US Worlds and Four Continents Teams?

When will they be decided? After all, the Olympics are not the only competitions remaining.

I think the US needs to tread lightly on who they name on these teams. While everyone would like to see Hubbel and Donahue and Mirai get these a consolations. Why does an athlete deserve one competition and not the other one? In the past (4cc), others have been named to these teams only if someone declines the spot ala Wagner last year. It will be interesting to see what they do, as this season may completely change the status quo of selection and guarantee of spots for World and Olympic teams if it hasn't already.

http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=49829&type=media

Mirai didn't get a worlds assignment either

The press release is now up on the USFS website (https://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=49829&type=media):

U.S. FIGURE SKATING ANNOUNCES 2014 WORLD, WORLD JUNIOR, FOUR CONTINENTS TEAMS

(1/12/14) - U.S. Figure Skating announced today the athletes who will represent Team USA at the 2014 World Figure Skating Championships March 24-30, in Saitama, Japan; the 2014 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships Jan. 20-26, in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei; and the World Junior Figure Skating Championships March 10-16, in Sofia, Bulgaria.

2014 U.S. World Ladies Figure Skating Team
Polina Edmunds
Gracie Gold
Ashley Wagner
Alternate No. 1 - Mirai Nagasu
Alternate No. 2 - Samantha Cesario
Alternate No. 3 - Courtney Hicks

2014 U.S. World Men’s Figure Skating Team
Max Aaron
Jeremy Abbott
Alternate No. 1 - Jason Brown
Alternate No. 2 - Joshua Farris
Alternate No. 3 - Richard Dornbush

2014 U.S. World Pairs Figure Skating Team
Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir
Caydee Denney and John Coughlin
Alternate No. 1 - Felicia Zhang and Nathan Bartholomay
Alternate No. 2 - Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim
Alternate No. 3 - Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier

2014 U.S. World Ice Dance Figure Skating Team
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
Meryl Davis and Charlie White
Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani
Alternate No. 1 - Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue
Alternate No. 2 - Alexandra Aldridge and Daniel Eaton
Alternate No. 3 - Lynn Kriengkrairut and Logan Giulietti-Schmitt

2014 U.S. Four Continents Ladies Figure Skating Team
Samantha Cesario
Courtney Hicks
Mirai Nagasu
Alternate No. 1 - Barbie Long
Alternate No. 2 - Christina Gao
Alternate No. 3 - Agnes Zawadzki

2014 U.S. Four Continents Men’s Figure Skating Team
Richard Dornbush
Joshua Farris
Adam Rippon
Alternate No. 1 - Douglas Razzano
Alternate No. 2 - Ross Miner
Alternate No. 3 - Brandon Mroz

2014 U.S. Four Continents Pairs Figure Skating Team
Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier
Tarah Kayne and Daniel O’Shea
Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim
Alternate No. 1 - Caydee Denney and John Coughlin
Alternate No. 2 - Gretchen Donlan and Andrew Speroff
Alternate No. 3 - Deedee Leng and Timothy LeDuc

2014 U.S. Four Continents Ice Dance Figure Skating Team
Alexandra Aldridge and Daniel Eaton
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue
Lynn Kriengkrairut and Logan Giulietti-Schmitt
Alternate No. 1 - Anastasia Cannuscio and Colin McManus

2014 U.S. World Junior Ladies Figure Skating Team
Karen Chen
Amber Glenn
Tyler Pierce
Alternate No. 1 - Hannah Miller
Alternate No. 2 - Leah Keiser
Alternate No. 3 - Ashley Cain

2014 U.S. World Junior Men’s Figure Skating Team
Nathan Chen
Jordan Moeller
Shotaro Omori
Alternate No. 1 - Jimmy Ma
Alternate No. 2 - Chase Belmontes
Alternate No. 3 - Nicholas Vrdoljak

2014 U.S. World Junior Pairs Figure Skating Team
Madeline Aaron and Max Settlage
Kaitlin Budd and Nikita Cheban
Chelsea Liu and Devin Perini
Alternate No. 1 - Aya Takai and Brian Johnson

2014 U.S. World Junior Ice Dance Figure Skating Team
Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker
Lorraine McNamara and Quinn Carpenter
Rachel Parsons and Michael Parsons
Alternate No. 1 - Holly Moore and Daniel Klaber
Alternate No. 2 - Elliana Pogrebinsky and Ross Gudis
Alternate No. 3 - Chloe Lewis and Logan Bye

yunasashafan said:

http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=49829&type=media

Mirai didn't get a worlds assignment either

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They put Aaron and Denney/Coughlin on the Worlds team. Yet for Mirai, nothing. They don't even want to pretend that they don't despise this girl.

There was no way she was getting Worlds, as confident as some seemed to be that she would. They don't trust her, they don't trust Edmunds yet either and they want those spots. That's the focus when picking the WC team. Same thing with the changes they did make to the lineup.

They made the switch for Men's and Pair's World teams but not for dance or Ladies'? That really is crappy. I feel for Mirai and Madison and Zachary. At least for the sake of public relations the USFSA should have been consistent.

I read that in her statement this evening, Mirai said she would keep going. I'm sure she doesn't want this experience to be her swan song. Maybe this will be more fire in her.

Mirai should look at this way: If she does well next season and makes the podium, it will be IMPOSSIBLE for them to leave her off the team. And please, for heaven's sake, get a coach!

yelyoh said:

They made the switch for Men's and Pair's World teams but not for dance or Ladies'? That really is crappy. I feel for Mirai and Madison and Zachary.

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I think the rationale of sending the 3 ladies to Worlds is that USFS is confident in their abilities to get 3 spots. But then begs the question, why is USFS so confident in how international judges will score Polina at the senior level? She's not even been tested in any senior international competitions.

Why the heck is Jason Brown not going to Worlds? He just beat Max by over 10 points. Dumb move USFS.

Jammers said:

Why the heck is Jason Brown not going to Worlds? He just beat Max by over 10 points. Dumb move USFS.

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I don't get it either. When I first read that Aaron wasn't going I thought maybe Jeremy had said he wouldn't compete at worlds, since he's retiring after this season. But then I scrolled up and saw this isn't the case. I guess they just think that Aaron is the better bet to get the third spot back.

Layfan said:

I read that in her statement this evening, Mirai said she would keep going. I'm sure she doesn't want this experience to be her swan song. Maybe this will be more fire in her.

Mirai should look at this way: If she does well next season and makes the podium, it will be IMPOSSIBLE for them to leave her off the team. And please, for heaven's sake, get a coach!

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Yeah I was lucky enough to meet and speak to Mirai after the autograph session on Friday and from something she said I was near sure she intended to continue. I am glad this all hasn't caused her to change her mind. I really believe that if she can continue on this track, she can be a real contender in the USA again and be sent to worlds and other major competitions, even if not as the number 1 lady.

cheerio2 said:

They put Aaron and Denney/Coughlin on the Worlds team. Yet for Mirai, nothing. They don't even want to pretend that they don't despise this girl.

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Wow...this is just great. I would leave Ashley off the World team, and give that spot to Mirai =S.....poor girl, must be so heart broken. I can't imagine...

Edit: I don't know if this is any condolence, but Shizuka Arakawa was left off the team in 2002, and came back to win a WC and OGM years later. I am sure given Mirai's talent, if she has the fire and will within her, she can too be as successful as Shizuka. Best of luck to her

Becki said:

Wow...this is just great. I would leave Ashley off the World team, and give that spot to Mirai =S.....poor girl, must be so heart broken. I can't imagine...

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I wouldn't leave Wagner off the world team (we want to kee 3 spots) but I think it woud have been very appropriate and easy to send Edmonds to Jr. Worlds and give Mirai the worlds spot.

tulosai said:

I wouldn't leave Wagner off the world team (we want to kee 3 spots) but I think it woud have been very appropriate and easy to send Edmonds to Jr. Worlds and give Mirai the worlds spot.

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If I had a choice, I would leave Polina Edmunds off the team, and let her get on the podium at Junior Worlds. BUT, if the US Figure Skating Federation decided to reward all medal contenders with at least a World Championship, it should also apply to Mirai. She's the only medalist without a Olympic or WC assignment, this is not fair. There's no guarantee Ashley would help the US keep 3 spots anyways....

Why wouldn't Max do 4CC?

Becki said:

If I had a choice, I would leave Polina Edmunds off the team, and let her get on the podium at Junior Worlds. BUT, if the US Figure Skating Federation was to be fair, and to reward all medal contenders with at least a World Championship, it should also apply to Mirai. She's the only medalist without a Olympic or WC assignment, this is not fair.

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Yes exactly. To so readily dispose of Mirai for a junior skater is really beyond the pale.

Polina is a Frank Carroll girl to be fair, not just some junior. The man gets what he wants.

tulosai said:

I wouldn't leave Wagner off the world team (we want to kee 3 spots) but I think it woud have been very appropriate and easy to send Edmonds to Jr. Worlds and give Mirai the worlds spot.

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I would send Edmonds to Jr. Worlds too to compete with Radionova and Miyahara. But at this moment I can't be so sure Ashley will be as helpful as the last season for 3 spots, she is just struggling with 3-3...