Alysa Liu competes at her second Olympic Games with joy

/
Alysa Liu competes at her second Olympic Games with joy

Just before starting her short program in the 2026 Olympic figure skating team event, the new Alysa Liu cruised along the rink boards, smiling broadly, slapping hands with her coaches, Massimo Scali and Phillip DiGuglielmo, as she rocketed past them. 

In the midst of her program, she responded to a front-leaning landing on her double Axel jump with a bemusedly funky facial expression, a reaction Liu could cheerily describe as “like, oopsie” since the imbalance didn’t result in a faceplant.

As she skated off the ice toward the Team USA Box at the Milano Ice Skating Arena after a performance that was fallible but never fragile, Liu pumped both fists in unison, yelled, “Yeah!,” then turned around to tumble into a group hug when her scores were announced.

“I want people to see everything about me,” Liu said, then added an hour later, “I love, I guess, being noticed.”

How different that is than four years ago, when the old Alysa Liu might have preferred to skate with the lights off at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, when the sport brought darkness rather than joy to her life, gave her pain rather than pleasure.

Read More

Figure skating officials weigh major changes in rules, schedule

/
Figure skating officials weigh major changes in rules, schedule

nternational figure skating federation officials are weighing changes in competition rules that would alter the sport radically, including a potentially dramatic reduction in jumps in singles events.

And the federation’s governing board, the International Skating Union (ISU) council, has already supported significant changes to the figure skating season schedule and Grand Prix format to take effect in the 2027-28 season.

All this is still in discussion stages but moving forward. Under the new ISU Constitution, the 14-member council (rather than the biennial ISU Congress) has the “ultimate authority to adopt, amend or repeal” competition and event regulations and sports rules.

Read More

Amber Glenn wins third straight U.S. title in "thrilling and terrifying" free skate

/
Amber Glenn wins third straight U.S. title in "thrilling and terrifying" free skate

ST. LOUIS, Missouri — There could have been no better test of Amber Glenn’s growing mental strength than what she went though as the final skater in the free skate at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

One after the other, the four women who preceded Glenn each put out an excellent and compelling performance, leaving the Enterprise Center rocking with standing ovations. First came Bradie Tennell, then Sarah Everhardt, Isabeau Levito and Alysa Liu.

And then it was Glenn’s turn.

“My God, to have to skate after that,” Glenn said. “It was thrilling and terrifying.”

Glenn would add to the thrills because she had learned through years of effort and psychological support how to fight the terrors.

The 26-year-old woman, who frankly admits having long been her own worst enemy, became a three-time national champion on what will be remembered as one of the most exciting nights of women’s skating in the 112-year history of the event.

Read More

Amber Glenn aims to defend Grand Prix Final title, free of fear

/
Amber Glenn aims to defend Grand Prix Final title, free of fear

The old Amber Glenn might have come undone by what happened during the six-minute warmup for the short program at the Finlandia Trophy Grand Prix event.

Glenn competed in Finland just eight days after undergoing a root canal procedure. And she still was getting antibiotics for a sinus infection that had lingered since summer, with the medicine making her feel tired.

And then she popped her two attempts at her most difficult jump, the triple Axel, in the warmup. Popping – doing a single rotation rather than three - can shake any figure skater’s confidence.

About 45 minutes later, Glenn took the ice for her short program, opened by nailing the triple Axel and went on to win that phase of the competition with her season-best score.

“That was 100% the new Amber,” said Damon Allen, her coach, via telephone.

Read More

Jason Brown finds pursuit of perfection a frustrating need

/
Jason Brown finds pursuit of perfection a frustrating need

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – There are some who would presume that Jason Brown’s universal acclaim as a performer would be enough accolades for him.

That could not be further from the truth.

“I’m competitive, and I really want people to take me seriously,” Brown said.

That means getting good results as well as the loud applause he heard throughout his 2-minute, 45-second short program at Saatva Skate America, the U.S. stop on the sport’s Grand Prix Series.

To do that, Brown cannot have mistakes like those on two flawed triple jumps. They left him in a distant 5th place in a field of 12 heading into the free skate, when those ahead of him will have even more wiggle room because there are more jumping passes to use for quads.

Read More