Here's the article about her decision http://worldskating.blogspot.com/2010/03/ashley-wagner-withdrew-from-2010-world.html
Hmmm.....didn't Ashley also skip 4CC?
So while Rachael and Mirai will have skated at the Olympics and then Worlds Ashley sat home.
It seems to me Ashley's biggest weakness is not being a strong enough competitor at times. How sitting home and passing up major Intl events like 4CC and Jr Worlds will make her a better and more competitive skater sort of slips by me.
Christina Gao is getting better and may come away with a medal at Jr Worlds. US Skating will certainly take note of that - and that an equally disappointed Caroline Zhang still went to 4CC and medaled.
Maybe I am wrong but I feel a bit if a "Princess " complex coming from Ashley. I think she risks falling behind too many USA skaters by skipping events.
While I agree with you that it was unwise of her to turn down 4CC (though, granted, she turned it down before the Olympic/World/4CC/JWorld teams were announced), I completely disagree that her decision to skip Junior Worlds is a result of an so-called "princess" complex.
For one, she skated at Worlds TWO YEARS AGO. If she wants to opt out of training a 3'30" program to focus on training her 4'00" program as an alternate for Worlds, then more power to her.
She is getting a bit long in the tooth for juniors. Hell, she's getting a bit long in the tooth for seniors. US ladies has a long history of also-rans who got close but never close enough like Jenny Kirk, Emily Hughes, Katy Taylor, Ann Patrice McDonough, and so on. They try and try but couldn't quite top any major podium, and then just wash out. Ashley herself hasn't won a competition since 2007. Maybe it's time for Ashley "Always a Bridesmaid" Wagner to move on.
Not sure why she was selected for JW in the first place, quite frankly. But I can't help but wonder what took her this long.
I suspect this is the end of her season, as I don't see either of Flatt or Nagasu pulling out (although I agree it's good to be ready just in case).
P.S. I thought Wagner did quite well at Nationals, actually. It's just too bad there were only two spots and two other skaters had two perfect routines. In any other year she'd have been an Olympian, too. But if I were her I'd be a little concerned. Nagasu is a rising star; Flatt is ever so consistent and dependable. I'd say Wagner's the best of the rest, but has struggled with inconsistency issues. She must learn to stop digging herself a hole after the SP. Nationals proved that even a perfect FS wasn't good enough (although it did move her up a spot to 3rd). Give this Christina Gao another year and she might also be a formidable challenger to Wagner.