What happens to Gracie Gold if she doesn't win any Grand Prix events next season? | Page 3 | Golden Skate

What happens to Gracie Gold if she doesn't win any Grand Prix events next season?

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”
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Dec 29, 2013
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It's a lot easier for the Russian girls to win Euros medals because with Korpi injured, their only real competition is Kostner, and they don't have to travel very far for the competition. It's harder for the US girls at 4CC against the Japanese, and they have to deal with jet lag with most of the competitions in Asia. What makes it even harder is that 4CC is usually scheduled little more than a week after US Nationals.
But let's be real here. It's a lot easier to make the US National team and get sent to 4 cc than for the Russian girls to make the team and get sent to Euros/Worlds which could vary from each event!! There is likely going to be a girl as good if not better than the US #1 locked out of a chance for a medal based on how tight it is in Russia. So it's probably fair to hold slightly higher expectations of Gracie IMO.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

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Jan 25, 2013
Agree with this. It isn't important to peak at the beginning of the season. Kostner rarely skated well in the GP, and in fact skated rather poorly early on. But by Euros, she began to hit her stride and was ready to peak at Worlds. This season, she reached her peak at Sochi and was clearly off her best at Worlds. Sotnikova had a rough early season this past year, struggling through the GP, making the GPF but bombing there. She then won Nationals and Euros before her OGM at Sochi.

OBM. ;) But arguably should have been an OGM, and it was certainly the skates of a lifetime for her.

Gold's issue is her FS. That's where she needs to put her focus (literally and figuratively). I don't think it matters what point in the season it is.
 

sky_fly20

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Nov 20, 2011
Gracie's breakout year could be next season or before 2016 Worlds
where she will be the leading gold contender in home crowd

once Gracie starts winning gold medals, there will be no stopping her from there
her PCS will skyrocket even further, higher than Julia etc. on par with Mao and Carolina's PCS
 

Snow63

Pray one day we'll open our eyes.
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Mar 26, 2014
Gracie's breakout year could be next season or before 2016 Worlds
where she will be the leading gold contender in home crowd

once Gracie strats winning gold gold medals, there will be no stopping her from there
her PCS will skyrocket even further, higher than Julia etc. on par with Mao and Carolina's PCS

Can't wait to see this. Don't hold your breath though.. just in case, you know. :popcorn:
 

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”
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Gracie's breakout year could be next season or before 2016 Worlds
where she will be the leading gold contender in home crowd

once Gracie starts winning gold medals, there will be no stopping her from there
her PCS will skyrocket even further, higher than Julia etc. on par with Mao and Carolina's PCS

Isn't Lipnitskaya pretty much almost caught up with Caro and Mao in PCS? Is she going to lose some over the next two seasons? My guess is Yulia will lose TES and gain PCS quicker than Gracie can spell it. Just my opinion.
 

fleeting

Queen Anissina
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Feb 19, 2014
Isn't Lipnitskaya pretty much almost caught up with Caro and Mao in PCS? Is she going to lose some over the next two seasons? My guess is Yulia will lose TES and gain PCS quicker than Gracie can spell it. Just my opinion.

:agree: Beautiful comeback.
 

kwanatic

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May 19, 2011
I do think her PCS will go up but I really hope she makes improvements, particularly in her presentation. As TSL said, Gracie is still very pageant-like with her artistry and presentation. It's a huge step up from the blank-faced listless way she used to skate but she does need to keep improving.

I think having a full year with Frank and a summer working with two tailor made programs instead of one revamped trainwreck and a rush job one will make a difference for her. Hopefully SOI will help her learn to connect with the audience better and really project.

I can't see her not winning at least one event next season but stranger things have happened. She's at the front of the pack for now but if Polina starts out-performing her, I wouldn't be surprised if the standings flip-flopped.
 

jaylee

Medalist
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Feb 21, 2010
Agree with this. It isn't important to peak at the beginning of the season. Kostner rarely skated well in the GP, and in fact skated rather poorly early on. But by Euros, she began to hit her stride and was ready to peak at Worlds. This season, she reached her peak at Sochi and was clearly off her best at Worlds. Sotnikova had a rough early season this past year, struggling through the GP, making the GPF but bombing there. She then won Nationals and Euros before her OGM at Sochi.

But Kostner has been a well-established skater since 2004-2005 when she became a world medalist. The judges would naturally not hold a weak GP season against her as long as she gets better throughout the season.

For a skater who has never been a world medalist but wants to become a world medalist--or a world champion--then they'd better look good on the GP. You don't have to win both events, but you'd better show quality programs and some decent skating--and be fairly consistent and improve from there on out.

That said, I don't think it's the end of the world for Gracie to not win a GP. If she does well and is consistent and improves with each outing and has good programs, then that's certainly good enough to build momentum for Nationals and Worlds. 4CCs is an opportunity to build momentum that the American skaters didn't have this year.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

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Jan 25, 2013
once Julia starts winning gold medals, there will be no stopping her from there
her PCS will skyrocket even further, higher than Mao etc. on par with Carolina's PCS

Fixed. :biggrin:

Gold has a LONG way to go to even come close to getting (or deserving) PCS like Carolina's.
 

Alba

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Feb 26, 2014
Isn't Lipnitskaya pretty much almost caught up with Caro and Mao in PCS? Is she going to lose some over the next two seasons? My guess is Yulia will lose TES and gain PCS quicker than Gracie can spell it. Just my opinion.
Hopefully she will keep TES and gain PCS. :yes:
 

uncchristine99

Rinkside
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Oct 29, 2012
I'll be honest, Gracie wasn't on my radar until Nationals this year. I don't know anything about her beyond Nationals, Sochi and Worlds but looking at her skills and on paper, I think she's easily #1 for the US for the next quad. She's very neat and tidy on technique, she spins very well and she can work on bigger PCS #s. 4th in Sochi, 4th in the world... she's headed in the right direction! Even if she doesn't win GP gold, I think she can definitely medal and qualify for the final.
 

Mafke

Medalist
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
"What happens to Gracie Gold if she doesn't win any Grand Prix events next season?"

Does the name "Old Yeller" ring any bells?
 

YLFan

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Apr 3, 2014
She can always get a job as a character actor at a Disney themepark.
 

tjskate

Rinkside
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Feb 12, 2014
I'm guessing she'll remain competitive, in the top envelope, and keeps getting sent to GP events!

She's still relatively new as a senior lady; hopefully she'll have a chance to develop as a skater before being written off. She has a lot of potential, as does Polina, Ashley, and probably some up-and-coming juniors totally off our radar as of right now.

The flood of very young Russian skaters is exciting, but at the same time it seems as though this is causing people to expect an awful lot of ladies skaters at a pretty young age.
 

Meoima

Match Penalty
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Feb 13, 2014
another thread in disguise but
actually a vitriol Gracie hate thread
Not hate thread but serious discussion here, lots of people here seems to be thoughtful for Gracie's career. Isn't it good for her..
 
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