2012-13 ISU Grand Prix Alternate Selection (continued)

[Rock2]

On the ISU site, Nagasu is listed for NHK with (new) beside her name. Looks like done deal.

[MysticHaze]

That is good news for Mirai! I hope she does well at NHK!

[icellist]

On the ISU site, Nagasu is listed for NHK with (new) beside her name. Looks like done deal.

Finally...

[Rock2]

Czisny is not a lock for NHK either. An icenetwork article about a show she did with Hamilton was posted 11/5. Said this was her first performance since getting back to the ice only in September (ouch). Article said she struggled with her jumps (more ouch). Her quote cited the difficulty of coming back and that "hopefully" she can be ready for NHK.

It's obviously up to her if she goes or not and I do wish her full recovery. But if she's not ready I hope she doesn't leave it to the very last minute such that no replacement can be named.

[Sylvia]

On the ISU site, Nagasu is listed for NHK with (new) beside her name. Looks like done deal.

Direct link to Ladies Nov. 12 update: http://isu.sportcentric.net/db//files/serve.php?id=3982

[RD]

Good for Nagasu, finally this will stop the bickering about her...

[kalle]

On the ISU site, Nagasu is listed for NHK with (new) beside her name. Looks like done deal.

Oh, that would be good news

I hope she can step it out from COR and clean up some of the landings she has/had trouble with..I am still rather positive that she scored almost 60points in her SP despite the bad landing on her second 3T..It is another story for her LP but again, I am hopeful another competition will do her good before Nationals.

[Coco]

I don't care if Mirai falls all over the place so long as she's skating aggressively and rotating everything. Have to start somewhere!

I wish we had more details about Czisny's performance in Scott's show. Did she struggle on her jumps like normal or struggle in a new way, clearly affected by the injury?

[babayaga]

Happy for Mirai, finally

[sandra_persch]

Doesn't really surprise me The Japanese Fed has always been good to Skaters with some kind of Japanese Background. They have been inviting Mari Vartmann & partner(s) pretty much every single time they were eligible too.

Great for Mirai, but really sorry for Osmond!

[kwanatic]

Great for Mirai, but really sorry for Osmond!

I'm still iffy about Alissa participating. I think we'll know by the end of the week of TEB whether or not Alissa will compete. If she doesn't, Kaetlyn has a shot at that spot if the JSF wants to invite her...

I'm happy for Mirai. She had a decent showing at COC and this is an opportunity for her to get some momentum for herself heading into nationals. A strong performance at NHK will surely help her in the eyes of the judges...

[hohoho]

This is the last day that Alissa can withdrawl and the JSF is obligated to replace her. With her ongoing injuries and that she cannot make the final anyway with only one assignment, wouldn't it be better to step aside now and let someone else compete. Osmond could get a shot at making the final. Personally, if Alissa decides not to compete at NHK or shows up there and competes like Flatt at SA, I would have lost all respect for her.

[Jarrett]

This is the last day that Alissa can withdrawl and the JSF is obligated to replace her. With her ongoing injuries and that she cannot make the final anyway with only one assignment, wouldn't it be better to step aside now and let someone else compete. Osmond could get a shot at making the final. Personally, if Alissa decides not to compete at NHK or shows up there and competes like Flatt at SA, I would have lost all respect for her.

I don't think Alissa would do that and even if she did, she would still be more enjoyable with her spins than a flat Flatt. Alissa doesn't need to step aside this is the GP series (i.e. cash and exposure), if it was worlds and the nation was counting on her for future spots then I would agree with you but she would be stepping aside for another American skater not a Canadian.

[Coco]

putting my conspiracy theory hat on, maybe Russian Fed agreed to pull Polina so that Mirai could get in only if USFSA agreed to NOT pull Alissa in time so Kaetlyn wouldn't get in.

I suppose that doesn't make any sense as Mirai could theoretically knock either Julia or Liza out of GPF just as Kaetlyn could. But as Kaetlyn is 6 points ahead of Mirai, the odds are better for Russia with Mirai in as opposed to Kaetlyn.

[kwanatic]

If Alissa is serious about competing, showing up at NHK just to show up is a bad idea. People are already skeptical of her capabilities. If she's not ready to be competitive (which I just don't think she is) then she needs to sit this one out. Mirai already has her spot so I don't care about her stepping aside for someone else to have a chance...this is about Alissa. Bad exposure will do nothing to help her in the eyes of the international judges or the USFSA. She tanked/imploded/exploded all over the ice in Nice...the last thing she wants is to have her first competition back to be anywhere along those lines.

Reputation is key in this sport and right now Alissa's is pretty damn low. She doesn't need to do anything that will bring her stock down any farther. If she's not confident she can turn in a respectable skate, I say she should stay home and rest up, and be as prepared as possible for nationals.

[olympic]

If Alissa were to withdraw from NHK, wouldn't she help herself out by participating in some December Senior B competition (NRW, Golden Spin) prior to US Nationals, provided that she is healthier ?

[kwanfan1818]

If Czisny is in any shape, and her spins haven't been affected by her injury, I don't see why she wouldn't go to NHK. No one expects her to be in great shape, the trip is paid for, and she'll get feedback for her programs. With her PCS, she might even make some prize money, and she's likely to get some WS points as well, since the Top 8 do.

Were she to withdraw, it's not as if the Japanese Federation would have to choose Osmond: they'd have a choice of Osmond, Glebova, McCorkell, Lafuente and Forte, or, if for some reason USFS didn't submit Forte's name, Popova. (I'm leaving off Flatt, who's higher-ranked than Osmond, because she's injured, although withdrawing from a Senior B doesn't make her ineligible for another GP selection, and Geng WD from CoC.)

The Japanese Fed would be crazy to choose Osmond in a year that making the GPF means getting to test drive the arena in Sochi. The top Japanese women will be under pressure because it's NHK, and they should have formidable competition from Lipnitskaia. Gedevanishvili could be a dark horse, if she gets her nerves under control, and I don't think the Japanese Federation would take a chance on another possible spoiler knocking one of its top two women out of GPF, especially since Murakami would be hard-pressed to keep the final spot with 20 points.

Lafuente or Forte/Popova would be the perfect choice: they wouldn't be doing back-to-back events, like McCorkell or Glebova, they've had none this season, like the others on the list, and Lafuente is the only one who is still looking for a Worlds TES SP minimum score. Popova's had some strong skates this year, re-making the TES minimums, but nothing dominant. Forte would be a US for US swap.

[euterpe]

If Alissa is not in competition shape and finishes 9th or 10th at NHK, not only would she further damage her already dogeared reputation, but she wouldn't even get any World Standing points. She'd be better off doing a Senior B later on, because she'd have a pretty good shot at finishing top 5 and gaining some WS points.

[kwanfan1818]

There would be nothing to stop her from doing both.

[hoptoad]

If Czisny is in any shape, and her spins haven't been affected by her injury, I don't see why she wouldn't go to NHK. No one expects her to be in great shape, the trip is paid for, and she'll get feedback for her programs. With her PCS, she might even make some prize money, and she's likely to get some WS points as well, since the Top 8 do.

Plus she'll at least be ON the season's best score list for next year (I forget what it's called). Even with a mediocre score by her standards, she might get a GP assignment next year, or at least show up on the alternates list. I think the only remaining competitions that count for that list is 4Cs and Worlds, and her chances of skating at either seem pretty low at this point. I hope she's well enough to skate.