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

[Karen-W]

World standings have been updated since this weekend and with Loena out, it looks like Amber is bumped up to the final group, and she will be the first to go, and Isabeau will be second to last. Alysa will be in the group before the pentultimate.

That's not how the starting order for the SP works. There's a whole thread in the Worlds subforum in KnC dedicated to this topic.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

That's not how the starting order for the SP works. There's a whole thread in the Worlds subforum in KnC dedicated to this topic.

It’s been changed? OK let me take a look.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

That's not how the starting order for the SP works. There's a whole thread in the Worlds subforum in KnC dedicated to this topic.

I just saw Tony‘s post in the thread, I got it, right…

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Duplicate

 

[MacMadame]

It’s been changed? OK let me take a look.

I don't think it's ever been done by following World Standings exactly at Worlds.

 

[olympic]

Just a quick note to say that I haven't seen US women f/k/a ladies with this level of competition in many years - Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, Isabeau Levito, Bradie Tennell, Sarah Everhardt, and if Ava Maria Ziegler comes back, all capable of 200+ points, plus if Elyce-Lin Gracey fulfills her potential, the Olympic season and nationals is going to be crazy.

 

[olympic]

And wow! Elyce Lin Gracey hit it out of the ballpark in the SP at Jr. Worlds ... finally

 

[layman]

Congratulations to Elyce Lin-Gracey for winning the Bronze Medal at the 2025 World Junior Figure Skating Championships!

 

[PRlady]

And I believe Elyce now joins the five with a good BOW for next year. If she skates well in the fall, she’s in the mix.

 

[Jammers]

Congratulations to Elyce Lin-Gracey for winning the Bronze Medal at the 2025 World Junior Figure Skating Championships!

Nice way to bookend her season starting the season with Silver and Gold and ends with a Bronze. Despite a disappointing GP season she had some good moments and built up a decent resume to make a run for the Olympic team.

 

[Karen-W]

And I believe Elyce now joins the five with a good BOW for next year. If she skates well in the fall, she’s in the mix.

Yes. I can't see any other women but those 5 having the sort of BOW that will get them much consideration for the Olympics spots.

 

[Debbie S]

Great way for Elyce to end her season but Senior results do carry more weight than Junior results. Unless Elyce makes the GPF next season (and would probably need a medal there), the other 5 all have a better shot. Elyce is a great up and coming talent who could be a top skater at Nats and Worlds by 2030.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Just finished watching the free program, congratulations to her. That’s amazing.

 

[Karen-W]

Great way for Elyce to end her season but Senior results do carry more weight than Junior results. Unless Elyce makes the GPF next season (and would probably need a medal there), the other 5 all have a better shot. Elyce is a great up and coming talent who could be a top skater at Nats and Worlds by 2030.

Actually, in the USFS Selection Pool calculation, a Jr Worlds medal is worth more than a 4CCs medal - 120 v 90; so right now, she's even with Sarah (who has 90+30 from 4CCs+US Nats podium), and ahead of both Bradie (90 4CCs) & Alysa (45+30 from 4CCs 4-5 place+US Nats podium).

 

[Private Citizen]

Given that the field at Junior Worlds is deeper than the field at Senior Worlds, let alone 4C, I agree with the criteria. Lin-Gracey definitely put herself among those worthy of consideration for an Olympic spot.

 

[Debbie S]

Actually, in the USFS Selection Pool calculation, a Jr Worlds medal is worth more than a 4CCs medal -

Not sure i agree with that. But Bradie did medal at Nats, or are they only counting top 3? And each medal at a particular event shouldn't be worth the same....a win should be elevated over 3rd place (theoretical ex).

 

[Karen-W]

Not sure i agree with that. But Bradie did medal at Nats, or are they only counting top 3? And each medal at a particular event shouldn't be worth the same....a win should be elevated over 3rd place (theoretical ex).

It's only top 3 at US Nats.

Here's the points table for the previous season's ISU Championships & US Nats results - each point is multiplied by 15.

2025 Worlds 1st = 12
2025 Worlds 2nd & 3rd = 10
2025 Worlds 4th through 8th = 5
2025 4CCs 1st through 3rd = 6
2025 4CCs 4th & 5th = 3
2025 Jr Worlds 1st through 3rd = 8
2025 US Nats 1st = 4
2025 US Nats 2nd & 3rd = 2

 

[olympic]

And Elyce nearly foot-perfect in the LP, claiming Bronze!

 

[carriecmu0503]

Great way for Elyce to end her season but Senior results do carry more weight than Junior results. Unless Elyce makes the GPF next season (and would probably need a medal there), the other 5 all have a better shot. Elyce is a great up and coming talent who could be a top skater at Nats and Worlds by 2030.

Please tell me what Isabeau Levito has done this season that would stand her in better stead than Elyce having just medaled in an extremely deep field at junior worlds? I believe Elyce also beat Isabeau head to head this season.

 

[tony]

Please tell me what Isabeau Levito has done this season that would stand her in better stead than Elyce having just medaled in an extremely deep field at junior worlds? I believe Elyce also beat Isabeau head to head this season.

For one, she didn't have as much opportunity to bomb as Elyce unfortunately did. In all seriousness, she has two really good events to come away from the season with, and three sub-par skates in 'bigger' senior competition: both Grand Prix events and Nationals.

The step from junior to senior is often not the smoothest, and I think she'd need a very good fall season to be in serious talks for the Olympics.

 

[layman]

Please tell me what Isabeau Levito has done this season that would stand her in better stead than Elyce having just medaled in an extremely deep field at junior worlds? I believe Elyce also beat Isabeau head to head this season.

It may not have been this season but Isabeau is the last American woman to win Junior Worlds outright (which happened to be the 1st year that Jia Shin took 2nd...which she has now done 4 times).

I don't want to belittle anyone's achievements but Elyce has joined a very select group of American World Junior medalists...Isabeau Levito, Lindsey Thorngren, Alysa Liu, Ting Cui, Gracie Gold...not many have done it in the last 10-15 years. I am proud of all of them!

 

[Jonas]

I'm sure Elyce and her team knew how crucial it was to medal here if she was to remain in the conversation for an Olympic spot. Given her Grand Prix and Nationals showings I was very nervous for her and predicted she'd crumble again under the pressure. Great for her for keeping it together! Had she not missed that back end 3toe, she'd in fact be the silver medallist here ahead of Jia Shin, which would've been major icing on the cake!

Your thoughts...

 

[Karen-W]

For one, she didn't have as much opportunity to bomb as Elyce unfortunately did. In all seriousness, she has two really good events to come away from the season with, and three sub-par skates in 'bigger' senior competition: both Grand Prix events and Nationals.

The step from junior to senior is often not the smoothest, and I think she'd need a very good fall season to be in serious talks for the Olympics.

Well, it's not as though Isabeau's had a stellar season herself. She lost Cranberry Cup & Nebelhorn Trophy to Sarah & Elyce respectively. She then lost SkAm to Wakaba & WD from her 2nd GP. Sure, she was injured & coming back from that at Road to 26, but that was another sub-par performance. At this point Amber, Bradie, Sarah & Elyce all have major hardware from this season, while Isabeau does not & Alysa is still getting her stamina back. We'll see how Worlds goes, but the six of them are all in the mix for the three spots & I would guess the USFS is feeling pretty damn good right about now.

 

[Jonas]

Please tell me what Isabeau Levito has done this season that would stand her in better stead than Elyce having just medaled in an extremely deep field at junior worlds? I believe Elyce also beat Isabeau head to head this season.

I think I'm w/you on this one. Unless Isabeau manages to win a medal in Boston (highly doubt it, to be honest), I think she and Elyce will be on even footing in the Fall.

Your thoughts...

 

[PRlady]

Well, it's not as though Isabeau's had a stellar season herself. She lost Cranberry Cup & Nebelhorn Trophy to Sarah & Elyce respectively. She then lost SkAm to Wakaba & WD from her 2nd GP. Sure, she was injured & coming back from that at Road to 26, but that was another sub-par performance. At this point Amber, Bradie, Sarah & Elyce all have major hardware from this season, while Isabeau does not & Alysa is still getting her stamina back. We'll see how Worlds goes, but the six of them are all in the mix for the three spots & I would guess the USFS is feeling pretty damn good right about now.

And Alysa was a close second at Nats, so close that poor sweet Amber was cringing at her win. And she too beat all the Japanese at 4Cs.

I don’t envy the USFS next January. Between women and dance, lots of possible controversy. I guess pairs too.

 

[AYS]

If Elyce works really hard, she could be the pairs world champion in 2049!

Seriously, congrats to her! She skated 2 excellent programs, what a great way to end the season. Hopefully she'll bring a lot of confidence into next year and do what she's capable of in senior competition..

 

[Private Citizen]

I think I'm w/you on this one. Unless Isabeau manages to win a medal in Boston (highly doubt it, to be honest), I think she and Elyce will be on even footing in the Fall.

Agreed. Levito will be on equal footing, unless she wins another World medal or (skategods please cover your eyes) is the top finisher while Glenn and Liu bomb. I do think she has enough hardware not to be bumped from a three-member team if she finishes among the top three age-eligible skaters at Nationals, even with another rough season. But that's about as much benefit of the doubt as I expect her to get, assuming she finishes 5th-10th at Worlds.

Glenn aside, the women are all relatively evenly matched right now. I'll be curious to see which, if any, of the US ladies tries to go after an "ultra-C" element the way Amber Glenn has. I'd like to think / hope that fortune will favor the bold, but high reward strategies come with high risk.

If Alysa Liu manages to add back a reliable triple axel, the other four could be fighting for one spot. I can't see any of them having enough PCS to overcome Liu with a 3A in the free; and zero chance of defeating Liu with a 3A in the short and free.

Everhardt, to me, is the one most in need of something to distinguish herself. In a scenario where all six go clean, I see her in sixth right now. If she comes out with the same content next season, she's leaving her Olympic chances in others' hands and will likely need three others to mess up.

 

[Karen-W]

Speaking of Everhardt - apparently she also caught the stomach bug in Seoul.

Sarah Everhardt on Instagram: "4 Continents Championships 🩵 It was an amazing experience to be on the podium once again with the top skaters in the world. Although I unfortunately caught the stomach bug, I’m glad I was able to put up a good fight an

986 likes, 36 comments - sarah.everhardt26 on March 1, 2025: "4 Continents Championships 🩵 It was an amazing experience to be on the podium once again with the top skaters in the world. Although I unfortunately caught the stomach bug, I’m glad I was able to put up a good fight and skate well...

www.instagram.com

I guess being a little expressionless facially at this point in her development served her well here, since no one guessed she was ill.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

We'll see how Worlds goes, but the six of them are all in the mix for the three spots & I would guess the USFS is feeling pretty damn good right about now.

I hope by the fall we can also include Ava in the mix.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Everhardt, to me, is the one most in need of something to distinguish herself.

I think she already has by never falling, she is one consistent rock. The Kristi Yamaguchi nerves of steel it seems.

Oh, and a big high jumps. She gets herself off the ice.