State of US Ladies in skating III: 2014-15 Season

[mskater93]

The impression that I took away from Skate America was the opposite - that she was nowhere near close to competing with the Russians. Her programs and interpretation of them are awful. Her jumps are not consistent and are landed very hard. Honestly, she was lucky to place third at Skate America. I thought she deserved fifth place. Park and Cesario were way better than her.

Being in the arena gives you a different perspective. Elene, Liza, and Gracie were far and away better on the second mark (even with strange interpretation across the board from all three for the LP) than everyone else at SkAm. I like Sam a lot and she sold the heck out of Carmen, but she needs A LOT more speed and power if she's going to compete with the big kids. Park had no projection whatsoever in the arena and people seemed restless during her skate.

 

[Amei]

I'll stick with Gracie. I don't think her nerves are a problem, more loss of concentration at times. She's 19. Remember how long it took Kostner to pull it all together & become a consistent, beautiful skater? Polina has the potential & Gracie has the goods.

But Kostner had the advantage of being in a country with weak competition on the national level. How long will the Fed. still back Gracie as their #1 if she doesn't produce any major international medals soon?

 

[concorde]

Not sure about this season but by the end of next season, Polina will be #1.

 

[ice coverage]

Intriguing quote from Gracie Gold:

"... only 40 percent of the time do you compete really in the zone because it's so hard to get into that perfect mindset where you're just one with the ice," she said. ...
http://www.nwherald.com/2014/10/27/olympic-ice-skater-gracie-gold-visits-crystal-ice-house/a3ol8mo/ (Oct 27)​

via @fsonline​

Only 40 percent = an even tougher sport than I thought.

 

[Amei]

I agree. From what she said in past interviews, her team picked this music for her and talked her into skating to it. I wonder if she had been part of the decision process if she could have something that suits her style more and something she truly wants to skate to. I'd love to see the difference.

She needs to take a page from Lipnitskaia's book - everyone tried to talk Lipnitskaia out of doing Schindler's List and she was steadfast that she wanted it and it paid off big for her - a career signature-type program. Plus if she has more to do with the decision process where she could get to skate to something she actually wants to skate to it might make her more invested in her skating where she has better emotions vs. what she did last week.

 

[kwanatic]

Based on her best scores last year, she can do a 70+ short and very close to 140 in the long if she's perfect. You're right that no American woman can achieve that at the moment. Julia can have an off night under pressure, and Adelina is far more inconsistent than Julia, so it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities for Gracie to win it all if she hits everything at Worlds.

Based on her track record, I just don't feel that is probable...possible, of course, but improbable given Gracie's lack of competition nerves. She appeared to have gotten it under control in Sochi but she fell in the FS there and then had several costly errors that ended up costing her a medal at worlds. Same thing at SA; those mistakes were really dumb...the kind of mistakes you make when your nerves shake your focus. Hopefully she can turn it around at NHK...but it won't get any easier from here. She's be under a lot of pressure going into NHK and even more pressure at nationals. If she was that nervous going against Elena and Liza T, what's going to happen when she's up against even tougher competition?

I could see her pulling out another win at nationals this year (assuming she nails it or Polina has issues) but I don't see her keeping it together enough to get past Julia/Adelina/Elena/Liza or whoever else makes it to worlds. She's a bit headcase/jittery. Jittery headcases can have their day (e.g. Adelina, Carolina, Alissa) but it tends to be the exception more than the rule.

 

[Tallorder]

Thought it was quite a positive step for Cesario to demonstrate that she can deliver a strong performance at the Grand Prix level. She cannot and should not be counted out. Hope she can remin healthy throughtout the season, this seems to have been her biggest shortcoming.

 

[gotoschool]

I thought Samantha had more sparkle, zest and snap in her performance than Gracie with wonderful dance steps and flair despite not having the most picturesque jumps (though the same could be said for Radinova in my opinion) and a need to improve the SS a little. I didn't think Gracie skated as badly as many people said, but some of the jumps did look dicy and there wasn't enough passion. I just don't have a lot of confidence in Gracie at the moment, though her status as American number 1 will help her if she can recover. I was expecting big jumps, but they looked smaller and not as stable as last season. On a side note, I do like her more now because of that humorous incident when she pulled her jacket over her eyes because of that spin mishap at the end of her SP.

In the future, I really think Karen Chen has the potential to be one of the best Americans, if she could just get more consistency on her jumps. Somehow Please! She has a really stunning style, elegance and dream spins. Fortunately, she is still really young (barely 15), so there is plenty of time for improvement. I thought I heard that Karen was skating at senior nationals this season? Does anyone know if this is true? It will be really interesting to see how she does, if she goes. But, this year I get the hunch that Polina will be the best, while in the future I think it will be Polina (and I am hoping Karen) because of their youth and undeniable talent. That said I do think it is too early to write off Gracie. I certainly wish all the American ladies the best, and my long shot hope is for Mirai to rise to the occasion.

 

[amc987]

It's a bit weird to me that Gracie seems to have so many more issues with nerves this year than she did during the 2nd half of last season. I would've thought her nerves might've been more of a problem at Nationals, in Sochi or in Saitama, but Gracie more or less held herself together for those competitions. She did a nervous SP at the Olympics, but she still hit all of her elements. Maybe it's just the pressure of settling in as the US #1?

Whatever Frank and co. did to calm her down last season seemed to work. Hopefully they can do it again, because even though I find Gracie's programs pretty mediocre (seriously, how much arm flailing can one do while claiming they're being artistic? and who thought it would be a good idea for her to skate to ethereal, princessy music like POTO with vocals?), she has the skating talent to be on the podium at Worlds if she skates cleanly.

 

[kwanatic]

It's a bit weird to me that Gracie seems to have so many more issues with nerves this year than she did during the 2nd half of last season. I would've thought her nerves might've been more of a problem at Nationals, in Sochi or in Saitama, but Gracie more or less held herself together for those competitions. She did a nervous SP at the Olympics, but she still hit all of her elements. Maybe it's just the pressure of settling in as the US #1?

Whatever Frank and co. did to calm her down last season seemed to work. Hopefully they can do it again, because even though I find Gracie's programs pretty mediocre (seriously, how much arm flailing can one do while claiming they're being artistic? and who thought it would be a good idea for her to skate to ethereal, princessy music like POTO with vocals?), she has the skating talent to be on the podium at Worlds if she skates cleanly.

I do think there's a different kind of pressure on her this year. Prior to nationals last year Gracie was never #1. There was always pressure on her to step up and be that amazing skater, but the fact was she was never carrying that crown. Now that she is the official US #1 I think she's beginning to feel the weight of that expectation of actually being #1. So far this season she isn't handling it well. Say what you will about Ashley but she carried that crown magnificently for the better part of two years. Her performances on the GP in 2012-2013 were amazing. She accepted the pressure and really thrived under it. Same thing last GP season; she upped her content and really delivered.

Gracie is going to have to embrace being that top skater instead of running from it. Right now I feel like she's shrinking away rather than meeting it head on. To me it doesn't seem like she wants to be #1. Everyone wants to be a champion but not everyone is equipped to deal with the gravity of actually being the champion.

 

[yyyskate]

Gracie: jump conditions really not good this time. but I believe her jump will be back if she trains hard and as the season goes on. I really enjoyed her EX, She has dominate ice presence and very very fast, also skate light. And very pretty. Liza stick to what she does best style-wise and seems worked for her. Maybe Gracie should do that as well. I always like skaters challenge themselves, but perhaps at this time, Gracie need to stay with what she most comfortable, so that she can land all her jumps and get her first Gold (she really needs that). I dont think her PCS will change much, as long as she land her jumps, no matter what style she choose as the No1 US lady.
about Liza, I watched her twice, her style is the same, but she is adding details gradually, and it worked. Can Liza handle other styles? Ya know, after I watched Gracie's EX, I think she can easily handle something rhythmical.

 

[yyyskate]

also, Gracie is wearing pearls and polka dots at fan autograph signing. While Jason can wear any thing and being adorable and all that, why can't Gracie, She is very nice and cute off ice.

 

[R.D.]

Say what you will about Ashley but she carried that crown magnificently for the better part of two years. Her performances on the GP in 2012-2013 were amazing. She accepted the pressure and really thrived under it.

I beg to differ, I guess...Falling twice when spots are on the line isn't really "accepting the pressure and thriving under it"...

OTOH, she did step up and provide the U.S. women some stability when it was needed most. Still, I think her consistency is somewhat overrated at times...

 

[Skater Boy]

I'll stick with Gracie. I don't think her nerves are a problem, more loss of concentration at times. She's 19. Remember how long it took Kostner to pull it all together & become a consistent, beautiful skater? Polina has the potential & Gracie has the goods.

Really? Carolina a consistent skater? I don't think that could ever have been said about her. Even with her OGB and final worldbronze hardly consistent performances. Oly's were good but her world's were her norm -some how fluke it out tosteal a medal but hardly on a brilliant performance.

 

[shine]

I don't know who's the best, but Polina Edmunds keeps my interest like no other US ladies have done in a long time. Love her talent.

 

[swc0931]

Before Sochi Olympic, I would say Gracie, but for now l will say Polina. Gracie has a chance to wins but, she is not mentally strong to wins the competition. For example, she could wins the 2014 World Champ, Nebelhorn Trophy, and Skate America...Polina is very young and has the potentials. In her first senior international debut she placed 9th at the Olympic and 8th at the World Championship. If Gracie didn't wins the National in this year, she can become a Nagasu. Gracie is a good skater, but she has a lot of nerves. After the Olympic, I personally see Gracie as a star not skater...

 

[Alba]

The title is pretty self-explanatory, but who is the best American lady now? At the moment, I am leaning towards Polina Edmunds, but I feel as if the USFSA still believes in Ashley Wagner. I think they have hope in Gracie Gold still. They also seem to really like Ashley Cain, who I am not sold on yet.

I'm not sure if the question "who's the best" means also who's te strongest.
Anyway, it Wagner had a strong tech. she would be the best and the strongest, IMO.

Polina looks solid technically and she's also very elegant.
However, I think Gracie could be the strongest overall, at the moment.

 

[ice coverage]

Another quote from Gracie Gold after Skate America:

"I'm much older than they [the Russians] are at 19," she said. "I remember when you're younger, consistency is much easier. When I was 14 or 15, I thought doing all my triples like that was consistent, but it does get harder as you get older. But it just motivates me to be more consistent, and I just need to get into the season and get going again. As previous seasons show, I get more consistent and more confident as the as season continues."

http://wintergames.ap.org/article/radionova-wins-skate-america-womens-competition (Oct 26)​

 

[tulosai]

Another quote from Gracie Gold after Skate America:

"I'm much older than they [the Russians] are at 19," she said. "I remember when you're younger, consistency is much easier. When I was 14 or 15, I thought doing all my triples like that was consistent, but it does get harder as you get older. But it just motivates me to be more consistent, and I just need to get into the season and get going again. As previous seasons show, I get more consistent and more confident as the as season continues."

http://wintergames.ap.org/article/radionova-wins-skate-america-womens-competition (Oct 26)​

I think to say she is much older than Tukt, who has also gone through puberty and mental/confidence struggles of her own, is pretty much laughable- she and Tukt I think are actually at a very comparable place, only Tukt appears to have gotten her crap together.

 

[ice coverage]

I think to say she is much older than Tukt, who has also gone through puberty and mental/confidence struggles of her own, is pretty much laughable- she and Tukt I think are actually at a very comparable place, only Tukt appears to have gotten her crap together.

Well, Gold is sixteen months older than Tuktamysheva -- so GG is at least "somewhat" older, I would say, although she did not use that word.

http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00010705.htm
http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00013680.htm​

But I take your point that restricting her comment to Radionova would have been safer.

I would add that it is possible that the AP reporter did not get the context quite right for what GG said. Maybe she also was including Russians who were not at Skate America, such as Pogorilaya.