Worlds 2025 Women’s Free: “Make Amber Great A-Glenn”

I have not been here much in recent years - the pandemic, health issues for my DH (he's doing well and is healthy, thankfully) and for me (GERD is a damn beeyotch).

But coming back tonight and watching the final six and following online here, I have to say - LOVINGLY - that I've missed all of you a lot, including the curmudgeons who made me grin with their comments about the results. I would have expected no more or no less, and I admire your consistency after all this time.

As for politics coming up in this thread; as a retired woman physician, and currently a food pantry team leader volunteer, I can tell you it's DAYUM hard to separate the politics of the current administration from ANYTHING anymore. I totally understand the comments when we have a women's champion from the USA who is a minority with an immigrant parent. And I LOVE YOU, Alysa Liu!!! I haven't seen that joyful and relaxed a winning program since the days of Michelle Kwan. I REALLY needed this competition right now - the joy shared between her and Kaori gave me faith again in the concepts of both sportsmanship and countries celebrating each other. Something we need BADLY right now.
 
I can’t believe what I just saw! Even from my rafter seat, the top 6 really performed. What probably didn’t come across on the stream/tv was the tension in the audience. With a knowledgeable crowd, it built and ebbed like we were breathing in unison. My seat neighbors were all more partial to their individual faves, but they wanted, and got, really good skating from everyone. Aside from the top 6, Pinzarrone really impressed. Great comp!
 
That was worth the price of admission. :cheer2::encore::rockstar:
Colonel Green said:
Kimmie Meissner, however, throws her remote through the TV screen.
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I honestly had to rack my brain when they said no US woman since 2006. I’ve erased that season from my memory.
Cachoo said:
If you are in the arena: How are your eardrums?
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My watch just gave up warning me.
 
Isabeau's face is perfect! Stop trying to put makeup on it! The dress OTOH, no. Her practice attire was much more flattering to her skating.
 
Yazmeen said:
But coming back tonight and watching the final six and following online here, I have to say - LOVINGLY - that I've missed all of you a lot, including the curmudgeons who made me grin with their comments about the results. I would have expected no more or no less, and I admire your consistency after all this time.
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Welcome back!!!

But, wait... I'm a curmudgeon?!?!? :drama:

Now I have Death in my soul.
 
Matryeshka said:
Gold looks good on Alyssa. Though she looks more nervous now than before she skated.

I wonder how this will affect her for next year. This year was for funsies. Next year is for realsies.
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Do you not remember how she came out of the gate in the Olympic year after missing her final Junior season because of COVID? She knew she had to establish herself as a 1st year Senior and won her first 3 events of the season including 2 Challengers including Nebelhorn which secured the 3rd spot for the Olympics and essentially those wins got her the spot on the Olympic team despite not being able to compete in the FP at Nationals. The fact that they sent a 16 year old first time Senior to the qualifying event for the Olympics tells you what the USFA thought of Alysa as a competitor even with the lack of experience.
 
Alysa is such a hoot. Her first words when Ashley Wagner asked how she was feeling was something like, "What the he--?" That was really funny and unexpected. Here's the rest of the brief interview from the jumbotron:

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Looking at last year's results... Isabeau, Amber & Wakaba all would have won bronze with the skates they put out this week. Soooo impressive how all of these women skated... Really, from Lorine Schild on through the last two groups, these were really solid, respectable skates. They can go home & sleep well.
 
Home after an amazing night of skating. Wow, wow, wow. To be honest until the top 12 it was bit of a snooze. Amber and Pinnzarone impressed in the next group.

My first time seeing Kaori love - wow! She was on and the program worked as well as it could. Loved the speed, power and performance.

My neighbor here is ski instructor but took ballet for years. He’s really picky. Called Isabeau’s costume “tinker bell” and wants her to break out of the tight control. I thought she did very well give the limited training time.

Amber was Amber - inching up in her skates each year…

Mone was technically perfect and I don’t feel a thing. No presence. Deservedly behind the top two.

Alysa- I saw Kwan in 2003 and the crowd reaction here was equal. What an unbelievable skate at the right time. I
Saw her interview with Andrea Joyce where she said that was the best she’s skated that program in competition or training. So exciting!!! Every thing seemed on.

All the hugs in the kiss n cry were tear jerkers. They’re going to keep that damn chair now.
 
Minnie Mouse!!! (Alysa)

Say what you want about her technique, Alysa is a competitor and an extrovert on the ice. She is one of those people who feeds off the energy in a building. You could just see the energy rise in her body as soon as she got out there for the warm-up, and it's been true so many times in her career--that high stakes bring out her best.
 
Dobre said:
Minnie Mouse!!! (Alysa)

Say what you want about her technique, Alysa is a competitor and an extrovert on the ice. She is one of those people who feeds off the energy in a building. You could just see the energy rise in her body as soon as she got out there for the warm-up, and it's been true so many times in her career--that high stakes bring out her best.
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Yup. I've listened to a few episodes of Adam & Ashley's podcast and I remember them talking about Alysa when she announced her comeback. She had said something about how she missed the adrenaline of competition and both Adam and Ashley were kind of stunned by that. For both of them (and probably many other retired competitors) the pressure and adrenaline of competition was the thing they missed the least and they were just trying to wrap their minds around someone who thrived on it. Sports psychologists should study Alysa. :lol:
 
sk8nlizard said:
I noticed in the short yesterday that it seemed like she was skating a bit faster and jumping higher on some of her jumps.
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She herself said this is the best she's ever skated that program, whether it be in practice or competition. This is definitely an amazing gift, being able to rise to the occasion and skate up.

People are complaining about her jumps not being properly scrutinized, but I really think they were remarkably clean today. These surprises are what makes competition so exciting.
 
tangerine dream said:
Yup. I've listened to a few episodes of Adam & Ashley's podcast and I remember them talking about Alysa when she announced her comeback. She had said something about how she missed the adrenaline of competition and both Adam and Ashley were kind of stunned by that. For both of them (and probably many other retired competitors) the pressure and adrenaline of competition was the thing they missed the least and they were just trying to wrap their minds around someone who thrived on it. Sports psychologists should study Alysa. :lol:
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I really can't imagine being an elite/professional athlete if I didn't like competing. It's the end goal of all that training.
 
I wasn’t a fan of Alysa before her come back. I felt like she was often overscored and it felt like she really didn’t want to be part of the sport (to be fair, I always felt like she tried her hardest at competitions). But her comeback has made me a fan. I am amazed at how mentally tough she is. She just doesn’t seem to let pressure get to her, which is such an asset to have!
Also, those complaining about her jumps not being called. I thought for the most part they looked better (second lutz was for sure rough), but they were barely calling anything tonight on ANY of the skaters. I
Hope she sticks around and has an Olympics that she can enjoy. However, like a previous poster said, I could also see her saying, ahhh I’ve accomplished what I wanted, I want to go back to school and walk away.

As for Isabeau, I’m still not a fan. She is a beautiful skater, but the dresses are not good and her jump technique is 😬. Every jump has a gimmick into it. She is mentally tough as well, I’m just not sure her technique is going to hold. Where I feel like Alysa has worked on her technique, I feel like Isabeau is just trying to hang on through the Olympics.

I love Amber, but I wish she had the mental toughness that Alysa has. That said, she has improved in this area significantly and I hope that she is happy with today’s skate. I think all 3 skates will make it harder for any other US Woman to get one of those 3 spots. These are strong results!

I enjoyed all of the last group and really the last two groups were so strong. I went to the last World’s in Boston and was so sad not to be able to
Go to this one. The crowd seems to be amazing!
 
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