U.S. Ladies [#26]: Bell, Boots, and Camel

[Willin]

Well, she's certainly taking a risk...

I think there's a place for pop music and maybe even a little Britney Spears in figure skating, but I don't think this song has any place near a competitive rink except maybe a joke program.

 

[Japanfan]

I am suggesting that there is such thing as cultural context. Another example that I can give is ADHD. You can say it is part of universal classification of deceases, but if you check statistics, it's much more often diagnosed in the US comparing to Russia. Cause it's considered a version of normalcy here, not a decease that needs medical treatment. There are plenty of other things like that, but it's easier to stay in denial and refer to 'objective science'.

I don't think ADHD is a good analogy for hydration.

You recognize that it exists in both Russia and the US - and SFAIK the prevalence of mental handicapps (or 'neurodiversity', the PC term today) is fairly consistent across cultures - but responses to it are different.

Needs for hydration are also fairly consistent. If denying those needs is acceptable in one culture, it doesn't make the practice healthy. There are plenty of harmful cultural practices.

Also, referring to objective science and being guided by it is the opposite of denial.

And then again, if you are concerned about ED that much, why don't you discuss recent interview of Gracie Gold? It's been posted a couple of days ago.

Not sure if I've seen the recent interview, but Gold and her struggles have discussed at length on the forum.

Why no discussion about another picture of Daleman, in which she looks like an alien rather than a human being because it's photoshopped to the extent that can signify the decease she acknowledge she's got?

That picture was posted and talked about a while back. And Daleman, like Gold, has been honest about her ED.

 

[_Lola_]

That picture was posted and talked about a while back. And Daleman, like Gold, has been honest about her ED.

Could you then maybe please kindly let me know where are the discussions that Ravi Walia and Lee Barkell trained their athletes to bad eating habits in case of Osmond and to serious illness in case of Daleman? Where is panic that Daleman is not leaving her coach, under whose tutelage she's got seriously ill? Where are such references regarding suspicious coaching practices made casually across this board in different topics? What I was trying to say is that there is an obvious bias.

As for 'being honest'... Unfortunately, neither Gracie Gold, nor Gabby Daleman, nor Rachel Parsons had been honest until their deceases went out of control. All of them only started telling about their eating habits after they have collapsed. I would be very curious to listen to Osmond talking about changes in her diet and how healthy she thinks her Olympic year diet was. You can also say that it's the other around: Alina was honest about how she eats and how she keeps her shape before competitions and got severely criticised for that.

Ting Cui looks extremely thin, but so does Anna Shcherbakova. Yet, the poster was assured that Ting eats healthy, whereas Eteri's girls do not. Isn't it a bias here as well?

 

[barbarafan]

Could you then maybe please kindly let me know where are the discussions that Ravi Walia and Lee Barkell trained their athletes to bad eating habits in case of Osmond and to serious illness in case of Daleman? Where is panic that Daleman is not leaving her coach, under whose tutelage she's got seriously ill? Where are such references regarding suspicious coaching practices made casually across this board in different topics? What I was trying to say is that there is an obvious bias.

As for 'being honest'... Unfortunately, neither Gracie Gold, nor Gabby Daleman, nor Rachel Parsons had been honest until their deceases went out of control. All of them only started telling about their eating habits after they have collapsed. I would be very curious to listen to Osmond talking about changes in her diet and how healthy she thinks her Olympic year diet was. You can also say that it's the other around: Alina was honest about how she eats and how she keeps her shape before competitions and got severely criticised for that.

Ting Cui looks extremely thin, but so does Anna Shcherbakova. Yet, the poster was assured that Ting eats healthy, whereas Eteri's girls do not. Isn't it a bias here as well?

Sorry...but where did you get the idea that Osmond has or had an ED. I am lost here. She is a bit heavier this year but she is no longer in elite training. With the number of hrs skating, off-ice training and exercising especially in a yr leading up to Olympics she would have had no extra fat anywhere on her.

 

[Sylvia]

Cross-posting from the Russian news thread:

I feel like this debate belongs in a separate thread, not just pertaining to Russia.

Or the U.S. ladies.

I suggest this GSD thread from earlier this year be revived for people interested in continuing to discuss the topic: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/the-problem-with-body-image-in-figure-skating.105042/

(CC: @_Lola_, @Japanfan, @Willin, etc.)

Whatever Mariah skates to for the long, I hope Shae-Lynn choreographs again. Last year's free was exquisite.

On Ice Perspectives' Jordan Cowan filmed Mariah Bell recently in Lakewood, CA, and here is the end of her FS to Ludovico Einaudi's "Experience": https://www.instagram.com/p/BxSFCP3lZ8B/ (Mariah's IG post: “To one of my most favorite long programs ever… thanks for all the great memories”)

 

[Coco]

Would love to see Bradie do a program to Dreams by the Cranberries.

 

[alchemy void]

I fully endorse unorthodox music choices, but I predict Mariah will go back to her iconic Celine SP by Nationals at the latest.

And "Work Bitch" ranks quite low on my list of best Britney singles.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I fully endorse unorthodox music choices, but I predict Mariah will go back to her iconic Celine SP by Nationals at the latest.

And "Work Bitch" ranks quite low on my list of best Britney singles.

Totally agree.

 

[Sylvia]

Might as well post this link here, too... Alysa Liu Q&A from 2019 Governing Council (15 mins., filmed on May 3, uploaded by USFS on May 17): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2GfizGmhVM

Questions were asked via video by Kristi Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan and Tara Lipinski (the last video question was from a 9-year-old skater from the Broadmoor SC).

 

[Japanfan]

Could you then maybe please kindly let me know where are the discussions that Ravi Walia and Lee Barkell trained their athletes to bad eating habits in case of Osmond and to serious illness in case of Daleman?

There haven't been such discussions. Perhaps you'd like to start one, in which case please back up your claim with sources.

Where is panic that Daleman is not leaving her coach, under whose tutelage she's got seriously ill? Where are such references regarding suspicious coaching practices made casually across this board in different topics? What I was trying to say is that there is an obvious bias.

Again - sources, please.

I would be very curious to listen to Osmond talking about changes in her diet and how healthy she thinks her Olympic year diet was.

Once again, sources?

Alina was honest about how she eats and how she keeps her shape before competitions and got severely criticised for that.

She herself was not criticized. Rather, certain dietary practices were criticized.

Ting Cui looks extremely thin, but so does Anna Shcherbakova. Yet, the poster was assured that Ting eats healthy, whereas Eteri's girls do not. Isn't it a bias here as well?

Ting hasn't talked about skating 'dry' SFAIK.

 

[VGThuy]

Might as well post this link here, too... Alysa Liu Q&A from 2019 Governing Council (15 mins., filmed on May 3, uploaded by USFS on May 17): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2GfizGmhVM

Questions were asked via video by Kristi Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan and Tara Lipinski (the last video question was from a 9-year-old skater from the Broadmoor SC).

That was a great Q&A session and really showcased her personality well. She seems like any other teenager out there except she's super dedicated to figure skating.

 

[Frau Muller]

I fully endorse unorthodox music choices, but I predict Mariah will go back to her iconic Celine SP by Nationals at the latest...

Whatever Mariah skates to, I hope that it’s A HIT....get it? A HIT!

 

[VGThuy]

Whatever Mariah skates to, I hope that it’s A HIT....get it? A HIT!

Are you hoping she "grazes" past the competition?

 

[melanieg]

Just came across the new SP for one of the Juniors for this year, Mia Kalin (she is 11). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpfIyclLs3E&t=18s. Clean 3Lz-3T along with 2A and 3Lo.

 

[vesperholly]

Just came across the new SP for one of the Juniors for this year, Mia Kalin (she is 11). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpfIyclLs3E&t=18s. Clean 3Lz-3T along with 2A and 3Lo.

Fabulous 2axel! 3z technique a little dicey.

 

[Tinami Amori]

"Work Bitch" ranks quite low on my list of best Britney singles.

I wonder if Mariah have seen the video, what it suggests, and read the lyrics... Because an "image of a prostitute on the prowl" to get a luxury life with "a lamborghini" and "a mansion" and "living it up in France"... with elements of S&M and an electric shocker mouth gag that sends pain signals through the scull, using whips and submission gestures, and a women surrounding a man pimp... is not American PC or a good message..
There is not double meaning in this ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt8VYOfr8To

In my days, and still is... "work hard and fight for your rights" was this....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbxUSsFXYo4

 

[natsulian]

Mia is a budding talent, and I’m sure they will improve her technique, spins, and speed with time. I mean, she’s only 11 but already has a solid 3Lz-3Lo and they’re probably going to work on a 3A and quad to prepare her for the international scene. Of course, she still has two more years, but they’ll fly by quickly. It’s no surprise that her coach is Russian and that her favorite skaters are all Russian because you can really see the influence.

Found a video of Lindsay Thorngren, the 2019 Intermediate Ladies Champion, doing her Free. Looks like she’ll be competing as a Junior and skipping Novice. She’s 13 years old. What do you guys think?

https://youtu.be/NsV1AFVOK-4

 

[Willin]

Mia trains with Alysa Liu, so they'll certainly be pushing each other.

 

[melanieg]

Mia is a budding talent, and I’m sure they will improve her technique, spins, and speed with time. I mean, she’s only 11 but already has a solid 3Lz-3Lo and they’re probably going to work on a 3A and quad to prepare her for the international scene. Of course, she still has two more years, but they’ll fly by quickly. It’s no surprise that her coach is Russian and that her favorite skaters are all Russian because you can really see the influence.

Found a video of Lindsay Thorngren, the 2019 Intermediate Ladies Champion, doing her Free. Looks like she’ll be competing as a Junior and skipping Novice. She’s 13 years old. What do you guys think?

https://youtu.be/NsV1AFVOK-4

I think that through last year, even the top juniors (and novice) could get away with not having triple-triples. I don’t think that’s the case anymore. I have always felt that USFS should make 3-3 a requirement for the juniors if they want to push the technical level up (only a few juniors were doing them). Now these new juniors are taking it upon themselves to advance the level.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Lindsay certainly has the jumps down.

 

[gkelly]

I think that through last year, even the top juniors (and novice) could get away with not having triple-triples. I don’t think that’s the case anymore. I have always felt that USFS should make 3-3 a requirement for the juniors if they want to push the technical level up (only a few juniors were doing them).

A requirement how?

There are many reasons why 3-3 will not be officially required in the junior short program (for men or ladies) throughout the US or internationally. It won't be required just to enter junior-level competitions on a domestic level.

It would be possible to set minimum scores for advancing from sectionals to Nationals at junior level and also to require a ratified 3-3 combination either at sectionals or on JGP or at summer competitions. It's debatable whether that would be valuable, either for encouraging development of junior-level elite skaters or for managing the size and strength of the junior field at Nationals.

What might make most sense would be to make 3-3 a requirement to be considered for international assignments representing the US at the junior level.

And if so, should they also be required to represent the US internationally at senior level?

 

[Jayar]

Lindsay certainly has the jumps down.

Huh? Her combo was completely <<. I appreciate the effort, but she's not even close.

 

[natsulian]

Despite Lindsay’s 3Lz-3Lo effort, the combo was under-rotated, both on the lutz and loop. I feel like they should have just worked on the 3Lz-3T. She was actually getting to not under-rotating that combo. Her single triples and other combos are decent, it’s just the 3Lz-3Lo that gives her trouble.

Also, I would not make a 3-3 mandatory at either the domestic Junior or Senior levels because with the current system, certain 3-2 combos that are executed well are just as rewarding as a 3-3. I would, however, give bonuses at the Junior level and below to 3-3 combos, level 4 spins, and level 4 step sequences. However, internationally speaking, a 3-3 should be a prerequisite for those representing the US unless their base value with a 3-2 is just as competitive as those with a 3-3.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Huh? Her combo was completely <<. I appreciate the effort, but she's not even close.

Maybe i had the wrong name. I shall check.

 

[Sylvia]

Found a video of Lindsay Thorngren, the 2019 Intermediate Ladies Champion, doing her Free. Looks like she’ll be competing as a Junior and skipping Novice. She’s 13 years old. What do you guys think?

https://youtu.be/NsV1AFVOK-4

Very ambitious technical performance for April! Jumps: 3Lz+3Lo, 2A+3T, 3S, 3F, 3Lo+2T+2Lo, 3Lz, 2A. Music is "Lovers" sung by Kathleen Battle from the House of Flying Daggers film soundtrack (Marin Honda's FS this past season).
The club comp. season is for attempting difficult jumps and combinations to see how they are executed in competition conditions and assessed by the technical and judging panels.

ETA: I heard Lindsay Thorngren has 3Lz+3T in her Junior SP so it's good that she's practicing both 3Lz combos at this point. She included 3Lz+3T (called <<) in her Adv. Novice FS at the Bavarian Open in February (won the silver medal in her Team USA debut): http://www.deu-event.de/results/BO2019/BO2019_AdvancedNoviceGirlsI_FS_Scores.pdf
In her 1st place SP her jumps were 3Lz+2T, 3F (edge warning call) & 2A: http://www.deu-event.de/results/BO2019/BO2019_AdvancedNoviceGirlsI_SP_Scores.pdf

 

[AxelAnnie]

Huh? Her combo was completely <<. I appreciate the effort, but she's not even close.

I watched Lindsay again. I like her snap in the air. Hopefully as she becomes more confident she will learn to get things fully rotated.

 

[Marco]

I fully endorse unorthodox music choices, but I predict Mariah will go back to her iconic Celine SP by Nationals at the latest.

And "Work Bitch" ranks quite low on my list of best Britney singles.

Agreed. I actually don't think it will get past Champs Camp. The song is more Adam than Mariah and given what happened at Worlds, I don't think they should make any decisions that would make them easily vulnerable to attacks.

 

[natsulian]

I don't know if this was ever posted, but here are the viewerships for the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships:

• Women's Free Skate - 3.06 million
  • Down 32% from last year's 4.48 million (this was during the Olympics), BUT up by 9% from the last non-Olympic year in 2017 (2.81 million)
• Men's Free Skate - 1.78 million
  • Up 112% from last year. The men's skates have been consistently increasing over the years. Might go up to 2 million in 2020.

Source 1: https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2019/01/pro-bowl-ratings-warriors-celtics-pga-tour/
Source 2: https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2019/01/pbc-ratings-fox-x-games-senior-bowl/

 

[Lacey]

The song is more Adam than Mariah and given what happened at Worlds, I don't think they should make any decisions that would make them easily vulnerable to attacks.

100% agree.

 

[layman]

Figure skating music is stuck in a rut. I thought allowing music with lyrics was supposed to open up skating to more contemporary music rather than the same old boring warhorses over and over and over and over again...but every time someone thinks outside the box and picks something modern, they get shot down and told to pick something "safer."