Where do Zawadzki and Gao go from here?

[Olympia]

Because next year is the Olympics. If she sticks to her formidable schedule, she will be an impressive all-round accomplished young woman who is an ivy-league student and a top-five skater in her country. A place for everything, and everything in its place. This may not be enough to vault her over the other skaters in her own country (none of whom currently have top-three world rankings), let alone the top three world skaters. To do that, she may have to give a little more to the athlete side of her currently balanced scholar-athlete equation.

[momskate]

"there is something lacking in Gao's skating"
TIME, tha's what is lacking in my opinion. She is full time student, too busy for full time figure skating

[silverlake22]

Christina has actually improved since going to Harvard though. Her consistency especially, but her 2a is also better, as is her stamina, and her speed and posture are much improved. In some ways I think being a full-time student helps Christina with the mental/competitive aspect just because she doesn't have time to worry or obsess much over her skating and other competitors, so that likely leads her to be less nervous and just go out and skate. So far this season, that seems to have paid off for her. I think if Christina can bring back the 3f-3t and work on improving her flexibility and spins, then she can be a real contender. No, her jumps aren't going to get +2s and +3s for GOE, but they are still beautiful and usually get +1s which combined with her consistency and ability to almost always get full rotation on them, is going to work in her favor. I think people would see her as more "WOW" if she could bring back the 3f-3t and then have better spins and flexibility/lines, it would just make her stand out more, and I think part of the reason her PCS tend to be modest is because she's a subtle and quiet skater, but with these changes, she can turn into a, I don't want to say flashy, but more striking or powerful skater. Just my two cents, but honestly she has every quality she needs to be at the top, it's just a matter of finding a way to effectively channel and deliver it.

[pangtongfan]

I think Gao is too much like a Yu Na Kim lite. It is never good to mimick a skater you are never going to be as great as. I think if she can find her own niche and look, and not look like she is trying to be Yu Na Kim, she can do better and possibly make a World team down the road. It is similar to how Leonova used to be a poor womens version of a young Slutskaya, and she never would have come close to a World podium if she didnt transform herself into her own skater, knowing she was never going to be anywhere near as good as Slutskaya, especialy at a similar style of skating, look, and having the same strengths, so she needed something else.

[eyria]

You know, I used to feel the same, that Christina was like a mini-Yuna. It makes sense. She trained with Yuna for a year or two, and there are similarities between them: both Asian, both somewhat tall and long-legged (for skaters), both somewhat reserved in their expression on the ice. It's only natural she would look up to Yuna and emulate her. But I think Christina's starting to find her own way and develop her own persona. This year's tango long program was different; it wasn't like something Yuna would do. Yuna is more about fast, sweeping movement on the ice, Christina is more about delicate expression and detail. Just my opinion. I do agree Christina needs to keep on developing her own style on the ice and bringing out her own personality. That's going to be very important going forward. She needs that same kind of "breakout" program/performance that Ashley had last year at Nationals with Black Swan.

[eyria]

Christina has announced that she will take a year off from Harvard to train and hopefully make the Olympic team:

http://www.usatodayeducate.com/stagi...ool-or-skating

I'm happy she's going to continue . . . hope it works out for her.

[Ziggy]

Another Nationals and nothing has changed status quo with these two. Gao continues (and this year more than ever) to be overlooked and even blatantly held down at times by National judges, and Zawadzki continues to slam herself down, especialy in the long program. Will either of these two wonderfully talented skaters who should be part of the U.S future along with people like Gold and Hicks, ever fulfill their immense promise. Will the judges, especialy in the U.S, ever allow Gao to; and will Zawadzki ever allow herself to.

I don't understand this thread. They are both on the right track, slowly improving and moving in the right direction.

Gao lacks basics but she's slowly getting there. Zawadzki has been a little more consistent this season and I feel she's learning to control her jumps better.

[tulosai]

Christina has announced that she will take a year off from Harvard to train and hopefully make the Olympic team:

http://www.usatodayeducate.com/stagi...ool-or-skating

I'm happy she's going to continue . . . hope it works out for her.

I truly think (and definitely hope) that this is the right decision for her

[dorispulaski]

I hope Gold & Wagner secure 3 places for the Olympics so that there will be a little more opportunity for all.

I hope Christina continues to train in Boston, though. I thought she improved a lot this year.

[eyria]

I hope Gold & Wagner secure 3 places for the Olympics so that there will be a little more opportunity for all.

I hope Christina continues to train in Boston, though. I thought she improved a lot this year.

I hope so too. I can't really imagine her leaving. This has been clearly her most successful year, so it makes sense for her to stay. Plus she seems to enjoy the whole group of skaters & coaches at SC of Boston. The only disadvantage is she'll now have to get an apartment in the (expensive) Boston area as I assume she wouldn't be able to stay in student housing at Harvard.

[Sasha'sSpins]

I believe not a single person will call him or herself a fan of Zawadzki...and yet, she is the queen of us nationals.

I like Agnes but 'queen of us nationals'? Thats a bit of a stretch imo.

[tulosai]

I hope so too. I can't really imagine her leaving. This has been clearly her most successful year, so it makes sense for her to stay. Plus she seems to enjoy the whole group of skaters & coaches at SC of Boston. The only disadvantage is she'll now have to get an apartment in the (expensive) Boston area as I assume she wouldn't be able to stay in student housing at Harvard.

Student housing ain't cheap. At Northwestern 5 ish years ago when I was in school there it was much cheaper to live off campus, and Evanston/Chicago isn't a cheap area at all. The only difference would be if she was using student loans to subsidize her dorm. She obviously can't get those for next year.

[Sasha'sSpins]

Gao needs to decide does she go for Oly glory maybe just to skate and give up a year of school or even the first semester - within two weeks of the second semester she should know if she is going to the Olympics and or worlds so she can drop out of school if necessary. She needs to focus. All these girls want to go to the Olympics and there are lesser ones too. But of the known quantities you have Ashley, Gracie, Rachel, Mirai, Carolyn, Agnes, Christine, Alyssa and that doesn't include many other potential great skaters vying for two maybe three spots. Ashley is all but assured of one so you do the math. they need to do something special and fast.

Agreed. Unless Ashley implodes in the Olympic season she is going to Sochi. The others - well it's going to be about who wants it the most-and possibly some politics might be involved as well for the final Olympic spot(s).

I hope Gold & Wagner secure 3 places for the Olympics so that there will be a little more opportunity for all.

I hope Christina continues to train in Boston, though. I thought she improved a lot this year.

I hope so too. It hurts to be in that 3rd spot-and know that you're not going to make the Olympics, the best hope being alternate.

[golden411]

Zawadzki is the first athlete (and the only figure skater) covered in the espnW.com article below.

Five athletes share their Olympic journey

Feb 7, 2013 4:05 PM ET | By Sarah Spain
http://espn.go.com/espnw/olympics/89...lympic-journey

ETA:

Hope the reporter's error is some kind of good omen for Czisny : "For many of the skaters in Japan, this weekend will be a last chance to impress before the World Championships in March, but Zawadzki won't participate in Worlds unless one of the top two U.S. skaters, Alissa Czisny or Ashley Wagner, has to pull out."

[flying camel]

I'm happy for her also. Although, I wish she would go to school part - time or take an online class. She has her work cut out for her though. I hope her coaches can work on some of her weaknesses.