Gracie Gold set to return

[ZilphaK]

Excited for Gracie! Win, lose or draw, she's a warrior, in all the best ways.

 

[Joubabe]

I'm over-the-top excited to hear that Gracie is making a comeback! Her talent and charisma have been sorely missed. Best of luck, Gracie! We're supporting you!!!

 

[goldberry99]

As someone who is just a fan, a viewer, and a human being...I’d love to see an Akiko Suzuki-like comeback and moment for her

 

[UGG]

I would come back too after seeing the US Ladies perform at the Olympics and Worlds...

 

[Firedancer]

Instagram post from Gracie:

• graciegold95The first Grand Prix I ever medaled at was Cup of Russia in 2012. I’m proud to be competing again on the international circuit and I can’t wait to go back to Moscow. Thanks for the love and endless support

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bkx7_wehGh4/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1n8wjoaprcz07

I'm excited to see Gracie on the Grand Prix again. I hope she is feeling much better and is able to have the comeback she is hoping for.

 

[olympic]

With pain comes growth. I hope that GG channels the bad into something good and shows us what she's made of this coming season.

Will she do any Challenge Series / Summer Comps?

 

[Sylvia]

I'm glad Gracie has commented herself re. her GP. I hope she takes all the training time she needs before competing again IF she decides to do a summer club competition. AFAIK she's not required to do so ... next step would be to show her programs at Champs Camp in Colorado Springs, August 18-23.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Whatever happens, i am very glad Gracie will skate in a major competition, instead of "drifting off into the sunset with problems". Good luck Gracie!

 

[AliasJohnDoe]

I'm thrilled to hear Graci decided to compete again! I wish her the best!

 

[tony]

What you describe is exactly how I perceived Elvis's comeback in 2002.

But, for a skater it could be less about outcomes and more about closure.

But Elvis never really went away- injuries he had to deal with, yes. But he was at every Worlds in the cycle leading up to SLC, and was the silver medalist in 2000. He even had an outside shot at another medal in 2001 but fell apart in the short- the bad luck at home-country Worlds after being in the much easier qualifying group.

If you watch how all of the top 8 men skated in the SLC long program, it was a remarkable event.

I don’t have any expectations for Gracie, but I hope it’s a better comeback than someone like Emily Hughes’ Grand Prix attempt. But if she’s happy, that’s all that matters especially for her.

 

[aftershocks]

I would come back too after seeing the US Ladies perform at the Olympics and Worlds...

But what do you mean? Gracie's decision should simply be looked upon as her decision, and her desire to explore more in her skating. Surely Gracie missed the arena as she watched others competing at the recent Olympics. But her decision to return should have nothing to do with how the U.S. ladies fared in the often politics-based judging results.

Mirai Nagasu and Bradie Tennell contributed to a Team Bronze medal at the Olympics. Granted they didn't fare as well in the singles competition, but both were unfairly shafted in their marks at Worlds. Karen Chen IMHO, did not perform at U.S. Nationals in a way that held promise she was going to break out at the Olympics. She shouldn't have been judged as Olympic-worthy based on her potential or on the way she skated at Nationals and Worlds the previous year. Karen actually didn't skate completely clean at Worlds in 2017, but she skated well enough to land in 4th. Obviously, at 2018 U.S. Nats, Karen was still preferred over struggling but accomplished veteran, Ashley Wagner, who had actually never been fully embraced by her fed anyway, throughout her career.

Obviously, Karen has boffo talent. It just remains to be seen whether she can overcome her weaknesses and stoke her strengths and put it altogether. That goes for most of the U.S. ladies, but we can't judge the younger up-and-comers as it's too early. For now, we know that the more veteran Karen, Amber Glenn, Courtney Hicks, Mariah Bell, and Angela Wang have huge talent. Will we ever see their talent consistently on display in competition is the question. I like what I've seen so far from Bradie Tennell and Starr Andrews in terms of grit and competitive fire, but they both are works-in-progress with aspects of their skating that need further development.

Please do consider curbing dismissive blanket statements. The state of U.S. ladies field is not as gloom and doom as is always being suggested. Formerly, the U.S. men were always being dissed, despite them having great depth and being inspirations for fans and many other skaters. Post-2010, it was their lack of consistent quads (despite the fact many U.S. male skaters did perform quads), which held them back in the scoring until recently. And then there was Nathan Chen, and a scrambling ensued by ISU to change the rules regarding quads. As far as artistry, Nathan's the developing A-bomb in that category too.

 

[UGG]

But what do you mean? Gracie's decision should simply be looked upon as her decision, and her desire to explore more in her skating. Surely Gracie missed the arena as she watched others competing at the recent Olympics. But her decision to return should have nothing to do with how the U.S. ladies fared in the often politics-based judging results.

Mirai Nagasu and Bradie Tennell contributed to a Team Bronze medal at the Olympics. Granted they didn't fare as well in the singles competition, but both were unfairly shafted in their marks at Worlds. Karen Chen IMHO, did not perform at U.S. Nationals in a way that held promise she was going to break out at the Olympics. She shouldn't have been judged as Olympic-worthy based on her potential or on the way she skated at Nationals and Worlds the previous year. Karen actually didn't skate completely clean at Worlds in 2017, but she skated well enough to land in 4th. Obviously, at 2018 U.S. Nats, Karen was still preferred over struggling but accomplished veteran, Ashley Wagner, who had actually never been fully embraced by her fed anyway, throughout her career.

Obviously, Karen has boffo talent. It just remains to be seen whether she can overcome her weaknesses and stoke her strengths and put it altogether. That goes for most of the U.S. ladies, but we can't judge the younger up-and-comers as it's too early. For now, we know that the more veteran Karen, Amber Glenn, Courtney Hicks, Mariah Bell, and Angela Wang have huge talent. Will we ever see their talent consistently on display in competition is the question. I like what I've seen so far from Bradie Tennell and Starr Andrews in terms of grit and competitive fire, but they both are works-in-progress with aspects of their skating that need further development.

Please do consider curbing dismissive blanket statements. The state of U.S. ladies field is not as gloom and doom as is always being suggested. Formerly, the U.S. men were always being dissed, despite them having great depth and being inspirations for fans and many other skaters. Post-2010, it was their lack of consistent quads (despite the fact many U.S. male skaters did perform quads), which held them back in the scoring until recently. And then there was Nathan Chen, and a scrambling ensued by ISU to change the rules regarding quads. As far as artistry, Nathan's the developing A-bomb in that category too.

I don't think it was a blanket statement. Karen and Mirai were huge cry babies at the Olympics. One didn't have hot water and the other didn't have her mom. To me, that is embarrassing. You never heard Michelle Kwan or Sasha Cohen complaining about water temperature, or dissing other competitors to explain their performance at the Olympics. And they were both younger than 2018 Mirai in both their Olympic appearances. It was so lame. Gracie had personal issues she had to overcome, but she isn't a whiner. Bradie reminds m of Rachel Flatt. Best we have by default. I will be happy to see Gracie back.

 

[arakwafan2006]

She and Daisuke returning have REALLY made me look forward to watching skating again. So many " what if" thoughts. A part of me is like there is no way Gracie accepted Grand Prix assignments if she was THAT out of shape. Another part of me is fearful that she will find herself too far out of shape to be strong.

Frankly, i hope she's a different skater with a different style. Not going to lie, I DO wish Frank was at the helm of her career but i also think he stuck around too long and that coaching her was too much for him. No matter what, hardly anything could be worse than her last season. I completely understand why trying is important to her but that season could have buried a lesser woman in feelings of self-defeat. Her returning says everything about who she is. I'm watching with my eyes wide open.

 

[aftershocks]

I don't think it was a blanket statement. Karen and Mirai were huge cry babies at the Olympics. One didn't have hot water and the other didn't have her mom. To me, that is embarrassing. You never heard Michelle Kwan or Sasha Cohen complaining about water temperature, or dissing other competitors to explain their performance at the Olympics. And they were both younger than 2018 Mirai in both their Olympic appearances. It was so lame. Gracie had personal issues she had to overcome, but she isn't a whiner. Bradie reminds m of Rachel Flatt. Best we have by default. I will be happy to see Gracie back.

Again blanket dissing...

Happy to see Gracie back, yeah! But not because she's got to to fill some competitive gap. Please understand that.

ETA:
And what's with the Bradie - Rachael comparison? Because they are both blondes? Their career arcs are completely dissimilar, as are their skating styles. Rachael was a fairly consistent jumper, but she was never in "the best we have by default" category. Neither should Bradie be so categorically dismissed.

Rachael was a precociously talented skater who almost peaked in terms of her on-ice potential at the age of 15. Beyond that age, she was competent, reliable and pleasant to watch, but not a spectacular talent in the vein of Caroline Zhang and Mirai Nagasu at their best. OTOH, Ash Wagner was more of a late bloomer who took her talent and her career into her own hands, and in the process kept U.S. ladies in the conversation over these past seven years. Gracie and Polina Edmunds did their part too, but Ash was the standard-bearer, medaling often on the GP and becoming the first U.S. lady to take the podium at Worlds in a decade, regardless of all the dismissive backlash critiques.

 

[Japanfan]

But Elvis never really went away- injuries he had to deal with, yes. But he was at every Worlds in the cycle leading up to SLC, and was the silver medalist in 2000. He even had an outside shot at another medal in 2001 but fell apart in the short- the bad luck at home-country Worlds after being in the much easier qualifying group.

For some reason I thought he took a season or two off. And I thought of his last Olympics as a come-back because he brought back his 1994 FP, ostensibly to reinvent the program (which unfortunately did not happen).

WRT Gracie, I would really like to see her find a style that works for her. IMO she has always been cast in the ice princess mold. This in part because she's so fair and pretty. And Frank has not helped with that - he's not the most imaginative coach when it comes to encouraging skaters to explore different styles, genres and music choices.

In Gracie's case I feel that being so very pretty has worked against her.

 

[berthesghost]

In Gracie's case I feel that being so very pretty has worked against her.

you forgot to add the burdens of being rich, thin, white, popular and talented. She really is the unluckiest girl in the world!

Kudos for remembering to throw Frank under the bus though. She really is the new Tonya in people’s need to canonize her as the ultimate cult victim. It’s almost like a mass fetish how drawn people are to this perfect victim image. Super talented blonde girls who seem to have it all on plate before them but still manage to f it all up but somehow they’re a perpetual victim of life as all of their mis-steps are the fault of others at all times.

The struggle is real with Gracie and I wish her the best of luck with tackling her demons. But people’s need to victim worship her to the point where her very advantages are rewritten as disagvantages is just too bizarre for me

 

[mag]

But her decision to return should have nothing to do with how the U.S. ladies fared in the often politics-based judging results.

Why not? Are there rules in place that dictate why skaters are allowed to return to competiton? I have no idea why Gracie is returning to competition and as far as I know, neither does anyone else posting in this thread.

To suggest that Gracie’s “return should have nothing to do ...” (that is what you actually posted, so yes, you did say that) is a bit much. Gracie may return for any reason she likes and she is also not required to share that reason with anyone.

 

[overedge]

I don't think it was a blanket statement. Karen and Mirai were huge cry babies at the Olympics. One didn't have hot water and the other didn't have her mom. To me, that is embarrassing. You never heard Michelle Kwan or Sasha Cohen complaining about water temperature, or dissing other competitors to explain their performance at the Olympics. And they were both younger than 2018 Mirai in both their Olympic appearances.

Just because we didn't hear about doesn't mean they didn't complain. I'm not saying they did or they didn't, but not everything that happens in the athletes' village gets reported on. And IMO not having hot water in your room *is* a big deal, especially at a Winter Olympics (brrr).

 

[bardtoob]

And Frank has not helped with that - he's not the most imaginative coach when it comes to encouraging skaters to explore different styles, genres and music choices.

Frank managed to lead her to 4th at the Olympics after she abruptly left Alex, who probably could have been more of an asset to her than Frank because Alex, along with Marina, could have dealt with the politics in Sochi.

Frank trained her to the brink of a world championship, she was fit and prepared, but he can't skate for her.

In Gracie's case I feel that being so very pretty has worked against

I do think Gracie was unfairly scored, particularly in Sochi, and we did not need to invent reasons in our head why that "makes sense". It was simply unfair.

 

[viennese]

exciting news. she's a beautiful skater.

 

[PDilemma]

WRT Gracie, I would really like to see her find a style that works for her. IMO she has always been cast in the ice princess mold. This in part because she's so fair and pretty. And Frank has not helped with that - he's not the most imaginative coach when it comes to encouraging skaters to explore different styles, genres and music choices.

In Gracie's case I feel that being so very pretty has worked against her.

Off ice Gracie, when she was younger, liked elaborate hair dos, sparkly outfits and bright red lipstick. Kind of like what we saw on the ice. I've never been so certain that any of that was forced on her. If you followed her social media, what you saw on ice was an ice appropriate variation on what you saw off the ice. And she consistently told us that she loved her programs as well. But that doesn't fit the "Poor Gracie forced to be something she's not!" victim narrative, so no one has ever wanted to acknowledge it.

I suspect that at nearly 23, she has outgrown some of that and we very well may see a different presentation. Not because she is suddenly "free" but because a lot of girls like that stuff as teens and even a bit later and don't so much at 23 as young adults.

 

[bardtoob]

BTW I also think it was unfair that Gracie got flack for using social media just because she was an early adopter. What Gracie was doing 4 years ago is what everybody is doing now . . . Although it is not like Gracie is Shirley Babashoff or anything.

 

[olympic]

BTW I also think it was unfair that Gracie got flack for using social media just because she was an early adopter. What Gracie was doing 4 years ago is what everybody is doing now . . . Although it is not like Gracie is Shirley Babashoff or anything.

Not to derail, but in what context is Shirley being brought into the mix?

 

[Rock2]

Frankly, i hope she's a different skater with a different style.

I'll say it another way.

I hope she is able to skate with her own voice, because what she was doing didn't seem to be it.
Doesn't have to be that different, as long as she feels perfectly comfortable with what she's putting out there.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I'll say it another way.

I hope she is able to skate with her own voice, because what she was doing didn't seem to be it.
Doesn't have to be that different, as long as she feels perfectly comfortable with what she's putting out there.

I do not buy into the theory that she wasn't skating to "her own voice". I think she did not want to be skating. Which is fine. Falls into the "just because you are good at something doesn't mean you have to do it."

Ask Jamie Silverstein.

If you simply want to skate because you like it and don't care about the results, that is one thing. (Of course it begs the question of why someone is taking up a slot they don't care about).

However, Gracie wanted to win....badly. And, with all her natural talent (ask Ashley what she would have given for that shit load of natural talent), she (and everybody else) thought she would naturally win everything. False assumption.

She needed help when she went to Frank, and he did help in certain areas. It appears that Gracie was already too sick/depressed/negative/pressured (pick a word) for Frank to work with.

I don't know that she wasn't "comfortable" with her programs, choreography, costumes, etc. I think her problems were very deep inside her, and it would not have mattered, at that point what she was wearing or skating to or with.

I hope she is strong enough to compete, and that she can withstand the pressures that she could not deal with before.

 

[bardtoob]

Not to derail, but in what context is Shirley being brought into the mix?

Gracie's treatment by the critics were unfair but not that unfair.

 

[Rock2]

I do not buy into the theory that she wasn't skating to "her own voice". I think she did not want to be skating. Which is fine. Falls into the "just because you are good at something doesn't mean you have to do it."

Ask Jamie Silverstein.

If you simply want to skate because you like it and don't care about the results, that is one thing. (Of course it begs the question of why someone is taking up a slot they don't care about).

However, Gracie wanted to win....badly. And, with all her natural talent (ask Ashley what she would have given for that shit load of natural talent), she (and everybody else) thought she would naturally win everything. False assumption.

She needed help when she went to Frank, and he did help in certain areas. It appears that Gracie was already too sick/depressed/negative/pressured (pick a word) for Frank to work with.

I don't know that she wasn't "comfortable" with her programs, choreography, costumes, etc. I think her problems were very deep inside her, and it would not have mattered, at that point what she was wearing or skating to or with.

I hope she is strong enough to compete, and that she can withstand the pressures that she could not deal with before.

All that is fair and I agree, but I still got the impression she has other ideas about how to present herself. I'm not saying that was the core problem by any stretch because what you point out all seems to be relevant.

When you go to Frank to be fixed you get the whole makeover package, which includes Lori Nichol. Let me be clear, Lori is a goddess, but she works with a Library of about 50 pieces of music (and manages to keep them fresh for her athletes...which is a whole other talent). Gracie herself expressed a desire to break out of the blonde skater-princess with the red dress/blue dress program packaging. In the last few years she inched away from that, but Lori will only take you so far. You do get black and cream sometimes, sure.

My gut tells me that no matter how she skates in terms of results, we're going to see a more authentic connection to her music this year, no matter what it is. I hope she's on the road to resolving her other challenges, too.

 

[Coco]

For funsies...

Base Value from 2018 US Figure Skating Championships (Senior Ladies Free Skate)
1 - Mirai Nagasu 65.08
2 - Bradie Tennell 62.22
3 - Mariah Bell 59.15
4 - Starr Andrews 58.16
5 - Ashley Wagner 54.96
6 - Courtney Hicks 53.93
7 - Angela Wang 53.45
8 - Karen Chen 52.44
9 - Kaitlyn Nguyen 51.75
10 - Brynne McIsaac 51.10


Sample Base Value (using 2018-2019 values)

Spins & Steps
L4 Layback 2.7
L4 flying sit 3.0
L4 combo 3.2
ChSeq 2.0
L2 Steps 2.6
13.5

Jumps - 7 triples, 2 double axels
3t3t 4.2+4.2=8.4
3z 5.9
3f 5.3
2a-1/2l-3sal 3.3+.5+4.3=8.1
**
3l 4.9*1.1=5.39
3sal 4.3*1.1=4.73
2a 3.3*1.1=3.63
41.45

Total Base Value 54.95 (virtual tie for 5th in base value)

Alternate Jumps - 6 triples, 1 double axel
3z2t 5.9+1.3=7.2
3f 5.3
2z3toe 2.1+4.2=6.3
3l 4.9
**
2a2t2l [3.3+1.3+1.7]*1.1=6.93
3z 5.9*1.1=6.49
3sal 4.3*1.1=4.73

Total Base Value 55.35 (5th in base value)

When you consider that the Base Value has been decreased for 3z (-.1), combo spins (-.3), 3l (BOOOOO -.2), it's fair to knock .5 off of the 2018 Free Skate base value totals.

 

[UGG]

Again blanket dissing...

Happy to see Gracie back, yeah! But not because she's got to to fill some competitive gap. Please understand that.

ETA:
And what's with the Bradie - Rachael comparison? Because they are both blondes? Their career arcs are completely dissimilar, as are their skating styles. Rachael was a fairly consistent jumper, but she was never in "the best we have by default" category. Neither should Bradie be so categorically dismissed.

Rachael was a precociously talented skater who almost peaked in terms of her on-ice potential at the age of 15. Beyond that age, she was competent, reliable and pleasant to watch, but not a spectacular talent in the vein of Caroline Zhang and Mirai Nagasu at their best. OTOH, Ash Wagner was more of a late bloomer who took her talent and her career into her own hands, and in the process kept U.S. ladies in the conversation over these past seven years. Gracie and Polina Edmunds did their part too, but Ash was the standard-bearer, medaling often on the GP and becoming the first U.S. lady to take the podium at Worlds in a decade, regardless of all the dismissive backlash critiques.

Nothing to do with being blonde or skating styles other than they are both kind of bland to watch. They are reliable skaters who are placing well nationally because their more talented US competitors can't get it together....which is not their fault and good for them for being able to step up to the plate. Being able to skate under pressure is also a talent, it is a shame Karen and the others really don't have that quality.

 

[berthesghost]

Rachael and Bradie both have the presentation skills of drying paint but I’m not convinced it’s about being “less talented” as literally not caring enough to work on improving that side of your skating. Like most Tom Z students, Flatt seemed perfectly content to win medals by landing jumps even if half the arena was checking their watches as she performed. Bradie doubled down on that awful lp even when tptb tried to convince her to ditch it. Is lack of good taste or strategic savvy “less talent”?