Sasha Cohen is BAAAAACK!!!

[jazzpants]

I just read on Ice Network that Sasha is definitely coming back to compete for the Olympics!!! WOO HOO!!! This should be interesting! :bow:

Now we have to see if Michelle KWAN is gonna come back too!!! THAT would really make my day!!! :bow:

[Isk8NYC]

I'm torn here...another Olympic season of Kwaniacs vs. Sashafans?????? ARRRGHHH! It's gonna get ugly, ladies and gentlemen.
Even if Michelle doesn't throw her hat into the ring, we'll be debating "what if ..." for days and days.

Seriously, I'd love to see both of them come back and go head-to-head as long as they're healthy and able to compete on an elite level. Not a half-hearted "let's see how far I can go" effort - all out committment and achievement.

I wish them both nothing but the best of health, training, and ice!
Vera Wang, pull out the sewing machine - Michelle needs a new dress!

[twokidsskatemom]

I have been talking to her on facebook. Yes, I know its weird. I think she is trying to stay out in the public eye.
Anyway, as far as I know she is training but hasnt deceided yet. I tried to see the icenetwork article but couldnt find it.I am sure its hard to let go.
She is in Canada right now with SIO.

[Schmeck]

She looked very fit at SOI, but had very little jump content in her programs. She'd also get major deductions for her flutz and flip entry (just like Caroline Zhang) and never had a consistent triple-triple combo. I wish her luck (she's gonna need it) as she'd have to place 1st or 2nd at US Nationals to even go, and I think that's a long shot.

[Isk8NYC]

I wonder if this is a PR campaign to build interest in skating?

[icedancer2]

I wonder if this is a PR campaign to build interest in skating?

I am quite sure this is it - plus as far as US Ladies go - we got nothin' right now - I mean, yeah, we all love Alyssa and Rachel and all of that but who outside of skating has ever heard of them?

I wish her luck, but I don't think we'll see her back. Or Michelle...

[Isk8NYC]

Fame is such a mercurial thing. Too bad - Alissa could be a star, but you're right that she's not a household name.

[jazzpants]

I wish her luck, but I don't think we'll see her back. Or Michelle...Wanna bet??? :twisted: :P

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090507&content_id=64564&vkey=ice_news

(Okay, you might be right about Kwan though...) :??

[looplover]

Wow, I would absolutely LOVE to see Sasha back! She's my favorite! I can't wait to see what she does with IJS. I bet she'll love the challenge of it.

[icedancer2]

Wow, I would absolutely LOVE to see Sasha back! She's my favorite! I can't wait to see what she does with IJS. I bet she'll love the challenge of it.

Well, she has competed under IJS - in 2006 when she got the silver at the Olympics - she did well with it - but still... well, we shall see what happens - if she gets any Grand Prix assignments - and how she does at Nationals - it would be good for skating (maybe, if anyone cares anymore) if she is there - interesting.

I was impressed with her skating when I saw her at SOI this year - her jump content was MUCH better than the previous year where she fell on almost every jump - it was completely disappointing!

[TiggerTooSkates]

I am a HUGE HUGE HUGE Sasha fan - I'd love to see either her or Michelle Kwan kick some ice at the Games (though I know that's probably a HUGE long shot. . .)

[Schmeck]

Does Cohen have to skate at Regionals and Sectionals since she hasn't competed in 3+ years? How could they possibly give her a GP spot if she hasn't qualified for anything in 3 years? There are rules that have to be followed, even for a past Olympic medalist.

The article on USFSA website states that she said:

“This is a decision I have thought long and hard about for the last few months,” Cohen said. “I know this year will have its ups and downs, but I miss the challenge and am very excited to represent the United States in competition again.”

Won't she only be representing the US if she places high enough at this year's Nationals?

[Schmeck]

Here's the criteria for an envelope assignment:

http://www.usfigureskating.org/Athletes.asp?id=350

Cohen doesn't meet one single criteria, so the USFSA would have to break some rules to get her to a GP this year.

[phoenix]

Does Cohen have to skate at Regionals and Sectionals since she hasn't competed in 3+ years? How could they possibly give her a GP spot if she hasn't qualified for anything in 3 years? There are rules that have to be followed, even for a past Olympic medalist.

The article on USFSA website states that she said:

“This is a decision I have thought long and hard about for the last few months,” Cohen said. “I know this year will have its ups and downs, but I miss the challenge and am very excited to represent the United States in competition again.”

Won't she only be representing the US if she places high enough at this year's Nationals?

Yes, that's correct.

[Isk8NYC]

Self-confidence is a good thing, right? She seems certain that she'll place high enough to earn a spot at the international competitions and the Olympics.

Or, it could just be a PR campaign so that the casual skating fans will become interested enough to learn about our younger competitors.

[sk8ryellow]

I am interested to see how she skates and places.

[mdvask8r]

Here's the criteria for an envelope assignment:

http://www.usfigureskating.org/Athletes.asp?id=350

Cohen doesn't meet one single criteria, so the USFSA would have to break some rules to get her to a GP this year.
Maybe I have this all confused, but envelope assignments are all about assistance $$$ right? A skater does not have to be on an envelope team to be invited to a GP event. :?:

[Schmeck]

Isn't most (if not all) of the GP before Nationals though? She only has a shot at the Olympics and Worlds - and I'm thinking that might be a long shot - Flatt and Zhang have a lot of potential.

[Sylvia]

Does Cohen have to skate at Regionals and Sectionals since she hasn't competed in 3+ years? How could they possibly give her a GP spot if she hasn't qualified for anything in 3 years? There are rules that have to be followed, even for a past Olympic medalist.
There's a USFS rule that says that the current Olympic medalists (2006) do not have to go through Nationals qualifying (Regionals/Sectionals). So this applies to Cohen and Belbin/Agosto.

The USFS can select Cohen as one of their host picks for Skate America.

Maybe I have this all confused, but envelope assignments are all about assistance $$$ right? A skater does not have to be on an envelope team to be invited to a GP event. :?:
Yes and yes. *IF* Cohen is assigned to Skate America, she could be added to the Reserve envelope, for example.
Relevant excerpts from the published envelope criteria:
Athletes or teams that are assigned to an international competition and do not meet the criteria for the A, B or C envelopes will placed in the Reserve Envelope.
...
Athletes in the Reserve Envelope that medal at a "Senior B" international, Junior Grand Prix or Grand Prix competition will be placed immediately in Team Envelope C - Tier 1 and receive the remaining funding for that season.

The 2009-10 Team A-C funding envelopes were announced on 4/28/09: http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=42938
The envelope level is primarily determined by the athlete's performance in international and U.S. Figure Skating competitions during the previous season, and is used to determine funding levels. It is not used as a strict guideline for selections to international competitions.

[Schmeck]

If USFSA decides to slip Cohen in the backdoor this way, I hope they do a monitoring process (ala Kwan) and a testing in front of some judges as well.

[Spider68]

Rumors from local skaters and coaches at Artesia, Aliso, Yorba, and Toyota:

Sasha has been training hard and consistently - something she really hasn't done in the past. Looking 'quite' good according to several former senior ladies that are now coaching.

Michelle is back in shape. Has consistent triple-triple combination, and a triple-triple-double sequence. Sorry, didn't ask and don't know that the combo jumps are.

They are both "ladies" in the truest sense, and I believe the judging world will welcome them over the fly-by-night jumping bean girls, aka this year's sensation, next year's 'injured hip/knee/stress fracture/growth spurt' has-been. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but history bears me out.

Bottom line: If all this is true, the "Sashafans and Kwaniacs" (love that term!) have something to look forward to, USFSA can begin to thank the skating gods, and network television/Winter Olympics, can maybe begin to see some glimmer of hope that public interest can be resurrected.

Figure skating has a lot of catch-up to do...the interest of corporate sponsors and advertisers is with the snowboarders.

Here's hoping rumors are true and will bear fruit.

[Schmeck]

Only problem is that Japan and South Korea are going to cream us at the Olympics (Japan's depth, Korea's Yu na Kim) and Kwan and Cohen finishing off the podium won't do anything to help the cause here at all.

[FSWer]

Ok people!!!!! What do you all think about Sasha's return to Skating? I myself hope that she stays and get's even better at the level she's at. I also surely hope she's not rusty.

[Schmeck]

I hope she fixes her flutz and lip.

[IceSkateRuth]

Yay! I'm glad she came back to competitive Figure skating :)
i wonder what music she's going to skate to...:?:

[sk8joyful]

For a looong time, I was so mesmerized by Michelle :D
Then
my sweetheart pointed-out Sasha's GRACEfulness :bow: It won!