2020-21 US Women's Figure Skating

[Steinbeck]

Can someone clarify the rules for this year for Juniors qualifying to nationals? As I think I read it, it will be the top 3 — not the usual top 4— scores from skaters of each section (Pacific, Midwestern, Eastern) ... plus the top 3 junior scorers nationally after that — plus the top 2 Novice scorers from each section.

Do I have that right?

 

[Gia_Sesshoumaru]

Can someone clarify the rules for this year for Juniors qualifying to nationals? As I think I read it, it will be the top 3 — not the usual top 4— scores from skaters of each section (Pacific, Midwestern, Eastern) ... plus the top 3 junior scorers nationally after that — plus the top 2 Novice scorers from each section.

Do I have that right?

That is correct, yes.

 

[ice coverage]

Can someone clarify the rules for this year for Juniors qualifying to nationals? As I think I read it, it will be the top 3 — not the usual top 4— scores from skaters of each section (Pacific, Midwestern, Eastern) ... plus the top 3 junior scorers nationally after that — plus the top 2 Novice scorers from each section.

Do I have that right?

To be specific: You're presumably talking about Championship Series scores and only about Ladies/Men, so then Yes.

(I think it is worth repeating that for the Junior level at Nats, ISP Points Challenge scores do not have any bearing on qualification.

And Dance/Pairs have different advancement criteria from Ladies/Men.)

---

Lynn Rutherford's new article about Mariah Bell.

https://www.teamusa.org/News/2020/O...Off-New-International-Season-At-Skate-America (Oct 7)​

Quotes from Molly Oberstar, who is one of Mariah's choreographers, as well as from Mariah.

 

[Makemi]

Finally caught up with the ISP Challenge (and this thread). I'm so glad I waited to see everything before I commented, the amount of doom and gloom in this thread over Alysa is astonishing. I think some forgot that CoI is essentially an ice show and most skaters don't pull out their maximum for an ice show. She quite clearly still has her 3-3s and her other combos. Yes she looked a bit tentative going into her jumps but that's to be expected considering she doesn't have a full-time in-person jump coach right now. I think she'll at least be able to get her 3A back. I also didn't think she looked as slow as people were making her out to be. It's also clear this choreo is still new and she needs a lot more mileage on it before she's comfortable. Let's see where this "season" will take her before we judge. (That said, while I think the Free has a lot of potential I really don't like the SP. But that's not Alysa's fault. I would also like to see what other choreographers like Shae-Lynn could do. Or even Misha Ge. Lori is really hit or miss to me).

Amber is here to slay!!! I'm so glad that injury was minor. I do love the Free and I think it's a great contrast with her SP (which I'm glad she kept because I really love it). I can't wait to see that 3A!

I second the comments on Karen. She wears her heart on her sleeve and her programs are always so elegant and beautiful. Her spins and spirals are to die for. I'm not sure about the choice of Katy Perry's Rise for the SP (I feel like it needs more dramatic choreo) but the Free is lovely. Yes she could be a top lady again.... except I'm not really sure she wants to be? I remember after 4CC she was interviewed and asked about upping her tech. She replied she's more interested in developing her artistry. I don't get the same feeling of ambition and drive from Karen that I get from Mariah or Bradie. I think she's comfortable where she is. And you know, I think that's okay. I've learned to enjoy whatever Karen can give me without the burden of expectation.

I've watched Mariah's Free a few times now.... after all the comments here I think I understand the concept but I still think there are too many songs and the music cuts are too abrupt. I feel like I'm just getting into Dancing Queen before it suddenly cuts and Winner Takes It All just feels too long. Maybe one less song? I don't know. I guess I'll learn to love it at some point. It's just hard when I compare it to last season's Hallelujah which was just perfect.

Bradie went back to the 3Lz-3T and changed her axel entry back to the 2A. I think that's smart, at least for Skate America. The loop combo still isn't there yet but was good to remind everyone that she still has it. That said I don't love either of Bradie's programs this year. Especially the SP feels more like a show program than a competition program. Maybe I'll change my mind with better audio and camera work.

And kudos to Gracie! Stamina's not there yet but she really worked those programs. I'm glad she chose pieces that have deep meaning to her and she looked very committed to her choreo.

There's certainly a lot to look forward to at Skate America!

 

[bubblecherry]

She really does skate beautifully. I hope this summer she will go to TCC and work on her jumps, so she can get a 3A .

Karen + Tracy working on pure skating is something I’d love to see. It’a like Jason, with all his natural talent, honing in on that and even building off of that with Tracy. Would love that for Karen.

But like someone else said, I’ve learned to appreciate her without expectations. She’s a World class skater, but doesn’t seem to be working towards the highest competitive goals anymore, and that’s okay too!

 

[Jammers]

Why no Ting at Skate America? Despite her injury last season she's still a contender to make the team in 2022 yet i see other skaters way less accomplished competing there. Is she still injured after over a year since she last competed?

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I second the comments on Karen. She wears her heart on her sleeve and her programs are always so elegant and beautiful. Her spins and spirals are to die for. I'm not sure about the choice of Katy Perry's Rise for the SP (I feel like it needs more dramatic choreo) but the Free is lovely. Yes she could be a top lady again.... except I'm not really sure she wants to be? I remember after 4CC she was interviewed and asked about upping her tech. She replied she's more interested in developing her artistry. I don't get the same feeling of ambition and drive from Karen that I get from Mariah or Bradie. I think she's comfortable where she is. And you know, I think that's okay. I've learned to enjoy whatever Karen can give me without the burden of expectation.

Karen is more laid back when it comes to her replies and approach to things, but don't take that wrong, she's very ambitious. As far as Rise for her SP, it actually did have very full and dramatic choreo as a show program. With school and training and the whole COVID thing, alot of skaters are bringing back old programs or converting show programs this year, as did Karen with her SP.

 

[skatinggold]

Karen Chen could win but she choose not to. I just don't see the ambition and fire in her. I don't see the hunger in her like in some of the other ladies. She doesn't challenge herself enough and doesn't want to step out of her comfort zone. She could get massive GOE in her jumps by adding unique and creative entries to her jumps. Adding a triple axle which I think she is capable of doing, she could be on top of the podium. She needs a jumps coach like Rafael but have no idea why she never made the switch. It's a bit too late at Karen's age now to change to a new coach who can actually help her stabilize her jumps.

 

[NAOTMAA]

Karen has an under rotation issue so I don't think it's fair to say she "chooses not to win." It's an issue she needs to work on and I'm sure she is. But when she performs she always gives it 110%

Having said that though I do think she's at the point in life where figure skating isn't "do or die." She seems to be enjoying school which is absolutely great. She looks happy where she is

 

[ice coverage]

New article about Amber Glenn:

Breaking Down Amber Glenn’s Road to a Triple Axel​

​

https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/...-down-amber-glenns-road-to-a-triple-axel.aspx​

(Mentioned within the long and substantive article is this recovery update after her orbital fracture:

"Glenn said she is healing well and all that remains is a scar underneath her eye and one on her chin.")​

 

[lappo]

Not to undermine any of Glenn's achievements, which are in fact impressive, but from the way the article is written you would think that she landed the axel in competition, which is not the case...anyway, let's hope she is feeling better and she can do it at Skate America.

 

[ice coverage]

Not to undermine any of Glenn's achievements, which are in fact impressive, but from the way the article is written you would think that she landed the axel in competition, which is not the case...

FWIW, Amber already was credited with triple axel in a virtual competition -- Colonial Cyber Series.
At the time, Amber showed the protocol on her Instastory.

(The competition gives protocols to skaters on an individual basis, but protocols are not published on the competition website.)

 

[lappo]

My bad, I didn't know that she took part in this competition. However, judging from their site (https://www.colonialfsc.com/colonialcyberseries) " It is not a sanctioned competition, and your scores will not be tracked within the U.S. Figure Skating system". So, apparently, her attempt there won't be taken into consideration....and as far as I know, national competition don't count for things such as landing new jumps, you have to do it on ISU sanctioned events.

 

[ice coverage]

.... but from the way the article is written you would think that she landed the axel in competition, which is not the case...

I do not agree that the article is written to imply that Amber has landed triple axel in competition.
(I should have said so in my previous post.)

... Her progress heading into the virtual competition [ISP Points Challenge], including working toward landing that triple Axel in competition for the first time, was derailed when she fractured her orbital bone during cryotherapy in September. ...

The injury caused her to miss the first ISP Points Challenge opportunity and one week on the ice, then she had just two weeks to train for the second opportunity. ...

"Of course it was unfortunate that I didn't do my (triple) Axel in the short ..." ...​

... However, judging from their site (https://www.colonialfsc.com/colonialcyberseries) " It is not a sanctioned competition, and your scores will not be tracked within the U.S. Figure Skating system". So, apparently, her attempt there won't be taken into consideration....and as far as I know, national competition don't count for things such as landing new jumps, you have to do it on ISU sanctioned events.

No one has claimed that Amber's triple axel in the Colonial competition would/should "count" as a jump landed in USFS-sanctioned or ISU-sanctioned competition.

I made no such claim. (My previous post started with, "FWIW.")

And the article made no such claim -- it does not "count" (or even mention) the Colonial competition.

.... anyway, let's hope she is feeling better and she can do it at Skate America.

Agreed.
Good luck to Amber at Skate America!
And to all the other ladies.

 

[saturdaysun]

FWIW I don't get the impression she actually landed it in the Colonial Cyber competition. I remember the protocol being partly covered when she showed it in her Instastory and I also feel like she would have said something if she had landed it.

I really really want her to land one in competition this season. Rise, Amber, rise!!!

 

[ice coverage]

FWIW I don't get the impression she actually landed it in the Colonial Cyber competition. I remember the protocol being partly covered when she showed it in her Instastory ...

Sorry, I should have been more specific: The Colonial protocol did credit Amber's 3A with full rotation.

I did not save a screenshot, but what I remember is that it showed simply, "3A" with plenty of white space to the right. In other words, there really was no "<" or "<<". (It was not a matter of a symbol for underrotation/downgrading being covered up.)

I do not remember how much was visible in the Instastory in terms of GOE ... so I cannot rule out the possibility that she received negative GOE.

... I also feel like she would have said something if she had landed it. ...

FWIW, my impression (both at the time and now) was that she showed the protocol on Instastory because she wanted to share what she had accomplished.

---

ETA:

FWIW: I am 99% sure that I remember that in the recent Beyond The Rink podcast interview with Amber, host Kevin Wu made a reference to her having (already) landed triple axel in competition.
I am not going to go back to re-listen, but when I heard what Kevin said, I assumed that he was talking about the Colonial competition.
Again, FWIW.​

 

[saturdaysun]

Can't you fully rotate a jump but still fall on it? Does that still count as landed?

The screencap is here so people can interpret it for themselves: https://twitter.com/FSIgstories/status/1293338026853228544

I guess I thought she would have made it more clear if she had actually landed a 3A in competition. The caption seemed and still seems intentionally vague to me. But good point about the no < or <<, so she at least fully rotated it, which is already great!

 

[Tolstoj]

New article about Amber Glenn:

Breaking Down Amber Glenn’s Road to a Triple Axel​

​

https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/...-down-amber-glenns-road-to-a-triple-axel.aspx​

(Mentioned within the long and substantive article is this recovery update after her orbital fracture:

"Glenn said she is healing well and all that remains is a scar underneath her eye and one on her chin.")​

While i'm totally okay if this is what she really wants to do it, i hope this won't turn like the Mirai Nagasu situation in Pyeongchang.

Basically long training for the 3a, despite there were other issues on stamina and some jumps rotation that needed to be addressed before, like it'd have been wiser to make those programs clean and consistent rather than going all in on the 3a in that case in my opinion.

 

[ice coverage]

FWIW, Amber already was credited with triple axel in a virtual competition -- Colonial Cyber Series. ...

FWIW I don't get the impression she actually landed it in the Colonial Cyber competition. ...

Sorry, I should have been more specific: The Colonial protocol did credit Amber's 3A with full rotation. ...

---

ETA:

FWIW: I am 99% sure that I remember that in the recent Beyond The Rink podcast interview with Amber, host Kevin Wu made a reference to her having (already) landed triple axel in competition.​

I am not going to go back to re-listen, but when I heard what Kevin said, I assumed that he was talking about the Colonial competition.​

Again, FWIW.​

Can't you fully rotate a jump but still fall on it? Does that still count as landed?

The screencap is here so people can interpret it for themselves: https://twitter.com/FSIgstories/status/1293338026853228544

I guess I thought she would have made it more clear if she had actually landed a 3A in competition. The caption seemed and still seems intentionally vague to me. But good point about the no < or <<, so she at least fully rotated it, which is already great!

As a general answer unrelated to Amber: In theory, yes, I am aware that it is possible both to fully a rotate a jump and to fall on it.

As for Amber's triple axel:

Thanks for the screenshot, which shows that GOE was not visible in her Instastory, but full rotation was.​

What I originally said is that Amber was "credited" with the jump, and then I corrected myself to say that it was credited with full rotation.​

I myself have not used the wording of "landed" -- except in my recollection of what Kevin Wu said in his podcast. I hope/believe that he would not have used the wording of "landed" lightly.​

What we know is only that she did not share her GOE. Even if we assume that her GOE for triple axel was lower than she would have liked, that would not automatically mean that she had a fall.​

I will try to leave it there, LOL.
Sincere thanks to everyone for your supportive words for Amber.

 

[Sk8D8]

FWIW I don't get the impression she actually landed it in the Colonial Cyber competition. I remember the protocol being partly covered when she showed it in her Instastory and I also feel like she would have said something if she had landed it.

I really really want her to land one in competition this season. Rise, Amber, rise!!!

Coming from someone who saw the video

FWIW I don't get the impression she actually landed it in the Colonial Cyber competition. I remember the protocol being partly covered when she showed it in her Instastory and I also feel like she would have said something if she had landed it.

I really really want her to land one in competition this season. Rise, Amber, rise!!!

Coming from someone who saw the video submitted and full protocol sheet, her 3 axel was fully rotated and landed on one foot, no fall or step out.