2024 Four Continents/Junior Worlds/Worlds US Team Speculation

[tony]

While USFS has the obvious tight turnaround after Nationals, they could have prepared a handful of skaters with proper documentation in the questionable disciplines and just list them as alternates or a bunch of alternates with the spots listed as TBA. We’ve seen TBA listings in previous 4CC announcements.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Was the US Four Continents team ever announced? If not, do we have any idea why it was delayed?

get ready for everyone’s favorite triple axel throwing down diva

 

[ptvvibezz]

Team announced:

Women
Amber Glenn
Lindsay Thorngren
Ava Ziegler

Alternate 1: Elyce Lin-Gracey
Alternate 2: Audrey Shin
Alternate 3: Starr Andrews

Men
Tomoki Hiwatashi
Camden Pulkinen
Andrew Torgashev

Alternate 1: Maxim Naumov
Alternate 2: Liam Kapeikis
Alternate 3: Jimmy Ma

Pairs
Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea
Chelsea Liu and Balazs Nagy
Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez

Alternate 1: Isabelle Martins and Ryan Bedard
Alternate 2: Maria Mokhova and Ivan Mokhov

Ice Dance
Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
Caroline Green and Michael Parsons

Alternate 1: Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik
Alternate 2: Oona Brown and Gage Brown
Alternate 3: Eva Pate and Logan Bye

Source: https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/...n-athletes-named-to-four-continents-team.aspx

 

[Rukia]

FINALLY AN ANNOUNCEMENT

Looks like a great team and I'm excited to see them all.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Great team, nervous for the ladies. I wish in pairs USFSA would put Isabelle and Ryan on board and substitute them out with Valentina and Max. Isabelle and Ryan are growing and growing and the other team has been stagnant for a long time.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I wonder if USFSA will announce the full ladies team after nationals or wait until after 4cc.

 

[toddlj]

Does look like a great team. Ilia and Isabeau assumedly turned it down thinking they don't need the points for standing and would prefer the rest/training time?

 

[Karen-W]

Great team, nervous for the ladies. I wish in pairs USFSA would put Isabelle and Ryan on board and substitute them out with Valentina and Max. Isabelle and Ryan are growing and growing and the other team has been stagnant for a long time.

PlaFern have only been a team 3 seasons now, IIRC. None of the pairs teams really set themselves apart this fall and while I like the potential with Martins/Bedard they have some work to do to reach the same level as the other three teams - I could see them overtaking all 3 as early as next season though.

I wonder if USFSA will announce the full ladies team after nationals or wait until after 4cc.

There are 3 women named to the team and 3 alternates...

Overall, the whole team is pretty much who I would have predicted based total & sverage scores for the fall season. About the only surprises are that neither Hawayek/Baker nor Chan/Howe were selected, even as alternates.

 

[Wyliefan]

About the only surprises are that neither Hawayek/Baker nor Chan/Howe were selected, even as alternates.

I didn't really expect them to be. Not without a single competition yet this season.

 

[Karen-W]

I didn't really expect them to be. Not without a single competition yet this season.

I would have expected both of them to be named as at least 1st alternates and then waited to see how Nats went for them.

It does make things interesting for Pairs going into Nats though. Presuming that McBeath/Parkman get his release sooner rather than later, they could be sent to Challenge Cup to earn the Worlds TES mins, and we could wind up with only one of the 4CCs teams being on the Worlds team (and that's without Efimova/Mitrofanov being able to compete internationally until next season).

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

There are 3 women named to the team and 3 alternates...

I mean the world’s team

 

[Karen-W]

I mean the world’s team

Well, seeing as the Worlds selection doc states that those decisions will be made as soon as Nats are finished... I don't think they will wait until 4CCs for any of the disciplines to decide the Worlds team.

 

[ice coverage]

... I wish in pairs USFSA would put Isabelle and Ryan on board and substitute them out with Valentina and Max. ...

As someone who likes both pairs, I think it was fair for Plazas/Fernandez to be selected for Four Continents and for Martins/Bedard to be alternates.
Head to head at Skate America, P/F outscored M/B.
P/F also have a much higher ISU SB.

 

[Sarah]

In terms of pairs, all the US teams have struggled. I don’t really have an issue with P/F being selected. To be completely honest, they’ve had a stronger season than K/O…

 

[Stephanie]

I would have expected both of them to be named as at least 1st alternates and then waited to see how Nats went for them.

It does make things interesting for Pairs going into Nats though. Presuming that McBeath/Parkman get his release sooner rather than later, they could be sent to Challenge Cup to earn the Worlds TES mins, and we could wind up with only one of the 4CCs teams being on the Worlds team (and that's without Efimova/Mitrofanov being able to compete internationally until next season).

FWIW USFS no longer has Challenge Cup listed on their international assignments page (it was taken off in the Jan 4 update).

 

[Karen-W]

FWIW USFS no longer has Challenge Cup listed on their international assignments page (it was taken off in the Jan 4 update).

Interesting... I suppose they don't expect any surprises at Nats that would necessitate them sending someone out to get their Worlds TES mins, lol.

 

[Spiralgraph]

Question for those in the know..

Assuming H/B maintain their status as USA silver medalists, or at least on the podium, they don't have minimums for worlds do they? So they would have to be sent to compete somewhere to attain those scores? These rules are so confusing about who's eligible for what..

 

[Karen-W]

Question for those in the know..

Assuming H/B maintain their status as USA silver medalists, or at least on the podium, they don't have minimums for worlds do they? So they would have to be sent to compete somewhere to attain those scores? These rules are so confusing about who's eligible for what..

They're fine. TES mins can come from the current season and last season. Same applies to Chan/Howe.

 

[Debbie S]

Question for those in the know..

Assuming H/B maintain their status as USA silver medalists, or at least on the podium, they don't have minimums for worlds do they? So they would have to be sent to compete somewhere to attain those scores? These rules are so confusing about who's eligible for what..

Min scores can be obtained either in the current season or previous season. H/B have the mins from GP/GPF last season.

 

[Spiralgraph]

Thank you Karen-W and Debbie S. The intricacies of the rulebook elude me at times!

 

[Frau Muller]

Does look like a great team. Ilia and Isabeau assumedly turned it down thinking they don't need the points for standing and would prefer the rest/training time?

I believe that Ilia was already going to the Swiss tour and the ISU Awards event, at the same time. Maybe Isabeau is also going to the Swiss tour?

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I believe that Ilia was already going to the Swiss tour and the ISU Awards event, at the same time. Maybe Isabeau is also going to the Swiss tour?

I was wondering, do you think USFSA has already named Isabeau and Ilia to the world team regardless of US nationals turn out?

 

[Karen-W]

I was wondering, do you think USFSA has already named Isabeau and Ilia to the world team regardless of US nationals turn out?

Ilia has such a commanding lead in the Men's division that he would pretty much, like Chock/Bates, have to NOT show up at Nats to not be named to the Worlds team. Isabeau's lead isn't quite as substantial but I daresay her Worlds spot is likely assured provided she doesn't implode at Nats and finish behind the 3 women named to the 4CCs team.

 

[peibeck]

About the only surprises are that neither Hawayek/Baker nor Chan/Howe were selected, even as alternates.

We're barely into the second week of January. Let's both teams make it to Nationals.

I was wondering, do you think USFSA has already named Isabeau and Ilia to the world team regardless of US nationals turn out?

Nothing is official until after Nationals, where the Worlds team will be announced. But it's nearly impossible to believe they won't be on the team.

 

[Mell]

Does look like a great team. Ilia and Isabeau assumedly turned it down thinking they don't need the points for standing and would prefer the rest/training time?

Ilia is doing an ice show, he already said at the GPF to the Chinese fans that he won't be at 4cc. Idk about Isabeau

 

[Dobre]

Hawayek & Baker have the world minimums.

I assume no countable body of work to speak of, though, when it comes to meeting World selection criteria, except for whatever result they earn at Nationals. As they didn't compete at Nationals or Worlds last year and haven't competed at anything prior to Nationals this season. (Even a good senior B score from this season could have been helpful).

Looking ahead--just to avoid the potential of fans being blindsided--what placement do we think H&B would need to make the World team? I'm kind of thinking silver would get them on it but bronze would be hard to validate? Might depend on how the other teams do at Nationals, of course. Green & Parsons and Carreira & Ponomarenko didn't make the GP Final, but they do have top 10 results from Worlds (G&P-6th and C&P-10th), podium placements from last year's Nationals (G&P-2nd and C&P-3rd), and a GP medal (G&P) and CS medal (C&P) from this season, which I assume count toward their bodies of work criteria. Then there's a possibility that those two teams could reverse placements or that another team could podium, either of which could make a discussion about a selection go differently.

 

[Coco]

Have they said they are for sure competing at Nationals?

 

[Debbie S]

Have they said they are for sure competing at Nationals?

They haven't WD, so I think we can assume they are competing unless we hear otherwise. I would think a top 3 finish would guarantee them a Worlds spot. If they finish outside the top 3, maybe not, but I can't see USFS passing them over if they are top 3 (for a team that isn't). It's not as if any other team this season (other than C/B) has matched their results from last fall...2 GP silvers and qualifying for GPF.

 

[Jammers]

Ilia is doing an ice show, he already said at the GPF to the Chinese fans that he won't be at 4cc. Idk about Isabeau

I guess ISU championships don't matter to him he did the same thing last year when 4CC was in the US but he decided to do shows instead.

 

[Karen-W]

I guess ISU championships don't matter to him he did the same thing last year when 4CC was in the US but he decided to do shows instead.

As did Knierim/Frazier, so what's your point? He can't win with some fans. He needs to work on his PCS - hence the shows, but he doesn't care about a competition like 4CCs so he's what? Arrogant? Cashing in? Whatever.