2025-26 USFS International Assignments

[Karen-W]

They are going to lose World Standings points from two years ago whether or not they go this year. They don't want to regress in the World Standings, and finishing higher than fourth can help their seeding at Worlds, their prospects for two spot on next season's Grand Prix, etc.

They will certainly gain more points at both the Olympics or Worlds this year once those points are added than they stand to gain from 4CCs, which will hold them in good stead for next season.

 

[AYS]

Given what we've heard about Z/K's training habits this year (multiple consecutive run-throughs every day, etc), I'd hazard a guess that 4CCs (if they indeed end up staying in) might be about the experience as training - they didn't just make their huge improvement this year by magic. Not to mention the chance to win a first major international medal. The time in between isn't horrendous for young whippersnappers such as them. The key is not getting sick on the trip.

 

[Allskate]

I doubt Z&K will go to Four Continents. It's too close to the Olympics. Not worth it, and it would be an argument for using C&P in the TE assuming that the dance split.

I'm not surprised that Shin and Nagy are the first alternates for Worlds. The results at Nationals were close (and debateable) and Chan and Howe weren't as committed to their skating this season. Plus, they probably want to encourage the young team.

I doubt that Jason will do Four Continents. It's way too soon for him to recover from what happened last night. I think there's a fair chance he won't do Worlds. So, I wish they had made either Tomoki or Jacob the first alternate for Worlds; I think they earned that. If they did something like that in pairs, they certainly could do that with the men, where there's a stronger argument for it. It stinks.

I guess that they're giving Jacob Junior Worlds as a consolation prize, but that really stinks for Patrick Blackwell, who I think has a very bright future.

Depending on how things go for C&B at the Olympics, they may decide to end their career at the Olympics and there's a chance that Green and Parsons will get to go to Worlds.

 

[A.H.Black]

Depending on how things go for C&B at Worlds, they may decide to end their career at the Olympics and there's a chance that Green and Parsons will get to go to Worlds

I'm sure you meant Olympics.

 

[Allskate]

I'm sure you meant Olympics.

Definitely! Thanks. I'll fix it.

 

[Capt. DeSoto]

I guess that they're giving Jacob Junior Worlds as a consolation prize, but that really stinks for Patrick Blackwell, who I think has a very bright future.

There's too much at stake for future junior international assignments. I think Jacob is stability insurance. Lucius and Patrick can both be inconsistent. For Lucius, see Eastern Sectionals. For Patrick, see Patrick.

Patrick has gotten more reliable this post-season, but Lucius has really stepped up and delivered under pressure by qualifying for and then medaling at JGPF.

 

[Karen-W]

There's too much at stake for future junior international assignments. I think Jacob is stability insurance. Lucius and Patrick can both be inconsistent. For Lucius, see Eastern Sectionals. For Patrick, see Patrick.

Patrick has gotten a little more reliable this post-season, but Lucius has really stepped up and delivered by qualifying for and then medaling at JGPF.

Yeah, I can see the rationale for the Jr Worlds assignment, for sure. It might have been different had Patrick also qualified for the JGPF but he didn't... Because of that inconsistency.

 

[Sarah]

I'm not surprised that Shin and Nagy are the first alternates for Worlds. The results at Nationals were close (and debateable) and Chan and Howe weren't as committed to their skating this season. Plus, they probably want to encourage the young team.

Without all the ineligible teams in play, I suspect the USFS would have split the assignments the way the did with men (Olympics for one, Worlds for the other), but since we have 2 other teams who were ineligible for Olympics but eligible for worlds, the split just worked out to a worlds alternate.

 

[peibeck]

I realize Blackwell isn't the most consistent, but skipping him for Jr Worlds is cray-cray to me. Perhaps Jacob will just do 4CC and back out of Jr Worlds?

Jason on the 4CC list is the most crazy assignment I see here though. Whatever issues were plaguing him at Nationals aren't likely going away in two weeks, I don't think. I could see by Worlds hoping for recovering his form, but by 4CC???

 

[Aceon6]

With Jason’s jumps MIA again, there’s no reason to name him for 4CCs unless other guys said hell to the no.

 

[Capt. DeSoto]

I realize Blackwell isn't the most consistent, but skipping him for Jr Worlds is cray-cray to me. Perhaps Jacob will just do 4CC and back out of Jr Worlds?

I honestly think that if Lucius didn't have his poor showing at sectionals (complete with borderline mini-tantrum in the K&C), then I think Patrick might be going instead of Jacob. Also, I don't think Jacob really gets a say -- you go where USFS tells you to go at this level. If you're a top champion, I imagine that you can politely decline once in a blue moon without blow back. Barring injury or illness, Jacob is going to Jr. Worlds.

 

[peibeck]

... unless other guys said hell to the no.

That seems unlikely (to me at least).

 

[Rhumba d’Amour]

Have the Olympics alternates been named?

 

[Allskate]

Jason on the 4CC list is the most crazy assignment I see here though. Whatever issues were plaguing him at Nationals aren't likely going away in two weeks, I don't think.

It is not unusual to name someone to Four Continents with the expectation that they likely will withdraw. This may just be USFS providing a bit of respect to a man who was critical to making three Olympic men's spots possible and who has delivered at Worlds time and time again. If not for Jason, I don't think Max would be going to the Olympics.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Do they have a chance to improve their world standing and potential warmup group at the Olympics?

Two considerations are 1. Can they get into the last warm-up group and 2. What would they need to do to protect staying in the penultimate warm-up group. They are currently 8th.Z/K can earn a maximum incremental 412 at 4C's, because they'd need to drop 428 for best 2/3, which is 412 for 1st through 18 for 7th.

Looking above them, no one can catch the Top 4, F/G, C/B, G/F, and L/B except #5, G/P. If G/P don't go to 4C's, #6 C/P aren't going, #7 R/A could knock down G/P to 6th with a win at Euros; they will earn some points for 5th or above. #8 is Z/K, who, are 171 behind R/A; they can't catch G/P with a win, nor can anyone below Z/K. So jumping to the last group is a non-starter for Z/K.

Looking behind them to see what could knock Z/K out of the penultimate group were Z/K not to skate: Z/K would pass R/A if their placement at 4C's is at least three above R/A's at Euros. That wouldn't move Z/K into a new group, nor should it change the any split draw. That is actually doable, since R/A need to be 5th to earn any points, and they are competing against FB/C, F/G, G/F, L/B, S/D; the last four plus T/V beat them at Euros last year. Even if the top three Canadian teams skate, the field isn't overwhelming at 4C's, while Euros could be a bloodbath.

Were Z/K not to compete, there are three teams that could surpass them mathematically but only with a win -- D/S, T/V, Taschlers -- and all three can't win. S/D, who only have to drop their lowest 126 points, need 19th or higher to earn any points, and they would move past Z/K if Z/K didn't earn 4C's points. L/L could surpass Z/K if they compete at 4C's. Unless all three things to happen, which is hugely unlikely in the current Euros field, Z/K should be safely in the penultimate group without competing.

So either they're playing it really, really safe, or they want the experience and cash and prizes.

ETA: A win at 4C's is 840 points; silver is 756 points. Z/K would have to be 4th at Worlds (875) to earn more than 840, or 5th at Worlds (787) to earn more than 756. None of that is impossible if the top half of the field aside from C/B isn't planning to be in to win an elusive World title, but if FB/C decide to compete in Prague, it might clear out some of the field, and then it's jockeying for position among L/B, L/L, Z/K, maybe C/P, maybe S/D.

 

[her grace]

the real weird choices were in the rest of the assignments

For many of them, I suppose BOW did come into play while Nationals results ruled the day for the Olympic team.

Browns had the better GP results (6th and 9th) so they get 4CC over Bratti/Somerville (9th and 8th). For the junior world alternates in ice dance, it's teams that had the better JGP results. Deych/Hu (4th and 8th), Stapert/Korotcov (5th and 5th) Fischer/Fischer (5th). Kouevi/Homawoo were 8th and 11th there.

Kazanecki gets the junior world team over Blackwell because he made the JGPF and medaled. Sanchez gets both 4CC and JW because he did great at nationals and decently on the senior international circuit.

Then there are the assignments that look like what the USFS probably intended all along:

For men, the worlds' team in men looks like what I think USFS wanted for the Olympics, but couldn't justify for the much more scrutinized Olympic team selection. The pairs alternates gives the USFS another chance to push Shin/Nagy, but also it's possible that Howe will be done after the Olympics and he goes off to serve in the military. If the Zingas/Kolesnik 4CC assignment holds, it's probably to give them more championship experience since they've never even been to Worlds.

 

[her grace]

Really happy that McBeath/Parkman are going to worlds and 4CC!

 

[tangerine dream]

Really happy that McBeath/Parkman are going to worlds and 4CC!

Thank god. If USFS snubbed them again I was ready for Katie to pull a Deanna and head off to greener pastures in Canada or elsewhere.

 

[tangerine dream]

With Jason’s jumps MIA again, there’s no reason to name him for 4CCs unless other guys said hell to the no.

There's no way Kapeikis or Martynov would turn down 4CC.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

We’ve seen people assigned to 4CC and then withdraw a lot. I think Z/K probably said yes to 4CC in case they didn’t make the Olys.

I think they will withdraw, especially in the likely event that they get asked to do the team event.

 

[tangerine dream]

People have suggested that USFS team event selections have been based (at least in part) on world standings. If that's the case this year then going to 4CC is the difference between Z/K being in the team event with an all but guaranteed olympic medal and not. Not to mention they are likely to win 4CC and that brings some prestige, a chance to improve their SB (scoring will likely be much stricter at Olys than at 4CC), and a lot of $$.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

People have suggested that USFS team event selections have been based (at least in part) on world standings. If that's the case this year then going to 4CC is the difference between Z/K being in the team event with an all but guaranteed olympic medal and not. Not to mention they are likely to win 4CC and that brings some prestige, a chance to improve their SB (scoring will likely be much stricter at Olys than at 4CC), and a lot of $$.

We also determined that Vincent was assigned to the 2022 team event, despite having the lowest world ranking of the three men by far. I don’t think US figure skating would encourage a team to tire themselves out in order to get into the team event. They will pick who they want.

 

[chameleonster]

If USFS wants to have Z/K doing the team event, they don't need them tiring themselves out beforehand when they can just point to their GPF qualification and Nationals silver as justification.

 

[Karen-W]

Also, 4CCs in an Olympic year isn't exactly the high-pressure ISU Championship experience that matches the energy & intensity of being on Olympic ice. I'd say a home Worlds is about the only thing that really matches it and even that isn't going to always be the case depending on your start group.

ETA - the other thought could be that they're doing 4CCs to grab that title because they know they're not going to be part of the TE.

 

[jlai]

Looking at Brown's record this season, his free skate tes has been around 70 in the gps, while Andrew had an ok tes in the free in two of four competitions this season (with NHK being the really bad competition for him)
That must have foctored in the outcome

 

[Karen-W]

USFS held Olympic team press conferences this afternoon after the show.

Pairs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUikKxVw53o
Dance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvMwQqmmStM
Men & Women - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXnKDrlRfcc

And a "State of the Sport" press conference as well.

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Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

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[tangerine dream]

If USFS wants to have Z/K doing the team event, they don't need them tiring themselves out beforehand when they can just point to their GPF qualification and Nationals silver as justification.

To be clear, I absolutely agree with you. It was just a hypothesis about one reason Z/K might want to go to 4CC as I've seen people say world rankings have played a big role in the past.

 

[Karen-W]

Couple of notes from the USFS press conference with Matt Farrell and Justin Dillon -

Justin said that Team USA figure skating will be based in Bergamo "where some of Italy's top skaters train" for the duration of the Olympics which sounds like they'll be at iceLab. If so, very cool and good for them, especially the pairs teams as I think it will only do them good to be sharing a training environment with other top teams like ConMac, HocKun and GhiAmbro for several weeks.

Also, team processing begins either Jan 23rd or 25th (can't remember which day now, lol), so they only have a couple weeks back home before they likely begin heading over to Italy.

There were some other interesting tidbits but I'm not sure they belong in this thread.