Split thread - USFS announces 2008-2009 Team Envelopes

[Nigel]

Posted at USFS this morning, 2008-2009 Team Envelopes
http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=41251

 

[Ms.Anthrope]

Wow, Alissa Czisny dropped all the way to Reserve. I'm also a bit surprised to see Bebe Liang & not Rachael Flatt in Team A. Bebe Liang did have a good showing at the Worlds, but I would have put my money on Rachael Flatt. However, I'm sure that Rachael Flatt & Carolina Zhang will both get 2 GP events. Wouldn't they?

I just read the team criteria, so it explains why Bebe got Team A. Good for her.

 

[Kypma]

I don't understand how Caroline Zhang can be in Team B, while Mirai Nagasu and Beatrisa Liang are in Team A... yes, Mirai won Senior Nationals, but Caroline beat her at JrWorlds and was 4th at the GPF... But, then again, I've never really followed these Team selections.

Kypma

 

[kittyjake5]

I don't understand how Caroline Zhang can be in Team B, while Mirai Nagasu and Beatrisa Liang are in Team A... yes, Mirai won Senior Nationals, but Caroline beat her at JrWorlds and was 4th at the GPF... But, then again, I've never really followed these Team selections.

Kypma

Everyone in Team A for the ladies surprises me. Agree with your last sentence.

 

[Ms.Anthrope]

I don't understand how Caroline Zhang can be in Team B, while Mirai Nagasu and Beatrisa Liang are in Team A.

One of the criterias for Team A is top 10 finish at the previous Worlds, which Bebe accomplished. I don't think it matters whether a skater is in Team A or Team B as long as it's Team A or Team B. I could be wrong but there is just enough competitions to go around for everyone is Team A & Team B in the GP circuit. I think the Team A skaters get more skating related expense money from USFS.

 

[museksk8r]

Very surprising to me to see Armin Mahbanoozadeh, whom I've never heard of, be placed on Team B while Ryan Bradley is placed on Team C. Though I love Bebe, seeing her on Team A is pretty shocking considering her overall season. Kimmie was not impressive either, but at least she did have high finishes at Skate America and Trophee Eric Bompard to somewhat justify her placement. Team A should be the 3 Jr. World medalists, IMO.

 

[Winnipeg]

is it surprising that Emily dropped to Team C?

 

[Kypma]

One of the criterias for Team A is top 10 finish at the previous Worlds, which Bebe accomplished. I don't think it matters whether a skater is in Team A or Team B as long as it's Team A or Team B. I could be wrong but there is just enough competitions to go around for everyone is Team A & Team B in the GP circuit. I think the Team A skaters get more skating related expense money from USFS.

I was thinking more about financial support rather than international assignments... I understand there are enough competitions, but training must be financially demanding, and then how does one determine whether Bebe should have more or less than Caroline? Both reached good results, but Caroline couldn't go to Worlds and made the GPF... I just don't quite understand the logic. Ah well. Life goes on...

Kypm

 

[chuckm]

Armin Mahbanoozadeh won the bronze medal in the JGPF, and that's how he got in Envelope B.

 

[Tinymavy15]

Can somebody please explain why Kimmie is on Team A, and Caroline and Racheal are not? Kimmie placed 7th at nationals and worlds, she did not medal at the past GPF, the only thing in her favor is that she has senior experience.

I think that if they can only name three ladies to team A, it should be Marai (she was national champ), Racheal (she is Nationals silver medalist and Junior world champ) and Bebe, becasue of her placements at worlds and nats.

Caroline will have to be bumped to B, as unfair as that sounds.

 

[Kypma]

Can somebody please explain why Kimmie is on Team A, and Caroline and Racheal are not? Kimmie placed 7th at nationals and worlds, she did not medal at the past GPF, the only thing in her favor is that she has senior experience.

I think that if they can only name three ladies to team A, it should be Marai (she was national champ), Racheal (she is Nationals silver medalist and Junior world champ) and Bebe, becasue of her placements at worlds and nats.

Caroline will have to be bumped to B, as unfair as that sounds.

Going by the rules, Kimmie is in Team A because she placed in the top 10 at Worlds...

KypmA

 

[museksk8r]

Going by the rules, Kimmie is in Team A because she placed in the top 10 at Worlds...

KypmA

Yep, it's a ridiculous rule, IMO, just like the Grand Prix Final selections being based on placement instead of point totals.

 

[chuckm]

is it surprising that Emily dropped to Team C?

Not really. She doesn't meet any of the criteria for A, B or C, as she missed Nationals and didn't go to Worlds, and did not medal at either of her GP events:

Team A

U.S. senior champions:
Lysacek
Nagasu
McLaughlin/Brubaker
Belbin/Agosto

Placement in top 10 at Worlds:
Weir, Carriere
Meissner, Liang
Inoue/Baldwin
Davis/White

Medalists (top 3), senior Grand Prix Final: already mentioned above

Gold medalist, 4CC: none

World Senior medalists within past 3 years, still eligible, showing interest in returning this season: none, but this is where Sasha would be if she decided to return

Team B

Second and third place, 4CC:
Castile/Okolski
Navarro/Bommentre

Medalists (top 3), World Junior Champs:
Adam Rippon
Rachael Flatt, Caroline Zhang
Samuelson/Bates

Skaters placing 2-4 in senior at U.S. Champs:
Jeremy Abbott
Ashley Wagner
Vise/Trent

Skaters who qualify for the senior GPF: already mentioned above

Medalists (top 3), JGPF:
Brandon Mroz, Armin Mahbanoozadeh

U.S. junior champs:
Alexe Gilles
Paetsch/Nuss
Hubbell/Hubbell

Team C

Skaters who qualify for the JGPF (non-medalists):
Doug Razzano, Austin Kanallakan,
Kristine Musademba, Chrissy Hughes,
Butler / Jacobsen
Chock / Zuerlein

Medalists (top 3) at ISU junior/senior intl competitions:
Men:
Nicholas LaRoche (2nd-Nepela), Shaun Rogers (2nd-Nebelhorn), Parker Pennington (2nd-Finlandia), David Wang (2nd-Novice-Challenge Cup), Andrew Gonzalez (1st-Jr-Challenge Cup), Daniel O'Shea (2nd-Jr-Challenge Cup), Grant Hochstein (1st-Jr-Spring Garden), Ross Miner (2nd-Jr-Spring Garden)

Ladies:
Megan Williams-Stewart (2nd-Nebelhorn), Marissa Secundy (1st-Novice-Challenge Cup), Brittney Rizo (1st-Jr-Challenge Cup), Amanda Dobbs (3rd-Jr-Challenge Cup), Karen Zhou (1st-Jr-Spring Garden), Victoria Rackohn (2nd-Jr-Spring Garden), Angela Maxwell (3rd-JGP USA), Blake Rosenthal (2nd-JGP EST)

Pairs:
Evora / Ladwig (3rd-Nebelhorn), Best/Young (3rd-Finlandia)

Dance:
Wester / Barantsev (1st-Nebelhorn), Patitucci / Edelman (1st-Jr-Challenge Cup), Wingle / Devereaux (2nd-JGP BUL)

Singles, pairs and dance, at US Championships:

Senior places 5-7:
Bradley, Smith, Campbell
Hacker
Yankowskas / Coughlin, Nari Nam / Leftheris
Summersett / Gilles, Maxwell / Traxler

Junior places 2-5:
Ricky Dornbush, Keegan Messing
Tanovich / Chau, Guillen / Curzon
Gilles / McKernan, Shibutanis

Novice places 1-3:
Sophia Lamay, Felicia Zhang
Carman / Knierim, Chase / Speroff, Castelli / Schnapir
Wolf / Ainsworth, Donegan / Korda

Consideration for skaters placing lower at U.S. Championships in senior, junior or novice where the event was very strong or results very close.

This last criteria doesn't seem to apply to anyone on the list, or to Gregory / Petukhov and Emily Hughes, who don't fit any of the criteria.



Reserve
Medalists (top 3) at ISU novice international competitions, selected by the International Committee.

Consideration for those in last year's envelopes not qualifying this year.
Halverson, Johnson, Oi, Steenberg
Alba, Bulanhagui, Cannarozzo, Czisny, Hyatt, Kahle, Oster
Bailey/Herring, Kriengkrairut / Giulietti-Schmitt

Consideration for skaters not named above with high potential as evidenced by performance at regionals or sectionals.

Consideration for pairs or dance teams, who are newly formed teams, based on the results of designated summer competitions and input from members of the International Committee and international/world judges. These skaters will be added to this envelope only if they are assigned an international competition.

*Consideration for singles skaters who compete at summer competitions with input from members of the International Committee and international/world judges. These skaters will be added to this envelope only if they are assigned an international competition.
*If a Reserve Team member medals at any ISU junior or senior competition supported by the International Committee, they will be moved to Team C and receive Team C funding.

 

[Wrlmy]

Alissa
Why didn't I see this coming?
I hope she takes a year off until Nationals and rework on her jumps.

 

[PolymerBob]

Those of you who follow baseball or other sports will understand the concept of a “bench”. These are athletes who might not be considered top tier, but who can go in when needed and perform. I think the ladies’ division has the most powerful bench they’ve had in a very long time.

 

[Sylvia]

... or to Gregory / Petukhov and Emily Hughes, who don't fit any of the criteria.

As I mentioned earlier, there apparently is an "unwritten" criterion that athletes aren't dropped more than 2 levels in consecutive seasons (Hughes and Gregory/Petukhov go from A to C, Czisny, Halverson and Oster from B to R).

And for those wondering why Michelle Boulos, who qualified for Team C due to her silver medal at the Nepela Memorial last September, is not listed -- I've heard that she is planning to focus on college this coming season.

 

[Tonichelle]

World Senior medalists within past 3 years, still eligible, showing interest in returning this season: none, but this is where Sasha would be if she decided to return

you say "none" but wouldn't Kimmie qualify as such considering she won in 2006?

 

[Sylvia]

you say "none" but wouldn't Kimmie qualify as such considering she won in 2006?

No, because Meissner competed in 2007-08 -- this criterion is for skaters who have taken a season or more off.

 

[Tonichelle]

oh, ok, gotcha....

 

[Tinymavy15]

Those of you who follow baseball or other sports will understand the concept of a “bench”. These are athletes who might not be considered top tier, but who can go in when needed and perform. I think the ladies’ division has the most powerful bench they’ve had in a very long time.

Right. Every team needs a good bench player who can turn it up when needed. Remember that she was not given any assignment on the GP that year when she won Skate Canada and got the silver at Skate America. she was an alternate but it all worked out in the end.