U.S. Women [#6]: The More the Merrier!

[Jarrett]

I don’t think Wagner felt 4CC was beneath her. She won 4CC when it was held in North America and then wasn’t it hosted in Asia for a decade thereafter? The competition’s timing is pretty unfortunately scheduled relative to someone trying to improve their body conditioning and endurance given growing injury and age issues.

The scheduling is less than optimal but I am sure “I have won this I don’t need to go there again and maybe lose to others” factored in. If that is perceived as being above needing to attended the competition I think it would be accurate. She was hopping over to Japan in the spring and fall anytime she got invited for paid events during that same “elder” years (21 years old+ )

And I don’t blame her at all btw. Other skaters got to go that wanted to go. It wasn’t like she withdrew last moment and the us wasted a spot. It was known that she wasn’t going every year right after nationals.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

The scheduling is less than optimal but I am sure “I have won have I don’t need to go there again and maybe lose to others” factored in. If that is perceived as being above needing to attended the competition I think it would be accurate. She was hopping over to Japan in the spring and fall anytime she got invited for paid events during that same “elder” years (21 years old+ )

And I don’t blame her at all btw. Other skaters got to go that wanted to go. It wasn’t like she withdrew last moment and the us wasted a spot. It was known that she wasn’t going every year right after nationals.

Well, yeah. There is some calculus to it. The pros of going to 4CC post her win did not outweigh the cons in her estimation. Wagner has always been a bit business forward when it came to her career and valued money making opportunities above more training time. But I don’t blame her, she’s one of the few in the sport that’s transitioned well into her post-athlete life with good financial security and skills outside of skating.

4CC has a bit of a chip on its shoulder. There are sensitivities to how it’s perceived by some (many?) as being a less prestigious competition compared to Euros. Wagner probably doesn’t hold it in the same esteem as GPF or Nationals or Worlds, but I’m not sure that equates with believing it to be beneath her.

Anyway, this is water way under the bridge.

 

[Vagabond]

USFS would have sent Wagner to Four Continents in 2010, but she decided to concentrate instead on preparing for the Olympics, for which she was the first alternate. In the end, Rachael Flatt and Mirai Nagasu, the two original selections, did go. Thus, Wagner did not compete at the Olympics that year. Whether Wagner's choice not to go to Four Continents reflected her belief that Four Continents was beneath her is not for me to say, though I can see why one might think so.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

Personally, I respect skaters who make the choices they need to make for themselves, their bodies, and their finances. Skating is wildly expensive. Sometimes you need to make money. Sometimes you need a break so you don't burn out.

 

[kwanfan1818]

4C’s used to have less prize money than Euros, until the ISU lowered Euros’ and evened it out, and travel costs to Asia for the coach tend to be more expensive and much longer than to Europe (for the European skaters who train in NA.) It is a business decision when you might not even make back your coach’s travel expenses and the travel with rough time zone changes and up-to24-hour travel with multiple hops takes a chunk out of your schedule when prepping for Worlds, especially if you don’t need the WS points, and the competition is truly meaningful to the people that attend.

 

[DreamSkates]

4C’s used to have less prize money than Euros, until the ISU lowered Euros’ and evened it out, and travel costs to Asia for the coach tend to be more expensive and much longer than to Europe (for the European skaters who train in NA.) It is a business decision when you might not even make back your coach’s travel expenses and the travel with rough time zone changes and up-to24-hour travel with multiple hops takes a chunk out of your schedule when prepping for Worlds, especially if you don’t need the WS points, and the competition is truly meaningful to the people that attend.

Does USFSA contribute anything to a skater’s expenses when sending them to an international competition? I’ve wondered how that works.

 

[Sylvia]

Does USFSA contribute anything to a skater’s expenses when sending them to an international competition? I’ve wondered how that works.

USFS usually covers the skaters' expenses (JGP/GP+Finals, ISU Championships) that are not covered by the host federations, but more international assignments this season, including some Challengers reportedly as well as Senior/Junior B internationals, now are being covered by the skaters (and their families) themselves - earlier discussion on this topic was in this GSD thread:

2024-25 USFS International Assignments

Starting a new thread from the Kiss & Cry NQS/Club Comp thread... The 2024-25 International Assignments and Results is now up https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/sports/2024/6/25/2024-25-international-assignments-and-results.aspx Very very interesting... I'm curious about some of the...

www.fsuniverse.net

 

[Sylvia]

In addition to Skylar Lautowa-Peguero's Adv. Novice gold medal, today Logan Higase-Chen and Starr Andrews also won golds and Sonja Hilmer won bronze!

Copying over the U.S. women's results today at Santa Claus Cup in Budapest from the competition thread in the Kiss & Cry section:
...
Junior Women SP:

5​	Logan HIGASE-CHEN	USA	51.26​	27.87​		24.39​	6.17​	5.92​	6.25​	1.00​	#6​
6​	Josephine LEE	USA	50.48​	25.76​		25.72​	6.50​	6.50​	6.33​	1.00​	#10​

Higase-Chen: 3Lzq+3Tq fall, 2A, 2F; all spins level 4, steps level 3
Lee: 2A, 3T+3T<<, 3F!q [ETA correction: fall -1 time deduction, not a fall]; one spin L4, other 2 spins & steps L3

Starr tends to be more consistent in her SP than FS so we shall see what Sunday brings.

GOLD - Starr ANDREWS USA 168.70 1 2 (64.32 in SP, 104.38 in FS)
BRONZE Sonja HILMER USA 158.93 2 3 (57.79 in SP, 101.14 in FS)
12 Lindsay WANG USA 127.43 13 12

Junior:
GOLD - Logan HIGASE-CHEN USA 175.71 5 1 - landed 7 clean triples (3F+3T, 3Lz, 3S, 2A, 3F, 3Lz+2A+2T, 3Lo+2T)
4 Josephine LEE USA 157.62 6 3
FS scores:

1​	Logan HIGASE-CHEN	USA	124.45​	67.93​		56.52​	7.08​	6.92​	7.17​	0.00​	#24​
3​	Josephine LEE	USA	107.14​	54.85​		52.29​	6.50​	6.58​	6.50​	0.00​	#23​

ETA: Logan's highest junior international total score to date is 185.67 (122.41 FS) - Junior B scores are not counted for ISU PB/SB - when she won Budapest Trophy last year. Budapest must be her lucky city ... and Debrecen, Hungary is hosting 2025 Junior Worlds.

 

[Sylvia]

Sonja Hilmer’s post (2nd photo includes Starr and Niki Wories on the podium):

Sonja Hilmer on Instagram: "Köszönöm, Hungary ❤️🇭🇺 Santa Claus Cup 2024! Thank you to everyone who helped get me through the past two weeks of competition (mostly) unscathed 🤣 My coaches, my parents, team leaders and doctors, @usfigureskating and e

412 likes, 13 comments - gosanjaygo_03 on December 2, 2024: "Köszönöm, Hungary ❤️🇭🇺 Santa Claus Cup 2024! Thank you to everyone who helped get me through the past two weeks of competition (mostly) unscathed 🤣 My coaches, my parents, team leaders and doctors, @usfigureskating and everyone...

www.instagram.com

World Arena Ice Hall’s account has photos of Logan & Sonja with their coach:

W.A.I.H. Skating Program on Instagram: "Congratulations @logan._.higasechen for your Gold Medal in Junior Women at 2024 Santa Claus Cup, and @gosanjaygo_03 for your Bronze Medal in the Women's Championship! 👏🔥🥇🥉"

93 likes, 4 comments - waihskating on December 1, 2024: "Congratulations @logan._.higasechen for your Gold Medal in Junior Women at 2024 Santa Claus Cup, and @gosanjaygo_03 for your Bronze Medal in the Women's Championship! 👏🔥🥇🥉".

www.instagram.com

ETA - Lindsay Wang also shared a gracious message & photos:

Lindsay Wang on Instagram: "Santa Claus Cup! 🇭🇺 thank you @usfigureskating for the opportunity to represent my country and team usa in budapest. I’m so glad I got to experience this with so many friends and people I love. so much gratitude for so m

266 likes, 55 comments - lindsaywanq on December 1, 2024: "Santa Claus Cup! 🇭🇺 thank you @usfigureskating for the opportunity to represent my country and team usa in budapest. I’m so glad I got to experience this with so many friends and people I love. so much gratitude for so many people-...

www.instagram.com

ETA 2 - Lindsay skating in a “choreography workshop” with/filmed by Beck Strommer last month:

Lindsay Wang on Instagram: "had some extra time on my hands so I edited this b-t-s video of my choreo workshop today with my new coach @beck_s_sk8s teehees original choreography by @jjcassar…❣️ thank you! crossover episodes (1) with many more to

lindsaywanq on November 5, 2024: "had some extra time on my hands so I edited this b-t-s video of my choreo workshop today with my new coach @beck_s_sk8s teehees original choreography by @jjcassar…❣️ thank you! crossover episodes (1) with many more to come 🤩👐 #figureskating #wintersports...

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting here from Starr's fan thread:

Starr Andrews' YT account has uploaded a video of the 2024 Santa Claus Cup livestream of her 1st place SP ("Fur Elise" by Faouzia, choreographed by Adam Rippon): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FEfsvf8EJA

Congrats to her on winning the gold in Budapest! This is her first senior international gold, according to her ISU bio: https://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs_cr_00101937.htm

BTW, Hilmer's Mids FS video's audio has since been muted by USFS (until the final song) - you can watch a fan's uploaded video with all the music by searching "Sonja Hilmer 2024 Midwesterns LP She Nailed It!" on YT.

Skylar Lautowa-Peguero's winning Adv. Novice FS to "Inspiration" by Florian Christl & The Modern String Quintet (also a video of the livestream, like Starr's SP): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW2nhg4whbg

Advanced Novice Women final standings:
1 Skylar LAUTOWA-PEGUERO USA 133.61 2 1 - FS jumps: 3Lzb+2T, 3Lob+2Ab+2T+SEQ, 3T, 3Lo, 3Lz fall, 3S (better than Easterns!)

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Re-posting here from Starr's fan thread:

BTW, Hilmer's Mids FS video's audio has since been muted by USFS (until the final song) - you can watch a fan's uploaded video with all the music by searching "Sonja Hilmer 2024 Midwesterns LP She Nailed It!" on YT.

Skylar Lautowa-Peguero's winning Adv. Novice FS to "Inspiration" by Florian Christl & The Modern String Quintet (also a video of the livestream, like Starr's SP): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW2nhg4whbg

Starr is consistently the best dressed American figure skater. Does she use the same dressmaker as most or does she have somebody different? She always has the best dresses and costumes.

 

[Lutzes&Loops]

Starr is consistently the best dressed American figure skater. Does she use the same dressmaker as most or does she have somebody different? She always has the best dresses and costumes.

I believe her dresses are mostly by Lisa McKinnon, who makes costumes for a lot of top skaters.
I think Starr is just a beautiful girl so anything looks great on her.

 

[Sylvia]

(Cross-posting here from her fan thread) Phil Hersh's pre-GPF Final article - Amber Glenn’s path to Grand Prix Final, figure skating stardom a decade-long journey (Dec. 3, 2024):

Amber Glenn's path to Grand Prix Final, figure skating stardom a decade-long journey

Amber Glenn competes in the Grand Prix Final, live this week on Peacock.

www.nbcsports.com

Excerpts:

Next was a victory at the Grand Prix of France, where her short program score was the highest ever earned by a U.S. woman.
Then came victory at the Grand Prix Cup of China, where she improved her personal bests in the total score and free skate despite a sore right ankle and shin from a fall in practice. She got a passel of those points for a triple loop-double Axel-double Axel sequence in the second half of the free skate, an element that has the highest base value of any attempted by a senior woman in international competition this season.

She felt similarly after the Cup of China short program, in which she reeled off the final five elements flawlessly after her first two drew negative GOEs.
“I am happy I was able to recover after a mistake,” Glenn said. “That is big progress for me.”
Glenn describes this season as a building process, trying to gain competitive consistency rather than push her limits. She called her free skate in China “75%.” She is holding something back for the second half of this season and the upcoming Olympic season.
“As many people know, in the past I’ve had struggles keeping it together for an entire free skate program,” she said. “So for me it has been about just being stable rather than putting out 110% because sometimes when I do that, I make very silly mistakes.”
Even as she racked up the stunning short program score in France, Glenn knew she could have done more, toning down some choreography to preserve energy. That is evidence of her feeling a body-mind connection more clearly.
“I feel like this year has been about the mental side,” she said. “I’ve always been capable on the physical side, so it’s been about just trying to do the best I can to hone my mental skills, and it’s been very helpful.”

 

[her grace]

Interesting to see Hersh reviewing her career since 2014. The same guy who was tweeting that Glenn had the second-worst finish ever for an American at Junior Worlds when she was 14.

Just wanted to share this tweet of Philip Hersh because I was surprised when I read it..

Philip Hersh &#8207;@olyphil Mar 16
Amber Glenn was 7th, 2d worst placement ever for top U.S. woman in 36-year-history of junior fig skate worlds. Worst: Holly Cook (8) in 86

Poor Amber, I know Hersh was just stating facts but still kind of harsh and sad at the same time... Hope the 3 Ladies (Chen, Glenn and Pierce) have learned from this experience and will do better at their next competitions.

Glenn got caught in the rise of Russian dominance and was piled-on way more than the many American juniors who didn’t match her debut Jr. World result in the following years (I mean, no American finished as high as 7th last year without any Russians to contend with, and I didn’t see Hersh tweeting about it).

Not to say that her struggles after 2014 were caused by Hersh, but it irritates me nonetheless.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Bradie short program https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6to0QuX7JU

Alysa short program. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3eYJa3c8L0

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ Both videos are from the Golden Spin livestream that fans have to pay for. I also posted a "fan cam" video link in Alysa's fan thread. Golden Spin of Zagreb SP top 2 From the competition thread in kiss & cry:
Bradie (68.32): 3Lz+3T<, 2A & 3Lo; all L4 spins, L3 steps.
Alysa (68.06, skated #1 again): 3F!+3Tq, 2A & 3Lz; all L4 spins, L3 steps.

 

[Sylvia]

Amber's quote from USFS' GPF Day 1 recap:

Despite securing the top spot with her performance to Janet Jackson’s song “This Time,” Glenn said things felt “rough, very rough.”
“I felt very tense, especially after the triple Axel,” Glenn said. “I almost fell on my face, so that freaked me out a lot mentally and I even kind of pinched a rib. It didn’t feel good. I’m not hurt. I’m OK, just a little achy. It freaked me out, so I held back on the next two jumps; they were not close to being my best, but I fought through it mentally to stay on my feet.”

Mixed zone photo & quotes:

Golden Skate on Instagram: "Amber Glenn 🇺🇸 70.04 “Today wasn’t my best. After my triple Axel I felt like I would fall on my nose. This made me hesitant for the rest of the jumps and I didn’t perform them to the best of my abilities. I am glad I was

813 likes, 6 comments - goldsk8 on December 5, 2024: "Amber Glenn 🇺🇸 70.04 “Today wasn’t my best. After my triple Axel I felt like I would fall on my nose. This made me hesitant for the rest of the jumps and I didn’t perform them to the best of my abilities. I am glad I was able to fight...

www.instagram.com

Amber’s 3A (0 GOE today so 8 base value points) clip via ISU:

ISU Figure Skating ⛸ on Instagram: "Amber Glenn came in with a bang at the #GPFigure Final! 🌟⛸️ With her powerful jumps, mesmerizing spins, and undeniable artistry, she lit up the ice and captivated the crowd. 🔥✨ Can she keep the momentum going into

12K likes, 43 comments - isufigureskating on December 5, 2024: "Amber Glenn came in with a bang at the #GPFigure Final! 🌟⛸️ With her powerful jumps, mesmerizing spins, and undeniable artistry, she lit up the ice and captivated the crowd. 🔥✨ Can she keep the momentum going into the Free Skate...

www.instagram.com

 

[leilaofpaper]

Amber's quote from USFS' GPF Day 1 recap:

Mixed zone photo & quotes:

Golden Skate on Instagram: "Amber Glenn 🇺🇸 70.04 “Today wasn’t my best. After my triple Axel I felt like I would fall on my nose. This made me hesitant for the rest of the jumps and I didn’t perform them to the best of my abilities. I am glad I was

813 likes, 6 comments - goldsk8 on December 5, 2024: "Amber Glenn 🇺🇸 70.04 “Today wasn’t my best. After my triple Axel I felt like I would fall on my nose. This made me hesitant for the rest of the jumps and I didn’t perform them to the best of my abilities. I am glad I was able to fight...

www.instagram.com

Amber’s 3A (0 GOE today so 8 base value points) clip via ISU:

ISU Figure Skating ⛸ on Instagram: "Amber Glenn came in with a bang at the #GPFigure Final! 🌟⛸️ With her powerful jumps, mesmerizing spins, and undeniable artistry, she lit up the ice and captivated the crowd. 🔥✨ Can she keep the momentum going into

12K likes, 43 comments - isufigureskating on December 5, 2024: "Amber Glenn came in with a bang at the #GPFigure Final! 🌟⛸️ With her powerful jumps, mesmerizing spins, and undeniable artistry, she lit up the ice and captivated the crowd. 🔥✨ Can she keep the momentum going into the Free Skate...

www.instagram.com

I’m glad to hear Amber isn’t injured.

 

[layman]

I’m glad to hear Amber isn’t injured.

She is not injured and in 1st place in the SP...so not bad at all...terrific in fact!

 

[Sylvia]

Amber told Damon Allen that she hurt her back as she got off the ice after her SP - that's why fans are concerned.

ETA an excerpt from NBC Sports' article:

The U.S. champion Glenn landed a clean triple Axel on Thursday in Grenoble, France. She is the only woman to land a clean triple Axel on the senior Grand Prix Series this fall and has done so at all four of her events this season overall.
Moments after her opening Axel, Glenn stumbled on the ice and said she “kind of pinched a rib or something.” She then two-footed the landing of both the back end of a triple flip-triple toe loop combination and a triple loop that lacked height.
Coming off the ice, Glenn put her hand on her lower back, leaned over and winced in telling coach Damon Allen what happened.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

I'm not surprised she said what happened on the axel freaked her out. She definitely looked a little rattled.

 

[Willin]

You know what? I'm so impressed by Amber. Every other season she would've messed up after the 3A stumble, and certainly would've fallen on those shaky jumps, but she finished everything without a fall.

Meanwhile Alysa just won Golden Spin with a 197.71 (her second Senior B win this season) and Bradie finished in 3rd.

I think Amber just punched her ticket to worlds barring disaster in the FS and at Nationals, but Alysa's certainly making a very strong case for her own spot on the team. I don't think medaling is a possibility for her this year, but she's reliable and her scores are increasing throughout the season.

 

[Karen-W]

You know what? I'm so impressed by Amber. Every other season she would've messed up after the 3A stumble, and certainly would've fallen on those shaky jumps, but she finished everything without a fall.

Meanwhile Alysa just won Golden Spin with a 197.71 (her second Senior B win this season) and Bradie finished in 3rd.

I think Amber just punched her ticket to worlds barring disaster in the FS and at Nationals, but Alysa's certainly making a very strong case for her own spot on the team. I don't think medaling is a possibility for her this year, but she's reliable and her scores are increasing throughout the season.

Definitely feel like Alysa is making a strong case for the Worlds team; and Bradie is not - she had a fall and several <, plus a q & ! on different jumps in the FS.

 

[karmena]

IMHO Brady's choreography this year is not the hit on the nail.

 

[her grace]

Liu beating Tennell in both international head-to-heads is significant in my opinion.

 

[Karen-W]

Liu FS - https://rumble.com/v5wr7c2-liu-golden-spin-2024-fs.html
Tennell FS - https://rumble.com/v5wr8z8-tennell-golden-spin-2024-fs.html

 

[Maximillian]

Liu beating Tennell in both international head-to-heads is significant in my opinion.

There was nothing in Zagreb that lent itself to the notion that if Bradie finished ahead of Alysa at Nationals they would still pick Alysa for the World team. So...it's still really going to come down to who finishes higher at Nationals...

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I think Amber just punched her ticket to worlds barring

Oh, I think she punched her ticket well before arriving in France just now. having won her challenger, and won both of her Grand Prix assignments, that was enough to seal the deal if you ask me. Triple axels in the short and long program… Highest short program score ever by an American woman, beating the world champion. I think she already had claimed her ticket.

 

[Allskate]

Any updates on Isabeau?

 

[Sylvia]

Any updates on Isabeau?

No, but I followed her now expired Instagram story link to this 2025 SOI tour news:

Stars on Ice Spring 2025 tour in Canada & U.S.

10 Canadian cities have been announced for the 2025 “Rock Stars on Ice” Spring Tour - link to the Dec. 5, 2024 press release: https://www.starsonice.ca/articles/2025-stars-on-ice-set-to-rock-canada The 2025 Stars on Ice tour will feature songs from some of the most legendary rock artists...

www.fsuniverse.net