U.S. Jr. World team selection

[Sylvia]

I've copied the following from the Ostrava? thread into this new discussion thread:

I just saw the list of the US girls at the JGPF. It is very impressive. With all the young senior ladies, how will the selection take place? Does a 6th place senior take a spot over the Junior National Champ? Does the JGPF champ always go to JW? Can Rachel, Caroline or Miri go back again? Isn't Ashley still young enough too?

The U.S. ladies' gold and silver medalists from the past two Junior Grand Prix Finals -- Nagasu and Flatt (Dec. 2007) & Zhang and Wagner (Dec. 2006) -- ended up on the Junior World team, but their respective Nationals results and performances were also major factors.

If the top 2 senior ladies' finishers at U.S. Nationals are sent to L.A. Worlds (and top 3 offered Four Continents), then the next 3 age-eligible seniors will likely be considered for Jr. Worlds. Of the nine U.S. ladies on the Senior Grand Prix this fall, SIX are still ISU Junior age-eligible -- Flatt ('08 JW champ), Zhang ('07 JW champ, '08 JW silver medalist), Wagner ('07 JW bronze medalist), Nagasu ('08 JW bronze medalist, '07 JW silver medalist), Hacker (the only one in this group who has not been to JW before), and even Meissner ('04 JW silver medalist, 4th in '05; she turned 19 after July 1st).

U.S. Junior ladies' medalists who have been selected for Junior Worlds in the same season are much rarer -- they include Nagasu, Zhang & Wagner in 2007, Meissner and Katy Taylor in 2004, and Louann Donovan in 2002.

Four of the five in the JGP Final -- Alexe Gilles, Kristine Musademba, Angela Maxwell and Becky Bereswill -- will compete as seniors in Cleveland.

[luckyguy]

After seeing the list above I think it will be difficult for the next U.S. junior champion (Dobbs or Kawamura?) to be selected for the 2009 World Junior Championships.

Laney Diggs, Brittney Rizo and Karen Zhou -I think they jump all five different triples- are age eligible senior ladies too.

[bethissoawesome]

This is an interesting post... it would probably get more responses if it was put into a general discussion area.

Considering only 2 ladies can go to Worlds this year, it does seem most likely that the competitors for Junior Worlds will be chosen from Senior Nationals... although, it probably still depends slightly on who the 2 competitors are. I doubt a skater like Kimmie Meissner for example, even though still eligible for JWs, would want to go back and compete there after winning the WCs in the past... or even if the skater has already competed it Worlds.

[samba]

Can senior skaters who competed in the senior GP circuit go back to compete Jr.Worlds? If yes, Mirai or Ashley still can go back to Jr.Worlds (if they do not make it for the Worlds)?

[nadster]

Can senior skaters who competed in the senior GP circuit go back to compete Jr.Worlds? If yes, Mirai or Ashley still can go back to Jr.Worlds (if they do not make it for the Worlds)?

Yes they can as long as they are in the age limits. You are just not allowed to do JGP and senior GP events in the same season ( except for pairs) but someone on the senior GP circuit can go to Junior Worlds.

[rosee]

someone on the senior GP circuit can go to Junior Worlds.

Yes, like Caroline Zhang last year.

[chuckm]

Some federations have sent the same skater(s) to both Junior and Senior Worlds.

I suspect that this year, all 3 JW ladies will be chosen from the Senior ranks, and they will be the highest ranking age-eligible ladies at Nationals who were not selected for the World team. One exception: Kimmie Meissner.

[Tonichelle]

in regards to the US and how they choose the teams... do the jr. men get chosen this same way or do they usually send the Jr. boys who place 1-2-3 at nationals? I know jr. dance sent some that compete at the senior level (Tanith and Ben come to mind, I think they did that anyway lol) but I don't see that talked about in regards to men or even pairs?

[Sylvia]

in regards to the US and how they choose the teams... do the jr. men get chosen this same way or do they usually send the Jr. boys who place 1-2-3 at nationals?

Last year, the top 2 junior men (Rippon and Mroz, also 1-2 at the JGP Final) were selected for '08 Jr. Worlds along with the highest ISU jr. age-eligible finisher in senior men (Steenberg, 9th). The 1st-3rd alternates were Halverson (13th in sr.), Razzano (16th in sr., 4th in JGP Final) and Andrew Gonzales (3rd in jr.). Armin Mahbanoozadeh was 3rd at the JGP Final, but only placed 8th in jr. at Nationals.

This season, the following first-year senior men at Nationals are age-eligible for '09 Jr. Worlds: '08 JW champ Rippon, Mroz (both debuted on the Sr. GP this fall; Mroz finished 4th at '08 JW), Curran Oi and William Brewster (both competed on the JGP this fall). Second-year senior Halverson (one JGP this fall) is still age-eligible. Mahbanoozadeh and Richard Dornbush placed 2-3 at the JGP Final and if one of them wins the junior title in Cleveland, that will certainly help their chances to be selected for Jr. Worlds. If someone else (Alex Johnson, Keegan Messing, etc.) wins the junior men's title convincingly, he may have an outside shot to be selected.

[Tonichelle]

thanks for the info, Sylvia!


I just don't understand why it's junior worlds when most of the top contenders are all in the senior ranks... I guess because "second and third tiered senior worlds" doesn't have the same ring to it.

[samba]

Last year, the top 2 junior men (Rippon and Mroz, also 1-2 at the JGP Final) were selected for '08 Jr. Worlds along with the highest ISU jr. age-eligible finisher in senior men (Steenberg, 9th). The 1st-3rd alternates were Halverson (13th in sr.), Razzano (16th in sr., 4th in JGP Final) and Andrew Gonzales (3rd in jr.). Armin Mahbanoozadeh was 3rd at the JGP Final, but only placed 8th in jr. at Nationals.

This season, the following first-year senior men at Nationals are age-eligible for '09 Jr. Worlds: '08 JW champ Rippon, Mroz (both debuted on the Sr. GP this fall; Mroz finished 4th at '08 JW), Curran Oi and William Brewster (both competed on the JGP this fall). Second-year senior Halverson (one JGP this fall) is still age-eligible. Mahbanoozadeh and Richard Dornbush placed 2-3 at the JGP Final and if one of them wins the junior title in Cleveland, that will certainly help their chances to be selected for Jr. Worlds. If someone else (Alex Johnson, Keegan Messing, etc.) wins the junior men's title convincingly, he may have an outside shot to be selected.

Thanks for the info. what about the ladies JW? Besides Mirai, Ashley, Rachel, who else will be the high likely to make it?

[dorispulaski]

Alexe Gilles.

[Sylvia]

Whoever is not named to the 2009 World team and/or Four Continents team and is age-eligible for Junior Worlds will be considered for Jr. Worlds -- primarily based on 2009 Nationals Senior Ladies results -- which usually has been the case in the past.

ISU Junior age-eligible U.S. Senior ladies who have already competed at Senior Worlds:
Meissner (she turned 19 in October so she ages out after this season; silver at 2004 & 4th at 2005 Jr. Worlds)
Wagner (bronze at 2007 JW)

ISU Junior age-eligible U.S. Senior ladies who competed on the Senior Grand Prix this fall:
Flatt (gold at '08 JW)
Zhang (gold at '07 JW, silver at '08 JW)
Nagasu (silver at '07 JW, bronze at '08 JW)
Hacker
Meissner
Wagner

ISU Junior age-eligible U.S. Senior ladies who have competed in a Senior 'B' international:
Becky Bereswill (bronze at 2008 International Challenge Cup, The Hague)
Chrissy Hughes (2008 Nebelhorn)
Karen Zhou (2008 Finlandia)
Taylor Firth (2007 Finlandia)

ISU Junior age-eligible U.S. Senior ladies who competed on the JGP this fall:
Bereswill (gold at '08 JGP Final)
Alexe Gilles (bronze at '08 JGPF; 1st alternate to '08 JW)
Angela Maxwell
Kristine Musademba
Brittney Rizo
Tenile Victorsen
(Melissa Bulanhagui did not qualify for '09 Nats)

ISU Junior age-eligible U.S. Senior ladies not already mentioned above: Laney Diggs, Tatyana Khazova, Blake Rosenthal (has previously competed on JGP), Brittney Westdorp.

[pista04]

Oh wow, I didn't even realize the Meissner was age eligible for JW still..heh. That could be weird...going from 2007 world champion to 2009 junior world medalist....the difference 2 years can make....its almost heartbreaking.

[mjames]

The ladies field is indeed deep! I do hope that Alexe Gilles gets a spot at Junior Worlds. She was National Junior Champ and never got to go last year. I hope they consider that during selection instead of sending the same people again and again.