Amelie Lacoste

[googooeyes]

Has anyone seen Amelie skate recently? What are her programs like? content/music?

[VarBar]

Has anyone seen Amelie skate recently? What are her programs like? content/music?

Not sure I know what you mean by 'recently' but you can watch Amélie's SP and LP performances at Skate Canada this season, they are the most recent Lacoste skates that I am aware of. Btw, she finished 8th of 10 competitors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12PQX8jk8SY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ReDCdya-eU

[burntBREAD]

She also skated at Cup of China, and had a great SP there.

[Sylvia]

She also skated at Cup of China, and had a great SP there.

She scored a SB of 57.43 in Shanghai: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l97SfX1tcRU
(Lacoste skated a clean SP and scored 59.14 in the Salt Lake City Senior B in September and won the bronze there.)

[spikydurian]

Good luck to Amelie on forthcoming Canadian Nationals.

[googooeyes]

Thanks for the videos. I had only seen the short from the TV coverage.
I was thinking if anyone had seen her in the last couple of weeks and wondering how things were going for her in the lead up to Canadians.
Good luck to her at Canadians.

[Rock2]

My sense is she skates very well in practice but that doesn't translate to competition. I think she has withered a bit under the pressure of trying to pass Cynthia last year and then this year to prove she's still a viable alternative to the rising Osmond.

With only one ladies spot for Worlds, it won't automatically go to the national champ. If memory serves, the national champ is only guaranteed a spot if there are 2-3 spots for worlds. Goes back to the Chouinard-Robinson debacle of 1996, so with one spot now it's a Federation selection process.
Having said that I'd say Osmond has already pretty much qualified for London based on her two wins this fall. Amelie's best hope is a 4CC spot this year and a 2nd spot in Sochi that won't be filled by Rochette.

I will also add that I loved both her programs last year. I find this year's stuff to be a big step back.

[Habs]

My sense is she skates very well in practice but that doesn't translate to competition. I think she has withered a bit under the pressure of trying to pass Cynthia last year and then this year to prove she's still a viable alternative to the rising Osmond.

With only one ladies spot for Worlds, it won't automatically go to the national champ. If memory serves, the national champ is only guaranteed a spot if there are 2-3 spots for worlds. Goes back to the Chouinard-Robinson debacle of 1996, so with one spot now it's a Federation selection process.
Having said that I'd say Osmond has already pretty much qualified for London based on her two wins this fall. Amelie's best hope is a 4CC spot this year and a 2nd spot in Sochi that won't be filled by Rochette.

Isn't Kaetlyn the only Canadian lady to have met the TES standard for Worlds anyway?

[danafan]

Lacoste missed it by .01 at the SLC competition. She may end up eligible if the ISU lowers the score.
Based on how the up and comers have been skating this year, I think Lacoste could find herself off the podium at nationals. We'll see how she responds to being the defending champion.

[Erin]

Based on how the up and comers have been skating this year, I think Lacoste could find herself off the podium at nationals. We'll see how she responds to being the defending champion.

My guess is that Lacoste's PCS will give her a one year reprieve and she'll still end up on the podium, but she'll definitely be in trouble next year if the younger girls keep improving at the same rate they've been doing so far. Daleman, Seguin, and Chartrand all have a few key weaknesses on PCS and would be at a substantial disadvantage to Lacoste on that mark. That said, I wouldn't put it past the judges to dump Amelie and mark her down on PCS, especially if she doesn't land a lutz or flip.

[hohoho]

I agree with the last few posts. If Amelie doesn't bring the right stuff to Nationals and the "kids" simulate challenge, she could very well find herself off the podium. I am not sure she can depend on the PCS "boost" to get on the podium. And I am not sure the judges are willing to give it based on the recent history of not stepping up in international events. Rock2 mentioned that Amelie skates well in practice. Well looking at this season, she has not competed much - QC Summer (short only), SLC, SC, CoC. The first time her free program was in front on judges was at SLC. All the kids (Osmond included) has done more competitions. I believe nationals will be Chartrands 10th competition this season. Amelie has done 3.5 competitions leading into Nationals. Osmond 5.5 competitions. She had feedback from 2 panels of judges before Nebelhorn. Amelie has to get more competition time and not just "assignments". Lacoste is a good skater. But she needs to learn to compete at non-stressful competitions. She could have done Challenge, similar to Osmond.

I see Lacoste making national team, but I am not sure on podium.

[Habs]

I agree with Erin - if Amelie skates well at Canadians, she'll be on the podium, and deservedly so. My worry for her is that she's quite inconsistent, while the younger girls are showing they have tougher nerves. It's going to be a very interesting competition.

[blue_idealist]

I think Lacoste will still come 2nd or 3rd, but I haven't seen those other girls skate yet (except Osmond) so I could be totally off base. Lacoste is not skating even as well as last season, or 2011, I know that.

[victoriajh]

My sense is she skates very well in practice but that doesn't translate to competition. I think she has withered a bit under the pressure of trying to pass Cynthia last year and then this year to prove she's still a viable alternative to the rising Osmond.

With only one ladies spot for Worlds, it won't automatically go to the national champ. If memory serves, the national champ is only guaranteed a spot if there are 2-3 spots for worlds. Goes back to the Chouinard-Robinson debacle of 1996, so with one spot now it's a Federation selection process.
Having said that I'd say Osmond has already pretty much qualified for London based on her two wins this fall. Amelie's best hope is a 4CC spot this year and a 2nd spot in Sochi that won't be filled by Rochette.

I will also add that I loved both her programs last year. I find this year's stuff to be a big step back.

you had me at rochette.....

[puglover]

I have had that feeling about Amelie as well. I felt last year at Skate Canada when neither she nor Cynthia skated well - that Amelie was the one who seemed so genuinely disappointed. I really hope she has a good Canadians. All the best Amelie!

[leafygreens]

I think it is so unfair to Amelie that she skates her best and is not rewarded, but Cynthia can falter and it's all forgiven. Now Amelie is still having to skate in a shadow even with Cynthia retired. People just assume that the new crop of babies is going to be phenomenal. Really?

[hohoho]

Amelie hasn't given fans the opportunity to get impressed over the last few years. I think the judges see her as someone who can't do it internationally. And Osmond hasn't helped that vision of Amelie over the last year - 3rd Nationals, winning JW preliminary, 10th at JW, Winning Nebelhorn and SCI and the major improvement over the year. And Osmond also has the benefit of being the only Canadian Lady qualified for worlds. I don't think Amelie will get the judges benefit this year.

I have nothing against Amelie. She is a beautiful skater. I just don't see her as a "competition" skater.

[euterpe]

I think it is so unfair to Amelie that she skates her best and is not rewarded, but Cynthia can falter and it's all forgiven. Now Amelie is still having to skate in a shadow even with Cynthia retired. People just assume that the new crop of babies is going to be phenomenal. Really?

The problem is that Lacoste's best is not competitive. She hasn't landed a clean 3z so far this season. Either she doubles jumps or she URs them.

Here's the FS content of her 3 competitions this season:
US International B: 2z, 3f, 3lo, 2a, 3s, 2lo, 3lo+2lo
SCI: 3ze-so, 3f+2lo, 3lo, 1a, 3s<, 3lo+2lo, 2s+2lo<<-df-to
COC: 3ze<<↓, 3f, 3lo, 2a, 3s<<↓, 3lo<, 2s

The new crop of babies have shown their ability to land the harder jumps--they have all landed the 3z. They struggled a bit in the JGP, but by Challenge, they showed their mettle:

Seguin:
JGP FRA: 3z+2t, 3f, 3lo<↓, 3t↓, 3s, 3t↓, 2a+1t
JGP SLO: 3z+2t, 3f<, 3s↓, 3t+2t+2lo, 3lo, 3t+2t, 2a
Challenge: 3z+2t, 3t, 3s, 3z↓, 3lo, 3t+2t+2lo, 2a+2t

Chartrand:
JGP USA: 3ze+2t, 3f+2t+2lo, 1lo, 2a, 3lo, 3s<, 2a+2t
JGP CRO: 3z+2t, 3f, 3lo, 2a, 3z<↓, 3t^3s<↓, 3lo<+2t
Challenge: 3z^3s, 3f, 3lo, 2a, 3z, 3t+2t, 3lo↓

Daleman:
JGP AUT: 3t+3t<, 3ze+2t, 3f, 3s, 3ze, 3s*, 2a
JGP GER: 3t+3t<, 3z+2t, 3f↓, 3lo↓, 3z, 3s↓, 2a+2t
Challenge: 3t+3t, 3ze, 3f↓, 2a, 3ze+2t, 3s+2t+2t, 2a

The 'babies' are all young and should continue to develop their skills. At 24, Lacoste seems to be on a downward spiral. She was landing her jumps more consistently 2-3 years ago. IMO, she will not make it to Sochi.

[Sylvia]

Lacoste article based on her pre-Canadians media teleconference call: http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

[Twilight1]

I have a soft spot for Amelie but I really hope that Kaetlyn wins Canadian National's. She is a breath of fresh air in the entire ladies event IMHO. I think Katelyn has so much more to give and achieve in this sport but Amelie I see retiring after next season. I would love for whomever wins at National's, to place in the top 10 so both women can get to the Olympics next year.