well I think it all depends on how everyone does. a clean Ashley can't beat a clean Alissa. and who knows about mirai.
I hope Gracie either does not read the internet hype or has really strong shoulders to carry all the expectations being heaped on her back right now. FSU posters are suggesting she be sent to senior worlds this year. And Hersh suggested a month ago that she could win gold in Sochi.
That's a lot of hype for a girl that hasn't skated a single senior level competition.
That said, U.S. fans seem to get on a new junior bandwagon every single year. It seems there is always a junior lady who is going to conquer the world the moment she sets a blade on senior ice. We've been down this road. And they tend not to pan out. So I remain cautious with my excitement.
I did not say she doesn't have talent or that she won't do well. But if she buys into the current hype (or anyone in her immediate circle does), it may mentally derail her.
That said, U.S. fans seem to get on a new junior bandwagon every single year. It seems there is always a junior lady who is going to conquer the world the moment she sets a blade on senior ice. We've been down this road. And they tend not to pan out. So I remain cautious with my excitement.
Ashley's been around for a LONG time. She's won a few GP medals, but hasn't really broken through internationally at a major competition. ISU judges just aren't that impressed by her. So no, I don't think she's going to be the next big thing.
While I agree, keep in mind that Czisny has been around even LONGER. She was competing during the height of the Kwan/Cohen rivalry! She competed senior nats since 2002 (?), didn't win her first medal until 2007, and actually won in 2009.
Not everyone peaks at 16 or 17.
See article
Did well in the Grand Prix season, but needs to improve further if going to make more of an impact.
Since I started this thread several days ago and wrote the above post, Ashley has shown with her fantastic performance at U.S Nationals that in the 2 months since her performances at the NHK Trophy and Skate Canada, she has made further significant progress. NHK and Skate Canada illustrated that under her new coach, John Nicks, she had improved enormously since last season. With her win at U.S. Nationals and the further improvement that it is evident that she has made since then, I think she has shown that she is now a serious contender at a World level. Moreover, her career development strikes me as being very similar to skaters such as Joannie Rochette, Maria Butyrskaya, and Shizuka Arakawa. Those three only started to make an impact at a World level once they were past the age of 20. I think that the incredible progress that Wagner has made under John Nicks this season indicates that likewise she can too. And look at Akiko Suzuki - she has only started to make an impact at a world level in the last few years and she is now in her mid-20's.
I would add to this that, unlike a lot of the other US ladies, this is obviously something she REALLY wants and has the drive to do. It is truly, evidently, her main or only goal or desire at this point. I know some think she has an ego, and maybe she does, but she also has drive and I think that should not be discounted or underestimated.