Now let’s take a look beyond the headline-makers of the upcoming skating season. In fact, let’s look beyond the other U.S. names you might expect to see on the list—Rippon and Mroz, Wagner and Nagasu, Carriere and Czisny and the like. Let’s even look beyond what might be considered the “surprise” double appointments of Meissner and Bradley (seems worth mentioning, anyway). Who else made the cut in this all-important Olympic season?
The pairs and dance teams I’ll discuss next time. But as far as the singles skaters go, here’s who’s up to bat:
+ Alexe Gilles (9th, Senior Ladies)—I wrote a little bit about Ms. Gilles sometime last Fall, and was pleased to see her FS included in this year’s Nationals broadcast on NBC. Though I suspect she has Katrina Hacker and Britney Rizo to thank for her assignment – both placed higher than her at Nats, but both have backburnered skating to focus on their studies—it will be nice to see an actual “big girl” (she’s 5’7”) with the Big Girls this year. And in Paris to boot!
+ Bebe Liang (14th, Senior Ladies)—I feel for Liang. Though she hasn’t had quite the rise-and-fall of, say, Meissner, she’s another one who came out with a bang several years back, appeared to be on the fast track to champion status… but nowadays is lucky to get even the single GP assignment. Expectations are brutal sometimes. I hope we can watch her surprise us all at Cup of China.
+ Becky Bereswill (18th, Senior Ladies)—No offense to Bereswill, but I was pretty surprised to see her name on the NHK Trophy list. Apparently two of the ladies I thought would be picked ahead of her—Angela Maxwell (8th) and Kristine Musademba (11th)—have instead been assigned to the Junior circuit. Hmmm. There must be more factors in play than I’m aware of. In any case, it’ll surely be an exciting time for her.
+ Armin Mahbanoozadeh (6th, Junior Men)—he won the silver medal at last year’s Junior GP Final, and the bronze at the same event the year before that, so I wonder if he couldn’t continue at the Junior level for that reason. And wow does he enter the Senior level with a bang—two assignments! I know Curran Oi is also back-burnering skating this season in favor of academics, but I’ve got to ask “what about Parker Pennington (8th), Tommy Steenberg (10th), or Dennis Phan (11th)?”
Many of you reading are more in the know about this stuff than I am, to be sure, so if you understand the assignments better please don’t hesitate to talk it up!
I’ve got Mahbanoozadeh’s JGP Free Skate from ’08 as the Clip of the Day.
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3 comments:
Bereswill got an assignment because of her solid showing on the Junior Grand Prix last season.
Same for Mahbanoozadeh.
It has less to do with placement at Nationals and more to do with talent (read Meissner getting two events). In the case of Armin, he clearly is a stronger skater than either Pennington or Steenberg and offers the U.S. a better chance at a higher placement based solely on his progress.
Yeah, that makes sense... I'm not used to things in figure skating making sense sometimes :-D
What I really don't get though is why the two other senior ladies I mentioned (Maxwell and Musademba) were sent back to the JGP circuit... especially Maxwell, who did quite well at the Senior level at Nationals... was it again a case of overall improvement not being there?
Pennington had foot surgery this spring so his training is delayed. Perhaps that contributed to no SGP assignments. Perhaps a Sr B for him?
The skaters all have to make a choice as to if they are going to compete Jr or Sr internationally (only pairs can skate at both levels on the international circuit). So, perhaps the two girls felt that they are at the end of a long line and that with the JPG, they have better chances of earning ISU points if they medal at two events, make the JGPF and perhaps JWs. Actually, a smart move on their part. They were not likely to get 2 SGP, and with the goals being...Medal and earn ISU points, this was the best option for Angela and Kristine.
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