U.S. Women [#6]: The More the Merrier!

[Skaterbob]

Has anybody got this issue? I was hoping to see it at Skate America but USFS had no booth there.

Yes it was delivered to my house like a month ago because of my friends of figure skating membership. I didn’t get a chance to read it though.

 

[Sylvia]

Sarah Everhardt’s 5th photo :

Sarah Everhardt on Instagram: "ISU Grand Prix De France ✨🤍⛸️🇫🇷 My first Senior Grand Prix!! Excited that I could put two clean skates together and compete against some of the best in the world. Thank you to my coaches, Tatyana and Roman for coachi

811 likes, 53 comments - sarah.everhardt26 on November 5, 2024: "ISU Grand Prix De France ✨🤍⛸️🇫🇷 My first Senior Grand Prix!! Excited that I could put two clean skates together and compete against some of the best in the world. Thank you to my coaches, Tatyana and Roman for coaching and...

www.instagram.com

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Sarah Everhardt’s 5th photo :

Sarah Everhardt on Instagram: "ISU Grand Prix De France ✨🤍⛸️🇫🇷 My first Senior Grand Prix!! Excited that I could put two clean skates together and compete against some of the best in the world. Thank you to my coaches, Tatyana and Roman for coachi

811 likes, 53 comments - sarah.everhardt26 on November 5, 2024: "ISU Grand Prix De France ✨🤍⛸️🇫🇷 My first Senior Grand Prix!! Excited that I could put two clean skates together and compete against some of the best in the world. Thank you to my coaches, Tatyana and Roman for coaching and...

www.instagram.com

Awwwwwwww

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting from Amber's fan thread - the ISU uploaded Amber's GPdF winner's interview on Nov. 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19v5O-aZEhk

Associated Press article yesterday ("There was no immediate reason given for Levito’s withdrawal."):

World silver medalist Isabeau Levito withdraws from figure skating's Finlandia Trophy

World silver medalist Isabeau Levito has withdrawn from next week’s Finlandia Trophy, which was to be the American star’s second Grand Prix assignment.

apnews.com

 

[YukiNieve]

Yes it was delivered to my house like a month ago because of my friends of figure skating membership. I didn’t get a chance to read it though.

Thanks. I have been a FOFS member so I will contact them.
But tbh they are not as responsive as once they were when Brent was in charge.

 

[Coco]

Any details on the reason for Isabeau's withdrawal?

 

[marshallpond]

https://imgur.com/a/spJIBOH

 

[Karen-W]

Glad to see that Ava Ziegler was given a bye!

 

[Wyliefan]

Ava gets a bye?

 

[Debbie S]

Will Ava be ready to compete?

I see Lucas got a bye too.

Relieved to see Bradie get a bye. Having to compete at Easterns a few days after flying home from Japan would have been ridiculous.

 

[Sylvia]

Will Ava be ready to compete?

If she's not ready then the 1st alternate after the 3 Sectionals are done will get the call (like Brooke Gewalt did last year).

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

How are all my friends doing? I miss you guys. I’m in Connecticut for the second time in a month. Then I’ll be back in LA for a couple of days and off to Germany. But I’m trying to keep up-to-date as best I can.

 

[YukiNieve]

CS Golden Spin has Amber, Alysa, and Bradie listed as participants!

https://results.isu.org/events/cscro2024_Women.htm

(wow...there are so many skaters...)

 

[Private Citizen]

Glad to see that Ava Ziegler was given a bye!

I love Ava, but how does this decision fit into the published policy? Does the policy give the USFS room for discretionary decisions like this? Seems to me like a medical bye despite a policy of no medical byes

Also, any word on Levito?

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

CS Golden Spin has Amber, Alysa, and Bradie listed as participants!

https://results.isu.org/events/cscro2024_Women.htm

(wow...there are so many skaters...)

I think many of these with WD. Don`t see Amber skating in Europe when COC is one week away.

 

[Karen-W]

I love Ava, but how does this decision fit into the published policy? Does the policy give the USFS room for discretionary decisions like this? Seems to me like a medical bye despite a policy of no medical byes

Also, any word on Levito?

No clue about either question in the first paragraph. As always, the USFS does as it pleases, ultimately, when giving Byes.

Haven't seen any Levito updates.

 

[jlai]

I love Ava, but how does this decision fit into the published policy? Does the policy give the USFS room for discretionary decisions like this? Seems to me like a medical bye despite a policy of no medical byes

Also, any word on Levito?

Maybe but who begrudges that decision? She got top five at 4cc so it is not as if she is some mid level skater getting favors.

 

[ice coverage]

I love Ava, but how does this decision fit into the published policy? Does the policy give the USFS room for discretionary decisions like this? Seems to me like a medical bye despite a policy of no medical byes

Maybe but who begrudges that decision? She got top five at 4cc so it is not as if she is some mid level skater getting favors.

If Nats had an unlimited number of entries for senior women, I would have no trouble being 100% supportive of Ava's bye.
But my feelings about her bye are not quite that simple (and it is nothing personal against her), because the number of Nats entries is fixed at eighteen.
A bye to Nats that appears to bend the published rules means that one fewer skater will be able to advance from Sectionals to Nationals (seven skaters instead of eight, in this case) -- and I don't take that decrease lightly.

 

[jlai]

If Nats had an unlimited number of entries for senior women, I would have no trouble being 100% supportive of Ava's bye.
But my feelings about her bye are not quite that simple (and it is nothing personal against her), because the number of Nats entries is fixed at eighteen.
A bye to Nats that appears to bend the published rules means that one fewer skater will be able to advance from Sectionals to Nationals (seven skaters instead of eight, in this case) -- and I don't take that decrease lightly.

But is the bye based on her original gp assignments or her actually going to the gp?
It is a grey area and I am fine with her getting the benefit of doubt. Plus her top five at 4cc is arguably harder than being top five at nationals,
Besides skaters who suddenly get assigned to a senior B around sectionals, who is to say they are not getting a favor?

Also if she is not healthy and withdraws, all this is mute and the next skater goes

 

[Private Citizen]

I love Ziegler's skating, so I'm not complaining. But this is the second unusual situation, the first being her withdrawal from last year's Nationals to focus on Four Continents. The USFS needs to be careful to avoid perception of special treatment or setting precedent for other skaters to sit out competitions yet take up spots.

 

[layman]

If Sarah Everhardt wins Finlandia (not trying to jinx her), will she have a shot at the Grand Prix final (the way things stand now)?

Math has never been my specialty.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I love Ziegler's skating, so I'm not complaining. But this is the second unusual situation, the first being her withdrawal from last year's Nationals to focus on Four Continents. The USFS needs to be careful to avoid perception of special treatment or setting precedent for other skaters to sit out competitions yet take up spots.

I had not thought about that but you make a lot of sense

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

If Sarah Everhardt wins Finlandia (not trying to jinx her), will she have a shot at the Grand Prix final (the way things stand now)?

Math has never been my specialty.

Not according to Karen‘s math breakdown a few days ago .. even if she wins it doesn’t look like she’ll be anything but first alternate

 

[ice coverage]

But is the bye based on her original gp assignments or her actually going to the gp?
It is a grey area and I am fine with her getting the benefit of doubt. Plus her top five at 4cc is arguably harder than being top five at nationals ...

Ziegler's two original GP assignments were not sufficient for a bye to Nats.
The relevant criterion for a bye, as published by USFS (emphases added): "Athletes who are assigned to and compete at three (3) international assignments classified as an ISU Grand Prix, ISU Junior Grand Prix and or ISU Challenger Series event"

https://www.usfigureskating.org/sites/default/files/media-files/2025%20Qualifying%20Bye%20Advancement%20Criteria%20FINAL.pdf

(And IMO, it would not be justifiable to simply assume that she would have qualified for GPF -- I would say the same for any other skater too.)

Also from the USFS document linked above:
"No medical byes will be granted for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships per rule 2513."
Ziegler was on crutches at the time of Champs Camp, so it is a natural question whether her bye could be a medical bye -- although I cannot rule out the possibility that her bye was granted for a different reason.

Again, my comments are nothing personal against Ava.
I certainly wish that she had been in good health this season.

 

[Karen-W]

If Sarah Everhardt wins Finlandia (not trying to jinx her), will she have a shot at the Grand Prix final (the way things stand now)?

Math has never been my specialty.

Yes, but only with help. Need to wait to see the results of the other women both at Finlandia and CoC.

Not according to Karen‘s math breakdown a few days ago .. even if she wins it doesn’t look like she’ll be anything but first alternate

Wrong. If she wins and Matsuike comes in 3rd or lower, then it will depend on the results of CoC.

 

[honey]

I love Ziegler's skating, so I'm not complaining. But this is the second unusual situation, the first being her withdrawal from last year's Nationals to focus on Four Continents. The USFS needs to be careful to avoid perception of special treatment or setting precedent for other skaters to sit out competitions yet take up spots.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t she assigned to 4CC last year before nationals even happened (and certainly before she withdrew from nationals)? The timing of nationals was so close they named the team in December I thought. So I don’t that withdrawal and assignment would be precedent for anything really. That was a weird situation all around.

But I agree her bye here is quite unusual and would be interesting to see how it was justified.

 

[layman]

ISU GP Finlandia Trophy 2024

Event results for ISU GP Finlandia Trophy 2024

results.isu.org

Sarah Everhardt is in 3rd place after the short program at Finlandia (less than 2 points out of first). She had the highest technical scores of any one competing here and all her elements got positive GOEs. I think this is a really good position for her to be in, and I wish her the best of luck in the free.

 

[Sylvia]

Josephine Lee won the Junior bronze medal at Tallinn Trophy today! Per Sportity: 174.02 (120.75 1st in FS) - landed 3Lo, 3Lz, 3F+2T, 3S, 3Lo<+2T, 3F<+2A+2A, 3T; 2 level 4 spins. She came back from 7th in the SP.

Unfortunately, Mia Kalin withdrew (ETA) reason unknown at this time.
[deleted]

 

[Sylvia]

Ting Cui's bid to qualify for Nationals is off to a positive start at Easterns! She's currently leading in the SP with 58.82 - skated to "Black Magic Woman" and she landed 3T+2T, 2A, back spiral into 3S. She's already started her collegiate skating season with Middlebury College.

 

[Karen-W]

Unfortunately, Mia Kalin withdrew:

No, that's not correct. My comment about the flu was with regard to Iida Karhunen.