US Ladies [#3]: 2011-12 news, musings & everything else

[Nomad]

I don't know the current rules but was the US actually in danger of having only 1 lady? I thought you had to have some really truly awful placements to not get 2 spots. Flatt finished 12th, not like she failed to qualify for the free skate. I think Alissa could have probably finished quite a bit lower and still kept 2 spots.

I think the rule for a team of two is still that their combined placements have to be equal to or less than 28 to keep two spots.

[Mayra]

Caroline Zhang's scores in international competition over the past three seasons:

2012 Four Continents 176.18
2011 Ice Challenge 152.72
2011 Skate America 140.70
2010 Skate America 132.49
2010 NHK Trophy 133.86
2010 Four Continents 160.78
2009 Skate Canada 132.46
2009 Trophée Eric Bompard 153.15

Because Zhang is the same skater she was 3 season's ago right?

Mind you, I don't think Zhang should be sent anywhere. Just saying....

[Vagabond]

Because Zhang is the same skater she was 3 season's ago right?

If you judge her on the basis of all three international competitions this season and all three international competitions three seasons ago, she's about eight points better this season than in 2009-10 -- still not enough to be relied on to score well internationally.

And we've previously heard how much Nagasu, Flatt, and Wagner had improved and how much more reliable they were (or are now) than just even a season or two before. Oh, and Flatt was once "Reliable Rachael."

Go figure.

[Coco]

People - I said MAYBE.

My point was, Alissa is the best chance we've got.

I do wonder if maybe she should switch to last year's LP. It might spark her to stronger performances.

I don't think there's any mystery to her bad outings. She's just not a good jumper. I think for her rotational speed, she needs more height.

I was pleased that she rotated her final 3loop. That took a lot of toughness.

[Theatregirl1122]

I don't know the current rules but was the US actually in danger of having only 1 lady? I thought you had to have some really truly awful placements to not get 2 spots. Flatt finished 12th, not like she failed to qualify for the free skate. I think Alissa could have probably finished quite a bit lower and still kept 2 spots.

Alissa would have had to fail to make the LP for us to lose two spots. People just like to be alarmist.

[AndyWarhol]

CoP was the best thing to happen for Alissa... she is held up by her spins.. (which i think she should be...)

[demetriosj]

CoP was the best thing to happen for Alissa... she is held up by her spins.. (which i think she should be...)

I think you're right, she should thank God for COP,

although I disagree that spins should hold a skater up

[AndyWarhol]

Oh, I'm not saying just spins should hold someone up, but it's nice to see someone getting credit for having pretty position and a pointed toe.

[gkelly]

Oh, I'm not saying just spins should hold someone up, but it's nice to see someone getting credit for having pretty position and a pointed toe.

Oh, it's more than just a pretty position and a pointed toe that earns the points.

Speed, centering, number of revolutions count just as much toward GOE as the prettiness . . . also difficult positions, edge changes, etc., to earn the higher levels.

Good for Alissa that she can do all of the above so well.

[query5]

your forgot her 2007, 2008 scores which were better.

conveneint you only went to 2009 not her
176. in gp final,
175 in world team event.
so i think you may be biased.

however do i think caroline/agnes, mirai, gracie should be sent to worlds --no-
unless alissa pulls out she should go . no matter what and let chips fall where.
however alissa should think what would happen next year if she bombs at worlds.

judges/callers have a tendency to score the gp events from the last years worlds event. high-low depending on how skate at gp events.
next year in gp she has to worry about younger u.s. skaters, caroline zhang resurging-come back -not to mention all the younger skaters from, russia, china, japan who may-may not jump up.

[victoriaheidi]

your forgot her 2007, 2008 scores which were better.

conveneint you only went to 2009 not her
176. in gp final,
175 in world team event.
so i think you may be biased.

however do i think caroline/agnes, mirai, gracie should be sent to worlds --no-
unless alissa pulls out she should go . no matter what and let chips fall where.
however alissa should think what would happen next year if she bombs at worlds.

judges/callers have a tendency to score the gp events from the last years worlds event. high-low depending on how skate at gp events.
next year in gp she has to worry about younger u.s. skaters, caroline zhang resurging-come back -not to mention all the younger skaters from, russia, china, japan who may-may not jump up.

I'm assuming that this person only looked at what currently factors into World standings, and I don't disagree with that choice, because Caroline was a different skater in 2007-2008 than 2010-2011.

[Sylvia]

You can listen to an audio recording of Ashley Wagner's pre-Worlds media teleconference via IceNetwork.

[Karpenko]

Her head is in such a fantastic place, and I am so proud of her. She is blossoming into a true leader. I hope she kills it at Worlds!

[Jenna]

Lovely! I'm glad she didn't put any expectations on herself by mentioning a placement. I'm so excited to see how she will do in Nice.

[Chris_E]

You can listen to an audio recording of Ashley Wagner's pre-Worlds media teleconference via IceNetwork.

Thanks for posting! I had listened to it when it first went up and was surprised no one else had posted it yet. She sounds like she is in a solid mental place. Hopefully she can control her nerves and skate really well.

[Sylvia]

Thanks for posting! I had listened to it when it first went up and was surprised no one else had posted it yet.

Technically it belongs in the 2012 Worlds forum in Kiss and Cry (where it first was posted yesterday in the "Reports, blog articles, etc." thread), but I am assuming it's okay to post the link here in this general U.S. Ladies thread.

I posted this elsewhere in the forum but will repost here: Ashley Cain (2nd in Junior Ladies at 2012 Nationals) recently tweeted that she passed her Senior FS (singles) test. It will be interesting to see which/how many of the other junior ladies from Nationals, besides Gold and Cain, will move up to senior.

[RD]

Sounds like Wagner has realistic expectations- very telling that she shied away from making a definitive statement about Worlds. Wish someone pinned her down a little more though and asked if she was shooting for a particular placement at worlds (podium? win? top 10?)

[Chris_E]

Sounds like Wagner has realistic expectations- very telling that she shied away from making a definitive statement about Worlds. Wish someone pinned her down a little more though and asked if she was shooting for a particular placement at worlds (podium? win? top 10?)

Well, she wants to get 3 spots back for next year so I think she's aiming for top 5 at least.

[RD]

Only problem with that goal is she cannot do it alone. Even if she somehow wins, Czisny still has to stay upright for top 10 finish. And she has struggled all season. She seems to be down again on the roller-coaster.

[Cheylana]

Well technically, if Ashley wins, then Czisny only needs to finish 12th.
But I get that 2nd through 5th is more likely for Ashley.