classes since they started - always a killer workout.

Can confirm Elin Schran is Tenley's daughter! I have done her ice flow classes since 2016? and have done a few of her other events like Be Here Be You! I have also met Tenley

The other comment is correct - the rink just provides the ice time ashley and her team do all the work - I remember once they were shocked that it was actually her and not someone just using her name. She has skate and sculpt and skate and skid for under 18 year olds.

 

[mtnskater]

My rink just started offering a Fit Skate class, which I took this week. My understanding is that it is a program that USFS puts together and taught by local coaches. Would love to know what Ashley does in her class. My class involved 5 circuits with inside edge drills, squats moving down the ice, lunges and push ups at the boards and half swizzle squats. Then a series of abs, including planks, crunches and twists on a yoga mat on the ice. Definitely different.

Some people used to diss Ashley’s skating skills, but I didn’t agree. Lucky folks who have an opportunity to take a class from her. She should teach performance and interpretation too!

 

[alizadavida]

My rink just started offering a Fit Skate class, which I took this week. My understanding is that it is a program that USFS puts together and taught by local coaches. Would love to know what Ashley does in her class. My class involved 5 circuits with inside edge drills, squats moving down the ice, lunges and push ups at the boards and half swizzle squats. Then a series of abs, including planks, crunches and twists on a yoga mat on the ice. Definitely different.

Some people used to diss Ashley’s skating skills, but I didn’t agree. Lucky folks who have an opportunity to take a class from her. She should teach performance and interpretation too!

I took a fit skate class at the USFS alumni night - it's the same class for everyone with 4 different levels - was defiantly sore the next day since it uses different muscles than both Ashley and Elin's classes. Ashley used to do a performance class on zoom during COVID - sometimes after class she shows us different choreo pieces but i'd love a full performance/interpretation class with her

 

[sk9tingfan]

My rink just started offering a Fit Skate class, which I took this week. My understanding is that it is a program that USFS puts together and taught by local coaches. Would love to know what Ashley does in her class. My class involved 5 circuits with inside edge drills, squats moving down the ice, lunges and push ups at the boards and half swizzle squats. Then a series of abs, including planks, crunches and twists on a yoga mat on the ice. Definitely different.

Some people used to diss Ashley’s skating skills, but I didn’t agree. Lucky folks who have an opportunity to take a class from her. She should teach performance and interpretation too!

I made a comment to my friend, the adult skater indicating that I would have a friend up in the stands recording the session so one could have a record of what was done as well as the progression. She had indicated that she didn't always remember even if she had made notes immediately afterwards for future workouts.

 

[Theoreticalgirl]

Just to keep the skating clinic conversation going (and keep this on-topic-ish), I started a thread over in the Moves In the Field section of the site.

 

[clairecloutier]

Here's a FanZone article about Jill Heiner, written by Jillian Martinez:

Jill Heiner: The Rainbow Fighter - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

Jill Heiner is passionate about Formula One racing, Kacey Musgraves, coffee and, of course, figure skating.

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

Jill will be competing at U.S. Classic this week.

 

[layman]

Watched the women’s free in Riga. Job well done to Soho to medal at age 13 on her first Jr Grand Prix outing! Loved both of her classical music programs that she is able to carry off well at her age. The ballet inspired tutu dress in the free was really striking…and she got the memo to ditch the tights over boots here! She has a good shot at the final if she can keep up the consistency. Love her name…so unusual.

Hannah Herrera did a creditable job. She skates pretty hot and cold but love the attack! Her choreography sequence was a standout in the whole event for me. Now if she can work on fixing her posture and not rounding her shoulders so much it would help her impression immensely.

I enjoyed the American ladies as well (and I also enjoyed the winner Jia Shin).

It occurred to me while I was watching that this generation of Juniors will have to be 17 before they step into the senior ranks. They will obviously change a lot between now and then, so I am not looking for perfection right now from any of them but rather looking to see that they have a strong foundation that will successfully carry them into the senior ranks in four to five years.

 

[haribobo]

SENIOR WOMEN
Yet to compete- Bradie Tennell, Starr Andrews, Gabriella Izzo, Mariah Bell

Isabeau Levito 210.49
Lindsay Thorngren 203.62
Clare Seo 185.10
Gracie Gold 180.26
Josephine Lee 178.63
Sonja Hilmer 177.72
Audrey Shin 175.89
Hanna Harrell 173.57
Alena Budko 172.70
Hannah Lofton 170.21
Ting Cui 167.30
Amber Glenn 166.73
Jill Heiner 165.19
Maryn Pierce 162.12
Finley Hawk 161.94
Kate Wang 160.81
Wren Warne Jacobsen 160.49
Paige Rydberg 160.36
Ava Ziegler 160.01
Audrey Lu 159.51
Nicole Park 158.19
Elsa Cheng 158.00
Michelle Lee 156.52
Hannah Lofton 153.51
Brynn Roberts 149.92
Lindsay Wang 145.42
Alexa Gasparotto 144.93
Alyssa Rich 143.68
Isabelle Inthisone 142.71
Rena Ikenishi 142.02
Hannah Herrera 141.94
Emilia Murdock 140.33


JUNIOR WOMEN
Soho Lee 188.35
Mia Kalin 184.16
Elyce Lin-Gracey 180.45
Clare Seo 172.55 (skating senior nationally)
Logan Higase Chen 170.38
Sherry Zhang 169.46
Josephine Lee 168.85 (skating senior nationally)
Katie Krafchik 168.85
Sarah Everhardt 165.16
Hannah Herrera 155.49
Athena Huang 155.13
Sonia Baram 154.52
Phoebe Stubblefield 151.90
Juliana Barshay 150.59
Kanon Smith 147.70
Mia Barghout 146.94
Lilah Gibson 143.07

 

[Frau Muller]

SENIOR WOMEN
Yet to compete- Bradie Tennell, Starr Andrews, Gabriella Izzo, Mariah Bell
….

We’ve seen summer ‘22 training clips of Bradie but not of Starr…anybody seen anything? She must be fit & ready, if she now has two GP assignments (like Bradie), right?

Gaby just pulled out of a Challenger event. She has one GP assignment which she’ll hopefully be able to fulfill.

Mariah - we know that she’s sitting out the fall ‘22 season (at least).

 

[clairecloutier]

A new article on Sonja Hilmer from Maura Sullivan Hill of Figure Skaters Online:

Sonja Hilmer’s breakout summer competition season leads to Team USA debut – Figure Skaters Online

 

[On My Own]

I'm here to whine about Karen again.

No one has shown better spins, spirals, and musicality than her these past two quads, and her 3Lz was textbook, she better be back or ladies figure skating is canceled party 2022-forever.

I'll be back next week.

 

[Vagabond]

I'm here to whine about Karen again.

Thank you, Karen.

 

[Debbie S]

I'm here to whine about Karen again.

No one has shown better spins, spirals, and musicality than her these past two quads, and her 3Lz was textbook, she better be back or ladies figure skating is canceled party 2022-forever.

I'll be back next week.

Karen seems very happy to be back at Cornell, from her social media posts. Whether or not she returns to competition, there are plenty of U.S. ladies to enjoy watching (who also have a good 3Lz).

 

[Deleted member 221]

Karen Chen's problem was that her 3Lz was her only real triple. Her flip was a clear 3Fe<< on a bad day and 3F!< on a best case with a generous caller. The loop went completely MIA this year. I can't remember the last time she rotated a salchow either, again 90+% of odds being 3S<< or 3S<. She rarely completed more than two triples worthy of positive GOE and usually had at least three passes warranting -4 or -5.

Gracie Gold will run into similar problems. She only really has 3Lz and 3Lo, plus sometimes 3T. Her flip is a clear 3Fe (-3 GOE), which basically makes it worth the same as a good double lutz, and she's had rotation challenges on top of it, which put many of her attempts in the -5 range even when she stands up. I can't recall the last time she did a salchow; it's almost always a double. Sorry if it's mean, but I wouldn't have given her the Skate America slot until she showed a couple more clean triples. Five triples is her max, and this wouldn't have cut in 1992, much less 2022.

 

[jlai]

Karen Chen's problem was that her 3Lz was her only real triple. Her flip was a clear 3Fe<< on a bad day and 3F!< on a best case with a generous caller. The loop went completely MIA this year. I can't remember the last time she rotated a salchow either, again 90+% of odds being 3S<< or 3S<. She rarely completed more than two triples worthy of positive GOE and usually had at least three passes warranting -4 or -5.

Gracie Gold will run into similar problems. She only really has 3Lz and 3Lo, plus sometimes 3T. Her flip is a clear 3Fe (-3 GOE), which basically makes it worth the same as a good double lutz, and she's had rotation challenges on top of it, which put many of her attempts in the -5 range even when she stands up. I can't recall the last time she did a salchow; it's almost always a double. Sorry if it's mean, but I wouldn't have given her the Skate America slot until she showed a couple more clean triples. Five triples is her max, and this wouldn't have cut in 1992, much less 2022.

Who would you have sent given the transition year?

 

[Coco]

I think Gracie's Salchow is fine. She just puts it at the end of her program and she has stamina issues.

ETA: The season before Kristi Y. had a reliable triple-triple, she was doing double flip-triple toe towards the end of her free skate. I wish more ladies would try this. Seems like a good way to build confidence rotating a triple toe as the second jump in a combination.

 

[SidelineSkater]

Five triples is her max, and this wouldn't have cut in 1992, much less 2022.

Five triples won Worlds in 2012. Three triples would get you a World bronze in 2010.

 

[On My Own]

Karen Chen's problem was that her 3Lz was her only real triple. Her flip was a clear 3Fe<< on a bad day and 3F!< on a best case with a generous caller. The loop went completely MIA this year. I can't remember the last time she rotated a salchow either, again 90+% of odds being 3S<< or 3S<. She rarely completed more than two triples worthy of positive GOE and usually had at least three passes warranting -4 or -5.

Since we're talking about "with a generous caller", just last season she'd landed each of the jumps without edge or UR issues, multiple times in the case of 3Lz, 3Lo, and 3T... Her +3T doesn't even usually have a problem off a 2A (which is also amazing, I forgot about that one).

I'm very sorry, "at least three passes warranting -4 or -5 GOE" is ridiculous.

Karen seems very happy to be back at Cornell, from her social media posts. Whether or not she returns to competition, there are plenty of U.S. ladies to enjoy watching (who also have a good 3Lz).

Yeah I know, I follow her, I'm still going to whine here while liking those posts.

 

[Sylvia]

Belatedly, here's a Senior Women's podium pic from Middle Atlantics this past Saturday night (Sept. 10) in NYC:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1568758273897267202

I was forwarded some impressions from someone who attended and watched the free skates of the final 9 skaters (thank you! ) & will cross-post in the Kiss & Cry joint competition thread for Middle Atlantics/John Nicks:

Sydney Cooke. Sassy. Lively. Fast. Very charismatic.

Ting Cui. Grown up. Powerful. Graceful.

Emilia Murdock. A beautiful Disney Princess.

Kate Hwang. Costume with two different blue colors. Classy Rachmaninov program (never enough Rachmaninov . Good carriage, neck and shoulder like someone who’s had dance training.

Ava Ziegler. Really feels her music and never let the performance go even when jumps don’t go to plan. Crowd cheering hard.

Lindsay Wang. Spirited recovery from surprise fall. Sabrina music suits her. Costume very Sabrina.

Isabeau Levito. Exquisite. Dainty. Still beautiful despite rare mistake.

Alexa Gasparotto. Big jumps well timed to highlights in the music. Entertaining program that really suits her. Crowd got into her program.

Lindsay Thorngren. Nice music cuts. The lunge going into the jumps at the beginning sets the tone, a program with a lot of beautiful and original touches. Good ice coverage. Really leveled up her presentation.

Fan cam of Levito's 1st place FS (137.91), 210.49 total: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JBG7tu1KVQ
Fan cam of Thorngren's 2nd place FS (124.74), 196.53 total: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-5X-CnbyqM

Two more photos tweeted from the same source - a (kind of rare ) smiling Lindsay! https://twitter.com/michlmint/status/1568764747079884803
Alexa Gasparotto with Rohene Ward (he choreographed her programs this season, including her FS to "Dreamgirls"): https://twitter.com/michlmint/status/1568754870655811587

 

[Sylvia]

SENIOR WOMEN
...
Lindsay Thorngren 203.62 [Philadelphia Summer International]
...
Hannah Lofton 170.21 [DuPage Open NQS]
Ting Cui 167.30 [Potomac Open NQS]
...
Ava Ziegler 160.01 [Middle Atlantics NQS]

Listed for CS Finlandia Trophy in the ISU entries today:

28 Hannah LOFTON USA (confirmed on USFS' International Assignments page; J15 at 2022 Nationals - her first-ever international, IIRC)
29 Lindsay THORNGREN USA (confirmed on USFS' International Assignments page)
Ting CUI USA 21 S
Sonja HILMER USA 21 S (CS debut in Lake Placid this week)
Ava Marie ZIEGLER USA 21 S (J2 at 2022 Nationals)

Re=posting here from the ISU Challenger Series thread:

I'm happy to see Ting Cui listed, even if just as a alternate.

 

[Sylvia]

Newly published Q&A with Phoebe Stubblefield, age 13 - “I try my hardest to ignore [triple Axel publicity] and focus on myself”:

Phoebe Stubblefield: “I try my hardest to ignore [triple Axel publicity] and focus on myself” – Figure Skaters Online

She is competing today (soon!) in Lake Placid in the Junior Women's event of the U.S. Novice and Junior Challenge Skate - for those without Kiss & Cry access, competition info is here: https://twitter.com/SylviaUnseen/status/1570408687411527689

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I don’t know where to put this but holy crap did the United States finally get a new team jackets? So much better! Those other blood red jackets for the past however many years were tacky and awful. now if only they could upgrade that kiss and cry at us classic with the wrinkles in the banner

 

[Sylvia]

Sonja Hilmer talks about getting her first Team USA jacket (new design this year) in this article:

A new article on Sonja Hilmer from Maura Sullivan Hill of Figure Skaters Online:

Sonja Hilmer’s breakout summer competition season leads to Team USA debut – Figure Skaters Online

Hilmer won bronze at the Peggy Fleming Trophy in June, when she first used that music [Arcane], and the next time she skates to it, she’ll be representing Team USA in Lake Placid, wearing the USA jacket for the first time. At Cranberry, her friend and former Team USA competitor Courtney Hicks lent her a USA jacket, a supportive gesture that was much appreciated, but Hilmer is ready for a jacket of her own.
“The jacket in itself means a lot, because it’s like ownership of everything that I’ve done so far. Having something material that can represent that,” she says. “I’m really excited to go see Lake Placid itself and have the experience of the travel, the roommate that U.S. Figure Skating arranges for the international competitions, having official practice ice again and that schedule.”

SO pleased Sonja's CS debut was successful for her!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

The new jackets are stunning, why couldn’t they have done these last year. And thankfully they did not put the obnoxious sponsors on the jacket. I don’t want to see Ollies whatever it is or some reverse home mortgage on the jackets or smart ones or any other sponsor

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Sonja ends up the highest placing American woman in the free skate at the US classic. Congratulations

She also ends up with the second highest technical score in the free skate as well

 

[Evgeniafan]

Sonja ends up the highest placing American woman in the free skate at the US classic. Congratulations

She also ends up with the second highest technical score in the free skate as well

I wish she was going to Skate America, I'd love to see her free program in person.