Junior Ladies LP (8:55)

kate · Jan 22, 2009

Leng (78.82) 132.49
Kawamura (79.43) 131.25
Gao (79.24) 128.69
Gong (76.96) 126.17
Wyckoff (76.76) 123.88
Cesario (77.43) 120.90
Dobbs (73.31) 116.52
Alba (74.39) 112.35
Lam (72.43) 111.68
Zhou (67.91) 110.87
Donlan (66.95) 106.60
Secundy (62.88) 105.16
Olson (61.72) 95.57

MissCleo · Jan 22, 2009

Congrats to all of the medalists :clap:

Special thanks to kate for the commentary!

feraina · Jan 22, 2009

Wow, that was a real splatfest. Junior National's two years ago, when Caroline & Mirai faced off, was amazing. All five triples, amazing spins & spirals, good presentation from both. Mirai was completely clean, and Caroline had one fall in each program. Even Alexe Gilles had two very clean and pleasant programs last year, if not quite as magical as the year before. This year... Unless some of our JGP juniors stay juniors next season, the new juniors are unlikely to dominate on the JGP circuit next year. Very disappointing. If I didn't know, I might have thought that was a novice competition.

oleada · Jan 22, 2009

Very much a splatfest and the level was disappointingly low. Still, congrats to the podium.

However, I'm hoping that it's Nationals jitters - all of them skated better at regionals and sectionals.

That said, I don't see the US ladies dominating in the JGP next season as much as they have in the past. I imagine Gilles and Bereswill are moving up, who knows about Maxwell and Musademba...

just wondering · Jan 22, 2009

^ Agreed. A cursory look at the Novice & Junior FS shows that some of the Novice skaters could certainly hang with the Juniors. http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/34540/results.html
I would have expected a greater difference. JW

gold12345 · Jan 22, 2009

Wow, Ellie Kawamura won the long program with one clean triple? I can hardly believe this was a Junior competition. Are these skaters really young and need more time, or was it just a terrible night?

oleada · Jan 22, 2009

I think it was a very bad night.
These skaters all did better in the short and in their sectionals.
That said, I do think the novices and previous juniors had more depth.

feraina · Jan 22, 2009

oleada said:
That said, I don't see the US ladies dominating in the JGP next season as much as they have in the past. I imagine Gilles and Bereswill are moving up, who knows about Maxwell and Musademba...

Well, let's see, there can be at most 18 US entries in the 6 events. For sure we'll have Rachael (2), Caroline (2), Ashley (2), Alissa (2). Mirai will also probably get 2, I think NHK will invite her again. Bebe might possibly get two given her SB is 142.12 (26th). That leaves at most 6 more entries. Alexe Gilles is already 17, and guaranteed 1 GP from her bronze at JGPF, so she'll probably go senior accept the GP invitation, especially as her stated goal is to make the Olympic team for Vancouver. Becky Bereswill is almost 19, so she'll also go senior and accept the 1 GP earned by her JGPF gold. Actually, if Alexe or Becky skates really well (around 155 or more), they just might get two GP invitations next year, as Caroline did last year. I think whether Angela Maxwell and Kristine Musademba go seniors depends on whether they get sent to JW and whether they medal. Not looking likely right now, but not impossible. They are both inconsistent and unpredictable.

How many spots does the US have for 4CC this year? Katrina finished 6th, Ashley 8th (Bebe 11th), does that mean 2 (the same 13-rule as in WC)? If there are only two spots at WC and two at 4CC, how will USFSA split them? Maybe send top two to WC, and 3rd and 4th to 4CC? That's what I would do anyway, to ensure that the top US skaters get to do some senior ISU championship this year so that they have a chance to improve their SB scores and also get a bit more international experience. For Caroline, Rachael, and Mirai, it would be their first ISU championship experience at the senior level.

feraina · Jan 22, 2009

gold12345 said:
Wow, Ellie Kawamura won the long program with one clean triple? I can hardly believe this was a Junior competition. Are these skaters really young and need more time, or was it just a terrible night?

I don't know. Caroline and Mirai topped junior's at 13. They are the same age *now* as the top junior skaters tonight, who are all 15, except Christina Gao (14). And Rachael skated in the senior division and placed ... 6th, wasn't it ... when she was 14 -- and she already had a 3-3 (and not an easy one like 3T-3T either). Ashley won JW bronze when she was 15, as well. In short, this crop of juniors, even if they were to skate their very best, aren't really on par with the top seniors at comparable age.

I'm a little worried that the extra severe UR penalties in CoP is discouraging young skaters from trying the harder triples, but the only way to get consistent triples is to train them seriously from a young age. Well, I don't know. I actually saw quite a few 3Z and 3F's attempted tonight, just none clean.

oleada · Jan 22, 2009

I'm not sure Mirai will get two assignments and I don't think Bebe will get two.

kate · Jan 22, 2009

Yeah, junior was weak but it really does seem to go in phases. Novice was very, very strong this year. Last year a girl with no triples made the podium -- this year only one made nationals. Intermediate was weak this year, with strong triples only from the winner (who was very strong for intermediate, it was the rest of the field that was lacking). Juvenile, though, was incredibly strong. Last year the winner had no double axel and actually popped a jump. This year the top 6 all had pretty clean programs with 2 double axels in them. So when those kids move up, junior and intermediate will be strong next year.

Joesitz (RIP) · Jan 22, 2009

^^^

sorry, but for me, no one was outstanding in that competition. There was no Mirai, no Zhang, no Flatt. Can't say anything for their futures. Too many 12year old lookalikes and skate alike that nothing stands out. The upcoming Ladies in America will be in trouble, imo.

The upcoming boys will be Men in the future.

LeCygne · Jan 22, 2009

feraina said:
How many spots does the US have for 4CC this year? Katrina finished 6th, Ashley 8th (Bebe 11th), does that mean 2 (the same 13-rule as in WC)? If there are only two spots at WC and two at 4CC, how will USFSA split them? Maybe send top two to WC, and 3rd and 4th to 4CC? That's what I would do anyway, to ensure that the top US skaters get to do some senior ISU championship this year so that they have a chance to improve their SB scores and also get a bit more international experience. For Caroline, Rachael, and Mirai, it would be their first ISU championship experience at the senior level.

No, I'm pretty sure 4CC does not follow the same rule. All countries are allowed 3 spots. I agree with 1-2 to Worlds and 3-4 to 4CC plus the champion, I guess.

Anyway, I'm glad Ellie placed well. I wanted her to win but I like DeeDee too. I also noticed how weak the juniors were. I don't even think I've seen them attempt 3lutz or 3flip before Nationals...

kate · Jan 22, 2009

LeCygne said:
I don't even think I've seen them attempt 3lutz or 3flip before Nationals...

Leng and Gao did both at sectionals, and both were landing them last year as well. Secundy did a 3Lz there, as did Agnes Zawadzki who just missed the cut.

LeCygne · Jan 22, 2009

kate said:
Leng and Gao did both at sectionals, and both were landing them last year as well. Secundy did a 3Lz there, as did Agnes Zawadzki who just missed the cut.

Oh, thanks. My bad then, I've only seen some performances from regionals.

iceminx · Jan 22, 2009

Joesitz said:
^^^

sorry, but for me, no one was outstanding in that competition. There was no Mirai, no Zhang, no Flatt. Can't say anything for their futures. Too many 12year old lookalikes and skate alike that nothing stands out. The upcoming Ladies in America will be in trouble, imo.

The upcoming boys will be Men in the future.

Christina Gao is an amazing skater artistically and overall that showed up last season with one of the highest novice region scores, but didn't skate well at Nationals. Check out last years program from her. DeeDee didn't make Nationals last season - bad luck, and Ellie had a bad SP- a nosebleed i think? but she has been an up-and-coming skater since she was an intermediate. Congratulations to all three of them -it's the podium I wanted last season.

iceminx · Jan 22, 2009

carolynn-ann

btw- What happened to Carolynn-Ann Alba? She was one of the best up and coming skaters the past 2 seasons, and she had a spot on the JGP. Is she injured? I can't imagine how else she could have placed so low!:disapp: I'd love to see her win junior next season.

iceminx · Jan 22, 2009

LeCygne said:
Anyway, I'm glad Ellie placed well. I wanted her to win but I like DeeDee too.

I wanted Christina or Ellie to win, but DeeDee's a great skater too - I agree- so it's okay.

I think it's cute that the three of them are friends considering they all live in different locations. Doesn't Ellie train with Mirai?

Does anyone have any NON-ice-network photo links? :bow:

kate · Jan 22, 2009

iceminx said:
Doesn't Ellie train with Mirai?

They're both in the LA area, but I'm pretty sure Tammi Gambill (Ellie's coach) is based at a different rink than Charlene Wong (Mirai's).

Junior Ladies LP (8:55)

kate

MissCleo

feraina

oleada

just wondering

gold12345

oleada

feraina

feraina

oleada

kate

Joesitz (RIP)

LeCygne

kate

LeCygne

iceminx

iceminx

iceminx

kate

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