U.S.Women [#9]: Now That's What I'm F*@&%!$ Talking About!

[Sylvia]

Probably unlikely Annika Chao will get a second JGP after her finish out of the top 10 in China. Too bad. She’s such a charming, enjoyable and warm skater. Her spins are among my favorite of any junior or senior. Stunningly beautiful.

Annika did have "the highest scoring choreographic spin of the women’s free skate event... GOE of +1.58 (with some judges giving it up to a +4 GOE)!"

Figure Skating Guru⛸ on Instagram: "#AnnikaChao 🇺🇸 had the highest scoring choreographic spin of the women’s free skate event at JGP Xi’An 🇨🇳 She got a GOE of +1.58 (with some judges giving it up to a +4 GOE)! ————————————————————— 🎥: SkatingISU You

767 likes, 6 comments - oh_my_quad on August 22, 2026: "#AnnikaChao 🇺🇸 had the highest scoring choreographic spin of the women’s free skate event at JGP Xi’An 🇨🇳 She got a GOE of +1.58 (with some judges giving it up to a +4 GOE)! ————————————————————— 🎥: SkatingISU YouTube 📸: @ iskating_pt...

www.instagram.com

Annika's post-competition message & photos in Xi'an:

Annika Chao on Instagram: "JGP Xi’An🇨🇳 Thank you to my coaches and everyone who helped me throughout the week. I had many adventures throughout this trip and I have learned a lot through this experience. I’m grateful for the support I received from

382 likes, 16 comments - annika.c_sk8 on August 25, 2026: "JGP Xi’An🇨🇳 Thank you to my coaches and everyone who helped me throughout the week. I had many adventures throughout this trip and I have learned a lot through this experience. I’m grateful for the support I received from everyone and...

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

Speaking of excellent spinners - Sonja Hilmer asks in this video "What do you think of this version of the change direction feature??":

Sonja Hilmer on Instagram: "Some fun from @thestrategicmethod_tsm this morning 🙌 What do you think of this version of the change direction feature?? 👇👇 . #figureskating #skating #spins #ambidextrous"

318 likes, 19 comments - gosanjaygo_03 on August 25, 2026: "Some fun from @thestrategicmethod_tsm this morning 🙌 What do you think of this version of the change direction feature?? 👇👇 . #figureskating #skating #spins #ambidextrous".

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

Skylar Lautowa-Peguero article by Gina Capellazzi before she makes her JGP debut in Riga tomorrow at 8:33 am Eastern time!

Carving her own path: Skylar Lautowa-Peguero ready for her Junior Grand Prix debut – Figure Skaters Online

 

[spin2win]

Skylar Lautowa-Peguero article by Gina Capellazzi before she makes her JGP debut in Riga tomorrow at 8:33 am Eastern time!

Carving her own path: Skylar Lautowa-Peguero ready for her Junior Grand Prix debut – Figure Skaters Online

along same line, USFS also wrote an article interview with her: https://usfigureskating.org/news/20...ro-ready-to-embrace-first-jgp-experience.aspx

 

[Allskate]

So with Alysa not competing this whole season and taking it off do you think we’ll even see Amber at skate America either?

I wasn't at all surprised by Alysa's announcement and I wouldn't be shocked if we don't see her compete next year, either. Although I don't think Amber's decision is dependent on Alysa's decision, I wouldn't be surprised if Amber doesn't compete, either, at least in the GP.

Amber responded to Alysa's announcement by saying "Taking time so you can live life to the fullest and do things your way Love you girl" and "Her way being how she Won GPF , Worlds & Olympics so I think her way works pretty damn well." Amber repeatedly has said that she's learned from Alysa to try to enjoy skating more. Alysa seems to enjoy the biggest events the most while Amber gets really anxious at them. Maybe Amber thinks that taking a break will help her.

What they both have in common right now is that they have opportunities that neither of them have had before and want to take advantage of them. I don't know if Amber has the DWTS slot, but she has very openly been saying that she would love to be on DWTS.

Of course, what is different is that Alysa won the individual gold at the Olympics and was thrilled with how she skated while Amber was not. But, they also are different ages, so it probably would be easier physically for Alysa to take time off. Amber has made statements indicating that she thinks that going to another Olympics would be physically challenging given her age. She may think this is her only chance to have the opportunities she has now.

But, it's a bummer for U.S. Women's skating if Amber and Alysa are both skipping the season, especially when you add in the fact that Isabeau has been injured and has not been jumping during the off season. I hope she's jumping now. We'll see what she does at the Summer Sizzler.

 

[layman]

If our top two women do take the season off, this will give both Sarah Everhardt and Sophie Joline von Felten even more opportunities this season. I would love to see Sophie Joline von Felten get a 2nd Grand Prix Assignment and I would love to see how Sarah's work with new choreographers impacts her skating this season.

 

[Allskate]

Here are some pics and clips from today's Skating and Fashion event, including Alysa, Isabeau, and Sarah. Amber isn't listed for the Summer Sizzler, so it's not surprising that she isn't in the photos.

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[Allskate]

According to both Bradie's and Benoit's Instagram, Bradie has been with Benoit in Canada this week for his Toronto Peak Ice camp. I wonder if she is considering competing later this season.

 

[Sylvia]

67.01 4th place (2nd in TES, 5th in PCS) for Skylar Lautowa-Peguero's JGP debut! She landed 3Lz, 2A & 3Lo+3T with all L4s! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB4zVtJ8808

Larissa Selezneva and mom Julia Lautowa were with her in the kiss & cry.

 

[mtnskater]

Very impressive short program debut for Skylar! Loved the whole program. Very complex transitions and excellent performance for a 13 year old. And level 4 on the footwork sequence (one of only two in the whole event). Split jump into triple knee slide was great! Competition is tough though. Thought she might be higher than 4th.

 

[Private Citizen]

FWIW: I didn't think Lautowa-Peguero had quite the same level of basic skating or PCS quality as the three in front of her, which is totally normal for a 13-year-old. I would've scored her lower on PCS than the panel did, but for a clean program with all the levels in her first JGP.

 

[spin2win]

Thought she might be higher than 4th.

just a hard event to crack podium when there are 3 ISU international medalists from last season at same event (there were none at the first JGP in xi'an)

she did very well, absolutely great start

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

67.01 4th place (2nd in TES, 5th in PCS) for Skylar Lautowa-Peguero's JGP debut! She landed 3Lz, 2A & 3Lo+3T with all L4s! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB4zVtJ8808

Larissa Selezneva and mom Julia Lautowa were with her in the kiss & cry.

Just watched. Really good. I think this was the first time I’ve ever seen her compete.

Question - is her coach the same as Lindsay‘s? Or someone else’s?

I disagree with Mark. I don’t think her prep to the double axel slow. I think it came out of nowhere and deserve really high GOE.

The more I look at the kiss and cry looks like the same coaches as Ava and also Lindsay?

 

[Karen-W]

I disagree with Mark. I don’t think her prep to the double axel slow. I think it came out of nowhere and deserve really high GOE.

She was slow on the entry to the 2a. Just because she had a nice, surprising transition into it doesn't mean the speed wasn't visibly slow. I watched it and thought the same as Mark before he made the observation during the replays.

 

[Sylvia]

Question - is her coach the same as Lindsay‘s? Or someone else’s?

Yes, Lautowa coached Lindsay Thorngren - I believe for her entire career.

I disagree with Mark. I don’t think her prep to the double axel slow. I think it came out of nowhere and deserve really high GOE.

I thought Skylar entered all of her jumps a bit tentatively and looked like she lacked the power/speed of the skaters ahead of her + Yamada. 4th is better than I had hoped/expected for her! (before she skated cleanly, I mean)

 

[Sylvia]

Here are some pics and clips from today's Skating and Fashion event, including Alysa, Isabeau, and Sarah. Amber isn't listed for the Summer Sizzler, so it's not surprising that she isn't in the photos.

For those interested, I and others have posted links in the GSD thread for the Fashion/Styling event (and tonight’s Summer Sizzler show), starting here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...r-in-norwood-aug-27-2026.113962/#post-6948460

 

[Allskate]

Here is a video of Isabeau doing her short program at the Summer Sizzler. She's gone back to having the lutz/loop placed at the end of the program, which is what she used to do. But, she's doing doubles and singles, so I guess she's still injured. I hope she is going to be able to recover in time to do the GP.

Team Isabeau Levito on Instagram: "Isabeau’s NEW SP!!! Vid: inabower26 on X #isabeaulevito #figureskating #summersizzler"​

49 likes, 1 comments - teamilevito on August 27, 2026: "Isabeau’s NEW SP!!! Vid: inabower26 on X #isabeaulevito #figureskating #summersizzler".

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

"Going to Lori Nichol and Carolina Kostner for her short program actually has made Isabeau Levito's skating look different than it's been. The Rosalia SP is a new look for her, and it's got a lot of potential. Really curious to see where Benoit Richaud's FS takes her as well" (comment from Jackie Wong) https://x.com/rockerskating/status/2093125444732141839

ETA @UMBS Go Blue's fan cam (thanks!):

UMBS Go Blue on Instagram: "@isabeau.levito at @usfigureskating’s #summersizzler at @skatingclubbos tonight"

186 likes, 1 comments - umbsgoblue on August 27, 2026: "@isabeau.levito at @usfigureskating’s #summersizzler at @skatingclubbos tonight".

www.instagram.com

 

[Allskate]

"Going to Lori Nichol and Carolina Kostner for her short program actually has made Isabeau Levito's skating look different than it's been. The Rosalia SP is a new look for her, and it's got a lot of potential. Really curious to see where Benoit Richaud's FS takes her as well" (comment from Jackie Wong) https://x.com/rockerskating/status/2093125444732141839

The SP is pretty much what I expected given the song and given that it was Carolina Kostner and Lori Nichol choreographing it, but also given that it is Isabeau. I think it's a slightly different look for her because she does seem to have fewer steps and turns, though maybe I just get the impression that she is holding her positions a little longer because she is doing simpler jumps. Plus, in the past, it was the short programs that tended to have more personality and acting. I love all her previous short programs and it's going to be hard for this one to live up to them, but I am really glad that she is gaining experience from working with a variety of new choreographers.

I think it's going to be the long program that is more different for her in some ways. From what we've seen and what she says, it showcases the actress side of her, which we tend to see more in her short programs than her longs. Beyond that, though, she decided at the end of last season that she wanted to do a program that had more variation in tempo and she seems to think this will accomplish that. (I hope it does because I think her long program last season was not dynamic enough.) She said in her Peak Ice interview that Benoit's choregraphy is counter to what she would naturally expect to do and she said in an interview yesterday that it is different from her natural style and has broadened her horizons and challenged her.

Here's her interview from yesterday:

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Here's her more extensive Peak Ice interview:

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[Sylvia]

"When I asked Sarah Everhardt about her Danse Macabre short program today, she said, "I'm portraying the Angel of Death" and then gave me the wriest smile ever" https://x.com/rockerskating/status/2093137523362943119
Jackie later tweeted that the "performance I remember most" from the show was Sarah's.

Cross-posting here from the Summer Sizzler thread:

Sarah Everhardt - Danse Macabre

https://www.reddit.com/r/FigureSkating/comments/1w0elsu/sarah_everhardt_danse_macabre_202627_sp_at_summer/

ETA - same video is also on Instagram:

Amelia Sandrine Reisinger 🏳️‍⚧️ on Instagram: "“I’m … an Angel of Death, and the victims are all of the judges.” That was the explanation from Sarah Everhardt, after she absolutely slayed her Danse Macabre short program at the Summer Sizzler Thursda

42 likes, 2 comments - authorameliasandrine on August 27, 2026: "“I’m … an Angel of Death, and the victims are all of the judges.” That was the explanation from Sarah Everhardt, after she absolutely slayed her Danse Macabre short program at the Summer Sizzler Thursday night. The program...

www.instagram.com

Another angle by @UMBS Go Blue:

UMBS Go Blue on Instagram: "@sarah.everhardt26 at @usfigureskating’s #summersizzler at @skatingclubbos tonight: “I’m supposed to be the angel of death and the victims are all the judges.” Well, you sure convinced everyone. A partial standing ovatio

3 likes, 1 comments - umbsgoblue on August 27, 2026: "@sarah.everhardt26 at @usfigureskating’s #summersizzler at @skatingclubbos tonight: “I’m supposed to be the angel of death and the victims are all the judges.” Well, you sure convinced everyone. A partial standing ovation, in fact. Keep up...

www.instagram.com

Alysa performed her "Stateside" EX.

 

[withwings]

"When I asked Sarah Everhardt about her Danse Macabre short program today, she said, "I'm portraying the Angel of Death" and then gave me the wriest smile ever" https://x.com/rockerskating/status/2093137523362943119
Jackie later tweeted that the "performance I remember most" from the show was Sarah's.

Cross-posting here from the Summer Sizzler thread:

ETA from @UMBS Go Blue:

UMBS Go Blue on Instagram: "@sarah.everhardt26 at @usfigureskating’s #summersizzler at @skatingclubbos tonight: “I’m supposed to be the angel of death and the victims are all the judges.” Well, you sure convinced everyone. A partial standing ovatio

3 likes, 1 comments - umbsgoblue on August 27, 2026: "@sarah.everhardt26 at @usfigureskating’s #summersizzler at @skatingclubbos tonight: “I’m supposed to be the angel of death and the victims are all the judges.” Well, you sure convinced everyone. A partial standing ovation, in fact. Keep up...

www.instagram.com

Alysa performed her "Stateside" EX.

OMG! Sarah's program is fascinating! An excellent choreography!

 

[Sylvia]

Skylar Lautowa-Peguero article by Gina Capellazzi before she makes her JGP debut in Riga tomorrow at 8:33 am Eastern time!

Carving her own path: Skylar Lautowa-Peguero ready for her Junior Grand Prix debut – Figure Skaters Online

As the article says, Benoit Richaud choreographed Skylar's free skate this year which is to "Pilgrims on a Long Journey" by Coeur de Pirate and "Migrating Birds" by Brice Davoli: https://youtube.com/watch?v=z3koHQjQ2IM
Skylar scored 120.55 in her FS (3Lz+3T, 3F, 2A, 3Lo+Eu+3S+2A, 3Lz, 3Loq), 187.56 total for 5th in a very competitive field!

 

[jägerbomb]

Very impressive debut from Lautowa-Peguero! She should be proud. I particularly liked the energetic short program.

I have some level of concern about the level of basic skating. Even for a 13-year-old, I find it somewhat lacking. She will undoubtedly improve, but how much? I also find the double axel technique appalling. Of course I blame the mother/coaching team, not the skater.

 

[toddlj]

Very impressive debut from Lautowa-Peguero! She should be proud. I particularly liked the energetic short program.

I have some level of concern about the level of basic skating. Even for a 13-year-old, I find it somewhat lacking. She will undoubtedly improve, but how much? I also find the double axel technique appalling. Of course I blame the mother/coaching team, not the skater.

This is what you took from her performance?

 

[jägerbomb]

This is what you took from her performance?

Not to repeat my first comment verbatim, but my takeaway is the short program was great, and this was a fantastic, positive debut. She should be proud.

I was a little surprised about the level of basic skating. I understand these are kids, but this a judged sport, no? I don't think constructive criticism should be out of bounds.

 

[toddlj]

Not to repeat my first comment verbatim, but my takeaway is the short program was great, and this was a fantastic, positive debut. She should be proud.

I was a little surprised about the level of basic skating. I understand these are kids, but this a judged sport, no? I don't think constructive criticism should be out of bounds.

She's 13 and I'm giving her some slack. Her competition was mostly 16/17.

 

[Willin]

She's also a Junior on her first JGP.

Criticizing 13-year-olds is not the good look you think it is. She's still learning.

 

[layman]

I really liked what I saw from Skylar. I liked how quickly she get's into her rotating position. She has excellent "snap" into her jumps. Her 2-Axel will probably never be a triple (because she approaches it like Tara Lipinski did...without stepping up into it) but her other jumps looked secure for a 13-year old. I was very impressed with the way Skylar listened to and used her music. That's an advanced skill that some of the 16/17 year olds that she was competing against have not yet mastered.

 

[Sylvia]

In tonight's Rockerskating podcast, Michelle Ellis cited Sarah Everhardt's "Danse Macabre" SP as being one of her "Summer Sizzler" highlights and Jackie agreed (timestamped link): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYrlhRA-JoU&t=1628s

 

[layman]

So far...in singles skating...I am not seeing the benefit of removing a jumping pass in the LP. The skaters still look rushed to me...like they don't have time to hold out their movements before having to race into the next element. It's not just jumping per se but the programs are so full of (required) elements that every thing looks crowded and cut short. I think I might support taking out some more elements and giving skaters more time and flexibility to do what they want on the ice...to do what the music inspires them to do.