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

[tulosai]

Yes, I agree it's dire but we shouldn't forget about Gold...

But if Wagner can at least stay top 7 in the world, we will continue to need her(!) even if Gold is able to rise near the top (for 3 spots). Edmunds isn't ready yet and the others are hopeless.

IMO (I could be wrong but this is how I see it) Edmunds simply was/is not done growing. She needs to finish doing that and we'll see where she stands then. I don't pretend this is some genius observation or that it doesn't apply to most skaters at one point or another, but a lot of people were hailing her as the second coming before they saw her skate this season. It's now obvious she's in no shape to contend for anything major and has to deal with what appears to me to be a growth spurt and then see where she is.

At the moment, Gracie and Ashley are pretty much our only hopes. Some others do show promise, but there is no one else right now able to contend for top 10 at Worlds barring something really unexpected.

 

[concorde]

Congrats to Ashley for her 3rd place finish in the GPF!

I think this board (including me) tends to underestimate her.

 

[Plisskin]

She did great at JGPF. Well deserved bronze. Love how she never gives up. Ain't gonna lie, I wrote her off.

 

[Mrs. P]

She did great at JGPF. Well deserved bronze. Love how she never gives up. Ain't gonna lie, I wrote her off.

Are you trying to insult her by referring to the competition this way? Or just a typo?

 

[Plisskin]

Are you trying to insult her by referring to the competition this way? Or just a typo?

No, not an insult. I'm actually referring to Ashley's competitors at this competition. To me they skate like juniors, are still immature and are quite young, hence JGPF. I have a dry sense of humor.

 

[minze]

Congrats to America's #1 Ashley Wagner from last to medal, very few people can do that. Props and respect

 

[R.D.]

IMO (I could be wrong but this is how I see it) Edmunds simply was/is not done growing. She needs to finish doing that and we'll see where she stands then. I don't pretend this is some genius observation or that it doesn't apply to most skaters at one point or another, but a lot of people were hailing her as the second coming before they saw her skate this season. It's now obvious she's in no shape to contend for anything major and has to deal with what appears to me to be a growth spurt and then see where she is.

Indeed, the Edmunds bandwagon was getting quite crowded post-Sochi. But I refused to jump on given that she was only 15 and I foresaw some struggles ahead, which seem to be playing out currently. We'll just have to see where she ends up - too early to give up on her IMO.

 

[R.D.]

Congrats to Ashley for her 3rd place finish in the GPF!

I didn't even realize the ladies' event had concluded...but after reading this I HAD to see what happened...wow, unbelievable

Although most of that was due to Pogo and Lip crashing, she still did really well for herself...she just needs to work on that SP to actually control her own destiny. Still, I thought 4th at best, didn't think she would medal in this field. Although if Gold went, she'd probably be the one on the podium (Gold scores around what Wagner scored even with mistakes)

Gotta give Wagner credit for continuing to hang in there though - would have been easy to walk away after Sochi but...here she is, SOMEHOW managing podium finishes at her GPs...and even at Russian Nationals

 

[Sandpiper]

And for the third year in a row, Ashley medals at GPF and goes into Nationals as the USA's most successful skater. I think people should be glad she didn't retire.

 

[tulosai]

Indeed, the Edmunds bandwagon was getting quite crowded post-Sochi. But I refused to jump on given that she was only 15 and I foresaw some struggles ahead, which seem to be playing out currently. We'll just have to see where she ends up - too early to give up on her IMO.

Agree on both points- I was never on her bandwagon but it's also much much too soon to count her out. Just gotta wait and see.

 

[R.D.]

And for the third year in a row, Ashley medals at GPF and goes into Nationals as the USA's most successful skater. I think people should be glad she didn't retire.

I was kind of alluding to that when I said we might continue to need her around if we want any hope of keeping the 3 spots (everyone else struggling and now even Gold dealing with injury)

Still, I don't think a lot of US fans will be truly satisfied until we're back on the world podium. And I just don't see Wagner as the one to do it at this rate...(although I guess you never know :think

 

[Sandpiper]

I was kind of alluding to that when I said we might continue to need her around if we want any hope of keeping the 3 spots (everyone else struggling and now even Gold dealing with injury)

Still, I don't think a lot of US fans will be truly satisfied until we're back on the world podium. And I just don't see Wagner as the one to do it at this rate...(although I guess you never know :think

Who knows if she can medal at Worlds... But the other Americans fail or succeed with or without Ashley Wagner. Her retirement isn't going to magically make everyone else skate better.

 

[R.D.]

Little tidbit I came across on Twitter: in Wagner's GPF FS, her technical score was actually a point HIGHER than her presentation score!

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Still, I don't think a lot of US fans will be truly satisfied until we're back on the world podium. And I just don't see Wagner as the one to do it at this rate...(although I guess you never know :think

Today I think she proved she can do it it. However, it's unlikely because a lot of things have to go right for her: rotate 3 jumps in the SP and 7 in the long, get the spins and steps up to L4, etc.

 

[R.D.]

Is Wagner now the most decorated post-Kwan/Cohen era US lady? I seem to think so - I know Czisny was the only other one to win 2 US championships but I think she actually won the GPF one year?

 

[Mrs. P]

Is Wagner now the most decorated post-Kwan/Cohen era US lady? I seem to think so - I know Czisny was the only other one to win 2 US championships but I think she actually won the GPF one year?

Yes she won GPF in the 2010-2011 season.

However Ashley won 4CC.

So who wins:

Alissa: GPF champion, 2-time national champion
Ashley: 4CC champion, 2 time national champion 3-time GPF medalist?

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Is Wagner now the most decorated post-Kwan/Cohen era US lady? I seem to think so - I know Czisny was the only other one to win 2 US championships but I think she actually won the GPF one year?

She has definitely been the most consistently dominant over the last 3 1/2 years. Only Gracie had a better 13-14 but Ashley has had consistently superior results relative to the other ladies.

 

[Trewyn]

Showing the world that she can do a solid 3F-3T in competition is in itself a major stepping stone for Ashley. Also no edge call on the lutz. And I couldn't believe my eyes when I read she was planning a 3L-1/2L-3S because the salchow is her least favorite jump - but she stood up on it, albeit on 2 feet for now. If she can get all her levels, clean up that second combo and go into Worlds as US Champ to boost her PCS she could be in the mix. She really is improving technically and thus proving the people that say her skating has only declined since 2012 wrong.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Showing the world that she can do a solid 3F-3T in competition is in itself a major stepping stone for Ashley. Also no edge call on the lutz. And I couldn't believe my eyes when I read she was planning a 3L-1/2L-3S because the salchow is her least favorite jump - but she stood up on it, albeit on 2 feet for now. If she can get all her levels, clean up that second combo and go into Worlds as US Champ to boost her PCS she could be in the mix. She really is improving technically and thus proving the people that say her skating has only declined since 2012 wrong.

Well let's not get ahead of ourselves. What she showed today isn't typical of her recent form. If she continues to skate like this then, yes, we can say she has improved technically. All we can say is the pressure was off after the SP and she was able to do the 3/3 very well in the LP. Can she do it when a national title or a world medal is on the line?

 

[Krunchii]

Well let's not get ahead of ourselves. What she showed today isn't typical of her recent form. If she continues to skate like this then, yes, we can say she has improved technically. All we can say is the pressure was off after the SP and she was able to do the 3/3 very well in the LP. Can she do it when a national title or a world medal is on the line?

Yeah we'll have to see at Nationals, Ashley has got a great competitive spirit but sometimes she just wants it too badly and then she headcases