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

[SkateFanBerlin]

I agree. If Bradie can get healthier she'll be a threat. She looks like sn adult and with two 3-3s its possible. No women are an absolute lock. I confess I'm not an Alyssa über. Her worlds result was surprising. Can she replicate?

Also sad for Lindsay. She moves very naturally across te ice. Sometimes I find Isabeau's skating mannered.

 

[Vagabond]

Maria Olszewska Memorial 2025 - Women

pzlf-wyniki.pl

ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025 - Women

results.isu.org

Tennell's Total Score at the recent Maria Olszewska Trophy would have earned her the Silver Medal at Worlds. Food for thought.

 

[Stephanie]

You can’t always compare scoring between minor competitions and major championships or GPs.

 

[olympic]

Maria Olszewska Memorial 2025 - Women

pzlf-wyniki.pl

ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025 - Women

results.isu.org

Tennell's Total Score at the recent Maria Olszewska Trophy would have earned her the Silver Medal at Worlds. Food for thought.

Exactly what I am saying. I think it was the 2019-20 GPF, where she made the final 6 w/ Kostornaya, Shcherbakova, Trusova, Zagitova (?) and Kihira. She can gather points and score big; advantageous jump layouts executed well, darn fast spins w/ good GOE and has a style unique to her; kinda modern-dance, angular, but doesn't try to be a balletic princess. I appreciate her. Sometimes I don't think she gets the credit she deserves.

What year was she scoring like 78 in the SP with that red dress?

 

[Jarrett]

I agree. If Bradie can get healthier she'll be a threat. She looks like sn adult and with two 3-3s its possible. No women are an absolute lock. I confess I'm not an Alyssa über. Her worlds result was surprising. Can she replicate?

Also sad for Lindsay. She moves very naturally across te ice. Sometimes I find Isabeau's skating mannered.

I feel like I’m trying to Jinx myself but you don’t think the reigning world champion is a lock? lol unless injured or retired Alysa Liu is on the Olympic team.

 

[Tesla]

I think as long as Amber and Alysa keep building through the fall, they’re locks for the Olympics.

 

[Coco]

What Alyssa has that gives her an edge is that she likes to compete.

 

[Vagabond]

You can’t always compare scoring between minor competitions and major championships or GPs.

So?

ETA:

Tennell finished ahead of both Everhardt and Liu at Four Continents not long before the Maria Olszewska Trophy.

More food for thought

 

[Karen-W]

I think as long as Amber and Alysa keep building through the fall, they’re locks for the Olympics.

I disagree. I think Alysa & Isabeau are stronger locks for the Olympic team than Amber. Polina Edmunds correctly pointed out in her Worlds recap that Amber, despite coming into Worlds undefeated, did not have a completely clean competition all season. Yes, her scoring potential is tremendous, but for a botched layback spin by Alysa at Nats, she would not have been undefeated coming into Nats - and that is, in part, because Amber also had errors in both her SP & FS.

The difference between Amber & Alysa/Isabeau is that ability to lock in and not let early mistakes affect the rest of your program & to remain focused & zoned in for the entire program. Both Bradie & Sarah have a clear edge over Amber in that regard. If they come in next season with increased tech, I see no reason why they can't take advantage of Amber's typical mistakes to beat her out with consistency. Amber's goal this off-season should not be on adding another 3a to her FS - it should be on continuing to improve her own program consistency & focus. That's what will get her on the Olympic team.

 

[barbk]

I'm guessing that anyone other than Alysa, Isabeau, or Amber will need to earn gold or silver at two GP events, qualify for the GP final, and medal there as well as finish first or second at Nationals to really be in the discussion for the Olympic team. Isabeau is the one who seems most at risk.

Do we know who the the technical specialists will be for the women at the Olympics? Unfortunately, the difference between Shin Amano (probably the strictest caller on edges/rotation) and some of the other callers can completely change the results.

 

[Rukia]

I think you're all making guesses based on this season which may or may not have any relevance to what happens next season

 

[barbk]

I think you're all making guesses based on this season which may or may not have any relevance to what happens next season

'Tis what we do here.

 

[olympic]

I think you're all making guesses based on this season which may or may not have any relevance to what happens next season

Speculation is a cherished FSU pastime

 

[Karen-W]

Great post-Worlds interview with Alysa by NBC Bay Area -

- YouTube

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

www.youtube.com

She almost didn't get to compete because she didn't bring her passport with her as the competition was in the US & she didn't realize she had to show her passport to the ISU in order to compete - something that wouldn't have occurred to me either, lol.

 

[Rukia]

Speculation is a cherished FSU pastime

lol i know but people are speaking in concrete terms when they know things are likely to change 2000 times before the Olympics and it's just really funny to me like clearly I have my own ideas but also I don't like being wrong so i shan't share them

 

[her grace]

I wouldn’t count Bradie Tennell out at all. Fall season will be very important for Levito, Glenn, and Tennell to see how they stack up. Also for Everhardt who is more of a dark horse at this point.

 

[kwanfan1818]

When I worked credentials at Skate America in the late 00's, my job was to take the xeroxed copy of the documentation from the person seeking credentials and then to hand the printed out copy of their photo to the guy who laminated it.

The US skaters had copies of their driver's licenses. Skaters who needed a visa had a copy of their visa page from their passport. Skaters who didn't need a physical visa had a copy of the main page of their passports. (Because of national rules about no smiling and the nature of driver's licenses, they were the most dire collection of photos I've ever seen not on wanted posters or mug shots. The exceptions were Finland :biggrin: and an old, shot of one of the European officials.)

I don't know if the rules have changed, or if they're different for championships than other ISU events.

 

[layman]

I think you're all making guesses based on this season which may or may not have any relevance to what happens next season

I agree. With all the twists and turns that we have witnessed this season, I think the only thing that I can reasonably predict is that there will probably be more twists and turns next season.

I would not be surprised if someone else (who is not on our radar now) emerges to shake things up next season.

 

[leilaofpaper]

Great post-Worlds interview with Alysa by NBC Bay Area -

- YouTube

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

www.youtube.com

She almost didn't get to compete because she didn't bring her passport with her as the competition was in the US & she didn't realize she had to show her passport to the ISU in order to compete - something that wouldn't have occurred to me either, lol.

Alysa spoke about this on an instagram live too. Someone commented that perhaps the reason Alysa is so chill is because her coaches have taken on the stress for her - I imagine she’s given them a couple of heart attacks this season alone, lol.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

What Alyssa has that gives her an edge is that she likes to compete.

Totes, and she’s doing things her way. She’s out there all smiles, no nerves.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I disagree. I think Alysa & Isabeau are stronger locks for the Olympic team than Amber. Polina Edmunds correctly pointed out in her Worlds recap that Amber, despite coming into Worlds undefeated, did not have a completely clean competition all season. Yes, her scoring potential is tremendous, but for a botched layback spin by Alysa at Nats, she would not have been undefeated coming into Nats - and that is, in part, because Amber also had errors in both her SP & FS.

The difference between Amber & Alysa/Isabeau is that ability to lock in and not let early mistakes affect the rest of your program & to remain focused & zoned in for the entire program. Both Bradie & Sarah have a clear edge over Amber in that regard. If they come in next season with increased tech, I see no reason why they can't take advantage of Amber's typical mistakes to beat her out with consistency. Amber's goal this off-season should not be on adding another 3a to her FS - it should be on continuing to improve her own program consistency & focus. That's what will get her on the Olympic team.

Disagree on all, including not adding another triple axel. Hope she goes for it.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I'm guessing that anyone other than Alysa, Isabeau, or Amber will need to earn gold or silver at two GP events, qualify for the GP final, and medal there as well as finish first or second at Nationals to really be in the discussion for the Olympic team. Isabeau is the one who seems most at risk.

Do we know who the the technical specialists will be for the women at the Olympics? Unfortunately, the difference between Shin Amano (probably the strictest caller on edges/rotation) and some of the other callers can completely change the results.

And now I agree with everything you have said.

You and I have always been the moral center of this group.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Alysa and her three gold medals from worlds

East Bay figure skater Alysa Liu reflects on winning gold at worlds​

- YouTube

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

www.youtube.com

 

[natsulian]

I wonder how up and coming skaters like Elyce and Sarah will respond to this depth. It seems Sarah is already working on adding the 3Lz3T to her repertoire and has posted clips of her attempting 3As on the harness. As for Elyce, before adding a 3A or a quad, I think she needs to demonstrate consistency with her current layout. However, this greatly diminishes their chances of being named onto the team this year because their scoring potential is capped. It would be exciting to see them go all out but, of course, these are just baseless and fun imaginings.

 

[olympic]

I wonder how up and coming skaters like Elyce and Sarah will respond to this depth. It seems Sarah is already working on adding the 3Lz3T to her repertoire and has posted clips of her attempting 3As on the harness. As for Elyce, before adding a 3A or a quad, I think she needs to demonstrate consistency with her current layout. However, this greatly diminishes their chances of being named onto the team this year because their scoring potential is capped. It would be exciting to see them go all out but, of course, these are just baseless and fun imaginings.

I don't have an answer for this but just curious, is Tammy Gambill a good coach for Elyce? I remember how well Ricky Dornbush skated over a decade ago, but then I think of Karen Chen's chronic problems with URs and don't know if Tammy is a 'fixer' of technique or is a big plus to stabilize up and down skaters.

 

[Rukia]

I don't have an answer for this but just curious, is Tammy Gambill a good coach

I'll stop you right there and say no

 

[honey]

I don't have an answer for this but just curious, is Tammy Gambill a good coach for Elyce? I remember how well Ricky Dornbush skated over a decade ago, but then I think of Karen Chen's chronic problems with URs and don't know if Tammy is a 'fixer' of technique or is a big plus to stabilize up and down skaters.

I would say she is quite the opposite of a “fixer” of technique. Actively teaching and encouraging poor technique at worst, and unable to fix poor technique at best.

Ask yourself which of her students hasn’t had chronic unders and you have your answer.

 

[jlai]

When you say technique do you all mean jumps mainly?

I remember Karen Chen had good skating skills and spins?

 

[olympic]

When you say technique do you all mean jumps mainly?

I remember Karen Chen had good skating skills and spins?

But when you consider Karen's power and height on jumps, it was weird that she had UR problems and ended up abandoning 3-3s

 

[honey]

But when you consider Karen's power and height on jumps, it was weird that she had UR problems and ended up abandoning 3-3s

None of that matters if you delay like you’re Lu Chen in 1996 and also rotate slow as molasses in the air on top of it. She couldn’t get the rotation done because of these two things. The trajectory of her jumps was also not ideal for combinations, where she went up super high and landed with a thud. You ideally want more of a sweeping arc on the jump, giving speed and momentum between the jumps. And then the 3T on the end suffered not only from lack of momentum, but also the same air issues as the first jump. It just wasn’t technique meant for the scrutiny of COP and the need to do triple triples. But she would have ruled in the 90s.

Of course we have no idea if they ever tried to work on these things, but it never looked like anything changed over the course of her career. And if it was never worked on in a meaningful way, I hold her coach responsible for that.