U.S. Women [#7]: Make Me a Believer!

[Vagabond]

Alexa Gasparotto landed a 3A in practice: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDqH7IDutHO/?igsh=MWRwamVnbzVzaGd5Yg==

Make me a believer!

And thanks to @AngieNikodinovLove (ANL) for inadvertently suggesting this thread title back in August 2019.

 

[Jarrett]

That is a great triple axel with delayed rotation

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting (from the #6 thread) Alexa Gasparotto's own 3A practice clip link again because it's cool to see how many skaters, both current and retired, congratulated her in the comments:

Alexa Gasparotto🤍 on Instagram: "December 16th 2024 I landed my triple axel!!! With that i’ve become the first African American women to do so making it even more of a sweet moment🥹❤️ Thank you to everyone who knew I could do it and continue supporti

8,572 likes, 415 comments - alexaskatess on December 16, 2024: "December 16th 2024 I landed my triple axel!!! With that i’ve become the first African American women to do so making it even more of a sweet moment🥹❤️ Thank you to everyone who knew I could do it and continue supporting me🥰...

www.instagram.com

Gasparotto is the first alternate to 2025 Nationals.

USFS made the 2025 Nationals entries official in their press release on November 25. 2024 (I've included the Sectional placements of the Senior & Junior women below):

Senior Women (18):

• Starr Andrews (senior sectionals, P-2)
• Alina Bonillo (senior sectionals, M-1)
• Ting Cui (senior sectionals, E-1)
• Alex Evans (senior sectionals, E-2)
• Sarah Everhardt (bye)
• Amber Glenn (bye)
• Logan Higase-Chen (senior sectionals, M-2)
• Sonja Hilmer (senior sectionals, M-3)
• Mia Kalin (bye)
• Josephine Lee (bye)
• Isabeau Levito (bye)
• Elyce Lin-Gracey (bye)
• Alysa Liu (bye)
• Clare Seo (bye)
• Bradie Tennell (bye)
• Lindsay Thorngren (bye)
• Sherry Zhang (senior sectionals, P-1)
• Ava Ziegler (bye)

Junior Women (18):

• Sofia Bezkorovainaya (junior sectionals, E-2)
• Annika Chao (junior sectionals, P-2)
• Alayna Coats (junior sectionals, P-4)
• Ela Cui (junior sectionals, M-4)
• Mia Iwase (novice sectionals, E-2)
• Jiaying Ellyse Johnson (junior sectionals, M-3)
• Jessica Jurka (junior sectionals, M-2)
• Hannah Kim (novice sectionals, P-1)
• Teryn Kim (junior sectionals, P-3)
• Skylar Lautowa-Peguero (junior sectionals, E-3)
• Emilia Nemirovsky (junior sectionals, M-1)
• Cleo Park (junior sectionals, P-1)
• Maria Platonova (junior sectionals, E-4)
• Angela Shao (novice sectionals, M-1)
• Carina Tanabe (novice sectionals, P-2)
• Kaya Tiernan (novice sectionals, E-1)
• Sophie Joline von Felten (junior sectionals, E-1)
• Annabelle Wilkins (novice sectionals, M-2)

 

[sk9tingfan]

This is going to be an incredible Nationals for the women! Thank goodness I have Peacock!

 

[Willin]

I'll be interested to see if anyone withdraws. Ava's done shows, but we don't know if she's competition ready. Same with Isabeau - but has she done any shows? Is anyone else questionable right now?

I'm hoping Alexa's staying ready given we may not know until the last minute.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Watching TSL with Maya right now …. the latest episode, and I love that Liza had a video message for Amber and her triple axels, and they appear to have I guess somewhat of a friendship. That was really cool to see that.

 

[FSWer]

Make me a believer!

And thanks to @AngieNikodinovLove (ANL) for inadvertently suggesting this thread title back in August 2019.

GREAT JOB!!!!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

new snack alert for USA women’s nationals

Reese’s peanut butter cups red velvet

The First-of-Its-Kind Reese's Cup We've Been Waiting for Is Finally Here — Allrecipes

Holiday seasons come and go, but candy cravings never cease. Luckily, just as we’re polishing off the last of our Christmas sweets, Reese’s is swooping in with a brand-new treat to sweeten the post-holiday blues.

apple.news

CandyHunting on Instagram: "Here are the new Red Velvet Reese's Peanut Butter Cups! The new flavor is debuting for the upcoming Valentine's season and is available as Miniatures, standard size packs, and king size packs. The Red Velvet Reese's Mini

2,677 likes, 28 comments - candyhunting on December 9, 2024: "Here are the new Red Velvet Reese's Peanut Butter Cups! The new flavor is debuting for the upcoming Valentine's season and is available as Miniatures, standard size packs, and king size packs. The Red Velvet Reese's Miniatures are...

www.instagram.com

 

[ice coverage]

Lindsay Wang appeared live today on KTLA Morning News, which was featuring the outdoor holiday rink at Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles.

Starting at approx. 2:00 in first video, Lindsay was interviewed for one minute before she skated to La La Land.
(Too bad the music is barely audible, and reporter on site and anchors talk over the performance.)

https://ktla.com/video/holiday-ice-rink-brings-festive-fun-to-pershing-square/10308132/

Starting at approx. 2:15 in second video, Lindsay performed to "The Wizard and I," sung live by a Wicked stage actress.

https://ktla.com/video/holiday-ice-rink-brings-festive-fun-to-pershing-square/10308323/

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Polina talks to Nicole Bobek on her podcast this week. It's such a great conversation about Nicole's life!

The Iron Butterfly: A Story of Resilience with Nicole Bobek

I interview 1995 National Champion and World Bronze Medalist Nicole Bobek on her skating career and life.

bleav.com

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Polina talks to Nicole Bobek on her podcast this week. It's such a great conversation about Nicole's life!

The Iron Butterfly: A Story of Resilience with Nicole Bobek

I interview 1995 National Champion and World Bronze Medalist Nicole Bobek on her skating career and life.

bleav.com

Thanks for the tip, I will watch

Because last I checked, I have about three pages of questions for her. Lol.

 

[Private Citizen]

Polina talks to Nicole Bobek on her podcast this week. It's such a great conversation about Nicole's life!

The Iron Butterfly: A Story of Resilience with Nicole Bobek

I interview 1995 National Champion and World Bronze Medalist Nicole Bobek on her skating career and life.

bleav.com

Interesting! I don't have time to listen to it, but if anyone can post a summary, transcript, or a GenAI tool that can listen to the interview and summarize it, I'd love to get the key takeaways.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Polina talks to Nicole Bobek on her podcast this week. It's such a great conversation about Nicole's life!

The Iron Butterfly: A Story of Resilience with Nicole Bobek

I interview 1995 National Champion and World Bronze Medalist Nicole Bobek on her skating career and life.

bleav.com

And here is a clip, wow, I remember how figure skating was then, look at Nicole, gorgeous, what awesome skating.

Polina Edmunds Bast on Instagram: "🗣 1995 World Bronze Medalist @nicolebobek77 on choosing music pieces she connects to and getting into character on the ice^ I interview 1995 National Champion, World Bronze Medalist, and Olympian Nicole Bobek on he

2,176 likes, 65 comments - polinaedmunds on December 18, 2024: "🗣 1995 World Bronze Medalist @nicolebobek77 on choosing music pieces she connects to and getting into character on the ice^ I interview 1995 National Champion, World Bronze Medalist, and Olympian Nicole Bobek on her skating career...

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

Nick Zaccardi's Amber Glenn article (Dec. 18, 2024): https://www.nbcsports.com/olympics/news/amber-glenn-figure-skating-grand-prix-final-2024

Also early this year, Sandy [Rucker] Straub, one of the coaches at Glenn’s rink, started using a motivational phrase: “calm beast.”
“They were trying to come up with something to help me lock in mentally in the right amount,” Glenn said. “She had mentioned one of the days that I was trying some new focusing techniques that I looked like a calm beast, and I had been skating well. It’s a reminder of getting into this zone.”

ETA that I've bumped up the thread dedicated to Nicole Bobek: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/nicole-bobek.108015/page-5#post-6705476

 

[her grace]

Interesting! I don't have time to listen to it, but if anyone can post a summary, transcript, or a GenAI tool that can listen to the interview and summarize it, I'd love to get the key takeaways.

Bobek comes off as a free spirit still and also recognizes that she was a free spirit in her career, too.

She misses spirals and classic layback spin positions in watching current skating.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard a skater say she wanted to be free and get to do lines.

She’s aware of what everyone thought of her many coaching changes. She still believes the changes were good for her—she needed them to stay motivated.

She describes Callaghan as very regimented like the military, but was a good environment for her, partially because Eldridge was going through the intense training, too. She went into 1995 nationals knowing that Kwan was the designated favorite so she was surprised when she won.

Fassi was more laidback and able to read her moods. She still regrets skating at Worlds after he died because she was not in a space to do well.

Her memories of Olympics don’t seem too happy, and she’s not sure what to do with the dated ‘90s memorabilia.

She discusses her drug addiction and arrest. She takes ownership of her choices and she later made different and better choices.

She also talks about her infertility journey. I wonder if she and Lipinski ever compared notes. She seems like a happy and content mom.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Bobek comes off as a free spirit still and also recognizes that she was a free spirit in her career, too.

She misses spirals and classic layback spin positions in watching current skating.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard a skater say she wanted to be free and get to do lines.

She’s aware of what everyone thought of her many coaching changes. She still believes the changes were good for her—she needed them to stay motivated.

She describes Callaghan as very regimented like the military, but was a good environment for her, partially because Eldridge was going through the intense training, too. She went into 1995 nationals knowing that Kwan was the designated favorite so she was surprised when she won.

Fassi was more laidback and able to read her moods. She still regrets skating at Worlds after he died because she was not in a space to do well.

Her memories of Olympics don’t seem too happy, and she’s not sure what to do with the dated ‘90s memorabilia.

She discusses her drug addiction and arrest. She takes ownership of her choices and she later made different and better choices.

She also talks about her infertility journey. I wonder if she and Lipinski ever compared notes. She seems like a happy and content mom.

Thanks for reminding me. I need to finish it. I got too caught up in watching Nicole videos, I could watch her skate for days and days. In 98 I was so excited to watch her the most and then Michelle and Tara equally for my second choice. I was just hoping she would make the Olympic team.

when she got to the Olympics, she in some way did not seem as fit as she was four weeks prior at the US nationals. Regardless, I could just watch every aspect of her skating all day long.

 

[mtnskater]

Me too! She is still one of my all-time favorite skaters. I also considered her my favorite over Tara and Michelle in the 90’s, though I was an equal fan of both of them too. While the Michelle/Tara fan wars raged, I was Team Nicole. I only wish she had the mental game to equal her immense natural talent and charisma. Her current skating videos are still amazing the way she can move.

 

[Sylvia]

Yes, I know this thread is mainly about current competitors ... copying out my August 10, 2022 reply to @Jayar's April 12th question ("Does this mean that Sierra Venetta has retired? She is the only one not in the ISP from 2022 Nats.") in the U.S. Women [#3] thread:

Sierra Venetta's post today ("I’ll be transferring to Georgia Tech as a full time student this fall...") with photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChFegAjJ-T3/
She last competed in the Peggy Fleming Trophy at the end of June [2022]...

Sierra Venetta posted today about her graduation from Georgia Tech's Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering! - her photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DD8AbVFSPtC/

An article about her achievements (Nov. 20, 2024):

From Team USA to Georgia Tech

bme.gatech.edu

Excerpts:

What fascinated Venetta about skating — the precision, the way the body works in perfect coordination — is what eventually drew her to biomedical engineering.
“As an athlete, you become so in tune with your body, and you become familiar with what the body can achieve at an elite level,” Venetta noted. “I’ve always been pretty good at math and science, and I've also always been fascinated by the human body and how it works.”
Her minor in physiology deepened her understanding of the body, while a biomechanics class showed her the physics of how the body comes together in motion.
“Figure skating is all about biomechanics,” she said.
For Venetta, this study of human motion has mirrored what she loves about figure skating: breaking down every move, every fraction of a second, to fully understand the mechanics.
When she was training, her coach, Christy Krall, broke down each jump Venetta made through video analysis, dissecting her form, frame by frame. Venetta recalled, “She’d say, ‘Your elbow’s out here. Try imagining throwing salt over your shoulder before takeoff.’ And somehow, it worked.”

One of those opportunities led Venetta to a research position at GTRI, where her research interests shifted to studying nanoparticles in bladder cancer therapy in GTRI’s Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory.
“Doing something with a medical application is important to me,” she said. And bladder cancer presents a worthy challenge because it is particularly difficult to eradicate.
After removing a tumor, for example, “there may be smaller pieces left behind, because they're too small to detect or they look like normal cells, but really they're part of the tumor,” she said.
At GTRI, she focused on an approach that precisely targeted the leftover cancerous cells using laser ablation and nanoparticles called fullerenes. Her team worked on a project that engineered fullerenes so that they could bind specifically to bladder cancer cells.
“So, if you were to hit it with a laser, it would create a small, localized, combustion reaction, killing the cancer cells, but not the healthy cells around it,” she said.

 

[Sylvia]

One more post about a Team USA member who seems to be living college life to the fullest - Kate Wang (7th in her Senior debut at 2022 Nationals), who was profiled in the University of California Santa Cruz Magazine this past August:

Kate Wang: From the rink to the reef

Student Kate Wang, a former Youth Olympic figure skater, discovered a passion for teaching while pursuing marine biology and mathematics at UCSC

magazine.ucsc.edu

Excerpts:

Now a UC Santa Cruz second-year marine biology student minoring in statistics, Wang (Crown ’27, marine biology) spends a lot of her time by the water. She chose to attend UC Santa Cruz for its reputation in marine biology and research—something she had wanted to pursue since middle school. [...]
“The sport taught me a lot about determination, work ethic, perseverance, and time management, which I used extensively in my first year of college,” Wang said.
In her first year at UCSC Wang interned at Younger Lagoon, mulching for hours a week; held a volunteer position at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center; and joined a field-survey research team called Survey Slugs. She’s excited to explore more opportunities when she returns to campus in the fall. She wants to get involved with research, join a lab, and participate in other student organizations.
One of Wang’s long-term career goals is to pursue a Ph.D. and become a researcher or teacher—something she hadn’t realized she enjoyed until fairly recently.

Wang began making music videos based on complex mathematical equations in high school as an attempt to make AP statistics more fun and understandable. She struggled with the subject for half of the year, but after stumbling upon recommended math parodies on YouTube, making her own video, lots of studying, and with the help of her AP statistics teacher—a former Banana Slug, Sarah Kingon (College Nine ’09, Italian studies)—she received a five on the AP exam.
Her statistics music video, based on Lady Gaga’s Telephone, reached 33,000 views on YouTube. Her most recent video, Graph the Night, a calculus parody based on Dua Lipa’s Dance the Night, was filmed at UCSC and has reached over 100,000 views.
“I did not ever expect the views to get that high,” Wang said. “The video was to help mostly myself, but also at that point I realized that the first video had done pretty well. I was like, ‘Oh, maybe this could help other students who are in a similar position, maybe are not as engaged with or are not understanding the content as much, and maybe they’ll get a kick out of this and enjoy it a little more.’”

Kate's YouTube channel also has her most recent skating exhibition performance to the Ladies in Lavender OST - her 2021-22 SP music) in Silicon Valley Ice Skating Association’s “In The Stars” Gala this past Saturday in San Mateo, CA ("First time performing in 1.5 years happy holidays!!"): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pqvYFfrYFg

Kate also shared clips & photos with fellow performers, including Alysa Liu, Mia Kalin, Polina Edmunds, Sherry Zhang (tagged in final group pic): https://www.instagram.com/p/DD2XP6VyZhp/

 

[Sylvia]

30-second clip of Alysa performing to Laufey in her FS dress (with a wrap skirt underneath, as she replied in the comments) in the San Mateo show:

刘美贤 Alysa Liu on Instagram: "#happyholidays ♥️"

2,774 likes, 35 comments - alysaxliu on December 23, 2024: "#happyholidays ♥️".

www.instagram.com

Sherry Zhang spinning outdoors ("Ngl [not gonna lie] skating in jeans is kinda a vibe"):

Sherry Zhang on Instagram: "Ngl skating in jeans is kinda a vibe 🎄💫 #figureskating #fun #reels #christmastree #christmaslights #snoopy #outdoorrink #christmasspirit #feliznavidad"

478 likes, 10 comments - _sherry_zhang_ on December 21, 2024: "Ngl skating in jeans is kinda a vibe 🎄💫 #figureskating #fun #reels #christmastree #christmaslights #snoopy #outdoorrink #christmasspirit #feliznavidad".

www.instagram.com

 

[Coco]

What impressive young women!

 

[Coco]

Anyone care to comment on the difference in levels on Bradie's sit spin?

- 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

 

[Rukia]

Anyone care to comment on the difference in levels on Bradie's sit spin?

- 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

i am by no means a spin expert or someone who memorizes the rule book lol but I did notice on the lvl 2 spin she took much longer to get the second sit position low enough to count and then seemed to leave it early too (although I didn't count rotations to see)

 

[Private Citizen]

On the second spin, the final sit position is short of three revolutions in position, which is one reason it was lower. She took awhile to get into the position and started coming up into the exit before she completed the revolutions.

Oh both spins, she does not achieve a proper air position in the death drop entry, which has no height and is more of a step over. I'd have not given her the feature on either, making the first L3 and the second L2. But the second one was worse in this regard.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Well, did she get a feature for going super fast? That is at least breathtaking to watch.

 

[gkelly]

Well, did she get a feature for going super fast? That is at least breathtaking to watch.

"Clear increase of speed in camel, sit, Layback, Biellmann or difficult variation of an upright position (except in crossfoot spin)" is a feature, but relatively rarely rewarded it seems.

"Good speed and/or acceleration during spin" is a positive bullet point for judges to apply in the GOEs. So rotational speed is more often rewarded in GOE than in the level.

On the second spin, the final sit position is short of three revolutions in position, which is one reason it was lower. She took awhile to get into the position and started coming up into the exit before she completed the revolutions.

Good points.
To clarify, though, from the tech panel handbook, "Any difficult variation must be held for two (2) revolutions to be counted."
And also "The feature for the flying entry can be granted only if there is a clear visible jump and if the flying position is really difficult. The intended basic position must be reached within the first two (2) revolutions after the landing."

Two revolutions is also the minimum for each position for the layback feature to transition between sideways and backward positions, and for each edge in the change-of-edge feature.

Three revolutions total is the minimum for a spin to count as a spin at all, or 3 on each foot for spins with a change of foot to get full credit. Also 3 in each direction for the change-of-direction feature, but that is always executed with a change of foot anyway.

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ I've cross-posted @Coco's spin levels question and the helpful replies in this thread:

Spin Features Thread

Continued from here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/isu-communication-2558-season-2023-24-single-pair-skating-levels-of-difficulty-guidelines-for-marking-goe-pcs.110680/ I hope to see some of the requests for the features answered here (like @vu2019 was saying they'd give me an...

www.fsuniverse.net

End of 2024 and/or holiday season posts by Nationals-bound Senior women include:

Alysa: https://www.instagram.com/p/DENbbeevO1o/

Sarah E.: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEQf8fPROoz/

Elyce: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEPvdX5x0eV/

Starr: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEOy55exSTE/

Sonja performing in the Vail Ice Spectacular show before Xmas: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEBX7HPR4VU/
Clare also performed in the Vail show: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEC8gBzxZpw/
Full show is linked in this post: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...ows-benefits-tours.112107/page-2#post-6707733

Mia Kalin (first sunset photo looks like the Riga skyline?): https://www.instagram.com/p/DEP8izQphFX/ & clip of her layback to Biellmann spin: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEMEfNbRaWa/

Alina Bonillo skating as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Chicago area shows of The Nutcracker (Junior Lorenzo Elano played the Prince for the 4th year): https://www.instagram.com/p/DD-ZkSFRXMO/

Ting skating in Central Park after Thanksgiving: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDcQ7hrxCd0/

Logan skating outdoors in Budapest after Santa Claus Cup: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDFetGKxIld/

 

[Sylvia]

Sonja Hilmer just made a "To the best things of 2024 " post with 4 photos (edited to add - 2 parts bolded by me below):

Sonja Hilmer on Instagram: "To the best things of 2024 ✨ As usual, this year continued to surprise me 🤣 Although I encountered incredible adversity, I also was presented with amazing opportunities that were beyond my expectations: - In February, Ar

449 likes, 11 comments - gosanjaygo_03 on December 31, 2024: "To the best things of 2024 ✨ As usual, this year continued to surprise me 🤣 Although I encountered incredible adversity, I also was presented with amazing opportunities that were beyond my expectations: - In February, Argylle...

www.instagram.com

As usual, this year continued to surprise me Although I encountered incredible adversity, I also was presented with amazing opportunities that were beyond my expectations:

- In February, Argylle released and I got to see the project I had worked on for the first time in three years

- I again not only chroeographed my own programs, but choreographed a record number of other programs ranging from basic 6 to senior on the standard, excel, adult, and showcase tracks

- Two of those programs went on to international competitions! And I am proud to say my choreo has now medaled in singles and pairs internationally!

- I repeated as the recipient of the Jenkins Trophy at the Broadmoor Open for Sr freeskate

- I received my first personal best score for a program in 3 years

- I received my second international medal, paired with my second trip ever out of the country. I always cherish these experiences!

- And to finish off the year... I received a brand new pair of boots from @risportskates and my first blades with my name on them from @johnwilsonblades It is so special to get this support, and even moreso when I get to see it every day on my feet

I'm sure I could talk about a ton of other stuff forever too, but thank you to everyone who has been part of my year!!

ETA: Sonja choreographed Digerness/Sadusky's SP to "I Like It Like That" by Pete Rodriguez, according to Mark's post in July: https://www.instagram.com/p/C9tErfFxAog/
.

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting here from the 2025 U.S. Nationals subforum - Entries thread - in Kiss & Cry:

Ava is out and Alexa [Gasparotto] is in as of 1/2/25 (per USFS's webpage)

Link: https://www.usfigureskating.org/new...figure-skating-championships-lineup-announced

ETA - @AngieNikodinovLove (ANL) had posted this on Tuesday in the Wichita planning thread (practice groups list not yet updated to reflect today's news):

OK, so Ava is still on the list, that’s encouraging.

 

[jlai]

No surprise there.