Gracie Gold

[Jammers]

No sane person is claiming Gracie will win 4 or 5 World titles in a row. That hasn't happened since Carol Heiss and probably won't happen ever again unless some super phenom comes along.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

It's going to be hard for Gracie to win even one world title seeing as how Yulia clearly has a great chance of winning at least 10 in a row.

 

[SkateToronto]

I never denied Gracie is a better skater at this point, but Osmond has 2 international golds and Gracie has none, Osmond has a team silver, and Gracie has a bronze. Those are facts.

I don't know what your point is. As far as the "Team Event", the difference in their respective medals had nothing to do with Osmond skating better than Gold. Gold has also outperformed Osmond in the competitions that matter most.

I think it's definitely possible Gold wins a World Championship...but I hardly see some dominant run in her future. She would have to be miles ahead of the rest of the field to accomplish that, and she clearly isn't.

 

[NYscorp6]

Gracie has the star quality and the international potential that the US has been missing since Sasha competed. That is the reason many people are excited about her future. I intend to enjoy the ride.

 

[sky_fly20]

Gracie has the star quality and the international potential that the US has been missing since Sasha competed. That is the reason many people are excited about her future. I intend to enjoy the ride.

agreed, except unlike Sasha , Gracie has no technique issues and a solid jumper

 

[sky_fly20]

What do you call her lip?

Gracie's lip is border line, its not severe at all so wouldn't call it an issue
she has solid technique and great jumper, huge 3Lz-3T, speed, power, body type what more can you ask from an 18 year old beautiful girl

 

[zamboni step]

* red lipstick suits her smile
* she is getting consistent, her nationals win and 4th in Olympics ave shown that
* she will get there, I expect her to medal at this years Worlds
* maybe a 3A ? she has tried it in training
* her Sleeping Beauty FS is really good already

Her 2A is not that big and has no skid....her trying 3A would be scary.

 

[Mrs. P]

* red lipstick suits her smile
* she is getting consistent, her nationals win and 4th in Olympics have shown that
* she will get there, I expect her to medal at this years Worlds
* better why not a 3A ? she has tried it in training
* her Sleeping Beauty FS is really good already

*YMMV I think it's overkill
* Two competitions =/= consistent
* But she doesn't have one yet
* 2A is not her best jump, I think she would have better returns with a 3Z-1L-3S combo. In any case, Polina Edmunds already does the 3Z-1L-3S in competition already
* Sleeping Beauty has improved but still could be better.

For the record I don't have anything against Gracie and some of these things are tongue-in-cheek. I just don't believe she is on goddess or hollywood idol status like some people around think.

 

[zamboni step]

*YMMV I think it's overkill
* Two competitions =/= consistent
* But she doesn't have one yet
* 2A is not her best jump, I think she would have better returns with a 3Z-1L-3S combo. In any case, Polina Edmunds already does the 3Z-1L-3S in competition already
* Sleeping Beauty has improved but still could be better.

For the record I don't have anything against Gracie and some of these things are tongue-in-cheek. I just don't believe she is on goddess or hollywood idol status like some people around think.

I dunno.....she already has the crazed stalker following her every move.......

 

[mskater93]

She had 3F+1Lo+3S last season but she sufferered with overall program consistency doing 3Lz+3T and the three jump (and also, that seemed to be when her F started changing edge).

I noticed that her Axel technique has changed quite a bit in the last couple months (since the coaching change) and it appears that she and Frank might actually be working toward that 3A. She now has a skid on the takeoff and she's stepping "under" instead of up on the takeoff.

 

[desertskates]

* Less red lipstick
* Better choreographed programs
* Continued consistency
* An international senior win
* A 3Z-1L-3S
* More expression when she skates


Do you want me to keep going?

I agree with everything here. Until her last two competitions, the consistency has lacked. But she's still fairly new on the senior international scene. If she is consistent through the next year, I'll be quite pleased for her and US skating. But there is a lot that remains to be seen from her yet.
For now, I just cross my fingers that all the skaters stay well and put it all out there at Worlds so we can have a bit more of a clue what to expect in the 14-15 year.

 

[Selene]

* red lipstick suits her smile
* she is getting consistent, her nationals win and 4th in Olympics have shown that
* she will get there, I expect her to medal at this years Worlds
* better why not a 3A ? she has tried it in training
* her Sleeping Beauty FS is really good already

While I don't think she needs to go for the 3Lz-1lo-3s (no increase in base value), there is no way she could do a 3A. Her 2A is not good and she doesn't get any lift on the jump. I don't foresee any female skaters going for the 3A after Mao retires. The only female skater I could even envision trying a 3A or quad is Sotnikova. She gets huge height and distance on her 2A and 3T. But I don't think even she would be successful, let alone Gracie with her powerless jumps. 99.999999% of females don't have the strength to do 3As or quads. Even Mao's is borderline & never fully rotated (I often think the callers are being generous in giving her credit for it.)

Gracie's programs and look on the ice are really bland (the red lipstick is bad - it doesn't suit her pale skin tone or thin lips.) She is just totally forgettable as a skater.

 

[Jammers]

While I don't think she needs to go for the 3Lz-1lo-3s (no increase in base value), there is no way she could do a 3A. Her 2A is not good and she doesn't get any lift on the jump. I don't foresee any female skaters going for the 3A after Mao retires. The only female skater I could even envision trying a 3A or quad is Sotnikova. She gets huge height and distance on her 2A and 3T. But I don't think even she would be successful, let alone Gracie with her powerless jumps. 99.999999% of females don't have the strength to do 3As or quads. Even Mao's is borderline & never fully rotated (I often think the callers are being generous in giving her credit for it.)

Gracie's programs and look on the ice are really bland (the red lipstick is bad - it doesn't suit her pale skin tone or thin lips.) She is just totally forgettable as a skater.

Yeah forgettable that's why despite not having a great season or reputation compared to many of the top Ladies Gracie finished 4th in one of the deepest fields in the Ladies event in the past 20 years.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Yeah forgettable that's why despite not having a great season or reputation compared to many of the top Ladies Gracie finished 4th in one of the deepest fields in the Ladies event in the past 20 years.

She deserves a lot of credit and deserved placement for coming 4th (especially given her season), but had Mao not had such a horrendous SP and Julia not succumbed to the pressure of the individual event, Gold would be in 6th, which still isn't bad - not to mention she cleared 200 (although that was clearly inflation, considering with a fall her PCS jumped like 6 points from a clean skate in the team event somehow).

As for the deepest fields in the Ladies event, the women's FS in 2010 was much more consistent than the one in 2014, with no falls in the top 12 (compare that to 5 falls from 5 skaters in the top 12 in Sochi).

 

[usethis2]

So Gold does at least true lutz? That is exciting. It's becoming harder to find true lutzers among women for whatever reason. Two of the most consistent lutzers (Kim and Ando) now retired.

Shouldn't lip be easier to fix than flutz? I don't know the answer. Just out of curiosity.

 

[sky_fly20]

http://media.justjaredjr.com/2014/03/13/taylor-swift-gracie-gold-have-sushi-dinner-together/ Gracie and Taylor had dinner together in a sushi restaurant

I hope this increases Gracie's Hollywood exposure and maybe appear in Taylor Swift music videos ?

 

[desertskates]

http://media.justjaredjr.com/2014/03/13/taylor-swift-gracie-gold-have-sushi-dinner-together/ Gracie and Taylor had dinner together in a sushi restaurant

I hope this increases Gracie's Hollywood exposure and maybe appear in Taylor Swift music videos ?

The thing is, skyfly, the more Hollywood exposure she has, the less training rink exposure she'll get. Would you rather see her succeed in skating or be a "flash in the pan" celebrity. Something to think about.

 

[sky_fly20]

The thing is, skyfly, the more Hollywood exposure she has, the less training rink exposure she'll get. Would you rather see her succeed in skating or be a "flash in the pan" celebrity. Something to think about.

Gracie seems to be diligent and learns quickly
so why not do both ? something even Kwan did not achieve

be a popular hollywood profile, increase FS interest in the US and at the same time becoming a multiple World Champion
that's 3 stones hit in one bird

I think Gracie will appear soon in TV cameo and a music video ( friends with Taylor Swift !!! )
the way she becoming extremely popular by celebs in the US

 

[dorispulaski]

Gold was called for her lip both times in Sochi.
She was called for it at Skate Canada.
She was called for it at NHK.
She was called for it in both programs at the US Classic.
She was called for it at Nationals.

She has been called out on her lip every time this season. 7 out of 7 "e" calls. On top of that, of these 7 lip attempts, she has only landed 3 clean triple lips.

US Classic: SP - underrotated, FS - doubled
Skate Canada: landed
NHK: landed
US Nationals: fall (btw, what's up with the -2's for a fall on a lip?!)
Sochi: FS (team event) landed + FS (individual event) fall

Last season, she received "e" calls all season too -- in both of her Worlds programs, in both of her World Team Trophy programs, in both of her Four Continents programs, in both of her Nationals programs, in all 3 attempts at Rostelecom Cup, in all 3 attempts at Skate Canada, in all 3 attempts at the US Classic.

# of flips in her senior competitive career: 1 (2012 WTT SP)
# of lips in her senior competitive career: 24

That's hardly a "borderline" lip - it's a chronic lip. Her lipping is clearly such a "non-issue" that she's gone from 3 attempts to 2 attempts to 1 attempt now. Gold doesn't have a ton of flaws, but to say she has no technique issues, given her (f)lip track record, is just delusional.

She certainly does have lip issues, but one correction. She was not penalized for a fall at US Nationals on her flip.
http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2014/2014_us_fs_champs/results.html

She had a bad step out on the flip at US Nationals, not a fall. But even with lenient nationals callers, she was still given an edge call. When she was a Junior her flip was a bit better than it is now.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

once you hit uberfandom though, all rational thought goes out the window

I am walking this line to the best of my ability. As a self admitted Yulia über I try to stay rational and realistic in relation to her standing among the field and her overall ability. It's hard to be objective though I admit. I find myself biting my tongue a lot on that (f)lutz which seems borderline at times but I have to admit its there and obvious at times even. I really don't want people seeing her and thinking Sam-Skawntch is so annoying and have it affect their view of her.

While I find Sky_fly20 a bit OT..overall it's quite endearing at times and at least comical IMO.