U.S. Ladies [#17]: Heading to Helsinki in a Handbasket

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To be honest i think Polina has moved on and is done with skating. I mean how long does it take a bone bruise to heal?

At the conclusion of ladies, I thought about Polina and wondered what her plans are ...
 
Considering Polina's instagram this past year or so I've wondered if she got injured, started school, and realized she liked college life a whole lot more than skating. She is leaving room to come back if she feels like it, and seems to be sticking to USFS's social media campaigns (the Get Up day, one year to the Olympics). We'll see if she comes back, and if she does how much college is affecting her training. Some athletes thrive while skating in college while others don't seem to prioritize skating as much.
 
I'm happy for the US, but I can't help thinking the goal post has moved so far back for US ladies that having a "decent" skate is a celebration. :yikes:

US ladies need to stop settling for decent skates and spots that land most of them in the middle of the pack. It's the Olympics and I get it, but man I wish they'd fight for something higher. JMO

I'm not sure that's fair when Ash was world silver medalist last year, and Gracie's poorer outing netted her the bridesmaid pewter spot. :blah:

Things weren't glistening and gleaming this time around, but everyone has memory loss beyond the short-term.
 
I would say they squeaked by because without Anna melting down and Maria and Wakaba struggling the US was going to lose the 3rd spot. I bet Ashley was sweating bullets.

FAKE NEWS! :The US had 3 spots sewed up before Anna even took to the ice.

The biggest factor was poor Miyahara's injury. As it was, today they could have withstood one less Russian meltdown and either Mai or Wakaba doing better.
 
I'm hoping Gracie took a long hard look at this event. The fact that Daleman who hasn't won much of anything in her career now has a World medal and she doesn't should tell her something. I said for over three years all Gracie had to do was go out there and land her jumps confidently and she would have won most any event including the World title. It's not like Daleman is some kind of amazing artist either and the judges were always ready to give Gracie the title.

That's a statement you could make about Gracie after *many* events in her senior career. You throw shade at Daleman? Why don't you take a moment to look at the US Nationals this season where Gracie finished 9th in the long program. I like Gracie a lot (she's probably my fave US lady) but she consistently bails when the pressure is on.
 
Polina is attending Santa Clara University which is probably less than 10 miles from her family, her current rink and her coach. It does give her the option to resume training quite easily.

Considering Polina's instagram this past year or so I've wondered if she got injured, started school, and realized she liked college life a whole lot more than skating. She is leaving room to come back if she feels like it, and seems to be sticking to USFS's social media campaigns (the Get Up day, one year to the Olympics). We'll see if she comes back, and if she does how much college is affecting her training. Some athletes thrive while skating in college while others don't seem to prioritize skating as much.
 
I'm very disappointed in the ladies event overall, not just the US. I mean come on, still doing only 7 triples with two 3/3s (that was done back in 2002; 15 years ago). Mao Asada was the exception, a comet blazing through the night, with Elizaveta sparkling bright there for a moment in time as well, but since then, nothing. So i hope whoever makes the US team next year ups the ante, thus my very brief excitement when i saw Mirai Nagasu's perfect 3axel in practice. Ah well, good luck ladies.
 
KAREN CHEN -- the skater that many people said had no business winning a U.S.A. National title or being at Worlds just showed her detractors where they could shove their ‘just drop out, already’ opinions and comments.

Were people actually calling for Chen to drop out? :confused:

I'll admit, my expectations for her were minimal post-4CC and she did much better than I thought she would - but TBH she had every right to be there as the US champ
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Anyway, congrats to the US women for hanging on and keeping 3 spots for Korea despite the odds - I practically accepted that that wouldn't happen prior to this week. Wagner's result was expected; but Chen really came through here despite her own shaky history.

As for Gold, this shows that if she can put the past behind her and come back strong, she'll still be very much in the game. Curious to see if Edmunds chooses to return next season (judging from her social media, she seems to have moved on, but you never know I guess).
 
For WTT this year, Karen has the highest season ranking and world's placement, so she's on the team.

Mirai has a higher season ranking than Ashley, but Ashley was 7th at world's. So out of the two, who gets the berth?

Also congrats to Karen for having the highest total score for the US ladies this season. And Mirai holding on to the highest SP and FS score of the season! (Still disappointed that none of the Americans broke 200 this season)
 
Next season will be interesting to see out of

Ashley Wagner
Gracie Gold
Karen Chen
Mirai Nagasu
Mariah Bell

(Maybe Polina)

Which 3 make it to the Olympics.
 
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I have to say I agree 100% with Ashley's tweet about Karen Chen. Karen is the hero of US ladies figure skating at the moment in my book! I'm so so proud of Karen to finish 4th in her first worlds. She had so much pressure to rally after Ashley's skate and lower than expected placement knowing the 3 spots rested with her. After Ashley I was sure the three spots were gone. But Karen proved me happily wrong! I was jumping up and down after she skated. Karen has so many great things about her skating...high flying jumps, speed and the best spins in the competition in my book. I think her artistry is beginning to bud as shown in her short program that she choreographed. I hope the fact that she was just off the podium at her first worlds will give her confidence going forward.
I am definitely on the Chen train now! :encore:
 
For WTT this year, Karen has the highest season ranking and world's placement, so she's on the team.

Mirai has a higher season ranking than Ashley, but Ashley was 7th at world's. So out of the two, who gets the berth?

Also congrats to Karen for having the highest total score for the US ladies this season. And Mirai holding on to the highest SP and FS score of the season! (Still disappointed that none of the Americans broke 200 this season)

Challenger series don't count. So it goes to Ashley.
 
Stop trying to make Tessa Hong 2018 happen.

It's not going to happen. (Barring the very strange even of really bad skates from at least 6-8 other skaters and Tessa Hong having the best skate of her career thus far; Or Tessa improving her PB by 40+ points next year)
 
Polina Edmunds happened in 2014 right out of juniors. I'd say it's way too early to try and narrow the possible Olympic team to 5 inconsistent individuals and one who hasn't competed in over a year.
 
Was Ashley's placement really unexpected with her performances this year?

Ash is a fav. But, she's always putting a shine on things. Going into worlds she was all "I'm so trained and ready. I've made so much improvement to the choreo, etc." You can't really go by her. I think that's why Raf is so hard on her; hard to get through to her. She, as well as Gracie are at a crossroads. Wagner's programs this year were so empty of content. There just wasn't anything going on. She's going to have to get interested in that aspect if she's to continue to play.
 
I think US Figure Skating should announce right now that Olympic Spots will be chosen using all competition information since the beginning of 2017 Nationls up to the end of the 2018 4CC Gala to choose the Olympic Team, including competitions that overlap with 2018 4CC.
 
4CC Gala lol

Random request: I want a U.S. lady to skate to Tara's 98 SP music with vocals. I can't get them out of my HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAD.
 
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