State of U.S. Ladies' skating 2016-17

[stella luna]

There was a news story about Sasha at the Turin Olympics. After she placed first in the SP she didn't go through a run-through of her LP before the competition. Tried, but couldn't find the story.

I have also heard Sasha didn't want to do things differently. That she would shuffle to a new coach and when that coach demanded a change she would go back to John Nicks who would let her have it her way. I don't know if any of that is true but she was a very interesting skater.

 

[R.D.]

There was a news story about Sasha at the Turin Olympics. After she placed first in the SP she didn't go through a run-through of her LP before the competition. Tried, but couldn't find the story.

I think later interviews shed light on possibilities why: she mentioned some sort of injury she was dealing with (but kept it under wraps at the time). Her leg was taped up before the FS in any case.

Given that, Cohen really has little relevance to the state of US skating THIS season

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I think later interviews shed light on possibilities why: she mentioned some sort of injury she was dealing with (but kept it under wraps at the time). Her leg was taped up before the FS in any case.

She also had serious back injuries very early in her career, which caused her to miss 2001 Nationals. Once something like that happens, a skater is probably very hesitant to push her body to the limit in training.

 

[Koralai]

My thought after the ladies' FS: aren't Karen Chen and Polina Edmunds both from San Jose? Assuming Polina is back in form next year, that should make the pre-Olympic nationals in San Jose really interesting.

 

[moriel]

overall, Sasha competed in a time when there wasn't as many consistent competitors who were also technically demanding. Case in point are Evgenia and Satoko, the number of competitions they've even had a fall at can probably be counted on a hand.

I'd be interested to learn what their secret to consistency is.

Mindset and also training.
For example, see Evgenia training 3-3-3s, even though they are not allowed in competition. After that, doing her 3-3s and single triples should be easy.

Also, they do not pop their jumps.


This is why i don't see how Gracie is mentally there, if she is still popping jumps.

 

[iamchrislao]

It's called prerotation.

overall, Sasha competed in a time when there wasn't as many consistent competitors who were also technically demanding. Case in point are Evgenia and Satoko, the number of competitions they've even had a fall at can probably be counted on a hand.

I'd be interested to learn what their secret to consistency is.

 

[jimini]

Also, they do not pop their jumps.

This is one of the key things. Popping is a very bad habit and one that can become difficult to break, especially if you have confidence issues to start with. Going for jumps 100% of the time is a big contributor to building consistency.

Since Sasha was mentioned, this was actually one of the reasons she saw success early on in CoP. She was not a popper; she almost always went for the jumps.

 

[moriel]

This is one of the key things. Popping is a very bad habit and one that can become difficult to break, especially if you have confidence issues to start with. Going for jumps 100% of the time is a big contributor to building consistency.

Since Sasha was mentioned, this was actually one of the reasons she saw success early on in CoP. She was not a popper; she almost always went for the jumps.

Yeah, and most top ladies today aren't poppers either - they seem to fall more than pop really (see russian and japanese, for example).

 

[Sydney Rose]

Isn't "popping a jump" something the skater has no control over?

It seems to me that Gracie isn't popping all those jumps but instead making a split-second decision to water down some of the triples to doubles to avoid falling.

 

[skylark]

She came out into an arena reverberating with echoes of Karen's magnificent skate.

And Ashley Wagner did her job. She kept her mind on her mission: to compete, to secure a spot on the Worlds team, and to captivate the crowd with her mesmerizing skating. She called on all her skating skills, painstakingly trained and tweaked and corrected over months and years. She gathered power within her, her own power, and did she draw on the electricity in the crowd? Only she can tell us. Ashley's skate was filled with all the emotions: love, pain, disappointment, and joy, to name a few. Her skating was glorious, lyrical, womanly, and transcendent.

We in the USA are so lucky to have Ashley representing our country. For ten years, she's had to endure the flack and nattering of critics who go on and on about URs, not being competitive with other countries or with [insert newest teen-age phenomenon's name]. She rises above it. She's like a phoenix every year, because every year she has to contend with yet another source of grumbling. She gets up and she gives us a show. Again and again and again.

 

[OS]

They announced it

http://usfigureskating.org/story?id=90301&type=media

LADIES
2017 World Championships
Mariah Bell
Karen Chen
Ashley Wagner

Alternate 1 - Mirai Nagasu
Alternate 2 - Gracie Gold
Alternate 3 - Caroline Zhang

2017 Four Continents Championships
Mariah Bell
Karen Chen
Ashley Wagner

Alternate 1 - Mirai Nagasu
Alternate 2 - Gracie Gold
Alternate 3 - Courtney Hicks

2017 World Junior Championships
Amber Glenn
Bradie Tennell

Alternate 1 - Starr Andrews
Alternate 2 - Ashley Lin
Alternate 3 - Tessa Hong

Sensible and good selections for seniors. Tessa 3rd alternate? Hmm....

Whoohooo Karen gets to goto Korea Olympic Rink where Yuna Kim is expected to present the medals... extra motivation to do well? Come on girl!!

 

[kalee]

So glad that Mariah and Karen get to go to 4CC and Worlds, they deserved it!
Also putting Mirai rightfully as a 1st alternate over Gracie was fair...
Just sad for Tessa that she missed the JW team after delivering such a great short... she has lots of potential and hope they give her 2 JGP's next season...

 

[OS]

She came out into an arena reverberating with echoes of Karen's magnificent skate.

And Ashley Wagner did her job. She kept her mind on her mission: to compete, to secure a spot on the Worlds team, and to captivate the crowd with her mesmerizing skating. She called on all her skating skills, painstakingly trained and tweaked and corrected over months and years. She gathered power within her, her own power, and did she draw on the electricity in the crowd? Only she can tell us. Ashley's skate was filled with all the emotions: love, pain, disappointment, and joy, to name a few. Her skating was glorious, lyrical, womanly, and transcendent.

We in the USA are so lucky to have Ashley representing our country. For ten years, she's had to endure the flack and nattering of critics who go on and on about URs, not being competitive with other countries or with [insert newest teen-age phenomenon's name]. She rises above it. She's like a phoenix every year, because every year she has to contend with yet another source of grumbling. She gets up and she gives us a show. Again and again and again.

Ashley is a complete pro and knows how this sport is. You win some you lose some, national championships score are often outside the skater's control subject to XYZ... she knows more than anyone how it works in this sport, especially having lived through Sochi and how her outspokenness on important issues 'may' have affected her scoring/overall standing with certain judges, and her 4th place ranking at Olympic year Nationals (taking Mirai's spot) affected her perceived ranking. National Championships are often more about the strategic game federations plays upon the rival of nations. IMO, Mirai was given her perfect chance to win everything, but did not deliver , Ashley likely to be appointed second (they probably hold her a bit back for Mirai? her obvious UR didn't help), Karen is about setting up the future (Polina) and really she is the only one delivered on the day. One can scrutinise over everything including the PCS, but if you really consider everything, the scoring is understandable. She probably could have been given a few more PCS by reputation but lose overall (the correct ranking as it is now), but it is not like she wasn't a benefactor of past judge's 'discretion' as well, and knowing her, this will light a bigger furnace and she will rock at worlds.

 

[Jammers]

Mindset and also training.
For example, see Evgenia training 3-3-3s, even though they are not allowed in competition. After that, doing her 3-3s and single triples should be easy.

Also, they do not pop their jumps.


This is why i don't see how Gracie is mentally there, if she is still popping jumps.

Gracie used to train 3-3-3's also when she was with Alex but it's different when your 21 and not a stick figure.

 

[stella luna]

I am glad Ashley's on the world team.

She came out into an arena reverberating with echoes of Karen's magnificent skate.

And Ashley Wagner did her job. She kept her mind on her mission: to compete, to secure a spot on the Worlds team, and to captivate the crowd with her mesmerizing skating. She called on all her skating skills, painstakingly trained and tweaked and corrected over months and years. She gathered power within her, her own power, and did she draw on the electricity in the crowd? Only she can tell us. Ashley's skate was filled with all the emotions: love, pain, disappointment, and joy, to name a few. Her skating was glorious, lyrical, womanly, and transcendent.

We in the USA are so lucky to have Ashley representing our country. For ten years, she's had to endure the flack and nattering of critics who go on and on about URs, not being competitive with other countries or with [insert newest teen-age phenomenon's name]. She rises above it. She's like a phoenix every year, because every year she has to contend with yet another source of grumbling. She gets up and she gives us a show. Again and again and again.

 

[Imagine]

Gracie used to train 3-3-3's also when she was with Alex but it's different when your 21 and not a stick figure.

Different yes, but certainly achievable. And Gracie is a much more naturally talented jumper too, which is such a shame. It should be unquestionably clear by now that she has major mental roadblocks which she just cannot overcome for whatever reason. Evgenia has a champion's mindset and Gracie does not. If we must compare the two, that's the main difference, as Evgenia's no technical genius by any means. There's no nice way to put it at this point, even if I would like nothing more than for Gracie to rise to the occasion and silence all the critics.

Last night was so disappointing...devastating really. I just couldn't believe it. Again, it happened, after all the talk about being in a better place and whatnot. At least she's consistent, I guess. I was bummed for Mirai too, but Gracie's meltdown was truly shocking. I mean, I still wish her the best and will always be waiting...as per usual, but from now on, I'll stop being so blindly optimistic. I'll believe it when I see it. Man, it's tough being a Gracie Gold fan. Figure skating is cruel. hwell:

 

[stella luna]

Commiserate with some Alissa Czisny fans. Though I believe Gracie has surpassed her, as Alissa always managed to keep a brave face.

Maybe Yuka Sato would be a good coaching choice for Gracie.

Different yes, but certainly achievable. And Gracie is a much more naturally talented jumper too, which is such a shame. It should be unquestionably clear by now that she has major mental roadblocks which she just cannot overcome for whatever reason. Evgenia has a champion's mindset and Gracie does not. If we must compare the two, that's the main difference, as Evgenia's no technical genius by any means. There's no nice way to put it at this point, even if I would like nothing more than for Gracie to rise to the occasion and silence all the critics.

Last night was so disappointing...devastating really. I just couldn't believe it. Again, it happened, after all the talk about being in a better place and whatnot. At least she's consistent, I guess. I was bummed for Mirai too, but Gracie's meltdown was truly shocking. I mean, I still wish her the best and will always be waiting...as per usual, but from now on, I'll stop being so blindly optimistic. I'll believe it when I see it. Man, it's tough being a Gracie Gold fan. Figure skating is cruel. hwell:

 

[R.D.]

Commiserate with some Alissa Czisny fans. Though I believe Gracie has surpassed her, as Alissa always managed to keep a brave face.

I dunno, seeing her being inconsolable at Worlds in 2012 (yeah, the 22nd place showing) was a hard one too.

 

[stella luna]

Yeah, you're right. It was scary seeing her step onto the ice at times, her falls were so hard.

I dunno, seeing her being inconsolable at Worlds in 2012 (yeah, the 22nd place showing) was a hard one too.

 

[Koralai]

IMO, Mirai was given her perfect chance to win everything, but did not deliver

I think this too. With the song she chose and the position she was skating in, the moment was set up for her to be a powerful comeback or just... devastating. One thing you can say is that she really took a risk by choosing that program, choosing something that spoke to her rather than something designed to fit other people's definition of success, and I do admire her for that. I just wish she had been able to grasp that perfect moment; it would have been beautiful.