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

[Magill]

I do not think it is justified to say that Alysa "left" the door open. While she'd surely be one of two big favourites, let's not forget she won OGM because Kaori made a very costly mistake. While Kaori did have quite a few faulty skates this season, still she did beat Alysa flat in TE both in SP and FS when they were both clean. I think losing the Olympic gold took a lot of pressure from Kaori, while who knows if skating that close to Olympics and under all the media hype would not finally get to Alysa who for once would be under more pressure than Sakamoto while enjoying the OGM bonus. Nothing would be given and who knows who would win.... I still think Kaori is the big and not unexpected or surprising favourite to win Worlds, and not just because Alysa "left the door open".

 

[rabidline]

Huh, that high fashion crossover may come earlier- Louis Vuitton is closing the F/W Paris Fashion Week tomorrow (March 10)... maybe we will see the reigning Olympic and World champion in figure skating on their front row.

I am kinda hoping for Miu Miu or Thom Browne for Alysa though..... please please please don't be a brand ambassador so early (friend of the house would be nice though!).

 

[Arigato]

I am kinda hoping for Miu Miu or Thom Browne for Alysa though..... please please please don't be a brand ambassador so early (friend of the house would be nice though!).

I call these Browne fashion looks: Enforced boarding school with no smiling allowed until 2028. So Alysa!

Women's New Arrivals

Official site of Thom Browne... redefining tailoring through uniformity, proportion, and precise construction. Discover men's and women's ready to wear, accessories, and footwear with complimentary worldwide shipping.

www.thombrowne.com

 

[rabidline]

I call these Browne fashion looks: Enforced boarding school with no smiling allowed until 2028. So Alysa!

Women's New Arrivals

Official site of Thom Browne... redefining tailoring through uniformity, proportion, and precise construction. Discover men's and women's ready to wear, accessories, and footwear with complimentary worldwide shipping.

www.thombrowne.com

It's really the contrast with her sunny personality that will make it, and after the reception to her very cute EX dress I can see her bringing a fresh flair to the schoolgirl aesthetic. You gotta have attitude and sparkle to pull it off and she has it in spades!

 

[Diana Delafield]

I call these Browne fashion looks: Enforced boarding school with no smiling allowed until 2028. So Alysa!

Women's New Arrivals

Official site of Thom Browne... redefining tailoring through uniformity, proportion, and precise construction. Discover men's and women's ready to wear, accessories, and footwear with complimentary worldwide shipping.

www.thombrowne.com

I doubt if these will show up in the Value Village thrift shop I favour. The Salvation Army used to have a thrift shop in Vancouver for donated high-end clothing but even *their* prices were out of reach for me!

Love that "complementary shipping". What, by private jet with a limo bringing your order from the airport to your door?

 

[yfan1]

Huh, that high fashion crossover may come earlier- Louis Vuitton is closing the F/W Paris Fashion Week tomorrow (March 10)... maybe we will see the reigning Olympic and World champion in figure skating on their front row.

What will remain after LV for figure skaters? Prada, Calvin Klein, Hermes?

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

So if they watch Worlds they will see Amber, Isabeau and Sarah

Sarah Everhardt was assigned as the second alternate for 2026 Worlds behind first alternate, Bradie Tennell. So, unless Bradie has declined to go to Worlds, Sarah will not be seen in Prague by viewers.

 

[rabidline]

What will remain after LV for figure skaters? Prada, Calvin Klein, Hermes?

I mean, we had Intimissimi on Ice so...

 

[TallyT]

Sarah Everhardt was assigned as the second alternate for 2026 Worlds behind first alternate, Bradie Tennell. So, unless Bradie has declined to go to Worlds, Sarah will not be seen in Prague by viewers.

I saw a message from Bradie put up elsewhere, she confirmed that she will not be at Worlds. It is in the news too...

Figure Skater Bradie Tennell Addresses Retirement Rumors After Backing Out of World Championship

United States figure skater Bradie Tennell has addressed rumors that she’s hanging up her blades after backing out of the 2026 World Championships. “I just wanted to jump on here to address a couple things I see circulating since the Worlds announcement,” Tennell, 28, wrote via her Instagram...

sports.yahoo.com

 

[iluvtodd]

I was hoping Bradie would go to Worlds if one of our USA women withdrew, but she is retiring on her own terms. What an opportunity for Sarah!

I look forward to post Olympic Worlds, even though there have been some withdrawals. It's an opportunity for those who didn't have a stellar Olympics to shine, and for up & coming skaters to make their mark. Bring it on!

 

[ladyjane]

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.

But Urmanov was there also! He was 4th I think (but don't pin me down on that). And what about Kaori this year? She is coming. Sorry. Continuing OT.

 

[Anna K.]

I was hoping Bradie would go to Worlds if one of our USA women, withdrew, but she is retiring on her own terms.

What, did you just say the "r" word? Bradie?! Noooooo

(and I don't care if this is off topic)

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

That let Yuka, Surya Bonaly and Tonia S. (can't spell her last name) medal at Worlds.

Actually, Surya Bonaly had already won the silver medal at 1993 Worlds, which arguably should have been gold. Surya was gracious about coming in second that year. Not so in 1994, when she was extremely disappointed in placing second again, albeit that it was likely her adoptive mother who convinced her to make a show of protest during the 1994 medal ceremony. Surya's tears of disappointment were genuine and I felt sad for her (at the same time Yuka Sato's skating was sublime, despite that being the first time she'd ever placed ahead of Surya, or had a major win). Surya came in second a third time at Worlds in 1995. In at least one of those years, Surya should have won gold, but that's the breaks. It is what it is.

Of course, Yuka Sato won gold in 1994 (the competition was held in Chiba-Makuhari, Japan). It was Germany's Tanja Szewczenko who won bronze (a difficult mouthful of a last name, for sure). Tanja was a lovely skater to watch. I still remember her free skate and how excited she was to be on the Worlds podium.

Rather than the skaters who didn't show up 'letting' the others win medals, those who showed up to compete, skated their best, and were awarded medals. While those who decided not to compete may have been favored had they competed, Surya was also considered one of the top ladies capable of winning medals, as she had done so the year before. In any case, those who aren't part of the competition should not be mentioned as having had any impact on the outcome.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I was hoping Bradie would go to Worlds if one of our USA women, withdrew, but she is retiring on her own terms. What an opportunity for Sarah!

I look forward to post Olympic Worlds, even though there have been some withdrawals. It's an opportunity for those who didn't have a stellar Olympics to shine, and for up & coming skaters to make their mark. Bring it on!

@iluvtodd, I too, was hoping Bradie would be at Worlds, once Alysa pulled out. But, this does not signal retirement, per Bradie herself. Thus, don't cry @Anna K. In the article linked above by @TallyT, Bradie indicates that pulling out of Worlds does not mean she is retiring. "The decision to give up my spot was my own. It wasn't one I made lightly... Please don't mistake this for a retirement announcement because that's not what this means... I'm doing well and very excited to cheer on the team from afar."

Hmm, still, we likely must wait a while for the dust to settle in more ways than one, as it is not yet clear whether Bradie has made a definitive decision to continue either. She did not exactly say, "I'm planning to continue. See you next season." Everyone should read Bradie's heartfelt IG post after U.S. Nationals. I admire Bradie and her journey so much.

On the other hand, maybe Bradie had put this season behind her and she did not focus on preparing for the first alternate opportunity at Worlds. Maybe she is thinking about plans for next season. Or, perhaps she is dealing with other personal logistics that thankfully do not involve injury.

 

[rabidline]

And here she is a bit generic but I'll take it over the nonsense LV can be at times

 

[icetug]

When I'm checking what are my favorite actors doing and find Alysa

https://x.com/AboutMusicYT/status/2031342916333891876

https://x.com/PopCrave/status/2031356062620684503

"The LV show seating chart was actually insane—Zendaya, Lisa, Alysa Liu, Felix, J-Hope, Saoirse Ronan, Naomi Watts all in one room..."

 

[Mathman]

And here she is a bit generic but I'll take it over the nonsense LV can be at times

Is the guy with the red badge her bodyguard?

 

[Arigato]

And what about Kaori this year? She is coming. Sorry. Continuing OT.

I hope she lights up the place. Were it not for her, I wouldn't have started watching women's singles years ago and just watched the men.

 

[RobinA]

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.

This is always my first argument when people start whining about World's in an Olympic year, why bother. Because without it we would not remember Yuka Sato and her Pocket Full of Stars.

 

[RobinA]

Actually, Surya Bonaly had already won the silver medal at 1993 Worlds, which arguably should have been gold. Surya was gracious about coming in second that year. Not so in 1994, when she was extremely disappointed in placing second again, albeit that it was likely her adoptive mother who convinced her to make a show of protest during the 1994 medal ceremony. Surya's tears of disappointment were genuine and I felt sad for her (at the same time Yuka Sato's skating was sublime, despite that being the first time she'd ever placed ahead of Surya, or had a major win). Surya came in second a third time at Worlds in 1995. In at least one of those years, Surya should have won gold, but that's the breaks. It is what it is.

Of course, Yuka Sato won gold in 1994 (the competition was held in Chiba-Makuhari, Japan). It was Germany's Tanja Szewczenko who won bronze (a difficult mouthful of a last name, for sure). Tanja was a lovely skater to watch. I still remember her free skate and how excited she was to be on the Worlds podium.

Rather than the skaters who didn't show up 'letting' the others win medals, those who showed up to compete, skated their best, and were awarded medals. While those who decided not to compete may have been favored had they competed, Surya was also considered one of the top ladies capable of winning medals, as she had done so the year before. In any case, those who aren't part of the competition should not be mentioned as having had any impact on the outcome.

Yes, showing up is 99% of success. There is no "letting." You have to be there to win.