State of US Ladies in skating III: 2014-15 Season

[dorispulaski]

Angela Wang's SP at Autumn Classic (2nd place)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2808n2_angela-wang-usa_sport's

Angela's LP (1st place)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x282yq1_angela-wang-usa_sport

 

[Layfan]

Aw, I had not seen this and maybe some other people hadn't either. Great interview with Frank Carrol on Gracie Gold at Sochi - with the ever charming Michelle Kwan among the interviewers and sharing some of her own memories. Go Gracie this weekend!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub2ipyBXaK8

 

[kwanatic]

I think if Gracie is able to win Skate America there will be a collective sigh of relief (at least from the US fans). But what do you guys think the atmosphere will be like if Gracie doesn't win? I mean, is this a must win event for her or will it be okay to place 2nd or 3rd behind the Russians?

Given that Gracie has been on the GP two full years and has two medals to show for it (silver her first year, bronze last year; 7th and 4th at her other events), I feel like this year she's gotta start producing some stronger results internationally. If she doesn't win she at least needs to qualify for the Final this season and place top 3 there. Call it impatience or what have you, but I really think it's time for Gracie to step up. Hopefully she's ready...

As for Mirai, I'm not confident in her ability to reach the podium here. Elena, Liza T and Gracie are the favs for the podium. I think a strong 4th place would be great, but there is some decent 2nd tier competition at this event (Park, Meite, Cesario). In order to stay in the top 5, Mirai will really need to skate well.

I'm excited! Can't wait for everything to get started!

 

[samson]

^Good questions Kwanatic!

It's funny, I do feel the impression here really is, if Gracie wins, we have a legitimate threat to the world podium/title established in the US for the first time since 2006 but if she's even second there might be doom on the horizon. It's so speculative though because it's the first grand prix of the season. At least for me, I get the feeling that there's a very all or nothing atmosphere about it.

With that said, I do think Gracie is a bit of a late season skater, but I also see her improving a great deal from Nebelhorn. She's a hard worker to be sure, and with Frank I think she's on a good path. As long as she is making clear improvement in both programs from Nebelhorn I think we'll be ok. However, I also think making the grand prix final could make a world of difference for her overall impression.

With Mirai, she's gonna need to be gang busters and the others will have to open the door for her to get on that podium. I think Elena, Liza and Gracie have too strong reputations for Mirai not to need to clearly out skate one of them to get on the podium. I'm a little nervous about her boots. She's competing in soft ones because she couldn't break in her new ones in time, but she definitely seems to be on the uptick. I think she's on the cusp of hitting that triple/triple and SKAM as much as anything else will be about building her reputation. Still, I do think it's possible, if she skates to her potential.

She has a good opportunity here. If she gets on the podium, it's going to turn a lot of head, give her great momentum into Rostelecom, and show that she's really turning it around. If she comes in fourth behind the three favorites, she'll still be ahead of Samantha, and a few other "top 10" international ladies.

 

[Jammers]

Gracie hasn't won an international event in over 3 years it's time for the hype to become real or she will find herself slowly dropping in the rankings.

 

[mustafakent]

I think if Gracie is able to win Skate America there will be a collective sigh of relief (at least from the US fans). But what do you guys think the atmosphere will be like if Gracie doesn't win? I mean, is this a must win event for her or will it be okay to place 2nd or 3rd behind the Russians?

Given that Gracie has been on the GP two full years and has two medals to show for it (silver her first year, bronze last year; 7th and 4th at her other events), I feel like this year she's gotta start producing some stronger results internationally. If she doesn't win she at least needs to qualify for the Final this season and place top 3 there. Call it impatience or what have you, but I really think it's time for Gracie to step up. Hopefully she's ready...

As for Mirai, I'm not confident in her ability to reach the podium here. Elena, Liza T and Gracie are the favs for the podium. I think a strong 4th place would be great, but there is some decent 2nd tier competition at this event (Park, Meite, Cesario). In order to stay in the top 5, Mirai will really need to skate well.

I'm excited! Can't wait for everything to get started!

True. :agree:

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I think if Gracie is able to win Skate America there will be a collective sigh of relief (at least from the US fans). But what do you guys think the atmosphere will be like if Gracie doesn't win? I mean, is this a must win event for her or will it be okay to place 2nd or 3rd behind the Russians?

She should have a nice PCS cushion because I don't think Elena or Liza will be close to her there in a US competition. If Gracie doesn't win it will be because she made a few major mistakes or several minor errors. I don't think losing to Elena would be the end of the world, but bronze or worse probably would be a bad result. Regardless, I don't feel this is a must win for Gracie because she hasn't won much of anything but the hype still continues.

 

[fallingsk8er]

Gracie should keep improving and have a win @ Nationals and a World medal...Skate America is nothing. As long as she doesn't get beaten by an American....

 

[jenaj]

Go Gracie, Mirai and Samantha! If Gracie does her jumps and stays on her feet, I think she will win. That assumes, of course, that the PCS scoring for Elena R. is realistic. Liza T. is also a factor, but I think a clean Gracie beats a clean Liza.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Go Gracie, Mirai and Samantha! If Gracie does her jumps and stays on her feet, I think she will win. That assumes, of course, that the PCS scoring for Elena R. is realistic. Liza T. is also a factor, but I think a clean Gracie beats a clean Liza.

Elena won't get unrealistic PCS in the US, especially when she is up against Gracie at home. I'm actually more curious so see how Mirai is marked relative to the Russians and Gracie.

 

[Icey]

Gracie will have problems with her 3/3 imo. That's been brewing for awhile. Do they use only American judges at this event or are international judges required?

 

[burntBREAD]

Gracie will have problems with her 3/3 imo. That's been brewing for awhile. Do they use only American judges at this event or are international judges required?

It's an ISU event (it's a Grand Prix). International judges are required.

 

[SimplyAFan]

I think Gracie really needs a good start to the GP season. A gold medal would really be best (obvious, I know) but I'm not sure that a silver would be disastrous because that would mean she beat at least one of the Russians. As someone else pointed out, it would be bad for her to be beaten by another American, but I don't see that happening here.

Regardless, I'm ready for the start of the GP. Go USA!

 

[Barb]

Gracie should keep improving and have a win @ Nationals and a World medal...Skate America is nothing. As long as she doesn't get beaten by an American....

If she cant win a gp competition, let alone the gpf, how she going to win a world medal?

 

[fallingsk8er]

If she cant win a gp competition, let alone the gpf, how she going to win a world medal?

I didnt think it was a prerequisite.
Kimmie Meissner, Laura Lepisto, Julia Soldatova, and Alena Leonova all won world medals having never won a GP event.

 

[Barb]

I didnt think it was a prerequisite.
Kimmie Meissner, Laura Lepisto, Julia Soldatova, and Alena Leonova all won world medals having never won a GP event.

It is not a requisite, but I dont understand you enter to a competition if you dont want to win, Yulia and some russians and japanese are looking for the win in all the competitions, not just practice before worlds, I remember Adelina crying when she won her first medal in TEB, and Anna P. very upset for not winning, same with Yulia. And US federation left very clear that their figure skaters have not a sure place in worlds only for the nationals, they are considering all the international competitions to assign the spots. Ask to Mirai about it.

 

[apgold]

I think they use international panels for all the Grand Prix events. Gracie should have no problem placing ahead of Samantha and Mirai, given she's US Champ. Whether she can beat Elena or even Liza is up for debate.

 

[willdu]

If she cant win a gp competition, let alone the gpf, how she going to win a world medal?

Same could have been said for Sotnikova though. So anything could happen!

 

[shine]

If she cant win a gp competition, let alone the gpf, how she going to win a world medal?

SA is the first major international of the season and I think people are predicting a slow start for her. Denis Ten had unremarkable GP results the past two seasons but went on to medal at Worlds and then the Olympics. So it makes sense.

 

[shiroKJ]

Same could have been said for Sotnikova though. So anything could happen!

Sotnikova is at least a 2 time silver medalist at Euro's