Which 3 American Ladies go to The Olympics?

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Loved the Janny poll, so here is the USA poll.

Which 3 USA ladies will compete at the 2018 Olympics??? Lots to think about....

No other. Choose from the list.

 

[blue_idealist]

I put Ashley, Gracie, and Mirai. I'm being an optimist about the last two, I know. It could be Karen Chen instead of one of them.

 

[centerpt1]

Right now, I think the team will be Ashley, Karen and Mirai. This is a different question than the other poll asking who I want to see at the Olympics. I think poor Gracie is too far gone to get back to top form, but I hope she surprises me.

 

[Jeschke]

I can't see the 5th place finisher of last nationals on the list!


#teamzhang

 

[supergirl573]

Ashley, Karen, and someone else.

 

[briancoogaert]

I hope Ashley Wagner, Polina Edmunds and Mariah Bell

 

[Areski]

I think Edmunds, Wagner & Chen. I'd prefer Gold or Nagasu over Edmunds but that's my gut feeling.

 

[chapis]

Ashley, Karen and Mirai

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I can't see the 5th place finisher of last nationals on the list!


#teamzhang

LOLLL....sorry only 10 spots available...And she wouldn't be my 11th choice either..... I may be a party of 1 here but I think her chances are wayyyyyyyyyyy off. But I could be 110% wrong as well.

If Nats weren't in the Bay I'd say Ashley, Mirai and Karen

But because they are I say Polina and Karen perform well and Mirai sneaks in..possibly...POSSIBLY leaving Wags off.....

Just don't know anything about Gold to include her in yet.

 

[bardtoob]

I am pretty certain Ashley is the only lock so long as she skates to her ability through nationals, regardless of her placements, and the rest are competing for two spots ... And the competition begins in August between:

Edmunds
Chen
Gold
Nagasu
Bell

 

[Wyliefan]

All I know is I'm going to be crushed for whoever doesn't make it. But I think Ashley and Karen probably have the best shot. For all her inconsistency, Karen does show a tendency to peak at big events, which is unquestionably the best time to peak!

 

[bardtoob]

All I know is I'm going to be crushed for whoever doesn't make it.

I agree.

For all her inconsistency, Karen does show a tendency to peak at big events, which is unquestionably the best time to peak!

I don't think there is enough information to see a trend with Chen. My fear is she will peak for 2018 Worlds, but perform at the 2018 Olympics like she did at 2017 4CC

I would like to see Chen earn a spot at the GPF, which would be a strong indication of some consistency going into the post-Nationals selection discussion.

 

[Jeschke]

LOLLL....sorry only 10 spots available...

and you still have someone like hicks in it!
fan or no fan. taking the last season into consideraton, caroline is way more likely than da hicks.
(though even i, as the hardest fan, think her chances are down to 0,1% )

---

Either way, I'll go with Wagner, Nagasu (usually Zhang, as I really would like the junior worlds podium to make it to olympics togetehr so many years later) and Gold (as if I can't have Zhang, I go with Gold, as I am a sucker for a great comeback-story)

 

[skateboy]

I think the team will have everything to do with how these ladies do on the Grand Prix.

 

[RoseRed]

I'm thinking Karen, Ashley and someone else, probably one of Polina, Mirai and Mariah. It'd be great if Gracie showed up in good form, but I can't count on it, particularly with the reports of her doing all singles and doubles on SOI.

 

[DimaToe]

Caroline Zhang, Katie McBeath and Megan Wessenberg

 

[Dobre]

I think the team will have everything to do with how these ladies do on the Grand Prix.

I don't, really. I think most of the U.S. ladies tend to build toward Nationals.

Mirai, Karen, Polina--people count them out regularly during the GP and it's a mistake. There's no reason to believe a slow start means they won't be among the strongest ladies at the end of the season. I don't see a GPF medal going ignored any more than I did in 2014. But there's quite a bit of evidence that many of our top ladies get stronger late. At least this year, SA will be later on the GP.

 

[skateboy]

I don't, really. I think most of the U.S. ladies tend to build toward Nationals.

Yes, but the USFSA has made it clear that placements at Nationals are no longer a guarantee of being named to an Olympic or World team (unfortunately, IMO). If someone has a terrific season but ends up 4th or lower at Nationals, I think there's every reason to believe that skater will replace one that happens to peak at Nats.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I am pretty certain Ashley is the only lock

First time I have ever disagreed with you

I don't see Ash (my fav) as a lock anymore..... While I was surprised that she was underscored last year... the judges didn't seem as impressed with her anymore.

I say Polina and one of Tennell, Pierce, Glenn (not as much pressure for them as some of the others) has a gangbuster Nats as well as Polina back in form. If Mirai is popping off clean 3 axels and Gold gets it back I see Ash's path as less clear...... especially if ISU judges are handing out < and << gratuitously

Im also considering home-ice advantage as Im sure Polina and Karen will be excited to perform well in front of home town audiences.

 

[Sylvia]

Tyler Pierce hasn't competed since her 6th place finish at 2016 Junior Worlds... not sure who is coaching her now.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

and you still have someone like hicks in it!

Well, Hicks medaled the past 2 seasons at GP events... (not even Polina has ever medaled, so to me I still do see her as a longgggshot).

I just don't see any love from ISU judges to Caroline anymore.. I really do think her time is gone.... Her speed isn't much improved.... Her trademark Pearl spin was MIA. is it not worth much points? Or can she not do it?

I just don't see anything happening from judges to her. As I said I could be 110% wrong.. but I think we will see some of the newer names step it up at Nats, even possibly leaving Wags in jeopardy!!!!

 

[alchemy void]

I just don't see any love from ISU judges to Caroline anymore.

.

She can't get love when she isn't submitted for any international assignments!

Her speed isn't much improved....

That was very nice. Speed was never her strength, even back in her peak, and she was much too slow last season to be competitive on the elite stage (say top 10 at Worlds).

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

That was very nice. Speed was never her strength,

Hey you..I always love seeing your avatar.

Thats a main thing holding her back in scores.

When I first joined here 2-3 years ago one of the first threads I started was regarding her, asking this community here how come she had fallen so and trying to understand her PCS going so low. People on this board educated me about her speed, transitions and her < and << that she really wasnt getting dinged on when her and Kimmie made it to the GPF (in those days).

Since that year scores kept going south and at the US Nationals too. I posed a question in a thread asking others to help me understand it. So after I got some feedback I payed more attention to <, << and PCS to understand why judges didn't give her a score I thought should have been higher.

I think THE BOSS MAN @Jeschke also mentioned to me about her... so considering the poll or question who do y'all think will make the Oly team. I just don't see what is gonna change this year that will elevate her skating to the Olys.... I always LUUURRRVEEE a comeback (Get it Deanna!) so Ill be way pleased if something happens!

 

[DimaToe]

Honestly I think it'll be Edmunds, Chen and Wagner.

Given the location, the fact that Polina won't go down without a fight, And Wagner wanting redemption from 2014. Let's see how it goes for Karen, she's shone that she can step up when it's really big so idk how skating at home will mix with that. But she showed at worlds that her skating is the most IJS friendly the U.S. ladies can offer right now...so I'm optimistic??

At least for this week

 

[Karpenko]

If Michelle Kwan were an option I honestly would've picked her.

I think Ashley/Karen/Mirai, but I expect Polina (and maybe even someone like Caroline) to be the spoiler.

Nobody is really paying attention to Caroline when it comes to team selection, and she's already a better option than Gracie (bless her) right now IMO. Lack of GP could hurt Caroline, but she could also sneak in and surprise like Polina did in 2014. That's kind of what she did at 2017 Nats, but I'm also an eternal optimist with her.

 

[Karpenko]

Speed is part of Caroline's charm!

She's clearly giving us the time to grab a box of cheezits (or healthier snacks) from the pantry/fridge during the footwork, just in time for Tara Lipinski to remind us that the 3loop/3loop is very difficult. If Karen Kwan starts chasing her during runthroughs she'll be fine.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Honestly I think it'll be Edmunds, Chen and Wagner.

Given the location, the fact that Polina won't go down without a fight, And Wagner wanting redemption from 2014. Let's see how it goes for Karen, she's shone that she can step up when it's really big so idk how skating at home will mix with that. But she showed at worlds that her skating is the most IJS friendly the U.S. ladies can offer right now...so I'm optimistic??

At least for this week

I kind of agree... but for some reason I see Nagasu fighting for her spot... Thats why I see Ash's path as unclear... and mostly, yes, because of where Nats are being held......

 

[olympic]

There are too many variables at this point to be sure:

I would choose Wagner as the most likely to make the team, but of the rest -

Gold has turned into an unknown factor due to her crack-up last year. Edmonds is the most consistent (despite the UR here and there) but hasn't competed in quite a while. Chen has an even no. of bad skates and good skates. I think Bell is in the same boat as Chen. Nagasu seems to go south at the most inopportune moments. Hicks has the occasional medal on the GP circuit but never delivers when it matters w/ regard to making the team. I would bet that the others such as Pierce, Tennell and Glenn won't be in the running.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

[QUOTE="I would bet that the others such as Pierce, Tennell and Glenn won't be in the running.[/QUOTE]

For sure... but then in '14 up till and at Nationals I was like "Who is Polina?"

 

[DimaToe]

For sure... but then in '14 up till and at Nationals I was like "Who is Polina?"

But to Polina's credit, while very short her junior career was a good one. In that Olympic season she won both of her JGP's and was 4th at the JGPF with scores around what other contenders like Gao, Nagasu and Zawadzki were getting on the senior GP.

While they can surprise us all next season Tennell/Pierce/Glenn are pretty much Polina's age and haven't been stellar competitiors on the junior or senior level internationally. People not taking them into consideration have enough reasons to do so IMO.