2017-18 State of U.S. Ladies Skating

[ice coverage]

It could just be the camera angle...but this rink looks tiny. It looked like Ashley was moving slow and Karen didn't have enough room for her usual speed.

Perhaps an NHL size rink instead of Olympic size?

Per the announcement for the SoCal invitational: "The ice surface is 100’ x 200’ with slightly rounded corners."
Which is Olympic size, AFAIK.

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what happened to Polina Edmunds??? .... looks like another promising talent that never materialized.

Depends on one's definition of "materialized."

IMO, Polina can be proud of her track record to date: two U.S. silver medals, Four Continents gold, at least two years on the SOI tour, etc. (With more accomplishments to come, I expect.)
Some U.S. ladies would be more than happy to have achieved the same.

ETA (on Oct 8):

LOL, and I neglected to mention the Olympics as Polina's first-ever senior international. With a ninth-place finish.
http://web.icenetwork.com/skaters/profile/polina_edmunds​

 

[R.D.]

IMO, Polina can be proud of her track record to date: two U.S. silver medals, Four Continents gold, at least two years on the SOI tour, etc. (With more accomplishments to come, I expect.)
Some U.S. ladies would be more than happy to have achieved the same.

Some?

Most!

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I don’t have hope that she can make it to Olympic this time. Poor girl.

I mean, I don't think she'll make it, either. However, the US field isn't so deep that a skater must land a 3/3 to medal if she hits everything else.

 

[Eeyora]

True. At 19, she could skip these games and return in 2022 and still be younger than Ashley is now. We saw from her posts during the school year that that's where she was focused and I think she'll be a late season surprises by the time Nationals rolls around. She has always done well at Nationals and with them being in her home town........ I still have hope.

Honestly that's what I want to happen. Im pulling for a Karen, Ashley and Mirai Olympic team this time around. I really want to see Polina grow up and Mature. With her height and beautiful long lines I really hope she can shine in the future with a long career!

 

[klutzy]

I think Polina's a long shot, but I wouldn't count her out. She's already improved noticeably from the Vacaville footage of her this summer to the more recent St. Moritz footage. She's a tough cookie--she can perform under pressure, so if her jumps are back, she'll be able to deliver them. I'm rooting for her on the behalf of tall girls everywhere.

 

[SkaterX]

How soon would Gracie need to announce it if she plans to withdraw from her GP assignments?

 

[hippomoomin]

The rink definitely looked very small. Not sure Ashley skated slow in order not to hit the edge, or because the rink is so big that makes her look slow. I think she had several underrotations too.

Perhaps an NHL size rink instead of Olympic size?

 

[Moxiejan]

How soon would Gracie need to announce it if she plans to withdraw from her GP assignments?

Probably you're asking about deadline for a country having to replace her. IIRC, it is about two weeks. After that, the host has the option of inviting someone else, but not required.

Obviously, Gracie herself could withdraw at any point, even as she's being announced for the SP.

 

[Moxiejan]

The rink definitely looked very small. Not sure Ashley skated slow in order not to hit the edge, or because the rink is so big that makes her look slow. I think she had several underrotations too.

Part of the issue is the way the camera was tracking her; I thought Karen also looked slower than she usually does.

Other than the 3 lutz (and pop in the sequence), I thought her jumps looked clean.

 

[mrrice]

Probably you're asking about deadline for a country having to replace her. IIRC, it is about two weeks. After that, the host has the option of inviting someone else, but not required.

Obviously, Gracie herself could withdraw at any point, even as she's being announced for the SP.

I really wish Gracie would withdraw. Especially if her programs aren't ready. It is widely known that she is behind in her training this year and IMO, it would be better for her to train without interrupting her schedule by traveling to events she has no hope of winning. If she's working on new programs, it would be better for her to present them when they are polished. She didn't have anything ready for champs camp and I think it will help her performance quality if she is confident and prepared. She's so incredibly talented that she could skip the GP just like Michelle did after the OG's in 2002. She came back and won Nationals and Worlds that season and "IF" Gracie's not fully prepared, I hope she stays home and trains.

She has a ton of fans here in the US and around the World. I think we'd all understand if she announced that she needed more time to prepare for the Olympic Season. She needs to do what's best for her. Even if she announced that didn't have the motivation to continue and retired, I could totally relate and I'd still be a huge fan.

 

[ice coverage]

How soon would Gracie need to announce it if she plans to withdraw from her GP assignments?

Probably you're asking about deadline for a country having to replace her. IIRC, it is about two weeks. After that, the host has the option of inviting someone else, but not required. ...

For ladies and men, the host fed is *not required* to replace (at any time) a GP skater who would be the 12th or 11th entry.

From p. 10 of the announcement for the 2017-18 GP series:

7.6 Replacements

It is mandatory that an Organizing ISU Member replaces any Pair who withdraws from the event with an alternate up to fourteen (14) days prior to the Team Leaders Meeting for that event.

For a Ladies or Men Skater, up to fourteen (14) days prior to the Team Leaders Meeting for that event, it is voluntary that an Organizing ISU Member replace any Skater who withdraws from the event who would be the 11th or 12th entry, but must replace with an alternate any Skater who withdraws if fewer than 10 entries remain.

For an Ice Dance couple, up to fourteen (14) days prior to the draw for that event, it is voluntary that a host country replace any Ice Dance couple who withdraws from the event who would be the 9th or 10th entry, but must replace any Dance couple who withdraws with an alternate couple if fewer than 8 entries remain.

At the fourteen day mark, consideration will be given by the ISU Grand Prix Coordination Group to leaving a position vacant because of visa requirements or unduly high travel costs that would be incurred by the Organizing ISU Member. ​

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A photo of Mirai's demo at the USOC media summit is included in "The Week In 16 Photos: Sept. 25-Oct. 1."

http://www.teamusa.org/News/2017/October/02/The-Week-In-16-Photos-Sept-25-Oct-1​

Not my favorite photo of her, but glad to see her included among the sixteen.

(A pose of Jason from a photo shoot also is included.)

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Some?

Most!

:agree: Agreed re Polina .

 

[Moxiejan]

I really wish Gracie would withdraw. Especially if her programs aren't ready. It is widely known that she is behind in her training this year and IMO, it would be better for her to train without interrupting her schedule by traveling to events she has no hope of winning...She's so incredibly talented that she could skip the GP just like Michelle did after the OG's in 2002.

If Gracie doesn't do a GP, she won't get a bye to Nationals (unless she can somehow get a bye via a later Senior B). The situation with Michelle was different, based on her performance at prior year Nationals.

 

[mrrice]

If Gracie doesn't do a GP, she won't get a bye to Nationals (unless she can somehow get a bye via a later Senior B). The situation with Michelle was different, based on her performance at prior year Nationals.

Completely True!!! I forget that Michelle was the defending Champion but I thought the entire final flight or the top 6 got byes. Maybe not.

 

[princessalica]

She missed by bye by one placement at last years nationals, since she was 6th. Does a team medal at the last Olympic Winter games count or does it have to be an individual medal? Because if the team medal counts then she can have a bye without competing on the GP.

Guidelines for Qualifying for Nationals from the USFS site -
In general, skaters qualify for the U.S. Championships in one of six ways:
Placing in the top four at the current season's sectional championships
Placing in the top five in a senior event at the previous year's U.S. Championships
Winning a medal at the most recent Olympic Winter Games
Winning a medal at the previous year's World Championships
Advancing to the current season's Grand Prix Final or Junior Grand Final
Earning an "international bye" based on proximity of an international assignment in the current season to the sectional championships

 

[jFarrisFAN]

She missed by bye by one placement at last years nationals, since she was 6th. Does a team medal at the last Olympic Winter games count or does it have to be an individual medal? Because if the team medal counts then she can have a bye without competing on the GP.

Guidelines for Qualifying for Nationals from the USFS site -
In general, skaters qualify for the U.S. Championships in one of six ways:
Placing in the top four at the current season's sectional championships
Placing in the top five in a senior event at the previous year's U.S. Championships
Winning a medal at the most recent Olympic Winter Games
Winning a medal at the previous year's World Championships
Advancing to the current season's Grand Prix Final or Junior Grand Final
Earning an "international bye" based on proximity of an international assignment in the current season to the sectional championships

If she doesn't get the bye from that, USFSA could always assign her a senior B around the time of sectionals, where she just goes and competes so she can get a bye. She wouldn't have to compete on the GP under the immense pressure but it would give her a chance to test her programs out and it would assure she would qualify for nationals.

 

[mrrice]

I wonder if Gracie has considered going back to Firebird. Lord knows that if Ashley can do version #3 of Moulin Rouge, Gracie could certainly go back to one of her successful LP's. Maybe even go back to "Life Is Beautiful" I loved that program and when she finally got it right at Nationals and Worlds, it was great.

 

[macy]

The rink definitely looked very small. Not sure Ashley skated slow in order not to hit the edge, or because the rink is so big that makes her look slow. I think she had several underrotations too.

do most elite skaters train in Olympic size arenas? my rink didn't have one and I always wondered that.

I notice that most times when a skater is being filmed (especially in HD) they look very slow versus real life. ive seen Ashley skate in real life and I don't think she's a slow skater by any means. but i'm thinking it was just the camera, I thought the same thing with Karen.

 

[Moxiejan]

If she doesn't get the bye from that, USFSA could always assign her a senior B around the time of sectionals, where she just goes and competes so she can get a bye. She wouldn't have to compete on the GP under the immense pressure but it would give her a chance to test her programs out and it would assure she would qualify for nationals.

Sectionals are the weekend of 11/15, the same as Gracie's 2nd GP (France). The only 2 Senior Bs in that timeframe are the same weekend (11/15) and 1 week later (Talinn, iirc). I'm not sure USFS would see much point in spending money sending Gracie to either one, since France would be paying for the GP. Especially when there are U.S. skaters with good 3-3s this season (Courtney, Caroline, etc.) who don't have GPs & would certainly benefit from another Senior B.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Guidelines for Qualifying for Nationals from the USFS site -
In general, skaters qualify for the U.S. Championships in one of six ways:
Placing in the top four at the current season's sectional championships
Placing in the top five in a senior event at the previous year's U.S. Championships
Winning a medal at the most recent Olympic Winter Games
Winning a medal at the previous year's World Championships
Advancing to the current season's Grand Prix Final or Junior Grand Final
Earning an "international bye" based on proximity of an international assignment in the current season to the sectional championships

Does a team medal count?

 

[Moxiejan]

Does a team medal count?

No; according to the current USFS rulebook, it must have been in the same discipline as the one for which a bye is being sought:

2515 For all championship (senior) events, the following competitors will receive an automatic invitation to the same event;
however, any such competitor or couple must enter to compete through the online registration process as described in
rule 2401 and by the deadline of Sept. 1. Failure to do so will result in the competitor(s) not being entered nor allowed to
compete at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships for the current season.
A. A competitor or couple placing in the top five at last year’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships;
B. A competitor or couple who won a medal at the most recent Olympic Winter Games;
C. A competitor or couple who won a medal at the most recent World Championships

There is no "event" at U.S. Nationals that corresponds to Olympic team event, so no bye from it.