God, we get it, Chuck. We really do.Right. And Kaetlyn's competition was on HOME ICE before an enthusiastic Canadian audience, a boon for PCS scores.
Finally got around to seeing Gold's FS at nationals. She definitely looks promising. I like her jumps--very crisp.
It's really nice to see her and Osmond emerge from the US and Canada. It's been a while since we've had skaters with solid potential from North America.
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...
Based on talent and consistency, Gold is the real deal. She is one of the only US skaters capable of 3F-3T and 3Z-3T, and she has already cemented a win on the GP circuit this year.
The thing about Gracie is that her jumps get so much air under them that she completes the revolutions high above the ice, then has the leisure to look down and pick her landing spot. I have never seen anything like it.
Right. And Kaetlyn's competition was on HOME ICE before an enthusiastic Canadian audience, a boon for PCS scores.
Well we had just a few years ago Sasha Cohen, Rachel Flatt, Mirai Nagasu in 2010 and Joannie Rochette.
Sasha was out of the game a while ago, and like Joannie, was never a completely dominant skater in the sense that Kwan, Slutskaya, or Kim were and are.
It was pretty clear from the get go (to me at least), that skating was not going to be Rachel's future. And while I do love Mirai and her brightness, the jumps just weren't there.
I'm pretty reserved about Gold and Osmond too. They both have potential, but they--especially Osmond--both have aspects of their skating that worry me when thinking about their future prospects. It's the same worrying that kept bothering me when I watched Asada and her jump technique when she was younger. I sincerely hope that these two succeed--especially since they'll be at the ideal age when the next Olympic Games in PyeongChang comes around (not to mention, rivalries are fun! )
I think when Gracie gets some maturity she will pass up Wagner pretty quickly unless Ashley starts doing 3-3's. The first time Gracie beats Ashley might be when she takes over as top lady. Ashley might have a hard time beating after that. Gracie does not have to do a Kwan transformation to get to the top she just needs more polish and expression.
I think Osmond's jumps have actually improved, particularly her double axel, 3F and 3T-3T. Her lutz is her only weakness but otherwise she gets great flow and does transitions into them.