Is Alissa the One!!

[daihard]

ITA, and another one of her issues is speed. Though she isn't as slow as Caroline Zhang, she is one of the slower skaters out there (I'd put her even with or even a little slower than Rachael Flatt). I think if she had more speed going into her jumps she'd land them and rotate them more consistently.

Is her lack of speed really a killing factor? Looks to me that Alissa jumps pretty high which makes up for the lack of speed. Just curious...

 

[silverlake22]

Is her lack of speed really a killing factor? Looks to me that Alissa jumps pretty high which makes up for the lack of speed. Just curious...

Speed isn't usually a killing factor, but when someone struggles with jumps to begin with, being slow will hurt them. Rachael Flatt skates pretty slowly but her technique is so good it doesn't really matter. Alissa's jumps do get pretty good height, but that's not her problem, rotation is. If she skated faster she could use this momentum to rotate faster and not get UR calls. Another thing is that she is not particularly strong (or does not appear to be) so she can't muscle through her jumps like some other skaters (Joannie and Ashley come to mind) can. If she was faster, she'd rotate better, and if she was stronger, she could hold onto more jumps with a hand down or step out instead of falling mid rotation.

So essentially, if a skater suffers from iffy technique or slow skating or lesser strength, it's not a big deal, but if you suffer from all three, it's a lot more difficult to land jumps consistently. Luckily for Alissa, her technique is usually good, and only faulty when her nerves get the best of her

 

[silverlake22]

Hey I just thought of something, does anyone know if Alissa plans to compete next year? Will this be her last season, or only if she makes it to the Olympics? I wonder if she plans to be one of those skaters who sticks around until she's like 30. I know she's finished college so it wouldn't be completely weird if she stuck around

 

[R.D.]

Hey I just thought of something, does anyone know if Alissa plans to compete next year? Will this be her last season, or only if she makes it to the Olympics? I wonder if she plans to be one of those skaters who sticks around until she's like 30. I know she's finished college so it wouldn't be completely weird if she stuck around

Well, as long as she's been around, her competitive career may not have even peaked yet (if she can get a ticket to Canada in Feb). Czisny has crumbled under pressure in the past and nothing really makes me believe that she suddenly won't do it any more. If she goes to Olys I think she is done for sure, but if she doesn't make it- who knows. She needs to assert herself because this could be her time in the cycle of top American ladies. She's not really taking too much advantage of it though even though she's US champ.

 

[Layfan]

Well, as long as she's been around, her competitive career may not have even peaked yet (if she can get a ticket to Canada in Feb). Czisny has crumbled under pressure in the past and nothing really makes me believe that she suddenly won't do it any more. If she goes to Olys I think she is done for sure, but if she doesn't make it- who knows. She needs to assert herself because this could be her time in the cycle of top American ladies. She's not really taking too much advantage of it though even though she's US champ.

Well, there are some skaters who peak in their 20s - like Irina. But Alissa doesn't seem like one of them. Irina just kept getting better and better, except for the year she was sick. I don't really think Alissa has gotte better than she was 2 or 3 years ago. She might be a tad more consistent but just a tad.
On the other hand, now that she's out of college she'll be able to push herself even harder (if that's even possible ... I really don't know anything about how she trains.)
Joannie is also someone who peaked later. And I read somewhere that she added an hour to her daily training, which she said added to her consistency and confidence.

 

[silverlake22]

Well, there are some skaters who peak in their 20s - like Irina. But Alissa doesn't seem like one of them. Irina just kept getting better and better, except for the year she was sick. I don't really think Alissa has gotte better than she was 2 or 3 years ago. She might be a tad more consistent but just a tad.
On the other hand, now that she's out of college she'll be able to push herself even harder (if that's even possible ... I really don't know anything about how she trains.)
Joannie is also someone who peaked later. And I read somewhere that she added an hour to her daily training, which she said added to her consistency and confidence.

I agree with most of this, I feel like Alissa in '05 was better than the Alissa now but just less consistent. She won gold at SC and silver at SA that year and her freeskate scores were around 115 (and that's before the scores got inflated). It just seems that now she never really scores more than about 100 points in her freeskates. She has really become a short program skater, kind of like Julia Sebestyen, although she does not bomb the LP as badly as Julia. For Alissa, her SP is usually hit or miss, with lots of pressure she often messes up, but otherwise it's usually really good. For the long program you can pretty much expect one of the following things to happen:
- 1 UR fall , 2 downgraded jumps
-2 UR falls, 1 downgraded jump

When this happens, she's down to 3 triples, so despite her PCS she can't really be competitive. Usually, she falls on her 3flip, and if she doesn't it's usually UR. Her second fall is usually on her 2nd 3lutz if she falls a second time in the program. Her 3loop is UR almost every time, and she attempts it twice in her LP. Because she often messes up her hardest jumps is also unfortunate.

 

[Layfan]

I agree with most of this, I feel like Alissa in '05 was better than the Alissa now but just less consistent. She won gold at SC and silver at SA that year and her freeskate scores were around 115 (and that's before the scores got inflated). It just seems that now she never really scores more than about 100 points in her freeskates. She has really become a short program skater, kind of like Julia Sebestyen, although she does not bomb the LP as badly as Julia. For Alissa, her SP is usually hit or miss, with lots of pressure she often messes up, but otherwise it's usually really good. For the long program you can pretty much expect one of the following things to happen:
- 1 UR fall , 2 downgraded jumps
-2 UR falls, 1 downgraded jump

When this happens, she's down to 3 triples, so despite her PCS she can't really be competitive. Usually, she falls on her 3flip, and if she doesn't it's usually UR. Her second fall is usually on her 2nd 3lutz if she falls a second time in the program. Her 3loop is UR almost every time, and she attempts it twice in her LP. Because she often messes up her hardest jumps is also unfortunate.

On the other hand, Alissa's SP at Nationals last year was about the most brilliantly she's ever skated. It's like she had that one moment of awesomeness and ever since it's been, "where'd she go?" Her SP at SC Canada was gorgeous as well, but somehow I thought she had more flair and abandon last year at nationals.

 

[janetfan]

On the other hand, Alissa's SP at Nationals last year was about the most brilliantly she's ever skated. It's like she had that one moment of awesomeness and ever since it's been, "where'd she go?" Her SP at SC Canada was gorgeous as well, but somehow I thought she had more flair and abandon last year at nationals.

Alissa is one of my favorite skaters and she is one of the reasons I remain a skating fan.

Of course I hope for her to do well - but I enjoy her skating more than most of the other ladies, including quite a few that are ranked above her.

I hope to see Alissa skate in Vancouver and if USA Ladies don't medal that's OK.
Atleast with Alissa there the rest of the world will see one beautiful skater from USA.

 

[R.D.]

^ so Czisny is your sentimental pick then?

 

[silverlake22]

Sometimes I wonder if Alissa wasn't so beautiful herself that her skating wouldn't seem as good. Her spins are incredible though. But she's seriously so pretty sometimes I get distracted by her good looks and don't even remember what she skated like at the end of it.

I feel like this holds for a lot of the European ladies, technically most of the time they are just okay, but Carolina, Kira, Laura (if she fixed her eyebrows), and there are probably others I'm forgetting are all really pretty and it like spreads to their skating without them actually doing much

 

[Layfan]

Alissa is one of my favorite skaters and she is one of the reasons I remain a skating fan.

Of course I hope for her to do well - but I enjoy her skating more than most of the other ladies, including quite a few that are ranked above her.

I hope to see Alissa skate in Vancouver and if USA Ladies don't medal that's OK.
Atleast with Alissa there the rest of the world will see one beautiful skater from USA.

I so agree. I just love her skating. Here is an article in which Julie Berlin talks about how Alissa can milk more points from her short program. What does everyone think?

http://www.freep.com/article/200911...Alissa-Czisny-second-in-short-at-Skate-Canada

 

[janetfan]

^ so Czisny is your sentimental pick then?

Yes she is, more so than Sasha, who had two Olympic experiences.

But I don't want any favors for Alissa. I just would be happy to see her make the team.

Mirai is really the only one I see developing into a futue podium finisher at top Intl events but she is only 16 and I think her era will begin after this season.

I would not be surprised if Mirai won or finished 2nd at Natls this year.

I think any of the top girls has a chance, including Sasha.

 

[Tinymavy15]

I think it would be perfect if both Alissa and Sasha made the team. All the other girls still have years of skating ahead. Not so much for these two beauties.

 

[R.D.]

Yes she is, more so than Sasha, who had two Olympic experiences.

But I don't want any favors for Alissa. I just would be happy to see her make the team.

Mirai is really the only one I see developing into a futue podium finisher at top Intl events but she is only 16 and I think her era will begin after this season.

I would not be surprised if Mirai won or finished 2nd at Natls this year.

She has a chance but I think she has to be totally on and much improved from SC. As for the future, sigh, the same thing was said about Meissner and Hughes, how they would carry US skating to 2010 and be contenders. Well, 2010 is less than a month away and look where we are...one is totally out of it and the other is all but totally out of it...we're down a spot, the women's title is wide open for the 3rd straight year, and for the first time in awhile the US ladies team is totally unpredictable and could be any two combination of Wagner/Flatt/Nagasu/Zhang/Czisny. And whichever two go, they probably won't be competitive for a medal.

 

[silverlake22]

She has a chance but I think she has to be totally on and much improved from SC. As for the future, sigh, the same thing was said about Meissner and Hughes, how they would carry US skating to 2010 and be contenders. Well, 2010 is less than a month away and look where we are...one is totally out of it and the other is all but totally out of it...we're down a spot, the women's title is wide open for the 3rd straight year, and for the first time in awhile the US ladies team is totally unpredictable and could be any two combination of Wagner/Flatt/Nagasu/Zhang/Czisny. And whichever two go, they probably won't be competitive for a medal.

I think Frank Carol has something up his sleeve for Mirai though. He seems very proud of her no matter how she skates this season. I wonder if Mirai will show up to nationals doing a different program or a triple-triple or something cool that will give her an edge. Just a thought. I'm serious about Frank though

 

[daihard]

So essentially, if a skater suffers from iffy technique or slow skating or lesser strength, it's not a big deal, but if you suffer from all three, it's a lot more difficult to land jumps consistently. Luckily for Alissa, her technique is usually good, and only faulty when her nerves get the best of her

Yeah, that makes sense. Her nerves... I wonder if there's anything she can do about that. I mean, everyone is under pressure when they compete, but it seems to me that Alissa suffers a lot more from it than most other female skaters out there today.

That saddens me because as far as I see, Alissa skates incredibly beautifully when "her nerves don't get the best of her."

 

[Layfan]

Alissa is one of my favorite skaters and she is one of the reasons I remain a skating fan.

Of course I hope for her to do well - but I enjoy her skating more than most of the other ladies, including quite a few that are ranked above her.

I hope to see Alissa skate in Vancouver and if USA Ladies don't medal that's OK.
Atleast with Alissa there the rest of the world will see one beautiful skater from USA.

I so agree. I just love her skating. Here is an article with comments from Julie Berlin, her coach, on how she thinks Alissa can change her short program to get more points. What does everyone think?

http://www.freep.com/article/200911...Alissa-Czisny-second-in-short-at-Skate-Canada

 

[inside edge]

Sometimes I wonder if Alissa wasn't so beautiful herself that her skating wouldn't seem as good. Her spins are incredible though. But she's seriously so pretty sometimes I get distracted by her good looks and don't even remember what she skated like at the end of it.

I feel like this holds for a lot of the European ladies, technically most of the time they are just okay, but Carolina, Kira, Laura (if she fixed her eyebrows), and there are probably others I'm forgetting are all really pretty and it like spreads to their skating without them actually doing much

if she fixed her eyebrows if she fixed her eyebrows
Finn Beauty Bonus for Kira and Laura

 

[Mathman]

What's wrong with her eyebrows? Not bushy enough?

http://yle.fi/urheilu/lajit/muut/taitoluistelu/2008/10/kuvat/id123623-kuva1.jpg

edited to add: Kiira Korpi's eyebrows:

http://www.aamulehti.fi/teema/ylioppilaat/6994939-big.jpg

Alissa's eyebrows:

http://z.about.com/d/figureskating/1/0/E/b/-/-/alissa-czisny-0724-436x500.jpg

 

[silverlake22]

if she fixed her eyebrows if she fixed her eyebrows
Finn Beauty Bonus for Kira and Laura

I wasn't even joking....
Yes they are pretty though, especially Kiira. Gosh, that girl is gorgeous