2021-2022 US Women's Figure Skating

[skatingiscool]

I love Isabeau's mental toughness! What has USFSA been doing differently that has given their new generation the competition nerves that most of their veterans lack? (Lindsay and Alysa are also reliable)

Isabeau's landings looked much better this time, especially in the first half. I wonder if it's a stamina problem as she noticeably started to lean forward in the landings of the second half. She also looked a bit faster than before too, super impressed with the improvements!

It's very likely that teenagers will sweep 2022 National championship podium: Alysa, Isabeau and Lindsay

Next generation looks bright and very competitive against Russians and Japanese. In fact, those teenagers have an advantage that some top Russian and Japanese skaters don't have - Nerves of steel. It doesn't matter how many QUAD, 3A you can land in test skates, domestics competitions and practice. It only matters if you can land those big jumps on a big day. I'm not surprised that at least one of them will be on international podium (World, Olympics) very soon.

 

[readernick]

I doubt it. She goes into it from a crazy hard entry - a looong knee slide. It was just one of those fluke spin mistakes that come out of nowhere, even for the best skaters. Johnny Weir had one at the Olympics.

Exactly. It is the type of fluke mistake skaters make when nervous. From what I saw on Twitter, she had a perfectly clean run through and was landing all her jumps in practice. Her performance wasn't injury. It was competition nerves.

 

[moonvine]

It's very likely that teenagers will sweep 2022 National championship podium: Alysa, Isabeau and Lindsay

Next generation looks bright and very competitive against Russians and Japanese. In fact, those teenagers have an advantage that some top Russian and Japanese skaters don't have - Nerves of steel. It doesn't matter how many QUAD, 3A you can land in test skates, domestics competitions and practice. It only matters if you can land those big jumps on a big day. I'm not surprised that at least one of them will be on international podium (World, Olympics) very soon.

It is October. Good grief.

 

[zebobes]

While Isabeau's jump combinations are pretty scary, the first four jumping passes in her free were quite stunning. It seems like she has really put the work in cleaning up her jumps, but having the stamina to do it in the second half is still too much for her. I'm excited to see how much she'll improve by the JGPF.

 

[Tonight's the Night]

Re: Isabeau and quads: just a reminder that she did try a 4T at Skate Milwaukee back in July. It was very underrotated but I suppose she (and her coaches) wouldn't have gone for it in competition had she not been landing them at least sometimes in practice.

I don't have social media so I wouldn't know if there are practice clips of 4Ts out there somewhere. (Someone please say there are!)

 

[katymay]

While Isabeau's jump combinations are pretty scary, the first four jumping passes in her free were quite stunning. It seems like she has really put the work in cleaning up her jumps, but having the stamina to do it in the second half is still too much for her. I'm excited to see how much she'll improve by the JGPF.

The jumps worry me a bit, but yes, they were better, it is the combo jumps where she sinks down in the knee. Kudo to the coaches, and Isabeau herself-she is very well trained. Not a hand or foot out of place, everything is polished and smooth as if she has run through these programs a million times. I think she must be a very hard worker, and I'm sure between now and her senior debut she will do everything in her power to gain more jumping strength.

 

[macy]

I read somewhere recently that isabeaus skating is reminiscent of the old 6.0 days and I couldn't agree more. I see the extension, the polish, patience, joy and detail of Michelle and Sasha in her and its such a breath of fresh air. It's so refreshing to see that still live in a skater.

However, her general lack of speed and in her jump combos was glaring compared to the other top skaters. This is really going to hold her back not only with GOE but in PCS as well as time goes on. The quality level of her jump combos is quite below what we see of top juniors, so I hope she and her team really prioritize that. It's too bad because the rest of her skating is gorgeous.

 

[Bluediamonds09]

I don't believe that Karen should get a "favor" for securing 3 spots for US women. Nothing in the rules says that securing 3 spots for your team guarantees you one of those 3 spots; it should only give u a better opportunity to make the team because, well, now there are 3 spots instead of 2. Karen unfortunately still has the same jump issues she's had for years, no matter how high the pcs. I don't think the US women should receive a lifetime achievement award and be handed a spot; earn it by being great.

 

[TontoK]

I read somewhere recently that isabeaus skating is reminiscent of the old 6.0 days and I couldn't agree more. I see the extension, the polish, patience, joy and detail of Michelle and Sasha in her and its such a breath of fresh air. It's so refreshing to see that still live in a skater.

However, her general lack of speed and in her jump combos was glaring compared to the other top skaters. This is really going to hold her back not only with GOE but in PCS as well as time goes on. The quality level of her jump combos is quite below what we see of top juniors, so I hope she and her team really prioritize that. It's too bad because the rest of her skating is gorgeous.

You are correct about the combo speed. They looked "eeked out." This is an area for improvement.

But, I hope people realize she's probably going to take a journey similar to Alysa Liu, meaning the natural transition that all women experience is going to happen, and her skating is probably going to get worse before it gets better.

I hope she can manage that transition as well as Alysa has apparently done. The good news is that the things that make her stunning in terms of her artistic point of view aren't going to change, and eventually, the relative weaknesses in strength and stamina will improve remarkably. But she's going to have a year of struggle.

 

[Jammers]

I don't believe that Karen should get a "favor" for securing 3 spots for US women. Nothing in the rules says that securing 3 spots for your team guarantees you one of those 3 spots; it should only give u a better opportunity to make the team because, well, now there are 3 spots instead of 2. Karen unfortunately still has the same jump issues she's had for years, no matter how high the pcs. I don't think the US women should receive a lifetime achievement award and be handed a spot; earn it by being great.

I agree, yes Karen twice has saved or helped get 3 spots but otherwise her international record is spotty at best and not particularly impressive. Someone like Ashley had the record to fall back on and get on the Olympic team heck even Gracie as early in her career as it was had a better international record back in 2014 to make the Olympic team then Karen has after all these years and was younger and quick frankly had more upside and could actually rotate her jumps. As for Lindsay she's a nice skater with good technique but her personal best wouldn't get her on the podium at Nationals unless all of the veterans bomb.. Just looking at the scores at Nationals usually to get on the podium including the pewter medalist you have to score somewhere in the 130's or higher in the FS and Lindsay hasn't come close so far to that.

 

[dancelion21]

As for Lindsay she's a nice skater with good technique but her personal best wouldn't get her on the podium at Nationals unless all of the veterans bomb.. Just looking at the scores at Nationals usually to get on the podium including the pewter medalist you have to score somewhere in the 130's or higher in the FS and Lindsay hasn't come close so far to that.

Lindsay's only been competing junior so far. Seniors compete with an additional choreographic sequence which would add an additional 4 points to her score, putting her season's best free program at 127.5, not that far off of the 130s mark. What really helps Lindsay is that the veterans haven't been looking so good. Karen is underrotating more than ever, Mariah seems to have lost her consistency from the 2019-20 season, Bradie has been injured and it's unclear how well she'll come back, and Amber has never had the best competition nerves, leading to her making unnecessary mistakes (like getting an invalidated spin in the short yesterday). By contrast, Lindsay can rotate her triples and has a comparatively cleaner triple-triple alongside much better competition nerves. I do feel as though Lindsay's Olympic hopes rest more on the senior ladies doing poorly than her doing well though. If two of them get their act together, she won't make the team.

 

[alexocfp]

It's very likely that teenagers will sweep 2022 National championship podium: Alysa, Isabeau and Lindsay

Next generation looks bright and very competitive against Russians and Japanese. In fact, those teenagers have an advantage that some top Russian and Japanese skaters don't have - Nerves of steel. It doesn't matter how many QUAD, 3A you can land in test skates, domestics competitions and practice. It only matters if you can land those big jumps on a big day. I'm not surprised that at least one of them will be on international podium (World, Olympics) very soon.

Most of the Eteri girls are huge big game pressure players. I would argue the pressure in Eteri’s camp and the pressure in Russia itself is bigger than the pressure of competing against non Russian’s.

No US junior has to face what Anna faced to win her gold in Russia last season. Nobody in any competition had to go through what the Russian podium had to go through to win a medal.

And it does matter that you have quads because you can overcome any scoreboard deficit with them.

And for all the talk of “nerves of steel” and being competitive, none of the ones you mentioned above have beaten any Russian of note this year.

Alysa’s hype this year is based on beating competition that she was favorite to beat anyway.

 

[dorispulaski]

The Russian women are amazing skaters, but the subject of this thread is US women.

 

[halulupu]

Lindsay's only been competing junior so far. Seniors compete with an additional choreographic sequence which would add an additional 4 points to her score, putting her season's best free program at 127.5, not that far off of the 130s mark. What really helps Lindsay is that the veterans haven't been looking so good. Karen is underrotating more than ever, Mariah seems to have lost her consistency from the 2019-20 season, Bradie has been injured and it's unclear how well she'll come back, and Amber has never had the best competition nerves, leading to her making unnecessary mistakes (like getting an invalidated spin in the short yesterday). By contrast, Lindsay can rotate her triples and has a comparatively cleaner triple-triple alongside much better competition nerves. I do feel as though Lindsay's Olympic hopes rest more on the senior ladies doing poorly than her doing well though. If two of them get their act together, she won't make the team.

Amber didn't make herself any favour at Finnlandia. As of now, Lindsey is still clearly having an Olympic spot, fair and square

 

[mrrice]

The Russian women are amazing skaters, but the subject of this thread is US women.

 

[skylark]

But, I hope people realize she's probably going to take a journey similar to Alysa Liu, meaning the natural transition that all women experience is going to happen, and her skating is probably going to get worse before it gets better.

I hope she can manage that transition as well as Alysa has apparently done.

In his TSL interview, Frank Carroll referred to that transition as "all hell breaks loose in girls' bodies around 15."

To which I laughed heartily and shouted back at the computer screen ...

'Oh yes, you mean that transformation in girls that means that the human race still exists.'

If you want to call it 'all hell breaking loose,' that seems a bit short-sighted to me.


p.s. Great post, friend TontoK.

 

[TontoK]

In his TSL interview, Frank Carroll referred to that transition as "all hell breaks loose in girls' bodies around 15."

To which I laughed heartily and shouted back at the computer screen ...

'Oh yes, you mean that transformation in girls that means that the human race still exists.'

If you want to call it 'all hell breaking loose,' that seems a bit short-sighted to me.


p.s. Great post, friend TontoK.

Thank you, my friend.

I remember when Alysa was having her struggles, and folks were writing her off.

I hope people are a little more kind to Isabeau when "all hell breaks loose."

We men go through a similar transition, but I don't think it's anything like what a woman must experience. We get taller, get hairy, voices deepen... but I think it's more gradual than for girls, who can experience dramatic changes in a couple of months.

 

[ptvvibezz]

Way to go Karen! Was nervous after ACI but I'm glad to see she has improved

 

[katymay]

Amber didn't make herself any favour at Finnlandia. As of now, Lindsey is still clearly having an Olympic spot, fair and square

No she didn't. And it wasn't the 3A, it was her other jumps that seemed wonky today, as if she is missing her toe pick, and even very dependable jumps were not getting any air. I know she has been injured, but she lost alot of ground today. Karen, on the other hand, delivered to the best of her abilities, and certainly didn't lose a potential slot. We have yet to see Mariah or Bradie this year, but certainly Lindsay has a chance-over Karen? I don't think so, 'q' jumps or not. Does she have a chance for that 3d slot? Yes. Right now I would say Alysa and Karen are looking good for the Olympic team

 

[mrrice]

You know, last year I was in Amber's corner when she was passed over after winning the silver medal at Nationals. This outing was not the way for her to make her debut. If she is still injured I think it would have best for her to skip this event. Wishing her the best as the season progresses.