2021-2022 US Women's Figure Skating

[el henry]

But this isn’t a host spot. Competing in your home country doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a host spot. Right now, Audrey Shin has the Skate America host spot for women.

The US Fed can still name whomever they want.

I posted in the other thread, every year some Fed selects a skater (not necessarily even their own) who is not "next in line". The Feds invite who they want, (with minimum scores and if the skaters aren't "maxed out") no matter what the rules say

 

[natsulian]

Blurbs from Alysa Liu's media conference:

I'm definitely going to do the 3A in my short program at Skate Canada, I might do it in the long. It's going really well in practice so hopefully I can do it in competition too.

It was definitely good to get out there and compete again for more experience and because it’s the senior level, so i got to see more of what it was like to compete with people on the world level.

Liu also commented on being inspired by Nathan's training and said that they listen to music to destress before competitions; additionally, she said that they do not worry about placement at the Beijing Olympics.

Sources:
https://twitter.com/NickMcCarvel/status/1450195561919905793?s=20
https://twitter.com/AnythingGOE/status/1450192690742796293?s=20

 

[Dawn825]

Bradie sounded optimistic and confident in her Instagram post, so hopefully she's not too far off from where she needs to be, and will be ready in time for her next event.

 

[moonvine]

I like Starr and hope she succeeds but I don't understand why Gabby Izzo didn't get the replacement spot. She's been out-skating Starr and doesn't have a GP assignment, while Starr already has IdF. I hope Gabby was offered the spot and turned it down.

I don’t understand it either.

 

[frida80]

Kihira's WD from SCI means there is a strong possibility for a podium finish for Alysa. Even silver would not be out of the question.

Rika too?!??!

I like Starr and hope she succeeds but I don't understand why Gabby Izzo didn't get the replacement spot. She's been out-skating Starr and doesn't have a GP assignment, while Starr already has IdF. I hope Gabby was offered the spot and turned it down.

Gabby just competed this weekend. It’s a lot to do two competitions back to back. (Which is why I’m nervous about Bradie doing all those comps at once!)

It’s likely that Gabby will replace someone elsewhere.

 

[Koatterce]

But this isn’t a host spot. Competing in your home country doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a host spot. Right now, Audrey Shin has the Skate America host spot for women.

My understanding is that each hosting fed gets 3 host spots, and they're all host spots regardless of whether they're assigned outright or whether the skater is eligible to earn their own spot. It just tends to be common practice for big feds to assign 2 of them outright and save the last one for whoever they deem most deserving closer to the date. But unless they give up the spot (i.e. assign a skater from another country in that place), all 3 are still host spots. 99% of the time any time a host skater withdraws, another host skater gets the pick even if they're wayyy farther down and not otherwise eligible for a spot

I haven't paid attention to whether they've gone back to the regular alternate rules this season, but the regular alternate rules are that they must pick someone from the next 10 eligible skaters by SB of the previous season (i.e. senior age, not on JGP, at least #75 on the SB list, from a fed without maxed out spots). So the top few sometimes get passed over for skaters farther down the alternate list, but I've never seen picks past #10 (host picks aside).

 

[NanaPat]

But this isn’t a host spot. Competing in your home country doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a host spot. Right now, Audrey Shin has the Skate America host spot for women.

I believe all the US spots at Skate America are "host spots". The fact that some of the skaters would have 2 GP assignments, even if they didn't get Skate America, doesn't mean that their spots are not host spots.

The large countries often leave one spot as TBD in the original list of entrants, and some people think that only those TBD spots are "host spots", but that isn't strictly true; all of their own skaters are host spots.

 

[skatingiscool]

I like Starr and hope she succeeds but I don't understand why Gabby Izzo didn't get the replacement spot. She's been out-skating Starr and doesn't have a GP assignment, while Starr already has IdF. I hope Gabby was offered the spot and turned it down.

According to the source, Audrey outskates others (Starr, Gabby) and wins her Skate America spot at Champs Camp. Starr placed a close 2nd to Audrey in the skate-off at Champs Camp and become the 1st alternate for Skate America spot. Probably Gabby didn't perform well at Champs Camp.

Audrey Shin Looks to Repeat Magic at Skate America® - U.S. Figure Skating

Last year, Audrey Shin surprised everyone, including herself, when she earned the bronze medal at the 2020 Guaranteed Rate Skate America behind veterans Mariah Bell

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

"At the end of August, Shin was invited to attend Champs Camp in Nashville, Tennessee, receive feedback on her programs. The performance-based camp is intended to prepare athletes for the Grand Prix Series. The feedback from Champs Camp proved to be valuable and helped Shin win a skate-off against other skaters to secure her Skate America® assignment."

 

[readernick]

I do wonder why USF keeps passing over Gabby Izzo. She had generally stronger summer competitions and a higher technical ceiling than either Audrey or Starr. I heard she was solid at Champs champ. Does the USF not like her coach?

 

[Amei]

I do wonder why USF keeps passing over Gabby Izzo. She had generally stronger summer competitions and a higher technical ceiling than either Audrey or Starr. I heard she was solid at Champs champ. Does the USF not like her coach?

I believe that Starr was given the replacement spot for Skate America based on her ranking, I don't think the Fed had the ability to pick absolutely whoever they wanted, there is a pool I believe (I can't remember the exact criteria for the replacement skaters when someone WDs from a GP event). Audrey was given the host pick spot - and it makes sense, she placed 3rd at Skate America last year, finished 7th at Nationals - beating Gabby.

 

[Seven Sisters]

I do wonder why USF keeps passing over Gabby Izzo. She had generally stronger summer competitions and a higher technical ceiling than either Audrey or Starr. I heard she was solid at Champs champ. Does the USF not like her coach?

Izzo has been getting international assignments, though—she was originally entered in the Asian Open (before all the US skaters withdrew), and USFS just announced that they are sending her to the Warsaw Cup in November. She may not have been as ready earlier this season; I remember that she withdrew after a so-so short at the Cranberry Cup in August.

 

[beepboop]

Man I so wish Alysa had gotten assigned to SkAm (ideally instead of the blood bath that will be SCI). She would've had a solid shot at silver or even gold if Sasha had a bad day.

 

[ice coverage]

According to the source, Audrey outskates others (Starr, Gabby) and wins her Skate America spot at Champs Camp. Starr placed a close 2nd to Audrey in the skate-off at Champs Camp and become the 1st alternate for Skate America spot. Probably Gabby didn't perform well at Champs Camp.

Audrey Shin Looks to Repeat Magic at Skate America® - U.S. Figure Skating

Last year, Audrey Shin surprised everyone, including herself, when she earned the bronze medal at the 2020 Guaranteed Rate Skate America behind veterans Mariah Bell

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

"At the end of August, Shin was invited to attend Champs Camp in Nashville, Tennessee, receive feedback on her programs. The performance-based camp is intended to prepare athletes for the Grand Prix Series. The feedback from Champs Camp proved to be valuable and helped Shin win a skate-off against other skaters to secure her Skate America® assignment."

You didn't say whose source indicated that "Starr placed a close 2nd to Audrey in the skate-off at Champs Camp and become the 1st alternate for Skate America spot."

If you are referring to the post on FSU from Sylvia, I think the attribution would be helpful.
In my estimation, Sylvia generally has good sources, and her reporting generally has credibility.

---

I do wonder why USF keeps passing over Gabby Izzo. She had generally stronger summer competitions and a higher technical ceiling than either Audrey or Starr. I heard she was solid at Champs champ. Does the USF not like her coach?

FWIW, Gabbie has the same coaches as Jimmy Ma, who received the USFS assignment to the Skate America spot vacated by Paniot.

... It’s likely that Gabby will replace someone elsewhere.

Gabbie is one of my favorites.
But to be honest, if someone must withdraw from a GP elsewhere, I am not so optimistic that another host federation would invite Gabbie as a replacement. I would love to be proven wrong.

 

[readernick]

Izzo has been getting international assignments, though—she was originally entered in the Asian Open (before all the US skaters withdrew), and USFS just announced that they are sending her to the Warsaw Cup in November. She may not have been as ready earlier this season; I remember that she withdrew after a so-so short at the Cranberry Cup in August.

Good point. I'm happy that she has been given international assignments.

 

[LiamForeman]

If you are referring to the post on FSU from Sylvia, I think the attribution would be helpful.
In my estimation, Sylvia generally has good sources, and her reporting generally has credibility.

Sylvia on FSU is a totally reliable source. I've spoken with her on my cell before at competitions giving detailed reports (last one I think was Midwesterns in Dallas and Katy Taylor was a star junior, so 2004ish?). A very LONG time ago, but she has like over 70,000 posts there. She's pretty prolific. And accurate.

 

[ice coverage]

Sylvia on FSU is a totally reliable source. I've spoken with her from competitions on my cell before at competitions giving detailed reports (last one I think was Midwesterns in Dallas and Katy Taylor was a star junior, so 2004ish?). A very LONG time ago, but she has like over 70,000 posts there. She's pretty prolific. And accurate.

You're preaching to the choir.
If she says that she heard something, I have faith that her source is someone with trustworthy information.

 

[RatedPG]

In regards to Bradie’s withdrawal, it makes sense now why she is competing in two challenger events later on in the season. I like this strategy of only performing when ready. I’m confident she will be fine.

 

[skatefan17]

Are you sure about this? When and where did Ashley 'intimate' this? I followed her pretty closely, and I never heard her say it. I don't believe she wrote it anywhere either.

She did feel that the judges at Nationals denied her the PC marks she was still getting Internationally. Many people agree.
ETA: In fact, it's not about people agreeing or not. It's a matter of record.



LOL. It's like a childhood game of 'gossip' or 'telephone'? See how quickly falsehoods mushroom?



What if Ashley never said or implied that someone 'took her spot'? What gossip are you spreading, that hurts an athlete's reputation? In fact, she didn't say anything against the 3 women who were sent to 2018 olympics. She specifically had no complaints about the other skaters.

It’s not a childhood game of gossip. Ashley commented on her performance and the results shortly after nationals. I’m sure she was disappointed. Intimating means she hinted, she never outright said anything negative about Bradie. I’ll see if I can find the article for you. Regardless, she did give the impression if anyone “took” her spot, it was Bradie. I found it surprising because it was obvious that her and Karen were fighting for the last spot. Bradie secured her spot squarely by winning nationals in 2018.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

I can’t remember but I’m willing to bet someone can. Twisties is losing your spatial awareness in the air. Does this happen to figure skaters?

Adam Rippon said he experienced something similar, and there were days when his jumps were just off and he couldn't land them properly, so perhaps some form of the twisties can happen? But I think it can be a lot less severe in skating, and is usually just an off day as opposed to a lingering effect like in gymnastics.

 

[skatingiscool]

You didn't say whose source indicated that "Starr placed a close 2nd to Audrey in the skate-off at Champs Camp and become the 1st alternate for Skate America spot."

If you are referring to the post on FSU from Sylvia, I think the attribution would be helpful.
In my estimation, Sylvia generally has good sources, and her reporting generally has credibility.

---

Yup. That's the source from Sylvia. Another credible source that I always refer to is "Jacob". Jacob was also at Champs camp last month. That's how I know Mariah switches programs to a river flows in you and hallelujah last month. He only talked about Alysa, Mariah, and Bradie but he didn't mention how Starr and others were doing at Champs camp . That's why I refer to Sylvia source instead.

If Sylvia is right, Gabby loses Skate America spot to Starr (1st Alternative) and Audrey is fair and square (Starr outskated Gabby in the skate-off at Champs Camp)