2020 U.S. Nationals: Ladies Free Skate Recap

gsk8 · Jan 25, 2020

Alysa Liu rose from second after the Short Program to defend her title after the Free Skate on Friday night in Greensboro, N.C. Mariah Bell captured the silver, while Bradie Tennell slipped to third for the bronze.

Liu reeled off a triple Axel-double toe, but underrotated and put a foot down on a quad Lutz attempt in her mature routine to "Illumination" by Jennifer Thomas. The defending champion also landed a second triple Axel as well as six more solid triple jumps—including two triple Lutz combinations, and showed level 4 spins and footwork throughout. The 14-year-old scored 160.12 points for the first in the free skate and overall (235.52).

"My goal this year is just to do my best," said the 2019-20 Junior Grand Prix silver medalist. "Everyone falls (earlier during practice). I fell like that before, so it was not like 'Oh my gosh, what I am going to do?' I know how to recover from that and focus on other things. I iced it and relaxed for the rest of the day and didn't let that fall get to me. I don't mind not going (to Worlds) because I am happy that I get more practice before the big competitions. I am grateful because I do need that extra practice time."

More...

What are your thoughts on the Ladies' event?

skylark · Jan 25, 2020

gsk8 said:
What are your thoughts on the Ladies' event?

Mariah Bell's performance was magical. I think she made it one of those "skate of her life" moments. People all over the auditorium were standing, at least ten seconds before she finished skating. To me, it felt quite a lot like Ashley Wagner's FS in Greensboro in 2015, when she won her 3rd national title. It was sort of a heavenly feeling, being part of this audience, like we were collectively compelled to stand.

Mariah was so inspiring, the way she skated. I noticed that a couple of her early jumps were tilted in the air, and she landed them like a champ! And Mariah's shine and personality on ice just kept on glowing.

“It’s a very special feeling,” said the 23-year-old of her standing ovation. “I hadn’t had that before in my career. The coolest thing about it was how into it the crowd was! They were so loud, and they were very cool. I am just glad I get to share what I do with an audience like that. I feel very fortunate to have that experience.”
https://www.goldenskate.com/2020/01/alysa-liu-defends-national-title-in-greensboro/

This quote from Mariah says it all ... the way she perceived the ovation, that she was just so happy to share what she does with an appreciative audience.

As for Alysa, I can only echo what Tanith Belbin said after her skate. Something along the lines of ... we saw how she could skate last year, with nothing to lose. And now we see how she can skate this year, when she had something to lose.

Or, like a gentleman in the hotel elevator said admiringly, "that little girl is a monster!"

Dr. Jenn · Jan 25, 2020

Thanks to our Russian friend, I was finally able to see the free skates.

I think that Alysa has improved a lot this year. She used to be visibly very slow, but her speed has definitely improved, as have her skating skills generally. While her hardest jumps were somewhat off, her 'regular' triples looked quite solid. While her PCS are inflated, it's nationals, and she is not exactly a slouch in those departments. She projects well, engages with the audience, and has well-constructed, suitable programs. She's also a fantastic spinner - I would argue better than Mariah or Bradie, who themselves spin quite well.

While Mariah had a beautiful program, I agree with other posters who commented on her jumps. Many of them were a little off, and she gets very little run-out. I'm glad to see her have such a nice moment in front of a supportive crowd.

I was not a fan of Bradie's FS, whereas I loved her SP. This program seemed to be a struggle for her. I hope that she is not too disappointed. Hopefully her arm will heal well.

I felt the same way about Karen's programs - I loved the SP, but wasn't a fan of the FS. It was just 'generic lovely'. She always has beautiful spins, spirals, and costumes. She has handled things quite well, considering her university studies and lack of training/regular coaching.

All in all, it was an enjoyable event. Well done to all!

P.S. Props to Gracie for doing as well as she did in the FS. She seems to be in a good place and is addressing the bumps along the road in her return in a very real, honest manner. I am looking forward to seeing her progression in the next year.

gotoschool · Jan 25, 2020

Since I haven't and don't seem to be able to see the performances, my first impression is that this year's US Nationals for women is the most difficult competition to find videos for I have ever seen. It doesn't seem to best the way to promote figure skating in the United States. I have given up on trying to find them.

Greengemmonster · Jan 25, 2020

gotoschool said:
Since I haven't and don't seem to be able to see the performances, my first impression is that this year's US Nationals for women is the most difficult competition to find videos for I have ever seen. It doesn't seem to best the way to promote figure skating in the United States. I have given up on trying to find them.

Get the official NBC videos from YouTube but pretend you're from the US West Coast via VPN.

Excellent quality!

crazydreamer · Jan 25, 2020

I understand why Alysa won, and I think it was a deserved win. But man did Mariah make it FEEL like the wrong result. There is something magical in watching someone who has consistently shown such promise for so long finally put it together when it mattered and the immense JOY on her face as she realized she may have just won something she was starting to think that after all these years of work and painstaking technical and artistic development might never happen.

It was so hard to then watch that get snatched away so quickly, by someone who hasn't had the same artistic development and whose technical mastery seems to come so easily. It felt like a victory of natural talent over hard work, and that is sometimes a very hard thing to accept in cultures that put a high value on work and the journey as opposed to just the gifts a person is born with.

(This is not to say Alysa doesn't work hard, it's just a factor of time, and I'm sure she will devote the same attention Mariah has to refining her skills in the coming years)

Greengemmonster · Jan 25, 2020

I hope Alysa enjoys her win and knows that she has huge fans out there.

She is always posting messages about how she will try to improve after every competition, it's like she knows there are people out there dissing her. I hope she knows that those of us who are fans genuinely enjoy her performances and think she is doing just fine.

Skatefan15 · Jan 25, 2020

I cried when Gracie skated, but that was the only time I cried. Her courage and bravery was inspiring and I can’t wait to see her next year. I have faith that Bradie will do better at Four Continents and Worlds. Alysa’s skating skills have improved when you look at vids from last year so that’s good that she’s improving. I love the ride out that Bradie and Alysa have on their jumps. I know it’s nationals but 75 pcs for someone who can’t even get 70 internationally is absurd...

princessalica · Jan 25, 2020

As magical as Mariah’s skate was, and it was magical, she just can’t compete with Alysa’s tech. IMO it seems almost unfair that a skater could do four lutzs in a program. I know it’s not zayaking, but it almost feels like it. There were a couple of skaters I was disappointed for, but so glad that Gracie is on her path to be where she wants. I’m ready for new programs. The long especially seemed appropriate for this year and lyrics fit, but I’m ready to hear something triumphant

skylark · Jan 25, 2020

I cried when Gracie, Amber, and Mariah skated ... and I teared up when Alysa was on the jumbotron and received her scores, when she teared up. Mariah's tears were so uncompromisingly joyful!

For Amber, it was sad, yes, but also I felt such appreciation for her SP skate the night before ... which was, for me, one of the great highlights, if not the highlight of the ladies SP. She had such freedom and passion ... everything was still present in the free skate, but sometimes with a half-transparent veil over it.

I may have teared up a few more times. The final group of six were simply amazing. I enjoyed Karen's skate and I'm so glad I'm both a passionate, dedicated fan and also what we like to call a member of the general audience, who don't see URs or look out for them. There was so much to enjoy. All six women gave us something unique and showed emotions, which is all I ask for in skating competitions. Bradie's Cinema Paradiso was so much better at GPF, I recommend a view of it. I think it was because she didn't have expectations for the GPF, and here she did.

We also have some beautiful skaters in the first two groups, who skate fluidly and with attention to expression, even though they may be first-year seniors and other aspects may not be as developed as they will be.

Mishaminion · Jan 25, 2020

I cannot find any videos that aren't deleted/blocked but from what I've read...

Proud of Gracie for just being there, no matter how she skated.

I did see the SP and Alysa was much improved in speed and flow, she deserved her victory.

What a turn around for Mariah! If not for that awful fall in the SP I would have had her over Bradie. Great to see that she had such a good FS.
Bradie...love her SP but not so much her FS, shame it wasn't her best performance of it either.

lariko · Jan 25, 2020

Omg, Mariah in the K&C... so so much joy! Also, Alysa’s Free was brilliant. I keep searching for it to send my mom, but so far coming with nothing.

Step Sequence4 · Jan 25, 2020

For those of you looking for vids of the FS:

https://ok.ru/video/c2921908
Can't find any of the mens sp though

chuckm · Jan 25, 2020

Could be a good thing that Bradie messed up in the FS. When she messes up (and falls are very rare for her) she gets mad and skates better the next time and the next. Bodes well for 4CC and Worlds!

KatGrace1925 · Jan 25, 2020

chuckm said:
Could be a good thing that Bradie messed up in the FS. When she messes up (and falls are very rare for her) she gets mad and skates better the next time and the next. Bodes well for 4CC and Worlds!

I think the US ladies have a good chance of getting 3 spots back for worlds. A mad Bradie and a confident Mariah could really kill it at worlds.

Fluture · Jan 25, 2020

With Europeans and all I forget to comment but: Watched videos of the frees and surprised myself by tearing up for both Mariah‘s and especially Gracie‘s performance. Pure emotions. I‘m so proud of Gracie. What a role model. It‘s been a while since I‘ve had these kind of goosebumps during a skate and such a deep admiration for someone. Technically not yet where she wants to be but.. compare it to GP Russia, then Regionals and Sectionals. Visible improvements every time. Step by step. She, my friends, is a real fighter. :bow:

Mishaminion · Jan 25, 2020

Step Sequence4 said:
For those of you looking for vids of the FS:

https://ok.ru/video/c2921908
Can't find any of the mens sp though

Ooh thankyou!! I could kiss you for that!

I mean...not really... not actually kiss...lol ummmmmm

:slink:

I'll see myself out :scard8:

natsulian · Jan 26, 2020

NBC Sports always posts videos a few hours after the event.

- Alysa’s Free
- Mariah’s Free
- Gracie’s Free
- Bradie’s Short
- Karen’s Short
- Gracie’s Short

I wish they had Amber’s Short and Bradie’s Free up as well.

Skater Boy · Feb 2, 2020

skylark said:
I cried when Gracie, Amber, and Mariah skated ... and I teared up when Alysa was on the jumbotron and received her scores, when she teared up. Mariah's tears were so uncompromisingly joyful!

For Amber, it was sad, yes, but also I felt such appreciation for her SP skate the night before ... which was, for me, one of the great highlights, if not the highlight of the ladies SP. She had such freedom and passion ... everything was still present in the free skate, but sometimes with a half-transparent veil over it.

I may have teared up a few more times. The final group of six were simply amazing. I enjoyed Karen's skate and I'm so glad I'm both a passionate, dedicated fan and also what we like to call a member of the general audience, who don't see URs or look out for them. There was so much to enjoy. All six women gave us something unique and showed emotions, which is all I ask for in skating competitions. Bradie's Cinema Paradiso was so much better at GPF, I recommend a view of it. I think it was because she didn't have expectations for the GPF, and here she did.

We also have some beautiful skaters in the first two groups, who skate fluidly and with attention to expression, even though they may be first-year seniors and other aspects may not be as developed as they will be.

Maybe we will have to consider your comments with a grain of salt LOL since it seems you cry a lot or quite easily

I think we have to remember all these skaters are giving it their all. All the criticisms/advice is great but they are real people with real feelings, doubts, confidence, issues. No one wants to do badly or make errors. I didn't cry and I know I should be happy for Gracie but I was kind of sad too.. I know people get older and things happen including tragic accidents and icnidents but seeing the vivacious and great Gracie Gold skate now - a shell of herself kind of made me sad - and the fs music didn't help.

skylark · Feb 2, 2020

Skater Boy said:
Maybe we will have to consider your comments with a grain of salt LOL since it seems you cry a lot or quite easily I think we have to remember all these skaters are giving it their all. All the criticisms/advice is great but they are real people with real feelings, doubts, confidence, issues. No one wants to do badly or make errors. I didn't cry and I know I should be happy for Gracie but I was kind of sad too.. I know people get older and things happen including tragic accidents and icnidents but seeing the vivacious and great Gracie Gold skate now - a shell of herself kind of made me sad - and the fs music didn't help.

LOL. I don't actually cry a lot, or that easily. People were talking about crying when Gracie skated, and I wanted to make the point that while I did tear up for Gracie, it wasn't just for Gracie. Amber's and Mariah's skates were just as moving and inspiring to me. Alysa's was emotional in a different way. I'm a little leery of so much attention being given to Gracie on account of her present situation. I think her journey is brave ... but on the other hand, I think other skaters have made journeys that are equally brave and moving; they just haven't made as much hay of it, and their fans haven't made such a Journey of it with a capital J. The one thing I can say that I admire about Gracie's skating now, as opposed to the pre-2017 Gracie, is that she's really making an effort to develop her expression and artistry in a new direction, one that has much to do with the music. In the old days, I felt Gracie had only two expressions: 1) exuberance and elation when she was landing her jumps, and 2) total "oh c--p" I didn't land my jumps.

When I saw Gracie's FS to "She Used to Be Mine" on stream/video, I wasn't that fond of it, although I liked that she chose it because of a couple of specific lines in the lyrics; they spoke to her. When I saw it at Nationals, I thought it was better, and I'm open to the possibility that it was me -- that I was more open or receptive to her interpretation. Or, she might have developed it and really performed it the best at Nationals, which is what I really think, partly because, as she said, she's positively affected by what the audience gives her. Still, I prefer Mariah's angle, that she was equally as moved by being able to give the audience something special as she was by what the audience gave her.

2020 U.S. Nationals: Ladies Free Skate Recap

gsk8

skylark

Gazing at a Glorious Great Lakes sunset

Dr. Jenn

gotoschool

Greengemmonster

crazydreamer

Greengemmonster

Skatefan15

princessalica

skylark

Gazing at a Glorious Great Lakes sunset

Mishaminion

lariko

Step Sequence4

JULLLIEEEEETTTT!

chuckm

KatGrace1925

Fluture

Mishaminion

natsulian

Skater Boy

skylark

Gazing at a Glorious Great Lakes sunset

Similar threads

Connect with us