Pre-season poll: Which 3 U.S. Ladies do you want to see at the PyeongChang Olympics?

[Sylvia]

Here's my pre-season poll. It will close before the start of the ISU Challenger Series.

Pick 3 and name the skater if you choose 'Other. Skaters are listed alphabetically by last name.

ETA: Your votes will not be visible.

 

[alchemy void]

Yay! Polls!

I had to go with Wagner/Gold/Chen (although a Courtney Hicks option may have enticed me!).

Bell and Nagasu don't do much for me. I'd love to see a great Polina comeback, too.

 

[SamuraiK]

Chen - she's the future.
Edmunds - she was going in he right direction before injury. I trust in her comeback.
Nagasu - just because im so over the Wagner/Gold era.

 

[kwanatic]

I voted Wagner/Chen/Bell...lemme explain.

Wagner: For obvious reasons. IMO Ashley deserves to go to another Olympics. She is the best US skater since Michelle Kwan and has basically carried the US for the past two quads. If Ashley were able to nail her jumps and skate well, she'd score very well.

Chen: This is assuming the Karen who showed up at nationals this year were to go to the Olympics. Karen has everything she needs to be a top 5 threat internationally...except the consistency. It's the only thing she's missing. Assuming she skated cleanly (after a good season of skating) she could make it into the top 5.

Bell: I was really hoping to see Mariah have a breakout performance at nationals this year but alas no. In terms of potential, I think Mariah is bursting with it. She has an engaging personality on the ice, her jumps are gorgeous when she lands them and she has good content. Like Karen she's lacking consistency. In a scenario where she'd been skating cleanly all season, I think Mariah would be a great 3rd option.


The ones I didn't pick:

Gold: I think Gracie would be a good pick for obvious reasons but, for me, I don't get nearly as much out of her skating as I do Chen and Bell. Maybe I'll change my mind once I see what kind of Gracie we're dealing with next season. If Gracie brings more personality and stability to her skating next season, I'd pick her for #3.

Nagasu: My sentimental choice for the team only because it's Mirai. However, like Gracie, Mirai's overall skating is lacking for me. I rarely see a spark in her skating unless she's skated well and it's the last 30 seconds of the program. I'd like to see Mirai engage me throughout the performance...or at least for the majority of it. If Mirai can get her jumps together and bring some life to her skating, I'd say she would have a great shot at the team.

Edmunds: She's the smart pick in terms of needing a reliable skater, but Polina bores me. Like Gracie, maybe I'll change my mind once I see what her skating is looking like next season.

 

[Karpenko]

I think Ashley/Mirai/Karen is a perfect team.

Alternates - Caroline(1st alternate)/Polina/Gracie/Mariah

 

[quartz]

Ashley because she has been working her ass off for so long and deserves to go out with a grande finale. Karen, because she is the future. The third one I really wavered on, but went with Mirai because I'd like to see her have at least one more great and glorious season to bookend her career.

(Just assuming that Ashley and Mirai will be ending their competitive careers after next season. )

 

[berthesghost]

Ashley because she's the only one of the lot that has proven she can make a world podium and she's by far the most consistent, which says a lot about how up and down the others are.

Karen because I agree she's probably the future.

Mirai because if we're going to have a come back story, Mirai's speaks to me more that Gracie's or Polina's does.

 

[Spun Silver]

Mirai, MIRAI, M.I.R.A.I.! because she and we have suffered enough and she is ready for her redemption season!

Karen, because she, unlike 99% of the US ladies to whom Scott Hamilton applied the phrase, really "has everything you could want in a champion."

And Mariah, because she is glorious when she hits, and I would like her to have all possible opportunities to see if she can improve her consistency.

I understand the argument for Ashley but to me she has passed her peak and is extending her career with smoke and mirrors, aka shimmies, which I dont like any more than @skateboy does.

Gracie - IDK, it just seems completely impossible barring a miracle.

 

[VGThuy]

This is just based on personal preferences: 1) Karen Chen 2) Polina Edmunds (assuming she's in competitive shape) 3) Mariah Bell. I wouldn't mind if Nagasu, Gold, Wagner get in for Bell or Edmunds in that order.

 

[clairecloutier]

I would like a team of Karen, Gracie, and Ashley. But I don't think that's the team we're going to get.

If I had to guess right now, I'd say Karen has the best chance overall of making it. The 4th place at Worlds will weigh heavily on the selection committee's (collective) mind, I think. WTT was a setback, but 4th at Worlds is important. I think Karen will be on the team.

All the other girls have, in my mind, similar chances of making the team.

--Ashley: Should be on the team, but lost a lot of ground this past season, and her history at Oly-year Nationals is not reassuring, not at all.

--Gracie: What to say ....

--Mariah: Rather weak performances at the big events this year (4CCs, Worlds) will be remembered by the selection committee. I feel that her basic skating skills/technical ability are not as strong as most of the other top girls, although she does shine artistically.

--Mirai: It's hers for the taking, IMO. The door is open. At 4CCs, she gave the selection committee a reason to pick her next year. But she's GOT to back it up with strong performances next fall.

--Polina: I really admire Polina's competitive ability. But I just fear it's going to be difficult to come back after 18 months away.

I think the door is also open for a dark horse to enter, a la Polina in 2014.

 

[VGThuy]

I do think a strong GP series is what Mirai needs to put herself in better contention to make the Olympic in the case she places third at Nationals in one spot over skaters who have had a better scores/results in the GP series or Ashley Wagner/Karen Chen.

 

[Spun Silver]

I feel badly for Polina because were it not for her injury she would almost certainly be expected to make the team. But it is hard to see her as a contender after such a long absence.

I dont think it will be anyone new. I think our team is on this list.

 

[Jarrett]

Karen, Mirai, and probably Ashley but if she has an off GP I see Polina.

 

[Vash01]

I picked Gracie, Ashley, Mirai.

Gracie is still the most talented us lady and she is in a good coaching environment now. She will be a medal contender if she makes the team.

I will never write off Ashley.

I hope Mirai will make the team, without any controversy this time.

 

[centerpt1]

Mirai- I hope she has a great season and Nationals so she has a clear path to the Olympics. I still feel sad that she didn't go in 2014.

Polina- I love watching Polina skate. She has so much dance ability, even though her choreography to date hasn't done her justice. She's a strong skater, I just hope she is able to slay on the comeback trail.

Karen- This girl has loads of potential, and she's coming into her own at the right time. I hope she steps up again at Nationals to secure an Olympic berth.


Those were my top three picks. I wouldn't mind seeing Mariah, Gracie or Ashley go either.

 

[Karpenko]

I'm excited to see Polina Edmunds back, but it's interesting to me that many people are ready to toss Ashley aside in favor of Polina Edmunds.

Every single time Ashley has been to Worlds since 2012, she's beaten every placement Polina Edmunds has ever achieved at a World Championships (even on one of her "off" years where she placed 7th). Polina Edmunds hasn't competed at Worlds since 2015, and any competition at all since 2016 Nationals. (and Ashley went on to win a world silver medal afterwards, the only US lady to medal since Kwan. ETA - since Kimmie and Sasha, whoops)

Polina Edmunds hasn't competed in a long time.

I definitely don't want Ashley off the team for Polina Edmunds.. but that's just my opinion. Polina Edmunds is great - but she has to FIGHT to make the team.

 

[VGThuy]

Look at the poll and compare how many votes Wagner has to how many Polina has. Wagner is a fan favorite despite some people preferring other skaters, including Polina. We all know she'll most likely make the team, even if she places 4th at Nationals.

 

[Karpenko]

^ and she'd probably completely deserve it based on years of legitimate international results.

I didn't say majority, I said many.

It doesn't matter either way, I'm just surprised that many people want Polina Edmunds as a two-time Olympian and not Ashley.

Any guesses as to which US lady my claws will be out for this year? I'm already hypothetically arguing about it! (I'm really pulling for Ashley this year, I hope she forgets about this past season and moves forward)

 

[VGThuy]

^ and she'd probably completely deserve it based on years of legitimate international results.

I didn't say majority, I said many.

No argument from me. If we need someone who can hit and get a respectable score and WON'T implode, Ashley is our best bet.

 

[blue_idealist]

Ashley, since she's my favourite, and I'd like to see Mirai and Gracie get another chance, since they could retire after (and even if they don't, I'd still like to see them get another chance). Karen still has time. Polina has been having fun in college.

 

[MAXSwagg]

Ashley. Oh, wait. We're not in Boston anymore.

Karen 100%.

Ashley and everyone else: meh. Just draw names from a hat. They're all equally likely to do as well as the other.

 

[antmanb]

Can someone explain how the percentages work for this poll??

 

[VGThuy]

Can someone explain how the percentages work for this poll??

I think it's the percentage of people who voted, not the percentage of the overall vote each choice has. We were allowed to make up to three choices, so that's why you have two skaters in the 70s and a third skater in the 50s.

 

[antmanb]

I think it's the percentage of people who voted, not the percentage of the overall vote each choice has. We were allowed to make up to three choices, so that's why you have two skaters in the 70s and a third skater in the 50s.

That's what I thought, but then wouldn't the total percentages add up to 300? I admit maths is not my strong suit

 

[VGThuy]

That's what I thought, but then wouldn't the total percentages add up to 300? I admit maths is not my strong suit

Would some people not voting for three choices affect the overall percentage? It looks like more than 20% of voters decided to not vote for the other choices, it's just that we don't see the percentage bar for those who elected to only vote for one or two choices.

 

[rfisher]

Gracie, Polina and Karen would make me happy.

 

[Areski]

Ashley, Mirai & Karen - that's my dream team!

 

[Sylvia]

The poll results to date look like what I anticipated - Ashley and Karen pretty much tied for 1-2 with Mirai easily in 3rd. I'll be interested to see if and/or how much the results might change in a poll that's taken post-Grand Prix season.

(@Jeschke, you can vote 'Other' in this poll. )

 

[olympic]

Really tough question - Gracie and Mirai have something to prove, so I would like to see them on the team. I would like to see Ashley make it because this will probably be her last legitimate shot to do something big. Polina is a rock and dependable (for the most part) and the US needs that right now, so I would like to see her there as a good counterbalance to the ups and downs of the others (although that would serve the US better at Worlds than the Olympics). Karen had a breakthrough at 2017 Nationals and Worlds, but needs to show more consistency. Mariah to a lesser extent broke through as well.

It seems that Ashley, Gracie and Mirai would be my wish.

 

[Jeschke]

(@Jeschke, you can vote 'Other' in this poll. )

To be in the same mix as Hicks & Co.?
I want to see Wagner, Nagasu and ZHANG ZHANG ZHANG!

#grantoline
#teamzhang
#untilthebitterend