Which skaters will be at SC 2016?

Last year at Skate Canada, a ticket did not buy a particular seat, if I'm not mistaken.

Can anyone tell me if this is the case at Missisauga? It's not a long drive from me, and I'd love to see Yuzu; he's usually at SC. As is Ashley. But I need to know that I've bought a particular seat, not the opportunity of standing in line for hours to get a good choice of seats.

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skylark said:

Edited: Sorry, I was thinking of a different event in Canada that Yuzu was at. So I feel sure that my original question/post isn't relevant.

But I am wondering when we get the Grand Prix assignments so that we know which skaters will be there. If anyone can help.

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Mango said:

The other event, Autumn Classic International, will have the same situation this year. Tickets sold at the door, so there shouldn't be assigned seating. I wish Skate Canada would organize it a bit better so that fans don't end up camping out again.

You've got it apgold. We'll have to wait a bit longer because of the ISU elections.

Early predictions for skaters?

I'm gonna say: Patrick Chan, Meagan Duhamel/Eric Radford, Alaine Chartrand, Weaver/Poje, and Virtue/Moir. The champs, plus the returnees. Also expecting to see some of the skaters from Cricket Club mainly Fernandez or Hanyu and Tursynbaeva. Hope to see Korean and Japanese skaters too. Ice dance is gonna be fun!

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apgold said:

Last year, we got the news middle of June, so I imagine it would be around the same time?

ETA: I saw in another thread that this will be decided at the GP selection meeting on June 29th & 30th in NYC. Assuming that means we'll get the announcement around that time. (Also, why do they have these meetings in NYC but never hold a GP event there or in the tri-state area?)

If anyone's interested in attending SC and you haven't bought your all event tickets yet, most of the "lower bowl" seats are gone.

It's far from sold out, but if anyone was planning to get seats near the ice, you're out of luck.

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skylark said:

On the Predictions question, does anyone have a prediction/ speculation / thoughts for Ashley Wagner?

She's been at Skate Canada for the past two years, with Gracie at Skate America. I don't know how the thinking (is it USFSA who decides?) might stay the same or change, as Gracie is again National Champ, while Ashley is World Silver Medalist. I am not up on the politics / strategy, etc.

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skylark said:

On the Predictions question, does anyone have a prediction/ speculation / thoughts for Ashley Wagner?

She's been at Skate Canada for the past two years, with Gracie at Skate America. I don't know how the thinking (is it USFSA who decides?) might stay the same or change, as Gracie is again National Champ, while Ashley is World Silver Medalist. I am not up on the politics / strategy, etc.

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Mango said:

USFSA is in an interesting situation as you've pointed out. I think they'll pick Ashley over Gracie at this point for Skate America. Her stock went through the roof by winning a World medal. Gracie could easily come to Skate Canada if they want her to. Being the US champion should earn her a travel break. I'm curious to see where Edmunds goes.

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StitchMonkey said:

Actually USFSA is kinda in an odd situation for all the disciplines.

Both Ashley vs Gracie and Alexa Scimeca & Chris Knierim vs Tarah Kayne & Daniel O'Shea are interesting cases.

In both cases one is the reigning US Champion, but the other had the better showing at worlds. Also Gracie and Alexa & Chris both medaled at SA last year... if that is a factor then we have to look at the other half if skating.

Max Aaron as well as Chock and Bates, were gold medalist at at SA last year. Should they get to defend their title? In both cases someone else beat them at US Nationals by one placement and both of the US Champions were 1-2 places higher then them at worlds.

So who gets to go ShibSibs and Adam Rippon as US Champs and highest at worlds? Or is it better to have Chock and Bates and Max Aaron defend their titles? Will they be consistent? Should they be or should it be case by case? Is USFSA going to just invite them all... I mean that might sell tickets.

I think Adam and Ashley might go with stick with what works Skate Canada. She especially may want to try to defend her title.

I don't envy this decision making process.

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Mango said:

USFSA is in an interesting situation as you've pointed out. I think they'll pick Ashley over Gracie at this point for Skate America. Her stock went through the roof by winning a World medal.

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StitchMonkey said:

Actually USFSA is kinda in an odd situation for all the disciplines.

Both Ashley vs Gracie and Alexa Scimeca & Chris Knierim vs Tarah Kayne & Daniel O'Shea are interesting cases.

In both cases one is the reigning US Champion, but the other had the better showing at worlds. Also Gracie and Alexa & Chris both medaled at SA last year... if that is a factor then we have to look at the other half if skating.

Max Aaron as well as Chock and Bates, were gold medalist at at SA last year. Should they get to defend their title? In both cases someone else beat them at US Nationals by one placement and both of the US Champions were 1-2 places higher then them at worlds.

So who gets to go ShibSibs and Adam Rippon as US Champs and highest at worlds? Or is it better to have Chock and Bates and Max Aaron defend their titles? Will they be consistent? Should they be or should it be case by case? Is USFSA going to just invite them all... I mean that might sell tickets.

I think Adam and Ashley might go with stick with what works Skate Canada. She especially may want to try to defend her title.

I don't envy this decision making process.

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Mango said:

For any pairs, I think USFSA is going to pick the one that has the better chance to medal for Skate America. Because Duhamel/Radford are practically a lock for Skate Canada and they won't want to pit their best against the World Champions.

I am going to bet we'll see Chock/Bates at Skate Canada. USFSA is going to want their ice dance champions and the World silver medallists at Skate America. It would also hurt the Shibs really badly if they came to Skate Canada and placed lower than Virtue/Moir or even Weaver/Poje. In that sense, USFSA will shield them. And I don't see Skate Canada or USFSA inviting the French. There's too much ice dance power in North America to welcome them.

For Adam or Max, I think it'll come down to which of the world medallists will be at Skate America. If it's Boyang Jin, then Adam could be at Skate America. If it's Hanyu or Fernandez, I can see USFSA keeping Max and sending Adam to Skate Canada.

I think all the fields have changed so much for American skaters from 2014-2015 to 2015-2016 that it'll be a different kind of game in 2016-2017. But USFSA will do its best to maximize the potential for their top skaters to medal. From my understanding, that means keeping the stronger skaters for a weaker field, and sending out stronger skaters if they're hosting a strong field.[/QUOTE]

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So, does USFSA wait to see who's accepted invitations to SA before they assign the US skaters? If Evgenia accepts to SA, will they assign Gracie or Ashley, or Mirai and Polina?

I never thought about all this much, but everyone's speculations are very interesting.

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dorispulaski said:

If Evgenia goes to Skate America, Ashley would not ordinarily go there, as only one of the three World medalists is supposed to be assigned to each of the six GP events.

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skylark said:

Oh, okay. Cool. That makes sense. Last year Russia sent their WC, Liza T., to Skate Canada. I wonder if that pattern might repeat. I guess I'm really impatient to find out.

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humbaba said:

Don't the initial host picks come first? Then the top seeds get to pick and their choices are traditionally honored. Gold medalist gets first choice, then silver picks from GPs not chosen by gold medalists, then bronze gets what's left.

There were no Canadian ice dance teams on the podium at Worlds, so no matter who SC chooses as their host pick, Pap/Ciz can pick SC if they want. If SC names Virtue/Moir as their host pick, I doubt the world champs will want to go there.

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