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Nate tweeted confirmation tonight: "due to injury we are unable to push through nationals."
He refers to looking forward to "the upcoming season together."
2016 US Nationals Withdrawals
- Thread starter vivskates
- Start date
Nate tweeted confirmation tonight: "due to injury we are unable to push through nationals."
He refers to looking forward to "the upcoming season together."
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My heart sank when I found out. I'm so sad now. :'(
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Appreciate the official confirmation .... although the news is not good.
Sad for Jason :sad4:.
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Jason's out!!!!??? Noooooooo!!! 
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My goodness! I don't go online for one day, and come back to find that one of the big names has withdrawn from the American Men's competition!
I'll move him from the entry lists in the Predictions Thread OP now.
All the best to Jason with his recovery.
Yeah, you're right in saying that the US has VERY healthy numbers of Pairs couples compared to most European countries (and Japan). But, I was talking in comparison with the other powerhouse countries (except Japan).
I don't know. Maybe I was skewed by the size of the country and the seemingly large numbers of Singles skaters there are. But I expected it to be the same in Pairs. Not least through Singles skaters realising that the pool of talent was too big for them to have any chance of getting to Nationals as an individual, and so trying out a different route.
Consequently, I thought that the Sectionals would each have at least 2 groups of Pairs couples, not barely scraping together one group.
Although, that said, I did think it curious that the Pacific Coast only had 2 qualifiers. But, I just put that down to other couples competing at their Sectionals either being too young or not having minimum TES's.
That's a point. I should probably ask this in a different thread, but since it came into the conversation here - are there minimum TES's for the American National Championships?
Actually, I think I will ask that question in the Stupid Questions thread, but open it up to also include other countries that have regional championships.
Getting back to topic, and I do find your comment about the numbers being similar in Juniors worrying. Although there will be a period of larger numbers in the Senior ranks as the Junior couples start to move up and the existing Seniors stay on, when the existing Senior couples start to retire, the numbers will return to where they are now.
Unless, of course, lots of new couples arrive. And, looking at the Provisional Entry List PDF for Nationals, there are 12 couples in each of the lower age categories. Given the numbers are exactly three groups worth, I take it that this is not just coincidence and there are more couples than this competing at these levels.
Fingers crossed that the numbers do pick up in a few years time. We're already at a stage where one Sectional does not have enough Senior entries to make up a podium never mind the full quota of competitors to send to Nationals. Let's hope this trend does not continue.
CaroLiza_fan
I'll move him from the entry lists in the Predictions Thread OP now.
All the best to Jason with his recovery.
Yeah, you're right in saying that the US has VERY healthy numbers of Pairs couples compared to most European countries (and Japan). But, I was talking in comparison with the other powerhouse countries (except Japan).
I don't know. Maybe I was skewed by the size of the country and the seemingly large numbers of Singles skaters there are. But I expected it to be the same in Pairs. Not least through Singles skaters realising that the pool of talent was too big for them to have any chance of getting to Nationals as an individual, and so trying out a different route.
Consequently, I thought that the Sectionals would each have at least 2 groups of Pairs couples, not barely scraping together one group.
Although, that said, I did think it curious that the Pacific Coast only had 2 qualifiers. But, I just put that down to other couples competing at their Sectionals either being too young or not having minimum TES's.
That's a point. I should probably ask this in a different thread, but since it came into the conversation here - are there minimum TES's for the American National Championships?
Actually, I think I will ask that question in the Stupid Questions thread, but open it up to also include other countries that have regional championships.
Getting back to topic, and I do find your comment about the numbers being similar in Juniors worrying. Although there will be a period of larger numbers in the Senior ranks as the Junior couples start to move up and the existing Seniors stay on, when the existing Senior couples start to retire, the numbers will return to where they are now.
Unless, of course, lots of new couples arrive. And, looking at the Provisional Entry List PDF for Nationals, there are 12 couples in each of the lower age categories. Given the numbers are exactly three groups worth, I take it that this is not just coincidence and there are more couples than this competing at these levels.
Fingers crossed that the numbers do pick up in a few years time. We're already at a stage where one Sectional does not have enough Senior entries to make up a podium never mind the full quota of competitors to send to Nationals. Let's hope this trend does not continue.
CaroLiza_fan
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- Dec 4, 2004
Tear falls.....JB is someone who USFS really NEEDS to excite the fans......a big draw and a nice guy....let us all hope he recovers and comes charging back......
The mens events just wont be the same......:disapp:
Keep in mind that at senior level, at least 5 teams will have byes based on last year's placements (unless they split up) and/or fall international assignments.
See dorispulaski's post in the Stupid Questions thread about qualifications for each level.
She doesn't go into a lot of detail about the tests -- we can if you're interested -- but competition within the US is based on test level, not age or minimum scores. The only age limits are maximums for the juvenile and intermediate levels. It's legal for a 10-year-old to compete in senior pairs if she's passed the necessary tests -- just wouldn't be able to compete internationally at that level. Teams test to the level they think is appropriate to compete at based on their skill set as well as their age.
Different countries have different rules for their domestic competitions. The answer for Russia will definitely be different than for the US.
Well, the moving up and retiring can happen in cycles especially senior retirements after an Olympic year. But in general there will always be more teams moving up into junior etc. so the field replenishes itself.
Unseen Skaters has a list of all the Sectionals results.
They're divided by section, then level, then discipline, so it takes some scrolling and adding to come up with total numbers of pairs at each level. By my count, in total 19 novice pairs, 13 intermediate, and 21 juvenile.
That should be all, because there are no byes at those levels.
Some at the lower levels are doing pairs for fun and don't have the skills to aspire to an elite-level career. Because of the lower numbers than in singles, they might make it to Nationals sometimes anyway. Even among the serious competitors who hope to be senior pair skaters someday, there will be breakups, injuries, and other obstacles along the way.
Often skaters first pick up pairs at novice, junior, or senior level, so new teams will form.
Keep in mind that the US is very large geographically and the rinks with qualified pair coaches and ice time where pair skating is even allowed are spread out in various parts of the country. And that all the training is funded by the skaters' families until they reach a fairly high level (and even then financial support from USFS is a drop in the bucket and USOC support only available to those who have already proven themselves internationally).
Pairs training is more expensive than singles because the skaters also need to learn singles skills, and they often need to relocate.
Most local rinks don't allow pair skating on regular practice sessions, and don't have coaches qualified to teach it.
It's necessary to find a partner who is appropriate in terms of size, skill level, goals and work ethic, and preferably rotational direction.
Also, there are many more girls who skate singles than there are boys available.
So it's a big commitment to switch from singles to pairs and not an option for everyone who might like to.
These numbers are not unusual. The "trend" has been continuing for as long as there have been sectional competitions in the US.
There's a reason why they stopped holding pairs and dance competitions at regionals: there were usually not enough teams to make a competition necessary and everyone would advance to sectionals because of fill-up rules.
For men's singles, there are not always enough boys at a given level to hold a regional competition either, and the sectional fields don't always have a full 12 entries either.
There are couple thousand girls who skate competitively in the US, but only a fraction that many boys.
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Certain countries like China have sports machines, of course, that finacially reward and take care of skaters with talent.....but the US is not one of them......Look at the number of ice dance couples too competeing up the ladder in the US.....Wow!!!I always thought the US had a healthy number of Pairs couples compared to other countries. I didn't realise there were actually barely enough to make up a complete Nationals field.
That has really shocked me.CaroLiza_fan
Now look at the results of the junior GP events......while different cultural factors do come into play (how many Japanese dance couples are there?) figure skating runs on cubic bucks.....no dollars, no dancers.....no pasos, no pairs.....
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Sarah Feng competed as a Jr. Lady in 2015 in Greensboro where she finished in 10th place. I checked Icenetwork for results for this season and Sarah was 5th at Central Pacific Regionals so she did not move on to Sectionals.
I couldn't find any info on Natalie Feng, sorry!
I looked further for Natalie Feng and discovered that at the 2015 Pacific Coast Sectionals Natalie Feng finished in 10th place as an Intermediate Lady. Natalie did not move on to Nationals.
I couldn't find any info on Natalie Feng, sorry!
I looked further for Natalie Feng and discovered that at the 2015 Pacific Coast Sectionals Natalie Feng finished in 10th place as an Intermediate Lady. Natalie did not move on to Nationals.
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This season Natalie Feng placed ninth at 2016 Central Pacific Regionals as an Intermediate Lady.
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Sadly I have to bump this one up, with another withdrawal from the Senior Men's field. Ricky Dornbush this time, with a herniated disc.
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Oh no......What is happening to the US men? Feels like half the field is depleted :no: And herniated disc's are extremely painful, a family member of mine had the same condition and he eventually required surgery to relieve the pain. I hope this is a mild situation and won't come to that. *knock on wood*
Hoping Richard has a easy and full recovery!
Hoping Richard has a easy and full recovery!
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