USA ladies SP and LP at nationals

gkelly · Jan 8, 2014

Frenchie said:
What I'd like to hear before the competition starts is a clear statement from the USFSA on how the 3rd lady to go to Sochi will be chosen. Will it be the 3rd place finisher of these Nationals, no if's and but's?

No, they have to leave themselves some wiggle room. E.g., what if Wagner wins the short program by 10 points and breaks her skate during the freeskate warmup or even during her program and has to withdraw (or finishes the program on a borrowed skate and places 4th or 5th)? Farfetched, but you'd hate to have the rules so ironclad that there would be no legal way to name her to the team under such circumstances.

If she just crumbles under pressure and/or injury, bombs one or both programs, and finishes 4th or 5th or lower, then she wouldn't make the team. E.g., Czisny in 2010.

LiamForeman said:
Well back in the old days, when USFS was raking in $$$$ for their Nats before the Olympics, they had to make a distinction that it was not an Olympic Trials per se, otherwise USOC would want a piece of the pie.

That is still true, and that is why there is no official written guarantee that even the winner will go to the Olympics if eligible.

In practice, I think there is no chance that the national champions will not be named to the Olympic team. Unless they're not eligible: too young, not US citizens, haven't earned the required ISU minimum tech score at an international competition since last year.

But I can't remember any time where a skater medaled at Nats and was denied making the Olys. Oh wait, how about Zayak in 1980?

Zayak was 4th at 1980 Nationals. The third Olympic/Worlds slots were split between her and bronze medalist Sandy Lenz, similar to the split between Paul Wylie to Olympics and Mark Mitchell to Worlds in 1992.

RobinA · Jan 8, 2014

Skater Boy said:
Hi Robin A did you mean too many consistent or inconsistent skaters or is this like a double entendre the skaters are so inconsistent they are consistently inconsistent

Oops, I did mean inconsistent, but consistently inconsistent works too.

ForeverFish · Jan 8, 2014

Jammers said:
Why do people keep talking about the 3rd spot? If Gracie continues to struggle like she has all year she will not be the 2nd place finisher at Nationals. She might make the team but even that is not a given but someone who skates clean will pass her up if she skates like she did in SLC or NHK.

I wouldn't go as far as to say that Gracie's struggled all year. For a second-year senior who changed coaches during the Olympic season, she seems to be holding up as well as can be reasonably expected. And, following Mrs. P's comment, Gracie was by and far the highest-placing American at both of her GP events. She bested Christina and Courtney by 13 and 24 points, respectively, at SC, and Mirai by 36 points at NHK. Both times, she skated far below her potential.

I'd also like to point out that, in 2011, Ashley Wagner -- who had just started working with John Nicks -- had the EXACT SAME finishes at her GP events as Gracie did this season (3rd at SC, 4th at NHK), though with considerably lower scores.

Right now, Ashley is still my pick for US champion, but I have a hard time imagining a scenario in which Gracie places lower than 2nd.

mskater93 · Jan 8, 2014

Jammers said:
Why do people keep talking about the 3rd spot? If Gracie continues to struggle like she has all year she will not be the 2nd place finisher at Nationals. She might make the team but even that is not a given but someone who skates clean will pass her up if she skates like she did in SLC or NHK.

Her craptacular outing in NHK STILL scored higher than Nagasu's medal winning performance in Russia...Think on THAT

Sochi_2014 · Jan 8, 2014

mskater93 said:
Her craptacular outing in NHK STILL scored higher than Nagasu's medal winning performance in Russia...Think on THAT

"Craptacular" - I like this new word!

mskater93 · Jan 8, 2014

Well, for her it was craptacular. Or craptastic. Other people would kill for those scores.

desertskates · Jan 8, 2014

mskater93 said:
Well, for her it was craptacular. Or craptastic. Other people would kill for those scores.

Craptastic is a regular word at my house for take out food

I think Ashley will repeat for sure. But Gracie's a little hard to gauge since this will be the first we've seen her after the changes. For some reason, my gut feels Polina will be third. I think maybe just to leave us all in suspense with how it will play out with the Olympic Team. I may eat those words, but's it's my current gut feeling.

mirai4life · Jan 8, 2014

Gracie's bad skate will score better than other ladies' good skates except Ashley lol

Tinymavy15 · Jan 8, 2014

I predict a strong SP from Gracie who will skate clean, but I think nerves will get to her in the free with the added pressure if having the title hers to lose and that Ashley will skate clean and triumph.

samson · Jan 8, 2014

Well someone did a tweet to The Skating Lesson that Christina Gao did a clean run through of her long including a triple flip/triple toe. If these reports are true and that kind of skating is able to get translated to competition we're going to have quite the nationals.

With US ladies these days I feel like the only stable prediction is to bet on Ashley. Gracie likely second unless she really falters and another woman delivers, and third will hopefully go to whoever brings it this year.

Especially in an Olympic year you really want your team to be the three ladies to deliver two performances on the night of, and hopefully that's what we'll see!!

(I can't deny though, I HOPE that that girl is Nagasu)

Icey · Jan 8, 2014

Gao article published today; seems she has been having lots of clean run throughs lately

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/...ncinnati-s-Gao-has-sights-set-Winter-Olympics

flying camel · Jan 8, 2014

I hope she can put it all together and skate well. Go Christina!

ForeverFish · Jan 8, 2014

According to Twitter, both Gracie and Mirai have been landing their jumps outside of the run-throughs. (They seemed a tense when the music was on, and struggled with their combos.) Gracie landed a 3-3, 2A-3T, 3S-2T-2T, and 3Lo, among others. She and Frank "aren't worried," because the 3-3 has been fantastic in training.

mirai4life · Jan 8, 2014

GROUP B

Triple loops from Nagasu, triple salchow-double toe-double toe and double axel-triple toe from Gold

Vanessa Lam - SHORT - triple lutz, triple flip-double toe, double axel

Gracie Gold - SHORT - new program, triple lutz (hand down)-double toe, double loop, double axel

Kiri Baga - SHORT - triple toe-double toe, triple salchow (fall), double axel

Nice triple lutz-triple toe from Gold

Mirai Nagasu - FREE - triple flip-single toe, double axel-double toe (two-foot), triple loop, triple flip (possibly underrotated), single loop, walked through a few more jumps

A couple of triple loops from Gold and Nagasu

GROUP C

Caroline Zhang - Triple loop-triple loop, triple lutz

Samantha Cesario - SHORT - triple loop-triple loop, triple flip, double axel

Ashley Cain - SHORT - triple flip (fall), triple loop, double axel

Agnes Zawadzki - SHORT - triple toe-triple toe, double lutz, double axel

http://www.examiner.com/article/2014-u-s-championships-ladies-practice-play-by-play-january-8

ForeverFish · Jan 8, 2014

Does anyone know why Group A is practicing last? :scratch:

mskater93 · Jan 8, 2014

samson said:
Especially in an Olympic year you really want your team to be the three ladies to deliver two performances on the night of, and hopefully that's what we'll see!!

(I can't deny though, I HOPE that that girl is Nagasu)

Me too! I bet a dollar on it! :laugh:

Jammers · Jan 8, 2014

Let's hope the Ladies bring it and don't skate scared like they have sometimes this season. Back in 2010 Ashley,Rachael and Mirai skated lights out when the pressure was on. Like Scott Hamilton said Rachael and Mirai skated like you want from the two Ladies going to the Olympics.

Sochi_2014 · Jan 8, 2014

ForeverFish said:
Does anyone know why Group A is practicing last? :scratch:

It rotates do that group A isn't always skating first.

mirai4life · Jan 8, 2014

GROUP D

Christina Gao - SHORT - triple toe (turn out)-triple toe, double axel, triple loop (underrotated)

Triple lutzes from Hicks and Siraj

Franchesca Chiera - SHORT - triple lutz (step out, no combo), triple flip (fall), double axel

Triple toe-triple toe from Siraj (possibly underrotated on second toe), triple flip (turn out)-triple toe from Hicks earlier, fall on triple lutz from Hicks

Mariah Bell - SHORT - triple lutz (step out), triple flip-double toe, double axel

Clean triple toe-triple toe from Gao during Siraj's SP

Yasmin Siraj - SHORT - triple toe-triple toe (both possibly underrotated), triple loop, double axel

Courtney Hicks - SHORT - triple flip-double toe (turn out), double lutz, double axel

Warmup notes: big triple flip from Hicks, triple toes from Siraj and Hicks, triple loop from Siraj, triple lutz from Hicks

ForeverFish · Jan 8, 2014

It rotates do that group A isn't always skating first.

Ah. Thanks for clearing that up.

Ashley is on the ice. :popcorn:

USA ladies SP and LP at nationals

gkelly

RobinA

ForeverFish

mskater93

Sochi_2014

mskater93

desertskates

mirai4life

1Lo <

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win

samson

Icey

flying camel

ForeverFish

mirai4life

1Lo <

ForeverFish

mskater93

Jammers

Sochi_2014

mirai4life

1Lo <

ForeverFish

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