2019-20 U.S. Ladies Figure Skating

Skater Boy said:

And back to American ladies today. Bradie has firmly entrenched herself as no. 1. It looks like Ting and Mariah fight for the second spot as leading contenders. But with Ting not being in the picture this year I would say mariah is the fave. I wonder if someone takes the silver other than Ting or Mariah well they be Nagusued?

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It is precisely because Bradie is number one now that I think Mariah will win nationals this year or Alysa will.

I'm late to this but I think it was blessing in disguise that Alysa got silver at the JGPF. And not only did she get silver, but she was beaten by Kamila who didn't include her quads nor a 3A. Now she knows that just having difficult jumps is not enough. Quality matters and I have no doubt now that she is going to go back and work her darnedest to shore up her weaknesses. I recall in that earlier NBC article that she was going to work with Kostner right after the JGPF (live sessions, not just the video stuff she was doing before). I think that's fantastic.

I was also super impressed with Bradie at the GPF! She didn't let anything faze her and went out and just performed to the best of her ability. That she got 5th when everyone pegged her for 6th is amazing.

Looking ahead to Nationals, I don't think anyone is a lock for 1st and I do think we have a real fight on our hands. As for the URs... last year at Nationals both Alysa and Mariah got URs on their combo jump in the SP. In the FS, Bradie did get a UR (but that was the jump she fell on). All three are capable of skating clean, but they are all also prone to URs. As long as the judging is applied fairly to all I'll be happy. And I don't see a reason to prop up any of them since any result would be advantageous to USFS in some way.

Ting and Hanna I miss them so much. Those injuries were so unfortunate and I was really looking forward to seeing more of their programs! I really think either of them had a shot of getting pewter and going to 4CC. But at this point I also don't know how their injuries are. If their condition is still iffy I would rather they sit out the rest of the season so they can heal thoroughly. (I presume that's why USFS had Starr get her JWC mins, just in case.)

As for Emily Zhang... she is not on the ISP and I don't think she has the international TES mins so she wouldn't be eligible for 4CC.

KatGrace1925 said:

The USFS has always propped their favorites, I don't think that happens by meetings but I do think the federation has clear favoring that goes on. If Alysa UR's jumps and they don't get called I will be very upset as that can't help her or anyone else. Same if Bradie or Mariah have UR's that don't get called.

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Agreed. I think it is more that when something is questionable, "preferred" skaters get the benefit of the doubt while others never get it.

For instance when a hand goes down on a landing, some skaters always get called for a fall while "preferred" ones only get hit with negative GOE. Call it whatever you want but clearly the judges are more generous towards certain skaters.

concorde said:

Agreed. I think it is more that when something is questionable, "preferred" skaters get the benefit of the doubt while others never get it.

For instance when a hand goes down on a landing, some skaters always get called for a fall while "preferred" ones only get hit with negative GOE. Call it whatever you want but clearly the judges are more generous towards certain skaters.

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Emily Zhang is certainly not a preferred skater. Should be interesting to see how she is scored at Nationals assuming she puts out 2 relatively clean programs.

sheetz said:

In an interview with Nick McCarvel Gracie confirmed she is no longer working with Vincent.
https://twitter.com/NickMcCarvel/status/1204854106499801089

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i loooooove that quote...she's not here to play, she's serious. she wants to show what she's doing in training and skate like she's on her way to being a high caliber international athlete again. she can do it...the girl is a 2x natty champ and olympian. she won the short at worlds. she knows what it takes.

Amei said:

https://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2014/2014_us_fs_champs/CAT001SEG002.html

Ashley beat Mirai in PCS and Mirai had only 2 elements, a Choreographic sequence and a layback spin get more than 1 point in GOE, everything else was under 1 point.

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Ashley had 2 falls. Enough said. Looking at the protocols again, Polina had a fall, too. If anyone was "propped," it was Polina. She had competed earlier in the season as a junior and had no senior record at all and yet was sent to the Olympics--something some much more accomplished skaters never achieved (eg, Alissa Czisny). Her subsequent record did not confirm the USFS's apparent anointing of her as the "next big thing." I think the Olympic team that year should have been Gracie, Ashley and Mirai.

Happy Skates said:

And does anyone happen to have any idea what is happening with Ting?

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I have a vague recollection that earlier this year, Ting somewhat injured her foot, and skipped a competition. Her father made her keep excising on her foot anyway, and she re-injured her foot and this time it was a more serious injury and she withdrew for the rest of the season.

Amei said:

https://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2014/2014_us_fs_champs/CAT001SEG002.html

Ashley beat Mirai in PCS and Mirai had only 2 elements, a Choreographic sequence and a layback spin get more than 1 point in GOE, everything else was under 1 point.

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Mirai only had one <. Most of the triples (and doubles, aside from the 2A) were well short of rotation. Proper calls would have knocked BV and GOE way down.

I'm ok with the result, what I was saying was that if there was some coordinated effort to have Ashley place on the podium, Mirai's LP gave the judges and tech panel enough leeway to accomplish that.

Skater Boy said:

And back to American ladies today. Bradie has firmly entrenched herself as no. 1. It looks like Ting and Mariah fight for the second spot as leading contenders. But with Ting not being in the picture this year I would say mariah is the fave. I wonder if someone takes the silver other than Ting or Mariah well they be Nagusued?

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I still think Mariah could overtake Bradie, Mariah isn't going to go down without a fight. I don't think it's possible for Ting to pass Mariah.

ice coverage said:

Re Youth Olympic Games:

I could swear that Noelle Rosa is the skater in this promo post from the YOG Insta account today:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B576morAfYH/ (Dec 11)​

I have no idea whether her appearance in the promo means anything regarding who will represent the U.S., but Noelle is age-eligible ... ​

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Update:


ETA:


ETA (on Dec 18):

jenaj said:

Ashley had 2 falls. Enough said. Looking at the protocols again, Polina had a fall, too. If anyone was "propped," it was Polina. She had competed earlier in the season as a junior and had no senior record at all and yet was sent to the Olympics--something some much more accomplished skaters never achieve (eg, Alissa Czisny). Her subsequent record did not confirm the USFS's apparent anointing of her as the "next big thing." I think the Olympic team that year should have been Gracie, Ashley and Mirai.

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Agreed

And I think it would have worked out better for Polina in many ways. She had a real shot at a junior world medal that season and those are of growing respect. Had she had that hardware to back her up on her senior career, I think judges would have been more generous with her scores.

Then again, Polina seems to have a pretty good life anyway.

brightphoton said:

I have a vague recollection that earlier this year, Ting somewhat injured her foot, and skipped a competition. Her father made her keep excising on her foot anyway, and she re-injured her foot and this time it was a more serious injury and she withdrew for the rest of the season.

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I know she's been injured and skipped the Grand Prix, but she's on the preliminary list for US Nats so I was just wondering if anyone had any information on whether she is training at the moment / going to nats.

Happy Skates said:

I know she's been injured and skipped the Grand Prix, but she's on the preliminary list for US Nats so I was just wondering if anyone had any information on whether she is training at the moment / going to nats.

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i would assume both Ting and Hanna are making nationals their goal for a return.

I'm curious what the career trajectory is for (hypothetical) senior-level skaters who place middle to bottom in competitions consistently. Do they still get lucrative sponsorships or funding from USFSA? Or anything? Otherwise it seems like it would be tough to justify all the of the costs associated with the sport.

elliana said:

I'm curious what the career trajectory is for (hypothetical) senior-level skaters who place middle to bottom in competitions consistently. Do they still get lucrative sponsorships or funding from USFSA? Or anything? Otherwise it seems like it would be tough to justify all the of the costs associated with the sport.

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Mariah was in the middle for years before she started to make any traction. Bradie was in the middle for a while as well. US ladies peak tend to peak later. A little patience can go a long way.

elliana said:

I'm curious what the career trajectory is for (hypothetical) senior-level skaters who place middle to bottom in competitions consistently. Do they still get lucrative sponsorships or funding from USFSA? Or anything? Otherwise it seems like it would be tough to justify all the of the costs associated with the sport.

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My understanding is that even someone like Katie McBeath doesn't get much attention as a coach because she isn't a "big name." USFSA funds via an envelope/tier system. https://www.usfsa.org/Story?id=84105&menu=teamusa If there is any other funding I'm sure someone will tell me. I'm often wrong.

Gracie has a new sponsor...but she's Gracie. And I have now given myself permission to buy makeup for the first time in over a year (I think I have enough makeup to leave a considerable amount to someone in my will). https://www.julep.com/collections/gracie-gold-access-hollywood

macy said:

i would assume both Ting and Hanna are making nationals their goal for a return.

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That is really good news to me. I thought I wouldn't see Ting until the next season. I hope she does go to Nationals, fully healed, or at least without aggravating her injury. She really is such a great skater

elliana said:

I'm curious what the career trajectory is for (hypothetical) senior-level skaters who place middle to bottom in competitions consistently. Do they still get lucrative sponsorships or funding from USFSA? Or anything? Otherwise it seems like it would be tough to justify all the of the costs associated with the sport.

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Even for the best of the U.S. ladies, lucrative sponsorships are not a given -- so IMO, "still" does not really apply to that part of your question.

Manufacturers of boots and blades (for example) do seem to "sponsor" many skaters (not limited to the best of the U.S. ladies), but I don't know how "lucrative" those types of sponsorships are?
In some cases, I suspect that free boots/blades (including repair/maintenance) and free promotion are the extent of the sponsorship. Nothing to sneeze at, but "lucrative" implies to me that you are referring to sponsorship on a bigger scale.

moonvine said:

... USFSA funds via an envelope/tier system. https://www.usfsa.org/Story?id=84105&menu=teamusa If there is any other funding I'm sure someone will tell me. ...

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I'm no expert, but envelope funding is not the only type of USFS funding.
That said, for a skater in Envelope C (for example), I have no idea whether the dollar amount from the Memorial Fund (for example) could be in the same ballpark as the dollar amount of envelope funding???

elliana said:

I'm curious what the career trajectory is for (hypothetical) senior-level skaters who place middle to bottom in competitions consistently. Do they still get lucrative sponsorships or funding from USFSA? Or anything? Otherwise it seems like it would be tough to justify all the of the costs associated with the sport.

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In addition to the envelop funding that @moonvine linked to, other sources of funding that US Figure Skating offers or suggests are listed here: https://www.usfsa.org/story.aspx?id=84089

I think even for skaters Envelope A or B, funding amount is only a fraction of a year's training expenses, let alone living expenses. I'm pretty sure at least most of the grants listed on the funding page are also much smaller than training expenses.

Popular top skaters may be offered sponsorships (historically ladies' singles skaters have been most popular in the US and therefore most likely to attract corporate sponsors, but with recent trends in who is or isn't medaling internationally that may not always remain true) or paid opportunities to perform in shows. Very top skaters with Olympic medal potential may earn additional funding through the USOC.

But for the most part skaters who compete at Nationals, even some who medal there, are spending a lot more of their own/their parents' money to get there than they are getting back in any form.

At least they are now allowed to earn money for coaching and performing, or other sport-related businesses, which was not the case for most of the 20th century.

sheetz said:

In an interview with Nick McCarvel Gracie confirmed she is no longer working with Vincent.
https://twitter.com/NickMcCarvel/status/1204854106499801089

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It sounds like Gracie is doing well. I like her confidence and I'd love to see her skate well at Nationals. I know the crowd will behind her 100%