US Sectionals Competitions (SPOILERS)

[Isk8NYC]

* THIS THREAD MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS *


The three qualifying US Sectionals competitions will take place this weekend.  (Nov 9-13, 2010)

• Eastern Sectionals are at Iceworks SC in Aston, PA
• Midwestern Sectionals are at Ann Arbor FSC in Ann Arbor, MI
• Pacific Coast Sectionals are at All Year FSC in Culver City, CA

Ice Network will carry the results live, but the videos for subscribers on demand only after the events.

Results pages:

• icenetwork.com Eastern Sectional Championships event page
• icenetwork.com Midwestern Sectional Championships event page
• icenetwork.com Pacific Coast Sectional Championships event page
(Not updated until competitions have begun.)

[Isk8NYC]

Cool - Midwestern has Alissa Czisny (Skate Canada Ladies Champ) and a competitor bowling party - I LOVE IT!

[Skittl1321]

I feel bad for the ladies at Mids.  There are so few spots for nationals and they now have to compete against Alissa Czisny, a former national champion, and a current grand prix series gold medalist for one of them.  I feel like even if she bombs, she's pretty sure to still medal on PCS alone (Just to be silly, I looked it up. Her SC PCS score total was 89.73.  I know these aren't all her section (or any?) This score she would have placed 2nd at Northwest Pacific regionals and 5th at North Atlantics, New Englands, and Eastern Great Lakes.  That's with NO TCS).  


Based on last years standings, yeah, Alissa didn't earn her bye- but if she had just been named to a different grand prix, last week, or this week, she would have gotten one (or she may have shown up at sectionals after Skate Canada as a washed up skater who needs to retire- there was no way of knowing).  But now, it's ridiculous to have her at sectionals with the skate she gave on the GP.  So many skaters out there train for nothing more than a shot to get to nationals, knowing once they are there they'll be low on the totem pole- why woudld USFS take the chance away for one of them?

I seem to recall "discretion" byes given out before- why can't USFS make give her one based on her GP win?  (Apparently it's the first american grand prix win since Kimmie Meissner? Is that true?)  

[Isk8NYC]

I had wondered about a bye for her as well.  I have to say I'm a fan of Czisny, and I want to see her succeed.  I worry, though, that coming off a big competition and having to skate again the following weekend might take too much out of her.  She might not qualify for Nationals if she's not on her game.

I think it is true that the US Ladies haven't won an ISU Grand Prix gold since Kimmie Meissner (2007 Skate America.)  She, Alyssa, Ashley and Rachael have come close, bring home silver medals, but I don't think any US Ladies skater has taken first place.

How many slots are there for Nationals?  Are they evenly divided between the three Sectionals?

[Skittl1321]

According to the rulebook, it's even by section (hence pairs teams often from 2 sections so they can play roulette on which one will be easier that year- it's kind of funny when they all guess wrong and 1 section has a bajillion teams).

The four best-placed competitors in senior, junior and novice events in each
section shall be permitted to enter the comparable national event;

IIRC, Mids is a tough section, but I think there is no way she won't be top 4.  She might not win if she's fatigued though.  When is her next Grand Prix?  She might be too tired to do well at THAT- and that would prevent her from getting GPF (which would get her a bye...kind of silly because by that point sectionals are all over, so likely anyone who made GPF is already going to be at nationals)

(Her next GP is Trophee Eric Bompard- which gives her 1 week off after sectionals. So skaters at Cup of China, Skate America and Cup of Russia get byes.  But no other GPs get you a bye.  It's outside the window of time USFS figures you need to prepare for the competition  Either way it's luck of the draw, and she did not get lucky.  It doesn't seem 'fair' that the lower ranked skaters from those GPs get a free ride to nationals when they place poorly at their events, but even more I think it's completely unfair to the "unseen" skaters who are likely loosing out on a chance due to 1 fewer spot. Though, if I understand the rules and Alissa makes GPF -I have my doubts...she'll have a lot of pressure on her at TEB- then the 5th place skater in Mids would go to nationals, assuming Alissa was in 1-4)

[Isk8NYC]

Thinking about that made me dizzy!  I feel like the IJS circuit skews the skater's home country event results.

lol at the pairs roulette.

[FigureSpins]

Starting Orders and Results:

Eastern

Midwestern

Pacific Coast

(From icenetwork.com)

[FigureSpins]

Czisny took first, bravo for her!

FSWer will be pleased to find out that Danielle Kahle took 2nd place in the short program; the long program results aren't posted yet.  Vanessa Lam took 1st.

WOW - the unofficial results show that Kendall Wyckoff won by a huge margin.  (107.27 points vs. Olivia Gibbons' 89.67!)

I'm surprised to see that Melissa Bulanhagui wasn't near the top of the standings.  She's a lovely skater.


Looks like Parker Pennington came in 4th - that qualifies him for Nationals, right?  (Top 4 / sectional event)

[Schmeck]

Czisny took first, bravo for her!

FSWer will be pleased to find out that Danielle Kahle took 2nd place in the short program; the long program results aren't posted yet.  Vanessa Lam took 1st.

WOW - the unofficial results show that Kendall Wyckoff won by a huge margin.  (107.27 points vs. Olivia Gibbons' 89.67!)

I'm surprised to see that Melissa Bulanhagui wasn't near the top of the standings.  She's a lovely skater.


Looks like Parker Pennington came in 4th - that qualifies him for Nationals, right?  (Top 4 / sectional event)

Huh?  Wyckoff came in 6th, Bulanhagui got 2nd!  What results are you looking at?


http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2011/68088/results.html

[Isk8NYC]

Same link; it said "Unofficial" at the time.

I'll bet I read it while the event was still underway, judging by the SP finish order/LP starting order.  That explains Bulanhagui's score - it must have been SP-only because she hadn't skated as yet.  Guess the USFSA really was posting live scores.