I think Agnes will surprise them all. She's under the radar now, but I think she will make a statement at Skate Canada.
U.S. Ladies Prediction & Speculation Thread
- Thread starter R.D.
- Start date
I think Agnes will surprise them all. She's under the radar now, but I think she will make a statement at Skate Canada.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
For some reason I think Ashley will be the one with forward momentum on her side. I agree with ImaginaryPogue that Rachael will have to work hard to find moitivation. She already won the U.S. championship and a trip to the Olympics. I'm pretty sure that Sochi is not in her long-term plans. So she will will be competing mainly for the personal satisfaction of developing her talent to its fullest before moving on.
Mirai hit the top last year with a big show at the Olympics. I could forgive her if she had a "plateau" season this time around. Caroline Zhang? -- too many demons to fight off.
Mirai hit the top last year with a big show at the Olympics. I could forgive her if she had a "plateau" season this time around. Caroline Zhang? -- too many demons to fight off.
- Joined
- May 15, 2009
Maybe coaches don't matter as much as we think at times - but I like Frank and Priscilla.
Tom Z - I dunno, aside from Jeremy his skaters leave me cold as they seem to have problems with speed and posture.
And let's face it - posture and speed are not Jeremy's strengths either.
Maybe I am stuck in a 6.0 mindset - but I don't care so much about hitting levels if they are unattractive.
Agnes has potential - but she might be as slow as Flatt. Just hitting 6- 7 triples is not enough to ever bring back skating in the USA as we are used to seeing much more from our Lady skaters.
We'll see who has the last laugh.Who is going to beat the lovely and talented Alissa from this list (Skate Canada)?
LaCoste
Phaneuf
Samson
Marchei
Imai
Suguri
Makarova
Lafluente
Meier
Gilles
Zawasski
(Don't get me wrong, they're all lovely and talented... :yes: )
Hmmm. I dunno, as much as I love Alissa I can see the other two Americans beating her. If Alissa crumbles. But if she doesn't, she wins.
- Joined
- May 15, 2009
The pressure of making the Olympic team is over. Alissa also doesn't have to worry about defending her Natl title. She has a new coach and maybe we will see a new, refreshed and more energized Alissa. I think Yuka will get Alissa skating faster this season too.
She is one of my favorites and I don't care if she wins or not because she is such a beautiful skater. Even making mistakes I much prefer Alissa to most of the other USA Ladies.
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Yes, that is how I feel too and I'm glad she is still around this season no matter how she does. But I'm sure Alissa wants to win as much as everyone else. I'm sure she wants to at least skate her best so I wish her well this season and that she does more than just please her fans by being around. I also believe she has it in her to have a good season, whether that means gold medals or not. And hopefully all of those factors you mentioned - no Olympic pressure, new coach - will help.
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I happily (and hopefully) agree, of course! When Alissa doesn't fall, even with her less-than-stellar jumps, she's splendid. She has the most gorgeous positions, the best spins in the hemisphere, wonderful flow, and a connection both to the music and to the audience. All these qualities make her rewarding to watch. Many other people are merely interesting, and then you wait for their scores. Skating should be more than numbers, and with Alissa it is.
- Joined
- May 15, 2009
Her is Alissa's LP from '09 Worlds. Still not her best - but as good or better than the LP we saw skated by our 2010 champion at Worlds last season.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIqNbpteais
Something about Alissa's skating has always connected with me in ways I find missing from most of our current skaters.
Of course it is a matter of taste and what we enjoy and for me Alissa has a very distinct and beautiful quality to her skating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIqNbpteais
Something about Alissa's skating has always connected with me in ways I find missing from most of our current skaters.
Of course it is a matter of taste and what we enjoy and for me Alissa has a very distinct and beautiful quality to her skating.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2009
Only 3 ratified triples in that skate. IIRC, Rachael had 5 in her LP from 10 Worlds.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2009
I expect Zawadzki and Makarova definitely, and possibly Phanuef and Imai, will all beat Alissa here. I fear Alissa may have trouble making the podium at this event, although she has a good shot at bronze if she can keep her jumps together.
- Joined
- May 15, 2009
And who place higher in the LP ?
Who scored better on spins and spirals?
SilverLake - you act like figure skating is no different than barrell jumping when you answer that way.
As I said I enjoy Alissa's skating and despite all of the grumbling and bombing her SP she didn't do much worse at '09 Worlds than our 2010 champion did at Worlds.
Laura won bronze last season at Worlds which does not add much credence to the point you raised.
for me i just wish all skate well, it seems we ( me included sometimes don't respect our non favorite skaters) we try to bash the non-favorites for our favorites.
for me they are all good skaters, it just who skates well at that time and i shouldn't bash or ridicule a skater just because they came in 1st 2nd or 3rd,
yes it okay to point out competitors mistakes, but just remember that your favorite makes mistakes too.
they are all good skaters.
who going to skate well. i just wish it was that simple about who skates well.
and whoever skated well with the points gets the points, but no it is whoever the federation wants to push,
and or maniuplate the system by pointing out other skaters mistakes and letting those mistakes get bye instead of adminting and pointing out everyone mistakes.
in other words, all skaters should be scruntized for their mistakes and marked accordingly both postive and negative goes and .
we should be willing as fans to admit our skater makes mistakes and respect other skaters for their effort whether we like them or not.
for me they are all good skaters, it just who skates well at that time and i shouldn't bash or ridicule a skater just because they came in 1st 2nd or 3rd,
yes it okay to point out competitors mistakes, but just remember that your favorite makes mistakes too.
they are all good skaters.
who going to skate well. i just wish it was that simple about who skates well.
and whoever skated well with the points gets the points, but no it is whoever the federation wants to push,
and or maniuplate the system by pointing out other skaters mistakes and letting those mistakes get bye instead of adminting and pointing out everyone mistakes.
in other words, all skaters should be scruntized for their mistakes and marked accordingly both postive and negative goes and .
we should be willing as fans to admit our skater makes mistakes and respect other skaters for their effort whether we like them or not.
You compare Laura Lepisto the great Finn to some random American girl? Laura Lepisto is prettier. Laura Lepisto skates faster. Laura Lepisto is sassy and confident. Laura Lepisto makes people want to cheer for her.
Back to the other girl, she looks like she has to skate because the rent is due.
- Joined
- May 15, 2009
RD recently mentioned "wiggle room."
Laura with her speed, beautiful posture and fine performance abilty definitely has room to miss a few jumps and still score pretty well.
As one of the world's best spinners along with her fine lyrical qualities Alissa also has some wiggle room as well. Perhaps not as much as Laura - but certainly more than some other skaters.
It's about doing the best you can with what you've got and using the system to bring out strengths and hide weaknesses.
Not really sure what your point was but I guess you felt uncomfortable bringing up Flatt's LP from 2010 Worlds. I am sure she did the best she could and for all I know she could have been fatigued from the long Olympic season or even been carrying a few nagging injuries. Mirai's first Worlds LP was nothing to write home about either. It happens.
That was last season and I wish best of luck to all of the skaters for this new season.
The US Ladies will be fun to watch and none of them go into this season as heavy favorites
so it will depend on how they skate this year and not on what they have done in the past.
Back to "wiggle room" perhaps Mirai has the most as her overall skating seems the best to me. I think Ashley could surprise us too, as could Caroline and Alissa. Rachael needs to remain "reliable" and that will keep her very much in the mix at Natls.
Laura with her speed, beautiful posture and fine performance abilty definitely has room to miss a few jumps and still score pretty well.
As one of the world's best spinners along with her fine lyrical qualities Alissa also has some wiggle room as well. Perhaps not as much as Laura - but certainly more than some other skaters.
It's about doing the best you can with what you've got and using the system to bring out strengths and hide weaknesses.
Not really sure what your point was but I guess you felt uncomfortable bringing up Flatt's LP from 2010 Worlds. I am sure she did the best she could and for all I know she could have been fatigued from the long Olympic season or even been carrying a few nagging injuries. Mirai's first Worlds LP was nothing to write home about either. It happens.
That was last season and I wish best of luck to all of the skaters for this new season.
The US Ladies will be fun to watch and none of them go into this season as heavy favorites
so it will depend on how they skate this year and not on what they have done in the past.
Back to "wiggle room" perhaps Mirai has the most as her overall skating seems the best to me. I think Ashley could surprise us too, as could Caroline and Alissa. Rachael needs to remain "reliable" and that will keep her very much in the mix at Natls.
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- Joined
- Jul 30, 2009
:disapp:
The "random American girl" happens to be the 2009 U.S. National champion, the best spinner in the World, a fabulous skater and a gorgeous young lady.
- Joined
- May 15, 2009
*ruh roh*
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
One strange thing is that since 2004, winning the U.S. championship has been the kiss of death at Worlds. Only once from 2004 to 2010 was the U.S. champion the highest-placed U.S. skater at the World Championship.
2004 Michelle 4th at Worlds, Sasha 2nd.
2005 Michelle 3rd, Sasha 2nd.
2006 Sasha 3rd, Kimmie 1st.
2007 Kimmie barely nipped Emily Hughes for the U.S. title, finished 4th Worlds, Emily 9th..
2008 Mirai -- too young for Worlds; Kimmie 7th.
2009 Alissa 11th, Rachael 5th
2010 Rachael 9th, Mirai 7th.
2004 Michelle 4th at Worlds, Sasha 2nd.
2005 Michelle 3rd, Sasha 2nd.
2006 Sasha 3rd, Kimmie 1st.
2007 Kimmie barely nipped Emily Hughes for the U.S. title, finished 4th Worlds, Emily 9th..
2008 Mirai -- too young for Worlds; Kimmie 7th.
2009 Alissa 11th, Rachael 5th
2010 Rachael 9th, Mirai 7th.
