Osmond to sit out 2018-19 Grand Prix events | Page 7 | Golden Skate

Osmond to sit out 2018-19 Grand Prix events

moriel

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 18, 2015
Didn’t Virtue and Moir take a year off and came back and won the Olympic Gold, Not because you take time off, you become a couch potato..Osmond is just not doing the GP and even if she do retire, that’s her prerogative. She won’t be the first skater to retire. Best of luck girl...

And for all we know, she can do a CS or two to hit the TES min and come back to worlds and win another medal.
 

Scout

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 5, 2009
When Tina Weirather or Lindsey Vonn are on a mountain they feel free and inspired. The mountain, cold air, breathtaking views and the feel of powder and speed define their lives. They cannot live without it. They are part of a unique culture, and when they are forced to take a break they feel depressed watching others compete.
Same with snowboarders - or even more - as they are missing the entire social culture and lifestyle associated with the sport. They breathe with their sports, it gives them sense of living and fills them with energy. There is no burnout.

I would think it should be the same with skating - go to the ice early in the morning, feel the cold, being both an artist and an athlete. And then the lights of competition, glamour of performance, the people in the arena, the costume and the role. It must be intoxicating. I never did figure skating myself, but I can imagine it must be the feeling. I am a skier, I feel the mountain, it's my passion, but I can imagine it must be a similar passion on the ice rink. Both in training and in competition.
For skiers mountain is the home, for skaters it's the ice. Should be the same thing. The same energy and life force.

So where is the difference? Why doesn't it even cross Shiffrin's mind to take a break, while it's a reality for Kaetlyn and others?

I think if you do some simple searches on the internet, you'll find examples of burnout in those sports.

Shaun White & burnout:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/go...IXxLE?li=AAa0dzB&%25252525253Bocid=spartandhp
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
One thing to keep in mind is that the season has grown longer and longer with the Challenger Series. Not to mention that the technical standards are far higher under IJS then they were under 6.0.

I maintain there shouldn’t be any pride in doing more than your body/mind allows you to. I think if nothing else more people are opting out cause there isn’t the stigma.... or so they thought. :laugh:
 
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Tolstoj

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
I don't really care what Osmond does... I understand people need some time off... but...

2010 - Yuna... wins Olympics and never skates in another Grand Prix event.
2010 - Asada... wins Worlds and actually does skate in the next GP... but comes in 5th and 8th at her GP events.
2011 - Ando... wins Worlds and announces she'll miss the next GP but she ends up never skating in another GP event.
2012 - Kostner... wins Worlds and skips the GP season...
2013 - Yuna... wins Worlds and misses the GP with an "injury" after she had been selected for events. I think there were people not very happy with this.
2014 - Sotnikova... wins(or "wins" depending on your perspective) the Olympics and skips the GP the next season... ends up dancing with the stars.
2014 - Asada... wins Worlds and skips the next season...
2015 - Tuktymysheva... wins Worlds and does skate in the next GP.... but does not qualify for the GPF.

The 2016 GPF(with Medvedeva) was the first GPF since 2009(with Yuna) where the the Worlds/Olympics champion in the previous season even qualified for the GPF. This absolutely has to have had an effect on the popularity of the sport. I've seen the tv ratings over the years and IIRC they were slowly declining since 1999 and then nose dived after 2010 and it's still hovering around the same area. Figure skating is a highly repetitive sport... I understand needing some time off... but it's really not healthy for everyone who reaches the top to skip the grand prix the next year.

Before 2010, here's a list of skaters during the GPF era who missed the GPF after winning Worlds/Olympics.

1998 - Lipinski... wins Olympics and retires(I don't really count this)
1998 - Kwan... wins silver at Olympics then gold at Worlds... skips the GP the next season but probably making bank during that downtime.
2002 - Hughes... wins Olympics and skips the GP... goes to one final Worlds and gets 6th.
2003 - Kwan... wins Worlds at her 10th Worlds... never skates in another GP event again.
2006 - Arakawa... wins Olympics and retires(I don't really count this)
2006 - Meissner... wins Worlds and barely misses the GPF

There were 6 misses of the Worlds/Olympic champions from the next season's GPF in 1995-2009 vs 8 from 2010-2015... and those 6 misses had far better excuses than the 8.

We should always remind ourselves what was the state of ladies figure skating in the 2010-2013 era. (the GP season before the Olympics is always very exciting)

Outside the top skaters the rest of the field was a hot mess most of the time, so take that + Yuna and Ando leaving GP competitions forever + some of the disappointing seasons from Asada + Kostner taking some time off after Worlds 2012, and that's why GPF wasn't that interesting.

Here's different cause yes you don't have Osmond, but Zagitova and Medvedeva are still there, we know how popular Medvedeva in particular is, and in general all skaters are much more consistent now, competitions are more enjoyable to watch.

This is more similar to 2002: yes Sarah Hughes retired after the Olympics but Michelle Kwan, Irina Slutskaya and Sasha Cohen continued.
 

Cindy1983

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 21, 2017
I don't really care what Osmond does... I understand people need some time off... but...

2010 - Yuna... wins Olympics and never skates in another Grand Prix event.
2010 - Asada... wins Worlds and actually does skate in the next GP... but comes in 5th and 8th at her GP events.
2011 - Ando... wins Worlds and announces she'll miss the next GP but she ends up never skating in another GP event.
2012 - Kostner... wins Worlds and skips the GP season...
2013 - Yuna... wins Worlds and misses the GP with an "injury" after she had been selected for events. I think there were people not very happy with this.
2014 - Sotnikova... wins(or "wins" depending on your perspective) the Olympics and skips the GP the next season... ends up dancing with the stars.
2014 - Asada... wins Worlds and skips the next season...
2015 - Tuktymysheva... wins Worlds and does skate in the next GP.... but does not qualify for the GPF.

The 2016 GPF(with Medvedeva) was the first GPF since 2009(with Yuna) where the the Worlds/Olympics champion in the previous season even qualified for the GPF. This absolutely has to have had an effect on the popularity of the sport. I've seen the tv ratings over the years and IIRC they were slowly declining since 1999 and then nose dived after 2010 and it's still hovering around the same area. Figure skating is a highly repetitive sport... I understand needing some time off... but it's really not healthy for everyone who reaches the top to skip the grand prix the next year.

Before 2010, here's a list of skaters during the GPF era who missed the GPF after winning Worlds/Olympics.

1998 - Lipinski... wins Olympics and retires(I don't really count this)
1998 - Kwan... wins silver at Olympics then gold at Worlds... skips the GP the next season but probably making bank during that downtime.
2002 - Hughes... wins Olympics and skips the GP... goes to one final Worlds and gets 6th.
2003 - Kwan... wins Worlds at her 10th Worlds... never skates in another GP event again.
2006 - Arakawa... wins Olympics and retires(I don't really count this)
2006 - Meissner... wins Worlds and barely misses the GPF

There were 6 misses of the Worlds/Olympic champions from the next season's GPF in 1995-2009 vs 8 from 2010-2015... and those 6 misses had far better excuses than the 8.

What's the 'wins' in reference to Sotnikova.

- - - Updated - - -

What's the 'wins' in reference to Sotnikova.

Whoops, that should be a question mark?
 
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Exactly this. Skaters who feel that they deserve a higher PCS for exaggerated facial expressions and for merely being "more mature" are the absolute worst :disapp:. I applaud Kaetlyn for remaining so classy even when facing scoring discrepancies. She allowed her skating to do the talking for her and got her point across much more effectively :clap:.

Oh, wow, I never realized this was actually Ashley Wagner shade (right?).
 

Ice Dance

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
I saw Carolina Kostner at the 2010 Skate America. She looked fabulous. Must have mucked up her free, but all I remember is her fabulous SP and how much she had evolved into a mature performer since the 2009 Worlds. 2010 SA also had the Shibs Senior GP debut. It was the first time I saw Weaver & Poje. (The 2014 dance Olympic gold medalists were there too, though far from their best performance). First time I ever saw Sui & Han live. 2009 World Champions and Olympic silver medalists, Savchenko & Szolkowy. (Apparently the 2014 pairs silver medalists were there too, though I don't remember them). Oda, Takahashi, Denis Ten.

The season after an Olympics gets a bad rap. It's a GREAT time to see the best of the best. You often just don't know that's what you're seeing yet.

Really, often the best performances are by athletes that aren't yet famous and didn't tour. The up & comers who stay home and work all summer, making the most of the opportunity to break through.
 
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Haha was I that obvious :slink:?

It was subtle enough, I completely missed it at first. :laugh: I thought it was about the ubiquitously poor emoting under the guise of "maturity", but it turns out only one of them has complained about not getting points for it :p
 

mrrice

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
You are aware that many actors will take a break and not work on any movies/TV shows for several months, right? Like, it's quite common. Singers do this too, athletes, even regular people. Not everyone can afford to take a break in their jobs of course.

Eg. Simone Biles took all of 2017 off and plans to continue competing now.

Well, I was never famous but, I did take a break from school. I left high school after 10th grade and went on the road as a professional vocalist and dancer. I did however, stop touring to attend college in my 20's. My path was not for everyone but, I don't have any regrets.....It made me financially stable and kept me out of trouble..
 

Ice Dance

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
When skaters skip Worlds for any reason other than injury, I generally assume that they are done until proven otherwise. Athletes return to competition, for sure. We had quite a number of high profile comebacks this quadrennium. Some very successful (Savchenko and V&M). Some heartbreakingly not (Mao). But I think the odds are still higher that athletes don't return. I'm happy if they do return, but I don't anticipate it. Zero expectations makes it more fun for me when they do return, and keeps me from waiting anxiously when they don't.

Having said that, there are definitely different trends in different countries & in different time periods. In Russia, we see a lot of athletes staying in right now even when they no longer seem likely to make the team. There is obviously funding there, encouraging athletes to make a career out of the sport. Even below the major international level. Especially in pairs, I rarely see a medal-worthy Russian team drop out until someone else fills the hope for that spot.

In Canada, I've always thought there was a trend for keeping top athletes in the sport after they have reached their own individual peak (a la Elvis). The encouragement is obviously there; and when a Canadian skater announces a comeback or a plan to stay in after dropping off the top of the podium, I generally assume it will happen.

We don't see this nearly as often in the U.S. Usually when top American athletes say they are making a comeback, it never comes to fruition or doesn't get those athletes out of Nationals. (We do see a number of lesser known athletes complete successful comebacks to the National level though. I can name several). In this case depth can be a dissuasive force.

Meanwhile with top athletes from smaller countries, like Italy or Kazakhstan, you know from early on that some of those star athletes can go on forever. They may face adolescence, injury, miss a season now and then; but there is always that encouragement to come back. Do it for your federation/country/team. A top ten finish can be a big deal for a smaller country, even an athlete making the cut. I often estimate a longer career for a top athlete from a smaller country.

So taking all that into account, Osmond's odds are pretty good. There's no competitive #3 lady from Canada. She's not likely to get pushed out for taking time off. Canada has a fairly well-established trend for encouraging their champions to come back and continue. She's not saying she's out for the whole season, and there's no obvious impediment to her making it back at Nationals if she takes the time.

That said, I won't expect it. I'll just be happy if she comes back.
 

NoNameFace

GS given name - Beatrice
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Definitely unexpected move in my opinion, but then - happy for Kaetlyn to explore opportunities that are fruits of past few seasons and all success that filled them in. I cannot blame her, even not knowing yet what are these opportunities, some will appear probably only once to seize them.

Reading this thread, it seems that some people are not happy, nor understanding that she actually can afford this kind of 'luxury' because of all the work and effort showed. I really salute those who never in their professional/competitive careers felt burned out, plain tired from constant focus, readiness, keeping your mind/body in top shape; sometimes it is really helpful to not even step back from things (which is not a case there), but to stop and take a breath, take some perspective to go forward. Personally, I'd rather see Kaetlyn take a break and then get back with purpose and energy to compete than force/focus herself to continue despite her inner instincts/thoughts. I think that one of champions' features is to decide when to press stop, power and pause buttons on their own terms - and Kaetlyn shows exactly this kind of approach for me. She keeps her competitive options open, for this or next season(s) and it is not ruled out that she actually skates/works on new material - the fact of not participating in GP series does not negate her still working on stuff and improve things nor that she will actually participate in Challenger/other competitions this season.

If she decides to take longer break - that's her right. She should comeback to competition when she feels it's the right time to do so, not under others' pressure. I think that Virtue/Moir's comeback example (to some extent as ID and singles are quite different things and fields) shows that if there is a purpose and thrive on competing/challenging themselves, results will come with quality that previously brought success. Saying that, she may come back to the entire new landscape and there will be no guarantee of her results, but as long as she will be eager to improve/challenge herself competitively, she will do just fine. Why? I think because she was at the top and in the bottom already, she knows both perspectives and knows the amount of work, the journey that took her where she is now. What always gets me the strongest in her skating, her competitiveness is actually this look of amazement/happiness she has after successful performance, like she hasn't expected that. Sometimes, I have this notion seeing this reaction that she's just keeping surprise herself (and people watching her in the process) - I hope that she'll continue to do that even outside of competition. Nothing but the best for Kaetlyn with hope that she will come back to competitive circuit enriched with new experiences to grace rinks.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Kwan stopped doing the GP by 2003 because by then, she had been skating as a Senior for ten years and had done not only the GP but every proam and cheesefest as well (and there were loads of those at the time). All of that skating eventually wore down her hip which gave out just before the 2006 Olympics and she had to have surgery.
 

Tulipstar

Medalist
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Kaetlyn is probably a bit tired. She's had a very successful season, skated in ice shows, did interviews etc. I think she will just go on a bit of a break and be all the stronger for it.

The other option is that she'll find something else she likes doing, but I think she'll be back for Nationals.
 

NoNameFace

GS given name - Beatrice
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Kaetlyn is probably a bit tired. She's had a very successful season, skated in ice shows, did interviews etc. I think she will just go on a bit of a break and be all the stronger for it.

The other option is that she'll find something else she likes doing, but I think she'll be back for Nationals.

I think that she may be even 'overwhelmed' by all what happened to her this past season and wants to look at it from perspective, take it in, let it sit for a while and think about it. And for me it's nothing really bad about that. Achieving something, becoming successful/accomplished is one thing, but to put in into right context and capitalize on that is another - I think that the skip of GP series may be about pushing her skating ability/talent forward in just different way than competing in certain format. It could put a new light onto her competing perspective, giving her 'desire' a fuel for comeback. We'll see :)
 

brens78

Medalist
Joined
Jun 15, 2016
Country
Australia
Damn will be a shame not seeing her this GP season but hopefully some promising new stars will fill her absence :)
 

ancientpeas

The Notorious SEW
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 11, 2014
I was thinking about Kaetlyn's opportunities: I was wondering if, like Tessa and Scott did, she will be doing some Skate Canada reporting for CTV? Or CBC for the GPF in Vancouver? That would mean she couldn't compete at either. It would be a good opportunity for her.
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
I think Osmond could be like Kostner also was at 26 a more mature and even better skater in many ways. She has the good basic skating skills and jumps like Kostner had. I don't see her being in decline at 26 like Ashley was at the same age since Wagner lacked the basic skating skills and jumps of Kostner and Osmond.
 
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