The up and coming ladies

[Doggygirl]

I hope you are not forgetting an injury free Bebe under the tutelage of Frank Carroll. This, I hope, will surprise us all.

Jo

I love Bebe!! I hope she has a great season next year and can make a run at that 3rd US spot on the podium. I guess my focus has been on the up and comers from Jr. Worlds since I've been busy watchin' them over the weekend.

On the men's side, I also watched Othman recently (I think you commented about him after Worlds) and I really like his style too. I hope he develops into a top tier skater!

DG

[Joesitz]

If Liang and Othman do not place first in their GPs, I doubt we will see either of them skate. Maybe Liang for TV of Nats. So I'm off to St.Johns to check out Othman against the Canadian enslaught.

Joe

[chuckm]

BeBe still has problems with hip pain, and has particular difficulty with the edge jumps. She seems to have completed her growth, and perhaps the pain (which doctors say is related to growth issues) will begin to subside.

[Doggygirl]

BeBe still has problems with hip pain, and has particular difficulty with the edge jumps. She seems to have completed her growth, and perhaps the pain (which doctors say is related to growth issues) will begin to subside.

Hi Chuckm. Have you heard any recent news about this? Or is the "latest" what we heard about her hip pain during the last season? I'm hoping the pain is subsiding for her.

DG

[mzheng]

BeBe still has problems with hip pain, and has particular difficulty with the edge jumps. She seems to have completed her growth, and perhaps the pain (which doctors say is related to growth issues) will begin to subside.

Seem almost all top US ladies having problem with edge jump especially the loop. MK had not done one in competetion last season (albeit she only skated 2 seriouse competetion LP last season, nevertherless she diddn't try in either one, the ones in practicing dosn't count). Sasha's Loop went MIA recently according to the practice reporting. BeBe has had problem with loop as reported. Who else US lady missed the loop?

No the pain will not subside. Michelle completed her growth long time ago, yet the loop gives her hip pain, which is the majore reason she refrains herself practicing too many loop, so I heard. The office trainning may help to some degree though.

[CDMM1991]

Joe you have seemed to be quite a Beatrisa Liang fan! Is there anything in particular that you like about her skating?

[EricAba]

Re the loop jump, does anyone know if it's easier to do the jump out of three turns rather than by itself? Perhaps the momentum from the three turns makes it easier to rotate the jump, once it gets in the air? I noticed that Bebe tried to do the triple loop from three turns at Marshalls, in place of the triple salchow.

I hope Bebe does well next season. I really enjoyed her programs at Nationals, and I thought that she had the best mix of athleticism, flexibility and artistry out of all of the up and coming ladies. And I think she can get the triple axel, given the height and power she gets on her double... next year will be exciting!

[Joesitz]

Joe you have seemed to be quite a Beatrisa Liang fan! Is there anything in particular that you like about her skating?

Bebe has spunk and I like spunk

Seriously, she doesn't hold back. Come pain or injury, when she's on the ice, she will not leave anything out. And she has very high technical tricks (I'm sure we'll see a Bielman at Nats) and her presentation is her own original style. She copies no one!!

As the ad goes: She's refreshingly good.

Joe

[attyfan]

Any news on Bebe's grandmother? (IIRC, she moved to Frank Carroll to be closer to her sick grandmother. I would think that her health will have a profound effect on how Bebe skates)

[chipso1]

The quadrennial between Torino and Vancouver should be VERY exciting in the ladies department! Obviously Asada and Kim will be top contenders, and I would expect the US to continue to put out top notch, World title contenders.

I know that right now, many percieve Asada as unbeatable. I'm sure she'll win a number of World championships and medals, but she can't stay at the top forever. She's going to have some bad competitions and I'm sure she'll experience some burnout (due injuries and the extreme number of competitions each year - not to mention travel, fatigue, training, and wanting to have a great off ice life).

The 2006 Worlds in Calgary will most likely be the last major competition for many of the top skaters. Slutskaya, *Kwan*, Suguri, Arakawa, *Cohen*, *Nikodinov*, Sokolova, ........................Liashenko, *Kirk*, *Ando*, and Sebestyen will most likely retire - with a few exceptions: Cohen might stick around for a season or two to try to win a National and World title, but I don't expect to see her stick around until 2010 - she seems very ambitious and wants to accomplish so much in life - not to mention that winning won't come easy with the abundance of talent coming up. Nikodinov also might stick around for a while to try to make it back to Worlds, and we're never sure what Kwan might do. Also, I strongly think that Ando might go pro after '06 - she'll be facing tough competition in Japan, and if she doesn't do something to improve her spins, spirals, and PCS, I don't see her as being a World champion.

And who knows what Kostner will do; IMO, she'll stick around for a couple of years, and maybe even 2010.

Top contenders will *most likely* be:
Japan:
Asada, Sawada (even though I was NOT impressed with her at ALL at Jr. Worlds)

Korea:
Kim

USA:
Meissner, E. Hughes, Liang, Czisny, Taylor

Canada:
Rochette, Phaneuf

Europe:
Kostner, Johansson

[Joesitz]

There is a Chinese gal I saw at Worlds who has a beautiful lyric style. She is listed in one of the GPs. Take a look at her. If she's on the right track, she will make a statement in Vancouver if not Torino.

Joe

[Mathman]

Chipso, thanks for mentioning Alyssa Czisny All she lacks is consistency on her jumps (a big IF, granted), to zoom to the top. I hope so.

Alyssa's twin sister Amber is also a fine skater. Alyssa and Amber got first and second in the National Collegiate Championships last year. But Amber has fallen a little behind because of a series of foot injuries. I read recently that she is experimenting with a hinged boot to alleviate the stress on her feet on her jump landings, and also that she is thinking of switching to ice dance.

Mathman

[Mathman]

There is a Chinese gal I saw at Worlds who has a beautiful lyric style. She is listed in one of the GPs. Take a look at her. If she's on the right track, she will make a statement in Vancouver if not Torino.

I think that's Yan Liu who skated in senior worlds. She will be 21 in August. She is scheduled for Skate Canada and Cup of China.

But the up-and-comer is Binshu Xu. At 16, she finished 7th at Jr. Worlds this year. I think she will still be in juniors next year.

Binshu Xu: http://www.patinagecanada.ca/en/even...es/day2/xu.jpg

Are there any Russian younsters in the pipeline?

Mathman

[mzheng]

Binshu Xu: http://www.patinagecanada.ca/en/even...es/day2/xu.jpg

Are there any Russian younsters in the pipeline?

Mathman

If my memory does not fail me, I think Binshu was 2004 Chinese National Champ. Rumor had it Chinese Federation exagerated her age at the beginning to let her eligible for Junior ISU competetion. If that's true, she is only 15 years old. Her placement at Junior worlds stay almost the same in several time she participanted.

[luvsasha]

I really like kimmie! her skating is soooo good and i love her axel!!! i think she could do really well this year.