USFS Announces Three Withdrawals

ice coverage · Jan 12, 2018

Nathan13 said:
Do Alternates to the Oly team go to Pyeongchang? I saw a promo for Team USA and Jason was talking about what in Korea he was most looking forward to (awkward). I didn't think they did (Emily Hughes didn't initially) but that video confused me, unless it was recorded before Nationals.

EDIT: By alternates going to Pyeongchang, I mean if they aren't called up do they go anyway?

I don't think the Team USA promo means anything one way or the other.

The raw material for the promo prob. was shot at one of the media summits, long before the Olympic team and alternates were selected.
And my guess is that the promo prob. edited was quite a while ago as well ... to be published closer to the start of the Games.

If USFS alternates do travel to Korea (as a contingency measure), I doubt that they can be credentialed (and stay in the Olympic Village, for example) unless they officially have replaced someone who officially has withdrawn.
But I suppose that the USOC and/or USFS can make alternate logistical arrangements so that Kayne/O'Shea (for example) can be at the ready somewhere nearby in case they are needed.

TontoK said:
... a Tier 1 event ...

For the record: Four Continents is not a Tier 1 event. It is a Tier 2 event.

TontoK said:
... ... at a phase in their lives where the general goodwill of the public might be important to them ...

Ross most definitely continues to have my goodwill.
(Although I was looking forward to buddies Ross and Max being a good support system for each other, as they have been in the past.)

As a fan of Ashley, I wish her well. My main reaction to her withdrawal is excitement that it opens up an opportunity for Angela.

Very happy for Emmy. Grant too.

StitchMonkey said:
... Is team challenge cup happening this year? ...

TCC is not happening this year.

Mista Ekko · Jan 12, 2018

TontoK said:
If I were USFSA, I'd remove them from any alternate positions for Olympics and/or Worlds. Just to complete the circle.

I think the USFSA already made enough d**k moves for one season last weekend, No? :cool14:

yude · Jan 12, 2018

I had already decided to root for Ross in 4CC, so I was very sad about the news. (I was a little expecting Ashley's)

But I am very happy for Grant

katmari · Jan 12, 2018

I don't agree with all the decisions the USFS made and can understand why Ashley and Ross are upset. I am happy for Angela and Grant though.

Grant and Jason always have so much fun when they compete together and I'm looking forward to their adventures in Taipei.

eaglehelang · Jan 12, 2018

MoonlightSkater said:
Maybe this is really, really naive of me, but both Ross and Ashley are alternates for the Olympics, right? Could it be that they want to skip 4CC so that they can be in shape just on the off chance they get the call that someone is injured? I mean, I don't blame them if they are bummed about not making the team, especially Ross, but I feel like this is a dynamic that could be considered.

Ross is 2nd alternate, 2nd not 1st. 1st alternate is James Brown.
Not suprising at all with Ross withdrawal considering how USFS treated him

flipsydoodle · Jan 12, 2018

Spirals for Miles said:
I get that it must sting for Ashley to not be on the team, although she did that to herself in a lot of ways, but really? It kind of seems like she's being a sore loser; I get when she'd WD from 4CC to prepare for worlds (although others do both...) but she doesn't have to deal with worlds and the Olympics this year, so to turn down 4CC makes her seem like she's upset she didn't get something better. I don't see why she would have anyway though...

Fully ready to get flamed for this...

Agreed. Besides, Ashley doesn't "do" 4 Continents. It hasn't been on her schedule for years, since she's made it clear she has more important competitions to train for. It's unlikely she'd change her vision and want this opportunity [to skate against some of the best in the world].

Imagine · Jan 12, 2018

Did I miss something? People were expecting Ashley to go to the perpetually beneath her 4CC like...why? :scratch2:

Watching the Today interview when it first came out, I immediately understood Ashley’s comment about still training (when considering the question she was asked) to mean she was preparing for a showing at Olympics or Worlds just in case something unfortunate happens.

evasorange · Jan 12, 2018

........what??? Why?!? Now my fantasy Ashley/Ross revenge on usfed throw down is shattered

Crossover · Jan 12, 2018

Somewhat expected but still sad, especially for Ross.

Lipea · Jan 12, 2018

flipsydoodle said:
Agreed. Besides, Ashley doesn't "do" 4 Continents. It hasn't been on her schedule for years, since she's made it clear she has more important competitions to train for. It's unlikely she'd change her vision and want this opportunity [to skate against some of the best in the world].

She already won it before, what's the point?

Lipea · Jan 12, 2018

I don't understand why Olympic team skaters are not assigned for 4CC?
The dates are not that close to OG.
For someone like especially Bradie it could be superuseful as she would move up in her ISU ranking and be in the later group at OG. Plus she could prove her consistency internationally and, therefore, raise her PCS and GOE marks.
Russians always go to Euros no matter what.

chuckm · Jan 12, 2018

shyne said:
I don't get why Tessa Hong is not getting a spot at Jr Worlds
She finsihed 10th at Nationals twice and is only 15 years old

The lutz is a required jump for juniors, and Tessa fell on both lutz attempts at Nationals. She has Osgood-Schlatter, a condition affecting the knees which can be very painful especially for pick jumps like the lutz. I noticed that she didn't attempt any lutzes during the practices.

twirlingblades · Jan 12, 2018

shiroKJ said:
No, she withdrew (unofficially?) a few days after nationals. No announcement on reason but someone on this board heard it was because she would be too drained(???) after 4CC so they opted to skip JWC.

As for Ross, thats understandable but Ashley? Girl.....

Did anyone really think Ashley was going to do 4CC? She never does.

Sam-Skwantch · Jan 12, 2018

Wow Ashley!! I don’t get it at all?

Amei · Jan 12, 2018

Lipea said:
She already won it before, what's the point?

Well 4CCs is the twin to Europeans, could you imagine Kostner or Medvedeva foregoing Europeans for practicing for a competition they aren't even slated to compete in without injury to another skater?

georgia said:
Ashley doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone! The most decorated skater of the last ten years has to go to 4CC to prove her worth to whom?

She doesn't have to prove anything to anyone, but it would do her image a lot of good to prove she's not a sore loser with actions vs. her PR person approved interview on a talk show.

Plus, if she does retire it would be a poor end to her career if her final season is a mediocre bronze medal at Skate Canada, 2 withdrawals from her other international assignments and a lackluster nationals performance.

ice coverage · Jan 12, 2018

Lipea said:
I don't understand why Olympic team skaters are not assigned for 4CC?
The dates are not that close to OG. ...

The last day of competition at Four Continents is Sat Jan 27.

The first day of the OWG team event is Fri Feb 9.

The gap is thirteen days. The two competitions are pretty darn close to each other.

Lipea said:
... Russians always go to Euros no matter what.

The last day of competition at Euros is Sat Jan 20.

The gap btwn Euros and OWG team event is twenty days -- over 50% longer than the gap btwn Four Continents and OWG team event.

eaglehelang said:
... 1st alternate is James Brown. ...

:shocked:

"I feel goooood ... I knew that I would now ..." :dance2: :laugh:

louisa05 · Jan 12, 2018

TontoK said:
Your point is not without merit, but at a phase in their lives where the general goodwill of the public might be important to them, it's not a good look.

The majority of the public doesn't know that Four Continents exists. Most people I know think that there are three figure skating competitions: Nationals and Worlds every year and the Olympics once every four years. A skater skipping a competition that they don't know actually exists is literally not going to be on the radar of the general public in order for them to get offended by it.

cheerknithanson · Jan 12, 2018

Lipea said:
I don't understand why Olympic team skaters are not assigned for 4CC?
The dates are not that close to OG.
For someone like especially Bradie it could be superuseful as she would move up in her ISU ranking and be in the later group at OG. Plus she could prove her consistency internationally and, therefore, raise her PCS and GOE marks.
Russians always go to Euros no matter what.

It has to do with time zones. And recovery from time zones. It's around 13-16 hours ahead of where the skaters are from. And I would know how time zones/jet lag can affect someone for a bit of time lol. Also Euros has been around longer and more seem as prestigious than the 4CCs. Medaling at Euros seem to hold a higher sort of honor than medaling at the 4CCs. In addition, the countries in Europe are closer to each other in terms of time zone. And with some training in North America, it's not as far. So it doesn't put as much fatigue.

chuckm · Jan 12, 2018

Lipea said:
I don't understand why Olympic team skaters are not assigned for 4CC?
The dates are not that close to OG.
For someone like especially Bradie it could be superuseful as she would move up in her ISU ranking and be in the later group at OG. Plus she could prove her consistency internationally and, therefore, raise her PCS and GOE marks.
Russians always go to Euros no matter what.

4CC starts on 1/22 and ends 1/27; Olympics start Feb 9, less than 2 weeks after the end of 4CC. Traveling from NA to Taiwan for 4CC means losing a big chunk of practice time right before the Olympics, not only to physical travel and jet lag in both directions, but also at the venue where practice time is extremely limited. Staying in Asia after 4CC isn't a viable option since ice time would be extremely difficult to get and few skaters have the financial resources for such a solution. Asian Olympians can easily do 4CC because they don't have to travel far and lose little practice time.

Bradie hasn't had experience with extreme long-distance travel and jet lag, and expecting her to contend with it twice in such a short interval of time "for her own good" is just a bit short-sighted.

In comparison, Europe is a relatively small area where few have to travel all that far. Europeans also have an extra week before the start of the Olympics.

waterblades · Jan 12, 2018

Why wouldn't the skaters just stay in that general time zone after the event? Pretty sure for Russia a bunch of skaters went to that Gerald time zone much earlier then when the event started.

USFS Announces Three Withdrawals

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