U.S. Figure Skating's selections for 2021 Worlds (if it happens...)

[Sylvia]

Might as well start a thread here in the Kiss & Cry section (also being discussed in the U.S. Ladies thread in GSD where @Jayar posted first: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...h-adjusted-vision.107389/page-27#post-5936386 )...

USFS press release:

U.S. Figure Skating Announces Ladies Selections for World Team | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

Selections, with exception of alternates, are listed in alphabetical order:

Karen Chen
Bradie Tennell

Alternate 1 – Amber Glenn
Alternate 2 – Mariah Bell
Alternate 3 – Audrey Shin*
*Pending minimum score
...
The men’s, pairs and ice dance World Team selections will be announced on Sunday evening.

 

[jlai]

Thx for the posting. I guess the committee was just having discretions on #2 v #3 where the point totals are close.
While I prefer Glenn, Chen and Glenn did end up with almost a tie in competition.

 

[Doggygirl]

I’m sad for Amber.... but the odds of Worlds even happening is probably low.

 

[jlai]

Given the likelihood of someone catching covid, the alternates should be in top shape, ready to be called -- if worlds is even happening

 

[Lemonade20]

I have a gut feeling that even though there are two spots, each country will send a third skater in case one of their top two get sick or is unable to compete at the last minute. I remember they did that in 1994 for the Olympics with Kerrigan and Harding (they brought along Kwan in case something happened and Harding didn't skate).

 

[Jeschke]

I like both. But ouch
This sucks for Glenn.

 

[Carolla5501]

So do I get this? our third alternate in ladies isn’t actually eligible to even go and they made this decision during a pandemic when it’s probably more likely than ever that we would need an alternate Great move US figure skating

 

[Rukia]

I have a gut feeling that even though there are two spots, each country will send a third skater in case one of their top two get sick or is unable to compete at the last minute. I remember they did that in 1994 for the Olympics with Kerrigan and Harding (they brought along Kwan in case something happened and Harding didn't skate).

Yeah I said this yesterday. They need to have traveling alternates. And probably make everyone give them some negative tests ahead of time too.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

So do I get this? our third alternate in ladies isn’t actually eligible to even go and they made this decision during a ********* when it’s probably more likely than ever that we would need an alternate Great move US figure skating

No one actually knows what the ISU will do with world minimums during the pandemic given that there was no chance to earn them.

 

[Karen-W]

So do I get this? our third alternate in ladies isn’t actually eligible to even go and they made this decision during a ********* when it’s probably more likely than ever that we would need an alternate Great move US figure skating

They're waiting to hear what the ISU is going to do with respect to World minimum TES. Who else can we send that already has the minimums? I think Starr might be the next highest finisher who has the current World minimums.

 

[BaileyCatts]

Right choice. But I would have mariah as 1st alternate

 

[haribobo]

Mariah has had jump problems all season to be honest. 2nd alternate is appropriate.

 

[VGThuy]

I think it’s because I don’t have the history of actually watching Amber Glenn closely while I’m a fan of Chen and have watched her closely, and as happy as I am that Chen is back at Worlds, I can’t help but think this is a mistake, if Worlds moves forward. I’d like Glenn to get Worlds experience and try for that 3A. I also think her kind of skating despite empty programs and sloppier carriage will do pretty well internationally due to speed and ice coverage and big jumps. She also doesn’t have the UR issues Chen may have. But then she does have the history of never competing well that’s even worse than Chen’s. I just think it would have been great for Amber to get more mileage and opportunities to try that 3A and see how international judges rate her if she does well.

 

[jenny12]

Poor Amber. I’d understand picking Mariah over Karen but, as much as I enjoy her skating, I don’t think her performances merit someone being passed over in favor of her.

 

[Frau Muller]

Congrats, Bradie & Karen! Tried & true selections. Amber will have her chance soon enough.

 

[PRlady]

I think it’s because I don’t have the history of actually watching Amber Glenn closely while I’m a fan of Chen and have watched her closely, and as happy as I am that Chen is back at Worlds, I can’t help but think this is a mistake, if Worlds moves forward. I’d like Glenn to get Worlds experience and try for that 3A. I also think her kind of skating despite empty programs and sloppier carriage will do pretty well internationally due to speed and ice coverage and big jumps. She also doesn’t have the UR issues Chen may have. But then she does have the history of never competing well that’s even worse than Chen’s. I just think it would have been great for Amber to get more mileage and opportunities to try that 3A and see how international judges rate her if she does well.

Which virus willing will happen next fall in the GP. Karen has Worlds experience and it was a smart choice.

 

[genevieve]

I think this was the right decision, even though I hate the BOW criteria. We'll see if it ends up meaning anything.

 

[MacMadame]

I just think it would have been great for Amber to get more mileage and opportunities to try that 3A and see how international judges rate her if she does well.

That's where I'm at. I think in terms of performance, it's a crapshoot between them so go with the one who needs the experience. What if Amber wins Nats next year and goes to the Olympics with no experience at that level of competition?

I think USFS was afraid she's completely meltdown and lose us the 2nd spot and they weren't willing to risk it.

 

[aka_gerbil]

I think USFS was afraid she's completely meltdown and lose us the 2nd spot and they weren't willing to risk it.

USFS has lost spots in the past by rolling the dice on sending skaters to worlds who have no prior experience. Amber has melted down in more high pressure free skates than she hasn’t.

I do think if 4CC was going to happen, and Amber had competed well there in the FS, she would have gotten the worlds spot. She might have gotten the spot if it weren’t the Olympic spots on the line.

 

[skatingguy]

He's not wearing an undershirt under the vest - not a good look on the lifts.

 

[Lemonade20]

USFS has lost spots in the past by rolling the dice on sending skaters to worlds who have no prior experience. Amber has melted down in more high pressure free skates than she hasn’t.

I do think if 4CC was going to happen, and Amber had competed well there in the FS, she would have gotten the worlds spot. She might have gotten the spot if it weren’t the Olympic spots on the line.

Amber did well, but is she really ready?

 

[aka_gerbil]

Amber did well, but is she really ready?

Sort of my point is if 4CC had happened, we’d know if she was ready to take on worlds. Or, if there wasn’t so much at stake, USFS might have been more willing to take a chance.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

Except that USFSA has never once used 4CC as a skate off and the 4CC following nationals is not one of their criteria, so I don't know why we'd think they'd change that.

 

[Lemonade20]

Even in a normal year, it’s not a guarantee that finishing on the podium means a ticket to Worlds

 

[Sylvia]

Press release: https://www.usfigureskating.org/new...ens-pairs-and-ice-dance-selections-world-team

Selections are listed in alphabetical order (except for alternates); 2021 Nationals placement added by me:

Men
Jason Brown (S3)
Nathan Chen (S1)
Vincent Zhou (S2) ETA: He only competed once internationally last season (63.82 TES in his 2019 U.S. Classic FS; 64 is minimum for Worlds)

Alternate 1 – Tomoki Hiwatashi (S7)
Alternate 2 –Maxim Naumov* (S5)
Alternate 3 – Camden Pulkinen (S8)

Pairs
Jessica Calalang/Brian Johnson (S2)
Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier* (S1)

Alternate 1 – Ashley Cain-Gribble/Timothy LeDuc (S3)
Alternate 2 – Audrey Lu/Misha Mitrofanov (S4)
Alternate 3 – Emily Chan/Spencer Howe* (S5)

Ice Dance
Madison Chock/Evan Bates (S2)
Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker (S3)
Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (S1)

Alternate 1 – Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko (submitted a petition to be considered)
Alternate 2 – Caroline Green/Michael Parsons (S4)
Alternate 3 – Molly Cesanek/Yehor Yehorov* (S5)

*pending ISU decision on minimum score

 

[jlai]

I don't necessarily agree about Camden being third alternate over Ma, other than that, it is fine.

 

[euterpe]

That's where I'm at. I think in terms of performance, it's a crapshoot between them so go with the one who needs the experience. What if Amber wins Nats next year and goes to the Olympics with no experience at that level of competition?

Bradie won Nationals and went to the Olympics with no experience at that level of Senior competition. As it turned out, she finished the highest of the 3 US ladies in the individual competition and finished 6th at the post-Olympic Worlds.

OTOH while Bradie has always shown herself to be rock-steady, the same can't be said of Amber. This nationals was the first competition where she put together two good programs. She has a long history of skating a blinder in one segment and then bombing the other.

 

[Sylvia]

I don't necessarily agree about Camden being third alternate over Ma, other than that, it is fine.

Jimmy's 6th place finish qualifies him for Team B Tier 2 envelope funding (first time for him in B) next year. Being named 2nd or 3rd alternate to Worlds also qualifies skaters/teams for the Team B-2 envelope.

 

[Carolla5501]

So why isn’t the Men’s pewter medalist an alternate? Seems strange

 

[tony]

So why isn’t the Men’s pewter medalist an alternate? Seems strange

Not released from Ukraine to skate internationally.