US Nationals 2013

Gracie's pcs was between 6.00- 9.00 what a huge gap

roma wrote:

I think this will be Ashley's last National title, too, unless she steps up more. The younger girls are hungry for a spot. I just feel bad for Mirai and Caroline the way they were dumped in front of everyone.

i am kinda shocked at the scoring, but i haven't had time to watch any videos yet. How was Caroline's FP? Was it not enough to pull her further up the ranks? and how did christina skate overall? i just realised that she is 5th AGAIN.

i just hope that these girls will channel their disappointment into motivation. Will their placing at nationals cause them to lose their 2 spots for the GP series?

koala_lover wrote:

How was Caroline's FP? Was it not enough to pull her further up the ranks?

She skated quite well and her program was well received by the audience. She received no UR cals this time! However, her program was a bit lacking in technical content: she had no 3S or 3T in her program, and her 3Lz received an edge call and still had the hammer toe on the take-off. I feel, quite sad for her; her jump issues are quite similar to Mao's from some time ago and she's been working on fixing her technique as well... This just shows how difficult it is to change one's jumping style.

Quote :

and how did christina skate overall? i just realised that she is 5th AGAIN.

From what I've read, Christina skated well (no falls) and people were upset she placed lower than Courtney in the LP (and overall). I haven't watched her and Courtney's programs yet, though, so I can't tell anything about the programs myself.

Quote :

i just hope that these girls will channel their disappointment into motivation. Will their placing at nationals cause them to lose their 2 spots for the GP series?

It depends on the ISU ranking, I guess we'll have to see if they are going to get any international assignments to get more points...

inskate wrote:

koala_lover wrote:

How was Caroline's FP? Was it not enough to pull her further up the ranks?

She skated quite well and her program was well received by the audience. She received no UR cals this time! However, her program was a bit lacking in technical content: she had no 3S or 3T in her program, and her 3Lz received an edge call and still had the hammer toe on the take-off. I feel, quite sad for her; her jump issues are quite similar to Mao's from some time ago and she's been working on fixing her technique as well... This just shows how difficult it is to change one's jumping style.

Quote :

and how did christina skate overall? i just realised that she is 5th AGAIN.

From what I've read, Christina skated well (no falls) and people were upset she placed lower than Courtney in the LP (and overall). I haven't watched her and Courtney's programs yet, though, so I can't tell anything about the programs myself.

Quote :

i just hope that these girls will channel their disappointment into motivation. Will their placing at nationals cause them to lose their 2 spots for the GP series?

It depends on the ISU ranking, I guess we'll have to see if they are going to get any international assignments to get more points...

Christina: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dC6TRVzTik
Courtney: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk7VhedT2zk

Ashley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5anPadp_18
Gracie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU78A1ezsJA

Couldn't find the others yet.

I thought Christina did well, but it seems the audience wasn't so excited when her performance was over, so maybe she lacked speed? It's difficult to figure out whether a skater has speed or not from a YT vid...

It might be just the camera angles, but Courtney does seem faster than Christina...but she popped a jump. Not sure which performance I liked better. Courtney had more dynamism, and Christina had more grace. Matter of preference in the end I suppose...

ETA* Found Agnes's FP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jGvxPJ5kTI
I also found Caroline's FP, though the vid quality is bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl9oqmW7NE4

I also finally found the protocols for ladies FS...it was so hard to find, it kinda felt as though they wanted to hide it or something!
Protocols: http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2013/68390/SEGM002.html
Results: http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2013/68390/CAT001SEG002.html

CONGRATULATIONS MAX AARON!!! Wow, that was AMAZING!!! I am so happy for him!! I hope he and Ross go to worlds. I don't see Jeremy going - he hasn't proven himself this year or really ever internationally.

Alokya wrote:

CONGRATULATIONS MAX AARON!!! Wow, that was AMAZING!!! I am so happy for him!! I hope he and Ross go to worlds. I don't see Jeremy going - he hasn't proven himself this year or really ever internationally.

WHATTTT??????

It means no Jeremy at Worlds?

polosatik wrote:

It means no Jeremy at Worlds?

I am still not sure, but it was so painful to see his heartbroken expression after his skate. His quad was short of rotation and he made some mistakes. Even he knew it because he mouthed "so stupid" to himself after his skate.

Anyway congratulations to the top three. Max Aaron in particular presented an inspired skate today!

klarification wrote:

polosatik wrote:

It means no Jeremy at Worlds?

I am still not sure, but it was so painful to see his heartbroken expression after his skate. His quad was short of rotation and he made some mistakes. Even he knew it because he mouthed "so stupid" to himself after his skate.

Anyway congratulations to the top three. Max Aaron in particular presented an inspired skate today!

Probably no Jeremy at worlds. He is no poster child of USFSA because he keeps doing well at nationals but then royally screws up at every international competition imaginable. I think it'll be Max and Ross. It's only fair.

US Figure Skating announced who it will be sending to Worlds and Four Continents

https://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=48908&type=media

skating_fanatic wrote:

US Figure Skating announced who it will be sending to Worlds and Four Continents

https://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=48908&type=media

Surprising: Jeremy is not attending 4CC; Christina gets to go to 4CC
Not surprising: Ashley is not attending 4CC

BTW, here's Mirai's FS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HeFWQROmYA

Wow... end of the season for Jeremy. That is a bit wrong, in my opinion. Yeah, he isn't a poster child, but he did win the bronze medal and should have the opportunity to compete beyond nationals. I really hate USFSA right now...

I want to cry for Caroline and Mirai, they were incredible, and Caroline is obvious she has worked a lot, she is not slow, and she is very expresive , but I am glad that the us have so many good female figure skaters. though I am not agree with the nats results .

COHK wrote:

skating_fanatic wrote:

US Figure Skating announced who it will be sending to Worlds and Four Continents

https://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=48908&type=media

Surprising: Jeremy is not attending 4CC; Christina gets to go to 4CC
Not surprising: Ashley is not attending 4CC

BTW, here's Mirai's FS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HeFWQROmYA

Wait. Ashley is the reigning 4CC champion. If anything, she should be going there. Maybe Nicks said something so that she could recover from her injury?

Alokya wrote:

COHK wrote:

skating_fanatic wrote:

US Figure Skating announced who it will be sending to Worlds and Four Continents

https://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=48908&type=media

Surprising: Jeremy is not attending 4CC; Christina gets to go to 4CC
Not surprising: Ashley is not attending 4CC

BTW, here's Mirai's FS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HeFWQROmYA

Wait. Ashley is the reigning 4CC champion. If anything, she should be going there. Maybe Nicks said something so that she could recover from her injury?

I think so too. There still seems to be something wrong with Ashley physically, and maybe those 2 falls in FP might've made them worse? She probabaly wants herself in best condition by Worlds by skipping 4CC. Actually, that's pretty good news for Mao maybe...with no Yuna and Ashley there, 4CC will be another big chance for her to win a title this season (but is Kaetlyn entering?). Plus, with fewer strong opponents around, 4CC will be the right time for her to try out her 3A and 3-3 if she wants to. Even if Gracie manages a good skate like she did in US Nats FP, I'm quite sure the judges won't score her PCS as high as Mao. Same for Agnes. Mao's biggest rival might be Akiko (or Kaetlyn, but we've never actually seen her do good in a major Intl competiton so we'll never know how really competitive she is). However, Akiko may be running out of strength a bit at this poing. I haven't seen her performance yet, but in Kokutai she placed 2nd in SP with Haruka in 1st place (note:Haruka gave her best SP performance of the season! No visible faults, fairly clean at last!). Even if Mao includes and URs her 3A, as long as the landing is okay and her other jumps have no faults, she should get enough PCS to push her to the top according to the PCSs she's been getting throughout the season. DGs or falls may be critical, but that's the same for all other girls too.

Meanwhile, I suppose the US Fed wants Gracie to get more experience in major Intl competitions before Worlds; something she definitely needs. At the same time they probably want Agnes and Christina to be ready just in case Ashley's condition doesn't get better by Worlds and they'll have to send either one of them to Worlds.

Here are the guys vids btw...
Max: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y30X0z3nSj4
Ross: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIbtqzKzm6s
Jeremy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SK1TQn6m3A

Max kind of reminds me of a young Joubert; quads but weak in transitions, cool arm moves. But I think that Ross is the most reliable US guy right now. He may not make the podium, but I have a feeling he'll do better than Ross at Worlds. He has a unique charm which makes the audience want to support him even when he makes mistakes. Kind of like Yuzu in that sense. Anyways, although not sending Jeremy to Worlds seems like a fair choice, sending Ross and Gracie is quite a gamble and the odds are against them I think. They'll be pressured like they've never been before, and that can easily kill a skater who's inexperienced in major Intl competitions, not to mention they'll be responsible for getting spots for Olys. I can't help feeling that if Evan had even half as much patriotism over his pride and ego like Plush, he would've and should've entered Nats this season which probabaly may have lead him on to Worlds. If Ross and Max manage to get 2 spots for Olys, and should Evan return next season taking one spot away from them, I'll end up getting pissed. I wouldn't mind if Jeremy pulls himself together next season and gets one of the spots, cause he's been entering competitions even when he was in terrible condition. He didn't WD by making excuses about his conditions not being perfect. I think he should at least get credit for that.

Btw, maybe Jeremy should have kept from appealing to the press that he's in great condition for US Nats. If he had let the Fed know there's something wrong with him now but it can be fixed by Worlds, he might've been treated sweetly as Ashley.

how in the world did ashley managed to win?? lol.. i guess when u have enough incentives for LP no matter how you will skate even if falling w/ your as* it doesn't really matter.. and now the hype for gracie gold as the US fed will likely push her next season..

sochi oly is getting more interesting..

Alokya wrote:

Wow... end of the season for Jeremy. That is a bit wrong, in my opinion. Yeah, he isn't a poster child, but he did win the bronze medal and should have the opportunity to compete beyond nationals. I really hate USFSA right now...

But I read somewhere that he declined the invitation to go to 4cc since he even is not in the alternate list..

It was clear from the beginning that they wanted to send Ashley to worlds, but for her to not just make the podium but also win the competition, was a total joke. heck i wouldn't have had her on the podium at all. I really thought Gold and Mirai did enough to overtake her. what I didn't expect was for the USAF not to send Ashley to 4CC.

If anybody has any input on US Nationals, send it here - Peter Murray is listened to by USFSA. Of course, write thoughtfully and respectfully - don't get too heated in your e-mail.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/peter-murray/post-us-nationals-topics-that-need-input-and-discussion/10151221414236186

ballerinamao wrote:

It was clear from the beginning that they wanted to send Ashley to worlds, but for her to not just make the podium but also win the competition, was a total joke. heck i wouldn't have had her on the podium at all. I really thought Gold and Mirai did enough to overtake her. what I didn't expect was for the USAF not to send Ashley to 4CC.

Actually, according to GS, it's Ashley's coach Mr. Nicks who suggests her to skip 4CC so as to regain her health...there was discussion that she got salmonella (!) prior to Nationals and didn't get to practice too much. It was even so obvious that she was having hard time to run through the FS cleanly in the practice video. If that's the case, it is wise she chooses to skip 4CC.

[I'm not defending Ashley here...like PochinkoPotanko, I used to like her, until USFSA decided to promote her suddenly last season. And by not attending 4CC, she has one less chance to try out the 3-3/2A-3T jumps she's been claiming to do since the beginning of the season. Without these jumping passes, I think it will not be easy for her to get on the podium at world this year.]

Here is Mirai and Ashley's reactions when Mirai's score came out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTPaiGuMTM8

My heart goes to Mirai. She didn't deserved this. Her FP wasn't bad at all despite her not feeling well that day.

ddmm wrote:

Here is Mirai and Ashley's reactions when Mirai's score came out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTPaiGuMTM8

My heart goes to Mirai. She didn't deserved this. Her FP wasn't bad at all despite her not feeling well that day.

Thanks for the video, ddmm. When I saw a pic of that on Twitter I felt bad. Seeing this vid, it looks different from what I've read in other posts on twitter. Looks like she was talking to someone and smiling about something else. The sigh of relief looks like it stems from the event having ended finally and holding on to her position. She wasn't smirking at Mirai's score or placement. At least now it's clarified.

chapis wrote:

I want to cry for Caroline and Mirai, they were incredible, and Caroline is obvious she has worked a lot, she is not slow, and she is very expresive , but I am glad that the us have so many good female figure skaters. though I am not agree with the nats results .

I just watched Mirai's FS. I saw her ranking and score first, and I thought,"She must have fallen, barely completed any jumps, etc." However, she didn't even fall. I don't know much about figure skating, but I do pity her because I felt like she was really put down score-wise. This is one of those times that I miss having the 6.0 system. Wasn't this former system beneficial for skaters who didn't fall? Yes? No?

So I've been reading the forum for a few days, and have been itching to post. Now I finally have the time.

So on the whole ladies craziness: Mirai was robbed. Robbed! ROBBED!! ROBBED!!! . I knew by that time after they'd been so harsh on Caroline (who did SO well, and I'm so proud of her!) that the judges were idiots. I still naively hoped they would give Mirai a medal after her LP. I thought there was even a chance she would get gold. At least silver or bronze. So I was completely shocked and appalled to see 7th. I know my skating well enough not to be THIS off base with my evaluation compared to the judges. This does NOT seem right. There's been times when I've been shocked at the scoring, but never when a skater who I thought might win the whole thing came in freaking 7TH! I felt so bad for her when she lost it in kiss n cry. My heart goes out to her.

Mirai and Gracie should have been 1st and 2nd. I would have been ok with whichever order. Although I'd prefer Mirai as 1st. Ashley should have been 3rd. I don't see how in the hell Ashley had the 2nd highest scoring LP. The beginning of the program was good, but that was about it. Two falls, and the rest of the program had no major problems, but did have some small ones, and left a lot to be desired. Mirai had NO falls, and her programs were both satisfying to the audience (Which I know doesn't count for crap, but maybe it should. Things are already cockeyed. They couldn't get much worse). Just a hand down, a little bit of a shaky landing, and apparently some URs and DGs. To me, I don't see how there could be such a broad difference in their scores.

If there was any doubt before this weekend, there is not now that Gracie is the next golden girl (no pun intended) for the US. She is not my one of my favorite skaters at this point, but I do think she is very good, and should be able to be a considerable threat internationally before too long. She has big jumps, something about her skating tells me she's probably pretty consistent (knock on wood), she has a good look, she's got a good story, and she's obviously got the perfect name. Anyone else think Gracie and Katelyn Osmond have a lot in common? Between the good new Sr. skaters, I prefer Christina. She's more than big jump fireworks. But it looks like US has already chosen their favorite. Christina's going to have to fight harder. She's not going to have anything handed to her.

Most of the fireworks did seem to be with the up and coming skaters. I have never been a big Agnes fan, but best of luck to her. Courtney was likable. Yasmin: never heard of her before now. A pleasant surprise. Samantha: Well done! I am a sucker for a good swan lake program, but I do think she has a bright future.

So onto mens: Max Aaron?! Wow, this guy came out of nowhere. Never even heard of him before. What a pleasant surprise! I now see a bright new hope for US men. If he keeps skating like this, he has great potential to medal in major competitions.

Pairs: Well.... Our raining champions are nothing to get excited about. The team who came in second, Scimeca and Knierim were considerably good for their first year together. I like the team who came in third even better, Zhang and Bartholomay. They were very likable, and I think they are a fairly new team as well. IF these teams can manage to stay together for a while, we might see some good things from them! My God, SOMEONE stay together please!

Mao_Asada_sunrise wrote:

chapis wrote:

I want to cry for Caroline and Mirai, they were incredible, and Caroline is obvious she has worked a lot, she is not slow, and she is very expresive , but I am glad that the us have so many good female figure skaters. though I am not agree with the nats results .

I just watched Mirai's FS. I saw her ranking and score first, and I thought,"She must have fallen, barely completed any jumps, etc." However, she didn't even fall. I don't know much about figure skating, but I do pity her because I felt like she was really put down score-wise. This is one of those times that I miss having the 6.0 system. Wasn't this former system beneficial for skaters who didn't fall? Yes? No?

Yes, the 6.0 system was more beneficial to skaters who didn't fall and skated a program that was clean and pleasant to the AUDIENCE. I know one of big the reasons the 6.0 system was replaced was because they wanted the SP to count for more. This is very understandable. However, I still don't know if there is a perfect balance between how SP and LP are factored into an overall score. I can't really figure out a better way to do it than how they do it right now - judging every individual element, etc. - but the way the overall standings have been turning out (especially lately) have been making me more and more frustrated.

I'm tired of seeing someone do great in the SP, and bomb in the LP, yet win the whole thing. And vise versa when someone bombs in the SP and does great in the LP, but doesn't win, or come in what would seem like the appropriate place. It feels like the SP is almost more important that the LP not just some of the time, but a LOT of the time. I know it's about all the individual elements, and not the program as a
whole, but it just feels wrong when an when things go down like this. As far as this goes, the old system did leave the viewers feeling more satisfied - which does count for a lot. People are getting fed up, and pissed.