Rachael Flatt's status

krenseby · May 5, 2008

Is it just me or is Rachael Flatt really overlooked by the USFSA?

She has had two impressive showings both at the US Nationals and at Junior Worlds. She has proved that she has enormous potential to win big at Worlds and perhaps even at the Olympics. Yet, the USFSA has responded with a collective yawn. The promotion machine with its all its chatter and fluff pieces has decided that it already had enough to do with Caroline and Mirai. Now, I don't think Rachael really needs all the publicity. She's fine making a name for herself by doing so well as a skater. But, still, it would be nice to get some attention her way. After all, a skater does deserve her federation's support.

Nigel · May 5, 2008

"The promotion machine" as krenseby mentioned...would that be USFS's machine or the agents for Zhang and Nagasu?

JonnyCoop · May 5, 2008

Nigel said:
"The promotion machine" as krenseby mentioned...would that be USFS's machine or the agents for Zhang and Nagasu?

Exactly. If Rachael got Tara Lipinski's agent, it'd be like, Caroline Who?? Mirai What??

I think there's something to be said about "flying under the radar". Most skaters tend to do better if they're not in some kind of media spotlight all the time, plus fans are less likely to get sick of them if they don't have to hear about them every time they turn around. As talented as Caroline is, by the time Nationals rolled around, when it came to her, my attitude was pretty much, oh shut UP about Zhang already....

Joesitz (RIP) · May 5, 2008

^^^

By far Tara had the best agent ever. Can you imagine interrupting a newscast to announce that Ms Lipinski did two triple jumps in Junior Ladies.

Can you imagine the listeners of the news to hear that and wonder who is she and why? No one ever got that kind of publicity and in today's take on figure skating, no one ever will.

Joe

Winnipeg · May 5, 2008

I thought Tara's agent was her mother?

Mathman · May 5, 2008

Tara's agent was Mike Burg of Edge Marketing. Guess who he represents now? Belbin and Agosto.

Back to Rachael, I don't think anyone is ignoring her or putting Mirai and Caroline ahead of her. Two years ago, the buzz in juniors was all about Caroline versus Rachael on the junior grand prix circuit. They were due for a big showdown in Mexico City. But Rachael had to withdraw because of injury, leaving the field to Caroline, who won the GP final and junior worlds.

The next year Caroline was huge. But Mirai jumped up and stole her thunder by winning U.S. junior nationals and junior worlds. Rachael, however, skated lights out in senior nationals, with only a questionable underrotation call keeping her out of the big money on her first try.

Last year Mirai just barely held off Rachael at U.S. nationals, thanks to a great SP. Rachael got her revenge at junior worlds.

It is quite natural for Mirai to be in the spotlight nationally at the moment, as U.S. champion. But I don't think anyone is overlooking Rachael at all.

Tinymavy15 · May 5, 2008

Well I think the hype was not as big for her going into nationals because she has not performed as well as Marai on the junior circuit that year. Marai was the reigning junior national champ, caroline the reigning junior world champ and had senior experience. Racheal had nothing much to her name before nationals. I think that after her bug success at nationals and junior worlds, rachel will be hyped up starting next season.

chuckm · May 5, 2008

Tinymavy15 said:
Racheal had nothing much to her name before nationals. I think that after her bug success at nationals and junior worlds, rachel will be hyped up starting next season.

Before 2008 Nationals, Rachael had won gold at the 2007 Challenge Cup and 2007 JGP AUT, and silver at JPG GER and the 2007 JGP; she had even beaten Mirai in the JGPF FS. I would hardly call finishing 1st or 2nd in all her international competitions right up to Nationals "nothing much".

Nigel · May 5, 2008

chuckm said:
Before 2008 Nationals, Rachael had won gold at the 2007 Challenge Cup and 2007 JGP AUT, and silver at JPG GER and the 2007 JGP; she had even beaten Mirai in the JGPF FS. I would hardly call finishing 1st or 2nd in all her international competitions right up to Nationals "nothing much".

chuck...we agree. Here is Flatt's competition record from the Athlete's section of USFS website:

2008 World Junior Championships - 1st
2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships Senior - 2nd
2007 Junior Grand Prix Final - 2nd
2007 Junior Grand Prix (Germany) - 2nd
2007 Junior Grand Prix (Austria) - 1st
2007 International Challenge Cup, Junior - 1st
2007 State Farm U.S. Championships Senior - 5th
2007 Midwestern Sectional Senior- 1st
2007 Southwestern Regional Senior - 1st **
2006 State Farm U.S. Championships, Junior - 2nd
2006 Midwestern Sectional, Junior - 1st
2006 Southwestern Regional Junior- 1st
2005 North American Challenge Skate (Kansas), Junior - 3rd
2005 Triglav Trophy, Novice - 1st
2005 State Farm U.S. Championships, Novice - 1st
2005 Midwestern Sectional, Novice - 1st
2005 Southwestern Regional, Novice - 1st
2004 U.S. Junior Championships, Intermediate Pairs - 1st
2004 Southwestern Regional, Intermediate - 3rd
2003 U.S. Junior Championships, Juvenile Pairs - 2nd
2003 U.S. Junior Championships, Juvenile - 6th
2003 Southwestern Regional, Juvenile - 2nd
2002 Southwestern Regional, Juvenile - 3rd

** this was the season where Flatt had the injury and had to WD from the JGP series, but still had to go through qualifying events to make it to US Natls

I think this is more of a media driven issue. Not that USFS promotes one of the younger skaters over another, perhaps more reflective of the fact that the agents are doing their jobs. Guessing that Wagner and Flatt do not have agents at this point in time.

gkelly · May 5, 2008

ABC/ESPN certainly enjoyed Flatt at 2007 Nationals. How many times did they show that clip of her skating at age 3?

Joesitz (RIP) · May 5, 2008

I really don't like using the word "hype", unless it concerns a media outlet. Hype has to do with publicity and I have not seen any of it coming out of the USFS. That's not to say they are "pushing a particular skater" which is different than what the media can do.

I thought there was a lot of silly 'push' regarding Tanith and Evan last season. There was not any for Kimmie.

Johnny is a Worlds medalist now. He should get the USFS push. McL/Bru because of their knockout performance last Nats and their spunky comments afterwoods will definitely get USFS push. No problem for B&A. D/W and S/B are wait and see.

Once the Nationals is over, and it is decided with no shadow of a doubt, the Winner of the Ladies will get the Big Push from the USFS. JMO

Joe

Nigel · May 5, 2008

And rightly so...Mirai deserves the spotlight right now as Natl Champion!!

R.D. · May 5, 2008

It could only benefit Rachel for her own good if she does not receive the hype, right?

The press used to focus on Zhang. Now it will be on Nagasu as she is the national champ. And with most eligible for '09 worlds, one better look out.

Joesitz (RIP) · May 6, 2008

Maybe it's NYC, but I never read anything about skating in the NY press. For informationn on skating I rely on Golden Skate and the USFS website,. There are no featured stories on ISU website.

Unless one is an avid fan, how much skating information is important? There will be some in NYC around the time of the Nats and again for the Olys. As far as Worlds are concerned it is just the results, and that's a maybe.

BIG QUESTION: Does media hype or USFS push influence the judging?

Joe

fairly4 · May 6, 2008

rachel flatt isn't overhyped or underhyped at all. it is about right.
she is an okay skater.
i watched her video at jws she was overmarked why
her first jump was underrotated. her triple triple the second one should have been downgraded it was underrotated. her triple, double double was underrotated not the triple but the first double. they did mark off the wrong edge take off on her second jump.
the reason i can give is because she landed backwards, carolines z look clean, but because she landed front they didn't give her the benefit of the doubt.
now as far as rachel is concern.
i read in the ifs magazine, she seems to be a level headed youngster who can handle the pressure because i remember a time ago when her parents put her education first and she need to keep her grades up for skating. so kudos to her.
she is calm as a junior, but as a senior with our expectations might be different\
she might be able to handle it

chuckm · May 6, 2008

fairly4, the TECHNICAL TEAM did not find Rachael's jumps underrotated, and I don't see that they were UR either.

Joesitz (RIP) · May 6, 2008

There are fans who once they hear a skater they do not like get marked down for URs, those fans may well consider the skater never to do a clean jump.
Ignore these comments unless they can show a slomo of the jump.

Joe

Rachael Flatt's status

krenseby

Nigel

JonnyCoop

Joesitz (RIP)

Winnipeg

Mathman

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win

chuckm

Nigel

gkelly

Joesitz (RIP)

Nigel

R.D.

Joesitz (RIP)

fairly4

chuckm

Joesitz (RIP)

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