Gracie Gold Embraces a Rugged Comeback Path

macy · Jan 15, 2020

Skater Boy said:
Yikes. If Gracie got some reputation then her skating has really deteoriated. Her pcs were shockingly low.

IMO i don't think she got reputation scoring, i think the top ladies at the event were all very overscored, which isn't surprising at a domestic qualifying event. we see this at nationals all the time. i don't think any of these girls in the top 4 would have come close to the same scores internationally as they did at sectionals. this is not to say none of their spots to nationals were deserved, they absolutely were, the scoring was just very generous.

Tavi... · Jan 15, 2020

Carolla5501 said:
I said IMHO she got "reputation" points. But that's just my opinion I felt her scores were high for what she delivered. But the only opinion that matters is the judges...

I’m curious. I thought her scoring was quite fair for what she put out there. Where, exactly, do you feel she got reputation points? In the SP she skated clean. She got decent but not outrageous GOE - the bulk on two spins, her st sq, and 2A - and average PCS of about 7.5. In the FS, she was dinged for falling and an <, and got negative GOE on 3 jumps and 0 GOE on another. Her total GOE for the FS was about 3 points - half of what she got in the SP - and her PCS was about 7.6. She finished about 10 points behind the second place finisher and more than 20 points behind the winner.

drivingmissdaisy · Jan 15, 2020

Tavi... said:
I’m curious. I thought her scoring was quite fair for what she put out there. Where, exactly, do you feel she got reputation points? In the SP she skated clean. She got decent but not outrageous GOE - the bulk on two spins, her st sq, and 2A - and average PCS of about 7.5. In the FS, she was dinged for falling and an <, and got negative GOE on 3 jumps and 0 GOE on another. Her total GOE for the FS was about 3 points - half of what she got in the SP - and her PCS was about 7.6. She finished about 10 points behind the second place finisher and more than 20 points behind the winner.

Her PCS was a little high to me, but like macy said, everyone's PCS scores at domestic competitions seem to be a bit inflated. Gracie is not as sharp as she was at her peak, displaying less speed, intricacy, and extension in her programs. There's so much left to improve, but she seems to be heading in the right direction.

Tavi... · Jan 15, 2020

drivingmissdaisy said:
Her PCS was a little high to me, but like macy said, everyone's PCS scores at domestic competitions seem to be a bit inflated. Gracie is not as sharp as she was at her peak, displaying less speed, intricacy, and extension in her programs. There's so much left to improve, but she seems to be heading in the right direction.

I agree Gracie’s got a lot to improve, but given that Tuk is getting PCS of 8+ at ISU events and Trusova is getting 8-8.5, Gracie’s PCS of 7.5 at Sectionals doesn’t seem inflated to me.

drivingmissdaisy · Jan 15, 2020

Tavi... said:
I agree Gracie’s got a lot to improve, but given that Tuk is getting PCS of 8+ at ISU events and Trusova is getting 8-8.5, Gracie’s PCS of 7.5 at Sectionals doesn’t seem inflated to me.

Liza and Sasha are quite a bit livelier than Gracie, which is probably due to her nerves since she hasn't competed in so long. Moreover, the Russians' PCS are largely tied to their technical content. If Liza or Sasha did a four triple LP, they would not be getting 8+ in PCS.

jenaj · Jan 15, 2020

After Alysa, Bradie and Mariah, there is a big gap. Karen Chen has not skated as well as she has in the past. I don't see her being very competitive here. After that, there is Courtney Hicks, who never skates clean, and then a really big drop-off. No Ting, no Hannah Harrell. Gracie could well end up in the top 6 even without a 3-3. I really liked her long program at Sectionals. It just depends on how she executes her elements.

KatGrace1925 · Jan 15, 2020

drivingmissdaisy said:
Liza and Sasha are quite a bit livelier than Gracie, which is probably due to her nerves since she hasn't competed in so long. Moreover, the Russians' PCS are largely tied to their technical content. If Liza or Sasha did a four triple LP, they would not be getting 8+ in PCS.

I disagree, Sasha is a snooze to watch, Gracie at least has a commanding presence when she steps onto the ice. The reason everyone is watching her right now is because she's always had good presence on the ice at least.

drivingmissdaisy · Jan 15, 2020

KatGrace1925 said:
I disagree, Sasha is a snooze to watch, Gracie at least has a commanding presence when she steps onto the ice. The reason everyone is watching her right now is because she's always had good presence on the ice at least.

I would say that people are following her because of her comeback and the fact that, at her peak, she was the most talented woman figure skater we've had in a really long time. We all want to see her do well, but I do think she has lacked energy and excitement in her programs recently. The most I've ever seen her come alive was the 2016 Worlds SP after she completed her jumps. When she isn't hitting her jumps, she seems deflated, understandably. But that disappointment comes across in her performance IMO.

KatGrace1925 · Jan 15, 2020

drivingmissdaisy said:
I would say that people are following her because of her comeback and the fact that, at her peak, she was the most talented woman figure skater we've had in a really long time. We all want to see her do well, but I do think she has lacked energy and excitement in her programs recently. The most I've ever seen her come alive was the 2016 Worlds SP after she completed her jumps. When she isn't hitting her jumps, she seems deflated, understandably. But that disappointment comes across in her performance IMO.

The reason people are following her comeback so closely is because she always has been a magnetic skater, if she was a talented jumper who just never quite put it together no one would much care. Like very few are following other former top US skaters attempts at a comeback anywhere near as closely as Gracie's. She's always had more a sophistication, even stone faced she was more interesting to watch than most other US skaters and still is.

Skater Boy · Jan 15, 2020

KatGrace1925 said:
I disagree, Sasha is a snooze to watch, Gracie at least has a commanding presence when she steps onto the ice. The reason everyone is watching her right now is because she's always had good presence on the ice at least.

I think to be honest she has lost some of the "commanding presence". She doesn't have the power or speed or sureness/confidence. She might one day soon though. Many will admire her braveness and courage to come back others will envy the resources she has to make her dream. Regardless the fans will applaud loudly and bring her close to tears. She is a winner no matter what.i

Shani · Jan 15, 2020

One of the problems with watching Gracie is nerves. She has pure clean jumps, not wrapped, and you don't lose the best jumping technique unless you doubted yourself. If Gracie believes it will happen. Upto Gracie herself no-one else.

sailormoon · Jan 16, 2020

I didn't know about the new movie featuring Gracie Gold. It is a makeover of ’90s romcom, The Cutting Edge. Cade Sweeney (son to D.B Sweeney, the lead actor in the original film) is her love interest in the movie. Suddenly she has a career in Hollywood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uB_tEr2puc

EYE ON THE PRIZE featuring Gracie Gold

el henry · Jan 16, 2020

sailormoon said:
I didn't know about the new movie featuring Gracie Gold. It is a makeover of ’90s romcom, The Cutting Edge. Cade Sweeney (son to D.B Sweeney, the lead actor in the original film) is her love interest in the movie. Suddenly she has a career in Hollywood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uB_tEr2puc

EYE ON THE PRIZE featuring Gracie Gold

Pretty good for a three minute satire/promo for a beauty brand (as far as I can tell, does anyone know what Julep Beauty is?)).

Gracie nailed it :biggrin:

satine · Jan 17, 2020

el henry said:
Pretty good for a three minute satire/promo for a beauty brand (as far as I can tell, does anyone know what Julep Beauty is?)).

Gracie nailed it

Julep is a brand that gained popularity with their nail products & have also begun to sell other beauty products as well. Their nail polishes are awesome :agree:

macy · Jan 17, 2020

Gracie's "command" will return the farther she gets into her comeback and the more fit she becomes. ice presence is sort of the icing on the cake or the cherry on top- you become so well trained you don't need to think about the jumps in your program and you have extra energy to expend on the in between movements and choreography. she will get there.

Skater Boy · Jan 17, 2020

I think with all this talk we really just need to wait and see Gracie skate and let her do her thing. Let Gracie and the world enjoy her comeback for whatever it is.

moonvine · Jan 17, 2020

Skater Boy said:
Yikes. If Gracie got some reputation then her skating has really deteoriated. Her pcs were shockingly low.

You might want to watch it.

labgoat · Jan 17, 2020

This whole Gracie comeback is giving me 1983 -1984 Elizabeth Manley vibes from when Liz was so depressed she gained a lot of weight and her hair began to fall out. She competed at Canadian Nationals and had a very distressing time in 1983, nearly quit, got healthy physically and mentally and came back stronger in 1984. I remember being concerned for her and relieved that she was able to turn things around so quickly. People and the CFSA were not always very supportive.

Elizabeth Manley skates her short program at the 1983 Canadian Figure Skating Championships in Montreal, Quebec.

Elizabeth Manley improves from her 4th place showing the previous year and winds up with her 2nd silver medal at the Canadian Championships, landing her a spot on the 1984 Olympic team along with Kay Thomson.

hippomoomin · Jan 17, 2020

I agree that Gracie's programs are not so exciting and she probably put most of her focus on competing the jumps, which makes her performance less impactful. Most fans seem to focus on her jumps too, and think if she gets her jumps back, she will score high automatically. I'd say even if she completes a six triple LP but does not improve other aspects, her scores won't and shouldn't be very high. I actually don't even remember what her programs are, except the fact that they have lyrics with soft melody. My point is that when we talk about her potential score and placement next week, jump is only one of the many factors. Top six or eight is more realistic to me.

drivingmissdaisy said:
I would say that people are following her because of her comeback and the fact that, at her peak, she was the most talented woman figure skater we've had in a really long time. We all want to see her do well, but I do think she has lacked energy and excitement in her programs recently. The most I've ever seen her come alive was the 2016 Worlds SP after she completed her jumps. When she isn't hitting her jumps, she seems deflated, understandably. But that disappointment comes across in her performance IMO.

- - - Updated - - -

I agree that Gracie's programs are not so exciting and she probably put most of her focus on competing the jumps, which makes her performance less impactful. Most fans seem to focus on her jumps too, and think if she gets her jumps back, she will score high automatically. I'd say even if she completes a six triple LP but does not improve other aspects, her scores won't and shouldn't be very high. I actually don't even remember what her programs are, except the fact that they have lyrics with soft melody. My point is that when we talk about her potential score and placement next week, jump is only one of the many factors. Top six or eight is more realistic to me.

drivingmissdaisy said:
I would say that people are following her because of her comeback and the fact that, at her peak, she was the most talented woman figure skater we've had in a really long time. We all want to see her do well, but I do think she has lacked energy and excitement in her programs recently. The most I've ever seen her come alive was the 2016 Worlds SP after she completed her jumps. When she isn't hitting her jumps, she seems deflated, understandably. But that disappointment comes across in her performance IMO.

SarahSynchro · Jan 18, 2020

Great article, I’m happy to read that Gracie is doing well. :cheer:

I’m seeing slight parallels between Gracie and Caroline Zhang’s comeback to compete at the national level in the 2016-17 and 2017-2018 seasons. After experiencing individual personal setbacks, both ladies regrouped, recovered, and resumed their skating with a new perspective and their heads held high; all for their love of the sport. Not skating to win; rather, skating for themselves, on their own terms.

Gracie Gold Embraces a Rugged Comeback Path

macy

Tavi...

drivingmissdaisy

Tavi...

drivingmissdaisy

jenaj

KatGrace1925

drivingmissdaisy

KatGrace1925

Skater Boy

Shani

sailormoon

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.

satine

v Yuki Ishikawa v

macy

Skater Boy

moonvine

All Hail Queen Gracie

labgoat

Thinking about art & life...

hippomoomin

SarahSynchro

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