The wonderful Ashley Wagner

[judgejudy27]

Yes she has had some unfortunate health problems. Maybe that is the main reason for her not skating cleanly the last couple outings, and we will see her real best at Worlds.

[IceAlisa]

I hope Ashley takes time to recover and get her strength and confidence back. She is great, has 2 great programs and deservely well-liked by the ISU judges.

[Sasha'sSpins]

That wasn't pretty, but we'll take it. On to Worlds...

^^^
THIS!

[Sasha'sSpins]

I hope that come Nationals, the judges don't do Gracie any favors in PCS like they did with Flatt and Czisny.

I think part of the reason why Ashley has more attack is that she was never given any favors or generous PCS marks at Nationals. I think that made her have more of a work ethic, and I hope USFSA doesn't spoil Gracie like they did by trying to anoint "it" girls of days past.

Your hopes did not come true sad to say.

Crushed for Mirai but pleased well enough that Ashley is on her way to Worlds. Hopefully she and Gold will nail their programs and get that 3rd spot back in time for Sochi.

[lahaa968]

Ashley got by these Nationals with quite few burnt hairs...I do think the judging panel really chucked the PCS score to make sure she would place in the top 2 (not that I blame them, she will most likely be the highest ranking woman at the 2013 WFSC). I do hope she overcomes these two poor free-skates in a row, otherwise Worlds will suck for her...I don't think international judges will be as kind to her with a skate like the one she laid down last night.

[IceAlisa]

They WERE almost as kind to her at GPF. But I agree, with Kostner and Kim in the mix at Worlds, she would not medal with a free skate like that. And she knows it.

[Cheylana]

Are we sure Ashley's injury is fully healed? I see a scary pattern with the reigning national champions:

Rachael: Makes it to the following GPF, where she struggles due to injury. Gets upstaged at Nationals but generous scoring pulls her through. Tanks at Worlds, claims injury after the fact.

Alissa: Makes it to the following GPF, where she struggles due to injury. Gets upstaged at Nationals but generous scoring pulls her through. Tanks at Worlds, claims injury after the fact.

Ashley: Makes it to the following GPF, where she struggles due to injury. Gets upstaged at Nationals but generous scoring pulls her through. And then at Worlds......?

[IceAlisa]

Didn't Ashley get injured at GPF with those FS falls? She didn't come injured IIRC. I do hope she sits out 4CCs and takes time to heal.

[cbd1235]

Are we sure Ashley's injury is fully healed? I see a scary pattern with the reigning national champions:

Rachael: Makes it to the following GPF, where she struggles due to injury. Gets upstaged at Nationals but generous scoring pulls her through. Tanks at Worlds, claims injury after the fact.

Alissa: Makes it to the following GPF, where she struggles due to injury. Gets upstaged at Nationals but generous scoring pulls her through. Tanks at Worlds, claims injury after the fact.

Ashley: Makes it to the following GPF, where she struggles due to injury. Gets upstaged at Nationals but generous scoring pulls her through. And then at Worlds......?

And then at Worlds.......she nails it and we wonder why we look for these silly non-existent trends

[Wyliefan]

Ashley's broken one curse already -- why not another?

[Cheylana]

Hey, I'm all for Ashley breaking the pattern!

[B.Cooper]

I don't believe Wagner has lasting injury issues...it is a state of mind issue...self doubt, getting ahead of herself in her programs, not staying in the moment.

[Jammers]

Wagner has had injuries and the food poisoning coming right before National really took its toll on her training i think. Plus i think Ashley was still weak from being sick. She just didn't have her usually fire.

[LuckyCharm]

I had hoped for 2 clean skates and a medal, but 5th in the world ain't bad, and earning that 3rd spot helps soften the blow.

So what must she do to earn one of those 3 spots, and, dare I hope, challenge for a podium spot in Sochi?

I vote that she keep The Red Violin SP. I think it's gorgeous. She can continue to perfect it and hopefully add a 3/3 combo, which might be easier to do in a program she's already comfortable with.

As for the LP, I was never completely sold on Samson and Delilah. I thought at the beginning of the season that it would develop through the season, but it only got marginally better. Also, it's a similar vibe to Spartacus and Povlotsian Dances, and IMO artistically inferior to both. The structure is such that the music seems to overpower her at the end, and the last minute or so just feels ponderous.

So, I hope she comes up with something inspired for next season's LP, and please, not Scheherezade. I'd like to see her go for something a little different than she has before. Not radical, but just something fresh.

Any ideas?

[judgejudy27]

So what must she do to earn one of those 3 spots

Just show up at Nationals. I would be willing to bet any amount of money that Gold and Wagner are already on that team no matter what. We see how held up both were this year, and after finally ending a 5 year drought of 3 spots again for the U.S their cushion and protection will only triple if need be. Of course hopefully both will skate well at Nationals to make it easy, but I dont think either are "fighting" for a spot on the team. That is for everyone else to do.

and, dare I hope, challenge for a podium spot in Sochi?

Work hard on the triple-triples, double axel-triple toe combination, and upgrading her spin levels. This season made it abundantly clear where she falls short, and now she has a whole off season to try and perfect these things before the big season starts.

[IceAlisa]

Oh they are both on the team, Ashley and Gracie. Question is, do they have a chance for an Olympic medal?

[judgejudy27]

Oh they are both on the team, Ashley and Gracie. Question is, do they have a chance for an Olympic medal?

I dont think either have any chance of beating Kim. Kostner and Asada are kind of the bridge from Kim to the pack of challengers. They are the only two who have a chance of beating Kim, while the pack of challengers if they want a medal have to beat one (or both) of them with no chance of actually beating Kim. So I guess the question is whether either can improve enough or skate well enough at the Games to beat Kostner or Asada if they have mistakes.

[IceAlisa]

I don't know if Kim is beatable at all if she keeps this up. So yes, the question is can either of the US ladies challenge Kostner or Asada. I don't see Tuk and Sotnikova making a huge breakthrough although you never know.

[TheIronLady]

Oh they are both on the team, Ashley and Gracie. Question is, do they have a chance for an Olympic medal?

After seeing how much Gracie has improved since her first boob shimmies at the International Classic, I believe Gracie has a shot at an Olympic medal. It may be a question her sports psychologist can answer. She has made some strides in maintaining performance, and I am now a believer in her potential for higher level choreography.

[AndyWarhol]

After seeing how much Gracie has improved since her first boob shimmies at the International Classic, I believe Gracie has a shot at an Olympic medal. It may be a question her sports psychologist can answer. She has made some strides in maintaining performance, and I am now a believer in her potential for higher level choreography.

I give her a +3 for her hair.