2017-18 State of U.S. Ladies Skating

[mrrice]

I think Mirai just did a clean SP at The Ice with her 3A, 3F+3T, 3Lz layout. She's been retweeting reactions. I can't really tell because I'm translating from Japanese. If has done her short clean, I'm glad she's using The ice to prepare for the season.

Is there video proof of this? I would love it if Mirai could land her 3A with consistency as I think she's going to need it to get herself on the Podium at Nationals. The top US ladies are really bringing it this year and I think her 3A, if she does it well under pressure, could make the difference.

 

[andromache]

U.S. sends two junior girls to Asian Open this year, which will take place this week.
Not knowing anything about them, I searched youtube videos,
and these are the result.

SP: https://youtu.be/7n3YQnECmCo
FS: https://youtu.be/mha-gBitDso

Wow, this girl, Audrey Shin has all the goods to compete with Russians, Japanese & Koreans!
She has 3F+3T in her SP, which is the key element to compete with top juniors this season,
even with a very difficult entrance
To me, she seems to be a better skater than Kaitlyn Nguyen
because of her more mature presentation.

This is my first time watching her - why is her 3F-3T entrance so weird (at least in that SP)? Is she trying to correct an outside edge?

She's got a bit of a leg wrap. Hopefully whoever her coach is corrects that in time.

She has more than adequate presentation and skating ability for someone her age. Looking forward to seeing how she does.

 

[bluelutz]

This is my first time watching her - why is her 3F-3T entrance so weird (at least in that SP)? Is she trying to correct an outside edge?

She's got a bit of a leg wrap. Hopefully whoever her coach is corrects that in time.

Her entrance to 3F+3T preceded by counter, then she does a regular three turn into 3F,
which is very very difficult since counter is much harder to do than rocker.
However, that turn in her counter is a bit jumpy, which is No No.

I noticed her leg wrap as well,
but considering her wonderful jumping ability, with more mature presentation,
to me, things like leg wrap can be overlooked, at least during the junior level.

I was not really convinced by Kaitlyn Nguyen who got jumps.
But the quality of skating is still juniorish to me, which is nothing wrong as she is still 13 years old.
However, top Russians, top Japanese and Eunsoo Lim of Korea got more mature presentations.
So U.S. Junior ladies need not only jumps but good presentation and good skating skills as well to compete with them.
Yes, even for 13 years old.

 

[andromache]

Her entrance to 3F+3T preceded by counter, then she does a regular three turn into 3F,
which is very very difficult since counter is much harder to do than rocker.
However, that turn in her counter is a bit jumpy, which is No No.

I noticed her leg wrap as well,
but considering her wonderful jumping ability, with a very mature presentation,
to me, things like leg wrap can be overlooked, at least during the junior level.

I was not really convinced by Kaitlyn Nguyen who got jumps.
But the quality of skating is still juniorish to me, which is nothing wrong as she is still 13 years old.
However, top Russians, top Japanese and Eunsoo Lim of Korea got more mature presentations.
So U.S. Junior ladies need not only jumps but mature presentation as well to compete with them.
Yes, even for 13 years old.

Ahhhh, gotcha. Thanks for explanation of why her transition looks wonky!

For now, I think Kaitlyn has more effortless jumps and clear rotations, but you're right about how juniorish her skating looks. Junior men tend to skate immaturely and with weak skating skills until a year or two at the senior level. But junior ladies have the skating and presentation ability of senior ladies when they're still at the junior level. Audrey has more laborious jumps, but her skating and presentation is much, much better than Kaitlyn.

Both girls have a lot of promise, and it would be wonderful to see them do well on the JGP.

 

[frida80]

Is there video proof of this? I would love it if Mirai could land her 3A with consistency as I think she's going to need it to get herself on the Podium at Nationals. The top US ladies are really bringing it this year and I think her 3A, if she does it well under pressure, could make the difference.

No video. It will be broadcast sometime September. All I see are lots of tweets in Japanese going crazy and one confirmation in English.

 

[frida80]

Audrey a shin is one of my favorites. But be warned she has a carrot problem. She will nail the short and bomb the long with underrotations. It's something i hope Rafael will fix very soon. Expect a score of 160.

 

[bluelutz]

Audrey a shin is one of my favorites. But be warned she has a carrot problem. She will nail the short and bomb the long with underrotations. It's something i hope Rafael will fix very soon. Expect a score of 160.

Thanks for the info!
I had no way to tell her consistency with just two videos.
160 cannot take her to the international podium unfortunately,
but still I do believe this girl has a good potential,
and with Rafael that would be bigger.

Really looking forward to seeing her perform @Asian Open.

 

[frida80]

Thanks for the info!
I had no way to tell her consistency with just two videos.
160 cannot take her to the international podium unfortunately,
but still I do believe this girl has a good potential,
and with Rafael that would be bigger.

Really looking forward to seeing her perform @Asian Open.

It won't take her to thr odium yet. But she has potential to get there in the future. She just needs to work on her technique. She won the Aerial Jump Contest this year, so the jumps are there.

 

[bluelutz]

No video. It will be broadcast sometime September. All I see are lots of tweets in Japanese going crazy and one confirmation in English.

You are right.
I searched it with "未来 3A" (未来 is her name in Japanese)
there are lots of tweets that they were so excited to see her 3A.
Though some of them pointed out the possibility of under rotation,
all of them were so impressed with her guts & determination to try one everyday of this tour.

If she can return to the Olympic games with 3A,
it is going to be a great inspiration to many skaters and fans.

 

[mrrice]

Her entrance to 3F+3T preceded by counter, then she does a regular three turn into 3F,
which is very very difficult since counter is much harder to do than rocker.
However, that turn in her counter is a bit jumpy, which is No No.

I noticed her leg wrap as well,
but considering her wonderful jumping ability, with more mature presentation,
to me, things like leg wrap can be overlooked, at least during the junior level.

I was not really convinced by Kaitlyn Nguyen who got jumps.
But the quality of skating is still juniorish to me, which is nothing wrong as she is still 13 years old.
However, top Russians, top Japanese and Eunsoo Lim of Korea got more mature presentations.
So U.S. Junior ladies need not only jumps but good presentation and good skating skills as well to compete with them.
Yes, even for 13 years old.

I noticed that wrap as well. Who is coaching this young girl? I used to think that wraps were hard to get rid of but, Gabby D. used to have wrap and she got rid of it and found her on to the World Podium. Her jumps will be OK but, she's going to need to perform better if she hopes to compete with the Russian girls.

 

[frida80]

I noticed that wrap as well. Who is coaching this young girl? I used to think that wraps were hard to get rid of but, Gabby D. used to have wrap and she got rid of it and found her on to the World Podium. Her jumps will be OK but, she's going to need to perform better if she hopes to compete with the Russian girls.

Rafael is her coach. Just started with him late last season.

 

[ssffww]

But does Polina even have a chance at making the final? So does it matter if she receives a second assignment ?
Realistically, Ashley does if she contacts john nicks to work on the kind of spins she had in 2012/13. (Watch her 2013 worlds sp)

Ashley's my girl and I sure hope she makes it back to the final this year. But, she's got two spots and is already going to SA, so she's not a factor for that open slot. The discussion was between giving it to Polina or Courtney. I like Courtney, but don't see the point in giving anyone just one Grand Prix assignment, when someone else could get two and have a shot, however slim.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Ashley's my girl and I sure hope she makes it back to the final this year. But, she's got two spots and is already going to SA, so she's not a factor for that open slot. The discussion was between giving it to Polina or Courtney. I like Courtney, but don't see the point in giving anyone just one Grand Prix assignment, when someone else could get two and have a shot, however slim.

I don't think Polina looks to be in competitive form just yet, compared to Courtney. Polina has two good programs but she needs a ton more technical content. Courtney is already there.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I don't think Polina looks to be in competitive form just yet, compared to Courtney. Polina has two good programs but she needs a ton more technical content. Courtney is already there.

Maybe Polina is just pulling the old bait and switch routine to lull her competition into complacency






It could happen :cool2:

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Maybe Polina is just pulling the old bait and switch routine to lull her competition into complacency

I really like her SP, but I'm on the fence about the LP. I could see her channeling her inner Maria B and make it work, or it could bore me to tears.

 

[Celine]

I really like her SP, but I'm on the fence about the LP. I could see her channeling her inner Maria B and make it work, or it could bore me to tears.

I would never underestimate Polina. It has always been my sense that she's a competitor who can "put her mind to it"

 

[andromache]

I don't think Polina looks to be in competitive form just yet, compared to Courtney. Polina has two good programs but she needs a ton more technical content. Courtney is already there.

With Skate America in November, the shape Polina is in NOW doesn't matter. In the end I think Polina is more likely to wind up at the Olympics and/or Worlds than Courtney, so the Skate America outing would benefit her the most.

(No offense to Courtney and her fans - but I'm tired of seeing her go into Nationals as one of the favorites to snag a podium spot and then crumble.)

I assume the ladies who want the spot, Courtney and Polina included, will fight for it during some Senior Bs. Those two, plus Tessa Hong and Caroline, seem most likely to me. Hopefully those four + whoever else is hungry for it do show up on the Senior b circuit.

 

[frida80]

With Skate America in November, the shape Polina is in NOW doesn't matter. In the end I think Polina is more likely to wind up at the Olympics and/or Worlds than Courtney, so the Skate America outing would benefit her the most.

(No offense to Courtney and her fans - but I'm tired of seeing her go into Nationals as one of the favorites to snag a podium spot and then crumble.)

I assume the ladies who want the spot, Courtney and Polina included, will fight for it during some Senior Bs. Those two, plus Tessa Hong and Caroline, seem most likely to me. Hopefully those four + whoever else is hungry for it do show up on the Senior b circuit.

There is no way of telling what shape Polina will be in in November. The decision needs to be made in two weeks. Sometimes it takes skaters a year to get their jumps back after being off the ice for so long. Because of that, she most likely won't get the spot. She will have other opportunities to make up points. But right now she needs to focus on recovering her jumps. The real season starts in September. If she can medal at her GP event it will have an impact for the Olympics.

She doesn't need to make the GP final to make the team. She only needs to make the GPF if she slips into 4th place.

 

[SnowWhite]

With Skate America in November, the shape Polina is in NOW doesn't matter. In the end I think Polina is more likely to wind up at the Olympics and/or Worlds than Courtney, so the Skate America outing would benefit her the most.

(No offense to Courtney and her fans - but I'm tired of seeing her go into Nationals as one of the favorites to snag a podium spot and then crumble.)

I assume the ladies who want the spot, Courtney and Polina included, will fight for it during some Senior Bs. Those two, plus Tessa Hong and Caroline, seem most likely to me. Hopefully those four + whoever else is hungry for it do show up on the Senior b circuit.

I think Bradie Tennell is much more likely than Tessa Hong. Right now, of the skaters without GP assignments, Courtney, Caroline and Bradie are the most likely picks.

Summer comp scores from those 3:
Bradie Tennell 190.76 Broadmoor Open
Courtney Hicks 187.42 Skate Detroit
Caroline Zhang 182.67 Glacier Falls

I don't think that it matter that much if Polina has a second spot or not. Of course she would benefit, but it's very unlikely that she'd make the GPF anyways, so it isn't so major. With Kaetlyn, Mai, and Alina at the French GP with her, she'd be hard pressed to make the podium, and that doesn't include Maria, Elizabet, etc. And SA has deep field too (Gabrielle, Ashley, Karen, Anna, Satoko, etc.)

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

With Skate America in November, the shape Polina is in NOW doesn't matter. In the end I think Polina is more likely to wind up at the Olympics and/or Worlds than Courtney, so the Skate America outing would benefit her the most.

I'm ok with the USFSA waiting as long as is needed to get a good assessment, but also allowing the competitor enough advance notice to prepare adequately. Whoever is picked should show competitive form when they are selected, without assuming she will improve with a bit more time. If Polina performs the 3Lz, 3F and a 3-3 soon, she should be near the top of the list.