Rochette pondering return to Olys | Golden Skate

Rochette pondering return to Olys

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
It sounds like she is hedging skating this upcoming season though which is not a good sign. I think she doesn`t like the pressure of singles skating and doesn`t want to really compete as a singles but may ahve to to be eligible to skate in the team event. I don`t think she wants to give a second rate try. She really just needs to go for it; she has a very realistic chance imho to make the Canadian team. She probably could beat everyone now on the pcs alone if she doesn`t have her lutz or flip back fully yet. her speed, transitions and pcs with the loop, salchow and toe loop would hold off Lacoste and Phaneuf. she could still make top ten couldn`t she
 

chuckm

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Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
She can't compete only in the team event. If she doesn't return for Worlds 2013 (and that seems to be pretty firm on her part), then Canada will have only one lady on the Olympic team. If that is Joannie, then she has to do both the team event (SP and FS) AND the individual SP and FS.

That's a pretty stiff order for a woman who has been pretty much away from elite competition for nearly 4 years.
 

leafygreens

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
She can't compete only in the team event. If she doesn't return for Worlds 2013 (and that seems to be pretty firm on her part), then Canada will have only one lady on the Olympic team. If that is Joannie, then she has to do both the team event (SP and FS) AND the individual SP and FS.

That's a pretty stiff order for a woman who has been pretty much away from elite competition for nearly 4 years.

I don't think you should "have" to do the individual to do the team event! JMO. Open it up to other athletes if the others don't want to do it.
 

chuckm

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Aug 31, 2003
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Entries for Sochi are qualified at Worlds 2013. If Joannie doesn't compete at Worlds 2013, then only ONE Canadian lady will be qualified to skate in Sochi (none of Phaneuf, Lacoste or Osmond are likely to finish top 10).

If Joannie is the ONE ladies Olympic entry from Canada and she decides to do ONLY the team event, then NO Canadian lady will compete in the individual event. That doesn't seem fair to all the Canadian ladies who would love to do both events.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Still, she could be a hero sweeping in like Mighty Mouse to save the day. Even if she finished in the middle of the pack in individuals, she could still help Canada win the team event with their strength in the other disciplines, especially men and dance.
 

chuckm

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Aug 31, 2003
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It's my understanding that the team event comes first, before the individual competition.
 

DianaSelene

Medalist
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Aug 2, 2011
Still, she could be a hero sweeping in like Mighty Mouse to save the day. Even if she finished in the middle of the pack in individuals, she could still help Canada win the team event with their strength in the other disciplines, especially men and dance.

The question is whether she will wish to skate in individuals at all. She might say that it is too much for her.
 

blue dog

Trixie Schuba's biggest fan!
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Dec 16, 2006
The question is whether she will wish to skate in individuals at all. She might say that it is too much for her.

If that's the case, then she can just pull out after the team event, and have the alternate skate the "main event" two weeks later, since it's usually the last event of the whole Olympics.

When is the deadline for the replacement? I know Kwan was in Torino up until the third day, when she pulled out.
 

chuckm

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Aug 31, 2003
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No, that won't work. A substitute comes into play if a skater withdraws BEFORE the start of the competition. If the skater withdraws AFTER a portion of the competition, then no replacement is possible.

Kwan withdrew during practices---well before the start of the SP and in plenty of time for the substitute (Hughes) to replace her.

IMO, part of the reason why Rochette hasn't made any definitive statement about her return is that she isn't sure about her having to compete what amounts to two full events back-to-back.
 
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Violet Bliss

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Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Joannie has been mainly tempted by the Team event, and the desire for a normal Olympic experience, but I don't think she is keen on participating in Singles, especially with the required two seasons of training and competing, thus the indecision. I hope she makes a decision she will be happy with for life.
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
No, that won't work. A substitute comes into play if a skater withdraws BEFORE the start of the competition. If the skater withdraws AFTER a portion of the competition, then no replacement is possible.

Kwan withdrew during practices---well before the start of the SP and in plenty of time for the substitute (Hughes) to replace her.

IMO, part of the reason why Rochette hasn't made any definitive statement about her return is that she isn't sure about her having to compete what amounts to two full events back-to-back.

Eh, is it rude to suggest that no lady skating singles for Canada is practically the equivalent of one lady not named Rochette at this moment in time?
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I look at it this way. If she competes successfully in the team event, then she has accomplished her mission and the rest is fun time. Who knows -- she might have so much fun that she will have a Liz Manley moment in the singles LP.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
:laugh: If Rochette doesn't skate we don't have anyone else to send anyway -- I apologize if that sounds rude. ;)
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Yep.

Amelie LaCoste/Cynthia Phaneuf skating singles: Disappointing
No Canadian lady entering: Disappointing.

More generally: remind me - After the countries with two or three slots take all their spots, countries go to a pre-disgnated senior B to earn a spot for their nation, right? So if Canada doesn't score a top ten next season, there is no guaranteed spot at the Olympics for ladies singles (though if Canada qualifiies for the team, they get a ladies competitor regardless, but only for the team event).
 

blue_idealist

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
Yep.

Amelie LaCoste/Cynthia Phaneuf skating singles: Disappointing
No Canadian lady entering: Disappointing.

More generally: remind me - After the countries with two or three slots take all their spots, countries go to a pre-disgnated senior B to earn a spot for their nation, right? So if Canada doesn't score a top ten next season, there is no guaranteed spot at the Olympics for ladies singles (though if Canada qualifiies for the team, they get a ladies competitor regardless, but only for the team event).

If that happens, we're back to a 1998 situation I guess. *sigh*

I actually think Kaetlyn Osmond MIGHT be able to get a 10th place finish at Worlds though.. she got 10th at Junior Worlds in quite a stacked field..
 

DianaSelene

Medalist
Joined
Aug 2, 2011
If that happens, we're back to a 1998 situation I guess. *sigh*

I actually think Kaetlyn Osmond MIGHT be able to get a 10th place finish at Worlds though.. she got 10th at Junior Worlds in quite a stacked field..

Possibly, she could get 10th but it would be even more difficult next year. Worlds will probably be joined by most of the competitors at this year's worlds plus Gold, Sotnikova, and Tuktamysheva. However, I think Osmond has much higher chances of getting into top 10 than Lacoste or Phaneuf.
 
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