2012-13 ISU Grand Prix Assignments

[B.Cooper]

No, she turns 19 after July 1 of this year. haribobo, Galyeta/Shumski (UKR) have split in dance.

Armin Mahbanoozadeh was 4th at US Nationals to Douglas Razzano's 5th, but Razzano's ISU SB total score ranked slightly higher at #38 to Mahbanoozadeh's at #41.

So what does USFS do with someone like Max Aaron...who has a quad Sal and is now working on 4T? Does he have to do the summer competitions again to earn that 3rd SA spot? Or, is he, like Armin, potentially only going to be sent out to Sr B's??

Wish the SGP would go back to 12 slots!

[Sylvia]

Stephen Carriere, Keegan Messing and Max Aaron (6th-8th at US Nationals) did Senior B comps last fall (Carriere had two and medalled twice) and it looks like they may be going that route again.

The Skate America TBA could very well go to Lysacek.

[sus2850]

Thank you, Sylvia, for the info about Armin's ranking in relation to Douglas Razzano. It still does not seem fair to me considering the most recent showing, i.e. nationals. But that does not count here, as i see now (regarding Dornbush for example).

I also did not quite expect that a returning skater with no season's best/being away 2 seasons can get 2 spots. Not that I mind Johnny getting those, on the contrary, but I somehow thought he would have been only eligible for the host pick. I guess I am just bad at reading rules...

And I think that Plushenko is not considering the GP at all, he wants real titles.

[sus2850]

Yeah because it's never happened in the past that the assignments were packed full of skaters who didn't end up competing in the end.

I hope the new ISU regulation that returning skaters have to sign some papers that do not allow those easy withdrawaly any more, will have effect and prevent all that rearranging. And maybe Evan did not want to sign?

[Hanna]

Haribobo, I think Samantha Cesario has aged out of Juniors now.

No, she turns 19 after July 1 of this year.

Maybe they'll send her to Finlandia Trophy! I can only hope!

TEB is not looking too bad. Could've been better but... well, at least the ladies' field is strong. I think I'm finally going to get to go again this year, wheeeeeee!

[PinkFeathers]

Looks like Alissa really is injured, per Phil's latest tweet. Could definitely explain the one assignment.

[Jammers]

Wow Alissa has only one assignment? I can see Mirai getting only one sice she's been going downhill for a couple years now.

[Sylvia]

Phil Hersh's GP selections article mentions that Czisny has a torn labrum (left hip, her landing side) and will undergo surgery soon and so she only asked for 1 GP initially, NHK being the last one: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...7208375.column

[Jammers]

How the heck did Flatt get Skate America over Gracie? Except for Ashley the US Ladies are underwhelming. Shouldn't SA get the best the US has to offer? I would take Agnes over Christina or Rachael.

[NorthernDancers]

Orford/Williams GP was an automatic one (accumulated points gave them #22 in the World standings). I know Paul/Islam struggled with injury, but I am surprised that Skate Canada didn't leave a TBD spot for their host pick and decide after some summer monitoring. It appears that Gilles/Poirier were given the early nod instead.

Ah... That makes more sense. That stinks for Paul/Islam. It will be interesting how the GP transpires. I agree there should be a TBD reserved for them in case they bring it in the Summer and perhaps a Senior B. They have skills and a special something that with the right material and good skates could put them in 3rd this year in Canada.

[Jammers]

Did i read that neither Brown or Farris got a GP assignment?

[jlai]

Did i read that neither Brown or Farris got a GP assignment?

Nor Yan Han. It is a strange world when all jw male medalists all stay jr as they arent getting 2 gps while skaters like Bush and Dmitriev all moved up and nabbed one

[aka_gerbil]

How the heck did Flatt get Skate America over Gracie? Except for Ashley the US Ladies are underwhelming. Shouldn't SA get the best the US has to offer? I would take Agnes over Christina or Rachael.

I'm not sure about their picking Rachael, but there is something to be said strategy-wise for NOT having Ashley and Gracie at the same GP's. It's kind of like Skate Canada not having both V/M and W/P.

[Jammers]

Did Brown and Farris decide to stay on the JGP again? I think that's a big mistake since they needed to get out there a year before the Olympic year. With the US rather average in Mens they could have climbed up the rankings this next season. Other then Abbott all the other Senior Men are lacking at this time. Bown and Farris could have done some damage even next season. Skaters like Rippon and Miner are not the answer.

[RD]

Like I mentioned in the US Ladies thread:

I'm glad Gold & Wagner get 2 events. Surprised that Zawadzki got 2 as well.

I admit to disappointment that Nagasu only got 1 event while host picks were used/wasted on Flatt & Gao. I think there probably should have been a TBA spot left open or give Nagasu a 2nd spot over the Gao pick. I think Czisny is fine with 1 at the end, especially after the injury reveal

[barbk]

6th at Nationals and an American "fan favorite", that's why. The majority of this board may not like her, but she is popular amongst American skating audiences. It's not like we have a lot of other ladies to consider. Flatt got top 6 at Nationals without being in ideal condition... We're just not that deep in this discipline.

Given that Armin didn't get one and he finished 4th at Nationals,

[carriemarie]

So who will get the TBA at Skate America in everyone's opinion? Aren't Felicia/Nate next in line as far as Senior Nationals placement? Or will they give it to Denney/Frazier? The technical contact is so much stronger for Z/B, but I guess it will come down to summer comps? Who else is there?

[Sylvia]

I expect Haven Denney/Brandon Frazier to return to the JGP. Felicia Zhang/Nate Bartholomay (8th in Senior Pairs at Nationals) and Kylie Duarte/Colin Grafton (3rd in Junior) are possibilities (and Senior B candidates), depending on how they perform this summer, as well as the pairs with 1 initial GP besides Skate America -- Castelli/Shnapir (5th), Vise/Baldwin (9th), and the new teams of Yankowskas/Reagan and Davis/Ladwig.

[carriemarie]

I expect Haven Denney/Brandon Frazier to return to the JGP. Felicia Zhang/Nate Bartholomay (8th in Senior Pairs at Nationals) and Kylie Duarte/Colin Grafton (3rd in Junior) are possibilities (and Senior B candidates), depending on how they perform this summer, as well as the pairs with 1 initial GP besides Skate America -- Castelli/Shnapir (5th), Vise/Baldwin (9th), and the new teams of Yankowskas/Reagan and Davis/Ladwig.

I would hope Z/B would get a chance, but I could see C/S getting a second spot depending on Indy. I don't think V/B should get two spots based on a particularly horrendous Nationals showing and no real great future for this team based on age and previous GP showings. Unless Y/R and D/L come swinging out of the gate like Denney/Coughlin I don't think they should get two assignments. I don't see them ready in time for SA yet. Duarte/Grafton are very inconsistent and not one of my favorite teams, despite having some great elements, I don't believe they are ready for a GP this year despite a move to Senior. I am sure both Z/B and D/G will get senior B's this year.

[pinky166]

Did Brown and Farris decide to stay on the JGP again? I think that's a big mistake since they needed to get out there a year before the Olympic year. With the US rather average in Mens they could have climbed up the rankings this next season. Other then Abbott all the other Senior Men are lacking at this time. Bown and Farris could have done some damage even next season. Skaters like Rippon and Miner are not the answer.

Yes, they must have made that decision on their own, as they both have 1 GP guaranteed due to SB (Farris 20, Brown 23) and Brown actually was 23 in SB so got a guarantee that way as well (Farris just missed being 26th or something), so if they submitted their names for selection, they would have been in the assignments at least once.

My guess is they are doing JGP to keep their options open. Though I feel like they each could have probably gotten 2 GPs had they moved up, it's highly unlikely they'd make the GPF, and then post nationals, if they moved up, they'd have to hope to place really high at nationals to get an assignment to 4CC and/or Worlds. New rules don't allow skaters who have competed on the senior GP to return to JW, so even though Farris and Brown are both eligible by age to go to 2 more JWs, they would have to give the chance to compete there up if they did senior GP this season.

So essentially, if they moved up, they could potentially be looking at 1 GP as their only international event of the season.

By staying junior, they are most likely going to receive 2 JGP assignments each and earn a trip to the JGPF, and then can be considered for 4CC, senior world, and JW teams after nationals. They are probably aiming to make the 4CC and/or senior world teams, but by staying junior they pretty much have the JW assignment in the bag as a backup plan.

This season, Farris and Brown were the only 2 men competing as seniors at Nationals that were young enough for JW, and Dolensky and Warren have now aged out. So barring a meltdown from one or both of them or a blinder performance at Nationals from more than one of Chen, Choate, or Yostanto (or some random that comes out of nowhere), they can pretty much bank on being sent to JW next season, and that's if they miss out on 4CC and/or Worlds which IMO they still have a decent shot at considering the state of US men now. US can send 3 men to JW so you'd assume if Farris and Brown don't get a better offer the team will likely be those two and then either Chen or Choate (whoever gets 3a by then probably).

So I understand where they are coming from. I still wish they'd move up, but they probably didn't want to risk getting only 1 fall senior international and that's it. Also maybe Brown wants to focus on putting the 3a into his programs and Farris the 4t into his programs in a less pressure-filled situation, as PCS alone should give both a good shot to qualify for the JGPF even if they don't skate brilliantly.

The whole no going to JW after doing the senior GP could also be reason for Vanessa Lam's staying junior as well, though I think she just missed on a guarantee for a GP assignment so maybe she did submit her name after all and just had bad luck.