Gracie Gold - a dark horse for the Olympics medal | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Gracie Gold - a dark horse for the Olympics medal

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Please...this is her FIRST go with FrankC at the boards. They've worked together, what, 5 weeks? Whatever they settled in for in the SP they need to find in the LP and she will lock it in.
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
But as we've seen in years past some skaters are just not tough under pressure and others like Lipnitskaia are like a rock. And that can't be taught.
 

Selene

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Sadly Gracie skates like Mirai used to whenever she had a lead. You knew she wasn't going to seal the deal and usually gave it up. Until Gracie shows that she can hold a lead i'll keep feeling this way. Bad programs or not if she had skated clean she still would have won. She let a big one slip away.

I have been saying for a while that she doesn't have the mental fortitude to be a winner. It's something innate in a person. Julia Lipnitskaia has it. Yuna Kim has it. But Gracie doesn't have it. You can see that she doubts herself and overthinks everything while she skates instead of letting her muscle memory take over. She cannot hold it together under pressure. So far this season, she has been in first place after the SP in both of her competitions, and had two hot mess free skates to give the lead away.
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
I have been saying for a while that she doesn't have the mental fortitude to be a winner. It's something innate in a person. Julia Lipnitskaia has it. Yuna Kim has it. But Gracie doesn't have it. You can see that she doubts herself and overthinks everything while she skates instead of letting her muscle memory take over. She cannot hold it together under pressure. So far this season, she has been in first place after the SP in both of her competitions, and had two hot mess free skates to give the lead away.
I still wouldn't give up on her though. Kostner was as big a headache as they come and yet she finally figured out how to compete. It might take Gracie time to learn.
 

crazydreamer

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
I was actually really impressed with Gracie today. Yeah, she had some jumping mishaps. But she was really performing out there through the end of the program. I remembered her being more blank-faced and and non-energetic from previous performances. And even despite the mistakes she looked so happy at the end of the program. Based on purely this program she doesn't seem very in her head to me at all. It's still early in the season and the coaching change is relatively new.

I'm not saying she's destined to be the next Yuna Kim or anything, but I wouldn't put her in the Sasha Cohen / Alissa Czisny head-case catagory yet either. I think she has the potential to be like Ashley and develop some rock-solid confidence and consistency in a season or so. And her foundational skills are much better than Ashley's, so watch out if that does happen. I'm excited to see her grow.
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
I was actually really impressed with Gracie today. Yeah, she had some jumping mishaps. But she was really performing out there through the end of the program. I remembered her being more blank-faced and and non-energetic from previous performances. And even despite the mistakes she looked so happy at the end of the program. Based on purely this program she doesn't seem very in her head to me at all. It's still early in the season and the coaching change is relatively new.

I'm not saying she's destined to be the next Yuna Kim or anything, but I wouldn't put her in the Sasha Cohen / Alissa Czisny head-case catagory yet either. I think she has the potential to be like Ashley and develop some rock-solid confidence and consistency in a season or so. And her foundational skills are much better than Ashley's, so watch out if that does happen. I'm excited to see her grow.

True Gracie i think is already as good if not a better skater then Wagner was at this age and has more potential. Even with the lack of depth in 2010 Ashley still didn't make the Olympic team.
 

Eddie Lee

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 19, 2007
Anyone remember Carolina Kostner at Los Angeles World's (2009)? And she had loads of competitions behind her. She has always been a terrific skater, but she has just begun to conquer her nerves on a consistent basis in the last couple of years. One of the very best! Are we going to give Gracie growing room? She's got the talent, let's give her some time to develop!
 

elif

Medalist
Joined
Jan 28, 2010
"I'm looking forward to putting out a better performance at NHK and at nationals,"

Gracie doesn't think she can make the Grand Prix Final. No 4CC too. Olympics going to be first big competitions of the year for her.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
NHK is a "big competition". SC was a "big competition". Nationals is a HUGE competition.

4CC is right before the Olympics, so if you are going to the Olympics, you aren't going to 4CC due to time zone changes, timing, etc.
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
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Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
I'm hoping Gracie puts it all together soon because i think she gives the US a chance in the future to stand on the podium at the big competitions. I'm not sure how much better Ashley can get as she's about hit her peak and she just doesn't have the overall talent of Gracie. I just don't see Ashley as World championship material. Maybe i'm wrong. It all depends on who shows up at Worlds this year.
 

elif

Medalist
Joined
Jan 28, 2010
NHK is a "big competition". SC was a "big competition". Nationals is a HUGE competition.

Olympics is what then? :laugh:

Nationals not a big deal for Gracie. Only Wagner can challenge her. And they have 3 spots. As for the NHK Gracie doesn't feel the pressure now because she don't think she can qualify for the Final. So I think she will skate very good. :p
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
It is possible she could snatch a medal but Asada, Kim, Kostner, Wagner would have to have some melt downs and then trust she can get past Suzuki and hold off the two Russian ladies and the third Japanese lady as well as Osmond and Korpi and the Chinese phenom - not easy. The stars would have to align or maybe better put out of align for her to medal..
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Olympics is what then? :laugh:

Nationals not a big deal for Gracie. Only Wagner can challenge her. And they have 3 spots. As for the NHK Gracie doesn't feel the pressure now because she don't think she can qualify for the Final. So I think she will skate very good. :p
I am only saying that NHK and SCI are "big competitions". Nationals is a HUGE competition because that's where you have the opportunity to qualify for the Olympics and if you blow it there, you go home.

In your estimation, then, only 6 people will have a "big competition" before the Olympics (those that qualify for GPF)? Please explain what your comment meant about the Olympics being her "first big competition of the season"...
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
For Gracie this season it's not about becoming a artist on the ice at least not with getting a new coach after the season has already started. I think Frank simply wants her to be more consistent while working on other aspects of her skating. There will be time next year to blossom into a better artistic skater. The plan is to peak at Nationals not in October or November. If she doesn't make the GPF it won't be a bad thing it just means more time to work with Frank.
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
Record Breaker
Joined
May 19, 2011
I think Gracie could be a darkhorse in Sochi but her lack of consistency doesn't make her a good bet for darkhorse. Julia is the biggest darkhorse IMO. She has the difficulty, the spins and (most importantly) the consistency to move in if the big names make mistakes.

I'd bet on Julia way more than Gracie at this point. Gracie has some time b/w now and the Olympics but I seriously doubt she's going to develop that laser focus, consistency and killer instinct Julia has had for years now. Julia is a true competitor and that's why she's the best bet for darkhorse. Gracie is still a darkhorse but that's only on the off chance she manages to deliver two perfect programs in Sochi under pressure. It could happen...but based on her current up and down pattern, I don't know how great her odds are there.
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
Gracie gets 180+ with mistakes and her PCS has shot through the roof
a clean Gracie will score 200+, so definitely in the mix for a medal in Sochi

Gracie does better starting the the middle of the SP scores pack
then she pulls herself up by getting a good LP run

her scoring potential is higher than the old and worn out Wagner
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
Record Breaker
Joined
May 19, 2011
Yeah, because Wagner is so old and so worn out.

I swear, Sky_fly has to be child...

His/her comments are so juvenile and ridiculous I just can't fathom them coming from anyone over the age of 10 years old...
 

Peach

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Well she definitely has a chance if one of the top 3 screws up and she manages to do 2 clean programs. I know I'm jumping way ahead, but I'm excited to see her and all the Russian babies at Pyeongchang 2018.
 

Eddie Lee

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 19, 2007
If Gracie skates her program as choreographed, relaxed, up to speed, no mistakes, and with her usual jump height and spin speed, she will medal at this Olympics. Why? She is a striking beauty, she has charisma, and her top performances "sing"!:clap:
 
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