Flatt comeback plans-- heading to Cup of Nice | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Flatt comeback plans-- heading to Cup of Nice

MasterB

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 18, 2004
The ROCK is back. If only Alyssa or Gold had her ability to attack. How awesome would that be?
 

Celine

On the Ice
Joined
Jun 30, 2013
Except when injuries interfered (with training, strength, confidence) what an incredibly consistent athlete and yeah, ROCK of a competitor. Lot to admire with that girl. Wishing her well.
 

skatel80

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Really wishing Rachael well, I have always been a supporter of hers. If she wants to come back more power to her :) Good for her that she got an international assignment
 

lcd

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 11, 2007
Her season is unfolding like someone who has ambitions and high standards. This is something we have always known and admired about Rachael. Perhaps the relative lack of pressure on her this season will actually provide her with the freedom to truly enjoy every moment of this season. She has been through it all, at every level of this sport. The way her seasons ended 2 and 3 years ago, with injuries and disappointment, were certainly not the way any athlete who had been at the top (Olympian) would want to "finish their journey" so to speak. This season, to me, sounds like a "peace" tour. Peace and satisfaction for herself, her family who have obviously supported so completely for years, and those who have always believed in her. It must actually be both bittersweet and a very special kind of job. I hope each time she steps out onto the ice, she feels the embrace of the moment, regardless of how many triples she gets 'credit' for, scores she gets or placements that result.
 

FSGMT

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
Except when injuries interfered (with training, strength, confidence) what an incredibly consistent athlete and yeah, ROCK of a competitor. Lot to admire with that girl. Wishing her well.
The ROCK is back. If only Alyssa or Gold had her ability to attack. How awesome would that be?
Absolutely agree! One thing that I LOVED about Rachael was that (unless she was injuried or something like that) you knew that she was going to go out there and land all her jumps, she was so confident and so solid (the reason that makes me appreciate a lot D/C, too, for example...)! Even at SA last year (when she was clearly not perfectly trained) she had only two mistakes (with "mistake" here I mean popping/falling/stepping out etc. not low quality) out of ten jumps in two programs!
 

Icey

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 28, 2012
I think Rachael is becoming her own skater this time round. She is doing her own choreography. She is not having to listen to the so-called experts who wanted to change her personality and even her hair color and cut. I was really surprised that her team and family even listened to that nonsense. I can only imagine what dealing with that does to a skater. This time I believe she will be marching to her own drum. I am looking forward to seeing her as much as anybody who is scheduled to compete this year.
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
The ROCK is back. If only Alyssa or Gold had her ability to attack. How awesome would that be?
Gracie's problem isn't that she doesn't attack she just rushes things to much. She's much more aggressive on the ice then Alissa has ever been.
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Doing this just for fun??????? You have to be kidding.

Well if that isnt the reason she is coming back then she shouldnt coming back at all. Since if she thinks she actually has a shot to make the Olympics then ROTFL! It is about on par with Evan thinking he can defend his OGM. I think she is a smart girl who is realistic about her current status and chances (unlike Evan who is up surrounded by white unicorns and fluffy clouds), which is why I would give her the benefit of the doubt and presume she is coming back just to have fun and go out on her own terms, without wild fantasies of making the Olympics or anything that is well beyond realism at this point.
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
Record Breaker
Joined
May 19, 2011
Rachael knows the political ins and outs of skating better than any of the US ladies. She went from being a pampered USFSA pet to being dropped like a hot pan in the span of a year. The judges (both nationally and internationally) will do her no favors. She has zero pull now so I'm sure she knows her chances of getting on this Olympic team are nonexistent. She's probably skating b/c she wants to have fun, soak up the Olympic trial atmosphere, and possibly do a couple of interviews or something about the Olympics. A spotlight shines on figure skating only once every 4 years so why not take advantage of that. After all, she is an Olympian; she could give some advice to the ladies who make it on the team this year. Of the entire US ladies field, only she and Mirai know what it's like to participate in the Olympics so that insight could be very good for a fluff piece.

One of two things would have to happen for Rachael to make it on the team: (1) nationals would have to be the biggest splatfest in history, or (2) she'd have to return to her 7-triple 2010 form, which is not going to happen. Even if she skates well at nationals the judges will hold her down in PCS to keep her out of the top 3 spots. Maybe if she was really good they'd give her the pewter medal but she will not be top 3.

She's coming back to have fun and enjoy the experience, and I say more power to her. I've never been a fan of Rachael's but I do admire her hard work and love for the sport.
 

Danny852003

Spectator
Joined
Feb 22, 2010
Rachael does not need Nice to achieve minimum technical scores for the Olympics.

She already achieved Olympic minimum technical scores (SP-20; LP-36) at 2012 Skate America (SP-20.93; LP-47.44).
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Rachael does not need Nice to achieve minimum technical scores for the Olympics.

She already achieved Olympic minimum technical scores (SP-20; LP-36) at 2012 Skate America (SP-20.93; LP-47.44).

Ah, thanks! It looks like she also has the minimum for Worlds in the FS but not the SP. Obviously, it's highly unlikely she will go to Worlds, but hey it doesn't hurt to have the minimal score just in case.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Well, if "having fun" means not studying for months, spending a lot of money and dedicating your whole life to skating (because this is basically what she's going to do if she's "taking a full load") when you know that you have 0.0000001% chance to go to the Olympics and all this just because you love skating... well, I wouldn't probably do it!
But, if she can afford it, good for her, and I wish her all the best! If she skates REALLY well, I think that she could go to 4CC or (if some of the Olympic-team members WD) even to Worlds... It would be interesting to see her again in a big event: after all, she's only 21! :yes:

Wow, she is no longer a teenager. Lipinski, Baiul,Hughes, Hughes were all finished by basically 16 or s0 - this is five years over the hill lol.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
I think Rachael is becoming her own skater this time round. She is doing her own choreography. She is not having to listen to the so-called experts who wanted to change her personality and even her hair color and cut. I was really surprised that her team and family even listened to that nonsense. I can only imagine what dealing with that does to a skater. This time I believe she will be marching to her own drum. I am looking forward to seeing her as much as anybody who is scheduled to compete this year.

I am no sure how serious we should take this comeback so to speak - choreographing your own routines - she wasn't known for her artistry. WHat is with these skaters Czisny, Evan, Flatt -do these people have a problem fading out of the limelight. If they don't watch it they will get kicked out.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
I am no sure how serious we should take this comeback so to speak - choreographing your own routines - she wasn't known for her artistry. WHat is with these skaters Czisny, Evan, Flatt -do these people have a problem fading out of the limelight. If they don't watch it they will get kicked out.

Kicked out of what? Regionals? Sectionals? Ice Shows?

And as trying to stay in the limelight, I don't get that vibe from Rachael at all. We have heard relatively little from her regarding her comeback except that she signed up to compete at regionals and that she got the Cup of Nice spot. She's talked more about her career plans than her comeback, from where I stand.
 

tulosai

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 21, 2011
Kicked out of what? Regionals? Sectionals? Ice Shows?

And as trying to stay in the limelight, I don't get that vibe from Rachael at all. We have heard relatively little from her regarding her comeback except that she signed up to compete at regionals and that she got the Cup of Nice spot. She's talked more about her career plans than her comeback, from where I stand.

This. Not at ALL a Flatt fan but if she has the money and desire she is certainly entitled to keep skating competitively at whatever level she can and for whatever reasons she wants to. I don't see why this is all causing such a stir. It's her business and hers alone at this point, and I also think you'd be hard-pressed to back up an assertion that she's longing for the figure skating limelight. The last interview I saw from her was published in a Stanford publication run by her classmates.
 

jenaj

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Country
United-States
This. Not at ALL a Flatt fan but if she has the money and desire she is certainly entitled to keep skating competitively at whatever level she can and for whatever reasons she wants to. I don't see why this is all causing such a stir. It's her business and hers alone at this point, and I also think you'd be hard-pressed to back up an assertion that she's longing for the figure skating limelight. The last interview I saw from her was published in a Stanford publication run by her classmates.

I agree. I'm interested to see how she does, with her own choreography and a little more maturity. She obviously loves skating and has achieved a lot already. If she wants to come back, why would anyone question it?
 

FSGMT

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
Wow, she is no longer a teenager. Lipinski, Baiul,Hughes, Hughes were all finished by basically 16 or s0 - this is five years over the hill lol.
Well, Kostner had her worst season ever when she was 22/23 but then came back and won... well, everything ;)
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Well, Kostner had her worst season ever when she was 22/23 but then came back and won... well, everything ;)

Sarcasm my friends, sarcasm lol. I mean remember Maria Butyrskaya - and people she BEAT Kwan - fair and square. She skated like a woman not a girl trying to be a woman (and a woman scorned by her country and her name was not EVita!)
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Kicked out of what? Regionals? Sectionals? Ice Shows?

And as trying to stay in the limelight, I don't get that vibe from Rachael at all. We have heard relatively little from her regarding her comeback except that she signed up to compete at regionals and that she got the Cup of Nice spot. She's talked more about her career plans than her comeback, from where I stand.

Seriously, there are people who are in the mid- upper- 20's still skating a Regionals who have/had nowhere near the arsenal Flatt had/has (even if it's somewhat diminished - don't know, haven't seen her skate) who have NEVER made it beyond Regionals. Should they be kicked out too?
 
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