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

[Dobre]

Actually, overall, there is a difference of two countries between Nathan & Jason at WTT. And that is with China below both of them. The men are such a ????

Earlier, I thought China would use Zijun and Wang & Liu twice, meaning Han Yan would go up. Now, I don't know. China's two ladies are closer in the standings than their two men.

But in the TE with ten skaters, there could also be Kostner between them.

She was ahead of Ashley at Worlds so, again, it may not matter. Italy has a lot of potential to play spoiler. They are the ones likely to play the game (I doubt France will play their big guns in the free if they make the cut) and Italy has the second place pairs & dance teams capable of factoring.

 

[pinky166]

I started a new thread in the trash can about team event speculations so feel free to post thoughts there! (I don't want to get yelled at for taking the US ladies thread so off topic )

 

[million$momma]

I think Canada will use Chan in both programs (a Reynolds/Nguyen/Nadeau/ Messing is too big a risk) and V/M in both programs (unless they use W/P in the SD as a consolation prize since they probably won't win an individual medal). I don't think they risk I/M in the FS, so I/M SP and D/R FS.

Isn't it highly probable that I&M won't be competing? It's far more likely that it will be S&B or M-T&M as the second team.

 

[Sylvia]

I started a new thread in the trash can about team event speculations so feel free to post thoughts there! (I don't want to get yelled at for taking the US ladies thread so off topic )

Thank you. Link is: Predict the Olympic Team Event Lineups!

ETA:

Angela Wang and Caroline Zhang were part of a group of Team USA athletes that were involved in USFS' annual Program Components Camp this past weekend (L to R are Zhang, Derrick Delmore, Doug Webster, Wang, Kaitlin Hawayek and Ryan Devereaux): https://www.instagram.com/p/BTNWcd9jy3R/

 

[Xela M]

Isn't it highly probable that I&M won't be competing? It's far more likely that it will be S&B or M-T&M as the second team.

Why would you say that? I thought Luba's citizenship was very likely to come through.

 

[kwanfan1818]

She was ahead of Ashley at Worlds so, again, it may not matter. Italy has a lot of potential to play spoiler. They are the ones likely to play the game (I doubt France will play their big guns in the free if they make the cut) and Italy has the second place pairs & dance teams capable of factoring.

Wagner beat Kostner in the SP by 2.71, although it was her return to Worlds. The TE could depend on whether Kostner, possibly with Mishin's advice, even skates in the TE this time/does the SP, and if she does, whether she treats it as a warm-up. Italy may not want to make it into the final, while China may well want to, as a prelude to Beijing, to learn pacing and how to strategize. Although France's Men and Ladies are weak enough that France may be the odd one out this time.

 

[Willin]

Polina (along with Alyssa Liu, Kristi Yamaguchi and Tim Goebel) is scheduled to preform at the Silicon Valley Ice Skating Association's gala in San Francisco on 4/29. Hopefully someone will post videos.

(Not sure why SF when it's not technically part of Silicon Valley, and SJ's rink has a lot more room in the stands)

 

[Spun Silver]

Great news. I'm so glad she can skate again.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Great news. I'm so glad she can skate again.

I want Polina to return to competition and "kick derriere"....... but then i would fully support her decision to keep sport as a hobby and continue education as a rightful priority.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Polina (along with Alyssa Liu, Kristi Yamaguchi and Tim Goebel) is scheduled to preform at the Silicon Valley Ice Skating Association's gala in San Francisco on 4/29. Hopefully someone will post videos.

(Not sure why SF when it's not technically part of Silicon Valley, and SJ's rink has a lot more room in the stands)

San Jose is about 45 minutes south of SF. And Silicon Valley is on the peninsula south of SF. In SF they can pull from a wider Bay Area area.

I did not think Polina's issue was skating, I thought she could not jump. And, she may still not be able to jump, or have the entire arsenal at her disposal

 

[tylersf]

Yerba Buena Ice Arena is pretty close to the BART station. They can actually get an audience from the East Bay, Central Valley, and the Peninsula. North Bay peeps can drive in pretty easily. There are so many shopping, eating, drinking and other entertainment options (movies, bowling, other fun activities) nearby.
From the Powell BART station, you can grab shop and/or grab dinner at the Westfield Mall(station located at the mall) or anywhere nearby, walk a couple of blocks to the rink, watch the show, get a drink, then head home.

San Jose is about 45 minutes south of SF. And Silicon Valley is on the peninsula south of SF. In SF they can pull from a wider Bay Area area.

 

[Sylvia]

Polina (along with Alyssa Liu, Kristi Yamaguchi and Tim Goebel) is scheduled to preform at the Silicon Valley Ice Skating Association's gala in San Francisco on 4/29.

Thanks, I've included this SF gala in a newly created GSD thread: U.S. & Canadian club shows, benefits & galas, 2017 edition
(From perusing their FB page, it sounds like Yamaguchi or Goebel are involved with, but not actually skating in, the show?)
Alissa Czisny, Courtney Hicks and Starr Andrews are among the other "name" ladies scheduled to perform in various club & benefit shows this weekend (info is posted in the new thread).

 

[Willin]

@Sylvia Based on the poster I saw today it was a big ambiguous. It seems they'll be there and doing skating sessions associated with the gala, but it didn't say they were performing.

@tylersf @AxelAnnie Doing a bit more digging, it appears the organization started due to the closing of Belmont, which was a SCSF rink. I'd bet that's why it's in SF even though most of the performers are from the east/south bay. Maybe it would be more appropriate to call this "Peninsula Ice Skaters Association" considering that all of the places they're concerned with getting/keeping rinks aren't in Silicon Valley or are on the outskirts of it (San Mateo, Belmont, and Millbrae).

 

[tylersf]

Thanks Willin. I'm from the East Bay and took lessons there as well at the Oakland Ice Arena.

Although the East Bay has great skaters (Kristi Yamaguchi, Karen Chen), the Silicon Valley has a history of producing a bunch of good skaters (Peggy Fleming, Brian Boitano, Debi Thomas, Vincent Zhou, Rudy Galindo, Polina Edmunds and many more).

So sad about the Belmont rink. Other rinks have rink closed in the Bay Area so people are heading to the big rinks (Nazareth in Redwood City), in Oakland, San Ramon, Fremont, San Jose.

@Sylvia Based on the poster I saw today it was a big ambiguous. It seems they'll be there and doing skating sessions associated with the gala, but it didn't say they were performing.

@tylersf @AxelAnnie Doing a bit more digging, it appears the organization started due to the closing of Belmont, which was a SCSF rink. I'd bet that's why it's in SF even though most of the performers are from the east/south bay. Maybe it would be more appropriate to call this "Peninsula Ice Skaters Association" considering that all of the places they're concerned with getting/keeping rinks aren't in Silicon Valley or are on the outskirts of it (San Mateo, Belmont, and Millbrae).

 

[Spun Silver]

I did not think Polina's issue was skating, I thought she could not jump. And, she may still not be able to jump, or have the entire arsenal at her disposal

Really? Maybe I missed something, but I havent heard of her being in skates, training or performing, for the longest. She was wearing therapy boots not that long ago. I would be surprised if she is doing much more than gliding and shimmying (for @skateboy) at this point, but (maybe) it's a start.

 

[Willin]

Gracie made a cameo on People's livestream with Ashley. She seemed really happy and goofy - a lot less stoic than we've seen her the past year. It was great to see her acting so happy - even if she did try to run from the camera initially.

Interesting Tidbits (Probably a lot of this is known already):
-Ashley has a tattoo of the Olympic rings on her ribs (because she thought it would be the most painful place)
-Ashley's favorite exercise is cycling (but she hasn't done SoulCycle)
-Ashley did get in trouble for the swear word in the Sochi K&C
-Ashley wasn't allowed to watch cartoons growing up, and instead grew up on Animal Planet/Discovery channels; her mother was a 4th grade teacher
-Ashley and Gracie are fawning over a bunch of baby animals (including pug puppies, piglets, goat kids, and a cat) that are on NBC's winter Olympics promo set for some reason.

 

[Sylvia]

-Ashley and Gracie are fawning over a bunch of baby animals (including pug puppies, piglets, goat kids, and a cat) that are on NBC's winter Olympics promo set for some reason.

That's one of the more popular sets on the USOC/NBC Olympics 2018 Olympics promo photo shoot (I've seen quite a few athletes posing with the cute animals) - Team USA skaters' photo links are being posted in this thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/index.php?threads/winter-olympics-photo-shoot.101170/

ETA:

Found the archived People FB live chat with Ashley (incl. Gracie cameo) summarized by @Willin above: https://www.facebook.com/peoplemag/videos/vb.95926963131/10155616309008132/?type=3&theater

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting this tidbit by @Doubletoe from the Coaching Changes thread:

Tessa Hong is back in L.A. with Frank Carroll. She's landing what appear to be fully rotated triple axels on the pole harness.

 

[SCeline]

Re-posting this tidbit by @Doubletoe from the Coaching Change thread:

wowza, cool. Strengthen that head game and look out.

 

[personwhoishere]

Really? Maybe I missed something, but I havent heard of her being in skates, training or performing, for the longest. She was wearing therapy boots not that long ago. I would be surprised if she is doing much more than gliding and shimmying (for @skateboy) at this point, but (maybe) it's a start.

She posted a video on her instagram story about 12 hours ago landing a triple loop so she's doing some jumping again.

 

[Dobre]

She posted a video on her instagram story about 12 hours ago landing a triple loop so she's doing some jumping again.

Can I like this ten times instead of just once?

 

[Spun Silver]

She posted a video on her instagram story about 12 hours ago landing a triple loop so she's doing some jumping again.

So glad to hear this!

 

[Karpenko]

I miss Polina Edmunds. Really glad to see Polina Edmunds doing any triple jumps again. (but not as happy as Polina Edmunds, Polina Edmunds must be thrilled!)

 

[Coco]

what on earth is Instagram story?

 

[VGThuy]

what on earth is Instagram story?

It's IG's version of snap chat. It's videos or photos IG users post that's only available to view for a temporary amount of time. You access it on your mobile device by clicking on the IG user's avatar. You can tell if they have a new story when there's a purpleish ring around their avatar.

 

[IceAlisa]

If Polina comes back, would she get any GP assignments?

 

[kwanfan1818]

She's always eligible for a spot at Skate America, either in the initial selection or in early Fall, if USFS assigns a TBD spot in the initial selection

Based on her 8th at 2015 Worlds, she could take the one-time option to be a return skater. Return skaters are not guaranteed spots, but I can't think of any return skater who has not gotten two in the initial selection.

Alternately she could use results from an early season Challenger Series event to get spot(s) off the Alternates list.

 

[IceAlisa]

I want Polina to return to competition and "kick derriere".......

because you can't get enough of her edgy badass style or because you feel a special kinship with her mother from the Russian backwater?

 

[olympic]

Polina was not my favorite US lady, but I sure do miss her damn consistency

 

[VGThuy]

Sigh. I liked Polina very much and thought she had promise despite some major things I think she could work on. She had the competitive killer instinct even with UR issues. If only we could have that competitive mindset with Gracie Gold's skating skills and jumps. With the feminine packaging that Gold seemed to like despite skating fans thinking it didn't fit her, speed, and what used to be explosive jumping, Gold should have been more of a Kaetlyn Osmond type.