State of U.S. Ladies' skating 2016-17

[ice coverage]

In terms of Gracie's mental game, I can understand why she would want to compete at Golden Spin.
(And I do agree with others that no one would be forcing her to go.)

Golden Spin takes place at the same time as the GPF.
Barely a month ago, it would have been reasonable for Gracie to hope that she would qualify for the GPF for the third season in a row. (Last season, she was the #1 qualifier among ladies.)

When others are competing in Marseilles, I hope that Gracie will not let it weigh on her mind that she did not qualify this year.
IMO, competing elsewhere at that time seems like a good way for Gracie to stay focused in a productive way on her own skating and on her own goals for the remainder of this season.

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Did not realize that Golden Spin was so soon. Why has Polina withdrawn from NHK but not Golden Spin when they are within a week of each other? ...

The Ladies SPs at NHK and at Golden Spin are almost two weeks apart (Fri Nov 25 vs. Thu Dec 8).
I take my hat off to Polina for withdrawing from NHK so that another lady would have a chance to fill a precious GP slot.

Hope the extra two weeks will help Polina be as well-prepared as possible for Golden Spin. Given that injury has limited her training, two weeks (almost two weeks) could make some difference?

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As discussed above, it's great that Mariah will compete at Tallinn Trophy.
She already is third in the Challenger Series rankings, and she will have a chance to move up.

Go, U.S ladies :yay:.

 

[brightphoton]

As discussed above, it's great that Mariah will compete at Tallinn Trophy.
She already is third in the Challenger Series rankings, and she will have a chance to move up.

What happens if you are ranked highly in the Challenger Series? Do you get to go to a Challenger final, like the GP final?

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

It really depends on what her goal is at this event. If She plans on winning the event, She won't have time to enjoy the beauty of Croatia. She'll be in the rink, hotel, or taxi traveling between each of those places because her "job" requires her full attention from the second her plane lands until the end of her final press conference.

The event has an impressive winners list. Four of the last five champions have won World or Olympic championships. If she wins, expect great things.

 

[tulosai]

What happens if you are ranked highly in the Challenger Series? Do you get to go to a Challenger final, like the GP final?

No, but you get money

 

[mrrice]

Since it appears Gracie is going to this event and many of us aren't quite sure why....I hope she takes the time to experiment with something in her competition routine. Leave Frank at home and bring Lori or an assistant coach, or intentionally watch the performances of everyone else before her (that's a stone-cold Katarina Witt move). Employ some crazy-sounding new strategy suggested by her sports psychologist. Change things up and see what happens.

I Love This Idea!!!! Excellent Comment! Shake things up a bit and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[ice coverage]

What happens if you are ranked highly in the Challenger Series? Do you get to go to a Challenger final, like the GP final?

Before seeing your questions, I was about to go back and edit my post to add, "Among other things, she already is third ..."
I did not mean to over-emphasize the Challenger Series rankings, but for one thing, the top three at the end of the series earn some prize money , as tulosai said. (Although not in the same league as GP prize money.)
Plus I think the "bragging rights" are nice -- at least for us fans . (I have no idea how much [or little] stock the skaters themselves put in Challenger rankings.)

Anyway, just the chance for Mariah to show her stuff again internationally is a good opportunity.
I don't want to jinx her, but from my eyeballing of the other ladies entries, I think it is very realistic for her to earn another medal (maybe gold).
She is three for three with medals at international comps this season, and I hope her momentum will continue at Tallinn and beyond.

 

[SarahSynchro]

There are several good skaters going to Golden Spin. It's not like Gracie can just show up and win the gold with a 40 point margin, even if she has a pop-n-splatfest. Granted, we haven't seen Polina and Carolina yet, and Liza and Elizabet have had wishy-washy results so far this season. Still though, I worry that not doing well there will hinder Gracie's confidence even more.

 

[Layback11]

I think Golden Spin is a good call. Less pressure and a chance to get extra mileage with her programs could be great for her.

Random: is it just me, or did Gracie look happier before her programs at TDF than she has in a while? I felt like she kind of did. If so, that is a huge step in the right direction, even if she bombed...

 

[qwerty]

I think Golden Spin is a good call. Less pressure and a chance to get extra mileage with her programs could be great for her.

Random: is it just me, or did Gracie look happier before her programs at TDF than she has in a while? I felt like she kind of did. If so, that is a huge step in the right direction, even if she bombed...

Yes, I think before the free skate she looked happier. Mark Hanretty also noted the changed demeanor on British Eurosport, and took it as a hopeful sign: even considering her technical troubles, she performed with more conviction than her output would have allowed in the past.

 

[KatGrace1925]

I think Golden Spin is a good call. Less pressure and a chance to get extra mileage with her programs could be great for her.

Random: is it just me, or did Gracie look happier before her programs at TDF than she has in a while? I felt like she kind of did. If so, that is a huge step in the right direction, even if she bombed...

I noticed she looked happier and relaxed. I actually thought she was about to have a clean performance. I heard rumors that the ice at TDF was horrible to skate on and melting in places. I had the thought that maybe she fell on her Lutz because of this reason and that derailed the program. Just a speculation.

 

[SarahSynchro]

Maybe Gracie looked happier at her last outing because she's remembered the most basic reason why she skates, which is usually for the love and joy of the sport. Placement, skill, and performance mean nothing if you don't love the very essence of what you're doing, especially when you've been doing it for the majority of your lifetime.

Hopefully this is the case, and if so, it's definitely a step in the right direction. Gracie needs to make peace with her competitive troubles of the past. Once she does, I think things will change for the better. :yes:

It worked for Carolina. I think in that regard, she and Gracie are very similar.

 

[fallingsk8er]

I hope all goes well for Gracie. I'm looking forward to seeing her pull her season back from out of the toilet.
I'm also hoping Ashley can win another GP title and get into the hunt for the world title.
...and also looking for a little redemption for Mirai after that phoned-in, low energy performance at Skate Canada.

 

[Jammers]

Maybe Gracie looked happier at her last outing because she's remembered the most basic reason why she skates, which is usually for the love and joy of the sport. Placement, skill, and performance mean nothing if you don't love the very essence of what you're doing, especially when you've been doing it for the majority of your lifetime.

Hopefully this is the case, and if so, it's definitely a step in the right direction. Gracie needs to make peace with her competitive troubles of the past. Once she does, I think things will change for the better. :yes:

It worked for Carolina. I think in that regard, she and Gracie are very similar.

Gracie seems to be where Carolina was at in 2009-10 when she bombed at both Worlds in 2009 then the Olympics. Problem is Carolina had no competition in Italy and was a lock to make the World and Olympic teams no matter how bad she was skating but Gracie doesn't have that luxury in the US. I was shocked to see her competing again before Nationals. She needs to skate well and not bomb yet again or this will damage her confidence even more and it's already shot. But maybe this is a good sign that she wants to skate again and is coming out of her funk which she's been in since Worlds.

 

[skylark]

I'm curious, just wondering whether Gracie and/or Polina "bumped" Caroline and Angela down to the alternate positions for Zagreb. This is pure surprise, not anything negative or conspiracy-wise. Does that kind of decision go by national rankings, or what?

 

[tulosai]

I'm curious, just wondering whether Gracie and/or Polina "bumped" Caroline and Angela down to the alternate positions for Zagreb. This is pure surprise, not anything negative or conspiracy-wise. Does that kind of decision go by national rankings, or what?

This kind of thing does happen, though fairly rarely (not just to US skaters but Russian as well that I've seen) and seems to be purely at the federation's discretion. When it happens it's usually done for higher ranked/'better' skaters, yes, but they really can do it to any skater at any time within the deadline if they wish to. However, in this particular case, I'm not aware that the federation had officially announced entries for Zagreb yet? If they hadn't it's not really like anyone was bumped, since no one could reasonably have expected they'd be going.

 

[skylark]

This kind of thing does happen, though fairly rarely (not just to US skaters but Russian as well that I've seen) and seems to be purely at the federation's discretion. When it happens it's usually done for higher ranked/'better' skaters, yes, but they really can do it to any skater at any time within the deadline if they wish to. However, in this particular case, I'm not aware that the federation had officially announced entries for Zagreb yet? If they hadn't it's not really like anyone was bumped, since no one could reasonably have expected they'd be going.

Oh, okay, that makes sense. I was assuming the entries for that competition would have been announced earlier.

 

[skylark]

I read an interview of Rafael Arutunian from last week-end at TDF, while I was looking at pictures today from CoC practices.

I seem to recall discussions of Mariah Bell's move to Raf in this thread, earlier. Some people cautioned that we shouldn't assume Raf approached Mariah, but others felt free to accuse him of acting unethically. Here's what Raf said about it when questioned. I found it really interesting, and thought others might too. If this isn't an appropriate thread, I'm sure someone will let me know. This is just one paragraph from the interview. The bolding is mine.

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Interviewer: - Now you also started to push Mariah Bell.

Raf: – There’s an interesting situation with her. I still have our texting in my phone – 54 her messages and 4 my. Only when she said that she anyway go to California for competitions and want to meet there, I said – let’s meet. She asked me to help her in tandem with her coach Kori Ade. I said, first tell to your coach, if she agrees, than we’ll start. I’ve already had an experience of working in tandem: I worked with Jeffrey Buttle and his coach, with whom he worked since he was seven. In the end, Battle became the world champion. Mariah went to the coach, and she refused. But Bell said, that she’s leaving anyway. Will you take me? And I was thinking and thinking and finally agreed. But I still keeping the history of texting – it’s calmer for me. So, no one can say that I acted dishonestly. That’s my attitude.

http://fs-gossips.com/rafael-arutyunyan-some-coaches-cling-to-an-athlete-like-to-a-rocket/

 

[tulosai]

I read an interview of Rafael Arutunian from last week-end at TDF, while I was looking at pictures today from CoC practices.

I seem to recall discussions of Mariah Bell's move to Raf in this thread, earlier. Some people cautioned that we shouldn't assume Raf approached Mariah, but others felt free to accuse him of acting unethically. Here's what Raf said about it when questioned. I found it really interesting, and thought others might too. If this isn't an appropriate thread, I'm sure someone will let me know. This is just one paragraph from the interview. The bolding is mine.

---------

Interviewer: - Now you also started to push Mariah Bell.

Raf: – There’s an interesting situation with her. I still have our texting in my phone – 54 her messages and 4 my. Only when she said that she anyway go to California for competitions and want to meet there, I said – let’s meet. She asked me to help her in tandem with her coach Kori Ade. I said, first tell to your coach, if she agrees, than we’ll start. I’ve already had an experience of working in tandem: I worked with Jeffrey Buttle and his coach, with whom he worked since he was seven. In the end, Battle became the world champion. Mariah went to the coach, and she refused. But Bell said, that she’s leaving anyway. Will you take me? And I was thinking and thinking and finally agreed. But I still keeping the history of texting – it’s calmer for me. So, no one can say that I acted dishonestly. That’s my attitude.

http://fs-gossips.com/rafael-arutyunyan-some-coaches-cling-to-an-athlete-like-to-a-rocket/

I was one of the people who didn't think he'd acted unethically either way so long as he hadn't made any misrepresentations to her, but this is good to know all the same. It seems that, for whatever reason, she really wanted to work with him specifically. I like a girl who knows what she wants/needs

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I like a girl who knows what she wants/needs

So far, it appears to be a great decision!

 

[temadd]

Since it appears Gracie is going to this event and many of us aren't quite sure why....I hope she takes the time to experiment with something in her competition routine. Leave Frank at home and bring Lori or an assistant coach, or intentionally watch the performances of everyone else before her (that's a stone-cold Katarina Witt move). Employ some crazy-sounding new strategy suggested by her sports psychologist. Change things up and see what happens.

I am sure that Gracie's problem is in her head and not a training issue. The only way to get better at competing is to go to more competitions. She doesn't need more practice at home she needs to practice competing.