Grand Prix 2009 Entries are up!

[Spun Silver]

Whoa! Gotta give it to Shen/Zhao for coming back without endless media-whoring (BUT I LOVE YOU SASHA!)

Excuse me, I'm not going to repeat your word, but how do you know they didn't get a blizzard of PR in China?

(It dismays me that they're quite unknown here ... this is from having seen them in SOI twice, with hardly anyone cheering but me.)

 

[ehdtkqorl123]

Just found out, it's in Japan. Not good for North Americans.

I heard getting GF ticket is insanely competitive in Japan like getting Olympic tickets in Canada. I mean even Japanese can't easily get a ticket since there will be lottery thing like Vancouver Olympics

 

[Wrlmy]

The Skate America ladies' TBA will most likely either be Kwan (IF she decides she wants to come back) or one of the 2 U.S. ladies with 1 GP (Alexe Gilles, Becky Bereswill, Bebe Liang). Gilles (9th) finished the highest among the 3 of them at '09 Nationals. Angela Maxwell is slated to return to the JGP from what I've heard, along with the Shibutanis (no surprise) and Richard Dornbush. (These were the U.S. skaters guaranteed 1 Sr. GP if they wanted to move up.)

Thank you for the explanation. I hope Angela will rock junior grand prix.

 

[ehdtkqorl123]

As current World Champion, Yu-Na got to pick her two GP assignments for next season. She didn't get stuck with anything and her federation had nothing to do with it.

Hmmm to me, it seems like some of her competitors got tough assignments

 

[Wrlmy]

Excuse me, I'm not going to repeat your word, but how do you know they didn't get a blizzard of PR in China?

(It dismays me that they're quite unknown here ... this is from having seen them in SOI twice, with hardly anyone cheering but me.)

I'm just basing on whatever is out there accessible for me. I've certainly heard a lot about Plushenko, and I didn't have to search russian websites. I'm sure I would've heard something from S/Z if they wanted to generate some buzz.

 

[seniorita]

I've certainly heard a lot about Plushenko, and I didn't have to search russian websites.

maybe cause it was me screaming

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=3ecba6d5efa0eb168d78a0e555291609e04e75f6e8ebb871

the boards in jpg.

 

[dlarry1]

MANY thanks, Seniorita!!!

 

[Mathman]

Hmmm to me, it seems like some of her competitors got tough assignments

:agree:

 

[SailorGalaxia518]

China's Shen, Zhao look for elusive Olympic gold

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090530&content_id=5048522&vkey=ice_news

China's Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao left competitive figure skating on a high note. The won their third world title in Tokyo in 2007, and, on top of that, Zhao got down on one knee at the end of their free skate to propose to his partner. Shen joined him on his knee and said, "Yes."

 

[Mathman]

I like it! Sasha does not have to do anything heroic at Eric Bompard. Just show up without too much rust, skate her programs, and finish somewhere in the middle of that powerhouse field (Kim, Asada, Nakano, Zhang, Gedevanishvili, Korpi,...). Then crank ot up a notch and try to medal at Skate America. That will put her right on track.

Rachael appears to have the best shot of all the American ladies to make the finals. She has legitimate chances for second or third at both of her events.

Caroline has the best draw. She gets to mix it up with the big girls in Paris, then shoot for the moon against a weaker field at Skate Canada.

 

[Tonichelle]

Looks like we wont see Johnny and Evan go head to head until *maybe* the GPF (more likely nationals)... wonder if the USFSA invited Johnny to join them in Skate America or not ? or did Japan and Russia grab him first (I still can't get my head around who gets to pick what )

 

[ehdtkqorl123]

I am still wondering about that TBD for SA ladies. Some think it is reserved for MK but who knows?

 

[pippa]

Looks like we wont see Johnny and Evan go head to head until *maybe* the GPF (more likely nationals)... wonder if the USFSA invited Johnny to join them in Skate America or not ? or did Japan and Russia grab him first (I still can't get my head around who gets to pick what )

Johnny said on Twitter before the draw that he wanted Russia and Japan, so I would guess that is what he requested. Of course, unless a skater finished in the top three at Worlds, they have no actual say in what events they get, so it would have been just a request, and he could have ended up with anything.

 

[Mathman]

I just noticed that McLaughlin and Brubaker are the only U.S. champions that were invited to Skate America. Not Jeremy Abbott, not Alissa Czisny, not Davis and White.

 

[Tinymavy15]

I am surprised that they gave Sasha two events, but I think she will only to SA. She is up against yu-na in both events and mao as well in the first. Mao has a rough time of it was well, drawing the first two events, back to back, halfway around the world and up against yu-na first off.
Stunned that Shen and Zhao's names are up. I had no idea they were honestly planning a comeback. Once they got married I figured competiting was over...but Horray! maybe they will finally get the olympic gold they so deserve. Only they could pull off a comeback like that.

I am pretty glad that there will be no Johnny/Evan face-off. It only plays into the heads of both skaters and I prefer the skating without all that drama.

The dance and men's events are pretty well spread out, I don't really see clear winners in most of the events, which is a good thing.

 

[ehdtkqorl123]

By the way, if one ends up out of podium in TEB, how high is the probability that the skater will make it to GF? I think it's very low, isn't it?

 

[seniorita]

Who would be the TBA in men in Moscow?they have only two russians. Why Voronov is not picked there?
I was expecting a TBA for plushy, I know it is just announcement but now I have a smile up until the sky, and rippon and oda and mao in teb!

 

[Mathman]

I am still wondering about that TBD for SA ladies. Some think it is reserved for MK but who knows?

Maybe Michelle is waiting to see how Sasha does at TEB. If Sasha does OK, then Michelle will say, hey, if she can do it, so can I. If Sasha gets creamed by Kim and Asada, then Michelle can creep quietly away and sign up to do television commetrary in Vancouver.

 

[merrybari]

Looks like we wont see Johnny and Evan go head to head until *maybe* the GPF (more likely nationals)... wonder if the USFSA invited Johnny to join them in Skate America or not ? or did Japan and Russia grab him first (I still can't get my head around who gets to pick what )

Nor Evan and Abbott either. I can't get my head around the selection process either. All it does is give me a headache. :banging:

 

[Tonichelle]

ugh I hope she isn't in the booth in Vancouver... her worlds "nothing really to add other than my star power" comments (ENUNCIATE FOR ONCE!) took a few minutes away from them showing something else... she and Dick both... if NBC packs the booth again like last time I'm gonna be ticked. Too many voices, not enough of anything.

/rant

Bummed Wester and Barantsev didn't get an assignment... and that we won't see Caydee and Jeremey until nationals [on TV].