Gold goes for the Gold | Golden Skate

Gold goes for the Gold

Joined
Jun 21, 2003
So, Gracie thinks she will be skating the long program in the team event. I wonder if theU SFSA has already had conversations with the skaters about that.
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
Wow, she has gained confidence. Looks good.

It will take a lot of luck for Gracie to medal. Even clean there are to many Ladies ahead of her at the moment. A lackluster season really hurt her chances no matter how she skates. If she can duplicate what she did at Nationals she will have something to be proud of.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
So, Gracie thinks she will be skating the long program in the team event. I wonder if theU SFSA has already had conversations with the skaters about that.

Gracie is the US champion and she has the capability to score higher than Ashley, whose 3/3 is still iffy. Ashley has changed her FS and may not have the muscle memory at this point for her S&D program.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
IMO Gracie isn't going to medal but it is fine for her to have the podium as a goal. She will get there, if not in Sochi.
 

Sochi_2014

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 4, 2013
So, Gracie thinks she will be skating the long program in the team event. I wonder if theU SFSA has already had conversations with the skaters about that.

I think that because she is the National Champ, she will be able to influence USFSA to let her skate the LP, if that's what she prefers. Clearly, they now know that she is capable of skating both programs superbly.
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
So, Gracie thinks she will be skating the long program in the team event. I wonder if theU SFSA has already had conversations with the skaters about that.

Haven't looked at the WSJ link at the top of this thread, but I do know this:

Somewhere on the USFS website (maybe as part of our favorite 70+ page document? ;)), I had seen a USFS form for Olympic team members to fill out -- to state their preferences as to whether or not to compete in the team event. For those interested in the team event, the form asked also for preferences re the SP/SD only, FS/FD only, or both.

Of course, USFS indicated only that it would take these preferences into consideration.
Obviously, USFS did not (and could not) guarantee that it would abide by all preferences.
 

KwanIsALegend

Fly On
Medalist
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
Seems as if Gracie is everywhere. I hope Frank is keeping her focused on training. She will need to train hard if she even thinks she can compete with the top international skaters.
 

Amei

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
I agree with KwanisaLegand, Gracie seems to be everywhere - which isn't a crime, but it does raise the question of how much is she focusing on her training and how much is she focusing on her victory lap media tour?

Last I checked, here in a few weeks is the biggest competition of her career and something that she may never get to again (ask Mirai about that), maybe she should wait on the media tour till after the Olympics.
 

Sasha'sSpins

Medalist
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Country
United-States
I believe that Gracie will be the highest ranking American woman at the end of the Olympics. I think she has an outside chance at a bronze at best. The Russians imo will receive home ice scoring and kept within striking distance of the podium by the time the LP starts. I am certain one of Julia or Adelina are going to join Kim and Asada on that podium. Only huge mistakes from those four would give Gracie a chance at a medal - and between her and Kostner I think that Kostner will probably get the nod. Jmo.
 

KwanIsALegend

Fly On
Medalist
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
I believe that Gracie will be the highest ranking American woman at the end of the Olympics. I think she has an outside chance at a bronze at best. The Russians imo will receive home ice scoring and kept within striking distance of the podium by the time the LP starts. I am certain one of Julia or Adelina are going to join Kim and Asada on that podium. Only huge mistakes from those four would give Gracie a chance at a medal - and between her and Kostner I think that Kostner will probably get the nod. Jmo.

I haven't realized that until now, the 'hometown advantage' is going to be very real in Sochi. Which may actually hurt Kim and Asada, so Kim is not a shoe in for the gold.
Gold and Wagner will most likely be off the podium but in the top 6.
 

Figure 8's

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
Gracie is so poised and articulate. Hard to believe she is only 18. If she skates her best she will be in the mix.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
So, Gracie thinks she will be skating the long program in the team event. I wonder if theU SFSA has already had conversations with the skaters about that.

At this stage I think that's a good, strategic move - she SHOULD do the FS. She's best equipped to do it at this point in time.

Her best shot at a medal comes in the team event, I would think. I still think Yuna Kim/Russians/Japanese have the individual ones on virtual lockdown. (I HOPE to be proven wrong!!)
 

jaylee

Medalist
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Gracie ought to skate the SP (in addition to the FS) in the team event because her 3/3 is more consistent than Ashley's and more difficult.

The pearls she is wearing in that video are just awful. :unsure:
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Question: For the team event, who gets the medals? The entire country's team, or just the skaters that participate?
 

amc987

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 12, 2012
It's interesting that Gracie said she wants to do the FS. Maybe that's her way (and Frank's) of getting herself prepared for the Olympics. It would be great for her confidence and for her reputation if the judges could see her do a strong FS on Olympic ice only 2 weeks before the ladies' event. She's struggled in the free skate so far this year (with the exception of Nationals), so this might be the best practice she can get.

Honestly, I thought the USFSA would get Gracie to do the short and Ashley to do the long. Ashley is generally the more consistent long program skater and Gracie has the highest SP score of any US lady this season. But after Ashley's Nationals fiasco and Gracie's win, I bet Gracie will have a much bigger say. I do hope the USFSA varies the competitors as much as possible- it'd be great to have as many competitors win medals as the rules allow.
 
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