The Elite Skaters at Skate America Want Points for the Final! | Golden Skate

The Elite Skaters at Skate America Want Points for the Final!

Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Here they are the big contestants looking for big points, imo:

Ladies: Kostner, Flatt, Zhang

Men: Takahashi, Oda, Rippon

Pairs: Savcheno/Szolkowy, Sui/Han, Denney/Barrett

Ice Dance: Riazanova/Trachenko, Davis/White, Crone/Poirrier

Enjoy the rivalry with keen eyes. :think:
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
In ladies, the ones to watch are Lacoste and Murakami. They each have 11 points and need a silver here to have a shot at the finals.

Kostner only needs to finish 4th. Flatt will secure a spot in the finals for sure with 2nd and is probably in with 3rd.

Zhang, with only 4 points in her first event, cannot make the finals no matter what she does here.
 

PolymerBob

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2007
Zhang, with only 4 points in her first event, cannot make the finals no matter what she does here.

That is very true. But this event is still important to Caroline for 3 reasons. She needs a bigger maximum score to ensure 2 GP events next year, she needs a confidence boost going into Nationals, and she has to show the USFSA that she is on an upward spiral.
 

wallylutz

Medalist
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
In ladies, the ones to watch are Lacoste and Murakami. They each have 11 points and need a silver here to have a shot at the finals.

Kostner only needs to finish 4th. Flatt will secure a spot in the finals for sure with 2nd and is probably in with 3rd.

Zhang, with only 4 points in her first event, cannot make the finals no matter what she does here.

If Lacoste can land the 3Lo+3Lo clean in the SP, plus the 3Lz, she could surprise a lot of the girls there. She received very high levels on her non-jump elements even last year, a lot of Level 4 on the GP Circuit. My money is on her to succeed Joannie Rochette in Canada should Joannie decides to retire on a de facto basis.

I don't think we can count on Kostner getting 4th or better, she can still bomb way out of the top 4.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
This is not a Prediction thread! There is a very good thread about predictions.

This is about who among the contestants are Elite in each Division, and expected to do well.

I read only one additional name in Ladies, that being Lacoste. I will watch her closely, and thank you for mentioning her.

(Regardless of what one thinks of Kostner, she already has 15 points and a 4th place in SA will more than likely bring her to the Finals.)
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
I think Murakami can skate much better than she did at NHK. If she does I see her with a podium finish and possibly winning.
I don't think Flatt can beat a cleaner Murakami unless she can bring her 3x3's and skate well herself.

That said Murakami is young and I can't try to predict how she will skate - which is for another thread anyway.

I will definitely be watching Caro and think she is experienced enough to produce a top four finish which takes her to the final. Any word on Caro's condition? Is her knee still bothering her?
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Intriguing that Denney/Barret are thought of as elite. In terms of the performances this season, they haven't showcased that. They had the lowest base value at NHK and very little GOE. Now, I don't know how emblematic that'll be of this season (I suspect that they'll increase that definitely) but they're against teams that will have a 3-5 point advantage base value wise. They have a lot to improve on, but right now, they're off. They'd have to score extremely well to really regain momentum and have a hope of getting into the GPF - right now, if Sui/Han and M-T/M get in the top four, they'll both be ahead of D/B (provided D/B don't win, of course). Right now, there is no such think as an elite American pairs team. That stated, I can't wait to see Zhang/Toth. I've heard good things about this team and I really liked one of their performances I saw on youtube. They're just up from juniors. And it'll be interesting to see if Stoblova/Klimov can make a mark. Unlike the other "junior-masquerading-as-senior" teams they really have no hope of making it to worlds (depth in Russia being what it is).

In dance, the big race to watch for is W/P vs Shibs vs C/P. The race is on for the final GPF slot, and perception. C/P are assured a slot in the GPF (knock on wood), but W/P could make a really big statement towards beating them at Nationals if they beat them here.

I'm not convinced the home ice is the biggest advantage for the US skaters as it is in other countries.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
The use of the adjective 'elite' is another way of saying top skaters and is used in this thread only. Hopefully, it will list all the SA skaters who have the ability to podium without reference to favorites.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
If so, then C&S may prove interesting to watch for the bronze. At SC in the SP, they landed perfectly synchronized sbs triple salchows, level 4 spins, level 3, steps, a good triple twist, and a throw 3S so large that David Pelletier enthused, "That's so big she needs a parachute!" and were in 2nd. The one element needing work was the death spiral, which only got level 1. However, they messed up a lot of stuff in the LP, and slipped to 3rd behind the 2nd Canadian team Lawrence & Sweigert. However, they were attempting a throw 3S, a throw 3A, sbs 3S, and a triple twist again.
 

cotillion

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 17, 2007
Just a thought , I would like to include Weaver & Poje in this group, if they do well(2nd or 3rd) and Crone & Poirier do well (2nd or 3rd), both could be off to the final! Yes, I am giving the win to Davis & White!!!
 

fairly4

Medalist
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
shibutani, riazanova/tkacenko, weaver and pjoe in ice dance
ladies--amelie lacoste and kanako-rachel and kosnter i think will get the points
men-
pairs-shapnir;castelli, denny/barret/, sui han , moore-towers/moskitvitch, russian pair team stoblova and klimov
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
The use of the adjective 'elite' is another way of saying top skaters and is used in this thread only. Hopefully, it will list all the SA skaters who have the ability to podium without reference to favorites.

You threw me off with the thread title, "Elite skaters want points for the finals. I thought you were asking for an analysis of those skaters who need to score a certain number of points to make the finals. That's why I mentioned Lacoste and Murakami.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Lacoste and Murakami as well as Castelli/Schapir are worthy of being podium bound. While I'm a big fan of Weaver/Poje, I don't see them on the podium, but I will look for a good showing.
 
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