U.S. Jr. World team selection
- Thread starter Sylvia
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2007
Well, I watched the ladies' final of the 4CC last light. The USFSA must really want a medal here at Junior Worlds. They are sending their best lady. :sheesh:
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2007
Well, it's junior Worlds... They won this the past years, now they have to make sure that it stays in US-hands.
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2005
She hasn't pulled out so that someone else could be training. It looks like she is going to go.
At first I thought it was a silly idea for Caroline to go to JW, especially if she does well at 4CC. Ashley, I can see, because she needs an ISU championship event to keep up her world ranking, not to mention she should skate her LP clean for once this season. Mirai, I can also see, because she had a bad season and needs the experience to build her confidence and experience.
But now that 4CC is over, and Caroline indeed did well, I start to think that she should definitely go after all. She needs to go out there and skate her programs with confidence and ease, building on her skates at 4CC. She was more relaxed at 4CC than any other competition this year, and it allowed her to skate with more speed, edging, and greater expressiveness. She can do even better on that front, and the more she skates her programs in front of the judges and audience, the more she will be able to relax.
Also, importantly, Caroline needs to take advantage of every opportunity between now and the Olympics to demonstrate that she's the top US lady internationally, or at least definitely the top two, to ensure that she gets sent to the Olympics. Especially since the Olympics team selection is expressly based on many competitions besides National's, and even the National's champion next year is not guaranteed an Olympics berth, she really needs to do her best to make a case for herself on the team.
Chances are, with Alissa and Rachael going to LA World's, there will only be two spots, so it will be a real dog fight come next year, with five talented young ladies fighting for them. Or, with really bad luck, maybe only one spot (!). The magic number for two spots is 28. The last time Alissa went to World's (after winning the LP at National's), she placed 15th. She attempted 6 triples, completed 3 (sounds familiar?), and got downgraded on 3, resulting in 12th. She also had a bad SP (49.43). If she does that again, which is only slightly worse than what she just did at 4CC, she could easily place between 12 and 15 again. Miki Ando, Carolina Kostner, Laura Lepisto are all likely to out-jump her, and they get equally high PCS. Sarah Meier could easily slot in there, too, though she's having somewhat of an off season. Rachael's less likely to fall apart, but she's being shown little love by the int'l judges though she had a decent GP season, plus her programs have been slowly deteriorating, no more 3-3's and a popped jump here and there. Remember all the hoopla around Ashley last year, and then she placed 8 at 4CC, and ended up in 16th at World's. Even with her disappointing showing at 4CC, did anyone imagine that she could fall down to 16th at World's?
Probably Rachael and Alissa together will garner enough for two Olympic spots, but upgrading to three is only slightly more likely than dropping down to one, JMHO. I'm expecting the worst, so that I can be pleasantly surprised when we retain two instead of feeling disappointed about not having three!
But now that 4CC is over, and Caroline indeed did well, I start to think that she should definitely go after all. She needs to go out there and skate her programs with confidence and ease, building on her skates at 4CC. She was more relaxed at 4CC than any other competition this year, and it allowed her to skate with more speed, edging, and greater expressiveness. She can do even better on that front, and the more she skates her programs in front of the judges and audience, the more she will be able to relax.
Also, importantly, Caroline needs to take advantage of every opportunity between now and the Olympics to demonstrate that she's the top US lady internationally, or at least definitely the top two, to ensure that she gets sent to the Olympics. Especially since the Olympics team selection is expressly based on many competitions besides National's, and even the National's champion next year is not guaranteed an Olympics berth, she really needs to do her best to make a case for herself on the team.
Chances are, with Alissa and Rachael going to LA World's, there will only be two spots, so it will be a real dog fight come next year, with five talented young ladies fighting for them. Or, with really bad luck, maybe only one spot (!). The magic number for two spots is 28. The last time Alissa went to World's (after winning the LP at National's), she placed 15th. She attempted 6 triples, completed 3 (sounds familiar?), and got downgraded on 3, resulting in 12th. She also had a bad SP (49.43). If she does that again, which is only slightly worse than what she just did at 4CC, she could easily place between 12 and 15 again. Miki Ando, Carolina Kostner, Laura Lepisto are all likely to out-jump her, and they get equally high PCS. Sarah Meier could easily slot in there, too, though she's having somewhat of an off season. Rachael's less likely to fall apart, but she's being shown little love by the int'l judges though she had a decent GP season, plus her programs have been slowly deteriorating, no more 3-3's and a popped jump here and there. Remember all the hoopla around Ashley last year, and then she placed 8 at 4CC, and ended up in 16th at World's. Even with her disappointing showing at 4CC, did anyone imagine that she could fall down to 16th at World's?
Probably Rachael and Alissa together will garner enough for two Olympic spots, but upgrading to three is only slightly more likely than dropping down to one, JMHO. I'm expecting the worst, so that I can be pleasantly surprised when we retain two instead of feeling disappointed about not having three!
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
so what is the official "team roster"
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2007
As far as we know, this is still the official list.
http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=42483
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
thanks, Bob. 
Really peeved that Keegan isn't even an alternate.
Really peeved that Keegan isn't even an alternate.I agree. He beat both Johnson and Mahbanoozadeh at Nationals.
Also, I think it shows lack of foresight from the USFS to assign Katrina Hacker as the first alternate. She is retiring after this season, so it would be a better investment to assign a skater who will continue with the sport.
Also, I think it shows lack of foresight from the USFS to assign Katrina Hacker as the first alternate. She is retiring after this season, so it would be a better investment to assign a skater who will continue with the sport.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
are they seniors this year? I don't recognize their names (this is why, I guess, I should just suck it up and go to nationals each year no matter how much I don't like how the USFSA runs things during the week lol)
Katrina Hacker earned her spot with her placement at nationals ahead of the internationally junior skaters.
I don't think so. Apparently the placements need to add up to more than 28 for that to happen. So they BOTH would have to bomb HARD for that to happen. Even typical Alyssa can get maybe 16th, 17th at worst.
I agree about Alexe appearing to be held down.
I also agree that someone other than Katrina would be preferable if Katrina won't change her mind about retiring. It's hard to say whom that someone should be, though.
The US ladies are really deep. Attrition (through injuries) has made it unlikely that we'll get 3 spots for the Olympics and Worlds, but for everything else, we're very good. It may be difficult to NOT get 18 GP assignments and 17 JGP assignments (the America JGP will be in Lake Placid this year) is all but certain.
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- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
Johnson & Mahbanoozedeh both qualified for the JGPF. They did not compete as seniors this year.
http://www.isuresults.com/results/gpf0809/CAT001RS.HTM
Armin finished 2nd at the JGPF and Alexander finished 6th. I can see Armin being an alternate here, but Alexander shouldn't have been chosen over Keegan, I think.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
I noticed this year that Johnson is a nervous type as his SP was really poor. I hope there is a way that JW is shown on IN. I'd like to give him another try.
Armin is strictly a tech skater and if he misses some of the tech, as he did in Nats, he pretty much done with.
As far as the Americans are concerned, it will be about OI, Miner and Rippon, but internationally i believe Brezina will win it.
Armin is strictly a tech skater and if he misses some of the tech, as he did in Nats, he pretty much done with.
As far as the Americans are concerned, it will be about OI, Miner and Rippon, but internationally i believe Brezina will win it.
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