2017-18 State of U.S. Ladies Skating

[concorde]

USFS sanctions the Philly Summer Challenge (domestic event) where Karen is scheduled to do the long.

What is confusing is the same weekend at the same venue is the International competition with a similar name. This is an ISU event where skaters can earn Junior and Senior minumums. My guess is that Karen is using the domestic long as a "warm up" to the International event.

 

[frida80]

USFS sanctions the Philly Summer Challenge (domestic event) where Karen is scheduled to do the long.

What is confusing is the same weekend at the same venue is the International competition with a similar name. This is an ISU event where skaters can earn Junior and Senior minumums. My guess is that Karen is using the domestic long as a "warm up" to the International event.

It's a really tight schedule for her. She's scheduled for Glacial Falls the week prior too. I guess she's practing for the team event.

I can't wait to see the list for Philadelphia International though. I think Bradie is going but I haven't heard about anyone else.

 

[SkaterX]

Gracie has announced the music for her Olympic season programs:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/gracie-gold-unveils-olympic-season-programs

 

[figurefan0726]

I think Tessa Hong could be a factor if she's given a sensible layout for the LP.

At nationals, Tessa had almost all her jumps in the second half, but stumbled because of nervousness and failed to complete any jumps. I think she has a good layout to compete with the Russians, but she has to work on her mental game.

 

[hippomoomin]

So they just decided music and it is kind of late.

Gracie has announced the music for her Olympic season programs:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/gracie-gold-unveils-olympic-season-programs

 

[KatGrace1925]

So they just decided music and it is kind of late.

It doesn't say they just decided. Though It could be possible that Gracie will be sitting out of grand prix season if they did just decide.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

At nationals, Tessa had almost all her jumps in the second half, but stumbled because of nervousness and failed to complete any jumps. I think she has a good layout to compete with the Russians, but she has to work on her mental game.

Well, you have to beat all but two Americans to even get to face the Russians at Worlds and the Olympics. She needs to be doing 7 triple programs successfully before trying to do 7 backloaded triple programs. Hopefully she gets some competitive opportunities this season to build up her confidence.

 

[ramurphy2005]

Is Tessa even old enough to go to the Olympics this year? Someone please, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought she was only 14 at 2017 Nationals.

 

[tinnychan]

Is Tessa even old enough to go to the Olympics this year? Someone please, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought she was only 14 at 2017 Nationals.

Tessa born on 24.04.2002 and she is age-eligible to go to 2018 Olympics. I think she should show her abilities in JGP (and beat some Korean, Japanese and Russian girls). Maybe she can be a dark horse like Polina Edmunds in 2014.

 

[Mrs. P]

Is Tessa even old enough to go to the Olympics this year? Someone please, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought she was only 14 at 2017 Nationals.

She turned 15 in April, before the July 1 deadline, so yes, she's old enough to go to the Olympics.

Here are the ages of the top 12, plus some some others (including Polina and some notable juniors) come Nationals time.

Ashley Wagner 1991.05.15 (26) -- 2008
Mirai Nagasu 1993.04.16 (24) -- 2008
Caroline Zhang 1993.05.20 (24) -- 2008
Gracie Gold 1995.08.17 (22) -- 2013
Courtney Hicks 1995.12.15 (22) -- 2013
Mariah Bell 1996.04.18 (21) -- 2014
Angela Wang 1996.07.30 (21) -- 2012
Bradie Tennell 1998.01.19 (19) -- 2016 <------------median
Polina Edmunds 1998.05.18 (19) -- 2014 <======median
Karen Chen 1999.08.16 (18) -- 2015
Amber Glenn 1999.10.28 (18) -- 2015
Paige Rydberg 1999.11.17 (18) -- 2017
Starr Andrews 2001.06.21 (16) -- 2018 (expected debut)
Tessa Hong 2002.04.22 (15) -- 2017
Ashley Kim 2002.12.14 (14) -- 2018 (expected debut; too young for Olympics)
Ashley Lin 2003.03.23 (14) -- 2017 (expected debut; too young for olympics)
Kaitlyn Nguyen 2003.11 (14) -- 2018 (expected debut; too young for Olympics)

 

[frida80]

Tessa born on 24.04.2002 and she is age-eligible to go to 2018 Olympics. I think she should show her abilities in JGP (and beat some Korean, Japanese and Russian girls). Maybe she can be a dark horse like Polina Edmunds in 2014.

She hasn't even debut her programs yet and the deadlines for the JGP are coming. Plus she's not on the schedule for Skate Detroit, Philly Champs, or Glacial Falls. She wasn't at singles camp last month. I don't think Frank intends for her to be at the JGP. He may be taking Tessa straight to senior comps.

 

[Kittosuni]

I have a good feeling about Tessa Hong. Of all the American Ladies she is the only one brave enough to dare and plan to compete against the Russians and the Japanese at their own game plan.

If she becomes successful or even half successful with her intended backloading layout, you know the media will prop her against the top ladies in the world.

The mindset she gets from backloading her jumps is very important. If she happened to be unsuccessful in some of her jumps in the second half, come nationals they can rearrange her layout and put some jumps in the first half. Her mindset is that she will be skating to an "easier" layout and program.

Skating conservative will not do any good for new skaters like Tessa Hong especially in the olympic season. I truly believe that with the traditional layout, a hit skate from Tessa will not outscore a semi-hit skate from the top American ladies. Their PCS gap is just too big right now so she needs to separate her self from them. This is a high risk high reward strategy and Im sure Frank and his team knows this

 

[andromache]

I have a good feeling about Tessa Hong. Of all the American Ladies she is the only one brave enough to dare and plan to compete against the Russians and the Japanese at their own game plan.

If she becomes successful or even half successful with her intended backloading layout, you know the media will prop her against the top ladies in the world.

The mindset she gets from backloading her jumps is very important. If she happened to be unsuccessful in some of her jumps in the second half, come nationals they can rearrange her layout and put some jumps in the first half. Her mindset is that she will be skating to an "easier" layout and program.

Skating conservative will not do any good for new skaters like Tessa Hong especially in the olympic season. I truly believe that with the traditional layout, a hit skate from Tessa will not outscore a semi-hit skate from the top American ladies. Their PCS gap is just too big right now so she needs to separate her self from them. This is a high risk high reward strategy and Im sure Frank and his team knows this

I highly, HIGHLY doubt Tessa will do any major backloading this season. I think Frank and Lori would clutch their pearls and have a fit of the vapors at the very idea of a program with so little balance.

 

[Bluediamonds09]

Something tells me that Gracie will not miss the GP.
Btw, what is her music like? I'm trying to figure out if the ballet is Indian, Middle Eastern, Asian, or Spanish.

 

[macy]

Looks like Karen Chen is signed up to skate her long at Philly. Haley Beavers is listed to do the Senior short only.

wooohooooooo

 

[frida80]

Something tells me that Gracie will not miss the GP.
Btw, what is her music like? I'm trying to figure out if the ballet is Indian, Middle Eastern, Asian, or Spanish.

Indian. It will be a big switch for her.

 

[SnowWhite]

Something tells me that Gracie will not miss the GP.
Btw, what is her music like? I'm trying to figure out if the ballet is Indian, Middle Eastern, Asian, or Spanish.

La Bayadère was composed by Ludwig Minkus (Austrian) for the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg and is considered a connection between the romantic and classical eras of ballet. As for the storyline, it's set in Hindu India.

 

[mrrice]

Indian. It will be a big switch for her.

I agree, and it could be great. IMO, what Gracie needs is to get her jumps back. Some of her early programs featured music I simply couldn't stand. However, her big jumps were enough to get her into the top 3 no matter what music she skated to. This "Dance of the sugar plum fairy" SP would have been a disaster without Gracie and her big jumps. :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC8_cAgdoE8

 

[desertskates]

I love La Bayadere, truly an all time fave. But Gracie needs to be in top form to do it justice, for sure. I hope her summer training is going well and she can build her confidence through the fall season. Here's a throwback La Bayadere from another American favorite, Alissa Czisny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uuu7LZezHY

 

[figurefan0726]

Something tells me that Gracie will not miss the GP.
Btw, what is her music like? I'm trying to figure out if the ballet is Indian, Middle Eastern, Asian, or Spanish.

Gracie will not miss the GP. She sounds like she's on fire but her skating skills lack a little, I saw that on soi. She's assigned to Cup of China and Trophee de France, but I doubt she will get any medals because of all the Russian and Japanese ladies.