How much interest can Alysa Liu revive in figure skating in the US?

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I think it would have been different if Alysa hadn't won Worlds last year. Both her and Anna won Worlds in the year before they won the Olympics (see: Lipinski). So it makes sense for them to avoid Worlds.

In the case of Zagitova, she hadn't won Worlds so made sense to try for 2018 Worlds (but then she fared poorly, but managed to come back to win 2019 Worlds for her resume).

Sotnikova in winning 2014 Olympics lucked out and ducked out while on top, and only had her 9th place finish from the year before.

 

[Mathman]

I think it would have been different if Alysa hadn't won Worlds last year. Both her and Anna won Worlds in the year before they won the Olympics (see: Lipinski). So it makes sense for them to avoid Worlds.

? I don't get it. What difference does it make if someone won or didn't win last year's worlds? Either way, they still have the option of competing, or not competing, in this year's.

 

[yfan1]

? I don't get it. What difference does it make if someone won or didn't win last year's worlds? Either way, they still have the option of competing, or not competing, in this year's.

I think he means that she already has a world title, so she doesn't "need" one more.

She has a GPF title, a world title, and two olympic golds. Really, she needn't compete again.

 

[Mathman]

And ABC Sports was right-It is the thrill of victory (Alysa) and the agony of defeat (Amber SP, Ilia FS) that makes a sporting event memorable !

You know the whole business of sports thrills for spectators is kind of weird if you think about it. Runner A runs faster than runner B, both strangers to me. I am ecstatic. Why? I didn't run faster than anybody.

Runner B wins. I , a non-participant bystander, feel like killing myself. Go figure.

 

[Mathman]

I think he means that she already has a world title, so she doesn't "need" one more.

I said the same thing to Sonia Henie in 1936: You've already got 9 world championships, why do you need another one?

 

[yfan1]

I said the same thing to Sonia Henie in 1936: You've already got 9 world championships, why do you need another one?

I said something a little different, but to each their own

 

[Diana Delafield]

I said the same thing to Sonia Henie in 1936: You've already got 9 world championships, why do you need another one?

Like the pairs community with Rodnina. Ten world titles in a row and then she took 1978/79 off to have a baby: "Oh, how sweet. Good, now someone else has a chance at gold, instead of just shooting for silver." 1979/80 she returns for the Olympics: "Oh, for heaven's sake, is there no way to get rid of her? She's baaaack!"

Fortunately, she didn't go on to Worlds after the OG that year.

(Yes, she had partners to skate with. Everyone just said "Rodnina", though. The partners were background scenery.)

 

[Mathman]

I guess I misunderstood. Nobody "needs" to compete or not to compete, whether, like Alysa Liu. they have GP medals, Olympic medals and world medals or whether, like snowplow Sam, they got nothing.

Baksetball player Bill Russel had ten NBA championship rings, one for each finger. He went for his eleventh anyway, even though he already had more hardware than he could display. OK.

When he retired a couple of years later and said that's it, y'all -- that was OK, too.

 

[yfan1]

Nobody needs to skate at all, when it comes to that.

 

[skatingfan4ever]

I don't think Alysa hitting the media trail all over the USA after winning OGM is comparable to scooby doo or poopie doo. Frankly, I think Worlds is pretty damn anticlimactic after the wonderful Winter Games. I'm still watching daily repeats of Matteo Rizzo sliding across the ice and jumping the boards into his team. It's my hit of dopamine every day.

It feels anticlimactic to you and who knows how many other figure skating fans. I understand that point of view. As for me, I am excited to see more skating. As one example, I am excited to see whether Andrew Torgashev does two solid programs at this Worlds. He did better than I hoped at the Olympics, but he hasn't had a well-skated Worlds yet. (2023 went about as expected, with mistakes in both programs, and 2025 the free skate didn't go well). I'm hoping he can actually have a satisfying Worlds in 2026.

Sorry for the , @el henry, even though it mentions Andrew. Back to Alysa and figure skating in the United States.

 

[Arigato]

I am excited to see whether Andrew Torgashev does two solid programs at this Worlds.

So am I. What's your point?

 

[Arigato]

Amanda Anisimova explains how Alysia Liu has helped her tennis after watching her at the Winter Olympics

Amanda Anisimova has been inspired by Alysa Liu and Lindsey Vonn at the Winter Olympics.

www.hitc.com

 

[Fetinia]

To me post-Olympics Worlds makes it more exciting when favorites skip: who is going to seize an opportunity?

 

[Arigato]

To me post-Olympics Worlds makes it more exciting when favorites skip: who is going to seize an opportunity?

Oooh a positive spin. Thank you.

 

[skatingfan4ever]

So am I. What's your point?

Responding to your assertion that you think Worlds is pretty anticlimactic after the Olympics. It may turn out to be anticlimactic. But not necessarily. There are things I am excited about for this Worlds. That's my point.

The Olympics were definitely exciting. We'll see if Worlds are too, in their own way.

 

[Skater Boy]

Alysa's rise is at the right time. 1. There are really no Russian competitors so she can shine and more importantly the Western World wants and American champ, not even tiny Canada, and so to have an American lady who has great personality and style. Nothing against the well trained and coached not jus ton the ice but off but the feminine, pretty, graceful, ice princess from Yamaguchi to Kerrigan Kwan to Cohen even Lipiniski, Hughes, Chen, Bell, Gracie here we have her own person. Not some manufactured barbie doll so to speak.Athletic,stylish, has a story, and has a perspective plus she skates with such joy. Okay I guess Tonya had was different but she is not soemoen to emulate right or wrong. Media wise North America is a huge and powerful market. A russian or European start doesn't help a lot especially since skating has been unable to keep a star for a while. The Eteri girls rotate in or out. I already forgot so many of them - Lipinskya, Pogoloray, Radinova, Medvedba Kostornaia, Anna S, Sacha Trusova, Kamila Va, Zagitova, Sotnikova They might just rise for the olympic ie Sotnikova and Zagitova and never to be seen again really. But Alyssa has a unique personality and pov

 

[TallyT]

From the point of view of @el henry's original question, Alysa choosing to skip Worlds may (nor may not) be relevant because it does (or does not... weathercock me?) stall the momentum of interest, not so much in her since she's hit the publicity trail and seems to know exactly what she wants out of it, but for skating in general in her country. The initial buzz will fade at least a bit, it almost always does and it's what happens next that will decide if she becomes a solid part of popular culture and cements all or any of those new 4 year enthusiasts into even slightly longer term fans.

If she was going to Worlds, some of them would watch who now are not so likely. If SOI could be televised or easily accessed online (as apart from a firewalled stream you have to know even exists!) some of them will watch. Otherwise... we don't know.

 

[Mathman]

I don't want to generalize from just one person's experience with all this, (mine) ,but for what it's worth....

For me, figure skating in the U.S. has been in the doldrums for a number of years. Many reasons, but what with COVID, followed by interruptions regarding depreessing world events it all added up to blah.

The Alysa thing has brought back a rush of old and cherished memories that had been pushed aside. "Do you like me now?"

I do, I do!

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

To me post-Olympics Worlds makes it more exciting when favorites skip: who is going to seize an opportunity?

Yeah on some level with the favourites out it's interesting to see how the judges actually judge each skater absolutely rather than mark them down because they know a popular/de facto favourite is skating later on.

And yes, also good to see who will seize an opportunity, especially when everyone it's pretty mentally/physically exhausted. Kaetlyn Osmond showed a ton of grit by competing and soundly winning 2018 Worlds even though she talked a lot about how hard it was.

 

[noskates]

Interesting comment above about Alysa skipping Worlds opening up an opportunity for someone else. Yuka Sato won Worlds in 1994 and none of the top 3 women at the Olympics that same year participated. Oksana Baiul, Nancy Kerrigan and Chen Lu medaled at the Olympics and then skipped Worlds. That let Yuka, Surya Bonaly and Tonia S. (can't spell her last name) medal at Worlds. Now I'm curious to see who will step up this time. It's certainly an opportunity for Amber Glenn IF she can put 2 programs together. Kind of same with the men that year. Alexei Urmanov pulled out a win (still wondering about that) at the Olys with Elvis Stojko and Phillippe Candeloro in the silver and bronze place. Elvis and Phillippe went on to win Gold and Silver at Worlds.