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

[donezo]

In this field, I officially give up if one of our girls can't find her way to the podium. Ashley has done a lot of great work to rebuild her reputation after last year. I think she'll wind up with the bronze. Gracie missed the chance to skate through a very open door. There's no reason why she can't beat Tuk and Radionova, but I think she missed the boat right off the bat at Skate America. Had she shown up in shape with better programs and won that event, we'd be having a very different conversation right now. This season is probably a wash for her, but it shouldn't be. That's the frustrating part. She could have been World Champion in this field. I think Frank and Lori dropped the ball, and she should move on.

 

[R.D.]

^ Gold can forget Tuk & Rad - she couldn't even beat second-rate skaters like Edmunds or Hongo (or Wagner at Nationals)! Again, though, she has one more chance for redemption.

Maybe with people now starting to give up on her and count her out - that'll be the fire she needs to finally overcome her nerves, to go out and prove people wrong like Wagner has done?

I just find the thought that we now may have to count on a roll-of-the-dice Wagner for any medal hopes (and bronze, at that) to be, frankly, disappointing. No reason why Gold can't be the US frontrunner - if she got herself together, she could even win - and Wagner is bronze at best.

Maybe it'll be like GPF - when Gold pulled out, I automatically assumed a Russian sweep and that there was no chance for Wagner, but the door opened and she found her way to the podium, even if it was the last step of it. Cross fingers that the same thing happens at worlds??

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

What is bad for Gracie is that, even if she skates well at Worlds, I don't think she will get the marks she needs to win because she hasn't had consistently good performances that allow her scores to build through the season, as we saw last year with the Russian women, in 2011 with Miki Ando, etc.

 

[Mrs. P]

Or maybe Gracie will pull off a Denis Ten. let's not forget that Denis finished a dismal 12th at 4CC before winning silver at worlds. It only takes one good competition.

 

[[email protected]]

Clean Gracie (no hitting boards or stepouts) with flip calls will have 205-210. Then Liza and Elena have to be clean as well to be higher. Anna will hardly clear 200. Same is true with Ashley unless the miracle happens and she will be clean without URs and edge calls. Then she will be a primary contender for the worlds gold.But it will be a different skater than the Ashley we all know.

Of course, the question is whether Gracie can be clean. Chances are that this season the worlds will be just the competition when she could say: "I did it!" Will be good for her. I do not like her programs - too boring. But she is a very competent skater and seems to be a nice person.

 

[robinhood]

And how about Yuka Sato for Gracie? Is she involved qith anyone else apart from Jeremy?
She did a fantastic job with Csisny and Gracie is the terrific athlete Alissa never was...

 

[R.D.]

Of course, the question is whether Gracie can be clean. Chances are that this season the worlds will be just the competition when she could say: "I did it!" Will be good for her. I do not like her programs - too boring. But she is a very competent skater and seems to be a nice person.

Based on her trend this season (she hasn't had a clean competition in quite a while, if ever), I would say very, very slim. She could nail her SP, be in striking position for a medal and then blow it (exactly what happened in 2014). Or, she could blow the SP, put herself out of it prematurely and fail to get in the final group, and then even a knockout FS wouldn't pull her far enough back up.

Wagner has the same issue as well, perhaps to somewhat of a lesser degree.

 

[donezo]

And how about Yuka Sato for Gracie? Is she involved qith anyone else apart from Jeremy?
She did a fantastic job with Csisny and Gracie is the terrific athlete Alissa never was...

I wouldn't send my worst enemy to Yuka. All of her skaters are so emotionally fragile!

 

[cruzceleste]

I wouldn't send my worst enemy to Yuka. All of her skaters are so emotionally fragile!

All? Maybe Csisny and Jeremy, but all?

Edit.

Who is skated with her beside Jeremy right now?

 

[ice coverage]

... Edit.

Who is skated with her beside Jeremy right now?

Yuka Sato coaches Elladj Balde of Canada.

 

[cruzceleste]

Yuka Sato coaches Elladj Balde of Canada.

then really all her skaters are weak mentally?

 

[donezo]

All? Maybe Csisny and Jeremy, but all?

Two skaters with that kind of talent and such inconsistent results is enough evidence for me.

 

[surimi]

I don't know if Gold needs a coaching change, maybe a good sports psychologist would be enough (that, or the road Tuktamysheva took). But she sure needs a new type of programs before she gets stereotyped as skating to princessy pieces and nothing else. Does she herself feel comfortable with the type of music she's had for the past two seasons, I wonder? I'd like to see her more versatile, down to the costume - skating to a merry piano composition, a hardrock song, a piece of flute folk music... but definitely to something new, not something that's been trending for the past few years like Notre Dame or Les Mis.
Just a thought, is it possible that her bad skate at 4CC was caused by the previous injury to her foot? I know Gracie hasn't been particularly consistent of late, but I'm still wondering if it's really just the nerves this time.

 

[centerpt1]

Yuka Sato would help Gracie to explore and develop her individual style. She has helped her skaters improve their program choices, and has done a good job of improving their presentation. I don't think you can blame her for Alissa's or Jeremy's focus/competition issues as both skaters were even more inconsistent before she worked with them. I don't know enough about Balde to make the same statement.

Jeremy has stated in interviews good things she has done to improve his focus. If you look at Jeremy's skates before 2010, he falls apart more easily -so Sato really did help him. It just wasn't enough to overcome his deep seated problem.

 

[jagragold]

I don't know if Gold needs a coaching change, maybe a good sports psychologist would be enough (that, or the road Tuktamysheva took). But she sure needs a new type of programs before she gets stereotyped as skating to princessy pieces and nothing else. Does she herself feel comfortable with the type of music she's had for the past two seasons, I wonder? I'd like to see her more versatile, down to the costume - skating to a merry piano composition, a hardrock song, a piece of flute folk music... but definitely to something new, not something that's been trending for the past few years like Notre Dame or Les Mis.
Just a thought, is it possible that her bad skate at 4CC was caused by the previous injury to her foot? I know Gracie hasn't been particularly consistent of late, but I'm still wondering if it's really just the nerves this time.

nothing to do with her injury, it is totally healed. Her problem is mental.

 

[R.D.]

nothing to do with her injury, it is totally healed. Her problem is mental.

I agree. I watched the warmup and she looked fine, even hit a nice 3-3 if I recall correctly. She just had a mental meltdown for whatever reason, that's all. Probably wasn't easy skating last, but it's something you have to deal with as a competitor.

 

[aftertherain]

nothing to do with her injury, it is totally healed. Her problem is mental.

Yeah, I'd guess that too. I think she missed her opening combo in her LP because of what happened in the SP. Everything after that might have been a result of missing it.

 

[slider11]

Gracie had a great tweet, I thought, after 4CC LP. I paraphrase..."Courage is looking at tomorrow with conviction to try again...." something like that. A part of this is dang luck. Sometimes you're on, sometimes not. But I do think Davis and White proved that strong determination and lots of hard work helps alot. As someone (Edison, Lincoln?) said, "The harder I work, the luckier I get." Gracie needs to find a place and a coaching personality that she's comfortable with. Then she needs to work her butt off. Then hope for a little luck to put it out when it counts. Maybe that's with Frank, maybe someone else.

 

[Sandpiper]

Or maybe Gracie will pull off a Denis Ten. let's not forget that Denis finished a dismal 12th at 4CC before winning silver at worlds. It only takes one good competition.

I hope not. 2013 Worlds was a dreadful competition for the men.

 

[hippomoomin]

I thought Gracie handled the pressure pretty well at Nationals, especially after seeing the huge score from Ashley, but at 4CC, she is just going backwards. I think what makes the Russian girls strong is that they are training with skaters of similar levels on a daily basis, so each day you are comparing yourself with other skaters.