2012-13 US Team envelopes announced | Golden Skate

2012-13 US Team envelopes announced

gsk8

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Country
United-States
U.S. Figure Skating announced today the individuals and teams that will compose the A, B and C team envelopes for the 2012-13 season. Athletes assigned to the Reserve team envelope will be announced at a later date.

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Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010

2010 National Champion, 2011 Silver Medalist. 2012 Envelop C.


Two times U.S. Champion (2009 and 2011), and current Silver medalist. 2012 Envelop B.

But seriously, it's hard to get level A. You must be top ten at worlds, medal at GP final, win Four Continents, or win U.S. Nationals.

Outside of the US, few know about Marley/Brubaker, or Hubbell/Donohue. Nor are they US champions. Both teams in envelop A.
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
I guess the list also reflects the weakness in US Singles internationally and their inconsistencies. Must be frustrating with all those talents, as listed as Team B.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
2010 National Champion, 2011 Silver Medalist. 2012 Envelop C.

Two times U.S. Champion (2009 and 2011), and current Silver medalist. 2012 Envelop B.

Out they go, with yesterday's dishwater. ;)

Outside of the US, few know about Marley/Brubaker, or Hubbell/Donohue.

Yet! :)

I guess the USFSA is more interested in where you're going than in where you've been.

The pairs situation is kind of unique, though. Only a few countries have a pairs team to send to Worlds at all, so "top ten," while an achievement to be proud of, is actually quite a ways down the list.

As for Hubbell and Donahue, I think they have a chance of overtaking Shibutani and Shibutabi for #2 in the U.S.

Anyway, what can you do? You set the bar, then see who can jump over it.
 
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Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
I looked a little further and realized the Team is all about international competitions and representations. Even Dornbush is now in Team C.

I guess the USFSA is more interested in where you're going than in where you've been.

But the list is determined by where they have most recently been internationally. There is either a discrepancy between their National and International standings or there is a tendency for national medalists to drop off quickly. Or plain inconsistencies.

Ice Dance is obviously the strongest discipline right now. The international standings are both high and relatively consistent.

Can I ask a super newbie question? What exactly does the envelope mean for a skater?

http://www.usfigureskating.org/Athletes.asp?id=209
 
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Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Basically? Money.

The USFSA typically does not like to mention specific dollar amounts. They probably have not yet been decided for next season, and no doubt it depends on revenue. My impression is that top skaters get a few thousands of dollars of direct assistance, in addition to paid expenses to attend international competitions.

According to this report

http://www.usfsa.org/content/FactSheet.pdf

last year the USFSA spent about $1,000,000 in direct grants to athletes through the ASUPP program (that's this team envelope thing), the USFSA bonus program, and dispersions from the 1961 Memorial Fund.

I am not exactly sure what the bonus program is about. Last year they gave out $95,000 in bonuses. This compares to $268,000 the year before -- a sign of the times. (For comparison, they paid Michelle Kwan more than $900,000 per year during the late 1990s when they were flush with money from ABC television.)
 
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Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
at least the top skaters still break even in the long run... unlike a certain other sport I follow... (look she didn't come right out and say said sport!)
 

tulosai

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 21, 2011
I think it's interesting that Nagasu got team B funding, the same as the last few years. Therefore she will not, actually, be working with less money this coming year than i past years (other than that she may have lost some potential money by not winning or medaling in many events this season).
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
I think it's interesting that Nagasu got team B funding, the same as the last few years. Therefore she will not, actually, be working with less money this coming year than i past years (other than that she may have lost some potential money by not winning or medaling in many events this season).

She has her silver from Cup of China to thank for that her Team B funding. Otherwise, she would have been on Team C.
 

coolboogie22

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 21, 2009
I'm wondering why Joelle Forte was at Skate America in 2011 ? Her ranking at the US Nationals is not in the top 5.
If someone know it, I wish that they write me a quote :)

But, I don't care that they choose Joelle for Skate America, I find that she was great at this competition and deserve to be more appeared in international competition.
I felt that she should have won the 3rd place at this competition, but she was undermark for lack of international experience. She is such a great skater :)
 

icellist

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 16, 2011
I'm wondering why Joelle Forte was at Skate America in 2011 ? Her ranking at the US Nationals is not in the top 5.
If someone know it, I wish that they write me a quote :)

But, I don't care that they choose Joelle for Skate America, I find that she was great at this competition and deserve to be more appeared in international competition.
I felt that she should have won the 3rd place at this competition, but she was undermark for lack of international experience. She is such a great skater :)

Joelle Forte was in the top 10 at nationals in 2011. All the other top 10 competitors on the senior grand prix from the US had 2 spots already. The other ladies in the top 10 (Siraj and Lam) were staying junior this past season. It was between Forte and Bulanhagui for the 3rd spot and Forte was not getting any younger (she was the oldest lady competitor at nationals for the past two years). She got the minimum score at Nebelhorn before SA host picks were chosen.

Usually Skate America invites the national champion (Flatt 2010, Czisny 2011), potential comeback skater (Caroline Zhang 2010, 2011) or junior-to-senior phenom (Caroline Zhang 2007, Mirai 2008, most likely Gracie 2012), and relative unknown from nationals top 10 (Alexe Gilles 2009, 2010 and Joelle Forte 2011).

Out of the top 10 this year Angela Wang, Vanessa Lam, and Kiri Baga are probably staying junior. Most everyone else in the top 10 and Gracie Gold will snag 2 spots (except Rachael and Christina Gao). If Rachael or Christina plan to continue, USFSA will probably give her 1 spot (most likely Christina).

Only Ashley Wagner is guaranteed 2 spots on the GP. Alissa Czisny (SBS 8, WR 4, Nat 2), Caroline Zhang (SBS 9, WR 26, Nat 4), Mirai Nagasu (SBS 11, WR 13, Nat 7), Gracie Gold (SBS 12, WR 55, JrNat 1) and Agnes Zawadzki (SBS 25, WR 19, Nat 3) are guaranteed 1 spot (but are shoe-in for 2) with their top 24 SBS or WR. Christina Gao (SBS 30, WR 33, Nat 5) and Rachael Flatt (SBS 38, WR 38, Nat 6) are not guaranteed any.

Rachael may retire and a host pick go to Christina Gao. Vanessa Lam (SBS 26, WR 45, Nat 9) may skate senior after making the JGPF but should stay junior until she can assure at least 1 spot on the senior GP. If she chooses seniors, she will only be on the substitute list if SBS is considered for the sub list. I'm hoping that the 3rd spot goes to Samantha Cesario who scored well in her last eligible year on the JGP and missed nationals two years in a row due to injury.

I'm betting on the 3 host picks to be Ashley Wagner (national champion), Gracie Gold (junior-to-senior phenom) and Christina Gao or Rachael Flatt (Nat top 10, no GP) with slight hope for Samantha Cesario (relative unknown jgp age ineligible)

Joelle Forte placed 14th at nationals this year and is age ineligible for juniors (one of the oldest lady competitors!). If she still wants to compete, I'm guessing she can only get Senior B's, but I agree that I very much enjoyed her at SA this year. Both programs were delightful especially the FS despite the hard fall on the lutz. I felt that if she wasn't such an unknown she would have received the PCS to place higher in the competition that was pretty much a splatfest. I also thought her 3S was not underrotated. She had a lot of transitions in her SP and a lot of transitions out of her jumps in the FS. The tuck she gets in her flying sit spin is marvelous as well as her true lutz. She was probably encouraged to compete for another year with funding last year but yet to hear if she wants to compete again this year. If you haven't yet, check out her SA FS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt7Ta9590lA! I hope she does though, I heard she added a 3F and practiced 3T-3T this past year for the first time (late bloomer!). And USFSA was more generous with Senior B's this past year.

lol, with this info, I should map out GP selection for American ladies
 

Narumi1997

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 24, 2009
From Vincent Zhou's Bio

Has skipped grades in school, and is in ninth grade honors math class and in the seventh grade gifted program for other subjects

WOW. Just WOW. Elite Skater while doing 9th grade math when by age, he's a 5th grader. I skipped a grade too...but not 4
 
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