East Bay skater Alysa Liu has big show on international stage

Richmond's Alysa Liu wins the short program at the Junior Grand Prix figure skating final in Turin, Italy, ahead of two Russians.

Alysa Liu of Richmond continued her rise on the world stage Thursday by taking the lead at the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Turin, Italy.

Competing in the biggest international competition in her budding career, Liu, 14, landed a triple axel in a combination jump to score 71.19 points in winning the short program ahead of Russia’s Daria Usachva and Kseniia Sinitsyna. Four of the six competitors are from Russia.

“My short program felt pretty good,” Liu told reporters. “I was very happy with it. I’m just trying to enjoy the moment even during the program. I don’t really get nervous and I don’t feel barely any pressure. I just tell myself it’s just another competition.”

Skating to Barbra Streisand’s “Don’t Rain on My Parade”, Liu executed the big combination jump, and a triple loop and double axel jump. Liu, the 2018 U.S. senior champion, also was credited level four spins and level three for the step sequence.

Liu is planning perhaps the most challenging program by an American woman in history for the free skate Friday night. She said she plans to attempt two quadruple lutzes and two triple axels.

“There’ll be some changes to the choreography,” added Liu, who won both of her Grand Prix competitions this year to advance to the finale.

Liu, who turned 14 in August, is trying to become the first U.S. woman to win a medal in the Junior Grand Prix final in seven years. Becky Bereswill, in 2008, is the last American winner.

Liu trains at the Oakland Ice Center where she first learned to skate nine years ago.