Any Sasha updates?

[PolymerBob]

Which US Lady(s) is a contender this season? Or last season?

I am not a believer in quantity and having alot of average skaters unable to compete with the world's best is not by US standards a strong team.

Well, I have good news and bad news.

The good news is the U.S. has 2 ladies who are competitive with the world's best.

The bad news is ........ their names are Tanith and Meryl.

 

[R.D.]

Well, I have good news and bad news.

The good news is the U.S. has 2 ladies who are competitive with the world's best.

The bad news is ........ their names are Tanith and Meryl.

You mean they switched over to singles?

 

[dorispulaski]

I do wish that our media understood this fact

 

[demarinis5]

I do wish that our media understood this fact

I agree. The U.S. media should focus on the real medal contenders.

 

[R.D.]

They'll get plenty of attention at Olys. But as far as mainstream attention I think it will take winning an OGM to do that.

If Lysacek were to win Gold I think that would be big. Same with B/A, but if they BOTH win??

 

[silverlake22]

Well, I have good news and bad news.

The good news is the U.S. has 2 ladies who are competitive with the world's best.

The bad news is ........ their names are Tanith and Meryl.

It's so hard to tell because I would argue that if Alissa or Mirai could just land a long program with 6 or 7 rotated triples they probably would be competitive with the best, especially considering how Mao, Miki, and Joannie have been performing recently. Yuna IMO is amazing, and Mao and Miki can be amazing, but if Joannie stands a shot at a medal idk why the American ladies don't.

Joannie's jumps are huge but she doesn't have very difficult combinations and isn't very flexible either. Rachael artistically isn't great but top 5 at her first worlds with a year old program and no triple-triple is saying something. Ashley and Caroline I tend to think don't have a shot just because it seems they have some technical issues. But I mean, Alissa got a 112 with 3 triples last year at nationals....if she landed 6 she'd be well into the 120s which is what Yuna got a GPF

 

[chuckm]

It's so hard to tell because I would argue that if Alissa or Mirai could just land a long program with 6 or 7 rotated triples they probably would be competitive with the best, especially considering how Mao, Miki, and Joannie have been performing recently. Yuna IMO is amazing, and Mao and Miki can be amazing, but if Joannie stands a shot at a medal idk why the American ladies don't.

Joannie's jumps are huge but she doesn't have very difficult combinations and isn't very flexible either. Rachael artistically isn't great but top 5 at her first worlds with a year old program and no triple-triple is saying something. Ashley and Caroline I tend to think don't have a shot just because it seems they have some technical issues. But I mean, Alissa got a 112 with 3 triples last year at nationals....if she landed 6 she'd be well into the 120s which is what Yuna got a GPF

Alissa got 112 with 3 triples at US Nationals. No way would Alissa get a score that high skating internationally. That score was a gift from USFS judges for her long years of service.

Alissa has a pretty bad UR problem; in international competitions this season she's URd at least 3 triples in every performance, which is why she's never cracked 110 for a FS score. Wagner is prone to URs as well, as are Caroline, Mirai and Emily Hughes. But US judges tend to overlook URs and edge violations (lip and flutz), especially for the 'favored ones', which is certainly not fair to ladies who do manage to avoid edge violations and fully rotate all their jumps.

Rachael scored 116 at Skate America even though her last spin didn't count. If she can correct that spin, she'd be good for over 120 points. And this season, her 3/3 has been ratified several times in international competition.

 

[R.D.]

Flatt also performed SA probably as good as she could have. If she can perform like that at Olys (assuming she's on the team) and make that spin count, goodness knows what could happen...

 

[janetfan]

Flatt also performed SA probably as good as she could have. If she can perform like that at Olys (assuming she's on the team) and make that spin count, goodness knows what could happen...

Rachael also needs to learn not to skate herself out of big competitions with shaky SP's. She won't win important intl medals until she becomes consistent enough to skate two good programs at an event.

 

[R.D.]

Rachael also needs to learn not to skate herself out of big competitions with shaky SP's. She won't win important intl medals until she becomes consisitent enough to skate two good programs at an event.

Ah yes. That too.

For some reason though I do fear that SA could possibly have been her peak...at least for the FS. A perfect competition could easily have her in the 180-point range...which might even have her in the medal hunt if some favorites slip up...(nice thought but as mentioned before, unlikely to happen simply because no one has a perfect comp these days)

 

[silverlake22]

Alissa got 112 with 3 triples at US Nationals. No way would Alissa get a score that high skating internationally. That score was a gift from USFS judges for her long years of service.

Alissa has a pretty bad UR problem; in international competitions this season she's URd at least 3 triples in every performance, which is why she's never cracked 110 for a FS score. Wagner is prone to URs as well, as are Caroline, Mirai and Emily Hughes. But US judges tend to overlook URs and edge violations (lip and flutz), especially for the 'favored ones', which is certainly not fair to ladies who do manage to avoid edge violations and fully rotate all their jumps.

Rachael scored 116 at Skate America even though her last spin didn't count. If she can correct that spin, she'd be good for over 120 points. And this season, her 3/3 has been ratified several times in international competition.

You make a good point about Alissa. The scores really differ from nats to international events. Alissa's 2 GP freeskates this year were pretty much on par with her one from nationals last year, and she got 100 on both of them. Amazing that there can be a 12 point difference when the jumps are the same!

The UR problem is true too, although Mirai seemed to fix most of them at SC, but then she forgot to present. Ashley did well at GPF but her FS score was only 108 which isn't really competitive. Emily I think is all but out of it, she skated OK at SA and got like a 135? She needs to tack on an extra 30-40 points to that to have a shot to make the Olympics.

So I guess Rachael really is the best bet. You can count on her to hit 6 triples, 7 if she's on, 5 on a very off night. That's more than you can count on for the other US ladies. Her 3-3 is as solid as anyone else in the field's as of now too. I just hoped she didn't peak too soon with that great FS at SA, somehow I doubt it. Plus she does 2 triple lutzes and 2 triple flips in her FS, and usually does a 3lz-2t and a 3f-2t-2lo in the 2nd half of the program. Technically her program is really difficult and she doesn't seem to have a problem with stamina at all. She really knows how to work the CoP to her advantage, I just REALLY hope she gets picked to go to the Olympics. She's our best shot and if she's not there idk what we can expect

 

[KellyWil70]

Well, I have good news and bad news.

The good news is the U.S. has 2 ladies who are competitive with the world's best.

The bad news is ........ their names are Tanith and Meryl.

You know with the popularity of Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance you'd think the USFSA would really try to enlighten the public about Ice Dancing and put some marketing money behind it. Somehow they could link it together to generate more interest.

 

[R.D.]

So I guess Rachael really is the best bet. You can count on her to hit 6 triples, 7 if she's on, 5 on a very off night. That's more than you can count on for the other US ladies. Her 3-3 is as solid as anyone else in the field's as of now too. I just hoped she didn't peak too soon with that great FS at SA, somehow I doubt it. Plus she does 2 triple lutzes and 2 triple flips in her FS, and usually does a 3lz-2t and a 3f-2t-2lo in the 2nd half of the program. Technically her program is really difficult and she doesn't seem to have a problem with stamina at all. She really knows how to work the CoP to her advantage, I just REALLY hope she gets picked to go to the Olympics. She's our best shot and if she's not there idk what we can expect

Not surprising re. stamina since she trains at altitude (Colorado?). The one hope for US fans at this point is that she stays healthy because without her the US ladies REALLY are in trouble. Imagine no one making the top 10!! (actually, I don't want to)

 

[silverlake22]

Not surprising re. stamina since she trains at altitude (Colorado?). The one hope for US fans at this point is that she stays healthy because without her the US ladies REALLY are in trouble. Imagine no one making the top 10!! (actually, I don't want to)

Ahh that would NOT be good. Especially with the implosion potential of the other ladies here. And yes, she trains in Colorado. The altitude at Vancouver shouldn't be a in issue for her then.

I feel like the other US ladies COULD be in the top 10 if they skate well, but that's a big if. People say the Olympic ice is slippery and that a lot of things could happen, I just hope whoever goes won't let all the pressure go to her head and completely bomb. Don't think that's very likely to happen with any of them though

 

[R.D.]

Vancouver is at altitude also? I always got the impression it was on sea level...(except in the mountains, of course)

And yes, hopefully none of the team will bomb...I think the steady ones are Rachel and Mirai- they might have an off-night (understandable, maybe even expected) but I don't think they will tank. Everyone else- including "The Comeback Kid"- is 100% susceptible IMHO.

OT, but I wonder if MK will be part of NBC's broadcast team again at Nats and Olys (I sort of hope not, I don't think she was very insightful at worlds...yeah, I know the Kwaniacs will hang me but I never shy from saying what's on my mind )

 

[Tinymavy15]

Vancouver is at altitude also? I always got the impression it was on sea level...(except in the mountains, of course)

Yes, Vancouver is right on the water, I it can't be at any significant altitude, but Kitchner, where the skiing and other snow sports will be held is a few thousand feet up. I believe the skating will be in the city of Vancouver, so altitude should not be a problem.

Little Known Fact: Athletes who train at altitude actually are at a disadvantage when they come down from the mountain because you cannot train at 100% max up there. You think you are going al out but the body is only capable of training at 75% or so of maximal potential at altitude (depends on hight and duration of time spend up there). The athlete who trains on the beach can get up to 100% of max, so during a sea level competition, the athlete who always trained down there can push themselves harder without feeling unusually exhausted compared to the mountain athlete.

 

[R.D.]

Little Known Fact: Athletes who train at altitude actually are at a disadvantage when they come down from the mountain because you cannot train at 100% max up there. You think you are going al out but the body is only capable of training at 75% or so of maximal potential at altitude (depends on hight and duration of time spend up there). The athlete who trains on the beach can get up to 100% of max, so during a sea level competition, the athlete who always trained down there can push themselves harder without feeling unusually exhausted compared to the mountain athlete.

Is that true? Where did you hear that?

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Yes, Vancouver is right on the water, I it can't be at any significant altitude, but Kitchner, where the skiing and other snow sports will be held is a few thousand feet up. I believe the skating will be in the city of Vancouver, so altitude should not be a problem.

Little Known Fact: Athletes who train at altitude actually are at a disadvantage when they come down from the mountain because you cannot train at 100% max up there. You think you are going al out but the body is only capable of training at 75% or so of maximal potential at altitude (depends on hight and duration of time spend up there). The athlete who trains on the beach can get up to 100% of max, so during a sea level competition, the athlete who always trained down there can push themselves harder without feeling unusually exhausted compared to the mountain athlete.

It's Whistler, not Kitchner, for hte other events. Kitchner just held Skate Canada, though.

 

[silverlake22]

Yes, Vancouver is right on the water, I it can't be at any significant altitude, but Kitchner, where the skiing and other snow sports will be held is a few thousand feet up. I believe the skating will be in the city of Vancouver, so altitude should not be a problem.

Little Known Fact: Athletes who train at altitude actually are at a disadvantage when they come down from the mountain because you cannot train at 100% max up there. You think you are going al out but the body is only capable of training at 75% or so of maximal potential at altitude (depends on hight and duration of time spend up there). The athlete who trains on the beach can get up to 100% of max, so during a sea level competition, the athlete who always trained down there can push themselves harder without feeling unusually exhausted compared to the mountain athlete.

Huh. I wouldn't worry about Rachael though, worlds was in LA last year which is on sea level and she wasn't having big issues. SC was in Kitchner though and that was a splatfest, I wonder if the altitude had anything to do with that. I tend to think it's not a huge deal though, as these athletes are used to competing all over the world. Jet lag is probably a bigger factor than altitude if I had to guess. Alissa Czisny had the SOHL at 2005 SC and she was jet lagged, at an altitude, and got 5 hours of sleep the night before the competition.....and this is Alissa we are talking about. She did a clean long with all that up against her...I don't know if she's done a clean long since then

 

[R.D.]

I think 2007 Nats- Alyssa shocked everyone in the FS and pulled herself up to 3rd and earned a spot on the 2007 World team, her first trip to the World championships.

In 2009, she did it again, but this time in the SP. Even with a subpar FS, her lead was big enough to sneak the championship.

2010-?

ETA: To tie it back to the original topic, amazing how even a major headcase like Czisny has been able to pull off a clean FS in a major comp, and Cohen never was able to. (Come to think of it, I don't think Caro Kostner has, either)