Easy Road Not the Path for Flatt

[Iceman]

http://www.gazette.com/sports/flatt-...-routines.html

[Flying Camel]

Thanks for posting the article Iceman. I am so happy they have made some changes to her LP. But 90 seconds does not seem like a lot of changes. If she made the trip all the way to toronto and worlds has been delayed why not change the whole LP. There is time to rework her LP. Well, I guess a few changes are better then none.

She does not sound like she will be skating in the GP next year. I will miss her competing.

[reese]

And she has been rewarded, with a career-best score of 118.08 in the free skate at Four Continents and feedback from judges that she “has the best short program in the world,” according to Zakrajsek.

[kppt]

But 90 seconds does not seem like a lot of changes. If she made the trip all the way to toronto and worlds has been delayed why not change the whole LP.

She made the trip to Toronto in December, and the majority of time was spent creating a whole new SP. IMO the time was well spent, as she received good feedback at 4CC.

[Yazmeen]

"Flatt, 18, will conclude her season, and probably skate for the final time representing The Broadmoor and the last time under Broadmoor coach Tom Zakrajsek, when she competes at the world championships next month in Moscow."

Read more: http://www.gazette.com/articles/flat...Hq3njLPYQUOTE]

Anybody besides me notice this??? This makes it sound like this year's Worlds is her swan song before heading to Stanford, unless she plans to find another coach/club in California. She talks about skating in 2012 Nationals, but not committing to anything Grand Prix-wise in the fall. Interesting.

[victoriaheidi]

That's actually not such a crazy statement. I can't think of that many that I really love. My other favorite is Kanako's.

[martyross]

Uhm, just wondering...why is it the best SP in the world?

[MacMadame]

Okay, am I the only one who read this:

"Others went with simpler routines, “which is why many of them are not on the world team,” Zakrajsek said, adding Flatt “managed to push forward” in joining national champion Alissa Czisny at worlds."

and said Who watered down their routines because it wasn't an Olympic year?

Not to mention, Flatt was reigning National Champion and failed to retain her title over Czisny. This quote makes it seem like Rachael moved up in the standings over ladies she hadn't beat before.

[MacMadame]

That's actually not such a crazy statement. I can't think of that many that I really love. My other favorite is Kanako's.

But she didn't even score her personal best SP score with it. (At least according to Wikipedia.)

[reese]

Okay, am I the only one who read this:

"Others went with simpler routines, “which is why many of them are not on the world team,” Zakrajsek said, adding Flatt “managed to push forward” in joining national champion Alissa Czisny at worlds."

and said Who watered down their routines because it wasn't an Olympic year?

Not to mention, Flatt was reigning National Champion and failed to retain her title over Czisny. This quote makes it seem like Rachael moved up in the standings over ladies she hadn't beat before.

Yeah, I rolled my eyes at that. Tom Zzzzzz is trying to say Rachael has had a good season? That's she's been pushing the envelope and that's why she's on the World team compared to others (Abbott? Denney/Barrett?) who were also Olympians but failed to make it to Worlds this year? Whatever. That's ridiculous. Her season has been anything but a success results-wise, technically or artistically.

[martyross]

and said Who watered down their routines because it wasn't an Olympic year?

Yeah, not that I'm Flatt hater, but whatever he's smoking, it must be really good.

[stevlin]

Flatt is a great jumper on the ice but her mad arm flapping needs to go. It takes away from the legs and skating. Her "East od Eden" drives me nuts. One part she skates so fast and not to the music. Get a new choreographer, please.

[olympic]

OK. I read the article. I was a little panicked based on posts above that insinuated Rachael was going to retire. But, it sounds like she's going to continue competing - the article states it's the last time she'll compete representing Broadmoor and w/ Tom Z [that's a good thing IMO]

Who should she go to in the Bay area?

[RD]

Nice article, but taking on an engineering student workload plus skating at her level??

[berthesghost]

that was a pretty article!

It’s hard to dispute Flatt’s results

Um... not for skating fans! The boards pretty much light up with lengthy arguments every time she competes.

[Proustable]

Zakrajsek sounds like an American Joanne McLeod.

[Triple Butz]

and said Who watered down their routines because it wasn't an Olympic year?

I'll tell you who watered down their routines: Flatt. This is the only season in her entire senior career that she hasn't attempted a 3/3 combination. So far, we haven't seen a single attempt.

[overedge]

Anybody besides me notice this??? This makes it sound like this year's Worlds is her swan song before heading to Stanford, unless she plans to find another coach/club in California. She talks about skating in 2012 Nationals, but not committing to anything Grand Prix-wise in the fall. Interesting.

It sounds like she might be switching coaches (which would be a good idea IMHO).

[personwhoishere]

It sounds like she might be switching coaches (which would be a good idea IMHO).

Yeah, I thought that was the plan all along. She obviously can't still train in Colorado Springs while going to school at Stanford, so she'll be finding a new coach/training facility there. Very curious who it will be and how much it'll show in her skating.

[FSfan107]

Okay, am I the only one who read this:

"Others went with simpler routines, “which is why many of them are not on the world team,” Zakrajsek said, adding Flatt “managed to push forward” in joining national champion Alissa Czisny at worlds."

and said Who watered down their routines because it wasn't an Olympic year?

Not to mention, Flatt was reigning National Champion and failed to retain her title over Czisny. This quote makes it seem like Rachael moved up in the standings over ladies she hadn't beat before.

That quote caught my eye as well. This is only my speculation, but I am thinking he means Nagasu though I don't know if she has really watered down her routines compared to last year's. I would just think he would feel the most "threatened" by Mirai in terms of competition for Rachel.