U.S. Ladies [#6]: "Swaggering with the S'Wagner" et al. into 2013

[Coco]

If the 3f3t doesn't pan out, Ashley should try to learn a 1foot 2 sal - 3f combo, maybe with the inside arm overhead on the 2sal. It should get more GOE than 3ftano2t. If she can master 2a3t, she could still have 7 triples in the long program.

I want to see someone learn this combo, and she's a great candidate as the flip is her best jump.

[leafygreens]

Mirai did not medal at the Games, and the only reason she wasnt atleast closer to Rochette (a whopping 13 points back, when some felt she even deserved the bronze) is that the U.S foolishly hedged their bets on Flatt when many felt Nagasu should have won Nationals. So she is hardly a good example. In fact she is only an indirect example of my point, the U.S could have easily given Nagasu the U.S title in 2010, they seemed to actually think Flatt was their big hopeful for Vancouver though, but they were wrong and payed the price.

As for Hughes, I already noted in the days of the U.S strength when they had many recognized elite contenders, it was fine for someone not to win Nationals and win the big event. Losing Nationals to Michelle Kwan, Tara Lipinski, Kristi Yamaguchi, Debi Thomas, or even Sasha Cohen, Nancy Kerrigan, Jill Trenary, Tonya Harding, did not mean you were out of the game. Those days are long gone. International judges do not view Nagasu, Gold, Gao, or anyone else as amongst the elite now, that is plainly evident by their scoring on the grand prix series even for their better efforts. So if Wagner loses at Nationals to one of them, that is pretty much it for her medal chances at Worlds this year. Lysacek losing Nationals to Abbott wasnt even a big deal since Abbott was the GP final Champion in 2009 and considered a gold medal contender for both the 2009 Worlds and 2010 Olympics.

I don't agree that you have to go in as the U.S. Champ to win an event. I do agree that the U.S. should not have placed all their bets on Rachael. I guess they thought a consistent 6-7th place skater was better than someone who you didn't know if they would win or implode.

[aftershocks]

^^ In my humble opinion, I think there were some officials in USFS who felt Rachael would be a golden girl and top contender at Worlds and Olympics, but ISU judges saw it differently. Similarly, USFS seemed to feel that Ryan B going into Worlds as U.S. #1 in 2011, would suddenly be vaulted to top contender in minds of ISU judges. Perhaps there has been a learning curve, or not. FS is an exasperating, confounding endlessly debatable sport.

[judgejudy27]

IMO it speaks volumes to the lack of common sense or complete lack of realism of many in the USFSA if they honestly thought Flatt or Bradley would be viewed as top echelon skaters by international judges even as the U.S Champions. I could see them thinking Flatt's consitency could be a great potential asset in that the Olympic ladies event might pan out to be a splatfest as it often had in the past, and if that happened she could sneak in for a bronze with her usual clean skate with 3/3s and their full backing as the #1, but that would be all.

[olympic]

^Maybe the USFSA got high off of Flatt's 'victory' over Yu Na in the LP at '09 Skate America where Yu Na was flawed. Mao really struggled during the GP series that year. Joannie bombed the GPF. Altogether, they probably did think there was a shot at a US medal from a very consistent Flatt. History was certainly on their side - US ladies had medalled at every Olympics since Peggy Fleming. In the end, it was Mirai that would do best in the Olympics.

[Sylvia]

@USFigureSkating just tweeted these quotes from Ashley Wagner's pre-Nationals media teleconference:

Since the GPF I have been able to give myself a break. My season has been great, but I wanted to give myself a break... [she] is "feeling great" now despite a "hip pointer" she suffered in a fall in Sochi at the Grand Prix Final. Wants to continue to build upon a great season by defending her title. She's "hungry for gold" in Omaha. [She] is non-committal on Triple-Triple. Says that Mr. Nicks calls the shots on 'Skating smart' and they'll decide in Omaha.

ETA link to an interview with Wagner that includes "Her Best (and worst) Red Carpet Moments": http://www.divinecaroline.com/130801...-ashley-wagner

[olympic]

@USFigureSkating just tweeted these quotes from Ashley Wagner's pre-Nationals media teleconference:

Thinking they won't do the 3-3 for Nationals, but maybe 4CC's and Worlds? Sounds like she's strategizing a la Kween

[RD]

^ We'll see if that's smart or not. On one hand she may not need it at nationals, but on the other she might want to get comfortable doing it under pressure (in competition)

[apatinar]

If the 3f3t doesn't pan out, Ashley should try to learn a 1foot 2 sal - 3f combo, maybe with the inside arm overhead on the 2sal. It should get more GOE than 3ftano2t. If she can master 2a3t, she could still have 7 triples in the long program.

I want to see someone learn this combo, and she's a great candidate as the flip is her best jump.

That sounds very Jill Trenary-ish.. I would love to see that combo performed!

[olympic]

^ We'll see if that's smart or not. On one hand she may not need it at nationals, but on the other she might want to get comfortable doing it under pressure (in competition)

Exactly my thoughts. Doing the 3-3 at Nats and falling, barring a meltdown, would probably still get her 2nd and make the team and she would still be gearing up to do them in competition.

[kwanatic]

Thinking they won't do the 3-3 for Nationals, but maybe 4CC's and Worlds? Sounds like she's strategizing a la Kween

That's what I'm thinking. She doesn't really need it at nationals to win. Clean performance = second title. Whatever points she misses on the combo will more than be made up for in PCS, especially if she skates cleanly. Skating smart is the way to do it at nationals.

I think 4CC is a good place to add it in. She's not risking as much by doing it there and that should be warm up enough for worlds...

[Sylvia]

New article on Hannah Miller, who has won 3 JGP silver medals this season, including at the Final in Sochi, and will make her Senior national debut in Omaha: http://www.goldenskate.com/2013/01/hannah-miller/
Excerpts:

Heading to Sochi was a dream come true,” said the Michigan native. “I knew I was an underdog going in, being the only one without a triple-triple jump, but I know I possess other qualities that could push me to the top. All I could ask of myself was to skate as well as I could perform with my heart."
...
“Jumps and spins are always a work in progress,” she admitted. “Everyone always wants them bigger, faster, and stronger. I have been working hard on the consistency of all of my jumps, also on the speed going in and flow coming out. My spins are all level fours, and I always try to maintain the quality of them.”

In Omaha, Miller hopes to perform well enough to qualify for the World Junior Championships in Milan, Italy.

[kwanatic]

^^Thanks for that.

I like Hannah. When she jumps she reminds me of Tara Lipinski for some reason...I think it's her air position. She does lack the harder content a lot of the other girls have and her jumps don't leave a big impression on the ice, but she's a little dyanmo when it comes to performing. Lost of energy, sass and pizazz! I'm never bored watching her. She was definitely an underdog going into the JGPF but she put out clean performances and was able to win silver. With a good performance at nationals this year she should make the top 10 and hopefully she'll earn a trip to junior worlds.

I still think Angela Wang is by far the best junior talent. She has excellent technique on her jumps, difficult combos, decent spins, and has an innate "ooze" quality about her skating, a la Lori Nichol. Her presentation and flow is lovely. Her biggest issue is getting through the SP cleanly. She delivers very strong LPs but she often flubs her combo in the SP which leaves her playing catch up to the rest of the field. But if Angela manages to hit all of her jumps in the SP at nationals, she'll definitely make that final group of skaters.

[Sylvia]

@USFigureSkating tweeted this quote from Gracie Gold's pre-Nationals media teleconference today: "My training has been going very well. I have made a few changes to my FS. I have been skating very well and I am excited"

@LynnRutherford tweeted:
"USFS teleconf: Gracie Gold has changed 3flip-3Sal sequence in FS to 2Axel-3toe; final jump is now 3Sal."

[chipso1]

I'm sad to see the 3F+1L+3S combo go, because it was beautiful when she hit it (like at Skate Detroit), but the 2A+3T combo is a much safer bet.

[Coco]

So she's repeating lutz and toe now?

[olympic]

^So, Gracie will be a little less ambitious (but still challenging)

[Sylvia]

So she's repeating lutz and toe now?

That seems to be the plan, yes. Gold's FS at Junior Worlds opened with 3Lz+3T and 2A+3T and ended with 3S.

[Triple Butz]

^So, Gracie will be a little less ambitious (but still challenging)

I think (points-wise) the difference will be slim as this allows the 3sal to occur in the bonus, she can now do another 2loop or 2toe in a three-jump-combo, and her flip sometimes receives an edge call. Seems very wise to me.

[Marco]

Re: Gold

Great - that's what I was saying in the other thread. A little less ambitious, but still tough and high scoring potential.