2012-13 ISU Grand Prix Assignments

[mag]

You're right! J10 doesn't have an assignment either. What's happening at SC?
Have they decided to overlook 2 seniors and go right to the junior rankings?

Surely both J10 and EB are not injured?

Firus has aged out of juniors. I get the world ranking part, but I would have thought SC would have left two spots TBA and then sent all three skaters (Ten, Balde, & Firus) out to the same summer comp and based the selection on the results of the comp, and perhaps with the requirement that a clean 3A is needed as well. Now, maybe they are doing just that. They could replace Firus if he doesn't skate well this summer, couldn't they?

[euterpe]

Firus has aged out of juniors. I get the world ranking part, but I would have thought SC would have left two spots TBA and then sent all three skaters (Ten, Balde, & Firus) out to the same summer comp and based the selection on the results of the comp, and perhaps with the requirement that a clean 3A is needed as well. Now, maybe they are doing just that. They could replace Firus if he doesn't skate well this summer, couldn't they?

Yes. The host nation controls host picks. Skate Canada has frequently replaced skaters previously assigned to JGP events, but it is somewhat unusual to do that in the GP unless there has been illness or injury.

[mag]

Yes. The host nation controls host picks. Skate Canada has frequently replaced skaters previously assigned to JGP events, but it is somewhat unusual to do that in the GP unless there has been illness or injury.

And that is why it seems odd. Why would SC put themselves in the position of having a man at Skate Canada without even a hope of landing a 3A when they have two skaters, who placed higher at Nationals, both landing them (I'm actually not sure at Ten and where his 3A is ....)

I love Firus' skating and I am a fan, but even to me something seems wrong. Balde made a coaching change prior to Nationals and even in the short time leading up the Nationals you could see the change. It will be interesting to see how the summer comps go. I think Firus and Ten will both be a BC Summerskate so there will be a head to head comparison on home turf.

[Jammers]

The USFS is making a huge mistake if they decided not to give Josh at least 1 GP assignment. They seem to be in denial that the US Men need to rebuild and that can't happen when you give two events to Weir who is not part of the future. Have they not seen the US Mens roster? Abbott is the only one who can really compete against the best when he's on but he's a head case. Rippon will never be a champion same with Miner. Dornbush does have potential but it's wait and see with him Armin hasn't shown he's reaDY to go to the next level yet either. Same with Razzano. Mroz and Aaron can jump but not much else. Messing has a lot of work to do. Carriere came back but i don't see him finishing higher then he did this year. I don't see a champion in any of them certainly not internationally. So why not see what Farris has and give him some much needed experience a year before Sochi instead of thinking Weir or Lysacek are going to ride in and save the day?

[Skittl1321]

They seem to be in denial that the US Men need to rebuild and that can't happen when you give two events to Weir who is not part of the future.

Could USFS have blocked Weir from returning? Would that even be possible? (It has already been covered his getting two events has nothing to do with USFS, since they didn't select him for Skate America.)

[Sylvia]

Why or how would USFS "block" Weir from returning when they've listed him in their International Selection Pool?

ETA: Although filling out all the required ISP paperwork could have deterred him, perhaps.

[Skittl1321]

Why or how would USFS "block" Weir from returning when they've listed him in their International Selection Pool?

My question is COULD they have blocked him? Could USFS refused to have put Weir in the pool for selection, or as a returning skater, does he make that distinction with the ISU?

It is my understanding USFS did not give Weir two events, by being a returning skater he got two events. So I'm wondering if it would have ever been a possibility that Weir could have not gotten events. Blaming him for Josh not having a GP seems silly.

[Vagabond]

Although filling out all the required ISP paperwork could have deterred him, perhaps.

Ooh! The sharp-tongued Sylvia is back!

[haribobo]

The USFS is making a huge mistake if they decided not to give Josh at least 1 GP assignment. They seem to be in denial that the US Men need to rebuild and that can't happen when you give two events to Weir who is not part of the future.

That's a lot of assuming based on 1 tweet which has since been deleted. Who knows the actual story but you cannot say that USFS was pushing Weir and not Farris since neither one was assigned to Skate America- Weir earned his spots based on the ISU rules and Farris presumably was guaranteed 1 but we don't even really know that since this year's rules have not been published yet. So he very well could've skated lights out this summer and gotten the Skate America TBA spot and so could have Jason Brown or anyone else. Armin's already gotten the SA spot 2 years running- Razzano got it last year so he gets another shot this year by virtue of finishing top 5 at Nationals and displaying decent potential. I'd agree in a perfect world Josh should've gotten a GP but what other skater who finished 21st at Nationals 2 years ago (granted he was crazy injured) and 16th last year would get any GP spots? He's done tremendously well at his junior events but if somewhere along the line, he or his team indicated that he had some interest in doing the JGP/Jr. Worlds, then its easy to see how he'd be left out of GP spots, especially if the rules have changed this year.

People are always so quick to shout USFS conspiracy theory when in reality, very little of the SC, CoC, Rostelcom, NHK, and TEB assignments are controlled by USFS. And there's a ton of competing agendas as far as the SA spots are concerned.

[NMURA]

People are always so quick to shout USFS conspiracy theory when in reality, very little of the SC, CoC, Rostelcom, NHK, and TEB assignments are controlled by USFS. And there's a ton of competing agendas as far as the SA spots are concerned.

Two overseas assignments for Dornbush and Zawadzki look rather strange (their only criteria are lowside top 24 of WS). It's apparent the USFS has made major politicking for them. I can guess one of them was traded with Machida at SA. But two skaters? I don't think the JSF would take Zawadzki ahead of Nagasu unless the US side demanded. Nagasu has the higher WS, SB and of course, popularity in Japan.

[rhumba]

I do agree that the federation must be doing some negotiations for certain skaters since many of these assignments did not make sense. If we just go strictly with the ISU rules, the math did not add up. USFS has their own skaters to politicking behind, same as other federations, Canadian or Russians or others...

[pinky166]

So is Cynthia retiring or did she just request to not go to SC and didn't get any other assignments?

[Nomad]

As far as I know she's still training with Orser and SC still has a TBA spot for the Ladies. I suppose they could give that spot to Najarro or DeSanctis but I don't really see that happening.

[haribobo]

Two overseas assignments for Dornbush and Zawadzki look rather strange (their only criteria are lowside top 24 of WS).

Dornbush yes, a bit strange, but Zawadzki is the reigning US bronze medalist with *phenomenal* jumping ability. There's no reason for her not to get some politicking from USFS, regardless of how many times she blew it in the FS last season. Based on the Alissa surgery story, it sounds like she also would've gotten 2 assignments had it not been for the injury, so its not like they skipped over Alissa to politick for Agnes, not that I'd have blamed them for doing so....

[foreverkwanfan]

No Evan, is he not coming back?

I think the USFSA has a lot of faith in Rippon, which is good, he has been improving and is becoming a stronger competitor.
Shocked that there is no Evan.

[pinky166]

Dornbush yes, a bit strange, but Zawadzki is the reigning US bronze medalist with *phenomenal* jumping ability. There's no reason for her not to get some politicking from USFS, regardless of how many times she blew it in the FS last season. Based on the Alissa surgery story, it sounds like she also would've gotten 2 assignments had it not been for the injury, so its not like they skipped over Alissa to politick for Agnes, not that I'd have blamed them for doing so....

Agnes was also a respectable 6th at 4CC.

[chipso1]

Gilles/Poirier & Hubbell/Donohue face each other at both of their events.

[reese]

Gilles/Poirier & Hubbell/Donohue face each other at both of their events.

Ah I didnt even notice! Very juicy.

[NMURA]

Agnes was also a respectable 6th at 4CC.

The home 4CC was very generous for US skaters. Mere 157 points at the same comp where Wagner was given 192 is not respectable at all. As many people have said, her 3rd place at US nationals is pretty dubious. I don't understand why Zawadzki is so favored. Big jumps and high height usually can't go together with consistency.

[olympic]

Eyeballing the TBA at SA for US pairs -

I bet it will come down to a 2d assignment for any one of Yankowskas / Reagan, Davis / Ladwig, or Castelli / Shnapir, or perhaps a 1st assignment for Zhang / Bartholomay.

C/S might get an edge if they are landing throw Quads.

FWIW, Y/R will have 2 months together as a pair longer than D/L

Donlan / Speroff are already there.

The summer comps and Nebelhorn will be verryyy important for US pairs!