2021-2022 US Women's Figure Skating

[macy]

IIRC, someone from Champs Camp tweeted that Mariah switched both programs; River Flows In You for SP and Hallelujah for FS.

much much better!

 

[chuckm]

UGH! Hallelujah is one of the most overdone music selections. Going back to old programs for the Olympic season didn't work for Ashley Wagner, and I'm not so sure it will work for Mariah.

 

[macy]

UGH! Hallelujah is one of the most overdone music selections. Going back to old programs for the Olympic season didn't work for Ashley Wagner, and I'm not so sure it will work for Mariah.

i think those two situations are very different. Ashley had already used MR twice in a row and abandoned a really great program to use it a 3rd time. i think this had a huge role in her not making the olympics that year.

Mariah has only used Hallelujah once and she's leaving a worse program for it. i think it was a smart choice.

 

[Lutzedge]

Nobody is a lock in Russia and Japan because they have way too many talents out there. On the other hand, USA ladies field is super "WEAK". There is only ONE US girl won gold this season so far. In fact, it's almost 100% sure that Nebelhorn cup is the LAST international gold for US lady this season. So far, Alysa had already fulfilled group #2 selection criteria set by USFSA, she just needs to be placed in top 5 at nationals and her spot will be official. Karen Chen is in group# 3 and Lindsay is in group#4 as of this moment. The only true US competitor remaining to be seen is Bradie. Can you think of any FIVE US girls who can beat Alysa at US nationals and bump her out of top 5? I just can't.

The US ladies field is not weak. There were a bunch of really good skates at last season's nationals. It is only October, and it has been quite some time since we have seen some of them compete. Karen proved herself stronger at Finlandia, Amber might and probably will do better as the season continues, Mariah is scheduled for a competition this week, Audrey has work to do with her rotations, but skated well at her last comp, Bradie will probably come back strong, and Alysa has done very well and skates beautifully. Not to forget Lindsay, who is much improved from last season. Again, it is only October. Japan and Russia are much stronger, and Korea is strong as well, but that doesn't make the US women weak.

 

[Skater Boy]

Better than Alysa? Better how? When has Amber scored over 200 internationally? Alysa, Bradie and Karen have all done that, and more than once.

Amber got OK PCS scores at Finlandia, but they were nowhere near Karen's, or Alysa's at Nebelhorn.

Finishing 9th at Finlandia was hardly a triumph. She is going to have to do better in the GPs.

At SA, Amber not only needs to outshine Bradie and Audrey, but place well against high performers like Kaori Sakamoto, Young You, and Trusova plus two more Russians.
She faces You, Sakamoto and Trusova again at NHK, plus Kihira and Alysa Liu.

In the past, Amber hasn't been impressive at her GP events, finishing mid-pack in both 2019 and 2020, and she was 9th at 4CC 2020, where she faced the same skaters she will meet at GP
2021 (Kihira, You, Sakamoto, Kim, Lim--all of whom scored over 200).

And she's going to have to deliver in competition that 3a she talks so much about.

 

[TontoK]

UGH! Hallelujah is one of the most overdone music selections. Going back to old programs for the Olympic season didn't work for Ashley Wagner, and I'm not so sure it will work for Mariah.

Paging Jason Brown, please pick up the white courtesy phone.

Jokes aside, I don't see how she had much choice. Her programs were just bad. Really awful. It was either dig through the recycling bin or start from scratch. There was no saving what she had.

 

[LiamForeman]

I was about to ask the same question. I love Amber but, even she said that she didn't have a good outing this weekend. I'm still in Ambers corner but, this event knocked her down a few pegs if she gets in a position similar to last year. She was passed over due to her lack of International success and this was another strike against her.

I don't think it knocked her down just a few pegs. She did a program with only 4 triples, no lutz, no 3/3. Three months from the Olympics. Nope. She's been knocked down to the lowest peg. Only perfection from here on out will get her on the team, and she's never even been perfect. So I think she's done. Stick a fork in her.

 

[daffygirl]

I don't think it knocked her down just a few pegs. She did a program with only 4 triples, no lutz, no 3/3. Three months from the Olympics. Nope. She's been knocked down to the lowest peg. Only perfection from here on out will get her on the team, and she's never even been perfect. So I think she's done. Stick a fork in her.

Agreed. Amber has a lot of talent, but IMO she sealed her fate at the Finlandia Trophy. The Olympics aren't happening for her.

 

[moonvine]

I'm looking forward to seeing how Mariah does this week in Nevada. The season did not start well and after Champs Camp, I wonder if she'll even have the same SP.

It was my understanding that she was changing it due to feedback she received at Champs Camp. But I could be wrong. I am wrong very often.

 

[mrrice]

i think those two situations are very different. Ashley had already used MR twice in a row and abandoned a really great program to use it a 3rd time. i think this had a huge role in her not making the olympics that year.

Mariah has only used Hallelujah once and she's leaving a worse program for it. i think it was a smart choice.

You know, I wouldn't mind seeing Mariah go back to her East Of Eden LP. When she did that program at Skate America I absolutely loved it.

 

[beepboop]

ugh now I'm nervous to see what shape Bradie is in at SkAm... her comments at the press event do not inspire confidence

 

[mrrice]

ugh now I'm nervous to see what shape Bradie is in at SkAm... her comments at the press event do not inspire confidence

Oh No.....What did she say?

 

[beepboop]

Oh No.....What did she say?

The quotes that stood out to me were:

• “I can tell you I’ve had a great medical team working with me and trying to fix these issues I’ve been having,” Tennell said. “We have had some success with the things we’ve tried."
• Asked how much the problems still are affecting her, she said, “I’m kind of taking things day-by-day right now, and I am just trying to keep things positive."

(Full threads here and here).

 

[mrrice]

The quotes that stood out to me were:

• “I can tell you I’ve had a great medical team working with me and trying to fix these issues I’ve been having,” Tennell said. “We have had some success with the things we’ve tried."
• Asked how much the problems still are affecting her, she said, “I’m kind of taking things day-by-day right now, and I am just trying to keep things positive."

(Full threads here and here).

Well, I hope she doesn't push it too early. I think she is safe as long as she skates well at Nationals. As the defending champion, a Bronze Medal would get her to the games without worrying about the Committee passing her over.

 

[MCsAngel2]

this would explain her boot switch. I'm not sure what she was wearing in the recent video of her (Jacksons?) but no more Pianos.

I looked as closely as I could. I can't be 100% sure, but they look more like Harlicks to me than Jacksons.

 

[Greengemmonster]

That Bradie news is very disconcerting. I love Bradie and I love Rika. It's quite a nasty joke that they are both in similar positions regarding injuries in the Olympics season

 

[readernick]

You're comparing orange to apple. You are comparing Amber's "practice" to Alysa actual competition performance which doesn't seem fair and square. Actually, Alysa's practice is better than her performance at Nebelhorn cup. She had a nice 3A during morning practice but she popped 3A in actual competition. Besides 3A, Alysa has much better spins (much FASTER, more centered) than Amber.

This thread is quickly becoming like the Russian women's thread where people are becoming so protective of their favorites that they purposely misread and become offended at honest assessments. I'm going to stop entering it if this continues. The lack of fanatical fans is what has made this a better thread in the past. Honest assessments of skaters strengths and weaknesses should not be taken personally.

Alysa's spins are indeed better than Amber's. I never said that weren't. But, even in practice her jumps and SS aren't. But, she is an incredible competitor and that is the most important quality she possesses. That's just a non-emotional, fair assessment of Alysa. . Let's see how see does on the GP. If she starts landing her 3A, she is 98 percent going to be national champion.

A non-emotional fair assessment of Amber is that it doesn't matter what talent you have if you can't deliver in competition. And messing up a spin in your SP, just reveals exactly what a terrible competitor you are. Which was what my original posts were about that others decided to take as insults against their favorite skaters.

A non-emotional assessment of Karen, is that she knows when to show up and deliver to her best and as long as the technical panel is blind she will do relatively well.

In the past, these type of comments were accepted here.. is this thread going to turn into a less pleasant environment full of extreme fans? I really hope not.

 

[Dawn825]

And messing up a spin in your SP, just reveals exactly what a terrible competitor you are.

I'm not saying Amber isn't a bad competitor, but in her defense I remember once watching a youtube video of spin fails. I think it's since been removed, but nearly every top skater was on there at least once - Hanyu, Uno, Chan, etc.

 

[mrrice]

I'm not saying Amber isn't a bad competitor, but in her defense I remember once watching a youtube video of spin fails. I think it's since been removed, but nearly every top skater was on there at least once - Hanyu, Uno, Chan, etc.

Sasha Cohen fell on a Camel Spin. I've seen several skaters fall on flying sit spins

 

[Amei]

The US ladies field is not weak. There were a bunch of really good skates at last season's nationals. It is only October, and it has been quite some time since we have seen some of them compete. Karen proved herself stronger at Finlandia, Amber might and probably will do better as the season continues, Mariah is scheduled for a competition this week, Audrey has work to do with her rotations, but skated well at her last comp, Bradie will probably come back strong, and Alysa has done very well and skates beautifully. Not to forget Lindsay, who is much improved from last season. Again, it is only October. Japan and Russia are much stronger, and Korea is strong as well, but that doesn't make the US women weak.

If we look at the US ladies as just an individual country, correct they are not weak, but unfortunately they have to compete against the rest of the world and right now in comparison to the rest of the big countries (and even some of the smaller countries) they are weak. Russia is going to leave home skaters (note that is plural) capable of triple axels and quads; in the US multiple solid candidates for the team only do 1 triple-triple in their FS.