- Joined
- Jan 25, 2013
Absolutely!
Especially if the return is timed to the Olympic season.
2025-26 Grand Prix assignments released
- Thread starter gsk8
- Start date
Especially if the return is timed to the Olympic season.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2017
Mostly I am concerned that the scoring will not reflect what is seen on the ice. Alyssa slowly built her way back competition to competition. I hope we see the same for these other skaters.
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2013
Not me. It's fine, so long as the scoring is accurate. Otherwise, you buy into the "whose turn is it" philosophy of skating, and I'm anti-that.
I'm skeptical that they can actually compete with the very best today who have been training consistently for years, but I said the same about Alyssa Liu a year ago... and we see how that turned out. Let 'em perform, and let the chips fall where they may.
And besides, if these teams who haven't "put in the work" beat those who have, then was the work really that effective?
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2013
In general, I agree with you.
In practical terms though, a skater career is short and there so many things which can happen such as injuries, health problems, external factors e.g. pandemic and so on, so there is really could be just one Olympic cycle this particular skater/pair could peak in. And ''whose turn is it'' is not as much as philosophy as a cold reality of judging system (especially in ID) when you just have to climb the PCS ladder first. And then, when you got through all the obstacles, dealt with a few injuries, earned your reputation with the judges and about to 'arrive', bang, someone who already got all the medals/titles decides to come back and all your work and sacrifices are just not good enough.
It just does not feel fair somehow...
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
Not only that but the teams coming back have A LOT of work ahead of them.... Nobody gets into Olympic shape without working hard.
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2018
So what are the odds that the "TBD" at SKAM really is for Jacob? Has Jacob even acquired one quad? I'm happy Lucas has two....he's been on my radar the last couple of seasons and enjoy his style. And the reasons for giving up one spot? It already has given me such conspiracy, backroom deal type of paranoia
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2012
Well it is going to be interesting I don't understand all the rules how teams can get GP assignments after not competing for seven years or with new partners. It seems the olympic season has brought a renewed interest. Why? I am no expert but the lack of skating shows and pro competitions to make money or having an after life to competitive skating may be one thing. As well, this is a bit of a valley in terms of skkill in skating. Dance and pairs have a lot of good teams but not iconic. Even Chock and Bates who appear to be dominating are not considered probably with Virtue and Moir, PC. The timing is right for teams who I am sure won't say it but they weighed why they are coming back and in some cases the chance of medallig or winning. With Sui and Han I think they are a shoo in for a medal essentially even with errors and a reasonable chance at gold with none of the teams including the Japanese really showing the same skill and style of Sui and Han or the past greats. IN fact, the Germans, Italians, Americans, Canadians and Japanese all would be probably considered second tier from past years when you had Russia, Chinese and usually at least 1 other extremely gifted team. In ice dance I anticiapte someone or some teams are going to getting the short end of he stick Chock and Bates seem unbeatable deserved or not. Then you have a fight with Piper and Paul, the Italians, The Brits, Beaudry and Cizeron, the current French champs, LaLa, Careira and Ponomarenko which really look vulnerable as to moving down rather than up, Shib sibs, Spain That's ten teams although I would suggest really9 have a chance at a medal which means a medal favouried team could be like in 9th or 10th
It is based on their placement at the last World Championships they competed in. For new couples, they look at whichever skater had the highest placement with their previous partner if both halves of the new couple last competed in the same Worlds. If one competed more recently than the other, then I think they use the most recent placement.
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2018
Found this from another forum, but apparently Amber said in an interview with This Week in Skating podcast that she had chosen another GP that's not Cup of China, but was usurped by a host pick.
Considering 4th 5th 6th at Worlds was USA USA JPN, my guess is the GP that Amber wanted was NHK Trophy, but NHK and/or JSF wants Wakaba there. So on paper Amber should have been able to choose her GP first (she's 5th to Wakaba's 6th, and this opens up the possibility of Isabeau who is in 4th may have wanted NHK too) but the host pick became the priority.
(I personally think getting NHK is a big opportunity for Wakaba, if she goes clean she can hopefully get a good score and that's one of the things that can get her to the Olympic team..)
Considering 4th 5th 6th at Worlds was USA USA JPN, my guess is the GP that Amber wanted was NHK Trophy, but NHK and/or JSF wants Wakaba there. So on paper Amber should have been able to choose her GP first (she's 5th to Wakaba's 6th, and this opens up the possibility of Isabeau who is in 4th may have wanted NHK too) but the host pick became the priority.
(I personally think getting NHK is a big opportunity for Wakaba, if she goes clean she can hopefully get a good score and that's one of the things that can get her to the Olympic team..)
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2014
I'm not. If someone wants to skate and they can skate at a high level then that is their prerogative.
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2014
I think, if we are going to talk about turns, and how it could be a pair's only Olympic cycle, then you have to talk about Chock and Bates. They've already been to 3 Olympics and are clearly aiming for a 4th. In my opinion, people can't be annoyed at the Shibs for wanting to complete and not complain about C/B continuing. (As I said before, I think if people want to skate, they should skate. I've also said that about people who complain that Jason is still skating. None of the men except Ilia seem to be able to beat him with any consistency and he still wants to compete, so he should.)
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2012
Thank you. Interesting. I mean the Shibsibs haven't competed an entire quadrenniel and then some. So I guess Laurence and her then partner placed high enough to garner two spots. I think she was 9th though the year before 5th at world's. Has anyone got updates/reports on The Shibsibs? Laurence and Guillaume? Sui and Han?
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2012
Completely agree with Sworddance. For all we know the ShibSibs may bomb, OR, even if they haven't competed in umpty two years and they skate lights out and beat some of our top teams - well, so be it. Don't we want to present the best teams we have at the Olympics? You shouldn't get spots just because you've worked for years. You should get spots because you're the best. Yes I feel a bit sorry for a few of our teams but consider the fact they haven't risen to the top yet anyway. This is clearly NOT a sentimental sport.
- Joined
- May 28, 2018
I agree with you. The big difference with Alyssa and the Shibs and Sui and Han is age. Alyssa was 16 when she retired. She's maybe 20 now. The learning curve is less steep. She's still a young skater. Pairs may well have room for Sui and Han. Ice Dance is super competitive and has changed a lot since the Shibs skated. International scoring will be tough. They might get overscored at Nats, but they aren't going to beat Maddie and Evan except in an unusual circumstance. Plus Maia and Alex were 2 Olympics back. So they will have a lot of work to do. But if they can do it, more power to them! The speed of Ice Dance has increased. They were struggling with that back in 2018. It's only increased since then. I am a big fan of the Shibs, but their effort to increase their speed made them look frazzled and not smooth, especially Alex. The top teams now zoom around the ice looking smooth and light, in control and appearing effortless. That's going to be a huge learning curve for them. But if Caroline and Michael can up their game, and Christina and Tony keep getting better as they have been, it will difficult for the Shibs to break through. The pressure is on Caroline and Michael. They will need to have really good GPs. And, so will the Shibs!
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2016
I reeeeeally hope Sarah's team is working with her on expression and feeling the music. At this point she still received high components (63 for pcs at 4cc) so it's possible her team thinks she can make a statement either way. Do you think Sarah can kick isabeau off the predetermined team?I am looking forward to see if Elyse Lin-Gracey and Sarah Everhardt will be able to make a statement.
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2013
In a world, where "fairness" does not take into account how competitions played out a year ago or more and USFSA doesn't have their thumbs on the scale at US Nats, then yes absolutely. But I'm not getting my hopes up.
That aside... in my opinion, the most likely of the "predetermined team" to get knocked off will be Amber, but that's still a remote possibility.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2019
I don't see Sara E kicking anyone off with what she has, given that even Malinin didn't/couldn't last Oly. American selections tend to stick to seniority/cred. Lui is now WC, Levito is a world medallist and Amber is GPF champion. This beats pretty much anything, unless Sara E can bring a stable quad to the table. If she does, it could become interesting.
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