Any Sasha updates?

[gkelly]

When did that age rule start anyways? Wasn't Tara 15 when she won?

The rule that skaters must be 15 by the previous July 1 to compete in ISU championships and Olympics was passed at the 1996 ISU Congress. I.e., it took effect for the 1996-97 season.

At that time, there were exceptions for skaters who had already competed in senior internationals but didn't turn 15 in time ("grandfather clause"). Lipinski benefitted from that exception; she had already competed at 1996 Worlds as a 13-year-old, and she was allowed to compete again in 1997 at 14, which was great for her because she won 1997 Worlds.

For the 1998 season she was just old enough (turned 15 in June 97), but it certainly helped her case to go to the Olympics as reigning world champion rather than a first-time competitor at that level.

To bring the topic back to Sasha Cohen . . .
There was also an exception for too-young skaters who had already won a medal at Junior Worlds. Sarah Hughes benefitted from that in that she won silver at 1999 Jr. Worlds (held at the end of 1998) and therefore was eligible to go to 1999 Worlds at age 13. (Actually she went as an replacement for Naomi Nari Nam who had placed ahead of her at Nationals but was too young even to have competed at Jr. Worlds that year.)

The following season, 1999-2000, was the last year that the Jr. Worlds medal exception to the age rules was still in effect. It was also the first year that Jr. Worlds was held in Feb.-March instead of Nov.-Dec.

Cohen placed 2nd at 2000 US Nationals, her first year competing there as a senior. She was 15 years old, but her birthday was after July, so she wasn't age eligible unless she could medal at Jr. Worlds. She didn't manage to do so, so she couldn't be sent to Worlds that year.

 

[Tinymavy15]

There was also an exception for too-young skaters who had already won a medal at Junior Worlds. Sarah Hughes benefitted from that in that she won silver at 1999 Jr. Worlds (held at the end of 1998) and therefore was eligible to go to 1999 Worlds at age 13.


Cohen placed 2nd at 2000 US Nationals, her first year competing there as a senior. She was 15 years old, but her birthday was after July, so she wasn't age eligible unless she could medal at Jr. Worlds. She didn't manage to do so, so she couldn't be sent to Worlds that year.

I think that exception should still stand. This way, Caroline, Racheal, Ashley and Mirai would have all been to worlds already.

 

[gkelly]

I think that exception should still stand. This way, Caroline, Racheal, Ashley and Mirai would have all been to worlds already.

The way the Nationals results worked out, the 2008 team would have been Mirai, Rachael, and Ashley.

Only if they had earned a third spot for 2009 would Caroline have gotten to go in 2009. Certainly could have happened.

 

[silverlake22]

I think that exception should still stand. This way, Caroline, Racheal, Ashley and Mirai would have all been to worlds already.

I agree. I'm going to be so annoyed (as I assume they will too) if any of those four skaters get sent to Jr. Worlds AGAIN this year (they are all still age eligible). It would be Caro Z's 4th Jr. Worlds! Let the junior skaters go please!

 

[cornell08]

I highly doubt they are going to send any of the so-called "Tonia Kwiatkowskis" as Aunt Joyce refers to them:
http://auntjoyceicecreamstand.blogspot.com/2009/12/hope.html

My bet is that USFSA is going to send Gao (the next great "hope"), Gilles, and Maxwell, even if they don't have the best showing at Nationals just as long as they don't bomb.

Some people have dismissed Aunt Joyce's blog as mere gossip but I find it rather entertaining. It is blunt and rather ribald but the stuff is more or less true..

 

[silverlake22]

I highly doubt they are going to send any of the so-called "Tonia Kwiatkowskis" as Aunt Joyce refers to them:
http://auntjoyceicecreamstand.blogspot.com/2009/12/hope.html

My bet is that USFSA is going to send Gao (the next great "hope"), Gilles, and Maxwell, even if they don't have the best showing at Nationals just as long as they don't bomb.

Some people have dismissed Aunt Joyce's blog as mere gossip but I find it rather entertaining. It is blunt and rather ribald but the stuff is more or less true..

Who is Zawadzki?

Also, Gilles and Maxwell are older than Mirai and Caroline.

 

[chuckm]

Agnes Zawadzki is the highest-scoring of all the Junior skaters competing at Sectionals this season: 59.33 in the SP and 107.95 in the FS. If she wins the Junior title, she should be sent to JW.

 

[silverlake22]

Agnes Zawadzki is the highest-scoring of all the Junior skaters competing at Sectionals this season: 59.33 in the SP and 107.95 in the FS. If she wins the Junior title, she should be sent to JW.

Oh cool! But she and Christina are competing in different divisions, so I guess they might not compete against each other for another year. If Gao does well at nationals, she will probably get events on the SGP circuit next year.

 

[bronxgirl]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/sports/olympics/07skate.html?ref=sports

An article from the NYTImes re:Sasha, Nats, and the US ladies.

 

[silverlake22]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/sports/olympics/07skate.html?ref=sports

An article from the NYTImes re:Sasha, Nats, and the US ladies.

I heard Mirai is the only lady who is really worried about Sasha being at nationals. It sounds like Ashley and Alissa are pretty confident at this point.

 

[R.D.]

^

“Of course, I’m nervous about coming back because I’m finally putting myself out there for everyone to see,” Cohen said Tuesday in a telephone interview. “But if I skate the way I do in practice, I am confident that I will make the team.”

Them's fightin' words. Remains to be seen what will happen

“I decided that I didn’t want to do anything new, and that I’d rather stay with what is comfortable,” Cohen said, explaining why she returned to Nicks.

Big decision. But the champions (generally) are the ones that go that extra step.

 

[janetfan]

^



Them's fightin' words. Is she underestimating the capabilities of the other girls? Or does she know that even if she puts out a semi-clean program, USFS judges will prop her up anyway despite what everyone else does? :sheesh:



Big decision. But the champions (generally) are the ones that go that extra step.

You are getting stale RD
I think we will all be glad to see what will happen at Natls.......

 

[Mathman]

“But if I skate the way I do in practice, I am confident that I will make the team.”

I don't think there is anything much to be read into this quote. I think Sasha is just saying that she has had good practices, but we will have to wait and see what happens inthe actual competition.

I decided that I didn’t want to do anything new, and that I’d rather stay with what is comfortable,” Cohen said, explaining why she returned to Nicks.

Here, though, it would have been interesting if she had gone into detail. Just what new ground did Arutunian want to attempt that took her outside of her comfort zone?

 

[janetfan]

I don't think there is anything much to be read into this quote. I think Sasha is just saying that she has had good practices, but we will have to wait and see what happens inthe actual competition.



Here, though, it would have been interesting if she had gone into detail. Just what new ground did Arutunian want to attempt that took her outside of her comfort zone?

Did you ever have to go to war? Many like a familiar face beside them at crucial moments in their life.

Win or lose - or whatever happens at Natls - many Sasha fans were glad to see her back with Nicks.

She made the announcement that she had switched back to him a while ago.
She also said Arutunian was still part of her team but Nicks was her primary coach.

 

[silverlake22]

I don't think there is anything much to be read into this quote. I think Sasha is just saying that she has had good practices, but we will have to wait and see what happens inthe actual competition.



Here, though, it would have been interesting if she had gone into detail. Just what new ground did Arutunian want to attempt that took her outside of her comfort zone?

I don't think Rafael probably did anything, I feel like Sasha has a father-like relationships with Nicks that makes her feel comfortable working with him. Kind of like how Alissa is still with Julie Berlin, there is security in sticking with someone you know well.

 

[Nadine]

John Nicks? I imagine they must have an interesting relationship.

Lol, no, though Mr. Nicks does deserve a lot of credit as well.

Actually I was talking about a poster whom goes by the username "jthunder" (aka Dave) over at SashaFans. He first stood out to me when all the supposed Sasha Fans were pissed off at her when she withdrew from Skate America, blah blah, then someone posted a thread about how there was a seeming lack of support for Sasha. And out of all of them he was the only one to stand by her side steadfast & true. I admire that. Even me, I was mad at Sasha when she withdrew from TEB. Yet this guy is such a devoted fan he admits to only being a Sasha Fan, doesn't post anywhere else, and has been on SashaFans since 2005 with no where near the posts of others. He doesn't have "diarrhea of the mouth", lol, which I also admire. Obviously a well-educated adult whom doesn't spend billions of hours on the 'net posting just for the heck of it, rather he posts in moderation and has to work for a living like moi.

Back on topic:


arty:arty:GOOOOOOOOOOOOO SASHA!!!!arty:arty:

 

[silverlake22]

Lol, no, though Mr. Nicks does deserve a lot of credit as well.

Actually I was talking about a poster whom goes by the username "jthunder" (aka Dave) over at SashaFans.

Oh haha. But she is back with Nicks, again. I think now that she's left Artunian Caroline Zhang should try to get him as her new coach, she lives in the area so she wouldn't have to move and Artunian really seemed to help Mao with jumps, and presumably Sasha too.

 

[chuckm]

“But if I skate the way I do in practice, I am confident that I will make the team.”

The problem is that Sasha has usually had excellent practices, but the competition is another matter. At Nationals, Sasha will be under the most tremendous pressure she has ever faced in her life: first time competing in nearly four years, first time skating two new programs, Olympic berth on the line.

In the article, it's mentioned that Sasha's been "training hard for a month". One month of hard training after being away so long? Hardly enough time to develop muscle memory. Her stamina will be questionable.

 

[R.D.]

whole post

Now THAT's a real fan. Quite easy to separate the true fans from the "fair-weather" ones when the going gets tough, that's for sure

MK had PLENTY of MKFers stand by her even when she had to pull out of Torino, no matter how painful it was for them you didn't see any of them turn on her. It really surprised me that so many of Cohen's "fans" seemed to turn on her to the point where they seemingly resented her for "leading them on". That seems to me like "fair-weather fan" behavior. Ironically, it seems many of her true fans post elsewhere (i.e. here at GS), judging by the number of posters continuing to defend her day in and day out.

And then there's Kimmie- many of HER fans are sticking by her even when her career is all but over. That's admirable.

And note that there is a difference between true, devoted fan and over-the-top blind following (e.g. like Yuna Bots). I most respect the fans that don't feel the need to lash out every time they see a perceived slight towards their fave skater.

 

[janetfan]

And then there's Kimmie- many of HER fans are sticking by her even when her career is all but over. That's admirable.

And note that there is a difference between true, devoted fan and over-the-top blind following (e.g. like Yuna Bots). I most respect the fans that don't feel the need to lash out every time they see a perceived slight towards their fave skater.

Kimmie is interesting - she was never my favorite - and yet I always found myself rooting for her and hoping she would do well.

I think Kimmie handled herself very well as she went through a disappointing period and I admired her for that.

I rarely read negative remarks about Kimmie even though she followed Michelle, Sarah and Sasha - who were all very successful in their own way.

I would be delighted if Kimmie's injury heals up and she can continue - if that is what she wants to do.

If it is not possible then I will always have good memories of Kimmie. Here is a clip that I think is cute but also shows the respect a couple of our current skaters had for Kimmie a few years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MObZCjKHFaY