Gracie Gold

[sworddance21]

Yay! I hope USFS takes note that she is a STAR. Why else would they have asked her to be in the gala after finishing 12th? Because she's a star, that's why.

I hope they give her the third international so that she has her bye to nationals. She deserves to be there. She is absolutely a nationals level skater and having her there would bring a ton of audience to the rink and to the TV. They need exposure for the other US women, and Gracie's presence alone will help that. (And she belongs!)

 

[SkateTM0102]

wow, that is brutal. i am 99.99% sure we will not see Karen, Mariah (and 100%) Alysa at nationals. i'd be shocked if we did.

so just competing at SA will not get her a bye to nationals and she will need to skate in another challenger?

i'm also assuming Jill, Ting, Ava, Sonja, Clare, Josephine, Hanna and Kate will have to skate at sectionals? that means they have the same odds as Gracie as qualifying via top 2 in their section. i have no idea which of them will be competing against each other at sectionals or which sectionals they'll each be competing at, but even if all of them make it via that route, that means there are still 5 spots available (not counting Mariah, Alysa and Karen). i think this is very doable for Gracie.

Jill, Ting, Gracie, Ava and Reina Ikinishi
Are probably the top ones from the eastern section. Right now Gracie’s score from Potomac (which granted was not a great competition for her) puts her at 22nd in the standings Nationwide (Amber, Audrey and Gabby do not have scores in the standings). So while it’s definitely possibly for Gracie to qualify through Sectionals it is by no means a guarantee.

 

[SkateTM0102]

Not sure if it could be an indication, but Ting is first substitute at Finlandia Trophy, Sonja nr. 2 and Ava nr 3. It would make much sense, because Ting hasn´t had an International yet, so I think it´s likely she would get one in Austria, she is also first subsitute for Budapest Trophy. Sonja is also substitute for Budapest Trophy, but lower on the list. It doesn´t have to mean anything, because Gracie wasn´t substitute before Nebelhorn, but we also know that she was busy the other weekends. Based on her recent performance, maybe Sonja will get a second Challenger.

But after Austria, there is also Warsaw Cup and Golden Spin, shouldn´t those count? Also there is Denis Ten Memorial in Kaz, that´s also before Austria. So basically I think there is still 4 Challengers left where US could send skaters and possible 6 spots up to grabs.

The document that USFS put out said only certain Challengers would count for byes. Golden Spin wasn’t one, but ones that haven’t been assigned yet that count include Asian Trophy, Ice Challenge, and Denis Ten. Now, I believe Asian Trophy has been moved or cancelled and According to the USFS International Assignments page, the only Challenger on that list that hasn’t been assigned yet that USFS says they are sending skaters to us Ice Challenge. Even though they are sending skaters to Golden Spin it doesn’t seem to be included in bye criteria (not that USFS couldn’t change that). If some of these women are chosen for an international like Ting or Ava, that could make Gracie’s road at Sectionals a bit more open. She is currently the only woman that has had 2 Internationals, so not sure if that would give her a slight edge on getting the 3rd. I imagine Budapest Trophy (the week before) was too close to SA for Gracie to even be considered an alternate.
I believe anyone that gets Ice Challenge would get a bye to Nationals as it’s basically the same week as Sectionals.
I truly believe that Gracie deserves to be at Nationals and she’s definitely got the star power to draw more spectators. However, USFS tends to do some weird things, so who knows??

 

[moonvine]

The latest you would probably know would be after Eastern Sectionals which are November 8-12. If she gets Ice Challenge in Austria she would get a bye to Nationals. I would think rosters would be released around mid October. There could be another International but this is the only one listed on USFS website. So, I would say at latest, mid November. I booked A hotel but that’s as far as I got until I see who all makes it and even then it might not matter, it might not be in the budget this year.

I booked a hotel as well. Train tickets are only $200 but 80 hours is alot.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

The document that USFS put out said only certain Challengers would count for byes. Golden Spin wasn’t one, but ones that haven’t been assigned yet that count include Asian Trophy, Ice Challenge, and Denis Ten. Now, I believe Asian Trophy has been moved or cancelled and According to the USFS International Assignments page, the only Challenger on that list that hasn’t been assigned yet that USFS says they are sending skaters to us Ice Challenge. Even though they are sending skaters to Golden Spin it doesn’t seem to be included in bye criteria (not that USFS couldn’t change that). If some of these women are chosen for an international like Ting or Ava, that could make Gracie’s road at Sectionals a bit more open. She is currently the only woman that has had 2 Internationals, so not sure if that would give her a slight edge on getting the 3rd. I imagine Budapest Trophy (the week before) was too close to SA for Gracie to even be considered an alternate.
I believe anyone that gets Ice Challenge would get a bye to Nationals as it’s basically the same week as Sectionals.
I truly believe that Gracie deserves to be at Nationals and she’s definitely got the star power to draw more spectators. However, USFS tends to do some weird things, so who knows??

Thanks for the information. You make very good points. The other girls won´t be able to get byes because they will maximum get 2 international anyways, so it´s a good reason to give Ice Challenge to Gracie or someone else? who already have 2, so that they don´t have more skaters than needed at sectionals. But are there any other girls besides Gracie who only have 2 so far? Maybe Izzo? Starr got her second GP. Audrey Shin has 2 GP and one Challenger? You know, thinking about it this way it seems logical for me to send Gracie to Ice Challenge. The skaters who only have 1 international assignment so far could be sent to the ones who doesn´t count, like Golden Spin.

 

[moonvine]

Thanks for the information. You make very good points. The other girls won´t be able to get byes because they will maximum get 2 international anyways, so it´s a good reason to give Ice Challenge to Gracie or someone else? who already have 2, so that they don´t have more skaters than needed at sectionals. But are there any other girls besides Gracie who only have 2 so far? Maybe Izzo? Starr got her second GP. Audrey Shin has 2 GP and one Challenger? You know, thinking about it this way it seems logical for me to send Gracie to Ice Challenge. The skaters who only have 1 international assignment so far could be sent to the ones who doesn´t count, like Golden Spin.

I don't think logic and USFS are on speaking terms. There's a US woman assigned to the upcoming Challenger I had never even heard of, and I watch a lot of skating.

 

[SkateTM0102]

Thanks for the information. You make very good points. The other girls won´t be able to get byes because they will maximum get 2 international anyways, so it´s a good reason to give Ice Challenge to Gracie or someone else? who already have 2, so that they don´t have more skaters than needed at sectionals. But are there any other girls besides Gracie who only have 2 so far? Maybe Izzo? Starr got her second GP. Audrey Shin has 2 GP and one Challenger? You know, thinking about it this way it seems logical for me to send Gracie to Ice Challenge. The skaters who only have 1 international assignment so far could be sent to the ones who doesn´t count, like Golden Spin.

Izzo was top 5 at Nationals last year so she has a bye. I believe Gracie is the only skater currently that has 2 Internationals so they might give her a 3rd. But like I said, the competition is Austria is exactly the same time as Sectionals, so I imagine if someone got assigned to it they would get a bye through sectionals no matter what. If I was USFS, I might assign Gracie, Sonja and maybe Ting or Hanna Harrell to Ice Challenge giving them all byes to Nationals and then send some one like Claire Seo to Golden Spin so she can get Senior Minimums. But unfortunately I don’t have any pull in the USFS and logic doesn’t always come in to play with the powers that be anyways.

 

[SkateTM0102]

I don't think logic and USFS are on speaking terms. There's a US woman assigned to the upcoming Challenger I had never even heard of, and I watch a lot of skating.

To be fair, I don’t think that would have been a good one for Gracie as it’s the week before SA. What it does show me is that we really don’t have many (any) super standouts so they are giving everyone chances. If that’s the case, then Gracie should for sure get another International!

 

[ptvvibezz]

Does anyone know if Gracie has a signature plushie? Want to make sure I have everything ready before I leave for SKAM. Thought I'd ask here

 

[moonvine]

Does anyone know if Gracie has a signature plushie? Want to make sure I have everything ready before I leave for SKAM. Thought I'd ask here

If she had one I think I would know. I just get the biggest plushie I can find and throw it. She picked up a bear after her SP at last year's nationals. Oh! Her favorite animal is a 3 toed sloth if you can find that plushie. Unless she was just screwing with the interviewer, which is possible.

Don't suppose you would be so inclined as to give her roses for me, I would pay for them.

 

[ptvvibezz]

If she had one I think I would know. I just get the biggest plushie I can find and throw it. She picked up a bear after her SP at last year's nationals. Oh! Her favorite animal is a 3 toed sloth if you can find that plushie. Unless she was just screwing with the interviewer, which is possible.

Don't suppose you would be so inclined as to give her roses for me, I would pay for them.

TY ! PM me about the roses, I'll probably be able to do it

 

[Skater Boy]

It's a "new" season and I am full of anticipation and hope for Gracie. No one means to skate badly but every year we/I get excited that she is really coming back with a vengeance and there are lots of glimmer and then I am disappointed. So this is the year i hope she does it and regains a spot on the world team. But I am fine that we have had so many great skates and I hope that if it was not meant to be she skates off into the sunset with her head high and let someone else shine or have their moment in the sun. Nothing can take away Gracie's great skating from the past. I admit early on this season I thought she is going to do it and I still think this if any year is the perfect time - the top ladies are gone in the US it would appear Liu, Bell, Chen and the others are iffy Lovato, Glenn et al. I note great skaters like Tiffany Chen, Linda Fratianne, Lisa Marie Allen, Elaine Zayak et al moved on coaching and such. Skating is what she does not who she is - though right now maybe that line is blurred.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

Gracie got Ice Challenger in Austria, she got a second Challenger, so she gets a bye to Nationals and we get to see her not only one time, but competing at two international competitions the next month

Way to go Gracie!!!

 

[moonvine]

Gracie got Ice Challenger in Austria, she got a second Challenger, so she gets a bye to Nationals and we get to see her not only one time, but competing at two international competitions the next month

Way to go Gracie!!!

That's what I thought when she said she had a goal of skating 2 clean skates at Nationals. When I left Philly I told her "see you at Nationals" She gave me a look like "I don't know" but yes ma'am you did it girl!

 

[moonvine]

It's a "new" season and I am full of anticipation and hope for Gracie. No one means to skate badly but every year we/I get excited that she is really coming back with a vengeance and there are lots of glimmer and then I am disappointed. So this is the year i hope she does it and regains a spot on the world team. But I am fine that we have had so many great skates and I hope that if it was not meant to be she skates off into the sunset with her head high and let someone else shine or have their moment in the sun. Nothing can take away Gracie's great skating from the past. I admit early on this season I thought she is going to do it and I still think this if any year is the perfect time - the top ladies are gone in the US it would appear Liu, Bell, Chen and the others are iffy Lovato, Glenn et al. I note great skaters like Tiffany Chen, Linda Fratianne, Lisa Marie Allen, Elaine Zayak et al moved on coaching and such. Skating is what she does not who she is - though right now maybe that line is blurred.

She has never disappointed me and could never. She’s already got 4CCs minimums and World SP minimums.

 

[moonvine]

Gracie has her own flag which @Seven Sisters was kind enough to design and send me a copy of. We are calling it “The Gold Standard.” Long may it fly.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

So now I can go to bed with a big smile on my face. I just rewatched the SP again, and it was just as magical as I remember, even with the tough fall on the loop. I have never (or as long as I can remember at least), see her smile with such a big smile trough the whole performance, doubters have said she doesn´t perform, she doesn´t emote, no you can´t say that today. Most important, she continued to smile after the fall. Like - that doesn´t stop me! That is the Gracie we want to see, who enjoyed every minute!

Her combo was just amazing, and the best scored element of the event. Of course I wished she went clean, but it kinda felt good to see how well she did react to the skate with a mistake as well, like - it cost her some points but the score was pretty good and she was happy and beaming. And she is now top 5 now and will skate in the last group!

I thought she looked so scared during warm up, but she seemed very focused and went into the skate with the right attitude and fire! Congratulations on her new ISU SB and setting a new record with oldest skater (ugh, she is still YOUNG) landing a 3Lz-3T. I think she was fairly scored as well, her PCS wasn´t inflated all though a lot like to think that and trying to say that it should be lower just because of speed (which btw is just a one of many parts of skating skills!!), in previous season she has scored a lot more in PCS, it was the quality of all the other elements except the loop that gave her that high score, because she has the basic - excellent technique like she always had, and it paid really off today in a field with a lot of technical mistakes. Seems people forget that, her combo alone got her over 11 points. And she did deserve good marks for the performance today as well, because that was a joy to watch!

There will be tough competition in the FS, but today I just want to focus on the amazing job she did in the SP, because the result after the FS can´t change that.

 

[SkateTM0102]

I was reading the recap article from USFS and it had the quote from Gracie that said she felt like today was 85%. But then the quote kept going and said that even though the loop didn’t work, she normally pops it so she felt like committing to the rotation was an improvement. I do agree with this statement! She at least got some credit for the loop, if she had popped it she would have received 0 points. It also shows more mental toughness. I hope she has a good skate today and can continue to build on the season. She really hasn’t been posted about much by USFS (nor mentioned much on TV) this week, and honestly I think it’s a good thing. Maybe keeps the pressure down some. Go Gracie!

 

[norwegianfairytale]

Don´t be so hard on yourself Gracie, Good to hear that she is looking forward to the next competition. Liked the thought behind the costume as well

 

[ptvvibezz]

Gracie's costume is beautiful in person. The crowd was behind her and pushing her on . I hope I get to see her in Colorado Springs next year