State of American Ladies: 2012-13 Season

[Skater Boy]

I wouldn't panic. I believe she was injured but still one would expect her to have a little more on the pcs. I hope she isn't succumbing to the pressure - she must know deep down she has a chance to go to world's. THat is if Alyssa isn't fully recovered and regains some confidence and if Mirai doesn't recover fully from her issues. She will be in tight having to beat Gold and Zawadiak let alone Flatt. I am thinking Wagner is looking good for one spot at Nationals to go to world's. She will be the rock. THe second skater will be like a chance, so many good skaters but can they hold it together. It's not how you start but how you finish.

[b-man]

I am not saying she should or she will. I am just pointing out that stamina/physical fitness issues that prevent a skater from skating well are serious enough that they may decide they can't go on and would rather leave the sport. Of course, we don't really know the whole story, but it's quite clear that the lutzes, flips, and loops that Caroline was able to land at Nationals and 4CC are missing in action for her now. And she must be as frustrated as anyone about it. And yeah, a major part of her skating story is not just a struggle with poor technique, but also a struggle with adjusting and managing her developing/changing body so that she can skate well.

Caroline was noticeably slimmer and fitter at Nationals in San Jose, compared to 2011 in Greensboro. I haven't seen videos from Neibelhorn, but I am hoping she is somewhere near the fitness she had last year.

[heyang]

Taking this into consideration, why hasn't the USFSA make sure that she got two events? Nagasu is simply an incredible skater. I think any country would jump at the chance to have her skate for them. Even Japan and Russia would find her to be an asset and their fields are deep. This isn't to say that I don't appreciate how great Ashley and Gracie are. It's just that I am not willing to overlook Mirai either.

I truly enjoy Mirai when she's on and hope she gets her head together. However, she's been very unreliable for the last couple of years - thus, only 1 event IMHO.

[R.D.]

I am thinking Wagner is looking good for one spot at Nationals to go to world's. She will be the rock.

Oh boy...I would not say that...definitely not!

[Krislite]

Oh boy...I would not say that...definitely not!

Too late! She has been doomed by those careless declarations! When will people learn never to temp the skate gods.

In all seriousness, one good season does not a trend make. Just look at Nagasu, Czisny, Flatt and Zhang. I don't have high hopes for them (psst...I'm trying to help them out).

[Skater Boy]

Okay, sorry. But it could be taken in another way - the rock that rolls down the hill, the rock that plummets to the abyss where faded skaters go before retiring and memorizing the words "would you like fries with that". Seriously, Wagner looks good and she is developing artistically and has great presence. She has had more time to mature than the russia baby ballerinas so I would give her the edge.

[skatingcoach]

Hate to say it but Zhang needs to lose some weight! She probably ate too much sweets during the summer! Those extra weight do make you jump lower and underrotate your jumps.

[Jtsmith12]

Does anyone know why Mirai only got 1 GP?

[janetfan]

Does anyone know why Mirai only got 1 GP?

Is there a possibilty she only requested one GP?

She is doing Finlandia and CoC and then Natls. Maybe for whatever reasons that's all Mirai wanted to do leading up to Natls......

Or maybe US Skating is trying to light a fire under her.....but that seems doubtful not to mention unfair.

Did a couple of US Skaters with lower world rankings than Mirai get two GP's this season?

I don't see how it matters all that much. In USA how you do at Natls seems to be the all-encompassing factor.

And no, making the GPF or medaling at 4CC does not get a skater a spot on the Natl team and a trip to Worlds.

A while back I recall Mirai saying "skating might be what I do but it doesn't define me."

Kind of interesting ......

[sky_fly20]

Is there a possibilty she only requested one GP?

She is doing Finlandia and CoC and then Natls. Maybe for whatever reasons that's all Mirai wanted to do leading up to Natls......

Or maybe US Skating is trying to light a fire under her.....but that seems doubtful not to mention unfair.

Did a couple of US Skaters with lower world rankings than Mirai get two GP's this season?

I don't see how it matters all that much. In USA how you do at Natls seems to be the all-encompassing factor.

And no, making the GPF or medaling at 4CC does not get a skater a spot on the Natl team and a trip to Worlds.

A while back I recall Mirai saying "skating might be what I do but it doesn't define me."

Kind of interesting ......

this is typical some skaters will be passed over in favor of the hailed
next skaters to beat, I don't think Mirai or Caroline have the US backing anymore
they are focusing on Gracie, Ashley and Agnes :(

[brightphoton]

Did a couple of US Skaters with lower world rankings than Mirai get two GP's this season?

Yup. Christina Gao has 2 spots and Agnes Z received her second one recently.

[bigsisjiejie]

There's another possibility when speculating about Mirai and only one GP so far. And that is that Alissa is unlikely to be ready for NHK and will pull out, leaving the spot open for another pick, which would logically be Mirai because of her ranking on the substitute list and also (from the host's point of view) that she would generate the sort of interest that some of the other foreign skater options might not. Mirai's camp may be gambling on that and making her "unavailable" for other options that come up prior, in the hope that a last minute substitution would go her way. Assuming they are allowed to do that--I don't know the ISU rules. Perhaps her camp, Alissa's camp, USFSA, and the hosts of NHK may be privy to information we are not.

I have found it quite a stretch to think that with her surgery and recovery, that Alissa would be in competition form this season, much less by NHK.

[janetfan]

this is typical some skaters will be passed over in favor of the hailed
next skaters to beat, I don't think Mirai or Caroline have the US backing anymore
they are focusing on Gracie, Ashley and Agnes :(

And yet we have some very respected posters here who are never shy about proclaiming the fairness of US Skating. They mention terms like "mission statement" and "for the benefit of participating skaters."

Did I miss something here - is Mirai not a "participating skater"? Are there several skaters who were given two assignments that have not equaled Mirai's Intl record?

Flatt bombed the GPF and Worlds and got two assignments the following season..... along with Skate America just about every season.

No one has been more up and down than Alissa (Ashley is close, no) and even coming off a major injury US Skating made sure to give her what she wanted this season.

Why is Mirai seemingly held to a different standard? Why is our best Japanese-American skater sent to CoC just about every season?
This season, with the political and nationalistic tensions it seems particularly uncaring of US Skating to send Mirai off to CoC yet again.

My feeling is there must be factors at work here that I don't understand.

[dorispulaski]

Okay.
USFS has no power at all to give a GP second event to anyone, except at Skate America. The only events to which they can Assign skaters are Senior B's & such, Skate America (3 slots), 4CCs & Worlds. And they can negotiate with other federations to get them to take one of our skaters for their host pick. But they can't force them to take any skater.

Now let's look at Mirai's situation. She finished 7th at US Nationals, and was assigned 1st alternate to Worlds last year. She didn't make the GPF. She did get a medal at CoC (silver) last year.

Mirai is on USFS Team B along with:
http://www.usfsa.org/Athletes.asp?id=209

Alissa Czisny
Caroline Zhang
Mirai Nagasu
Christina Gao
Agnes Zawadzki
Gracie Gold


Already we see some favoritism FOR Mirai, because she could easily have been assigned to Team C, as was Rachael Flatt.
This means Mirai gets more funding than Flatt.

How did USFS do that? They put in a bogus rule for Team B. Buried amongst the Spam Cans and other usual rules, they added this opportunity to get someone on Team B:
http://www.usfigureskating.org/Athletes.asp?id=350

•World Team 1st Alternate in the 2012-13 season

And that is why Mirai, and not Christina, Agnes, Caroline, or Rachael, was the first team alternate for Worlds.
USFS Favoritism. For Mirai

However, being on Team B does not get you out of having to qualify for US Nationals by competing in regionals and sectionals. If you finished 6th or 7th at US Nationals, you are not prequalified for Nationals. If you finished 5th or higher you are. But there are other ways:

http://www.usfigureskating.org/Events.asp?id=490

■Placing in the top four at the current season's sectional championships
■Placing in the top five in a senior event at the previous year's U.S. Championships
■Winning a medal at the most recent Olympic Winter Games
■Winning a medal at the previous year's World Championships
■Advancing to the current season's Grand Prix Final or Junior Grand Final
■Earning an "international bye" based on proximity of an international assignment in the current season to the sectional championships

From time to time, it has been 6th and higher, but I've never seen 7th pre qualify you.
You will note that Mirai does not meet any of those requirements to get out Sectionals and Regionals. Neither does Rachael.

But Mirai meets the one about having a senior assignment close to the same time. For BOTH sectionals and regionals.

You can get byes if you are competing at an international competition at roughly the same time as Sectionals and Regionals.
Mirai competes in SW Pacifics Regionals and Pacific Coast Sectionals
http://www.usfigureskating.org/Shell.asp?sid=24616

Southwest Pacifics start 10/12 so Mirai Was Assigned by USFS to Finlandia which is close enough, as it runs through Oct. 7th. Consequently, she does not have to go to Regionals.

Sectionals is the first week of November or so.

Cup of China is 11/2
Pacific Coast Sectionals are 11/9
Therefore, Mirai does not have to do Sectionals either.

Consequently, Mirai will get to US Nationals without qualifying.

I would call that beaucoup favoritism for Mirai from USFS.

YMMV

USFS's lowest priority has always been given the folks at Skate America the choice of skaters they'd like to see.
And in this case, it's in Mirai's best interest to have CoC too.

[brightphoton]

Top seniors get free rides to next nationals, even if they do very poorly, rules be darned. I remember Alissa Czisny finished 10th at nationals and got a bye to the next nationals the same way as Mirai, by going to a GP event. It was done the same way, she -technically- had to attend sectionals but the timing of her GP event got her a bye. Traditionally, seniors in this situation get GP events that coincidentally matches up with their sectionals, so it's not like the USFSA did Mirai some grand, one-time favor.

At the very least, there are some written rules for figure skating. if you think this is bad, the US Gymnastics has no criteria at all. Literally, a bunch of people go into a back room and choose which gymnasts go to the Olympics and Worlds. What few rules exist are bent willy nilly. Why do they have competitions at all? Everyone could save a lot of time and effort if they simply emailed Martha Kayoli and asked her what she wants.