U.S. Ladies [#5]: All That Glitters Is Not Gold

[Vagabond]

That is the visitor's visa you are talking about. AFAIK, athlets are required of different visa for competition.

I wonder how anyone would know that someone coming for a short-term stay with a U.S. passport was required to have that visa. Are athletes on a watch iist at immigration? Or do they simply not get paid if they don't have the visa?

She should have pulled out when she pulled out of the show. She needs to give herself time to heal. Pain/injury the rest of her life isn't worth skating this season.

Unless you have access to her medical information, you have no way of telling when she should have made the determination. The fact of the matter is that she did withdraw, and in enough time for the Japanese Federation to pick a replacement skater who could go to the local Japanese consulate or embassy and get that pesky visa if need be. (Of course, whether this actually happens remains to be seen.)

I wish other skaters who know they aren't fully fit to compete would withdraw early enough to let someone replace them.

[TheGirlCanSkate]

I wish other skaters who know they aren't fully fit to compete would withdraw early enough to let someone replace them.

Absolutely. It is also too bad there are not more opportunities for skating so they didn't feel intense pressure to skate unwell.

[victoriaheidi]

JMO, but it would be kind of unfair to give Alissa an international assignment after she withdrew from NHK.

[edonice]

Just came across this Absolute Skating interview from Finlandia Trophy (published online on Nov. 6, 2012): Mirai Nagasu is skating "story of hope" this season

Wow! This is a really thoughtful interview by Mirai.

This, especially: Your last season was not really the best one you have had. Why did last season not go that well for you?

I would like to blame it on the obvious distractions, but when I get down to it and dig deeply, I feel I just was not me last season and it was all wrong. I did not train the way I should have trained and took one step back from my A-game the year before.

[Vagabond]

JMO, but it would be kind of unfair to give Alissa an international assignment after she withdrew from NHK.

According to what was posted above, she isn't really looking for one. She says a local competition would be just fine. (I suppose something in Windsor, Ont. would be both international and local for her.)

It escapes me why people persist on talking about something would be unfair when it isn't even an issue.

[mag]

According to what was posted above, she isn't really looking for one. She says a local competition would be just fine. (I suppose something in Windsor, Ont. would be both international and local for her.)

It escapes me why people persist on talking about something would be unfair when it isn't even an issue.

Well if we waited until everything was confirmed, think of all the whining moments that would be forever wasted!

[lakewood]

I wonder how anyone would know that someone coming for a short-term stay with a U.S. passport was required to have that visa. Are athletes on a watch iist at immigration? Or do they simply not get paid if they don't have the visa?

Certainly they can pass the immigration, but they can't compete. Organizers require it. It is organizer's responsibility.

[LilJen]

Alissa? That is irritating. She pulls out of 2 events (NHK and a show) just beforehand, a replacement can't be sent and then is looking for another comp? Not a fan at all.

Nationals is TWO MONTHS AWAY. Plenty of time to heal some more and get the programs in front of some judges somewhere.

[victoriaheidi]

According to what was posted above, she isn't really looking for one. She says a local competition would be just fine. (I suppose something in Windsor, Ont. would be both international and local for her.)

It escapes me why people persist on talking about something would be unfair when it isn't even an issue.

I wasn't really trying to complain. I wrote my post in response to the comments about Alissa maybe getting Golden Spin. I know Alissa doesn't care, she just wants to compete and that's totally fine. But I still believe that giving someone who withdraws from one international assignment another international assignment to make up for it isn't fair, and that's my belief whether it's Alissa or anyone else.

[Sasha'sSpins]

Just came across this Absolute Skating interview from Finlandia Trophy (published online on Nov. 6, 2012): Mirai Nagasu is skating "story of hope" this season

Thanks for the link! Good interview and it's great that Mirai states she 'dug deep' and admitted her issues last season weren't just because of distance issues to Frank's rink. Hopefully she'll only move upward as this season goes on.

[cbd1235]

Ashley is up another notch in my books. Bigger on all three jumps compared to Skate America, and smoother skating and movements. All combined with better attack/expression making for a kick-ass short program.

[pinky166]

And Gao without a clean short falls back into the mediocre scoring range . Her performance was actually nice, I thought she deserved more than 52, even with the step out on the 3t. Skating in the first group tomorrow could also hurt her PCS. I'm really pulling for her to make the GPF! Well, at least she can go out and skate with nothing to lose tomorrow!

[Sylvia]

Re-posting from the TEB forum in Kiss and Cry:

2. Ashley WAGNER (USA) - 63.09 Short Program (British Eurosport Commentary)

Gao (52.55, 7th) is within 3 points of 4th and 6 points of 3rd so she definitely shouldn't be counted out.

[smarts1]

Congrats to Ashley for winning her second grand prix!

[Marco]

Congrats to Ashley for winning her second grand prix!

More importantly for Wagner and Gao to be clean in the free AGAIN.

[olympic]

Judging by the scores on the ISU website, Ashley kicked some major a$$, breaking 190 pts.

[smarts1]

The only thing I can say is that Ashley's team needs to work on her spin levels.

[victoriaheidi]

Apparently, Ashley is the first US woman to win two GPs in the same season since Sasha Cohen in 2003. USFS posted that on twitter. Yay Ashley!

Agree about spin levels...she did get better levels in her SP, but she definitely needs to get those up because, even if she has the highest scores, she's still missing points she should logically get.

[Jarrett]

Yea she is missing out on those extra levels on the spins could have been even higher. Also, does John Nicks make his skaters think they are sick all the time so they have something else to think about? (cough shingles)

[cbd1235]

If you didn't see the program she was just a little bit short on her camel variation in her combo spin. Therefore she didn't get the variation and lost the change of edge since she didn't hold the inside edge portion long enough. That was the two levels on her combo spin lost. On her layback she lost one level due to the first position being short a half rotation from 8. And she seems to have ditched the jump in her flying sit, therefore it can only be level 3. Overall the spins need some polish but her skating heavily reminisced of Kwan...landing jump after jump without a bit of hesitation or doubt.