We would never say this about a male skater. There are ugly costumes, but we'd never say a costume made a guy's body look bad.
Gracie’s presence at Rostelecom has nothing to do with the choices of USFS. They did not “give” her the opportunity over someone else. She was entitled to a GP slot by the ISU comeback rules. That’s it.
Could someone post that rule. Does it only have to do with the GP series as someone has suggested?
“Come-Back” Skaters/Couples: Skaters/Couples who were previously seeded (placed 1 to 6 within the past 10 years at a ISU World Figure Skating Championships) and subsequently did not participate in one or more competitive seasons will be given priority consideration to re-enter the ISU Grand Prix of FigureISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating and ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2018/19
Skating for selection of up to 2 assignments if they commit in writing to participating in two ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events and if such return is announced and confirmed by the date of the annual Selection Meeting. Such so called “Come Back Skaters/Couples” will not substitute any of the Seeded Skaters/Couples, mentioned under a). “Come Back Skaters/Couples” must not fulfil the requirements of the minimum Grand Prix score and would be considered for selection as an Organizing ISU Member Choice. A come back under this clause is allowed only once in their competitive career for any Skater/Couple.
2471 Singles competitors qualify for sectional championships by:
A. Placing in the top four at a regional championship;
B. For junior and senior events, any Team USA skater who has been assigned to an international competition, regardless
of whether it conflicts with their regional championship. Said skater would have the choice to compete at their regional championship but would not lose their bye to the sectional championship regardless of placement, nor displace a skater who might place in the top four at regionals if said skater was not entered;
C. Having four or fewer entries in their event at a regional championship or having 12 or fewer entries in their event in all regional championships within their section;
D. Having won the U.S. Championships at the novice level the previous season, if competing at the novice level this season;
E. HavingwontheU.S.Championshipsatthejuniorlevelthepreviousseason,ifcompetingatthejuniorlevelthisseason;
F. Having won a sectional championship at the senior level the previous season.
2514 A competitor will automatically receive a bye to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships from the chair of the Competitions
Committee if all of the criteria below are met:
A. The competitor is a member of the United States Figure Skating Team as defined in ICR 3.04;
B. Thecompetitorisassignedtoandcompetesinasingles,pairsand/oricedanceeventinaninternationalcompetition;and C. The competition mentioned in (B) conflicts with the competitor’s sectional championships.
D. Furthermore, to receive a bye in a singles event:
1. The competitor must place in the top four at his/her regional championship;
a. Such byed competitors would not displace competitors who would have otherwise placed in the top four at their
regional championship. In this situation, more than four competitors would qualify for the appropriate sectional
championships.
2. And, if competing internationally in a pair and/or ice dance event, the competitor must also have competed at the
previous year’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships in a singles event.
It seems strange that a bye is given just for being in an event. Seems there ought to be some minimum score or placement requirement at that event and the skater should, thus, have to have competed in both the short and long program.
If so, this is a change from what the rule was before. IIRC, when Kimmie Meissner withdrew from her GP events in 2009, it made her ineligible to bye into the 2010 Nationals.
I'm sort of mixed on Gracie withdrawing. I was fully behind her yesterday after her poor skate in the SP, and I understand wanting to build her confidence. However, I really feel like if you're going to commit to participating in an event, you should finish it. She could have gone out there, done all doubles, came in last and I don't think it would have affected her that much because she wasn't putting her best out there.
No. She did complete a 3A and 3A/2t, however. 138.03 for long program, 212.97 total.
So you're saying, if the freeskate got cancelled like what happened in France a few years back, the said skater shouldn't get a bye?
Has *Gracie* ever said that she went to Rostelecom to get a bye for Nats?:confused2: Or are these conclusions from posters? I truly don't know, if she said that, could someone point it out to me?
I think it’s just implied that since she wants to compete at Nationals (her words) that she likely used the GP event to bypass regionals and sectionals. Nothing wrong with it. I personally think she thought she would get thru the SP with far better result (above 50pts) and use it as a building block towards nationals. Things didn’t work out that way and now here we are.
And, with or without a USFS form, I can't imagine that a physical and mental health team would have sanctioned Gracie's comeback at a major international competition. It seems very unlikely that a trip to a major and unnerving competition in Russia would be a recommendation from an ethical physician/therapist—Gracie must not have followed the advice of her health team?