Gold is skating's bright new star

[Nadia01]

Wasn't Gold considering leaving skating not too long ago?

I think you're confusing her with Mao, who did consider that after her mother's death & her not so great result at the worlds last year.

[kwanatic]

Unpopular opinion, but I still think no one deserved the National title based one their performances there.

I agree too. Ashley tanked the FS and won based solely on the strength of her overall skating for the past 12 months combined with the USFSA's desperation for some stability in their ladies' program. I say Ashley was made the 2-time champion to keep up appearances on the international stage and hopefully help boost her going to worlds. That FS was not worth 121 points...

Gracie tanked the SP. Her FS was a great program in terms of jumps. If you strip out the jumps, there's nothing about that program that would excite, entertain me or even keep my attention. She skates like a fresh off the JGP skater and that is going to have to change quickly if she wants to compete among the best. Gracie may be able to get over with her technical mark but she'll be buried in the PCS. She was all jumps...and that wasn't worth 132 points IMO. She won the FS but that score was ridiculous given the level of the program she put out.

I suppose I agree with the placements and I do think Ashley and Gracie are probably the best combination to attempt to earn that 3rd spot, but the judging was disgraceful at this year's competition...

[tulosai]

I am very glad that Gracie is going to world and getting that International Esposure. If she skates like she did in her LP at Nationals she will do just fine. Marai has had so many chanches at Worlds and the Olympics and has never medaled. Time for some one else to have the oportunity. Gracie has all the Technical goods to medal. All she needs is a little polish and she will be hard to beat. It is a lot easier to learn the polish than the jumps and she is only 17. For her first Nationals she did extremely well.

Actually, Mirai has only had one chance at Olympics and Worlds- the same year. She was third the next year when IMO she should have been second (at Nationals) and did not get to go. If USFSA had not dumped her after her (admittedly poor) performance at Worlds in 2010, I really wonder what could/would have happened.

In addition, of the two chances she has had, she was 4th (hardly blowing it) and 7th (which was bad given her lead after the short, but again, hardly the disaster some would have us all believe).

I am not saying she should be on the World team this year, but your post is just an inaccurate portrayal of the chances she's beengiven.

[chuckm]

Gracie tanked the SP. Her FS was a great program in terms of jumps. If you strip out the jumps, there's nothing about that program that would excite, entertain me or even keep my attention. She skates like a fresh off the JGP skater and that is going to have to change quickly if she wants to compete among the best. Gracie may be able to get over with her technical mark but she'll be buried in the PCS.

Lets have a little dose of reality here. Gracies' PCS scores aren't that much lower than Kaetlyn Osmond's. Compare Osmond's PCS scores for her FS at SC to Gracie's at CoR. Neither had a clean FS, but Gracie's was messy, with a turnout on her lip and two doubled jumps (a double-footed loop and a solo lutz). Kaetlyn lipped and fell on her flutz but was otherwise clean; she had the benefit of an enthusiastic, supportive audience.

59.61 7.32 7.25 7.61 7.46 7.61 Osmond
58.10 7.54 6.93 7.32 7.39 7.14 Gold

[Skater Boy]

I agree too. Ashley tanked the FS and won based solely on the strength of her overall skating for the past 12 months combined with the USFSA's desperation for some stability in their ladies' program. I say Ashley was made the 2-time champion to keep up appearances on the international stage and hopefully help boost her going to worlds. That FS was not worth 121 points...

Gracie tanked the SP. Her FS was a great program in terms of jumps. If you strip out the jumps, there's nothing about that program that would excite, entertain me or even keep my attention. She skates like a fresh off the JGP skater and that is going to have to change quickly if she wants to compete among the best. Gracie may be able to get over with her technical mark but she'll be buried in the PCS. She was all jumps...and that wasn't worth 132 points IMO. She won the FS but that score was ridiculous given the level of the program she put out.

I suppose I agree with the placements and I do think Ashley and Gracie are probably the best combination to attempt to earn that 3rd spot, but the judging was disgraceful at this year's competition...

ITA but the USFA and we all know this combo is probably the best shot balancing everything out - ie. ability, consistency and difficulty etc.

[Mathman]

Phil Hersh tweeted a thanks to his Chicago Tribune staff for coming up with the following, channeling George Burns and Gracie Allen: "Say hello, Gracie."

[os168]

Probably because it's easier to market "Gold is Golden!", "GOLDen Girl!" "Gold lives up to her namesake!", etc.

That, and because she has a pretty smile. (Not to say Ashley doesn't have a pretty smile; she does.)

Heh.. they have used similar titles on Chinese press for Kim Yuna for ages. The surname 'Kim' translate as 'Gold' in Chinese. Good luck Gracie, I am glad for another quality jumper on the scene, it is nice to have some counter balance to the Russian babies.

Lets have a little dose of reality here. Gracies' PCS scores aren't that much lower than Kaetlyn Osmond's. Compare Osmond's PCS scores for her FS at SC to Gracie's at CoR. Neither had a clean FS, but Gracie's was messy, with a turnout on her lip and two doubled jumps (a double-footed loop and a solo lutz). Kaetlyn lipped and fell on her flutz but was otherwise clean; she had the benefit of an enthusiastic, supportive audience.

59.61 7.32 7.25 7.61 7.46 7.61 Osmond
58.10 7.54 6.93 7.32 7.39 7.14 Gold

The PCS game can get crazy for home events especially for newbies the federations tries to prop up. It comes down to my federation is more powerful/shameless/boisterous than yours and not embarrassed to flaunt it. Wonder how they will do at 4CC, is Gracie confirmed going?

[vera01]

The PCS game can get crazy for home events especially for newbies the federations tries to prop up. It comes down to my federation is more powerful/shameless/boisterous than yours and not embarrassed to flaunt it. Wonder how they will do at 4CC, is Gracie confirmed going?

I think she is competing at 4CC.

I think it would be Kaetlyn vs Gracie for silver/bronze medal. With no Ashley in 4CC, they have higher chance to win a medal. I'm not sure how Gracie would do at Worlds-I've heard that almost all of the tickets are sold out for ladies SP/FS so there'll be many spectators. Yuna should be competing ahead of Gracie and Yuna is capable of earning higher SP score than Gracie's and is more consistent. Gracie would have a pressure on her to bring 3 Olympic spots for US.

However, I hope Gracie skates 2 clean program(for first time this season) and win a medal at 4CC. She should be able to skate 2 clean programs by Worlds.

[chuckm]

Don't forget that 4CC is in Japan. The audience is going to go wild for Mao, Akiko and Kanako and the judging panel has four Asian judges (CHN, JPN, TPE, KOR). Lots of luck, Gracie and Kaetlyn---you're going to need it.

[dorispulaski]

As well they should
Gracie has at least been to Japan (WTT last year) but her Japanese debut wasn't stellar...or horrible.

[jenaj]

As well they should
Gracie has at least been to Japan (WTT last year) but her Japanese debut wasn't stellar...or horrible.

I was thinking that as well. Ashley won the free program at WTT and Gracie was something like 4th or 5th. We'll see if she can skate clean again--and overcome her short program problems. I certainly hope that Gracie lives up to the hype, but hype is all it is right now.

[jenaj]

^ Oh, pooh, at "no [girl] deserving to win the Nats this year".

Gracie Gold put down a technical performance that no American lady has done since...I guess someone mentioned Kristi Yamaguchi? Early 90's?

Tonya Harding and Tara Lipinski both had equal or superior technical performances, IMO. Tara did a difficult 3-3 as well as 3-seq-3 way at the end of her program. And Tonya did a triple axel that rivaled what Midori Ito was doing--still better than anything we've seen from any ladies skater since.

[chuckm]

I was thinking that as well. Ashley won the free program at WTT and Gracie was something like 4th or 5th. We'll see if she can skate clean again--and overcome her short program problems. I certainly hope that Gracie lives up to the hype, but hype is all it is right now.

Gracie was 4th in the SP and 5th in the FS at WTT. She beat Leonova (2012 World silver) and Murakami (5th 2012 Worlds), pretty darned good for the new US Junior Champion, who had skated Junior programs in her 2012 JW silver and 2012 US Nationals performances. WTT was Gracie's 1st Senior international event and only her 3rd international event ever.

[dorispulaski]

Tonya Harding and Tara Lipinski both had equal or superior technical performances, IMO. Tara did a difficult 3-3 as well as 3-seq-3 way at the end of her program. And Tonya did a triple axel that rivaled what Midori Ito was doing--still better than anything we've seen from any ladies skater since.

Not Tara. It's just that in Tara's day, you didn't get penalized for UR's or spinny little 2A's. Tara was great for her day, but she wasn't Tonya & she wasn't Gracie. OTOH, her joy of skating was wonderful, but that's a PCS issue, not technical.

[Jammers]

Tonya Harding and Tara Lipinski both had equal or superior technical performances, IMO. Tara did a difficult 3-3 as well as 3-seq-3 way at the end of her program. And Tonya did a triple axel that rivaled what Midori Ito was doing--still better than anything we've seen from any ladies skater since.

Tara had small jumps that would get savaged by the scoring system now and didn't have the speed or power of Gracie. And to be honest she wasn't that artistic when she won the Gold medal. She was still a little girl.