U.S. Skating Champ Alysa Liu Gets Star Treatment At Oakland Ice Center
OAKLAND (KPIX 5) -- Last week, Bay Area native Alysa Liu became the youngest U.S. ladies skating champion in history and only the second person in the world to land three triple axels.
It all started right at the downtown Oakland Ice Center when a five-year-old girl and her father came in for one of the public rec sessions. Neither one had ever skated before.
Eight years later at age 13, she is the United States Ladies Figure Skating Champion.
Alysa Liu is the youngest skater in history to win the national title. On her home ice on Thursday she skated a light workout, just keeping the energy up, enjoying being back with her young friends.
She is poised, modest, and polite. With her season over, she says, "I'm going to practice everything, improve my jump spins technique and improve everything."
[Has Nike called you yet?] "Uh, YEAH! They asked if they could sponsor me, um, spoke to my dad," she said. "I don't know what he said but, I HOPE he said yes!"
Laura Lipetsky, Alysa's private coach, was the skating teacher at that first public session years ago. The two have a tight bond.
"It's a strong connection," said Lipetsky. "In a way, it's kind of like I'm a mother to her."
Alysa's father said competing in the national championship in Detroit was a bit of a challenge, mostly because of the time change.
"Eight o'clock in the evening until 11, I was thinking, 'Wow, that's her bedtime, you know!' he laughed. "Normally she would be."
For now, her coach says they are studying video of her future competitors, the Russians and the Japanese. They are looking forward to the next years Worlds and hopefully, the Olympics.
