2019-20 U.S. Ladies Figure Skating

[moonvine]

The short program for ladies looked absolutely empty on tv.

It was almost completely full. They weren’t going to let me sit in a handicapped seat because they were all sold. Fortunately I was invited into a suite. There were few empty seats but not very many. The long was a sellout or very close.

 

[Jeanie19]

Team Selections:

Worlds - Mariah Bell and Bradie Tennell
4CC - Amber Glenn, Karen Chen, and Bradie Tennell
JW Camp - Alysa Liu, Audrey Shin, Isabelle Inthisone, Starr Andrews, Gabriella Izzo, Calista Choi, and Lindsay Thorngren

Link: https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/...r-continents-teams-and-world-junior-camp.aspx

What is JW camp and when is it?

 

[artsciboy]

Another factor is that to be truly competitive at Worlds for Top 7 & getting 3 spots back, Mariah really must add another 3-3 combo. The U.S. needs her more for than than another 4CC medal.

Well, what Mariah actually needs is another 2axel. The majority of the top girls without a quad and/or 3axel are doing 7 triples plus 2 double axels. Mariah is only doing 7 triples plus 1 double axel. She should look at bringing back one of her Euler-3salchow combinations, so she has room for another 2axel.

 

[Skatingfan1]

Does anyone know the reason Mariah Bell was not selected for 4 Continents or was it her choice? Maybe she wanted to head to worlds with her last event scoring higher than Bradie or another reason???

 

[brightphoton]

Does anyone know the reason Mariah Bell was not selected for 4 Continents or was it her choice? Maybe she wanted to head to worlds with her last event scoring higher than Bradie or another reason???

Google Mariah Bell Eunsoo Lim. Blade cutting leg accident + nationalistic/racial tensions + accusations from Yuna Kim's mom's sports agency, whole thing unresolved with burned bridges.

Best thing to do is lie low for a bit. People will eventually be distracted by the next figure skating gossip.

 

[SnowWhite]

Alysa has a great outlook, and a great deal of maturity. I was very sad that Mariah didn't have-finally!-her Nationals championship. On the other hand, she could have added another combo. And she needs a triple axel. Nagasu did it, Bell can do it too.

Mariah did the max number of combos, including a 3 jump one. If you mean another 3-3 combo, it would not have made a difference in terms of beating Alysa (see below).

Another factor is that to be truly competitive at Worlds for Top 7 & getting 3 spots back, Mariah really must add another 3-3 combo. The U.S. needs her more for than than another 4CC medal.

She really doesn't though. Mariah repeats the 3Lz and 3F and has 7 triples. Unless she can do a combo with 3Lo at the end, adding a 2nd 3-3 would mean that the tradeoff for replacing a 2T with a 2A would be replacing a 3F/3Lz with a 3T - so it wouldn't be that big a BV increase. She could replace her 3F-2T-2Lo with a eu combo, but still it's not a big increase and it would not be worth risking her consistency. You'd risk mistakes, <, bad GOE. That's something for next season.

Mariah's current layout:

3F-3T (9.50)
3Lo (4.90)
3S (4.30)
2A (3.30)
3F-2T-2Lo x (9.13)
3Lz-2T x (7.92)
3Lz x (6.49)

=45.54

Bradie's current layout

3Lz-3T (10.10)
2A (3.30)
3S (4.30)
2A (3.30)
3Lz-3T (11.11)
3F-2T-2Lo (9.13)
3Lo (5.39)

= 46.63

A layout with a eu combo

3F-3T (9.50)
3Lo (4.90)
2A (3.30)
2A (3.30)
3F-eu-3S x (11.11)
3Lz-2T x (7.92)
3Lz x (6.49)

= 46.52

So adding either a 2nd 3T combo or a eu combo would only up her BV by around a point. And yes, every point is good, but even a couple not quite as good landings could cost you that much in GOE with a new layout. And frankly, 1 point of BV is not the difference between Mariah being "truly competitive at Worlds for Top 7 & getting 3 spots back".

 

[Mishaminion]

Gracie puts butts in seats. And I’m not just saying that because I love her. She also has at least one major, non skating boot sponsor, which gives her visibility outside skating. Locals who come to an event may become big time fans. I was in a suite with some ladies who were so excited that I let them throw Mariah a bunny that some of them brought their own stuffies to throw the next day. IMHO that’s how fans are made. Just my opinion.

I'm sure lots of people were there for Gracie or were more familiar with her, but the way some people go out of their way to deny Alysa is a star in her own right (and that people go to watch her) is silly.

 

[Mishaminion]

Google Mariah Bell Eunsoo Lim. Blade cutting leg accident + nationalistic/racial tensions + accusations from Yuna Kim's mom's sports agency, whole thing unresolved with burned bridges.

Best thing to do is lie low for a bit. People will eventually be distracted by the next figure skating gossip.

It is a horrible shame if that is the reason she declined 4CC.

 

[Jeanie19]

Mariah should go to Bavarian Open. She would probably win and one more competition before Worlds would be good.

 

[ladyjane]

Ahem...could she come to Challenge Cup please? The US contingent is stil to be announced, but there's supposed to be 3 senior ladies on the roster. I would love to see Mariah live!

 

[moonvine]

I'm sure lots of people were there for Gracie or were more familiar with her, but the way some people go out of their way to deny Alysa is a star in her own right (and that people go to watch her) is silly.

I think if you asked a bunch of random people in the streets if they could name a figure skater, they would name Gracie If they could name one at all. Due a lot to non skating things such things as being friends with Taylor Swift, current Julep makeup sponsor and past Covergirl sponsor, etc. Obviously skating fans know who Alysa is, but If non fans know who she is at all it is as “that young girl who won last year.” I’m going to try this on my 80 year old mother who has been watching skating since long before I was born. I’m going to say something about Alysa and if she says “who?” I’m going to say “last years and this years National Champion” and then she’ll know. But she knows Gracie. She also knows Javi “I love that little Spaniard!” I do think Alysa will probably be a star outside of hardcore skating fans when she can compete as a senior in Worlds, Olympics, etc - particularly if she wins medals. I do not think she is yet, however.

 

[moonvine]

Ok I could watch miked up Adam Rippon all day

 

[Bluediamonds09]

Sierra Venetta and Maxine Bautista were not invited to the JW camp. I wonder why. That tells me that USFSA doesn’t really want to invest in them. That, or they did poorly at their competitions this season.
I think Sierra and Maxine are 18/19 years old, so maybe they’re trying to cultivate a younger junior crowd?

 

[natsulian]

I hope Sierra and Rena are sent to Challenge Cup.

 

[lusterfan]

Sierra Venetta and Maxine Bautista were not invited to the JW camp. I wonder why. That tells me that USFSA doesn’t really want to invest in them. That, or they did poorly at their competitions this season.
I think Sierra and Maxine are 18/19 years old, so maybe they’re trying to cultivate a younger junior crowd?

I believe Sierra isn't even age eligible for JW anymore, so why would they invite her to JW Camp? And Maxine didn't finish very high up at Senior Nationals and it's basically her final year being eligible for JW, so I guess that's not a long-term investment for the juniors.

 

[dancelion21]

How much has Alysa grown over the last year? A growth spurt will actually help her look more mature and not so young and it will give her more of a presence on the ice. Tiny skaters like Miyahara just don't look as impressive on the ice as someone tall like Gracie.

I believe that she grew three inches. She was 4'7" last year, she's 4'10" now.

They also announced 4CC and Worlds. To no one's surprise, Mariah and Bradie will be going to Worlds, but Mariah will not be going to 4CC. Instead, Bradie, Karen, and Amber will be representing the United States. At first, I was surprised that Mariah would turn down the opportunity to go to 4CC since she has a great chance to medal there, then I realized that 4CC is in South Korea this year...

Yeah, definitely the right move for Mariah to skip out on 4CC this year...

 

[skatespin]

Does anyone know where I can watch the final group of the ladies freeskate without having to pay for NBC gold?

 

[lusterfan]

I believe that she grew three inches. She was 4'7" last year, she's 4'10" now.

They also announced 4CC and Worlds. To no one's surprise, Mariah and Bradie will be going to Worlds, but Mariah will not be going to 4CC. Instead, Bradie, Karen, and Amber will be representing the United States. At first, I was surprised that Mariah would turn down the opportunity to go to 4CC since she has a great chance to medal there, then I realized that 4CC is in South Korea this year...

Yeah, definitely the right move for Mariah to skip out on 4CC this year...

Which is a shame because going to 4CC and doing well there could definitely bolster her momentum going into Worlds...

 

[Bluediamonds09]

I believe Sierra isn't even age eligible for JW anymore, so why would they invite her to JW Camp? And Maxine didn't finish very high up at Senior Nationals and it's basically her final year being eligible for JW, so I guess that's not a long-term investment for the juniors.

I think Sierra is still eligible, she turns 20 in August. Maxine is 19. But, yeah, maybe you’re right about the long term investment thing. Too bad because I found them more entertaining than Starr and Gabriella (both around the same age as them).

 

[frida80]

Sierra Venetta and Maxine Bautista were not invited to the JW camp. I wonder why. That tells me that USFSA doesn’t really want to invest in them. That, or they did poorly at their competitions this season.
I think Sierra and Maxine are 18/19 years old, so maybe they’re trying to cultivate a younger junior crowd?

The junior camp is only for people who have already gotten their junior minimums. All the skaters picked have them. Neither Sierra or Maxine have skated internationally yet.

The good news for them both is they probably will be added to the ISP and get a senior B spot this spring and can compete for the SA spot next year. They’ll be fine.