U.S. Ice Dance 2021-22 season news & updates

[Aceon6]

Oona and Gage Brown are out of Nationals. Both tested positive. Completely asymptomatic.

 

[clairecloutier]

Sad to have both top teams out in junior ice dance. The competition really won't be the same without them.

I'm worried how many more of these announcements we're going to hear ....

 

[Dobre]

The Browns should have an excellent argument for a petition to Junior Worlds. I think they've either won or finished second at everything they've been to this season (at least 4 events?), and I think the only U.S. junior age-eligible team that they've finished behind has been Wolfkostin & Chen, whom they defeated at least once.

Both tested positive. Completely asymptomatic.

Best wishes that they stay asymptomatic & that everyone else in their family & rink are OK.

 

[PRlady]

 

[jlai]

They made the JGPF because the JGP they won was the weakest event of the seven by a wide margin. And they very nearly lost to Flores/Tsarevski.

Having said that, I believe we have 3 berths for Jr Worlds so I would be surprised if the Browns and Wolfkostin/Chen aren't on that team, along with one of either Flores/Tsarevski or Ling/Wein.

I am not getting my hopes up for Flores/Tsarevski

 

[her grace]

I am not getting my hopes up for Flores/Tsarevski

Yes, for all intents and purposes, it appears that they have split.

Sad for Browns not getting a go at the junior national title. But they should still have a great shot at jr. worlds selection.

 

[Karen-W]

And a 4th team is withdrawn from Junior Dance - Rebecca Kerscher/Davis Ortonward.

There are currently 12 teams listed on the Jr Dance entries since Larson/Appel's withdrawal came early enough to replace them.

 

[skateguy776]

Predictions for U.S. JNATS

- Carhart and Horoyvi
- Ling and Wein
- Neset and Markelov
- Peal and Peal
- Pham and Rogers
- Hauer and Starr
- Mullen and Mullen
- Malcom and Lafornara
- Bland and Sperry
- Gans and Wang
- Dietrich and Plylepenko
- Freeman and Bennet

 

[Karen-W]

Nguyen/Smirnov are now listed as WD on the starting order.

 

[Spikefan]

Nguyen/Smirnov are now listed as WD on the starting order.

Nguyen posted in her stories that Smirnov is having hip pain.

 

[Jammers]

Nguyen posted in her stories that Smirnov is having hip pain.

I can relate to that i've had pain for years then fell at work and could hardly get up and walk for two days. It sucks to get old.

 

[Karen-W]

And, we all know it's just a formality but... One last update before the team is officially named tomorrow:

	Group 1 Highest Priority	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4 Lowest Priority
CRITERIA FOR 2022 US CHAMPIONSHIPS	Placed in the top 3 AND	Placed in the top 5 AND	Placed in the top 3 OR	Placed in the top 5 OR
CRITERIA FOR 2021 INTERNATIONAL SCORES *	Consistently scored equal to Top 3 at 2021 Worlds D – 214.35	Consistently scored equal to Top 5 at 2021 Worlds D – 208.77 AND/OR scored once equal to Top 3 at 2021 Worlds	Consistently scored equal to Top 10 at 2021 Worlds D – 188.45 AND/OR scored once equal to Top 5 at 2021 Worlds	Consistently scored equal to Top 15 at 2021 Worlds D – 178.18 OR Scored once equal to Top 10 at 2021 Worlds

Group 2 -

• Madison Chock/Evan Bates (212.69 Worlds 2021; 208.31 CS Finlandia; 208.23 SkAm; 210.78 NHK; GPF) 1st 2022 Nationals
• Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (214.71 Worlds 2021; 207.30 US Classic; 209.54 SkAm; 207.90 GP Italia; GPF) 2nd 2022 Nationals

Group 3 - Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker (188.51 Worlds 2021; 187.62 Rostelecom; 191.32 CS Golden Spin) 3rd 2022 Nationals

Group 4 -

• Caroline Green/Michael Parsons (174.98 LPIDI; 188.43 CS ACI; 186.51 SCI; 178.26 GP Italia; 187.84 CS Warsaw) 4th 2022 Nationals
• Emily Bratti/Ian Somerville (166.83 CS Austria; 172.24 CS Golden Spin) 5th 2022 Nationals

Others with International Assignments
Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko (172.78 CS Lombardia; 178.27 CS Finlandia; 168.76 SCI; 175.91 IdF)
Molly Cesanek/Yehor Yehorov (166.12 LPIDI; 151.76 CS Lombardia; 156.97 SkAm; 166.71 CS Golden Spin)
Eva Pate/Logan Bye (159.87 LPIDI; 171.70 US Classic; 171.00 CS Warsaw)
Lorraine McNamara/Anton Spiridonov (155.12 LPIDI; 161.82 US Classic; 159.03 CS Austria)
Katarina Wolfkostin/Jeffrey Chen (165.01 JGP Courchevel 1; 163.25 JGP Ljubljana; 164.33 CS Austria, JGPF)

 

[shuilee]

Looks like it'd be C&B for RD in the Team Event, and H&D for FD? I really hope USFS splits the dance instead of the ladies! They both deserve to medal. And it's become clear that one team has the stronger RD, and the other has the stronger FD.

I've really grown to love H&D's free dance. Wow the new changes are fantastic and I could see why the won the GOE and PCS tonight. I just hope the international judges don't low-ball them now that they're ranked US #2 team.


As for Olympic alternates, G&P will clearly be 1st alternate for sure. But is the brand new team Bratti & Somerville (coached by Tanith!!) going to be 2nd alternates? Impressive! I agree with judges that they deserved 5th place and very promising for the future.

 

[dancing_on_ice]

I’m extremely curious as to who the 4CC team is going to be. Before this event, I would have said that CPom had guaranteed spots, but after such a poor Nationals showing, will they get overlooked for Wolfkostin/Chen? Green/Parsons and Bratti/Somerville (who by the way have had a fantastic debut season) will certainly be going, but CPom have had a bit of an uninspiring fall season too. Will USFS truly punish them by picking the junior team for 4CC?

 

[VGThuy]

I wouldn’t send Green/Parsons to 4CC. Keep them as first alternates and safe from needless travel in case they need to be called in for Beijing.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

I think whether USFSA will have Olympic alternates stay home from 4CC is a big question here. Maybe the biggest. I suspect C/P would still get 4CC either way because Wofkostin/Chen will have Junior worlds and they need to train a different pattern for the RD. They should focus on that. Thorngren didn’t get both. I bet W/C won’t either.

Plus, C/P aren’t Olympic Eligible so they’re honestly the safest team to send to 4CC.

 

[dancing_on_ice]

I think whether USFSA will have Olympic alternates stay home from 4CC is a big question here. Maybe the biggest. I suspect C/P would still get 4CC either way because Wofkostin/Chen will have Junior worlds and they need to train a different pattern for the RD. They should focus on that. Thorngren didn’t get both. I bet W/C won’t either.

Plus, C/P aren’t Olympic Eligible so they’re honestly the safest team to send to 4CC.

Forgot about the fact that Lindsay wasn’t sent to 4CC, although it is a little bit different for her since Alysa actually has COVID right now so Lindsay is certainly more likely to go to the Olympics than Green/Parsons. Then, the 4CC team should be Bratti/Somerville, Wolfkostin/Chen, and CPom. I think W/C will go to 4CC because that’s the whole reason why they competed a half senior season. If 4CC wasn’t a thing, they probably wouldn’t have bothered training a whole new program, going to Challengers, and competing Senior at Nationals, this forgoing a second Junior title. Competing at 4CC will set them up well for their senior debut next season.

 

[angi]

I’m extremely curious as to who the 4CC team is going to be. Before this event, I would have said that CPom had guaranteed spots, but after such a poor Nationals showing, will they get overlooked for Wolfkostin/Chen? Green/Parsons and Bratti/Somerville (who by the way have had a fantastic debut season) will certainly be going, but CPom have had a bit of an uninspiring fall season too. Will USFS truly punish them by picking the junior team for 4CC?

The thing is, their showing wasn't really poor in my opinion, I absolutely don't get the scoring for their FD, all three of their choreo elements were very underscored and they dropped their PCS even compared to what they've been scoring internationally. Even including the small lift and twizzles issues, I'm puzzled by their FD score.

 

[On My Own]

I'm so happy for Hawayek/Baker. My favorite team of the lot.

 

[Andrea82]

Assignments

Olympics
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue

Alternate 1 – Caroline Green and Michael Parsons
Alternate 2 – Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville
Alternate 3 - Katarina Wolfkostin and Jeffrey Chen

2022 World Championships
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue

Alternate 1 – Caroline Green and Michael Parsons
Alternate 2 – Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville
Alternate 3 – Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko

2022 Four Continents Championships
Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville
Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko
Caroline Green and Michael Parsons

Alternate 1 – Eva Pate and Logan Bye
Alternate 2 – Lorraine McNamara and Anton Spiridonov
Alternate 3 – Molly Cesanek and Yehor Yehorov


2022 World Junior Championships
Oona Brown and Gage Brown
Angela Ling and Caleb Wein
Katarina Wolfkostin and Jeffrey Chen


Alternate 1 – Leah Neset and Artem Markelov
Alternate 2 – Helena Carhart and Volodymyr Horovyi

 

[BittyBug]

Not sure I agree with sending G&P to 4CCs given YKW. I would think USFS would want to minimize YKW risk and keep them on deck in a bubble.

 

[Stephanie]

I'm a bit shocked that USFS went against the nationals results (which they rarely do for juniors) and chose Ling/Wein over Neset/Markelov, but I can see the logic in that L/W had the second highest JGP score after Wolfkostin/Chen and did better overall on the JGP, but it's still pretty surprising.

Really happy for the Browns

 

[Karen-W]

Wow! I didn't expect Ling/Wein over Neset/Markelov for Jr Worlds! I know L/W had an error in their FD but N/M were really close after the RD and deservedly won the Jr Worlds title.

I do like how the USFS is spreading the assignments out to maximize Worlds standings points for all of the teams though and happy that CarPon aren't left out entirely after last night's results.

 

[Karen-W]

Not sure I agree with sending G&P to 4CCs given YKW. I would think USFS would want to minimize YKW risk and keep them on deck in a bubble.

Or it's a sign of confidence in the IAM's precautions that they don't feel nearly as concerned about that trio staying safe before Beijing. From what I've heard, IAM is segregating all of their skaters into two separate pods - those going to the Olympics and those who aren't. Not sure what they'll do with FearGib and SmaDia once they return from Euros but it wouldn't surprise me if they have them separated also into a third pod.

 

[Spikefan]

Or it's a sign of confidence in the IAM's precautions that they don't feel nearly as concerned about that trio staying safe before Beijing. From what I've heard, IAM is segregating all of their skaters into two separate pods - those going to the Olympics and those who aren't. Not sure what they'll do with FearGib and SmaDia once they return from Euros but it wouldn't surprise me if they have them separated also into a third pod.

I’m guessing Hubbell will not be living with Diaz again until after the Olympics.

 

[litenkyckling]

I would be keeping G/P in bubble wrap if I were USFS...

Pleased for C/P though as I feel they were really hard done by last night - I think that keeping them in 7th was pure politics too. If other teams can make errors and be propped up by Nationals scoring - as they do every year - then they can be too. Hope they get some redemption at 4CC and that they have a better time of it next season.

 

[litenkyckling]

I’m guessing Hubbel will not be living with Diaz again until after the Olympics.

I was surprised to see them travelling with Chantelle - I know it's his birthday but if I were them I'd be seeing eachother and coaches only from now on. All groceries delivered etc.

 

[wickedwitch]

Pleased for C/P though as I feel they were really hard done by last night - I think that keeping them in 7th was pure politics too. If other teams can make errors and be propped up by Nationals scoring - as they do every year - then they can be too. Hope they get some redemption at 4CC and that they have a better time of it next season.

I don't think it was pure politics -- their programs were so, so bad and they didn't skate them that well either. But I do think politics has a role. Not!Scott presumably has very little experience with US ice dance politics and who needs to be talked to. (Although I don't think Scott himself has that much more.) But also, I think the judges were trying to send them a bit of a message that C/P need to do better in the future, but because scores were so tight, they ended up dropping.

 

[litenkyckling]

I don't think it was pure politics -- their programs were so, so bad and they didn't skate them that well either. But I do think politics has a role. Not!Scott presumably has very little experience with US ice dance politics and who needs to be talked to. (Although I don't think Scott himself has that much more.) But also, I think the judges were trying to send them a bit of a message that C/P need to do better in the future, but because scores were so tight, they ended up dropping.

1) I personally don't think they were bad enough to be below W/C.
2) By politics, I mean that Christina is not able to go to the Olympics. Optics wise, USFS do not want to have an Olympic alternate that was 7th at Nationals.
3) They've heard the message loud and clear all season, but what could they really do between GP and Nationals?

 

[I❤️Marina&Sergai]

I’m extremely curious as to who the 4CC team is going to be. Before this event, I would have said that CPom had guaranteed spots, but after such a poor Nationals showing, will they get overlooked for Wolfkostin/Chen? Green/Parsons and Bratti/Somerville (who by the way have had a fantastic debut season) will certainly be going, but CPom have had a bit of an uninspiring fall season too. Will USFS truly punish them by picking the junior team for 4CC?

I do think those three teams deserve to go. I think CPom are lovely but the others particularly Green and Parsons have made big leap this season. CPom obviously have the drive as it was brave to change coaches but I don’t think they have quite found their groove yet, I hope they do though and wish all the teams the best.