World, 4CC, Jr. World Teams announced

I don't think Caroline had a disappointing Nationals. No, she didn't make the world team, but a lot of others aren't going either. There were only 2 spots. She skated a good SP & good LP. She won the bronze medal. She got 4CC & Junior world assignments, and she is 1st alt. for Worlds. She has lots to be proud of.

flying camel said:

I don't think Caroline had a dissappointing Nationals. No, she didn't make the world team, but a lot of others aren't going either. There were only 2 spots. She skated a good SP & good LP. She won the bronze medal. She got 4CC & Junior world assignments, and she is 1st alt. for Worlds. She has lots to be proud of.

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Good post and I totally agree. I am sure she was disappointed that she did not make the World team but there is always next year and Bronze is nothing to sneeze at.

Actually, Alissa needs to go to 4CC's and beat Joannie Rochette, so that she can build up some International credit with international judges. For Ashley, there will be another year. This may be Alissa's one big year.

Sometimes your chance only comes once. Ashley got worlds and 4CC's last year, so she's been before.

I don't think Caroline should go to JW, she should go back after 4CC and fix her numerous issues as best as she can. I don't think Mirai should go to JW either, HEAL THAT ANKLE! (And come back stronger next year! I was so proud after that FS.) Ashley.. well, it's her choice. I guess she can try for a gold there.

But if Caroline and Mirai don't go, I think it should be Alexe Gilles and Brittney Rizo. How old is Hacker anyway?

dorispulaski said:

Actually, Alissa needs to go to 4CC's and beat Joannie Rochette, so that she can build up some International credit with international judges.

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Joannie would have to completely unravel to lose to Alissa. Rochette is far and away the better skater, a complete package of an athlete and an artist, if she skates anywhere near what she is capable of. Czisny needs to step up her difficulty BIG TIME in the LP.

museksk8r said:

Joannie would have to completely unravel to lose to Alissa. Rochette is far and away the better skater, a complete package of an athlete and an artist, if she skates anywhere near what she is capable of. Czisny needs to step up her difficulty BIG TIME in the LP.

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ITA. 3 triples is not going to hold up in any international competition, no matter how much 'artistry' you skate with.

I agree that either Alissa has to land both her LP and SP to beat Joannie. It's not impossible. Alissa needs to beat Joannie...that does not mean she will. In fact, I don't think a 3 triple program should win US Nationals...but that's another story.

Was shocked at the men's results. I suppose it was asking too much to hope Johnny Weir was still the final skater on the World team.

I adore Joannie Rochette and also really like Alissa. I do not see Alissa winning over Joannie however might be possible in the short, but i hope Joannie gets her short to be more consistant.
Yu Na Kim and Asada will be difficult to beat but i hope can be challenged.

Actually, it's her LP that Alissa has had more luck with , just not at this competition.

dorispulaski said:

Actually, it's her LP that Alissa has had more luck with , just not at this competition.

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Yes but that is the case for Joannie at nationals and gpf too. Hope they can both have a strong short and not fall out the running for possible chance at a medal. Rochette i would love to see medal as its been a long time for canadian ladies for Worlds i mean.

Jr events

If I've said it 1000 times (at least once on this board) I'll say it again. If a skater decides to skate Sr. then she/he/they should only be eligible for Sr. Events. If an non-age eligible skater (for Worlds) wins US Nats (as in last year) then it's just too bad that they can't go to worlds - thier season should be done - unless 4CC is an option. Seeing these skaters flip flop between Sr. National Events and then Jr. World events drives me nuts. GIve the skaters who actually win at the Jr. Level a chance to compete for once.

I think the USFSA needs to change the age eligibility requirements for Sr. to match the age requirements for Worlds/Olympics. That way most of this issue would be a non-issue.

oleada said:

Well, frankly, I think the US is sandbagging the event. These girls aren't Juniors. This team was sent TWO YEARS AGO - and swept the podium. What's the point in them whooping a bunch of junior level girls?

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I remember last year when we sent Caroline, Rachael and Mirai to Junior Worlds. I posted a note saying it was like sending cruise missiles to a pillow fight.

I wish the mens' World team would consist of Abbott, Mroz, and Weir. I'm just not a fan at all of Lysacek's style. The only thing he does that I really like are his twizzles, but his programs tend to give me a headache with all the meaningless, excessive arm flailings. I think he might need a straight jacket while he skates in order to make him watchable for me. And I'm sorry, but what Scott Hamilton calls "passion" when describing Lysacek's footwork sequences, I call it exaggerated overacting. It's like he needs a mood stabilizer before he skates to tone him down, way too "over the top" for my tastes.

Alas, Johnny really didn't skate well at all, so I can accept the USFSA's decision even if it means Lysacek is a World team member. He really did compete better than Weir did here and what's fair is fair. I think it was Brian Joubert who once said that when a skater is not at his/her best or is not ready for a championship, it is better for him/her to withdraw rather than give the judging panel a negative impression, and I too think it might would have served Johnny better to withdraw from the Nationals, then petition for a World team spot, and prove himself at 4CC, hopefully when he was feeling much better than he was here this week.

Brandon Mroz made a fan out of me with that extraordinary LP . . . he is so deserving of his World spot and US silver medal. I'm so glad the judges did the right thing and placed him 2nd over Evan. That successful 4toe was mesmerizing and he has proven that he can keep his cool under pressure!

I also have to commend Abbott for sustaining his nerves through all the pressure he was under - increased media exposure, having to skate as the final man of the evening in the LP, and dealing with all of this while being sick. I felt so bad for Jeremy and the heavy coughing he was dealing with before going out on the ice and I was so nervous for him during his skate, but aside from a couple of small mistakes, he eased my worries with an overall brilliant performance. I'm sure he'd love to have that silly singled 3loop back and the 1 hand down on that 3toe that he threw in that was in combination with the final 2Axel, but he really did do enough to win the title in a big way. You really have to admire how seamlessly his elements blend in with his choreography with no set up time at all. That is beautiful art, and extremely difficult at the same time! I could not be more thrilled for him!

How will this impact Weir's Fall GP assignments? thanks.

emma said:

How will this impact Weir's Fall GP assignments? thanks.

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Johnny is still a National team member since he made the top 5, so he need not worry about not getting GP assignments. He will be there as long as he is healthy and wants to compete.

feraina said:

Oh, I'm having the worst weekend! My two favorite skaters (Caroline and Johnny) both had disappointing results and didn't get to go to World's, and my favorite tennis player (Andy Murray) just got dumped out of the Australian Open! Everything is going all wrong. :no:

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I hear ya. Johnny, Mirai & Ashley all had disappointing nationals and my favorite Jelena Jankovic lost miserably to freakin' Bartoli of all people.

emma said:

How will this impact Weir's Fall GP assignments? thanks.

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museksk8r said:

Johnny is still a National team member since he made the top 5, so he need not worry about not getting GP assignments. He will be there as long as he is healthy and wants to compete.

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I don't think Johnny's national team status has anything to do with the GPs (with the exception of USFSA's choice of picking whoever they want to comepte in the US slots at Skate America). I can't remember which list the ISU use but they use either the Season's Best list or the ISU world rankings and pick how many assignments each skater gets based on that. We'll have to see after worlds where Johnny sits on that list but i'm certain he'd get at least one assigned and the US could always give him Skate America if he isn't assigned a second one.

Ant

I can't believe they are sending Ashley. She seems way to old for that. This will be Caroline's 3rd year at worlds as a junior. I think that USFSA should let the junior medalists have a shot. Mirai should not be competing and both Caroline and Ashley are been there done that.

While I agree with many of the posts voicing concern about the naming of several of the senior skaters "back" into Junior Worlds, ... and I may not be fully correct with this... but I think one of the factors that people seem to be overlooking is the fact that a lot of the decisions seem to be driven off of the way the ISU awards rankings and points - not necessarily 'just' USFS.

In order for skaters to qualify for ISU Grand Prix assignments, in particular multiple assignments (more than one) don't the skaters need to have sufficient "ranking" or "status" in the eyes of the ISU? Junior Worlds provides a wealth of points, which frankly, several of the top or arguably post-Junior/already up and coming senior skaters, definitely "need" in order to 'earn' the blessing of the ISU to be named to Grand Prix events in the 2009-2010 season.

Skaters like Nagasu and Rippon - earned their places in Grand Prix events this past season largely because they came into the season in the ISU's eyes as having 'ranking' which they earned the prior year from successful junior international campaigns.

I think ESPECIALLY given the timing - in other words, 'the' Olympic year, and not for instance, an immediate post-Olympic year, my guess would be that this whole ISU ranking issue played an inordinately weighty role in the assignment decisions by the US.

Again, I share the disappointment voiced but unless I'm wrong, my suspicions are high that this 'structural' reality of competing under the ISU's 'rules' played a pretty weighty role.

Well, Caroline is already getting a shot at getting ISU championship points with 4CC. If that is so important to the USFS, send Wagner to 4CC instead of Alissa or Rachael. And in that case, the junior skaters who did so well - Gilles, Maxwell, etc - should also get a chance to earn that ranking and get on the GP much like Nagasu & company did.