The Leading Ladies at the forthcoming US Nationals

Here they come, those beautiful girls:

Alissa Czisny
Rachael Flatt
Mira Nagasu
Ashley Wagner
Caroline Zhang
Agnes Zawadski
Alexe Gilles

Who will you pick for the World Team? or will you leave it to the results of the Nats?

I would pick Flatt and Nagasu, but that's not written in stone. I anticipate a Zawadski to usurp one of those I picked.

Joesitz said:

or will you leave it to the results of the Nats?

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considering they're all pretty much the same with their results, when they're "on", in the eyes of the international judges, I say let the competition decide. It hasn't really failed us before.

Tonichelle's right, let USA Nationals decide, it hasn't failed us yet. ITA.

Joesitz said:

Here they come, those beautiful girls:

Alissa Czisny
Rachael Flatt
Mira Nagasu
Ashley Wagner
Caroline Zhang
Agnes Zawadski
Alexe Gilles

Who will you pick for the World Team? or will you leave it to the results of the Nats?

I would pick Flatt and Nagasu, but that's not written in stone. I anticipate a Zawadski to usurp one of those I picked.

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You left out Christina Gao who beat Alexe, Alissa and Caroline last season at Natls.

My wish is that tradition is followed and the Gold and Silver medalist from Natls are named to the Natl team.

No predictions but think Agnes or Christina may stir the pot and surprise many.

Nice to see Natls fever is already capturing the hearts and imaginations of American skating fans. I got it bad and can barely give the GPF a second thought.

I hope Alissa wins. She is my home-town girl. I like them all, but Alissa is the only one that I feel like I know. (I don't really, but still...)

Alissa will be chosen for the World team anyway. I know this because the athlete representative on the USFSA selection committee is from Alissa's skating club. (She got second at the U.S. collegiate championship the year before Alissa got first in the same event. I don't know how she feels about Rachael, Mirai and the rest. Probably can't stand them. :yes: )

janetfan said:

...and can barely give the GPF a second thought.

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Go Alissa!

Mathman said:

I hope Alissa wins. She is my home-town girl. I like them all, but Alissa is the only one that I feel like I know. (I don't really, but still...)

Alissa will be chosen for the World team anyway. I know this because the athlete representative on the USFSA selection committee is from Alissa's skating club. (She got second at the U.S. collegiate championship the year before Alissa got first in the same event. I don't know how she feels about Rachael, Mirai and the rest. Probably can't stand them. :yes: )



Go Alissa!

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I admit to being for Mirai and Alissa. To be honest I wish Alissa would skate two clean programs just to see how she would be scored. Her decent skate at SC got a pretty good score but I know Alissa can skate better - theoretically atleast.

I suspect Alissa at her best beats all of the USA Ladies and most of the Intl Ladies as well.

I hope we see it sometime this season - but can she do it three times this season?

If she can only do it twice - then sorry, but the GPF is the least important. If Alissa has two good skates left in her this season they need to be at Natls and then Worlds.

I am not knocking the GP here - just stating what feels like the obvious.

my question is will any of the two skaters out of the mix be able to secure 3 spots for 2012?

Kimmie Fan said:

my question is will any of the two skaters out of the mix be able to secure 3 spots for 2012?

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Now you're talking.

I was hoping to see the fans' pairing of two skaters here, but the hold of the National's competition is for most, the best way to decide selection for Worlds. Even a preference for two personal picks is out of the question.

The top international skaters at Worlds will be: Mao Asada (not sure); Miki Ando; Kanako Murakami; Akiko Suzuki. also Yuna Kim, Kira Korpi, Laura Lepisto, Ksena Makarova, and Carolina Kostner. That makes eight plus 2 unknown Americans. Can the two unknowns squeeze in with their placements totalling 13?

(if 6 of those internationals hold the top 6 places, it will be tough for the unknowns.)

Joesitz said:

Now you're talking.

I was hoping to see the fans' pairing of two skaters here, but the hold of the National's competition is for most, the best way to decide selection for Worlds. Even a preference for two personal picks is out of the question.

The top international skaters at Worlds will be: Mao Asada (not sure); Miki Ando; Kanako Murakami; Akiko Suzuki. also Yuna Kim, Kira Korpi, Laura Lepisto, Ksena Makarova, and Carolina Kostner. That makes eight plus 2 unknown Americans. Can the two unknowns squeeze in with their placements totalling 13?

(if 6 of those internationals hold the top 6 places, it will be tough for the unknowns.)

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If I had a choice between a USA Lady making the World podium this season - or getting back three spots for 2012 Worlds the decision falls into the "no-brainer" category for me.

I would take the medal. I would also pick the Worlds team based on who I though had the best chance to win a medal.
That leaves "reliable" at a distinct disadvantage in my eyes. Reliable is not good enough to medal. I hope for more......

^^^^^
That's an opinion, and I am not against personal opinions. But among the US Nats results can they be assimilated to total 13?

Tonichelle said:

I say let the competition decide. It hasn't really failed us before.

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I don't totally agree that Nationals has not failed us. Nevertheless, I am with the majority that the top 2 ladies at Nationals will go to Worlds. I'm just not sure what factors will be involved in picking those top 2.

The top 2 ladies will go to Worlds. But will the best 2 go to Worlds?

For me, Mirai has the most upside potential for Worlds and international competitions in the near future (2011, 2012). Sorry to say I think Alissa, Rachel and Ashley have all plateaued - not that any of the three couldn't medal if the stars aligned just so. Ashley may be the most hungry for a spot and I could see that working for her. As for the youngsters - if anyone of them breaks through - good for them and gets 1st or 2nd, go ahead and send them - though I would worry that may leave us with only 2 slots again. So to boil it down to Joe's original question

Mirai plus anyone else (surprised I find myself leaning towards Ashley)

Joesitz said:

Here they come, those beautiful girls:

Alissa Czisny
Rachael Flatt
Mira Nagasu
Ashley Wagner
Caroline Zhang
Agnes Zawadski
Alexe Gilles

Who will you pick for the World Team? or will you leave it to the results of the Nats?

I would pick Flatt and Nagasu, but that's not written in stone. I anticipate a Zawadski to usurp one of those I picked.

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Alissa Czisny is about the only one I truly like in the list. I really hope she could go but I think realistically, Flatt and Nagasu are the best hope and should go to the worlds.

Hmmm, after some reflection I must admit there may have been a time or two that I thought USA Nationals might've gotten it wrong, one case in particular comes to mind. But that's like 1% out of 99% being *right*! So I'll take those odds. For the most part I think Nationals has been pretty fair overall. They do their best, and that's all one can really ask for. And they were right on at 2002 US Nationals (with a twist of irony thrown in there to boot)!

Okey doke, that said, I'll come right out and say I want Rachael Flatt on the Team, of course it being contingent that she come in 1st or 2nd at Nationals. I just really like her, of course none of the ladies skating today come close to my all-time favorites (Henie, Baiul, Hughes), but there are certain ladies skating today that I do enjoy, Rachael being one of them (Mao Asada another). And it's *not* just because she's consistent, lol, nope, she caught my eye from the moment I saw her for the first time at 2007 Nationals skating in that yellow dress with tons of grace, elegance, pizzazz, and effervescence! Not to mention that 3/3 combo., which she was unfairly not credited for when replays obviously showed that it was fully rotated. On the contraire, Kimmie Meissner's was obviously UR, but she got credit for it due to the fact that she was the top US lady at the time, as well as the 2006 World Champion. Totally understandable, Rachael was just a newbie 14 yr. old onto the senior circuit, and I'm sure that played a part. So be it.

The only time I didn't love Rachael's skating was during the 2009/2010 season. She didn't even resemble that same skater, effervescence lost, no light, programs & music didn't suit her at all imho. But thank goodness she got that back this season! YES! And to see it in person firsthand at 2010 Skate America will remain one of my most cherished memories of figure skating. She lights up the crowd like no other, full of light/love/happiness/joy, and nothing fazes her. The only lady to skate clean, and was duly rewarded with a standing O. Like a wildfire it was! arty:

What has me concerned though is the pain she has in her leg from perhaps jumping too much? The good news is that it's not a stress fracture, but the bad news is will she be able to skate full out at the GPF & Nationals? I'm praying that she can do it, and if anyone can it would be Rachael. In fact I was shocked to learn later that she was skating in pain at Skate America. I honestly couldn't tell, and it didn't affect her performance whatsoever, standing O & all. But I do have worries about the 3/3 combo. she plans on putting in her program, and which she will 200% without a doubt NEED in order to make the podium at Worlds (assuming she makes the Worlds Team of course). There's no way she can go head-to-head with Ando & Korpi, whom both have 3/3 combos. in their arsenals & *have* landed them in competiton, not to mention some of the other ladies, whom get higher PCS than Rachael. Therefore in order to make up for this she has to have a 3/3 combo. in her arsenal. In fact I'm sure she would've defeated both Kostner & Murakami if she had done a 3/3. Jmho.

Enough about Rachael, I really want ALL the ladies to skate clean and see where the chips fall! There always seems to be surprises at Nationals, and I don't expect anything less this time around as well. Lol, in fact I can recall so many new faces from the past when they were just mere babies entering the senior circuit for the first time, that very first glimpse (e.g. Naomi Nari Nam, Sasha Cohen, Sarah Hughes, Jennifer Kirk, AP McDonough, Yebin Mok, Deanna Stellato, and the list goes on & on). I look forward with great relish to see who might upset the apple cart, and that new name that will come blazing from out of nowhere to make the final ELITE group!


BRING IT ON, BRING IT ON!!!! :yay:

Here's my hope:
1. Alissa
2. Ashley
3. Rachael
While Alissa and Ashley are my two favorites competing, I doubt they'll place because neither have made top 10 at worlds and we need our third spot yet. The most likely to bring back the third spot are Mirai and Rachael, maybe Christina and Agnes when their time comes. Still, I look forward to it!

Here are the "leading ladies" whose top international score is 150+ so far this season:

172.37 Alissa CZISNY (Skate Canada)
167.79 Mirai NAGASU (Trophee Eric Bompard)
167.14 Christina GAO (JGP Austria)
167.02 Ashley WAGNER (Cup of Russia)
162.86 Rachael FLATT (Skate America)
161.75 Yasmin SIRAJ (JGP Great Britain) - too young for 2011 Four Continents/Worlds
156.41 Vanessa LAM (JGP Czech Republic) - her only international experience so far
154.35 Agnes ZAWADZKI (Skate Canada)

I think that the podium will consist of Alissa, Mirai, Ashley and/or Flatt. IMO any 2 of these skaters has as much chance as the other
2 of securing 3 spots so if this scenario pans out I believe the US will send 1-2 to Worlds.

Going by the scores does not show equal judging at wherever the Ladies received those scores. How difficult it is to select the skaters nowadays. I can only look at the GPs and Final with a glance at the US Nats for confirmation.

I guess we'll know about the ladies by January 29th?

Joesitz said:

Going by the scores does not show equal judging at wherever the Ladies received those scores. How difficult it is to select the skaters nowadays. I can only look at the GPs and Final with a glance at the US Nats for confirmation.

I guess we'll know about the ladies by January 29th?

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Totally off topic, but...Ladies free skate on my 30th birthday?!

I think it is way too early to start making guesses about who our two best ladies might be come March.

IMO it is too easy just to say that Rachael and Mirai were the two best last year. True, but what about this year? The two main opportunities for our ladies to show what they've got are still before us, the Grand Prix Finals and U.S. Nationals.

In the case of Mirai, Agnes, Christina, and Ashley, we will not get a chance to evaluate their progress until Nationals.

If either Alissa or Rachael wins the Grand Prix Final that will certainly be a feather in her cap whether she makes the world team or not.