Sarah Hughes and Nats

[soogar]

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/SkateFans/message/137412

This was posted on FSU (this is the direct msg referenced). Sarah signed up for Regionals but has a bye for Nationals (according to the poster). Sarah is keeping her options open and maybe with all the injuries, it might not be unreasonable for her to make a comeback at Nats for the 3rd spot. Esp if the other Americans fail to capitalize on the Grand Prix opportunities.

 

[Fossi]

Doesn't surprise me!

Go Sarah Coming to rescue the USA! Sarah is THE FUTURE of US figure skating

 

[Eeyora]

Didn't she complete the paperwork last year for Nationals if she wanted to compete. I wouldn't be surprised if she returns to competitive skating. However I couldn't picture her doing it without a coach.

 

[Jaana]

As Sarah is in SOI a regular cast member and the main headliner as well, I really cannot see SOI allowing her to pull out from any of the shows to compete in US Nationals? Being a regular cast member in SOI definetely means that a skater is contracted to appear in every show.

The US Nationals are held in Portland OR and Sarah will have a show in Phoenix AZ on the day of short programme and in Anaheim CA on the day of freeskate. The schedule of US Nationals (SP on 13th of Jan and FS on 15th of Jan) does not make it possible for her to appear in both SOI and Nationals the same day:

http://www.portland2005.com/news.asp?ID=43009

Marjaana

 

[mpal2]

How does Sarah have a bye this year if she didn't compete at Nationals last year?

 

[gezando]

She may not have a bye, but I don't think it is too difficult for her to pass sectionals and regionals. ARe we sure we don't have the wrong HUghes, how about Emily

 

[RealtorGal]

Here is the full post, which mentions Emily at the end:

For those wondering about Sarah Hughes' competitive desires, she had entered regionals but was withdrawn by the referee due to "rule 3125" qualifying her directly to Nationals. Emily skates qualifying rounds tonight.

 

[Tonichelle]

OMG... that'd be so awesome if she were to skate at nationals... I'd be excited anyway!

 

[bronxgirl]

Will SOI allow her to miss contractual performances to skate Nationals?

 

[milanessa]

Stranger things have happened but I doubt it. SOI has always been very reluctant to let any of their core cast miss dates. Even if the skaters have a few days off they're discouraged from traveling to places where their return the night before the next show can't be guaranteed (at least as much as anything is guaranteed.)

Sarah's bye to Nationals is because she is the reigning Oly champion - is there a USFSA rule that says she has to put in her paperwork for regionals each year (whether she intends to skate or not) in order to keep that bye?

gerry

 

[euterpe]

Sarah was on TV last week and a clip of her skating was shown. She has only double jumps, and small ones at that. It's doubtful she could make the World Team with that technical repertoire. Sarah hasn't competed since the 2003 USFSA April cheesefest, 19 months ago, and she was last of 8 in that competition. And she hadn't trained at all since then, until this past summer.

Skating with SOI will not give her much opportunity to create and work on competitive programs, and she needs to build up stamina to even attempt a competition FS.

If Sarah is toying with the idea of coming back to eligible skating, I think she wouldn't be able to do so until next season at the earliest.

 

[SK8GR8]

How can she maintain her USFS eligibility and still skate with Stars on Ice? USFS wouldn't let Todd Eldredge do it, why would they let Sarah?

 

[dr.frog]

How can she maintain her USFS eligibility and still skate with Stars on Ice? USFS wouldn't let Todd Eldredge do it, why would they let Sarah?

Groan! Not again! Will this myth *never* die?

Todd lost his eligibility by skating in a pro competition last fall, not by skating with Stars On Ice. His dispute with the USFSA was over his desire to continue to get paid for doing cheesefests without committing to also compete at Nationals and Worlds. It is perfectly OK for eligible skaters to tour with Stars On Ice as long as they fill out the appropriate paperwork with the USFSA.

 

[euterpe]

Emily Hughes finished first in her qualifying group at North Atlantic Regionals.

Last season, as a Junior, Emily won Junior Regionals, but finished 5th at Sectionals and didn't make it to Nationals.

 

[Doggygirl]

Good for Emily!!

I'm glad to see that she's made progress over the last year!

DG

 

[lavender]

Doesn't matter. I think Sarah will find it difficult. If Sarah's going to do it she will go full out and so far she hasn't done it.

 

[jesslily]

After 2002 Olympics one major magazine interviewed Sarah Hughes' dad and asked him Sarah's plan for the future. Her dad said Sarah is going to continue competing, and hopefully she and Emily will compete at 2006 Olympics side by side. I guess the plan is on the right track. I wish them the very best...

 

[Lucy25]

Emily Hughes finished first in her qualifying group at North Atlantic Regionals.

Last season, as a Junior, Emily won Junior Regionals, but finished 5th at Sectionals and didn't make it to Nationals.

I wish I could find a report on this. I would like to know what kind of jumps Emily did. Best of luck to her for the remaining part of the competition.

 

[hockeyfan228]

For anyone who is interested in knowing how Hughes earned a bye to Nationals, please see the posts by "Artistic Skaters" and "luenatic" on FSU:

http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17701&perpage=15&pagenumber=3

(Starting with 4th post from the top.)

 

[SK8GR8]

Groan! Not again! Will this myth *never* die?

Todd lost his eligibility by skating in a pro competition last fall, not by skating with Stars On Ice. His dispute with the USFSA was over his desire to continue to get paid for doing cheesefests without committing to also compete at Nationals and Worlds. It is perfectly OK for eligible skaters to tour with Stars On Ice as long as they fill out the appropriate paperwork with the USFSA.

Sorry, this is just what I heard from someone within USFS. It was my impression that Champions on Ice was approved by USFS for skaters wanting to remain eligible, but Stars on Ice was not. In fact, I can't think of a single eligible skater who has performed in Stars on Ice, but I can think of many who were with Champions on Ice.