2012-13 ISU Grand Prix Alternate Selection (continued)

[MR-FAN]

What a shame, I would've loved to see how Kaetlyn looked a month after her GP win. Would've made NHK a lot more interesting.

[fan]

i wonder if there's anyone we can all mass email at either the japanese federation or skate can to take up her case? what a shame for there to be a wasted spot...

[kwanfan1818]

Why would you take up her case more than for the other four Ladies who are part of the alternates selection group?

Nagasu had reason to be selected above any alternate outside the Top 24 SB, because of the wording in the GP Announcement, but no skater from Top 25-75 or from the winners of the Senior B's through Cup of Nice has priority over any other.

[triple_toe]

I understand waiting until the last minute to see if you can go, but seriously, couldn't Alissa have given word she was withdrawing a couple of days before? Illnesses or unexpected injuries are one thing and advance notice isn't necessarily possible, but I think athletes should try to step aside while it's still possible to bring in a replacement.

[kwanfan1818]

If the NHK Team Leaders' meeting is earlier than for other events, or the ISU just can't count, or because there is no rule for <14 and >7 days, maybe it was in USFS' best interest as well to announce it as late as possible to avoid a replacement, because before TEB started, both Gao and Zawadzki had shots at GPF. Avoiding a replacement altogether might be dismaying for Skate Canada, but they'd be if the Japanese Fed played it smart and chose someone else from the list.

[sandra_persch]

Well played USFSA I for one wouldn't be surprised if they knew about Alissa's withdrawl for a few days at least and waited until the last minute to withdraw her to make sure their own skaters have better changes at getting into the Final.

Dear ISU please change the substitute rules! I would sugggest something like this
SGP Winner without a second assignment are No. 1 on the substitute list and have to be chosen as soon as the first spot frees up

[clarie]

On another note, I would be very upset to have purchased tickets, and travelled (sometimes at great exprense) to see a watered down Grand Prix event. The powers that be should really facilitate adding alternates when necessary, and perhaps there should be some sort of punitive cost for delaying. JMO.

[Really]

On another note, I would be very upset to have purchased tickets, and travelled (sometimes at great exprense) to see a watered down Grand Prix event. The powers that be should really facilitate adding alternates when necessary, and perhaps there should be some sort of punitive cost for delaying. JMO.

How could you prove a withdrawal was 'delayed?'

[Rock2]

Well the other part here too is purely Alissa. If I'm her I want to have every chance to make it to NHK. Coming back from injury I'm sure she's improving a lot each day although she's still getting everything back. I'd want to wait until the last minute just in case by some miracle I get everything back and can be ready to go. You can't make that call 2-3 weeks out, because you convince yourself you can get ready. So, I don't fault anyone over this and she did WD over 7 days from the start of the event to leave some kind of window there.

I got no issues with what went down. I'm just disappointed Japanese Fed didn't seize the opportunity to replace her.

[kwanfan1818]

I got no issues with what went down. I'm just disappointed Japanese Fed didn't seize the opportunity to replace her.

Why would the Japanese Fed seize the opportunity to replace her? At this late date, a replacement is unlikely to sell more tickets, and it's just more logistics for them, at best, and more competition for their Ladies who are vying for GP points, at worst.

[Rock2]

ok then...sorry they didn't TAKE the opportunity to fill the spot and give someone else the chance to compete.

Kaetlyn's definitely not going. On her twitter.

[Coco]

Well the other part here too is purely Alissa. If I'm her I want to have every chance to make it to NHK. Coming back from injury I'm sure she's improving a lot each day although she's still getting everything back. I'd want to wait until the last minute just in case by some miracle I get everything back and can be ready to go. You can't make that call 2-3 weeks out, because you convince yourself you can get ready. So, I don't fault anyone over this and she did WD over 7 days from the start of the event to leave some kind of window there.

I got no issues with what went down. I'm just disappointed Japanese Fed didn't seize the opportunity to replace her.

I agree with you about waiting until the last minute, but she didn't wait until the last minute. That would have been the day of her flight to Japan.

[Rock2]

I think Alissa might have been trying to find that balance between waiting until the last minute and making a decision early enough to leave a window open for a replacement. So, about a week's notice sounds about right.

[Iceman]

Has anyone seen Alissa on the ice preparing for competition?

[PeterG]

How could you prove a withdrawal was 'delayed?'

I'm willing to wear a wire.

[Really]

Bird on a wire?

[mag]

I realize the ISU doesn't care what we think, but, what about a change where the alternate is named during the original selection process. Should that skater later get another event, they are removed as alternate and another is selected with x number of days. That way, if a skater pulls out say, anytime up to 5 days before the event, the alternate is ready to go with their visa. I have no doubt, that given the number of people being flown in for an event, the organizing committee could also be required to have an arrangement made with their travel agent to ensure the alternate can get to the event. This could somehow be worked out with the idea posted up thread that any skater who wins as GP, but does not have a second assignment, is automatically bumped to the top of the line perhaps for any remaining events except the one the next week. I am sure there are some details I'm missing, but at face value, it seems a more fair way to do things. It would stop what happened this year with TEB passing Mirai over and would allow someone like Kaetlyn the opportunity to have a second event.

[danafan]

They really need to make a rule that if a skater/team with only one assignment wins their first grand prix event that they move up to the top of the alternate list immediately.

Or go back to 12 entries per grand prix in which case a skater like Osmond might have been given two spots immediately based on her season best ranking, but that's the topic for another day...

[NMURA]

I'm against that idea. The refusal to give Osmond the second spot is kind of a penality to SC's excessive home favoritism. The ISU shoudn't encourage such acts. As far as GP series are concerned, the host federation's interest is above indivisual skaters. The current conducts/rules need no change.

[Jenifer]

I'm confused. I thought a panel of international judges scored Osmond the winner at Skate Canada.

But let's imagine that Osmond finished second at SC; 13 points would still put her in the running for the GPF. I think the ISU needs to decide what the point of the GP, and the Final, really is-- to prop up the home skaters of the feds or to provide an open competition for the best skaters in the world.