U.S. Ladies [#19]: Do You Know the Way to San Jose?

[Jarrett]

Yes Mirai landing triple axel/triple toe/double toe/double loop. She has clearly peaked. Throw in the towel Mirai. Lol https://www.instagram.com/p/BaM0qVVHgve/

 

[Frida80]

Yes Mirai lading triple axel/triple toe/double toe/double loop. She has clearly peaked. Throw in the towel Mirai. Lol https://www.instagram.com/p/BaM0qVVHgve/

I was just coming to post this! Mirai looks amazing.

 

[Cleo1782]

I honestly think Mirai will win Nationals this year.

What's troubling is that we haven't been competitive in juniors in the ladies field in quite awhile. Were Polina and Angela Wang the last two girls to make it to a JGPF in 2014 (I know Karen Chen actually made it but pulled out so Angela was called up)? Our last female medalist was Hannah Miller!
That is why we are struggling with senior medalists as well. The field has gotten so much more competitive and our promising juniors are either not living up to their potential or just aren't technically competitive enough.
The last junior I was truly impressed with was Gracie. I thought she would definitely be a future world champion, but then again I was completely unimpressed with Sarah Hughes as a junior and she did okay for herself

It's not all doom and gloom of course, but when we are sending skaters like Livvy Schilling and Paige Rydberg to Senior B's that shows a lack of depth. And promising skaters like Tyler Pierce and Barbie Long seemed to have completely quit.

 

[Vagabond]

Yes Mirai landing triple axel/triple toe/double toe/double loop. She has clearly peaked. Throw in the towel Mirai. Lol https://www.instagram.com/p/BaM0qVVHgve/

COP-friendliness and the three-jump-combo limit be damned!

 

[ross_hy]

USFS just posted that Gracie has withdrawn from the Grand Prix:
http://www.usfigureskating.org/story?id=90945&type=media

ETA: More info here http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2017/10/13/gracie-gold-figure-skating-withdraw/

 

[AxelAnnie]

I am sad but at the same time happy that she has withdrawn and will be taking care of herself.

 

[Firedancer]

Wow! Mirai looks great! I feel like she looks better and more confident with the 3A all the time.

I am happy to see Gracie is taking the time to get the treatment she needs and I wish her the best. I am sad for though. That had to be a tough decision.

 

[oleada]

I hope Gracie is getting the help she needs. Her emotional and physical health are more important than skating.

 

[Jayar]

This knocks Gracie out of Nationals, too, as she loses her bye. That's not the most important piece of the puzzle right now-- just an observation.

 

[Jarrett]

This knocks Gracie out of Nationals, too, as she loses her bye. That's not the most important piece of the puzzle right now-- just an observation.

Wow you are right. She needed top 5 surprised it wasn't mentioned in either of the articles/press releases.

 

[Cleo1782]

This knocks Gracie out of Nationals, too, as she loses her bye. That's not the most important piece of the puzzle right now-- just an observation.

I think Gracie's Olympic team medal gives her a bye to Nationals if she chose to compete, but I doubt she will.

 

[Jarrett]

I think Gracie's Olympic team medal gives her a bye to Nationals if she chose to compete, but I doubt she will.

The plot thickens!

 

[alchemy void]

I think Nationals is probably the last thing on Gracie's mind right now.

I'm happy she is in treatment and wish her nothing but the best. Dealing with anxiety, depression, and an eating disorder is hellish and challenging enough without being a public figure and having to announce it to the world.

(((((Gracie))))))

You can do this.

 

[Cleo1782]

The plot thickens!

According to the wording in the USFS rule it says any competitor or couple that medal at the most previous Olympics gets a bye to Nationals. It doesn't specify whether it's an individual or team medal, so I assume it counts. That being said, I would be shocked if Gracie made a trip to Nationals. I believe she is done skating sadly and really needs to concentrate on her health and well being.

 

[skatfan]

This knocks Gracie out of Nationals, too, as she loses her bye. That's not the most important piece of the puzzle right now-- just an observation.

I'm playing Devil's advocate here, why wouldn't a mental/physical condition as she has expressed be a way to get a medical bye? Or is that only available to certain top competitors?

 

[Sylvia]

Medical byes have not existed for a long time.

According to the wording in the USFS rule it says any competitor or couple that medal at the most previous Olympics gets a bye to Nationals. It doesn't specify whether it's an individual or team medal, so I assume it counts.

Yes it counts, AFAIK.

I think Nationals is probably the last thing on Gracie's mind right now.
...
(((((Gracie))))))

You can do this.

Well put!

ETA link to new GSD thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...atment-for-eating-disorder-depression.102015/

 

[Jayar]

According to the wording in the USFS rule it says any competitor or couple that medal at the most previous Olympics gets a bye to Nationals. It doesn't specify whether it's an individual or team medal, so I assume it counts. That being said, I would be shocked if Gracie made a trip to Nationals. I believe she is done skating sadly and really needs to concentrate on her health and well being.

Gracie did not medal at the last Olympics. The team did. Doesn't count here.

 

[Cleo1782]

I'm playing Devil's advocate here, why wouldn't a mental/physical condition as she has expressed be a way to get a medical bye? Or is that only available to certain top competitors?

You can petition for a medical bye to Worlds or the Olympics, but not to Nationals/Sectionals anymore. People were abusing the system too much, so they got rid of it.

 

[Cleo1782]

Gracie did not medal at the last Olympics. The team did. Doesn't count here.

Well yes she has an Olympic Bronze medal. The rule doesn't specify it has to be an individual medal. I am sure if Gracie really was ready by Nationals she would receive a bye due to the fact she was on the team that won that medal. The exact rule is USFS rule 2515 if you would like to look up the exact wording.

 

[Vagabond]

Doesn't the rule predate the existence of the Team Event?

Original intent, not judicial activism!!!!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Heres the IN Article...

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2017/10/13/258489852

"It saddens me deeply to sit out this Grand Prix Series, but I know it is for the best," said Gold in a statement released Friday. "I am currently in treatment for depression, anxiety and an eating disorder. I will not have adequate training time to prepare and compete at the level that I want to. I would like to thank U.S. Figure Skating, my fans and my sponsors for their ongoing support. I also want to thank Marina [Zoueva] and Oleg [Epstein] for standing beside me through this journey and most of all my family for their unconditional love."

 

[Jayar]

People who believe that a team medal gets a skater a bye are not living in reality.

 

[VGThuy]

Good for Gracie for putting herself and her health first. I wish her all the best.

Re: the bye, I think a good lawyer/debater could make great arguments either way. The USFS should clarify their rules just to make it clearer.

 

[Cleo1782]

Doesn't the rule predate the existence of the Team Event?

Original intent, not judicial activism!!!!

I believe it does, but it wasn't amended in any way to exclude team medalists in the last four years. I mean, Gracie's health is more important than her getting a bye to Nationals. I am just saying the possibility is most likely out there. If Gracie is truly healthy and ready by Nationals I am sure that rule would be allowed for her, although that seems very unlikely.

Gracie Gold is my favorite US skater. I truly believed she would be a World Champion. I am so sad she is struggling and her career may end on this sad note. I wish her the very best.

 

[Coco]

There's enough wiggle room that if she makes a miraculous recovery and is competitive, she'll have a bye.

 

[RoseRed]

Well yes she has an Olympic Bronze medal. The rule doesn't specify it has to be an individual medal. I am sure if Gracie really was ready by Nationals she would receive a bye due to the fact she was on the team that won that medal. The exact rule is USFS rule 2515 if you would like to look up the exact wording.

The rule says:
For all championship (senior) events, the following competitors will receive an automatic invitation to the same event... A. A competitor or couple placing in the top five at last year’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships;
B. A competitor or couple who won a medal at the most recent Olympic Winter Games;
C. A competitor or couple who won a medal at the most recent World Championships.

She won a medal in the team event, not in ladies singles, so it's not the same event. So I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't count.

That said, I agree that Nationals isn't what's important here.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

EYTA: More info here http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2017/10/13/gracie-gold-figure-skating-withdraw/

The NBC Olympics article is written in a way that suggests she can still compete for a berth on the US Olympic team.

Not sure if they know something we don't, or they just don't know the rules at this point.

 

[Cleo1782]

People who believe that a team medal gets a skater a bye are not living in reality.

I am definitely living in reality-that's uncalled for. It said a competitor who won a medal she was a competitor that won a medal in the team event. Not living in reality would be me thinking she would actually use it and be ready by Nats.

 

[Jarrett]

Mirai just posted a double axel / half loop / triple flip to her Instagram story. She must be having an amazing jumping day. Hopefully @Sasha'sSpins can clip it and put it on dailymotion.

 

[Cleo1782]

The rule says:
For all championship (senior) events, the following competitors will receive an automatic invitation to the same event... A. A competitor or couple placing in the top five at last year’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships;
B. A competitor or couple who won a medal at the most recent Olympic Winter Games;
C. A competitor or couple who won a medal at the most recent World Championships.

She won a medal in the team event, not in ladies singles, so it's not the same event. So I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't count.

That said, I agree that Nationals isn't what's important here.

Like I said I think there is enough uncertainty in the wording of the rule because she competed in the ladies portion of the team event-I mean it's not like she's trying to get a bye in ice dance. Unless she actually tries to get a bye-we probably will never know.