U.S. Ladies Prediction & Speculation Thread | Page 32 | Golden Skate

U.S. Ladies Prediction & Speculation Thread

PolymerBob

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2007
Conspiracy? No. Coincidence? Perhaps. She just "happened" to get a good score at SA...and then just "happened" to get a good score again at Nationals. Hmm...?

And lest we forget, this is the same skater who got placed behind a 3-triple program from Czisny despite skating clean.

That's something I often wondered about. Alissa did well in the 2008 Grand Prix, and won the 2009 Nationals. Rachael did well in the 2009 GP, beating Yu-Na in a long program, and won 2010 Nats. Will we know who the 2011 ladies champion will be by December?
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
I meant a threat to contend for a top spot at U.S. Nationals. But since janetfan mentioned Turkey and Estonia -- Go Tugba, go Elena! :rock:

http://www.tugbakarademir.org/

http://www.elenaglebova.com/en/


(Sorry to go off topic again, R.D. :) )

I mentioned Turkey coz I thought Tugba retired :)

Here is what I have been thinking about Rachael:

Good news - she put off school for a year for a chance to defend her US Title and for a another chance at Worlds.

I say good for her!

Not so good news: Reports are that she has worked on upping her tech, but NO reports that she has worked on her speed, spins, posture and lines. It is clear they are below top Intl standards.

Good news - Rachael can stay on her feet and land jumps under pressure. But she has to be close to perfect to have a chance at Worlds.

Not so good news - We saw her skate close to her best in Vancouver and it was nowhere near good enough, even without the dg's.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
That's something I often wondered about. Alissa did well in the 2008 Grand Prix, and won the 2009 Nationals. Rachael did well in the 2009 GP, beating Yu-Na in a long program, and won 2010 Nats. Will we know who the 2011 ladies champion will be by December?

NHK: Asada, Korpi, Flatt
Canada: Alissa (Lepisto withdraws), Phaneuf, Suguri!!!
China: Ando, Mirai, Suzuki
USA: Zhang, Flatt, Kostner
Russia: Suzuki, Wagner, Ando (Miki has an off night)
TEB: Asada, Mirai, Csizny

I mentioned Turkey coz I thought Tugba retired :)

Go Sila Saygi! Go Birce Atabey!
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
NHK: Asada, Korpi, Flatt
Canada: Alissa (Lepisto withdraws), Phaneuf, Suguri!!!
China: Ando, Mirai, Suzuki
USA: Zhang, Flatt, Kostner
Russia: Suzuki, Wagner, Ando (Miki has an off night)
TEB: Asada, Mirai, Csizny



Go Sila Saygi! Go Birce Atabey!

Are you sure Miki has the off night? I think Morozov is more likely to have an off night :biggrin:
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I feel it incumbent on me to mention that Estonia has nothing to do with Gedevanishvili, if that was the implication in the phrase "Turkey and Estonia." (Go, Elena!) I'm not trying to be picky or anything...it's just that I can never contribute when it comes to jump grading and suchlike. I only remember names. So I figured I'd bring it up. The closest Estonia has come to international glory that I can recall is to be near Lithuania, which sponsored Drobiazko and Vanagas. Gedevanishvili is from down the road apiece, in Georgia.

I'm glad to see people defend Rachael. She's a good skater, hardworking, meticulous. I don't know whether she's reached her full potential, and I don't know whether she's got any magic in her. We'll see what the season brings, and I hope she does the best she's capable of.
 

PolymerBob

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2007
NHK: Asada, Korpi, Flatt
Canada: Alissa (Lepisto withdraws), Phaneuf, Suguri!!!
China: Ando, Mirai, Suzuki
USA: Zhang, Flatt, Kostner
Russia: Suzuki, Wagner, Ando (Miki has an off night)
TEB: Asada, Mirai, Csizny

Let’s see. By this scheme............

Alissa is in the Final.
Mirai is in the Final.
Rachael may be in the Final.
Caroline may be in the Final if she comes in 4th at NHK.

Well, with 4 girls in the Final, one of them has to medal. :biggrin:
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
It would be easy to say it's Flatt's year, with most of the other girls experiencing physical setbacks, and with her dedicating her full attention to skating. After all, in HS she was still able to do respectably well.

It might also be easy to say it's Nagasu's year, given she can recover fully from her injury in a couple of months and peak late in the season like she did last year.

But I know better than that...
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Let’s see. By this scheme............

Alissa is in the Final.
Mirai is in the Final.
Rachael may be in the Final.
Caroline may be in the Final if she comes in 4th at NHK.

Well, with 4 girls in the Final, one of them has to medal. :biggrin:

Unfortunately I can't see Nagasu medaling at her first GP event. In fact, I question whether she will even go- I suppose it depends on whether she wishes to rest that foot a bit longer or not. Now, TEB is a possibility.

Czisny definitely has a shot at the GPF but she must skate very well at the TEB to place top 4.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
I feel it incumbent on me to mention that Estonia has nothing to do with Gedevanishvili, if that was the implication in the phrase "Turkey and Estonia." (Go, Elena!) I'm not trying to be picky or anything...it's just that I can never contribute when it comes to jump grading and suchlike. I only remember names. So I figured I'd bring it up. The closest Estonia has come to international glory that I can recall is to be near Lithuania, which sponsored Drobiazko and Vanagas. Gedevanishvili is from down the road apiece, in Georgia.

I'm glad to see people defend Rachael. She's a good skater, hardworking, meticulous. I don't know whether she's reached her full potential, and I don't know whether she's got any magic in her. We'll see what the season brings, and I hope she does the best she's capable of.

So far Rachael is 0 for 2. She lost to a Jr skater a couple of weeks ago - I think the one who just placed third at a JGP event and then she lost a showdown with Tom Z's new senior skater Agnes last week.

I don't see it as a big deal because she is surely preparing herself for the season and doesn't need to prove much at summer competitions.

Still, we don't normally see supposedly elite top threat senior skaters like the US Champion losing to middle of the road jr skaters. The problem is that Rachael missed jumps at these events. We know Yuna and Mao can miss jumps and still be hard to beat. That is not really the case with Rachael though.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
So far Rachael is 0 for 2. She lost to a Jr skater a couple of weeks ago - I think the one who just placed third at a JGP event and then she lost a showdown with Tom Z's new senior skater Agnes last week.

I don't see it as a big deal because she is surely preparing herself for the season and doesn't need to prove much at summer competitions.

Still, we don't normally see supposedly elite top threat senior skaters like the US Champion losing to middle of the road jr skaters. The problem is that Rachael missed jumps at these events. We know Yuna and Mao can miss jumps and still be hard to beat. That is not really the case with Rachael though.

WHAT??

Yes, that is her problem. She's got no wiggle room.

Luckily, we may have other skaters who do. Still, you've gotta hit when it counts. Rachel seems to be able to do that, so it sort of evens out in the end in a strange way.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Just for fun, Mirai is number three among active skaters on the ISU personal best list (number 4 if Yu-na Kim comes back), behind only Mao Asada and Miki Ando.

Rachael is sixth, with Lepisto and Kostner in between.
 

PolymerBob

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2007
Just for fun, Mirai is number three among active skaters on the ISU personal best list (number 4 if Yu-na Kim comes back), behind only Mao Asada and Miki Ando.

Rachael is sixth, with Lepisto and Kostner in between.

I would think Mirai should be behind Joannie.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
Is Joannie competing this year?

I think it is OK to consider her inactive since she pased over Worlds and this season's GP.
Not sure if she has officialy retired but she is not really active right now either.
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
I feel it incumbent on me to mention that Estonia has nothing to do with Gedevanishvili, if that was the implication in the phrase "Turkey and Estonia." (Go, Elena!) I'm not trying to be picky or anything...it's just that I can never contribute when it comes to jump grading and suchlike. I only remember names. So I figured I'd bring it up. The closest Estonia has come to international glory that I can recall is to be near Lithuania, which sponsored Drobiazko and Vanagas. Gedevanishvili is from down the road apiece, in Georgia.

I'm glad to see people defend Rachael. She's a good skater, hardworking, meticulous. I don't know whether she's reached her full potential, and I don't know whether she's got any magic in her. We'll see what the season brings, and I hope she does the best she's capable of.

I thought they were referring to Elena Glebova.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
Is it possible that some of the grumbling about our current Ladies is Michelle's fault?
She set the bar so high and left a legacy that may never be equaled again by a US Lady skater.

From her biography at RISE


"The most decorated figure skater in U.S. history, Michelle Kwan’s skating brilliance and accomplishments have earned her a place among the all-time greats of the sport. For more than a decade (1995-2005), Michelle dominated the sport like no other skater in history, winning an unprecedented 43 championships, including five World Championships, nine U.S. championships (eight consecutive) and two Olympic medals. In the nearly 100-year history of U.S. figure skating, no American man or woman has won more World titles, U.S. titles or Olympic medals.

Kwan’s activities off the ice have been equally noteworthy. In November 2006, the U.S. Secretary of State appointed her the first U.S. Public Diplomacy Envoy. In this capacity, Kwan travels the world and meets with young people to speak about leadership and to engage them in dialogue on social and educational issues. In June 2010, President Barack Obama appointed her to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, a group that advises the president on ways to engage, empower and educate all Americans to lead active, healthy lifestyles.

Kwan graduated from the University of Denver in November 2008 with a degree in international studies. She attends graduate school full time at Tufts University’s Fletcher School, where she is pursuing a master’s degree in international affairs.

Kwan’s skating artistry and grace are without equal. In her career she received 57 perfect 6.0 marks, the most by any skater in history. No performances were better than her two at the 1998 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, where she earned a record 15 perfect 6.0 marks out of a possible 18. To this day, it is called “the gold standard for future generations of figure skaters.”

Kwan has earned numerous awards and honors, including 2003 U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) SportsWoman of the Year; 2001 Sullivan Award (given to the top amateur athlete in America); 1998 Sportswoman of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation; 2002 and 2003 Kids’ Choice Award; and the 2002 Teen Choice Award for America’s favorite female athlete. She was selected one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” in 2000. In 2003, Kwan earned her seventh U.S. Figure Skating Skater of the Year award. In an unprecedented move, U.S. Figure Skating renamed the award in her honor. It is now called the Michelle Kwan Trophy. In May 2010, Michelle received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Southern Vermont College."


For more information and pictures visit the RISE website at:

http://www.rise1961.com/about-the-film/
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
janetfan, I agree pretty much 100%. Kwan really was a perfect-storm type skater and I think people can forget just how unique she was in the sport's history.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Maybe that's part of the issue, but the crux of it is that we no longer have a world/Olympic gold medal contender, and we almost always have had one in the past.

Once someone is able to rise to the occasion, most of the "grumbling" should stop.
 
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