I told you folks Ashley is the real thing. Oly gold here she comes! And farewell to Leonova. what the heck? You think she would have had her game face on knowing the pressure she had in Russia though the baby ballerinas are underperforming ie. Skate America - a bronze isn't bad. Orser's students are doing well this season it appears especially now that he got rid of Phaneuf through retirement. But Gao will find it tough with Gold and Czisny and a fired up Zhang and Zawadiak.
Sorry for being so nitpicky -- I just notice that you spell her name incorrectly often: it's Zawadzki.
While I agree Wagner and Hanyu are contenders for the Sochi Oly Gold you seem 100% certain they will win. It will be interesting to see if you are right on your extreme confidence on this or not.Originally Posted by Skater Boy
Did anyone else notice in the NBC broadcast that Scott Hamilton's "gushing" of Ashley Wagner's first few jumping passes did NOT jinx her for the rest of the skate?! How did that happen?!
Sorry about AGnes last name; I love this site but don't have a lot of time so it is a quick type and then back to studyingAs for my predictions well they are more in just and fun. I actually have other favourites but I do have a lot of respect for these skaters. Somehow Japan and the US bring about tough skaters who end up on top when it counts ie. Evan. Canada seems to have a problem in producing psychologically strong skaters. They tend to have consistency problems or if they are gold medal favourites they end up short Stojko twice, Orser twice, Browning twice, Buttle once, even S and P sort of got lucky as did Brasseur and Eisler in respect to their medals they all had extreme trouble with their individual jumps. But the US and Japan breed champions somehow. Mental toughness and competitive toughness - maybe because it is so hard to get out of the Us to worlds? But As we know ice is slippery... its peaking at the right time.
the American and Japanese ladies tend to have a lot more financial support so their dresses should probably look better and potentially much more costly. Vera Wang being a former skater herself does some costumes and it was almost sad to hear the likes of Nancy Kerrigan in her 13,000 dollar dress with hand set Swarovzki crystals against poor orphan waif Oksana Baiul who had to add more feathers to cover her growth spurt (probably from the Dollar store)LOL. Not to mention Evan L. - mind you Johnny Weir always managed to "outshine" him costume wise (good or bad) and probably a lot cheaper other than Wang may do it for the publicity.
In some cases the time off from "competitive" skating is about preserving your mental state from burnout as well as your body ie. Plushenko. I think because Kwan's career was so long in part she started school and did always compete in the grand prix. I guess it could be money but now there isn't so much money in show skating so you might compete to live. For example, Carolina may not be that old nor Joubert but it seems they have been around and they have to preserve themselves and their mental toughness. Ditto for Pang and Tong who are older - the body can take only so much. Not everyone is a late bloomer like Maria Butyrskaya. i am not sure Yuna would have stayed so fresh after 2010. aS well, one doesn't like to go down hill after winning Oly gold.
Orser doesn't coach Gao, Peter Johansson and Mark Mitchell does.
Great coaching change!
From seattletimes.com:
Rachael Flatt, a 2010 U.S. Olympian hampered by a lingering ankle injury, placed ninth in ladies singles.
"The last week has been pretty rough with my ankle," she said. "I'm hoping we can figure out what's going on with this injury because it just really has not healed over the last two years fully. I think we're probably going to have it reimaged and go from there.
"We just haven't seen anything (in tests) in the past and it's been incredibly frustrating. We'll see what happens."
Adelina is a non factor until she cleans up her nerves, the fact that she lost to Osmond now to Gao tells alot, she could turn into the next Carolina Kostner or Maria Butryskaya, a bit inconsistent, late bloomers and will have her peak in her 26-28 years old if she sticks to figure skating for a while.
Well whatever Gao is doing its great Orser or no Orser. Of course, I guess as many of you are pointing out one great or bad skate doesn't mean an awful lot. Consistency is the key. Ashley is doing it and maybe the only lady right now (worlds, 4cc's, Sa). I wonder how Yuna is doing? Is it safe to say there will be three tickets to Sochi for the US ladies?
Perhaps Wagner could try to win a World medal first. And Leonova is now a has-been based on one GP? She was 7th at Euros last year and then medalled at Worlds. I would not write her off, even with crappy Morozov programs.
Gao, as others have noted, is not an Orser student.
That said:
I am happy for Trewyn, who is the person who first sold me on the merits of Ashley Wagner. Hope you'll enjoy seeing her at TEB!
Last edited by Buttercup; 10-22-2012 at 03:29 AM.
I'd say Yuna is still the Favorite to win 2013 Worlds
but Ashley could surprise and win. I'd still send Gold with Ashley.
I still think Gao results here is a fluke and will royally bombed if sent to Worlds
ala Flatt and Czisny. we'll see if she can repeat this at CoR
Then why didn't she try a real thing: a combo 3L-3T/3F-3T or at least 3T-3T? It's lke a man skating without a quad. Do you seriously believe that someone with a junior set of elements can win in Sochi?
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