Grand Prix Final Qualifiers

[Karen-W]

I made a comment about a week or two ago that I did not think any in ladies would qualify to the final, but you said that you thought C Kim had a good chance

Well, yeah, then GP Espoo happened...

also, if USFSA had selected Ava for the TBD for skate America, as I was hoping they would she would’ve had to only came in fourth to go to the final

I thought she would’ve been a really great choice

Coulda, woulda, shoulda... Hindsight is a bitch and I'm sure the USFS was hoping she might pick up a 2nd assignment elsewhere. Didn't work out. Beyond that, who knows how Ava Marie would have skated at NHK had the pressure/possibility of qualifying for the GPF been there instead of basically skating to make the most of her one GP opportunity.

 

[Evgeniafan]

I made a comment about a week or two ago that I did not think any in ladies would qualify to the final, but you said that you thought C Kim had a good chance

also, if USFSA had selected Ava for the TBD for skate America, as I was hoping they would she would’ve had to only came in fourth to go to the final

I thought she would’ve been a really great choice

I feel so bad for Ava, she really could have made the final and lost world ranking points to a skater she beat handily at Cranberry cup.

 

[Frau Muller]

No Korea in the finals. Unexpectedly.

Not in Srs but definitely in Jrs.

Ava could be in Sr Worlds…my big hope.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I feel so bad for Ava, she really could have made the final and lost world ranking points to a skater she beat handily at Cranberry cup.

I don’t understand that selection for TBD for skate America. Since the first time I see her at jr Grand Prix results seem to be getting lower and lower.

 

[her grace]

Yes, Korea's Grand Prix season was pretty miserable. They've got a great junior contingent for the Final, at least, but the senior ladies had best sort things out; Jia isn't going to be able to help them with Olympic qualification next year.

Chaeyeon Kim is first alternate so her GP season wasn't terrible, just not enough. I'd like to think that she and/or Haein Lee would at least be able to keep two spots at worlds. But wow, Young You and Yelim Kim look like shells of their former selves this season.

 

[her grace]

I feel so bad for Ava, she really could have made the final and lost world ranking points to a skater she beat handily at Cranberry cup.

I'm assuming that Seo outskated Ziegler at Champs Camp because going into that, I thought Ziegler was the hands-down favorite (and also the skater I wanted to see at SA ). OR that USFS decided to spread the wealth and assume that Ziegler would pick up a spot later, though that's a risky strategy. OTOH, the initial pairs host pick made no logical sense, and it's possible that USFS just made a dumb decision here, too.

 

[Karen-W]

I'm assuming that Seo outskated Ziegler at Champs Camp because going into that, I thought Ziegler was the hands-down favorite (and also the skater I wanted to see at SA ). OR that USFS decided to spread the wealth and assume that Ziegler would pick up a spot later, though that's a risky strategy. OTOH, the initial pairs host pick made no logical sense, and it's possible that USFS just made a dumb decision here, too.

It was reported (anonymously, of course) that Ziegler out-skated Seo at Champs Camp. No way to prove that, but I remember hearing it at the time.

The USFS knew, right before Champs Camp, that Ziegler had been selected as a replacement for Schott at NHK. I think they really were hoping she would pick up a 2nd assignment elsewhere and it could afford them the luxury of giving the SkAm TBD spot to Seo, who was much further down the SB Top 75 list and, therefore, unlikely to pick up any assignment at all.

The Pairs host picks were, in part, dictated by not being able to have Chan/Howe there due to Spencer's shoulder surgery. Liu/Nagy were an obvious pick once they debuted well at Glacier Falls. It was that third spot that was the real head scratcher.

 

[Colonel Green]

Chaeyeon Kim is first alternate so her GP season wasn't terrible, just not enough. I'd like to think that she and/or Haein Lee would at least be able to keep two spots at worlds. But wow, Young You and Yelim Kim look like shells of their former selves this season.

I'm not worried about them keeping two, but they presumably want three for the Olympics, and from the POV of the current senior ladies, there's particular need for as many as possible because Jia will be senior-eligible during the Olympic season and (while there's obviously a lot of miles still to travel) she looks like a strong bet to take one of them.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

OTOH, the initial pairs host pick made no logical sense, and it's possible that USFS just made a dumb decision here,

Martins and Bedard????

no way, I wish they had a second assignment. However, the team that they replaced for the TBD didn’t make any sense.

 

[her grace]

Martins and Bedard????

no way, I wish they had a second assignment. However, the team that they replaced for the TBD didn’t make any sense.

Not Martins/Bedard, the original selection of Hanns/Neudecker. M/B should have gotten that one outright.