I just realize what you meant. Wow, that's a marketing fail moment. Perhaps a photo of Ashley or Zhenia?
State of U.S. Ladies' skating 2016-17
- Thread starter R.D.
- Start date
I just realize what you meant. Wow, that's a marketing fail moment. Perhaps a photo of Ashley or Zhenia?
I think Polina deserved it as someone who performed and nailed most of her jumps in both programs -despite the hair and costume mistakes. I'm just a little tired of talented skaters who can't keep their heads on straight in competition.
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- Joined
- Dec 29, 2014
In my ideal world, both Gracie and Mirai make the Olympic team. I know that may set me up for disappointment, but I can't help it, I love them both. For some reason my favorites tend to be those who have a hard time performing up to their abilities in competition (and that goes for the men's too, ref Han Yan at SC).
I think the person with the highest combined score should win--so we'll just agree to disagree :thumbsup:
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2012
Maybe "supported" or "given the benefit of a doubt" would have been better terms? I do think Gracie is harder on herself than anyone else is and can't stop verbalizing her thoughts when silence and resolution would result in a better outcome for her. I do think she can get it together for the season.
That said, the USFA has a history of supporting skaters, even if they are outdone by other skaters at times. Read Dorothy Hamill's memoirs; she pretty much details a typical incident of it.
And then, Michelle Kwan was selected for the 2006 Olympic team without even skating at Nationals. And we all saw how well that turned out, didn't we? :noshake:
Anyway, I can see the reasoning with such policies at times. Track history is part of the decision process.
That said, the USFA has a history of supporting skaters, even if they are outdone by other skaters at times. Read Dorothy Hamill's memoirs; she pretty much details a typical incident of it.
And then, Michelle Kwan was selected for the 2006 Olympic team without even skating at Nationals. And we all saw how well that turned out, didn't we? :noshake:
Anyway, I can see the reasoning with such policies at times. Track history is part of the decision process.
And IMO Polina's score should have been higher. Gracie's SP score was way too high
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- Joined
- Oct 30, 2012
There is also a problem whether Japanese ladies can survive "puberty".
Satoko is only 18. One cannot even say she has done growing, though more than anyone else, except Mao. If she manages to grow any heavier, she will have serious trouble with all of her jumps.
Marin has grow a lot during the past 2 years, and she will probably grow in the next two or three years.
Wakaba looks much heavier this season. And Yuka Nagai looks she gained at least 5 lb, which is probably why she struggled with her jumps.
Satoko is only 18. One cannot even say she has done growing, though more than anyone else, except Mao. If she manages to grow any heavier, she will have serious trouble with all of her jumps.
Marin has grow a lot during the past 2 years, and she will probably grow in the next two or three years.
Wakaba looks much heavier this season. And Yuka Nagai looks she gained at least 5 lb, which is probably why she struggled with her jumps.
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2010
To change the topic, Starr Andrews won the Junior Ladies' title at the Golden Bear competition in Croatia this weekend with a total score of 172.02. She landed a 3T-3T in the SP, and a 3S-3T-2T among other combos in the FS. There were apparently issues with her lutz (only a 2Lze) and flip (1F) but overall it loos like she did well for her first international!
Ashley Kim was 3rd with 134.77, after some jump issues including what appears to be on all her axel jumps (no credit for the one in the SP or either in the FS). Though she did land a successful 3T-3T
Assuming this was an eligible competition for obtaining Minimum TES scores (since I'm not 100% sure but figure USFS probably wouldn't send skaters who didn't already have the scores to an ineligible competition), both skaters did obtain the Junior Worlds minimum TES scores in both programs.
Overall Junior Results: http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/images/ZM28/CAT020RS.HTM
Junior SP Protocols: http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/images/ZM28/JuniorLadies_SP_Scores.pdf
Junior FS Protocols: http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/images/ZM28/JuniorLadies_FS_Scores.pdf
As for Advanced Novice, the three US skaters took 1st (Kaitlyn Nguyen), 2nd (Audrey Shin), and 3rd (Pooja Kalyan)
Overall Advanced Novice Results: http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/images/ZM28/CAT006RS.HTM
SP Protocols: http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/images/ZM28/AdvancedNovicesLadies_SP_Scores.pdf
FS Protocols: http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/images/ZM28/AdvancedNovicesLadies_FS_Scores.pdf
Ashley Kim was 3rd with 134.77, after some jump issues including what appears to be on all her axel jumps (no credit for the one in the SP or either in the FS). Though she did land a successful 3T-3T
Assuming this was an eligible competition for obtaining Minimum TES scores (since I'm not 100% sure but figure USFS probably wouldn't send skaters who didn't already have the scores to an ineligible competition), both skaters did obtain the Junior Worlds minimum TES scores in both programs.
Overall Junior Results: http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/images/ZM28/CAT020RS.HTM
Junior SP Protocols: http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/images/ZM28/JuniorLadies_SP_Scores.pdf
Junior FS Protocols: http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/images/ZM28/JuniorLadies_FS_Scores.pdf
As for Advanced Novice, the three US skaters took 1st (Kaitlyn Nguyen), 2nd (Audrey Shin), and 3rd (Pooja Kalyan)
Overall Advanced Novice Results: http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/images/ZM28/CAT006RS.HTM
SP Protocols: http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/images/ZM28/AdvancedNovicesLadies_SP_Scores.pdf
FS Protocols: http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/images/ZM28/AdvancedNovicesLadies_FS_Scores.pdf
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
Contender status for what? Mirai still had 5 jumps she failed to fully rotate there, and her total score was only ~5 points higher than Gracie's disastrous SA outing. Mirai is a contender for the US bronze, as she's always been, but winning the Autumn Classic with 189 didn't vault her any higher than that.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
It's so tough for all the women at US Nationals. I think Polina is the only skater who is able to bring her best performances of the season to that event. It is going to be hard to displace Gracie from the podium there because she will likely be in good form with her fitness and will have the added benefit of lower expectations. Like you, I expect Mariah to get the 3rd spot from what we've seen so far, but we obviously haven't seen all the contenders compete in the GP.
If Gracie skated like she did at Skate America (where she scored a 184) and Mirai skated like she did at Autumn Classic (where she scored a 186), it wouldn't matter how many points they were, Mirai would have beat her. I also think that I, and probably many of us, assumed that Mirai's performance was a mere milestone in a continuous rise upward--especially with the video of her beautiful triple axel that was posted shortly afterwards. When we're talking about ladies who are as inconsistent--with soaring highs and drooping lows--anyone is a contender.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
Gracie failed to beat Mirai's Autumn Classic score, or Mirai's career-high 4CC score, only once last season. Gracie has once scored as low as the 150s during her senior career, in 2012; Mirai has done it every one of the last four seasons. Gracie is in a completely different league when she's in shape.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2016
She did deliver two clean programs and I loved her short but her long program was boring. Gracie could have easily imploded but she showed up and performed her best long program ever, that's how you come from behind and win a competition. Now if only Gracie would learn how to skate with that same fight she had there all the time she would win quite a bit more.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2016
Polina's long program was not up to the same level as the long programs that Gracie and Ashley had last year, her score was on par with what that long program should recieve at it's height.
Yes I know
I love Gracie so much But at US Nationals it comes down to who can perform in the moment. Anyways, I'm kind of over this conversation I forgot what the original argument was 
It's irrelevant now.- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
It's disappointing that a country that brought us Tonya Harding, Kristi Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan, and Sasha Cohen now produces so many skaters who lack any sort of spark or energy (except Ashley).
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2014
To add on to this a bit, 172.02 is by far the highest score by our junior ladies so far this season. The next highest is Ashley LIN with 154.45. It is actually the fifth highest score overall by a USA lady... behind Ashley Wagner, Mariah Bell, Gracie Gold and Mirai Nagasu. Her international debut was very respectable.
Is that from International Classic?
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2014
