Rochette pondering return to Olympics

[npavel]

Like others have posted above, Rochette has competed in Japan Open. AFAIK, she has skated pretty well in those events and has shown that she has kept in shape.

Kostner, on the otherhand, has watered down her technical content considerably these couple of years.

If Rochette can bring her strengths, i.e. rare ability to land all 5 types of triples and her 3T-half loop-3S combo, she will have the edge over Kostner with out the lutz.

As for PCS, I would have them evenly matched. They both have excellent skating skills and capable of performing to music.

from Japan Open: Rochette FS TES score 50.74 PCS 62.00 Tot 112.74 in the free skate, witch is lower than all Kostners FS this year. And Japan Open isn't the same as GP or 4CC or Worlds. Nevertheless I would like Rochette to came back, just not expecting her to automatically be on the podium
Carolina has done a lot of lutzes last season, but she opted not to include them in her competition program. Witch doesn't mean she wouldn't do it in future

[Triple Butz]

I know she was dealing with a lot after the Olympics and probably made the right decisions for herself, but part of me wishes she would have stayed in and nabbed a world title. The performances we've seen at the last two WC could have been easily beaten by a solid Joannie IMO. Whatever she decides, I wish her the best and if she comes back I will enjoy watching her no matter where she places.

[euterpe]

1. Canada has one spot next year at Worlds.

2. The Olympic spots are given first to the nations with two or three spots, and then the remainder are decided at a designated senior B, right? I believe it was Nebelhorn before Vancouver.

3. So if the Canadian lady at Worlds 2013 is outside the top ten, Canada doesn't have a guaranteed spot at the Olympics. However, one of the rules with regards to the team event is that a qualifying nation is allowed to submit one entry should they not qualify in singles, if I understand it.

So then Rochette would probably prefer that Canada doesn't qualify a lady for Sochi at Nebelhorn (or whatever the qualifying event turns out to be). That way, she would have to do only the team event and not singles.

I wonder how Skate Canada would look at it: would they be willing to have NO lady in the singles event in order to get Rochette for the team event?

[screech]

Who would be her coach, since IIRC her coach is now somewhat retired and instead focusing on a position with Skate Canada?

[kwanfan1818]

There is ONE spot for ladies in the team event. One man, one woman, one pair, one dance team.

That is not the case. A country can substitute up to two skaters/teams for the FS/FD, if they qualify more than one in the discipline for individual events.

So then Rochette would probably prefer that Canada doesn't qualify a lady for Sochi at Nebelhorn (or whatever the qualifying event turns out to be). That way, she would have to do only the team event and not singles.

I wonder how Skate Canada would look at it: would they be willing to have NO lady in the singles event in order to get Rochette for the team event?

I'm sure Rochette would prefer a scenario where she only did the team event, but considering that for 2010, Ladies placing 1-21* in LA qualified, it would take a pretty big meltdown for Canada not to qualify a single Ladies skater in London. Even had Russia #3 and USA #2 placed above her, Lacoste still would have made it this year. I don't think Skate Canada would remain credible if they didn't have a Ladies competitor at London.

*Men up to 23rd place, Pairs up to 13th place, and Dance up to 17th place qualified at LA (Comm. 1568). Georgia didn't use its second Ladies spot, and there was an extra qualifier spot at Nebelhorn.

[jeb]

2. The Olympic spots are given first to the nations with two or three spots, and then the remainder are decided at a designated senior B, right? I believe it was Nebelhorn before Vancouver.

3. So if the Canadian lady at Worlds 2013 is outside the top ten, Canada doesn't have a guaranteed spot at the Olympics. However, one of the rules with regards to the team event is that a qualifying nation is allowed to submit one entry should they not qualify in singles, if I understand it.

I thought countries could earn one Olympic spot by having a skater place in the top 24 at the previous Worlds. If the total number of skaters that qualify that way (ie one per country with a skater in the top 24, plus the extra spots for the countries that qualify 2 or 3 skaters) is less than 30, then the extra spots are awarded based on the Qualifying Competition (like Nebelhorn).

[npavel]

last time it was top 18 who earned one spot

[carriecmu0503]

[QUOTE=kwanfan1818;3563814]That is not the case. A country can substitute up to two skaters/teams for the FS/FD, if they qualify more than one in the discipline for individual event.

Exactly. IF they qualify more than one skater in the discipline. That's a huge "if" for the Canadian ladies. Unless Rochette competes in 2013 worlds, there's pretty much no chance in he** of Canada qualifying two ladies. Rochette would need to win 2014 Canadians to go to the Olympics, but with the way things look right now, that shouldn't be much of a problem.

[maharbabackward]

Why wouldn't she want to do singles anyway? She'd have programs for SP and LP, why not at least compete? She's guaranteed at least a top ten spot IMO which would not be anything to scoff at. And she could, with all the inconsistencies of ladies in recent years, very well medal. And if she competes in the team event IMO they have a fairly legitimate shot at gold

[kwanfan1818]

I thought countries could earn one Olympic spot by having a skater place in the top 24 at the previous Worlds. If the total number of skaters that qualify that way (ie one per country with a skater in the top 24, plus the extra spots for the countries that qualify 2 or 3 skaters) is less than 30, then the extra spots are awarded based on the Qualifying Competition (like Nebelhorn).

It depends on the year and the competition, but Top 24 didn't guarantee a spot in Vancouver:

Ladies: Top 21, 24 spots altogether (one not used)
Men: Top 23, 24 spots altogether

--

Pairs: Top 13, 16 spots altogether
Dance: Top 17, 19 spots altogether

Why wouldn't she want to do singles anyway? She'd have programs for SP and LP, why not at least compete? She's guaranteed at least a top ten spot IMO which would not be anything to scoff at. And she could, with all the inconsistencies of ladies in recent years, very well medal.

She might for the experience, or if she's happy if she already earned a team medal, since team comes first, but she might not want to risk doing worse than in her first two Olympics. Also, training hard on tour is different than putting most things aside and focusing on full-time training and competition.

[Vash01]

1. Canada has one spot next year at Worlds.

2. The Olympic spots are given first to the nations with two or three spots, and then the remainder are decided at a designated senior B, right? I believe it was Nebelhorn before Vancouver.

3. So if the Canadian lady at Worlds 2013 is outside the top ten, Canada doesn't have a guaranteed spot at the Olympics. However, one of the rules with regards to the team event is that a qualifying nation is allowed to submit one entry should they not qualify in singles, if I understand it.

Should be interesting next season.

Is there a rule giving automatic entry to a reigning Olympic medallist? If not, Canada should just send Joannie to the 2013 worlds. She will finish in top 10, and secure a spot at the Olympics.

[kwanfan1818]

last time it was top 18 who earned one spot

2. The Olympic spots are given first to the nations with two or three spots, and then the remainder are decided at a designated senior B, right?

3. So if the Canadian lady at Worlds 2013 is outside the top ten, Canada doesn't have a guaranteed spot at the Olympics.

Yes, they are given to countries with three spots first and two spots second, but no, for Vancouver, ITA, SVK, EST, GER, POL, GBR, and TUR earned one spot each, with skaters placing 12-21 in LA.

However, one of the rules with regards to the team event is that a qualifying nation is allowed to submit one entry should they not qualify in singles, if I understand it.

The zip file would not open for me; I'm not sure if this rule is for one spot only, although, practically speaking, it would be hard to qualify that way unless there was a serious injury to a lone, top skater from that country.

Is there a rule giving automatic entry to a reigning Olympic medallist?

No. Olympic qualification is like Worlds: it's country, not personal, qualification.

If not, Canada should just send Joannie to the 2013 worlds. She will finish in top 10, and secure a spot at the Olympics.

It's highly likely that Lacoste or Phaneuf will secure a spot in London, and if Rochette wanted to skate singles, she could compete in the qualifier (presumably Nebelhorn) in the Fall without skating in London. Even if no one qualifies through London or the Fall qualifier, Canada would be able to choose a Ladies skater to compete in the team event.

ETA: For Torino, in Ladies five countries (CRO, CHE, GER, AUS, SWE) earned single spots up to 19th place in a year where three countries earned three (RUS, USA, JPN) and five countries earned two (ITA, CAN, FIN, UKR, HUN). In Men, eight countries (BUL, SWE, JPN, CHN, ROM, ISR, ITA, BLR) earned single spots up to 22nd place, with two countries with three (CAN, USA) and five countries with two (CHE, CHN, FRA, BEL, RUS).

[PeterG]

With Yu-Na's recent announcement, I am ready to Joannie to make a similar one. Yup. I'm ready. Ready, ready, ready!!!

[MR-FAN]

Imagine if we have a repeat of Vancouver's podium!!!

mmm, on second thought, I REALLY want Kostner to medal

[Rock2]

ok, y'all,
Don't be bumpin up this thread without some hard core goodies to share!!

[briancoogaert]

Imagine if we have a repeat of Vancouver's podium!!!

mmm, on second thought, I REALLY want Kostner to medal

Well, a Kostner, Kim and Rochette podium in any order would be great, for me.

[Alex Forrest]

I hope Joannie returns to the Olympics just so she can enjoy this one. I admired her strength in Vancouver, because anyone who has lost a close family member probably knows the zone/out-of-body feeling in those next days and weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if she has only vague memories of Vancouver. She deserves a happy Olympics and maybe it will also provide closure on not just her grief but the career her mother helped build with her. She has my support.

[fsfan22]

I hope Joannie returns to the Olympics just so she can enjoy this one. I admired her strength in Vancouver, because anyone who has lost a close family member probably knows the zone/out-of-body feeling in those next days and weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if she has only vague memories of Vancouver. She deserves a happy Olympics and maybe it will also provide closure on not just her grief but the career her mother helped build with her. She has my support.

I'm all for a Joannie comeback, but I would think her 2006 Oly experience would have been a happy one, no? 5th place with one of the best FS of the event!

[briancoogaert]

I'm all for a Joannie comeback, but I would think her 2006 Oly experience would have been a happy one, no? 5th place with one of the best FS of the event!

And the best 3Lutz/2Toe combo in the SP !!!

[euterpe]

Joannie has been in two Olympics and skated beautifully in each. I think it's time for another Canadian lady to have the Olympic experience.

It isn't as if Joannie is all gung ho for Sochi, as she's made no plans to return for the coming season, and she chose to do the pro Japan event rather than the Japan Open. IMO, Joannie far prefers exhibition skating to competition. Skating four programs at Sochi when she's been away from competitive skating for four years is probably not what she really wants todo.