Figure Skating Fans! It's that time again!

[CarolA]

US Nationals start next week (January 3rd!)

This should be interesting. Michelle Kwan has a new coach. Sasha Cohen got a new coach LAST week!!

Anyway it's time to start waiting on results (and TV!)

 

[TammiMcMan]

I'm proud to say that my son competed at Junior Nationals a few weeks ago in Arizona. It was an amazing experience.

We'll be watching Nationals closely as there are quite a few skaters from his club who will be competing. DS usually skates on the same training ice as Scott Smith and Louann Donovan. They are wonderful to watch.

You can check out results on-line at the www.usfsa.org website and learn more information at the www.atlanta2004.org site.

Tammi

 

[padams]

Thanks for the links. I bought tickets for my parents as a Xmas gift.

Check the local Atlanta paper for additional coverage. www.ajc.com
The local paper's sports section mostly carries the pro sports and Nascar but I am hoping for some articles since the competition is here.

 

[NHAnn]

Wow, I've been busy with the holidays and didn't hear about the coaching changes for either Michelle or Sasha! Who are their new ones? I'm not as surprised about Michelle as I am about Sasha Cohen though! I thought she was doing well with Tarosova (SP?)
What's the scoop?
I'm looking forward to Nationals, especially the ladies...

 

[TammiMcMan]

According to the press release, Sasha and her coach Tatiana Sarasova parted amicably. Tatiana is returning to Russia for health reasons and Sasha is now with Robin Wagner.

 

[CarolA]

Michelle is being coached by Russian coach in Los Angeles whose name I could never spell. He is suppose to be an excellent techinical coach.

As for Sasha, who knows. There is lots of gossip, but I just found it strange that she wound up with Sarah Hughes coach.

Tammi, I saw LouAnn on a skating show on TV the other day. She seems to be skating well and hopefully will have a good Nationals. The competetion in Ladies is so tough.

That is great about your son.

I had planned to spend a lot of time at Nationals, but the changes they made to the event pretty much turned me off and there is work. (They moved Novice and part of Juniors out to Gwinnett which they CLAIM is 30 minutes from the main rink. Having driven in Atlanta it might be 30 minutes at 2 am when everyone else is off the road.)

 

[padams]

CarolA- It is about 30 minutes from downtown out to the Gwinnett County arena UNLESS you are driving to Gwinnett between 4 and 7pm, or you are returning to downtown Atlanta from Gwinnett between 7 and 9am. At those times, you are at the mercy of the traffic angels- it could take 30 mintues, it could take 90 minutes. If you stay downtown, you shouldn't have a problem because you would be reverse commuting to Gwinnett.

 

[TammiMcMan]

CarolA

A lot of the parents from our skating club are complaining about the change in venue. They said the same thing about the traffic issue. Some of them changed hotels for the practice sessions earlier in the week so that they would be closer to Gwinnet. At other Nationals, the courtesy vans were given a police escort to help them negotiate the traffic, but Atlanta is not doing that for the competitors.

We'll be at Disney World when the Novice skaters compete. I'll have to find a computer with an internet connection so that we can check out the results. We'll be back in time to see the senior skaters on tv.

 

[CarolA]

I won't have a problem. I decided not to volunteer and to attend far fewer events (saving me a lot of money!) just to avoid having to deal with communting.

What really made the fans mad was that this was "sold" as a great venue since the practice ice was on a temporary sheet at the World Congress Center. Well... that did not happen. And now they want my SS# for thier bus. I could understand if they were putting fans on the same buses as skaters that maybe they need to do a background check, but they say they are not doing that. The organizing committee also has no policies to ensure they don't give my SS# to just anyone. SHEESH!!!

Atlanta does not deserve to get this event again.

 

[DISshopkeeper]

Carol!!!

Michele did not skate the Grand Prix events, did she? I loved how she came out of the box last year and won everything! Is she eligible for USFSA events without doing the Grand Prix?

Had NO IDEA about Sasha's coaching situation either. I saw a couple of the Grand Prix events and Tatiana was still with her then.

Too bad Atlanta is blowing this, huh?

Time to start reading that Figure Skating board!!

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Add me to the list of those that didn't know about Sasha and Michelle's coach changes!! It seems like quite a few of the Russian skaters and/or coaches are returning to Russia...Anton and Elena, Tarosova, etc. I think Russia is really hurting in the pairs department right now.

 

[CarolA]

Dorothy,
I don't think you have to do GrandPrix to do USFSA. Michelle gets a buy to the Nationals since she medaled last year. (USFSA gives out lots of them for various reasons)

Unfortunately I don't think our pairs are dramatically better then the Russians. Too bad the Chinese can't skate here. Their skate at World's was one of those once in a lifetime events.

Sasha has a long involved thing on her web page about her coaching change, but I don't know what the address is. (I linked to it from FSunivese.net )

 

[TammiMcMan]

The buys are given out depending on your placement at previous Nationals competitions, or in the case of some of the dance and partners, they are given out due to lack of competitors. In order for most skaters to qualify for nationals, you first must skate at your regional competition. At the intermediate and junvenile levels, these skaters then move right onto the Junior Nationals. At the higher levels, these skaters must then compete at sectional competitions and the top 4 skaters in each event move onto Nationals. I believe most of the top level senior skaters did have buys this time around. The only one that I'm aware of who had to compete at regionals and sectionals was Johnny Weir.

The Grand Prix is made up of many international competitions. Your placement earns you points and those skaters with the most points are invited to skate in the Grand Prix final.

Tammi

 

[NHAnn]

Originally posted by CarolA
. And now they want my SS# for thier bus. I could understand if they were putting fans on the same buses as skaters that maybe they need to do a background check, but they say they are not doing that. The organizing committee also has no policies to ensure they don't give my SS# to just anyone. SHEESH!!!

You (well not you, THEY) have GOT to be kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!No WAY woudl I give them my SS# to ride a bus?!?! There's something wrong there somewhere. What a shame.

I have to say though , I do love this thread and the info/communinication among DIS skating fans

 

[DISshopkeeper]

Originally posted by CarolA
Dorothy,
Too bad the Chinese can't skate here. Their skate at World's was one of those once in a lifetime events.

Pairs is my favorite discipline and I still gets chills when I think of that Worlds 2003 skate. Remember this??

As is about normal for Pairs competition, the building wasn't very full that night. We moved down before the final group and witnessed that skate from about 10 rows off the ice. I'll always remember it.

 

[Eileen janice]

Hi, Dorothy & Carol A, yes that night in DC was a night I'll never forget. I hope 2004 is just as good. I hope the both of you have a great New Year.