Quote Originally Posted by wallylutz View Post
Gao is better off pursuing Harvard full time seriously - she never made the podium at U.S. Nationals, it's simply absurd to think she will suddenly be the 1st runner up at 4CC in a competition that is a lot stiffer than the U.S. Nationals.
I agree that Gao is unlikely to finish 1st runner up at 4CC, but I don't agree that the competition is a lot stiffer. Sure, Mao, Osmond, and Suzuki, if she is skating well, are top notch, but when you get past those 3, the competition for Gold, Gao, etc isn't any tougher than US Nationals. US Nats are probably deeper in the 6-10 placements than 4CC. Take one of my favorites, C.Zhang as an example. Fourth last year at US Nats, yet with a bronze at 4CC.