Irina Withdraws

http://www.itar-tass.com/sport/500240.html

Translated here:
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Too bad . She could've challenged Sasha if she was in top form to make it to the GPF. It is important that she wants to fully heal first, though. Although this seems official it's not on the ISU site, possibly because it's new news.

I am worried for the sport. Michelle decides not to compete in the GP series, because according to BOI magazine, "They wanted me to make a decision at the beginning of May and it was too early," she said. Now many other skaters including AP, Irina, and Fumie cannot skate. I will miss them all, but wish them the best in their decisions. This is so sad.

It just means we have to look at the inexperienced young ones like Bebe (if she makes it) and Yukina to make it interesting. It appears Sasha will have no real competitors.

Joe

From the ESPN review: "Cohen finished ahead of a field of unpolished competitors."

Saturday, November 15
Cohen, Plushenko triumph at Lalique Trophy
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Associated Press

PARIS -- Sasha Cohen skated a technically daring program Saturday to win the women's singles title at the Lalique Trophy for her third Grand Prix victory of the season.

Cohen skated to the music of "Swan Lake'' and completed two sets of triple-double jump combinations in the opening seconds.

Her biggest error came when she put her hand to the ice following a double axel jump, but that wobble was mostly forgotten amid the moves she executed, including spellbinding spirals.

Cohen, who just turned 19, also has won Skate America and Skate Canada this fall. She was the overall Grand Prix series winner in 2002.

She credited her performance to her ability to handle the pressure of competition.

"This year, I really learned to enjoy competing,'' she said. "That's what I do. When I go out there, I know I'm prepared. And I just have to turn my mind off and let my body do what it knows how to do.''

Cohen finished ahead of a field of unpolished competitors. Her nearest rival was Shizuka Arakawa of Japan. Julia Sebestyen of Hungary was third.

In the men's competition, world champion Evgeni Plushenko used a high-energy program to win the singles title, while American Michael Weiss fell twice and settled for third.

I think some of the younger/less publicized skaters will have a chance at the spotlight, and a shot at the 25K/18K/10K/5K/3K prize money. Suguri and Liashenko are the only headliners, especially with Sokolova weak after surgery.

It will be a very wide open field now without Suguri, Slutskaya, and AP. World's is going to be very interesting with all of these withdrawals and people skipping the series altogether. It's almost as if the GP series and all of the major events (Nats, Euros, Worlds) are in two separate universes now.

Lucy

In the ISU World Standings, the GP counts for more than Europeans, 4C and Worlds. Irina wound up on top of the ISU standings last season even though she didn't go to Worlds, because she finished 2nd in the GPF (with no gold medals) and won Europeans.

A skater who participates in the Grand Prix gets the two highest scores for the events and/or the GPF. So a skater who makes the GP Final and won a silver or gold medal in a GP event gets 375 or 400 points. The winner of the GPF gets 800 points. 800 + 400 = 1200 points, equal to the value of a World Championship! Even the last-place finisher in the GPF gets 550 points plus the best placement in an event (probably at least 3rd, or 350 points), for a total of 900 points, better than a European or 4C Championship (840 points).

And, of course a skater participating in the GP AND Worlds gets points for Worlds, too. Look for Michelle Kwan to drop to 10th or lower, even if she wins a medal at Worlds this season. Any skater finishing 5th or better in two GP events plus a 10th or better finish at Worlds will outscore her.

I wonder if anyone cares about these ratings anyway. The ISU could spice it up by giving a big cash prize to the winner of the ratings chase at the end of the year.

Mathman

Yup. Sasha certainly will win the GPF, and will collect 1200 World Standings points. She could place 4th at Worlds again and still outrank everyone else (1200 + 1050 = 2250 points).

That's interesting about the GPF Title and event win equaling a World Title. I feel like the GPF series is a good thing for the skaters to do and those who are skating well there deserve to have that taken into consideration against those who don't do the entire season as far as rankings are concerned. But, then it's true that the ISU hasn't done a good job of making the rankings mean much to the skaters when the various Nationals and Worlds are still the most coveted events in the season outside of the Olympic year.

Lucy