2017 U.S. Nationals Championship Ladies FS

[Plisskin]

I like Karen but doesn't she get lowballed internationally? I recall her free at NHK was pretty good, but judges placed her low compared to the ladies who were in-front of her who didn't have as great skating skills, etc.

 

[stella luna]

She wasn't propped up. She won fair and square.

I think USFS knows what they are doing. They are actually quite smart to let Karen win. They know Ashley will be able to get top 5 at worlds, they need to prop up Karen so she can score well at Worlds so the US will get 3 spots. You know we can't count on Gracie anymore.

 

[Mathman]

An overall great nationals and I'm elated if they send Mariah. She has star power it would be a mistake to let her shine!

I assume there is a "not" missing from that sentence.

 

[Yatagarasu]

There are 3 Russians, 1 Japanese, 1-2 Canadian, Ashley of course, for sure ahead, plus more.

You could even say two Japanese as Wakaba has already been building her reputation with good GPs and now a Nationals silver.

 

[andromache]

Interesting thought, but she's been doing horribly recently. She will be sure to bomb at Worlds, so why would USFS want to do that?

Honestly though, I doubt we will have 3 spots for Olympics. On a good day Ashley can probably finish around 4th, on a bad day she could be 8th. Karen/Mariah/whoever may have trouble finding the top ten, and EVEN in the best case scenario will have trouble managing a 8th/9th finish necessary to retain 3 spots. There are 3 Russians, 1 Japanese, 1-2 Canadian, Ashley of course, for sure ahead, plus more.

I actually think Karen and Mariah are both very capable of placing top ten - I would be surprised if they didn't. Mirai came in 10th last year at an exceptionally well-skated Worlds, and I think both Karen and Mariah have higher ceilings than Mirai. International judges like them both, even if they haven't had many opportunities to reward them.

Ashley has a chance at a bronze this year at Worlds, too.

 

[ice coverage]

I am sorry - I only meant to point out the chance for all disciplines to have an Asian American champion. A first and something to be proud of. I guess my attempt at a pun did not come off as intended. I am pleased and impressed by all of them.

Come on, give lab some slack. Obvious he means "Asian-American."

Words matter.
If labgoat meant "Asian-American," then s/he should have said, "Asian-American."
And "invasion" is a completely inappropriate word, even in jest.
Some of us are old enough to remember that Japanese-Americans and Japanese-Canadians were unfairly INCARCERATED in North America during WWII.

That said: I appreciate your apology, labgoat. Glad that you are pleased and impressed by Karen and the Shibutanis. I am too.

labgoat, confused by your reference to a "first." Not diminishing Karen's accomplishment for herself, but the U.S. has had much beloved Asian-American champions in Ladies in the past.
And the Shibs obviously already were Dance champions last year.

Maybe you are saying that it's the first time that champions in two disciplines in the same year all are Asian-American?

(I for one am not going to get ahead of myself. Perhaps tomorrow we will be discussing Nathan or Vincent Zhou in the same context. But I don't want to jinx either one of them by assuming anything.)

---

Congratulations to Karen, Ashley, Mariah, and Mirai :yay:.

Special hugs to Mirai .

 

[whatif]

It'll be interesting to see how many spots for worlds we get.

2 max. There will be very hard to get on the podium for US ladies this year.

 

[bobbob]

You could even say two Japanese as Wakaba has already been building her reputation with good GPs and now a Nationals silver.

Yeah, 2-3 japanese more like. Also can't count out Kostner. Worlds will not be pretty for the Americans.

 

[labgoat]

I think USFS knows what they are doing. They are actually quite smart to let Karen win. They know Ashley will be able to get top 5 at worlds, they need to prop up Karen so she can score well at Worlds so the US will get 3 spots. You know we can't count on Gracie anymore.

Yes, the Russians have done this in the past.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I like Karen but doesn't she get lowballed internationally? I recall her free at NHK was pretty good, but judges placed her low compared to the ladies who were in-front of her who didn't have as great skating skills, etc.

Strangely, Ashley gets lower PCS here than worlds, with similar tech content.

 

[stella luna]

Seems like the USFSA was at a crossroads. The only sure bets internationally prior to this season were Ashley and Gracie. Previously Gracie was held up because she scored well internationally, regardless her flaws. That's not happening this year; Gracie fell far short.

I like Karen but doesn't she get lowballed internationally? I recall her free at NHK was pretty good, but judges placed her low compared to the ladies who were in-front of her who didn't have as great skating skills, etc.

 

[penguin]

Outside of conspiracy theories about one 3-3 being called underrotated and the other one not, could it be a simple matter of Karen's triple lutz being so enormous that our eyes assume the second jump was bigger than it was? She doesn't (yet?) have a reputation for UR calls, not the way that Ashley does (her triple-triple combos will forever be under scrutiny, even when they're clean), so maybe she's just being given the benefit of the doubt.

That said, I did think she got way higher scores than she would have internationally, although I'm fine with her winning. I just would have had her score lower.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

2 max. There will be very hard to get on the podium for US ladies this year.

Agreed. 0% chance of 3.

 

[stella luna]

Despite what Gracie has said, she does not deserve to go to Worlds.

Not happening this time. She's been a disaster all season long and Mariah actually had a good international showing.

 

[andromache]

Does Amber have current junior PCS? I think she did one JGP last season right?

Gah, I hadn't even thought of that. She did do a JGP last season. I have no idea if her score is high enough or not though.

If USFS doesn't send Tessa Hong I will be beyond ticked. Tessa might've had a disaster LP, but she desperately needs more experience. The potential is there. Now let's get her out there to develop those nerves. As for Amber, I just think she's the most promising girl of her age we've got. A little old for juniors (compared to the Russians and Japanese), but none of our more junior-aged girls aside from Tessa seem to be at the right level to send.

 

[skatinggold]

Outside of conspiracy theories about one 3-3 being called underrotated and the other one not, could it be a simple matter of Karen's triple lutz being so enormous that our eyes assume the second jump was bigger than it was? She doesn't (yet?) have a reputation for UR calls, not the way that Ashley does (her triple-triple combos will forever be under scrutiny, even when they're clean), so maybe she's just being given the benefit of the doubt.

That said, I did think she got way higher scores than she would have internationally, although I'm fine with her winning. I just would have had her score lower.

I think that lutz was so huge, it blinded the technical caller's eyes!!!

 

[Mrs. P]

Gah, I hadn't even thought of that. She did do a JGP last season. I have no idea if her score is high enough or not though.

If USFS doesn't send Tessa Hong I will be beyond ticked. Tessa might've had a disaster LP, but she desperately needs more experience. The potential is there. Now let's get her out there to develop those nerves. As for Amber, I just think she's the most promising girl of her age we've got. A little old for juniors (compared to the Russians and Japanese), but none of our more junior-aged girls aside from Tessa seem to be at the right level to send.

I wouldn't mind a Tessa/Starr team either...just so Starr can get her feet wet before JGP.

 

[stella luna]

As I have said ... but she is injured.

Polina is probably regretting not coming this year...

 

[Mathman]

I think USFS knows what they are doing. They are actually quite smart to let Karen win.

"They" didn't "let" Karen win. Karen won.

 

[labgoat]

Assuming the Nathan wins the men's event I believe we have never had so many Asian Americans as title holders, a positive milestone. I meant only to recognize this achievement in a positive way.

Again apologies and goodbye.