U.S. Women [#4]: How Dare You

[Sylvia]

So happy that Sonja Hilmer made Nationals.

Sonja just posted on her Instagram (with a photo of the Midwestern Sectional podium of Elsa Cheng, Alexa Gasaparotto & Emilia Murdock [eta] whose 151.12 score puts her right behind Michelle Lee's 153.86): https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck8yCT7Ldvf/

I mean, when have I ever done things the "normal" way
13 years of qualifying competitions, 6 sectional championships, a void year and reworked NQS seasons, two international competitions, and a sectional singles final later... it's debut time
Serious congrats to everyone who competed this past week! You all have something to be proud of

ETA that Hilmer recently revived her Twitter account: https://twitter.com/gosanjaygo/status/1592212963813109760

https://twitter.com/x/status/1592212963813109760

 

[ice coverage]

Ting's Instagram post & photos (Jill Heiner did not qualify this year, sadly - however, her photo with Ting & words in the comments section are lovely to see): https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck62LJwrvRj/

My beloved Jill Heiner also was very gracious today in an Instagram post of her own:

Jill :) on Instagram: "Hey everyone! I was hoping Sectionals wouldn’t be my last comp of the season :( but regardless it was a great competition and I’m looking forward to working in the off season! Thank you to my parents/fam, Parags, Mike+Joan, Ele

Jill :) shared a post on Instagram: "Hey everyone! I was hoping Sectionals wouldn’t be my last comp of the season :( but regardless it was a great competition and I’m looking forward to working in the off season! Thank you to my parents/fam, Parags, Mike+Joan, Elena, my Fairfax fam, and...

www.instagram.com

I will miss Jill at Nationals, and I can't wait to cheer for her next season.

(As a big Ting fan also, I am thrilled that she qualified. )

 

[PRlady]

I saw both Ting and Jill at Potomac Open. Jill is a lot of fun to watch but Ting is really a quality skater. If her hard jumps return, she’s a contender (big if of course.)

 

[Sylvia]

I just posted a link to Helene Elliott's LA Times' column, with excerpts, on Starr Andrews in her fan thread here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...andrews-fan-thread.102874/page-2#post-6337416

ETA that Starr also appeared on Jennifer Hudson's syndicated daytime talk show yesterday (Monday, Nov. 14): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...andrews-fan-thread.102874/page-2#post-6337693

 

[Vagabond]

Note to Bradie Tennell: How dare you?!

That is all.

 

[Rukia]

Note to Bradie Tennell: How dare you?!

That is all.

Don't forget the finger point

 

[Vagabond]

(not to be confused with , which is how Marilena Kitromilis would do it. )

 

[paskatefan]

I am thrilled that Bradie is back on competitive ice. I love Vivaldi's music, but Bradie, please ditch that horrible, screechy Greta T. voiceover!

 

[Frau Muller]

I am thrilled that Bradie is back on competitive ice. I love Vivaldi's music, but Bradie, please ditch that horrible, screechy Greta T. voiceover!

The voiceover doesn’t last long. Also, the hand motions foster the message. Otherwise it would be just another standard Vivaldi Four Seasons, like Young You’s or Pezzeta’s.

If anything, I’d change Bradie’s dress…esp the black spider across the back…or whatever that’s supposed to be..

 

[paskatefan]

The voiceover doesn’t last long. Also, the hand motions foster the message. Otherwise it would be just another standard Vivaldi Four Seasons, like Young You’s.

If anything, I’d change Bradie’s dress…esp the black spider across the back…or whatever that’s supposed to be..

Thank God the voiceover doesn't last long, but I'd still rather it be eliminated completely. Re; Bradie's costume, that doesn't bother me one bit. Whatever the case, I'm just so grateful that Bradie is back to competing!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Otherwise it would be just another standard Vivaldi Four Seasons, like Young You’s or Pezzeta’s.

Yes you are right

 

[mtnskater]

Asher Hill on Isabeau Levito! Compliments her on how advanced her skating skills are at her age, how he loves her dancer like forward crosscuts and how her skating is loaded with details and more details. (He talks about Mai first.)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

 

[Sylvia]

USFS' International Selection Pool (ISP) currently competing women's status updates after Sectionals with placements included where applicable:

SENIOR (these 16 have qualified for 2023 Nationals + Alexa Gasparotto M2 & Lindsay Wang P3):
Starr Andrews (Bye)
Karen Chen (Bye)*
Ting Cui E2
Elsa Cheng M1
Amber Glenn (Bye)
Gracie Gold (Bye)
Hanna Harrell P2
Sonja Hilmer M3
Gabriella Izzo (Bye)
Josephine Lee P1
Michelle Lee P4 - *note: qualifies if Karen does not use her bye
Isabeau Levito (Bye)
Clare Seo (Bye)
Audrey Shin (Bye)
Bradie Tennell (Bye)
Lindsay Thorngren (Bye)
Ava Ziegler E1

Next 2 alternates based on total score after Michelle Lee:
Emilia Murdock M4 151.12
Alex Evans P5 151.08

Did not qualify for Nationals:
Gwen Bloesch E5
Alena Budko (injured & did not compete at Pacs)
Finley Hawk (did not compete at Mids - injured?)
Jill Heiner E4
Tia Hilbelink (injured & did not compete at Pacs)
Rena Ikenishi (confirmed via Instagram story that an injury prevented her from competing at Easterns)
Hannah Lofton (did not compete at Mids - injured?)
Audrey Lu (did not compete in a NQS; 2nd at Collegiate Champs & a recent addition to the ISP)
Nicole Park P7
Maryn Pierce M6
Paige Rydberg (did not compete in a NQS; 1st at Collegiate Champs)
Kate Wang (did not compete at Pacs - injured?)
Wren Warne-Jacobsen M5

JUNIOR (these 11 in the ISP have qualified for 2023 Nationals + Lilah Gibson M3 & Krystal Edwards E4):
Mia Barghout E1
Ela Cui E-Novice, 1st
Sarah Everhardt E3
Hannah Herrera P4
Logan Higase-Chen M2
Katie Krafchik E2
Soho Lee P1
Elyce Lin-Gracey P3
Phoebe Stubblefield M4
Sherry Zhang P2
Adele Zheng M1

Did not qualify for Nationals:
Sonia Baram M5 (qualified for Nationals in Senior Pairs; JGP Final in pairs next)
Juliana Barshay (a recent addition to ISP; did not compete at Easterns - injured?)
Hazel Collier (did not compete in a NQS)
Giselle Graves (did not compete at Easterns - injured?)
Athena Huang P-Novice, 5th (likely will be invited to the High Performance National Development Camp due to the competitiveness & depth of the Pacs field)
Mia Kalin P5
Ellie Kam (did not compete in a NQS; qualified for Nationals in Senior Pairs - eta: refer to Karen's post below)
Abigail Ross (did not compete in a NQS; focusing on college)
Katie Shen (did not compete in a NQS; invited to Champs Champ in August as part of USFS' "Emerging Athlete" program)

 

[Karen-W]

USFS' International Selection Pool (ISP) currently competing women's status updates after Sectionals with placements included where applicable:

Ellie Kam (did not compete in a NQS; qualified for Nationals in Senior Pairs)

Just to clarify - Ellie Kam received a Bye to Nationals in Senior Pairs. She and Danny O'Shea didn't compete in any domestic pairs competitions and were awarded a Conflict Bye prior to the US Pairs Final because they were assigned to represent the US in the senior B int' pairs competition at IceChallenge.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

USFS' International Selection Pool (ISP) currently competing women's status updates after Sectionals with placements included where applicable:

SENIOR (these 16 have qualified for 2023 Nationals + Alexa Gasparotto M2 & Lindsay Wang P3):
Starr Andrews (Bye)
Karen Chen (Bye)*
Ting Cui E2
Elsa Cheng M1
Amber Glenn (Bye)
Gracie Gold (Bye)
Hanna Harrell P2
Sonja Hilmer M3
Gabriella Izzo (Bye)
Josephine Lee P1
Michelle Lee P4 - *note: qualifies if Karen does not use her bye
Isabeau Levito (Bye)
Clare Seo (Bye)
Audrey Shin (Bye)
Bradie Tennell (Bye)
Lindsay Thorngren (Bye)
Ava Ziegler E1

Next 2 alternates based on total score after Michelle Lee:
Emilia Murdock M4 151.12
Alex Evans P5 151.08

Did not qualify for Nationals:
Gwen Bloesch E5
Alena Budko (injured & did not compete at Pacs)
Finley Hawk (did not compete at Mids - injured?)
Jill Heiner E4
Tia Hilbelink (injured & did not compete at Pacs)
Rena Ikenishi (confirmed via Instagram story that an injury prevented her from competing at Easterns)
Hannah Lofton (did not compete at Mids - injured?)
Audrey Lu (did not compete in a NQS; 2nd at Collegiate Champs)
Nicole Park P7
Maryn Pierce M6
Paige Rydberg (did not compete in a NQS; 1st at Collegiate Champs)
Kate Wang (did not compete at Pacs - injured?)
Wren Warne-Jacobsen M5

JUNIOR (these 11 in the ISP have qualified for 2023 Nationals + Lilah Gibson M3 & Krystal Edwards E4):
Mia Barghout E1
Ela Cui E-Novice, 1st
Sarah Everhardt E3
Hannah Herrera P4
Logan Higase-Chen M2
Katie Krafchik E2
Soho Lee P1
Elyce Lin-Gracey P3
Phoebe Stubblefield M4
Sherry Zhang P2
Adele Zheng M1

Did not qualify for Nationals:
Sonia Baram M5 (qualified for Nationals in Senior Pairs; JGP Final next)
Juliana Barshay (a recent addition to ISP; did not compete at Easterns - injured?)
Hazel Collier (did not compete in a NQS)
Giselle Graves (did not compete at Easterns - injured?)
Athena Huang P-Novice, 5th (likely will be invited to the High Performance National Development Camp due to the competitiveness & depth of the Pacs field)
Mia Kalin P5
Ellie Kam (did not compete in a NQS; qualified for Nationals in Senior Pairs)
Abigail Ross (did not compete in a NQS; focusing on college)
Katie Shen (did not compete in a NQS; invited to Champs Champ in August as part of USFS' "Emerging Athlete" program)

now come Jill at E4 didn’t qualify? Minimums or something?...

 

[Sylvia]

now come Jill at E4 didn’t qualify? Minimums or something?...

Jill had the minimum scores from earlier this season but had a really rough Easterns and scored below 130 total.

Copying over my compilation from the Sectionals thread in the Kiss & Cry section:

SENIOR WOMEN qualified for 2023 Nationals in Senior based on top 2 placement at Sectionals:
Elsa Cheng, Skokie Valley SC 181.17 (M1)
Josephine Lee, All Year FSC 179.90 (P1) - her Sectionals post+pics: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck7xq2dOaMA/
Ava Ziegler, SC of New York 169.84 (E1)
Alexa Gasparotto, Arctic FSC 163.61 (M2) - https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck0xHqfLMg3/
Hanna Harrell, Los Angeles FSC 163.57 (P2)
Ting Cui, Baltimore FSC 157.11 (E2) - https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck62LJwrvRj/

Next Best Scores (2 confirmed, plus a 3rd if Karen Chen does not use her bye):
Lindsay Wang, Los Angeles FSC 163.36 (P3) - https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck8qmZWrvXe/
Sonja Hilmer, Centennial SC 157.33 (M3) - https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck8yCT7Ldvf/
Michelle Lee, All Year FSC 153.86 (P4)
===
Emilia Murdock, Broadmoor SC 151.12 (M4)
Alex Evans, Los Angeles FSC 151.08 (P5)
Brynn Roberts, FSC Of Park City 149.95 (P6)
Wren Warne-Jacobsen, 149.21 (M5)
Lara Annunziata, IceWorks SC 148.60 (E3)
Maryn Pierce, Broadmoor SC 146.79 (M6)

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Copying over my compilation from the Sectionals thread in the Kiss & Cry section:

because she wasn’t in top. 2 ??

 

[Sylvia]

because she wasn’t in top. 2 ??

Yes. I've since edited in another sentence in my post above re. Heiner.

 

[Coco]

Aww, Mia, Maryn and Jill

And crazy that if someone withdraws, assuming they go down this list, Murdoch will get the spot by 0.04!!

 

[Sylvia]

Michelle Lee, All Year FSC 153.86 (P4)
===
Emilia Murdock, Broadmoor SC 151.12 (M4)

Emilia (Milly) Murdock will turn 20 tomorrow (Nov. 17) - she and Michelle Lee, who turned 18 on Nov. 11, train together in Colorado Springs and Milly posted an Instagram story yesterday tagging Michelle as "bday buddies" together. Re-posting these comments & a Murdock article link from the same Kiss & Cry thread that I don't recall sharing here when it was published last month:

I really enjoyed Milly Murdock's West Side Story, both performance-wise and how the music was edited! This article was published early last month:

After a difficult 2021-22 season, Emilia Murdock is looking to return to Nationals - Figure Skaters Online

By Gina Capellazzi, Team FSO website administrator Photos by Robin Ritoss and Melanie Heaney Family photo courtesy Ravenstein-Murdock family In the midst of a global pandemic, Emilia Murdock moved to Toronto to begin working with Brian Orser, Tracy Wilson and Karen Preston at the Toronto Cricket...

figureskatersonline.com

Milly is such a lovely accomplished skater. Her WSS short program had much more choreography and was much more effective.

 

[Sylvia]

Bradie's post about the Sheffield Grand Prix, her first competition since World Team Trophy in April 2021: https://www.instagram.com/p/ClCDW3ds_MN/

I know I’m a few days late, but I’ve been so full of emotions, I needed to step back and sort them all out. It has been a LONG road back, and after everything I’ve gone through these last 18 months, I can look to the future knowing I’m stronger for it. I’m so proud of myself for not giving up- and even more grateful to those close to me who, on the hardest days, lent me their strength when I had none.

Now, I want to say how absolutely amazing it felt to step on competition ice again. There was so much excitement in my body, I almost felt like I didn’t know what to do with it. Everything felt a bit surreal, but in the best way. There’s a special place in my heart for the Sheffield audience. You made me feel so welcomed and loved, and it meant the world to me. I know these performances were a far cry from what I’m capable of- but the road to recovery isn’t linear and often takes longer than we’d like. I’m so incredibly grateful I was able to skate in this event, even though it wasn’t the performance I wanted to give. I’m so proud of the way I fought for everything in those programs. And I can’t wait to see what the future holds for me.

I can only go up from here.

She is assigned to CS Golden Spin, Dec. 8-10, in Sisak, Croatia:

37 Isabeau LEVITO USA 25 (likely placeholder - GPF is the same week in Torino)
38 Bradie TENNELL USA 25
39 Ava Marie ZIEGLER USA 25
Starr ANDREWS USA 25 S
Ting CUI USA 25 S
Amber GLENN USA 25 S
Hanna HARRELL USA 25 S
Sonja HILMER USA 25 S
Gabriella IZZO USA 25 S
Audrey SHIN USA 25 S
Lindsay THORNGREN USA 25 S
Kate WANG USA 25 S

 

[Sylvia]

USFS' International Selection Pool (ISP) currently competing women's status updates after Sectionals with placements included where applicable:
...
Did not qualify for Nationals:
...
Kate Wang (did not compete at Pacs - injured?)

If anyone has an online subscription to the San Francisco Chronicle, I'd really like to be able to read this article (or at least excerpts) on Kate Wang that was published before she withdrew from the Pacific Coast Sectionals Singles Final that was held at her home rink (I was really looking forward to watching her compete - she switched coaches to Massimo Scali and Jeremy Abbott earlier this year):

Path to U.S. nationals runs through S.F. skater Kate Wang at her home rink

Kate Wang, as a 17-year-old Lowell High School student, is an outlier in the world of...

www.sfchronicle.com

ETA: Feel free to PM me or reply here.

 

[Sylvia]

I just posted a link to Helene Elliott's LA Times' column, with excerpts, on Starr Andrews in her fan thread here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...andrews-fan-thread.102874/page-2#post-6337416

ETA that Starr also appeared on Jennifer Hudson's syndicated daytime talk show yesterday (Monday, Nov. 14): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...andrews-fan-thread.102874/page-2#post-6337693

Fan Zone article by Rachel Lutz (Nov. 17):

Sassy and Focused, Starr Andrews Looks for her Second Grand Prix Medal - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

By claiming a silver medal at 2022 Skate Canada International, Starr Andrews captured her first medal on the Grand Prix circuit and possibly altered the course of

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

 

[Sylvia]

Article by @Gina_FigureSkatersOnline on Amber before the start of NHK Trophy (Nov. 17):

Amber Glenn won't be holding anything back at NHK Trophy - Figure Skaters Online

By Gina Capellazzi, Team FSO website administrator Photos by Robin Ritoss Though she came home last month from Skate America with a bronze medal, her first Grand Prix medal of her career, Amber Glenn acknowledges she made some mistakes. "Winning a Grand Prix medal is incredible, but it wasn't my...

figureskatersonline.com

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Article by @Gina_FigureSkatersOnline on Amber before the start of NHK Trophy (Nov. 17):

Amber Glenn won't be holding anything back at NHK Trophy - Figure Skaters Online

By Gina Capellazzi, Team FSO website administrator Photos by Robin Ritoss Though she came home last month from Skate America with a bronze medal, her first Grand Prix medal of her career, Amber Glenn acknowledges she made some mistakes. "Winning a Grand Prix medal is incredible, but it wasn't my...

figureskatersonline.com

 

[Sylvia]

If anyone has an online subscription to the San Francisco Chronicle, I'd really like to be able to read this article (or at least excerpts) on Kate Wang that was published before she withdrew from the Pacific Coast Sectionals Singles Final that was held at her home rink (I was really looking forward to watching her compete - she switched coaches to Massimo Scali and Jeremy Abbott earlier this year):

Path to U.S. nationals runs through S.F. skater Kate Wang at her home rink

Kate Wang, as a 17-year-old Lowell High School student, is an outlier in the world of...

www.sfchronicle.com

ETA: Feel free to PM me or reply here.

Thanks to a who shared the text of this really good article by Marisa Ingemi via PM - some excerpts:

The first time Kate Wang had to step off the ice, she cried.
She doesn’t remember that, though, at just 4 years old. Her mother, Yanan Fan, had decided her daughter needed to use her energy productively, so the former speed skater from Beijing got her onto the ice. After Wang’s first session, she resisted leaving the rink as the Zamboni came on.
“After that, my husband and I decided to get her lessons,” she said. “It started with 45 minutes a week, and then it was two days a week, and then three, and now it’s six. We didn’t expect anything like that.”

Wang’s typical wake-up call comes at 4 a.m. on a school day, so she can get in training before classes at Lowell High School. She prefers to go before school to avoid afternoon traffic to Yerba Buena that would take away from her time.
Time is something Wang has learned to value.
“She only has 24 hours in a day like everyone else,” Fan said. “But she does a lot with those hours.” [...]
Wang, though, doesn’t have the typical life of an elite skater. Most at her level homeschool to have more time on the ice. Training around a public high school’s schedule is a distinct disadvantage, which Wang acknowledges, but she didn’t want to lose the respite from her sport.

Time has become more scarce her senior year while she applies for colleges, where she is hoping to major in a science field. She’s interested in marine biology and is applying to colleges across California.
“I think I’ve lost the ability to sleep past 7 a.m.,” she said. “I’ve been living like this for so long that I know the structure of what I have to do when I get home with limited time before I sleep. There isn’t always time to sit down and relax.”

Wang was determined to have her cake and eat it too. She knew she loved skating, and once she realized she was quite good at it, knew her life would change. The commitment was more than skating a few days a week; she would have to be all-in, even with just two hours a day skating at the maximum, which she thinks has improved her efficiency.
To do that without giving up the other half of her life has taken incredible discipline, and dedication from her parents, who Wang claims have early internal clocks now as well.
“You slowly adjust to it,” Fan said. “She doesn’t need us to motivate her; she wakes up on her own. If she had hesitations, that might have been more difficult.”

Wang said her time at school, where she can see her friends and delve into other passions, is essential for her balance of being a teenager and her mental health. Much of her focus otherwise remains on the ice. [...]
“Whatever happens at school I can forget on the ice and whatever happens on the ice I don’t have to think about at school,” she said. “I just don’t think homeschooling was the right lifestyle for me.”

She is coming off a coaching change since the spring, adding Jeremy Abbott, a former U.S. national champion. Wang has someone to help her focus on jumps and technical side and another to help her with the “artsy, performance stuff,” she said.
Wang said her biggest challenge as she reaches larger stages is the artistic side. She is fascinated by the technicalities of skating, but things like having the right facial expressions while performing have been tougher.
“I’ve always been interested in the jumps and landing everything,” she said. “Skating between transitions, and making sure to express, that is something that’s been important this season.”

Wang has spent a lifetime watching and analyzing skating. She views it as a spectator sport first and foremost, where the artistry is appreciated by casual observers. That helps her focus on trying to create that “right feeling” in the judges and audiences.
Wang is more mature than some of her competitors, who can be as young as 12, something she is cognizant of.
“I feel like I’m reaching the older side right now,” Wang said. “Looking at figure skating as a whole and I see these younger girls doing amazing things that I wouldn’t have thought to do when I was little.”
Her first memory of skating is trying a single axel and hitting her head. She said she didn’t realize she might have a longer term in the sport until nationals earlier this year [7th in her senior debut in Nashville], when she looked around and saw skaters she admired.

 

[On My Own]

I'm rooting for Audrey to make the worlds team, girl is godsend.

 

[VGThuy]

I'm rooting for Audrey to make the worlds team, girl is godsend.

I’m proud of the way she skated. She lost about five points after the calls and she lost another five ish points for the popped flip. She’s as competitive as the the others except Levito to make the team and she finally scored within range of some of the top ladies skaters in the world…of course they didn’t have a clean comp but neither did she.

 

[On My Own]

I’m proud of the way she skated. She lost about five points after the calls and she lost another five ish points for the popped flip. She’s as competitive as the the others except Levito to make the team and she finally scored within range of some of the top ladies skaters in the world…of course they didn’t have a clean comp but neither did she.

Her skating quality is top notch, she can easily be the next PCS skater from the US if Karen is really gone forever which I'm still crying on an hourly basis about

 

[SorrySkater]

I'm rooting for Audrey to make the worlds team, girl is godsend.

I’m a fan. The first year she skated seniors, I had heard all the buzz about Thorngren and Levito and watched with interest. Shin was the one who impressed me most. Audrey seems to be recovered from the injuries that held her back for the last couple of years, so I expect her to move up.